The International Institute of Marine Surveying has launched its new web site, which can be viewed at www.iims.org.uk. The site, which took five months to develop and construct, represents something of a departure
from the previous one. Built in WordPress, the site has a contemporary feel to it, is aesthetically pleasing, clean and simple to navigate around, which were key specification requirements. View full press release.
News Hound
Revised Boat Data Book published
The Boat Data Book is a treasure trove of invaluable information for boat owners, designers, builders, marine surveyors and chandlers.
This updated seventh edition written by Richard Nicolson and Ian Nicolson contains new diagrams and tables of lengths, widths, weights and strengths as well as new data on a vast range of equipment from anchors to masts, propellers to gas cylinders, cleat sizes to winch bases, and hatches to piping.
This is the book you need if you want to find out:
• What size winch to fit
• The breaking strength of stainless steel rigging wire
• The recommended size for seacocks
• What length and size an anchor chain should be
The Boat Data Book is an essential reference book for boat owners, crew – both amateurs and professionals.
UK SCWG talks propellers
The UK Small Craft Working Group attracted a good crowd in double figures who met on 22 September at Grafham Water Sailing Club near Huntingdon UK. The day started when Elliott Berry introduced Eur Ing. Jeffrey Casciani-Wood and invited him to give his lecture on the preliminary design and the survey of propellers. You can download and read Jeffrey’s presentation Introduction to the design and survey of marine propellers . Mike Schwarz was in attendance and gave a short presentation to update those present with some of the latest head office news.
After lunch a trip to nearby Clements Engineering had been arranged for the group. Those who came were given the opportunity to look around this facility where propellers are manufactured and repaired. Feedback was most positive with many saying how informative and interesting the visit had been.
IIMS launches RMCI course through its MSA subsidiary
Leading players in the marine coatings and associated fields have come together to launch a new standard and formal qualification in response to concerns raised by the leisure vessel, superyacht and shipping industry. View full press release.
The role of the stevedore in shipping
Stevedore Article by Capt Kahlil U Khan, Regional Director, IIMS Pakistan
Capt Khalil U Khan is a Senior Master Mariner. He is L.L.M (Master of Laws) position holder and has been the Dean of Law at the DIHE Karachi, Chartered by Govt. of Sindh. He is a Nautical & Insurance Consultant and Authorized Surveying Officer, Licensed by Govternment of Pakistan. He is the Chairman of Oceanic Group of Companies.
WHAT IS STEVEDORING?
It is an occupation which involves the cargo operations i.e. loading and unloading of cargoes on ships. It also includes the other various dockside functions. The people engaged in this occupation are known as stevedores in UK & Europe. However, in the United States and other areas are referred to as longshoremen. At present, in countries such as Dubai, Singapore etc. where stevedoring is a commonplace and where all the cargo passes through domestic and international ports is usually handled is known as Freight Station or Freight Terminal. In this scenario, the stevedores do need heavy machinery, such as tractor, trailers, cranes and forklifters, etc. If on the other hand the some other related work is performed manually where use of machinery is not required such as labour or clerical work. The businesses which specialize in loading and unloading vessels are referred to as stevedoring companies.
Deepsea and underwater surveys
Article written by Capt Andrew Korek
Capt Andrew Frank Korek, President of Phoenix Marine Services Inc. is a Master Mariner, a member of the Company of Master Mariners, the Nautical Institute and the International Association of Maritime Security Professionals (where he is a board member). He is also an established member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying.
Over 90 per cent of the world’s global trade is carried by commercial deepsea vessels. On any given day there are over 300 commercial, ocean-going vessels in B.C. waters loading and unloading a wide range of cargoes. Whether it be for a tanker, container, bulk or break bulk ship, deepsea vessel surveyors perform a number of services that require a complex skill set based on training, experience and practical problem-solving abilities. Before tackling the issue of qualifications, however, it’s worthwhile to look at the many aspects of deepsea vessel surveying — and with the help of Capt Andrew Korek, Phoenix Marine Services — an added perspective of the even more specialized work of underwater surveying.
Alang – the Indian graveyard of ships
If you’re planning your next vacation, you probably won’t find Alang in any travel guides. You may not even find it on the map. This desolate six-mile stretch of land was once one of the most impoverished areas in India. But, in recent years, this piece of the Indian coastline in Gurajat state has become the world’s largest shipbreaking yard.
Alang, 185 miles (298 kilometers) northwest of Bombay, serves as the final stop for about half of the world’s maritime vessels. Alang is literally a graveyard for ships — the world’s once most powerful ships come here to die. Shipbreaking is just what it sounds like. Piece by piece, workers use basic tools to dismantle ships that are too old or too costly to maintain.
But why choose this remote spot to serve as the final destination for so many of the world’s obsolete ships? For one, Alang’s beachfront location is ideal for shipbreaking. Tides are heavy there, and the natural slope of the beach makes it easy for a ship to be run on shore.
An interview with the Certifying Authority Chairman
Fraser Noble is the IIMS Certifying Authority Chairman. In conjunction with his fellow committee members Fraser plays a key role in ensuring the Institute delivers its commitments to and contract with the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully. The Certifying Authority is an important revenue stream for the IIMS, but in recent times, the processes and procedures have been subject to scrutiny and much change.
Q1.
Fraser, by way of introduction, can I ask about your background as a marine surveyor, the type of work you generally undertake and how long you have been Chairman of the CA?
I have been a full member of the IIMS since March 2002 and was appointed as a Certifying Authority Surveyor, including stability testing in December 2002. I have been on the CA Committee more or less continuously since that time in a supporting role. I was appointed Chairman in November 2011, taking over from Tony McGrail.
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The Nicaragua Canal
Artcle written by Luc Verley MIIMS
Competition for the Panama Canal is coming from the Latin American country of Nicaragua, but the project funding is actually coming from China.
The Inter-Oceanic Nicaragua Canal is an ambitious mega-project to create a waterway through Nicaragua to connect the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, just like the Panama Canal.
The Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Group (HKND-group) a Chinese investment company has received from the Nicaragua government a 50 year concession for building and operating the canal. This concession can be extended with another period of 50 years. During this concession period HKND will compensate Nicaragua with 10 million USD annually during the first 10 years and in the following years Nicaragua will receive a percentage of the canal revenues. At the end of concession period HKND will return the canal and its entire infrastructure to Nicaragua. The investment required to build this canal is estimated at 40 billion USD (an equivalent to twice the country’s GDP) and construction of the canal would take 6 to 10 years according to HKND-group. It is estimated to create 40,000 jobs for construction workers. HKND will lead a consortium that might include international partners and will operate its business fairly, impartially and openly.
The trials and tribulations of rescuing a superyacht
About the author
Guy Canovan arrived in the world of naval architecture following gaining a degree from Southampton Institute as a mature student in 2000. Initially he worked for BMT Defence Services in Bath where he supported the Royal Navy by carrying out inclining experiments, stability analyses and structural capability tasks. After gaining his CEng status in 2004, he moved to Fleet Support in Portsmouth naval base where he became head of the design office. In June 2011, he received an offer from the Shemara project to lead the design team on the rescue of a 65m superyacht. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse and shortly afterwards, armed with a lot of enthusiasm but little else, he arrived on the Shemara project. This is his story about rescuing a superyacht, MV Shemara.
This article is a personal account of my role in the refit of Shemara, a 65m motoryacht. In the course of writing it, it has morphed into my experience of designing a 65m ship without the usual infrastructure associated with designing a 65m ship and doesn’t conform to the more common, but no less worthy, technical account.
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IIMS sets up marine surveying LinkedIn discussion group
The IIMS has recently started an online marine surveying LinkedIn discussion group, which already boasts over 100 members. The aim is to set topics for discussion on a regular basis covering all aspects of marine surveying and associated areas. The first subject for discussion on enclosed spaces brought some very lively debate.
Anyone in the group can contribute, or start a new thread, even if just seeking advice from others. The group discussion will not be heavily regulated and a simple set of rules and etiquette has been published that group members are expected to abide by.
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Plastic main propellers fitted for the first time
Japanese classification society ClassNK and Nakashima Propeller Co., Ltd., have installed the world’s first carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) propeller on a main propulsion system of a merchant vessel.
The CFRP propeller was installed on the Taiko Maru, a domestic 499 GT chemical tanker owned by Sowa Kaiun YK by Marugame-based Koa industry Co., Ltd. in May 2014. The CFRP propeller installed on the vessel was developed and produced by Nakashima Propeller Co., Ltd., with support from ClassNK, which granted approval for the design and manufacturing process of the CFRP propeller, as well as provided research and funding support for the project as part of the ClassNK Joint R&D for Industry Program. Despite its ultra-lightweight composition, CFRP exhibits the same, if not superior strength, to the aluminum-bronze composite materials used in conventional propellers, according to ClassNK. Due to the light weight of the propeller, propeller shafts can be manufactured with smaller diameters, contributing to a significant reduction in weight and fuel costs.
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