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Another five casualities in holds highlights the dangers of solid bulk cargoes

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An article titled Time to Rethink Safety with Solid Bulk Cargoes by Captain Kevin Cribbin published on December 18 last year highlighted that 24 people had died in ships’ holds while handling solid bulk cargoes during 2018.

There have already been five more fatalities on two bulk carriers this year. Two crew members are reported to have died on February 1 after inhaling toxic fumes while unloading wood chips on the MV Green World in Merak Port in Java, Indonesia.

Another three crew members, including the master and chief officer, died on February 24 on the MV Bahri Bulk in Damman, Saudi Arabia, Continue reading “Another five casualities in holds highlights the dangers of solid bulk cargoes”

More glazing is the trend

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Bigger is better appears to be a key current glazing trend with ever large pieces of glass being used throughout vessels.

This is evidenced in the latest UK and Italian designs, which incorporate swathes of glass passing down the superstructure spanning main deck saloon, galley and dining areas, points out Trend Marine’s Jim Boulton.

Glazing helps vessel ventilation and also enables maximum light into a vessel.

“Large format single piece screens allow uncluttered panoramic views from the helm,” said Jim. “Switchable glass interior panels offer hi-tech options for separating spaces but allowing light to transmit through the boat.”

Continue reading “More glazing is the trend”

Finding a surveyor just got easier as IIMS launches the Marine Surveyor Search App

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Finding a marine surveyor just got even easier with the launch of the free Marine Surveyor Search App from IIMS, the next generation search tool.

In a bold and imaginative initiative, the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) has launched a new free App for iOS and Android devices that makes finding a commercial, or yacht and small craft marine surveyor by area, or specialism, fast and simple. Not only a key benefit for members of IIMS, it will make the search for a surveyor easier for the boating and yachting public, brokers, P&I Clubs, marine insurers – in fact anyone needing the services of a marine surveyor on an occasional or ongoing basis. IIMS member surveyors will be granted access to the back end web site behind the App where they can manage their listing and specialization, subject to the usual checks and final authorisation by IIMS head office.

Continue reading “Finding a surveyor just got easier as IIMS launches the Marine Surveyor Search App”

IMO SDC 6 introduces SOLAS amendment for safer mooring

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The draft SOLAS amendments and draft guidelines/guidance will now be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in June, for approval.
The draft SOLAS amendments and draft guidelines/guidance will now be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in June, for approval.

As part of its work to make ships mooring safer, IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 6), which took place on 4-8 February 2019, has introduced new requirements for appropriate and safe-to-use designs of mooring arrangements, a maintenance and inspection regime, as well as proper documentation.

The submissions at the meeting highlighted that mooring operations continue to pose a risk to ships’ crews, but also shore-based mooring personnel.

It is also one of the work situations where crew members are exposed to excessive dynamic forces (snap-back), detrimental heavy manual Continue reading “IMO SDC 6 introduces SOLAS amendment for safer mooring”

Ensuring safe passage for a steel coil cargo

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Steel coils come in many sizes and weights, and can be arranged in various ways regarding the placement of the locking coil, the number of tiers, and the dunnage.
Steel coils come in many sizes and weights, and can be arranged in various ways regarding the placement of the locking coil, the number of tiers, and the dunnage.

Often cargo planners who are preparing the stowage of steel coils in the cargo hold of a general dry cargo ship or bulk carrier, do not have the necessary cargo type specific information required to help them decide the permissible cargo load, thus preventing damage to the ship’s structure.

As Jan Rüde, Ship Type Expert MPV, DNV GL explains, according to SOLAS Chapter VI, Reg. 5, every ship must have an approved cargo securing manual.

Nonetheless, the majority of these manuals do not include detailed information about the carriage of steel coils or the only contain only particular types of steel coil. Continue reading “Ensuring safe passage for a steel coil cargo”

Pride of Kent report published by MAIB

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Image credit REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol
Image credit REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

On 10 December 2017, the UK registered ro-ro passenger ferry Pride of Kent struck a jetty and then grounded while departing Calais, France. The ferry was re-floated later that day and subsequently moved to a berth where the passengers disembarked. The ferry’s starboard propeller and tail-shaft were damaged and required repair in dry dock. The jetty was also damaged. There were no injuries to crew or passengers and no pollution.

Safety lessons
control of the ferry during the turn towards the harbour entrance was lost due to the fast rate of turn, strong gale-force winds, use of full rudder and propeller pitch, and the tripping of one of the ferry’s bow thrusters the omission of a departure briefing to the bridge team Continue reading “Pride of Kent report published by MAIB”

Pilot’s decision to proceed with unsecured deck hatches led to sinking

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The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued an investigation report on the sinking of the towing vessel ‘Ricky Robinson’ on the Lower Mississippi River, in December 2017, which caused death of the two crewmen onboard, oil discharge and significant damage of the vessel.

On 8 December 2017, about 11:26 local time, the Ricky Robinson capsized and sank on the Lower Mississippi River at mile 732.8 near Memphis, Tennessee, with two crewmembers on board, after the towing vessel began taking on water.

The pilot made a distress call just before the sinking; neither crewmember was found during the search and rescue operations that followed.

When the vessel was recovered 9 days later, the deckhand’s body was discovered inside the wreckage; the pilot is Continue reading “Pilot’s decision to proceed with unsecured deck hatches led to sinking”

Change in enforcement expectations for mild steel welding fume

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There is new scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer that exposure to mild steel welding fume can cause lung cancer and possibly kidney cancer in humans. The Workplace Health Expert Committee has endorsed the reclassification of mild steel welding fume as a human carcinogen.

Consequences
With immediate effect, there is a strengthening of HSE’s enforcement expectation for all welding fume, including mild steel welding; because general ventilation does not achieve the necessary control.

Outcome
Continue reading “Change in enforcement expectations for mild steel welding fume”

Leaking lube oil causes engine room fire on towing vessel

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The speed of which the fire grew to encompass the engine room and the location of primary fire equipment within that same space together eliminated the opportunity for the crew to effectively fight the fir
The speed of which the fire grew to encompass the engine room and the location of primary fire equipment within that same space together eliminated the opportunity for the crew to effectively fight the fire.

The NTSB issued an investigation report on the engine room fire and explosion onboard the towing vessel ‘J.W. Herron’ on Big Bayou Canot near Mobile, Alabama in December 2017. The report identified leaking lube oil from a propulsion diesel engine hose or tubing fitting that was ignited off an exposed hot engine surface, as the key cause of the accident.

About 1340 local time on 13 December 2017, the towing vessel J.W. Herron was shifting barges on Big Bayou Canot near Twelvemile Island, approximately 8 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, when a fire began in the lower engine room and quickly spread.

After the crew of three partially secured the engines and fuel supply, heavy smoke and fire prevented them from Continue reading “Leaking lube oil causes engine room fire on towing vessel”

Operation on high thermal load damages engine

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Photo for illustration purposes only.
Photo for illustration purposes only.

The Swedish Club has published some lessons learnt from a machinery failure. The six cylinder, medium speed type engine sustained serious damage serious damage and had to be renewed. Additionally, the turbo charger had to be overhauled.

The vessel in question was in ballast and at anchor, waiting for further instructions. After seven days the weather got worse and the ship’s anchor dragged. The anchor was heaved up and the vessel started to slow steam in the area.

After about a day, the differential pressure alarm of the main engine duplex lubrication oil filter sounded in the engine control room. The crew found aluminium and other metal inside the Continue reading “Operation on high thermal load damages engine”

Can test training pack launched by North Club P&I Club to address liquefaction risk

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North P&I Club has launched a new series of bite-sized training packs to help seafarers and others avoid the contributing factors to workplace casualties, as well as unplanned events that had the potential to result in injury, illness, or damage. The first training pack focuses on the Can Test, the IMSBC test for bulk cargoes, to address suspected bulk cargo liquefaction, which has claimed the lives of an estimated 112 seafarers since 2007.

The Can Test provides ships’ crews with an indication of whether the cargo being loaded is potentially unsafe to carry. The Club’s delivery guide actually provides the background, instructions and content to support senior officers and superintendents delivering can test Continue reading “Can test training pack launched by North Club P&I Club to address liquefaction risk”

Failure of a throw bag rescue line during a boat capsize drill report published

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The rescue line of the throw bag failed during a boat capsize drill

On the evening of 24 March 2018, the Warrington Rowing Club was carrying out a boat capsize drill in a swimming pool. At around 1830, as a young person was being pulled to the side of the pool using a throw bag rescue line, the line parted. The young person was uninjured during the incident. The parted line was examined and found to be made up of four pieces of rope thermally fused together, and it had failed at one of the joints. A customer notification campaign by the manufacturer, RIBER, and prompt publication of the incident in British Rowing’s newsletter, identified a total of ten throw bags with defective rescue lines. Laboratory tests conducted for the MAIB established that the joined sections were 12 times weaker than the rope itself.

Continue reading “Failure of a throw bag rescue line during a boat capsize drill report published”

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