IIMS News

UK boat licence fees set to increase from 1 October 2022

Posted on by News Hound

In light of soaring inflation, which is impacting the costs required to keep the waterways safe and navigable, the Canal & River Trust has annouced an inflationary rise of 4% in UK boat licence fees from 1 October 2022. This is in conjunction with cost saving measures that the Trust is taking and actions to increase income from other sources.

Whilst recognising that a second increase in fees this year is regrettable, the Trust is facing significant increases in a range of its costs – notably the prices of energy, fuel, materials and other construction costs which are rising by more than headline consumer inflation rates, Continue reading “UK boat licence fees set to increase from 1 October 2022”

IG Clubs Delay Report into salvage services in marine casualties published

Posted on by News Hound

The IG Clubs Delay Report is a result of work by its Salvage Committee which conducted a review into delays in contracting and engagement of salvage services in marine casualties. The key finding is that delays are occurring and are also on the increase.

Questionnaires were issued to over three hundred individuals and were completed by one hundred and twenty, giving a response rate of just under thirty-nine percent (39%) of the stakeholders contacted.

There is little doubt that delays are occurring and appear to be on the increase. Continue reading “IG Clubs Delay Report into salvage services in marine casualties published”

Common problems associated with hatch covers

Posted on by News Hound

The Japan P&I Club has published an excellent 26 page guide about hatch covers which can be downloaded at the end of this article. The guide highlights a number of key issues that need to be observed to reduce exposure to ingress and wetting damage claims.

Hatch cover maintenance and operation requires a thorough understanding of basic principles together with type specific issues and requirements. Experience and claims show hatch cover problems still remain one of the predominant causes for claims and accidents on board vessels.

According to the Japan P&I Club, “whilst hatch cover claims are generally associated with wetting damage, Continue reading “Common problems associated with hatch covers”

Pilot falls into water after ladder rope breaks, Swedish Club describes

Posted on by News Hound

In its monthly safety scenario bulletin, the Swedish Club describes an accident where a pilot had fallen into the water after one of the side ropes of the ladder broke, despite a recent monthly inspection.

It was a cold winter’s morning with calm winds and no swell. The vessel had departed port and was preparing for the pilot to disembark. The Chief Officer had told the bosun to prepare the ladder on the port side. The vessel had discharged all its cargo and was in ballast condition proceeding to the next port for loading. As the vessel had no cargo onboard the freeboard was about 7 meters. Continue reading “Pilot falls into water after ladder rope breaks, Swedish Club describes”

Historic ferry sinks

Posted on by News Hound
historic ferry Tourist II partially sank at a pier in Astoria, Oregon
Historic ferry Tourist II partially sank at a pier in Astoria, Oregon

The historic ferry Tourist II partially sank at a pier in Astoria, Oregon on Friday July 28. The vessel went down at her berth, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. A containment boom was deployed around the ferry to reduce the risk of pollution, and an oil spill response organization was contracted to provide cleanup services. No one was aboard at the time of the sinking.

The Tourist II has a long history in the Pacific Northwest. She was built in 1924 for a lucrative private ferry route between Astoria and Megler, Washington, near the mouth of the Columbia River. Continue reading “Historic ferry sinks”

The IIMS news bulletin August 2022 has been published

Posted on by News Hound

Highlights this month in the 22 page news bulletin include:
– MAIB reports on two fatal accidents on fishing vessels.
– DNV forecast and insight about the development and role of hydrogen.
– Sea Cargo Charter annual disclosure report 2022.
– Digest of incident reports by CHIRP.
– Marine Safety Forum alert about corrosion in a fixed CO2 firefighting system.
– Paris MoU 2021 performance lists adopted.
– New guide to help improve welfare standards on fishing vessels. Continue reading “The IIMS news bulletin August 2022 has been published”

Cargo screening tool for detection of dangerous goods adopted by PIL

Posted on by News Hound
PIL adopts cargo screening tool for detection of dangerous goods
PIL adopts cargo screening tool for detection of dangerous goods

Pacific International Lines (PIL) has adopted Hazcheck Detect, a smart cargo screening tool that detects misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods in containerised shipments.

Hazcheck Detect specifically screens cargo booking details for keywords and includes an industry library to enable suspicious bookings to be identified that may be misdeclared or undeclared dangerous goods and other compliance cargo.

Booking data is sent to Hazcheck Detect through an API, screening all information Continue reading “Cargo screening tool for detection of dangerous goods adopted by PIL”

Lithium-ion batteries – should we be concerned?

Posted on by CEO
Six stacks of battery modules in one of the battery rooms. Illustration: The battery contractor
Six stacks of battery modules in one of the battery rooms. Illustration: The battery contractor

An opinion article by Mike Schwarz, IIMS Chief Executive Officer.

I have written this short article following the publication of a report into a lithium-ion battery-related fire onboard the ‘MS Brim’ which generated the investigation by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority. The vessel in question is the ‘MS Brim’, a 2019-built all-electric excursion catamaran offering excursion tours in the Norwegian fjords. Although not a technical man, I am troubled by some of the report findings, and forgive me as I have cherry-picked the bits that concern me most from a lengthy report. Continue reading “Lithium-ion batteries – should we be concerned?”

Fire due to seawater entering the ventilation system reveals NSIA investigation

Posted on by News Hound
Fire damage to starboard battery room. Photo credit: Kripos
Fire damage to starboard battery room. Photo credit: Kripos

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) has published its report on the fire on board ‘MS Brim’ in the outer Oslofjord on 11 March 2021.

Immediately before the fire broke out, the battery system was disconnected as a result of a ground fault, which was indicated on the panel on the bridge. Ground faults had been a recurring problem since the vessel was new. The crew therefore perceived the alarm as ‘one of many’, and did not consider it to be serious. They had no possibility of identifying the point of origin of the ground fault alarm or ascertaining how serious it was. Continue reading “Fire due to seawater entering the ventilation system reveals NSIA investigation”

Revised MCA documentation issued between 8 June and 15 July

Posted on by News Hound

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published a list of revisions to various documentation from 8 June to 15 July 2022.

All M-Notices (MSNs, MGNs and MINs) can be found through the use of the search engine on the MCA website.

Issued 9 June 2022
SI 2022 No. 0629 – The Merchant Shipping (Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments) Order 2022 Continue reading “Revised MCA documentation issued between 8 June and 15 July”

Smart hull monitoring software to be developed

Posted on by News Hound

ABS and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) have signed a joint development project (JDP) to enhance hull safety with smart ship technology for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) using a hull sensor package that will allow for more informed and targeted hull surveys.

SHI’s Hull Stress Monitoring System (HSMS) will be developed in accordance with the ABS Smart Functions Guide. The system will be installed on a new build container ship scheduled for delivery in 2024. Continue reading “Smart hull monitoring software to be developed”

Container shipping customers and service suppliers call for immediate start to review of competition rules

Posted on by News Hound

European and international business organisations are urging the European Commission to start an immediate review of its competition regulations for container shipping.

Ten trade organisations, representing the owners and forwarders of cargo, port terminal operators and other parts of the supply chain dependent on container shipping, are demanding an immediate start to the review of European Union’s Consortia Block Exemption Regulation for the container shipping industry. Continue reading “Container shipping customers and service suppliers call for immediate start to review of competition rules”

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