BoatCoSafe launches boating Carbon Monoxide alarms campaign

BoatCoSafe launches boating CO alarms campaign
BoatCoSafe launches boating CO alarms campaign

Mandatory installation of Carbon Monoxide alarms on cabin boats in UK waterways would save lives. In the last 20 years, 19 boaters have died and another 24 have needed hospital attention from Carbon Monoxide gases.

BoatCOSafe has launched with a petition and news on its website see BoatCOSafe.uk along with an intense video highlighting the dangers. There is also an online petition available on the website to encourage parliament to make having a CO alarm mandatory on inland waterways.

“Boats are naturally enclosed spaces where Carbon Monoxide can build up very quickly – and as you can’t smell or see it, you can be affected by it before you realise what has happened,” says lead campaigner Niki Molnar MBE

With people already booking boats for their Summer holidays, BoatCOSafe is encouraging people to Continue reading “BoatCoSafe launches boating Carbon Monoxide alarms campaign”

Volvo Ocean Race initiates report into ocean racing safety at night following collision

Volvo Ocean Race initiates report into ocean racing safety at night following collision
Volvo Ocean Race initiates report into ocean racing safety at night following collision

Following the collision between Vestas 11th Hour Racing and a non-racing vessel in the final stages of the racing leg in Hong Kong waters, the organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race have commissioned an independent report into ocean racing at night in areas of high vessel traffic density, to establish what steps race organisers may take to mitigate risk going forward.

The collision occurred between the boat Vestas 11th Hour Racing and a fishing vessel, on 20 January 2018, around 30 miles from the Leg 4 finish line in Hong Kong, resulting in the death of one fisherman. He had been recovered from the water and taken on board Vestas 11th Hour Racing and was transferred by helicopter to a hospital in Hong Kong where medical staff were unable to revive him.

Continue reading “Volvo Ocean Race initiates report into ocean racing safety at night following collision”

Revolutionary design of harbour escort tug launched

Revolutionary design of harbour escort tug launched
Revolutionary design of harbour escort tug launched

Dutch towing group, Muller Maritime, has taken delivery of the harbour escort tug Multratug 32. Despite the high number in its name, it is both the first in its class and the first vessel of its kind.

Designer Robert Allan Ltd. calls it a “Carrousel RAVE Tug,” or CRT, and it integrates two features into a novel new package. First, it has two Voith cycloidial drives arranged fore and aft (the Robert Allan-Voith RAVE design). Second, its towing winch is mounted on a giant circular bearing – the “Carrousel Towing System” – which sits around the entire wheelhouse. With these design elements the tug can rotate with a load on its line, without fouling the towline on its own superstructure or girting. It is designed to pivot relative to its direction of travel, creating drag with the width of its hull.

Robert Allan says that it is the tug’s relative heading that determines the magnitude of the towline force. At speed, large forces can be generated by applying a small amount of thrust to change the tug’s orientation to the escorted vessel. The propulsion system is primarily used to control the tug’s heading, position and speed – not to generate bollard pull. Continue reading “Revolutionary design of harbour escort tug launched”

MARPOL amendments for ship fuel oil reporting requirements, garbage classification and IOPP certificate now in force

MARPOL amendments for ship fuel oil reporting requirements, garbage classification and IOPP certificate now in force
MARPOL amendments for ship fuel oil reporting requirements, garbage classification and IOPP certificate now in force

Requirements for ships to collect data on their fuel oil consumption entered into force on 1 March. Other important amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) have also entered into force, covering the classification of garbage, including the addition of a new category of “e-waste”, and amendments to the International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate.

Ship fuel oil consumption data reporting requirements
The ship fuel oil consumption data reporting requirements are the latest mandatory requirements aimed at enhancing the energy efficiency of international shipping.

The data collection will begin on 1 January 2019 with data reported at the end of each calendar year to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency with responsibility for regulating the safety, security and efficiency of shipping and preventing marine and atmospheric pollution from ships.

Continue reading “MARPOL amendments for ship fuel oil reporting requirements, garbage classification and IOPP certificate now in force”

Fire extinguishing systems recalled by Kidde

Fire extinguishing systems recalled by Kidde
Fire extinguishing systems recalled by Kidde

Kidde Fire Protection has issued a Product Management Bulletin 171b in which it is recalling the hardware replacement of cylinders used in its HFC227 and NOVEC 1230 fire extinguishing systems. All ECS 2-inch Cylinder-Valve assemblies complete with Clean Agent that were shipped for marine applications during the period 16 January 2015 until 31 December 2016 are to be replaced.

The 2-inch valve used on the Kidde Chemical Agent Cylinder-Valve assemblies has four retainer screws in its piston design. Kidde Fire Protection realized that some valves, with one or more of these retainer screws not tightened to the required torque specification, may have escaped the production and inspection process into shipping.

The 2-inch valve operates on a differential pressure design and the loss of any of the screws from its set position could result in Continue reading “Fire extinguishing systems recalled by Kidde”

From stamp to screen: DNV GL has already issued over 50,000 electronic certificates

From stamp to screen: DNV GL has already issued over 50,000 electronic certificates
From stamp to screen: DNV GL has already issued over 50,000 electronic certificates

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers and the industry as a whole,” says Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO of DNV GL – Maritime. “Many owners have opted not to wait for their first scheduled survey to shift vessels to the new certificates, but have asked to move their whole fleet onto the new system. Our goal for 2018 is to have every vessel in the fleet using electronic certificates in conjunction with their periodic survey.”

Since the launch in mid-October 2017, DNV GL has issued approximately 50,000 certificates, with more than 6,000 vessels of the classed fleet now trading with one or more certificates. Digitally signed electronic certificates represent nearly 80 per cent of all certificates issued by DNV GL since the roll-out. 52 flag states accept the certificates, with further acceptances expected over the coming year.

“The administrative savings for our customers have been significant, in particular in the ease with which customers always have access to Continue reading “From stamp to screen: DNV GL has already issued over 50,000 electronic certificates”

Oceanco unveils new 115m concept Tuhara superyacht

Oceanco unveils new 115m concept Tuhara superyacht
Oceanco unveils new 115m concept Tuhara superyacht

Oceanco used the first day of the 2018 Dubai International Boat Show to unveil a 115-metre superyacht concept, Tuhara.

Unveiled on the opening day of the show by His Excellency Saeed Hareb, security general of Dubai Sports Council and Mina Seyahi, vice president and chairman of Dubai International Marine Club, the radical design was reportedly inspired by Polynesian canoes and Maori explorers. Her name is derived from the Maori word for ‘discover’.

Salvagni undertook Tuhara’s interior design, which features influences from the Pacific Islands and East Asia, with brushed teak, tatami floors and bronze metalworld. He said, “Tuhara is a megayacht conceived for a dynamic owner, nevertheless the timeless sense of peace and calmness are the main characterises. This softness and dynamicity are reflected in the humble elegance and sensuality of the primitive organic shapes echoed throughout.”

British naval architects BMT Nigel Gee worked to create Continue reading “Oceanco unveils new 115m concept Tuhara superyacht”

MAIB report into Windfarm 8 catastrophic damage and resulting fire published

Photo credit: Image copyright 't schippertje
Photo credit: Image copyright ‘t schippertje

On 7 September 2017, the 15.87m crew transfer vessel, Windcat 8, was on passage to Grimsby, UK, from the Lynn Wind Farm in the North Sea with two crew and eight windfarm technicians on board. Shortly after setting off, the vessel’s port engine suffered catastrophic damage and caught fire.

The passengers were quickly transferred on to Windcat 31 and the fire was contained within the port engine space and soon extinguished. Windcat 8’s port engine was badly damaged and the vessel was towed to Grimsby by Windcat 30. There was no pollution and no injuries.

Continue reading “MAIB report into Windfarm 8 catastrophic damage and resulting fire published”

Tritex NDT launches a thickness gauge for mounting onto drones

Tritex NDT launches a thickness gauge for mounting onto drones
Tritex NDT launches a thickness gauge for mounting onto drones

Tritex NDT has launched a new ultrasonic metal thickness gauge specifically designed for mounting onto drones for high level inspections.

The gauge uses multiple echo to completely ignore coatings up to 20mm thick and the single crystal probe ensures accurate readings on curved surfaces, such as storage tanks and pipelines. Remaining metal thickness and corrosion levels can be quickly and more easily checked without the need for scaffolding or rope access.

The Multigauge 6000 Drone Thickness Gauge OEM transmits real time measurements wirelessly up to a distance of 500 metres using its integrated RF transmitter. The readings are displayed and stored on dedicated Communicator software within templates in a grid or string format.

The gauge weighs just 45 grams and the plastic probe weighs only 15 grams. Jon Sharland, Sales Manager at Tritex NDT Ltd, said Continue reading “Tritex NDT launches a thickness gauge for mounting onto drones”

Fleet of battery powered zero emissions barges set for French waterways

Fleet of battery powered zero emissions barges set for French waterways
Fleet of battery powered zero emissions barges set for French waterways

A fleet of zero emissions 100t barges that operate solely on battery power are being built for canal trips in France.

UK company Backwater Cruising is currently constructing the first of 21 38m long vessels barges that will have a 300kWh battery bank powered by purpose-built canalside charging points to achieve zero carbon operation.

Isle of Wight-based Hybrid Marine will provide hybrid systems for the vessels, which Graeme Hawksley, founder and managing director, explained can ‘operate in serial hybrid mode, parallel hybrid mode and for five hours propulsion under battery alone along with air-conditioning’.

The hybrid system comprises twin Beta 105 parallel hybrid engines and a 49kVA generator. If an overnight charging point is not available then Continue reading “Fleet of battery powered zero emissions barges set for French waterways”

Ships carrying heavy fuel oil cargoes subject to ongoing condition surveys

Libya releases tanker carrying fuel to rival government
Libya releases tanker carrying fuel to rival government

In order to improve ship standards, the International Group of P&I Clubs has said it will continue to conduct survey triggers for seagoing vessels of 10 years of age or more carrying heavy fuel oil cargoes.

As a result, all sea-going vessels that are 10 years old or more and have carried heavy fuel oil as cargo within the previous 12 months will be subject to condition survey, unless:

– The vessel has undergone a P&I club condition survey during the previous 12 months.
– The vessel has undergone a Special Survey during the previous 6 months.
– The vessel has a valid Condition Assessment Program (CAP) rating of 1 or 2 with a classification society having membership in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

Operators should have in mind that a declaration is now required so that Continue reading “Ships carrying heavy fuel oil cargoes subject to ongoing condition surveys”

Liberia Maritime Authority issues an advisory notice for the safe transport of bauxite

Liberia Maritime Authority issues an advisory notice for the safe transport of bauxite
Liberia Maritime Authority issues an advisory notice for the safe transport of bauxite

The Liberia Maritime Authority has released a Marine Advisory notice to provide guidance for the safe transportation of bauxite. It also gives the potential risks regarding the carriage of certain Group A bauxite in bulk due to its potential to undergo dynamic separation.

After the investigation into the loss of the M.V. BULK JUPITER in 2015 with a cargo of bauxite, IMO published CCC.1/Circ.2 on Carriage of Bauxite that may liquefy. At the time, bauxite was listed in the IMSBC Code as a Group C cargo (cargoes neither liable to liquefy- Group A or possess chemical hazards Group B).

For a more peer reviewed report on the nature of bauxite cargoes and to develop a globally applicable transportable moisture limit (TML) test for bauxite cargoes, the Global Bauxite Working Group (GBWG) was established in 2016.

GBWG indicated that Bauxite Fines containing more than Continue reading “Liberia Maritime Authority issues an advisory notice for the safe transport of bauxite”

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