Remote inspections accelerating to meet challenging times

Remote inspections accelerating to meet challenging times
Remote inspections accelerating to meet challenging times

Bureau Veritas’ white paper, entitled “Remote inspections – A solution for the present, an opportunity for the future” is now available and can be downloaded below. It outlines how important it is for companies to rely on remote inspections to ensure business continuity and thei vision goes much wider than the maritime sector and across industry in general.

Organizations worldwide are rethinking the way they do business, following the rapid acceleration of digitalization trends and uptake of remote working. This has created both challenges and opportunities across sectors, driving a shift towards remote inspection that has revealed multiple advantages says Bureau Veritas.

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DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other

DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other
DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other

As one of the most challenging years in DNV’s 157-year history, the strong financial result is a testament to the strength and resilience of the company and the hard work and dedication of employees worldwide. DNV’s annual report 2020 detailing DNV’s financial and sustainability performance is now available. Group President & CEO Remi Eriksen noted in the annual report: “It is particularly when times are tough that I am reminded how proud I am to work for this company.”

As lockdowns began sweeping across the globe in early 2020, the uncertain prospects ahead led to tough decisions being taken by management. More than half of the workforce was placed on partial furloughs or salary cuts to quickly curb costs. Strong customer relationships and a swift shift to digital services such as remote surveys, inspections and audits, enabled DNV to continue to support customers’ operations. A robust IT infrastructure and significant investment in digitalization in previous years enabled the majority of Continue reading “DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other”

Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued

Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued
Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued

The International Group together with the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) have jointly released an updated version of the “Guidelines for the Carriage of Seed Cake in Containers”.

For reference, the term Seed Cake refers to pulp, meals, cake, pellets, expellers and other similar cargo where edible vegetable oils have been removed from oil-bearing seeds, cereals or commodities with similar properties. The carriage of Seed Cake cargoes continues to cause confusion and the potential for undeclared or misdeclared cargo remains high, with the consequent risk of fire on board container ships.

As the new version of the guidelines notes: It is vital that Seed Cake that is not classified in Class 4.2 of the IMDG Code. In fact, it should Continue reading “Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued”

Australia’s domestic superyacht industry booming

Australia’s domestic superyacht industry is booming, doubling in size. Vessels have been attracted to Australia and its buoyant domestic charter market. With borders closed, many superyachts have moved to Australia to offer a luxury alternative to overseas travel. This increase in charter activity in Australian waters provides a huge economic lift for the country.

Seemingly this increase in vessel activity has a direct correlation to the new charter legislation passed by the federal government in December 2019. The passing of the Special Recreation Vessels (SRV) Act of 2019,  coupled with the closure of international borders have contributed to accelerated growth of the industry.

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Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB

Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB
Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB

The MAIB has released a report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard the motor cruiser Diversion. At about 2000 on 4 December 2019, the bodies of two men were discovered in the cabin of the privately owned motor cruiser Diversion, which was moored to a quay in the centre of York, England. The bodies were those of the boat owner and his friend, who had spent the previous evening in the city centre socialising with former work colleagues and were spending the night on board.

Both men had died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. The carbon monoxide had leaked into the cabin from the boat’s diesel-fuelled cabin heater exhaust.

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How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping

How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping
How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping

Last year, satcom specialist IEC Telecom highlighted that demand for digital technology had risen tenfold as maritime businesses embraced new ways of working during the coronavirus pandemic inspiring a technology revolution. But why has it taken a pandemic to change attitudes to technology?

2020 was the year where remote working became the norm. Lockdowns and restrictions forced many businesses to close offices and move their workforce to home working. Shipping companies sent shore-based teams to work from home where possible. However, this highlighted some huge technology gaps. Those that had the right online tools and access to the cloud already could access data and information from any location and continue work. Others though, still reliant on paper-based systems and outdated technology realized they couldn’t function effectively in this new remote world, and something needed to change.

For many this prompted investment in technology and moving their business into the cloud for the first time. A recent report from Lloyd’s Continue reading “How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping”

Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded

Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded
Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded

The development of the wind turbine sector is creating new challenges for the shipping industry as giant wind blades and elements are shipped from their manufacturers to the staging points for their installation. APM Terminals Pecem, at the port of Pecem in northeast Brazil, recently handled the loading of three blades, which it reports became the largest non-containerized cargo operation in the world.

The shipment consisted of three giant wind blades, each of which measured approximately 238 feet in length. While these blades were only about two-thirds the length of the largest wind blades ever built, they were the largest in Brazil and needed to be shipped from the port of Pecem in the north to the state of Santa Catarina in the south where they will be installed as part of the growing wind energy sector Continue reading “Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded”

Sailing community shares the nation’s sadness as RYA pays tribute to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

Image credit: PA Archive/PA Images
Image credit: PA Archive/PA Images

Though probably best known for founding The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme in 1956, His Royal Highness was also involved in the work of many more charities and organisations which reflected his wide-ranging interests including conservation, the military and engineering, as well as his passion for getting afloat. Well-known for his love of sailing, as well as his long-standing naval career, The Duke of Edinburgh started sailing while he was at Gordonstoun School in Scotland. He sailed frequently with Prince Charles in the Dragon Class keelboat Bluebottle, which was a gift to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh on their marriage from the Island Sailing Club in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The Duke sailed the boat competitively for a number of years.

In 1948, Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh were listed as new members of the RYA and given Honorary Membership. At the 1956 RYA Annual General Meeting, The Duke of Edinburgh was elected as President of the RYA for the first time. Following his election, the Council was regularly invited to hold one of its meetings on board HMY Britannia during Cowes Week. Continue reading “Sailing community shares the nation’s sadness as RYA pays tribute to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh”

The death of two IIMS stalwarts announced

The past week has been one of great sadness for me personally, the IIMS head office team, Institute members, and the wider maritime industry with the announcements of the passing of two IIMS champions. Last week, I received news of the passing of Peter Morgan HonFIIMS. Peter died on 4 April. And then just a week later, news that John Excell HonFIIMS had lost his brave battle and succumbed to a long illness reached me. The news of both deaths affected me greatly.

Detailed obituaries are being prepared for both men and will appear in the June 2021 Report Magazine.

But for now, let me try and make sense of what has been the toughest of weeks as both men were well known to me and many others. Indeed, both in their own ways gave so much to the Institute and will be sorely missed.

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Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published

Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published
Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published

MAIB have published their report on the flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest.

On 18 August 2019 and about 70 miles north-east of Fraserburgh, the UK registered trawler Ocean Quest, sank as a result of an engine room flood. The source of the flood has not been determined; however, it was almost certainly a result of shell plating or hull weld failure. The crew tackled the flood with fixed and portable pumps but were not able to get the situation under control. The alarm was raised as soon as the flood was discovered, the crew were well prepared for the abandonment and all were rescued safely by a coastguard helicopter.

Safety Issues
Flooding presents an immediate threat, and every effort must be made to pump out the floodwater. In this case, the crew followed their onboard routine for bilge pumping, which meant that sea suction valves were left partly open. This potentially restricted the bilge pumps’ Continue reading “Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published”

Brunswick 2020 Sustainability Report highlights commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance strategies

Brunswick 2020 Sustainability Report highlights commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance strategies
Brunswick 2020 Sustainability Report highlights commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance strategies

Brunswick Corp has published its 2020 Sustainability Report: Our Stake in Tomorrow’s Tides, highlighting the company’s progress toward its sustainability goals, including a continued commitment to advance its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies. The report also reflects Brunswick’s dedication to sustainable manufacturing and contributing to the communities in which it operates.

“Brunswick understands the impact our businesses and products have on the environment and our opportunities to lead the way in sustainable, responsible business practices,” said Dave Foulkes, Brunswick Corporation CEO. “We are committed to continually broadening, advancing, and delivering on our sustainability mission and to improving the communities in which we live and work, and in Continue reading “Brunswick 2020 Sustainability Report highlights commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance strategies”

Downloadable MAIB Spring 2021 Safety Digest of accident reports published

The Spring 2021 Safety Digest has been published by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. It features 25 case studies involving a range of vessels and accidents. The Safety Digest talks through each scenario and reveals the lessons that arise from each case.

Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Andrew Moll, writes in his welcome and introduction “I would like to start by thanking Fran Collins, David Fuller and Roger Brydges for writing the introductions to the merchant, fishing and leisure sections of this Digest. Their perspectives on maritime safety make compelling reading.

At the MAIB, we try to keep our safety messages fresh. Continue reading “Downloadable MAIB Spring 2021 Safety Digest of accident reports published”

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