IIMS News

New innovation for inspecting mooring chains above and below water successfully trialled

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The ground-breaking, new climbing robot, named RIMCAW (Robotic Inspection of Mooring Chains in Air and Water)
The ground-breaking, new climbing robot, named RIMCAW (Robotic Inspection of Mooring Chains in Air and Water)

A robot designed to hook onto, and scale up and down, large mooring chains, both at sub-sea level and in the air – with a non-destructive testing (NDT), ultrasonic imaging system on board that scans for critical defects – has recently undergone successful field trials.

The ground-breaking, new climbing robot, named RIMCAW (Robotic Inspection of Mooring Chains in Air and Water), is the result of a year-long, fast-track project that secured funding from Innovate UK, the Government agency behind finding and driving the innovations that will grow the UK economy. It is being delivered by collaborative partners Computerised Information Technology Ltd, Innovative Technology and Science Ltd, London South Bank University and TWI Ltd.

The inspection of large mooring chains, such as those being increasingly employed in Continue reading “New innovation for inspecting mooring chains above and below water successfully trialled”

Life Cell wins top boating magazine award

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Life Cell wins top boating magazine award
Life Cell wins top boating magazine award

Life Cell, which stores essential safety gear together in a buoyant, high-visibility floating case for quick and easy access in emergencies, has received a 2018 Top Product Award from Boating Industry magazine.

Designed by a survivor of a rapid sinking off the coast of Sydney, Australia, Life Cell is redefining how safety equipment is stored on boats and creating a new category of safety equipment in an attempt to save lives. It is like combining a life ring and a ditch kit in one device, two items that have undergone little innovation in recent history.

“Life Cell has had significant success in Continue reading “Life Cell wins top boating magazine award”

Wet damage the most costly claim for bulk carriers says The Swedish Club

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Image Courtesy: Empros Lines
Image Courtesy: Empros Lines

The Swedish Club has published a report warning bulk carrier owners to pay extra attention to the basics. The Club has concluded that for bulk carrier operators, wet damage is the most costly claim type and the second most common claim that they experience.

The report is entitled Wet Damage on Bulk Carriers and has been prepared in cooperation with DNV GL, and MacGregor. It identifies heavy weather and leaking hatch covers as the most common and the most costly type of wet damage claim and the average cost for a wet damage cargo claim being almost $110,000.

Whilst weather routeing minimises the effects of Continue reading “Wet damage the most costly claim for bulk carriers says The Swedish Club”

UK MCA and RNLI test drones for search and rescue

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Image credit: RNLI / Nigel Millard
Image credit: RNLI / Nigel Millard

The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have run a special week-long event to test the use of drones along a stretch of coastline at St Athan, Wales. The testing took place between 23 and 27 April. A selection of drones were used in four different search and rescue scenarios to explore how they could be used to help save lives in the future.

The scenarios were a shoreline search for a casualty, an offshore search for multiple casualties in the sea, a mud rescue and a communications blackspot where a drone is required to relay information between rescue teams and a casualty on a cliff.

Featuring RNLI lifeboats and an HM coastguard search and rescue helicopter, the scenarios explored Continue reading “UK MCA and RNLI test drones for search and rescue”

Denmark cancels registration fee for Danish Register in attempt to boost fleet size

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The aim of this amendment is to increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag
The aim of this amendment is to increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag

The Danish Parliament adopted a legislative amendment on 26 of April, which cancels the registration fee for vessels in the Danish Registers of Shipping. The aim of this amendment is to increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag.

Denmark supports that this measure will indeed increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag, as it now offers the same benefits as foreign Flags.

This amendment also provides increased economic activity and international influence, when the Danish Flag attracts more vessels from both national as foreign shipowners.

The amendment will enter into force on the Continue reading “Denmark cancels registration fee for Danish Register in attempt to boost fleet size”

London P&I Club reveals key causes of recent container loss claims

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Photo credit: London P&I Club
Photo credit: London P&I Club

A recent run of container loss claims by the London P&I Club has highlighted some of the common contributory factors that emerge as part of the investigation process. The Club noted that the subject of misdeclared container weights continues to be a problem. But with this particular run of claims it was the attending surveyor’s observations about cargo securing equipment that caught the eye.

In these cases, it became clear that several manual twist locks were not correctly locked at the time of the incident. The causes for this were considered to be two-fold – some twist locks were damaged (specifically with locking levers either bent or missing), or the units in service were a mixture of right and left-hand locking units, leading to confusion over the observed status of the twist lock.

Upon investigation, a number of container corner castings and container foundations showed no signs of having a locked twist lock forcibly removed during the collapse, the natural conclusion being Continue reading “London P&I Club reveals key causes of recent container loss claims”

Report on the Western Mediterranean LYSCWG training event

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IIMS members watching a practical demonstration of Prop Scan at the METALNOX facility
IIMS members watching a practical demonstration of Prop Scan at the METALNOX facility

The annual IIMS Western Mediterranean Large Yacht & Small Craft Working Group training event took place in Palma on 26-27 April and attracted 18 surveyors, proving to be a great success. As well as local Mallorca based IIMS members, others had travelled from Portugal, Ireland, mainland Spain and France to take part in the event.

On the first morning, the group travelled by bus to the METALNOX facility in nearby Calvia. METALNOX staff explained how they repair and recondition propellers and check and repair shafts. Surveyors were given a Continue reading “Report on the Western Mediterranean LYSCWG training event”

Futuristic 110 metre superyacht concept Elyon by Expleo set to break the superyacht mould

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Elyon by Expleo Design
Elyon by Expleo Design

Expleo Design has unveiled a futuristic 110-metre (360-foot) superyacht concept named Elyon, with on-board accommodation for up to 30 guests.

According to Expleo Design, the organic shapes of the yacht “combine elements inspired by nature [and] assembled in a futuristic and innovative approach”. The studio’s main inspiration was a calm ocean wave, which explains its curvaceous exterior lines, which are described as being calm and elegant, yet firm and strong at the same time.

Elyon’s unique bow; the blending between decks; wide-glass windows; and her structural elements are combined with clean design and wide-open spaces to give the feeling of space, freedom and power.

Key entertainment features are Continue reading “Futuristic 110 metre superyacht concept Elyon by Expleo set to break the superyacht mould”

Heinen & Hopman launches new CFD-analysis service to reduce HVAC costs

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Heinen & Hopman have launched new CFD-analysis service to reduce HVAC costs
Heinen & Hopman have launched new CFD-analysis service to reduce HVAC costs

Marine HVAC supplier Heinen & Hopman has introduced a new service that can accurately predict where deficiencies in an HVAC system may occur before mounting a single piece of equipment on board a vessel.

According to Heinen & Hopman, computational-fluid dynamics (CFD) technology is used to analyse the HVAC-system design to validate whether the HVAC installation shall meet specific requirements.

In a recent press release, Heinen & Hopman outlined, “CFD is a well-established technology in many industries. With CFD technology, airflows can be realistically simulated to identify common HVAC problems, such as drafts, high levels of turbulence, high-pressure drop[s] and poor air-distribution. CFD considers everything from Continue reading “Heinen & Hopman launches new CFD-analysis service to reduce HVAC costs”

IACS publishes its 2017 Annual Review

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Knut Orbeck-Nilssen IACS Chairman
Knut Orbeck-Nilssen IACS Chairman

Quality, modernisation and transparency have been the three fundamental themes of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) during DNV GL’s Chairmanship, and this approach is widely reflected in IACS’ 2017 Annual Review which was presented in London by IACS Chairman Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen.

Looking back at IACS’ development and successes over the past year, Mr Ørbeck-Nilssen said that during these dynamic times, both IACS and it’s twelve Member societies need to act as a guide for the shipping industry, identifying the path for others to follow.

Continue reading “IACS publishes its 2017 Annual Review”

DNV GL publishes its review of marine fuel alternatives

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Image courtesy of DNV GL
Image courtesy of DNV GL

Class society DNV GL has published an up-to-date assessment of the most promising alternative marine fuels available today. The study is timely, as the 2020 fuel sulfur cap is fast approaching and the IMO has just decided to aim for a 50 percent cut in shipping’s carbon emissions.

The paper examines the prospects for the full range of alternatives – LNG, LPG, methanol, biofuel, hydrogen, fuel cells, wind and battery technologies – and it compares them to the use of conventional fuel, both Continue reading “DNV GL publishes its review of marine fuel alternatives”

Portable testing device for fuel sulfur content launched

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Parker Kittiwake has launched the X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer (XRF), a portable testing device that, among other parameters, measures the sulfur content in fuel.

The XRF provides an accurate indication of sulfur content through the analysis of a small fuel sample in less than three minutes. This gives both shipowners and Port State Control (PSC) the ability to conduct laboratory-standard testing onsite before non-compliant fuel is bunkered and before a vessel carrying non-compliant fuel leaves port.

Continue reading “Portable testing device for fuel sulfur content launched”

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