News Hound

Container loaded with discarded lithium batteries catches fire

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Photo of the fire damage caused by the burnt discarded lithium batteries taken by the U.S. Coast Guard
Photo of the fire damage caused by the burnt discarded lithium batteries taken by the U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a safety alert and is warning about the hazards of transporting discarded lithium batteries after a container illegally loaded with them caught fire while en route to the Port of Virginia, where it was set to be loaded onto a ship.

Thankfully the container was not loaded on a ship at the time. Rather, the container was being transported on a chassis from Raleigh, North Carolina when the discarded lithium batteries caught fire on the highway on August 19, 2021, resulting in loss of the cargo and significant damage to the shipping container. Continue reading “Container loaded with discarded lithium batteries catches fire”

AMSA launches campaign to improve construction barge safety

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Construction barge safety is the focus of a new campaign by AMSA. Photo credit: AMSA
Construction barge safety is the focus of a new campaign by AMSA. Photo credit: AMSA

AMSA has launched a new construction barge safety campaign focused on the importance of regularly reviewing risks as part of the safety management system to protect lives on these types of vessels.

All domestic commercial vessels are defined as workplaces in Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws. This includes construction barges which must meet the risk assessment requirements of state and territory WHS regulations, as well as the risk assessment requirements under the National Law administered by AMSA.

“These barges undertake different and high-risk activities daily Continue reading “AMSA launches campaign to improve construction barge safety”

MAIB issues safety warning after discovery of blocked fixed CO2 fire extinguishing system pilot hoses

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Picture for illustration purposes
Picture for illustration purposes

On 19 September 2021, a fire broke out in the auxiliary engine room on board the Finland registered roll-on/roll-off cargo ship Finnmaster while departing Hull. In an attempt to extinguish the fire, the ship’s crew activated the machinery space’s carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguishing system, but only half of the system’s gas cylinders opened. The initial investigation identified that one of the CO2 system pilot hoses was blocked due to a manufacturing defect. Several coupling leaks were also found in the pilot lines.

Safety Issues

– The quality assurance processes of the pilot hose assembly supplier failed to identify that the hose couplings had not been fully bored through Continue reading “MAIB issues safety warning after discovery of blocked fixed CO2 fire extinguishing system pilot hoses”

Recent new and updated documents issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency

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Maritime and Coastguard Agency

In recent weeks the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency has published a number of revised and amended documents, as well as announcing a new Statutory Instrument (SI).

Issued on 10 January 2022
MSIS 27 – Annex 1 – Under 15 m LOA FV Inspection Regime (Rev. 12/21)
Click for more details

Issued on 12 January 2022
Safety Bulletin 024 – Non-SOLAS Lifejacket Servicing Requirements
Click for more details Continue reading “Recent new and updated documents issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency”

Significant number of ships do not comply with basic navigation safety requirements is finding from the AMSA FIC

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Vessel image for illustrative purposes only
Vessel image for illustrative purposes only

AMSA conducted a Safety of Navigation Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) over the period 1 August to the 8 September 2021 and, extremely concerning, they found that a significant number of ships failed to comply to basic navigation safety requirements.

The campaign focused specifically on:
– The level of compliance with the safety of navigation requirements of International Conventions;
– The familiarity of the master and officers with their processes for ensuring safety of navigation. Continue reading “Significant number of ships do not comply with basic navigation safety requirements is finding from the AMSA FIC”

NTSB report determines probable cause in Miss Dorothy vessel towing fire

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NTSB report determines probable cause of fire
NTSB report determines probable cause of fire

An engine room fire aboard a towing vessel started when diesel fuel spray hit an uninsulated section of the engine’s exhaust system, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report has revealed.

On March 17, 2021, the towing vessel Miss Dorothy was pushing 14 barges upbound on the Lower Mississippi River, north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when a fire broke out in the engine room. The eight crewmembers aboard briefly attempted to fight the fire but were unsuccessful and evacuated to the barges. No pollution or injuries were reported and the vessel was declared a total loss at $2.4 million. Continue reading “NTSB report determines probable cause in Miss Dorothy vessel towing fire”

Consortium set to assess and report on containership fire safety for EMSA

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DBI set to lead the consortium to look at containership fire safety
DBI set to lead the consortium to look at containership fire safety

A consortium led by the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology (DBI) will deliver a Formal Safety Assessment study on containership fire safety to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The project aims to identify cost-effective risk control options for cargo fires on board container vessels.

Considering the constant increase in containership sizes and the frequency of fire originating in containers, the study will quantitatively assess the fire risks on board such vessels and Continue reading “Consortium set to assess and report on containership fire safety for EMSA”

Cargo claims from damage due to water originating from cargo hold bilge systems

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Claims arising from cargo hold bilge systems are a concern for the American Club
Claims arising from cargo hold bilge systems are a concern for the American Club

The American Club has warned operators to be vigilant in light of a number of recent claims arising from damage caused by water originating from cargo hold bilge systems.

Specifically, the American Club says:

– Debris lodges in the non-return valves fitted in the hold bilge pumping systems, preventing them from operating as designed to ensure that water cannot flow back via the bilge line, into the hold bilge wells and thereafter into the cargo hold;
– Manually operated valves in the interconnected bilge, ballast and fire lines are left open following Continue reading “Cargo claims from damage due to water originating from cargo hold bilge systems”

Ban of cybutryne in anti-fouling coating systems effective from 1 January 2023

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Image credit: IMO
Image credit: IMO

The International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention) currently prohibits the use of harmful Organotins in anti-fouling paints used on ships. The IMO has published amendments to the AFS Convention, which come into force on 1 January 2023.

These amendments introduce new requirements that ban the future installation of anti-fouling systems which contain a toxic substance Continue reading “Ban of cybutryne in anti-fouling coating systems effective from 1 January 2023”

Mooring buoy failure caused grounding causing damage of $4.5M reveals NTSB report

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SM-3 mooring buoy: failed padeye (with three shackles) that separated from buoy (left), damaged top with padeye missing (center), and undamaged bottom padeye (right). (Source: Alaska Marine Surveyors and Northline Seafoods).
SM-3 mooring buoy: failed padeye (with three shackles) that separated from buoy (left), damaged top with padeye missing (center), and undamaged bottom padeye (right). (Source: Alaska Marine Surveyors and Northline Seafoods).

The fatigue failure of an unrated mooring buoy led to the grounding of a fishing tender during a storm near Bristol Bay, Alaska in 2020, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

On August 30, 2020, the fishing tender barge SM-3 broke free from its mooring buoy in a storm and went aground. No injuries were reported, but the vessel sustained $4.5 million in damage and left a three-mile-long debris field scattered along the waterfront. Continue reading “Mooring buoy failure caused grounding causing damage of $4.5M reveals NTSB report”

Funeral notice: Jeffrey Casciani-Wood

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Details of Jeffrey’s funeral, which will take place on Friday 18 March, have been published.

Committal Service
To be held at South Essex Crematorium, Ockendon Road, Corbets Tey, Upminster, Greater London, RM14 2UY
On Friday 18 March 2022 at 12:00 PM.

Followed by a thanksgiving service and refreshments
To be held at Hadleigh Temple 146-148 London Road, Hadleigh, SS7 2PF
On Friday 18 March 2022 at 2:30 PM Continue reading “Funeral notice: Jeffrey Casciani-Wood”

Hydrogen fuel cell startup receives government funding to tackle maritime decarbonisation

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Bramble Energy PCBFC™ Stack
Bramble Energy PCBFC™ Stack

Bramble Energy – a hydrogen fuel cell technology startup – has secured just under £1million (£994,050) in government funding as part of the BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) Energy Entrepreneurs Fund. The money will be used to further develop their hydrogen fuel cell technology, to replace diesel engines in boats, potentially saving 50,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The unique fuel cell will be the basis for a fully compliant demonstrator vessel, crucial for the rapid adoption of hydrogen within inland waterways. Continue reading “Hydrogen fuel cell startup receives government funding to tackle maritime decarbonisation”

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