IIMS News

MAIB report into the Hoegh Osaka grounding published

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At 2109 on 3 January 2015, the pure car and truck carrier Hoegh Osaka was rounding West Bramble buoy in The Solent when it developed a significant starboard list causing some cargo shift and consequent flooding.

With the list in excess of 40°, the ship lost steerage and propulsion, and subsequently drifted onto Bramble Bank, grounding at 2115.

Hoegh Osaka had sailed from the port of Southampton, bound for Bremerhaven, at 2006. A pilot was embarked and there were 24 crew on board. Following the accident, all crew were successfully evacuated from the ship or recovered from the surrounding waters. There was no pollution. A major salvage operation successfully refloated Hoegh Osaka and it was subsequently taken to a safe berth in Southampton on 22 January.

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Dare devil round the world yachtsman, Alex Thomson, goes skywalking

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Dare devil solo round the world yachtsman, Alex Thomson, is once again proving his passion for the extraordinary and showing that a fear of heights can also be overcome too.

After the KeelWalk 2012 and MastWalk 2014, he has now combined his two favourite sports, sailing and kiting, to perform one spectacular stunt. Alex arrived at the beach looking confident in a Hugo Boss suit and tie.

Alvor, near the southern tip of Portugal, is one of the most popular places for kite surfing in the world. With its strong winds and high waves, it is the perfect location for this unique experience. The plan for this new stunt promised pure adrenaline and it certainly more than delivered. Alex was raised up from his yacht with the kite to twice the height of the mast. At this breathtaking height, he severed the connection with the boat and glided back down to the sea, carried only by the kite.

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ESNA granted R&D funding for Surface Effect Ships

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ESNA has won funding to research the next generation of Surface Effect Ships
ESNA has won funding to research the next generation of Surface Effect Ships

Sørlandet Knowledge Foundation and the Regional Research Council Agder has granted ESNA funding to develop the next generation of Surface Effect Ships for offshore service operations. ESNA, an independent naval architects and ship design company for high speed vessels, specialises in air cushioned catamaran Surface Effect Ships.

ESNA operates at the crossroads between advanced military and commercial high speed craft technology and the market for offshore renewable energy and maritime operations. The company develops designs with outstanding performance, seakeeping and comfort, higher speed and with lower power consumption and emissions for a greener future.

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Solar powered SeaVax hoover concept set to clean up the oceans

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The new SeaVax solar and wind powered vessel concept will be able to clean up the oceans
The new SeaVax solar and wind powered vessel concept will be able to clean up the oceans

A team of inventors from Sussex, England, has developed a solar and wind-powered boat that can suck up plastic waste.

Bluebird Marine Systems unveiled their proof of concept at the government funded Innovate UK show in London in late 2015 and are now crowd funding the construction of a full-scale vessel.

SeaVax, when built, it will be 44 meters (144 feet) long, have a suction head some 13.5 meters (44 foot) wide, and will be fully autonomous. Deck-mounted solar panels and two wind turbines will feed power to electric pumps and filters that will suck up plastic solids and micro plastics.

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The world’s largest ever cruise ship Harmony of the Seas starts sea trials

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Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas has undergone her first set sea trials, which took place 10-13 March 2016.

The world’s largest cruise ever built set sail from the STX France Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. STX France indicated this first sea trial is devoted mainly to test her electric power plant and propulsion system, as well as maneuverability tests.

There are believed to be 500 people onboard Harmony of the Seas, including crew members, STX test teams, suppliers and Royal Caribbean’s customer monitoring team. Also onboard are engineers and technicians and representatives from the classification society DNV GL.

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Electrical safety: An evaluation of electrical hazards

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In its latest Safety Bulletin, published in March 2016, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) tackles the issue of electrical hazards full on. Although aimed at those working onboard in an electrical capacity, it serves as a timely reminder of the potential electrical hazards a surveyor may be faced with too.

Electrical hazards can lead to deaths and injuries such as shocks and burns. They can also lead to shipboard fires, explosions and the disabling (through blackouts) of essential equipment and services on board which can compromise safety. Ensuring that the right controls and mitigation measures are in place is critical for maintaining safe operations. To be effective, control measures need to be developed at the organisational, technical and individual levels.

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Commercial boat standards are for safety warns AMSA

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The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is urging owners of boats that may be made available for charter or hire for money, to comply with the standards that apply to commercial vessels.

Boats used for commercial purposes are subject to safety standards that do not apply to recreational boats. Domestic commercial vessels will usually undergo regular surveys (inspections) to ensure they comply with standards for structure, stability and safety equipment and have a safety management system to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

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Potential regulator failure promts BSS to back Clesse’s product recall

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The Clesse regulator product number BP1803 is subject to a recall by the company
The Clesse regulator product number BP1803 is subject to a recall by the company

Following extensive field sampling and testing, Clesse Industries has taken the decision to implement a recall on its regulator product family BP1803 because of concerns about the potential of regulator failure in certain operational and environmental conditions.

Used with propane and butane LPG cylinders, the recall involves all directly cylinder mounted, wall mounted single cylinder and two cylinder manual changeover versions manufactured between June 2010 and September 2015.

Speaking on behalf of Boat Safety Scheme, who are backing the recall, BSS manager, Graham Watts, said:
“Please treat this recall seriously and make the checks. Clesse has provided support for anyone concerned with a dedicated website and a toll-free recall helpline: 0800 088 5545.”

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Best practices for RO/RO vehicle deck fire safety released

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interferryIn response to a string of major incidents, trade association Interferry has produced operational best practice guidance for fire safety on RO/RO ship vehicle decks.

The guidance is based on input from a questionnaire sent to association members last year following at least seven serious fire incidents on ROpax ferries in Europe since 2010. The two most recent incidents resulted in fatalities and total loss of the ships, prompting the initiative by Interferry’s Operators Policy Committee to identify and publicize a common set of best practice mitigating actions.

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Multiline anchors for floating offshore wind turbines under research

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A group of US based researchers has teamed up with industry representatives to research the development of a new mooring system for floating offshore wind turbines that uses an integrated network of anchors and lines to hold dozens, or even hundreds of turbines in place in the ocean in industrial scale, offshore wind farms.

Civil and environmental engineers Sanjay R. Arwade and Don J. DeGroot from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, along with Charles P. Aubeny from Texas A&M University and Melissa Landon of the University of Maine, are conducting the research with a three year grant from the National Science Foundation. The funding comes jointly from the NSF’s Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry and Geotechnical Engineering programs.

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Chatham Maritime Marina set for £500,000 berth expansion

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MDL’s Chatham Maritime Marina, situated on the River Medway in Kent, is investing £500,000 in a state-of-the-art expansion plan which will include the addition of 54 new berths.

This exciting new development, due to open in April 2016, will also see a brand new pontoon in the marina which will lie adjacent to notable vessels at The Historic Dockyard.

The Historic Dockyard is a truly stunning 80-acre site with important buildings, museum galleries, historic warships and is described as the finest example of a Dockyard of the Age of Sail anywhere in the world.

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Maersk Tankers completes first drone delivery at sea

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Now on the face of it, this could be regarded as a rather frivolous news story – the delivery of a tin of cookie biscuits to the tanker Maersk Edgar at sea. But as you read the story, the potential ramifications for the future become clear.

The first drone delivery to a vessel at sea has been successfully completed by Maersk Tankers, heralding a big cost and time-saving potential for vessels.

The delivery, which took place near Kalundborg in Denmark and was a test, demonstrated how using drones to deliver urgent parcels to vessels and conduct inspections has huge potential for Maersk Tankers. Further tests will now follow before the new drones can become a part of the supply chain for Maersk Tankers’ vessels.

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