IIMS News

DNV GL, Gard and The Swedish Club work together to help reduce anchor losses

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Anchor losses are becoming a bigger problem says recent research
Anchor losses are becoming a bigger problem says recent research

The root cause of many groundings and collisions is lost anchors which are also among the top five reasons for claims costs overall. A rising number of anchor losses reported over the last several years prompted DNV GL, Gard and The Swedish Club to investigate this issue. Based on an analysis of damage cases involving anchor and anchor chain losses, the project partners have issued a presentation identifying the most frequent technical and operational causes, and some steps crews and operators can take to address them.

“One of the key takeaways of our investigation is the importance of the officers and crew being aware of the environmental loads their equipment is designed for,” says Håkon Skaret, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV GL. “If these limits are not taken account of in shipboard anchoring procedures, there can be significant damage to the vessel – even beyond the loss of anchor and chain. Many anchor losses are avoidable, if the proper maintenance and handling procedures are adhered to.”

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New yachting paint guide application released by Jotun

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As leading suppliers of marine performance paints and coatings, Jotun has announced the launch of a new yachting application (app) to make boat care and maintenance easier for yacht owners and professionals.

The Jotun Yachting Paint Guide is a digital application which is available free for smartphones and tablets. According to Jotun, the app gives yachting professionals all the information they may need to make quick and easy decisions, and will be available to them whenever and wherever needed.

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IMO publicly asserts: No going back on container weighing

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containersIMO Senior Deputy Director for Marine Technology and Cargoes, Maritime Safety Division, Joseph Westwood-Booth, recently told an audience at the ICHCA conference in Barcelona that he wanted to make it “perfectly clear” that there would be “no delays” to the SOLAS amendment on container weighing.

The beginning of March, 2016 has brought significant ambiguity to the container weighing debate, with US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Paul Thomas telling the TPM Conference that he believes the impending SOLAS guidelines on container weight verification “are not mandatory”.

Following this, the Global Consolidators Working Group wrote a letter to the IMO stating that the container weighing rule is “too vague” to implement.

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The next generation of superyachts unveiled by Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale

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The breathtaking new superyacht concept from Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale
The breathtaking new superyacht concept from Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale

Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale has unveiled its concept for the exciting, next generation of superyachts.

Measuring 77 metres in length, the latest sailing superyacht concept from Mathis Ruhl Architecture Navale is the R77. She has been designed with a very specific design brief: to create a vessel able to sail both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by means of passing through the Panama Canal, a passage that most large sailing yachts are sometimes limited with due to the 62.5 metre air draft limit placing restrictions on rig height.

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Wärtsilä research project eliminates problem of singing propellers

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Wärtsilä research finds the reasons for singing propellers
Wärtsilä research finds the reasons for singing propellers

A joint research project carried out by Wärtsilä and City University London has succeeded in identifying the specific design parameters that create the risk of singing propellers. Though rare, singing propellers are nevertheless an annoying problem that occurs as a strong tonal noise originating from the propeller, thus causing a negative effect to onboard comfort levels. The research programme reached its conclusions in December 2015.

The problem has long been recognised in the marine industry. While the general perception has been that the frequency of the propeller blades’ vibration mode coincides with the frequency of the hydrodynamic excitation forces at the trailing edge of the blades, the current research indicates that there is more complexity and sensitiveness to this hypothesis.

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New DNV GL Class notation announced: Scrubber Ready

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Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen (Photo: DNV GL)
Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen (Photo: DNV GL)

A new class notation from DNV GL aims to help shipowners prepare newbuilds for scrubber installations. Scrubber Ready ensures that the necessary preparations are in place for a smooth and cost-efficient scrubber retrofit at a later stage, the classification society said.

“There is no doubt that stricter emissions regulations for sulphur oxides are here to stay,” said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO at DNV GL – Maritime. “This new Scrubber Ready Class notation gives shipowners the flexibility to minimize their initial investment when ordering a newbuilding, while at the same time having the confidence that their vessels are already on the track to easy compliance with incoming emissions regulations.”

“Ship managers have to factor in many considerations when planning for a potential future scrubber installation, from space and stability requirements, to fire safety, piping, corrosion resistance and the effect on the main engine,” said Hans Jacob Horgen, responsible engineer at DNV GL for exhaust gas cleaning rules. “It is very important to have an overview of the design and an understanding of how the system will interact with the engines and auxiliary Continue reading “New DNV GL Class notation announced: Scrubber Ready”

MCA makes important changes to the Passenger Vessel Certificate

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The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is changing the way a Passenger Vessel certificate is issued. These have, up until now, been a combined Passenger Certificate (PC) and Domestic Safety Management Certificate (DSMC) which have been valid for five years with annual endorsements.

The MCA is now splitting the one certificate into two certificates; a PC and a DSMC. The PC will only be valid for one year whilst the DSMC will be valid for five years, but will need an interim audit on the 2nd or 3rd anniversary that the certificate was issued. The MCA has stated that this audit would take place during the running trials to minimise costs. A full crew will be required and drills will need to be performed to the satisfaction of the MCA. As well as this, owners will now be required to submit to the MCA an annual self-assessment against their Safety Management System (SMS).

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Lake District National Park Authority decides not to adopt BSS

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At a recent meeting of the Lake District National Park Authority, it was decided not to adopt the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) following the Marine Accident Investigation Board’s (MAIB) recommendation, as the scheme is not an effective comprehensive method of addressing the important issue of boat safety.

A media statement released said;
While we support many of the scheme’s initiatives, these alone would not necessarily ensure public safety. Our reasons for not adopting the Boat Safety Scheme include:
• The BSS inspection is not a full condition survey and does not provide a fit for purpose evaluation
• It is not a mandatory condition to install a carbon monoxide or smoke detector on-board a boat under the BSS scheme
• The BSS inspection is only conducted every four years. This would not necessarily ensure safety of users
• For the BSS to be adopted it requires byelaw changes. Byelaws are designed to address local issues and must not attempt to address issues that are of national concern.

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Alert issued about the recall of Kidde and Lifesaver fire blankets 

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Surveyors should be aware that Kidde Safety Europe Ltd has issued a recall for some of its products. Furthermore, the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) is supporting Kidde Safety Europe Ltd to alert any boaters to the immediate product recall on its “Kidde” or “Lifesaver” fire blankets following concerns regarding their effectiveness in the event of an oil pan fire.

Kidde Safety Europe Ltd has identified a potential safety issue with regard to fire blankets sized 1m² which may impact upon the fire blankets’ effectiveness in the event of an oil pan fire. Kidde states that no reports of any adverse incidents have been received to date, however, testing of certain fire blankets has identified a risk that the affected fire blankets may not fully extinguish an oil pan fire and/or may allow the fire to re-ignite very soon after application of the fire blanket. Accordingly, a recall has been initiated on a precautionary basis to ensure end-user safety.

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Issues caused by poorly constructed heaving lines

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Shipowners’ P&I Club warns about the weight capacity of heaving lines. This image was released by the United States Navy
Shipowners’ P&I Club warns about the weight capacity of heaving lines. This image was released by the United States Navy

The Shipowners’ P&I Club is keen to draw the attention of operators to the use of poorly constructed heaving lines with particular focus on the weights being used on the end of them. These can cause severe injury to crew or damage to the vessel on impact. The same can be said for heavy objects enclosed within monkeys fists which can result in similar injuries.

The ‘Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers’ Chapter 26 section 26.3.5 states:
“To prevent personal injury to those receiving heaving lines, the ‘monkey’s fist’ should be made with rope only and must not contain added weighting material. Safe alternatives include a small high-visibility soft pouch, filled with fast-draining pea shingle or similar, with a weight of not more than 0.5 kg. Under no circumstances is a line to be weighted by items such as shackles, bolts or nuts, or twist locks”.

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Baglietto to develop two new superyacht projects

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bagliettoBaglietto, the historical boat builder based in La Spezia, Italy, presented two new projects pencilled by Francesco Paszkowski Design in Miami during an event held at the Casa Tua restaurant. The new projects are soon bound to join the already wide production of the La Spezia shipyard.

The first of the two projects is a 44 m yacht that continues Baglietto’s long-standing tradition of OPEN crafts, which in the past had already made the brand’s success with yachts like the Blue Princess. Consistently with the boat builder’s will to reinterpret its precious heritage in a modern, contemporary style, the new 44 m OPEN stands out for the great liveability of both its outdoor areas and interiors, while preserving the aggressive look and impressive performance of a sporty craft. 2 possible layouts are available, with 4 or 5 cabins, as Continue reading “Baglietto to develop two new superyacht projects”

Contract awarded for the first phase rebuild of the Maid of the Loch

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The march to rebuild the Maid of the Loch is finally underway
The march to rebuild the Maid of the Loch is finally underway

The first contract to be awarded in the £5.5 million project to rebuild the Loch Lomond Scotland) Paddle Steamer, the Maid of the Loch, has been signed. The contract ahead of the actual rebuild has been awarded to OSD-IMT Ltd, of Dundee, and is for marine consultancy services. OSD will provide the necessary naval architecture, engineering, structure, and outfitting expertise to produce all the required calculations, drawings, and designs to ensure that the rebuild meets all regulatory requirements.

John Beveridge, founder of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, the charitable trust that owns the Maid of the Loch, said, “This is a landmark event for us. It is almost exactly 20 years since the charity took ownership of the Maid of the Loch, and we are now able to start work on returning this unique ship back into steam operating condition. It is hugely exciting for everyone and our thanks for all the wonderful support we have had. This is a major investment for Loch Lomond”.

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