Crane incidents

Crane incidents are the latest topic be addressed and assessed by Britannia Club
Crane incidents are the latest topic be addressed and assessed by Britannia Club

Crane incidents are the latest topic be addressed and assessed by Britannia Club in a special eight page guidance and advice document. The Club emphasizes the indispensable role of cranes in shipboard activities, facilitating efficient cargo handling and supporting diverse maritime functions.

Cranes play a vital role in shipboard operations, facilitating the efficient loading and unloading of cargo, and supporting various maritime activities. They are essential for lifting heavy loads, and their inspection, maintenance, and certification are crucial for ensuring the safety of personnel and the protection of valuable cargo. Continue reading “Crane incidents”

Personal locator devices can save lives

Personal locator devices can save lives says NTSB
Personal locator devices can save lives says NTSB

A Safety Alert has been published recently by The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that highlights the fact that Personal Locator Devices can save a mariner’s life during an emergency. According to the NTSB, during an emergency at sea, a mariner’s chance of survival decreases if search and rescue cannot quickly and accurately identify their location. While many commercial vessels are required to carry emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs), this equipment does not provide the precise location of all individuals who may be in the water and drifting away from the vessel’s EPIRB position. Continue reading “Personal locator devices can save lives”

IACS Blue Book edition 2024 released

IACS Blue Book edition 2024 released
IACS Blue Book edition 2024 released

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has released the 2024 edition of its IACS Blue Book.

The IACS Blue Book is an electronic library of all technical resolutions adopted by IACS as a result of its technical work and remains the core reference work for the Association containing, as it does, all previous revisions of IACS publications and historical data. It is updated and published once a year. The publication contains:
– IACS Unified Requirements which IACS members incorporate into their Rules. Continue reading “IACS Blue Book edition 2024 released”

New Zealand regulators prosecutes RoRo operator for maintenance issues

report into the incident aboard the RoRo ferry Kaitaki published
Report into the incident aboard the RoRo ferry Kaitaki published

New Zealand regulators have taken the highly unusual step of filing charges against the operator of a large inter-island ferry after the RoRo ferry Kaitaki, suffered a power failure. The charges now in a New Zealand court came after an extensive investigation by the regulator Maritime New Zealand as well as a critical report from the country’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) which called on Maritime New Zealand to address critical safety issues.

In a preliminary report into the incident aboard the RoRo ferry Kaitaki, TAIC found the operator KiwiRail Continue reading “New Zealand regulators prosecutes RoRo operator for maintenance issues”

The Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance: Annual Disclosure Report 2023

The Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance: Annual Disclosure Report 2023
The Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance: Annual Disclosure Report 2023

The Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance, an initiative backed by the Global Maritime Forum to drive decarbonisation of international shipping through transparency, has issued its second annual disclosure report.

This report is delivered amidst what will be a transformative year for the maritime sector marked by key events: the IMO’s adoption of the revised greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy at MEPC 80 in July, and ongoing challenges like congestion, personnel shortages, inflation, and sanctions linked to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Continue reading “The Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance: Annual Disclosure Report 2023”

What caught my eye: January 2024

Ouch! Brand new superyacht crashes through door of Lürssen dry dock
Photo Credit: buten un binnen
Photo credit: buten un binnen

Things clearly went awry recently at the Lürssen shipyard in Bremen resulting in the shipbuilder unveiling project Ali Baba ahead of schedule due to an accident. A technical glitch in the dock gate was said to be the culprit as it forced water out of the dock, thereby pushing the nose of the 140m yacht into the dock curtain.

“Damage occurred to the dock door in the dry dock at the Lürssen site in Aumund, Bremen,” Lürssen said in a statement. Continue reading “What caught my eye: January 2024”

Paris MoU launches pilot for harmonized PSC on global fishing vessels

Paris MoU launches pilot for harmonized PSC on global fishing vessels
Paris MoU launches pilot for harmonized PSC on global fishing vessels

According to Paris MoU, there has been increased attention on fishing vessel safety, prevention of pollution and working and living conditions onboard these boats. Consequently, the implementation of Port State Control on fishing vessels has become a matter of attention as well.

The conventions applicable to fishing vessels already make it possible for Port State Control Authorities to inspect fishing vessels operating internationally. And quite a lot of the members of the Paris MoU do. Given the accident statistics regarding fishing vessels, but also the increasing regulation of such craft, the Paris MoU is conducting a pilot to evaluate whether it could be of added value to implement a harmonized PSC approach on internationally operating fishing vessels. Continue reading “Paris MoU launches pilot for harmonized PSC on global fishing vessels”

Carbon capture and storage: Risks and opportunities

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a long-established technology
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a long-established technology

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a long-established technology but its profile has grown as a potentially significant solution to achieve rapid decarbonisation. What are the associated risks and opportunities for the shipping industry?

Traditionally, CCS has most often been used for the enhanced recovery of oil from depleted reservoirs. More recently, its profile has grown as a necessary solution to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries such as energy, cement and steel production. Shipping can be added to this, as onboard carbon capture is likely to be required as alternative zero emission fuels are unlikely to be available in the necessary quantities and prices to achieve the IMO’s 2050 and interim targets. That captured CO2 will need transporting from the capture site Continue reading “Carbon capture and storage: Risks and opportunities”

World merchant fleet report 2022: Everything you need to know

World merchant fleet report 2022 published by Equasis

The 110 page world merchant fleet report by Equasis provides a picture of the global shipping fleet in 2022, derived from data contained in the database. The report examines the structure and characteristics of the fleet and its performance. The statistics are grouped into themes which could be of interest to the industry and regulators, as follows:
1. The Merchant Fleet Population
2. Classification Societies
3. P&I Clubs and Insurance Companies Continue reading “World merchant fleet report 2022: Everything you need to know”

Shipping Industry Flag State performance table 2023/2024

The 2023/2024 Shipping Industry Flag State performance table, published by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), indicates continuing positive performance by the vast majority of Flag States which are responsible for the safety and environmental performance of the world’s merchant ships.

It is strongly emphasised by ICS that the age of an individual ship is not an indicator of quality, and that the condition of an individual ship is ultimately determined by how it is maintained.

– The new Flag State Performance Table shows an increase in positive performance indicators amongst smaller Flag States. Continue reading “Shipping Industry Flag State performance table 2023/2024”

Red Ensign Group Yacht Code revision published

New revision of Red Ensign Group Yacht Code published
New revision of Red Ensign Group Yacht Code published

A new revision of the gold standard Red Ensign Group Yacht Code, set to come into force in July 2024, has been published, which intends to provide guidance on the best practice to facilitate safe solutions for commercially operated yachts over 24 metres (78 feet) in load-line length.

The new revision represents all the expertise gained across almost three decades of regulating the large yacht sector since the first version was published by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in 1997.

A spokesperson for Red Ensign Group said, “The Red Ensign Group Yacht Code is the international standard for the design, construction, and operation of these vessels. We will never compromise on safety and crew welfare and maintain the highest maritime regulatory Continue reading “Red Ensign Group Yacht Code revision published”

Engine room flooding leads to sinking of fishing vessel

Engine room flooding leads to sinking of fishing vessel
Engine room flooding leads to sinking of fishing vessel

Uncontrolled flooding through a hole in the plating beneath the engine room of a fishing vessel led to its sinking in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Transportation Safety Board report has revealed.

The commercial fishing vessel Captain Alex was fishing offshore of Galveston, Texas on 25 November 2022, when the vessel began flooding. The four crewmembers on board were unable to stem the flooding and evacuated to a responding U.S. Coast Guard boat. The sinking resulted in an oil sheen and debris field; a reported 17,000 gallons of diesel fuel were on board. Continue reading “Engine room flooding leads to sinking of fishing vessel”

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