News

Mis-declared dangerous cargo cause of KMTC Hong Kong fire

Photo credit: Reuters

Port Authority Director of Thailand, Kamolsak Phromprayoon, has reported that the fire onboard the ‘KMTC Hong Kong’ containership was due to mis-declared chemical cargoes of calcium hypochlorite and chlorinated paraffin wax.

More than 130 people were transferred to hospital after an explosion and fire onboard the South Korean container ship ‘KMTC Hong Kong’ while berthed in Thailand’s eastern Laem Chabang port.

The port Authority inspected 35 containers at the centre of the blaze and more than half of them contained chemical products.

Continue reading “Mis-declared dangerous cargo cause of KMTC Hong Kong fire”

MAIB report into the fatal sinking of Nancy Glen recommends a regular review of small fishing vessels’ stability

At about 1750 on 18 January 2018, the prawn trawler Nancy Glen (TT100) capsized and later sank in Lower Loch Fyne, Scotland.

Weather conditions were benign, and rescuers were quickly at the scene; however, only one of the three crew survived.

Nancy Glen was trawling at the time of the accident and the combined effect of a turn to starboard at the same time as the starboard net filling with mud caused the vessel to rapidly heel to starboard, then capsize. Through life modifications to the vessel had reduced its stability, increasing its vulnerability to capsize.

Realising the seriousness of the situation, one crewman dashed to escape. However, the darkness, disorientation, rapid nature of the Continue reading “MAIB report into the fatal sinking of Nancy Glen recommends a regular review of small fishing vessels’ stability”

New safety requirements for older UK passenger ships go out for second consultation

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency begins a second public consultation today on proposed new technical requirements for domestic passenger ships.

The planned changes aim to make sure older ships more closely match the safety standards of newer vessels.

Feedback on the initial consultation has been used to modify the proposals in the areas relating to lifejacket provision, fire safety and the vessels in scope of damage stability requirements.

Continue reading “New safety requirements for older UK passenger ships go out for second consultation”

Crankcase breach of port main engine leads to fire says new report

Photo credit: NTSB. Inboard side of Leland Speake's port main engine at the lower engine room level
Photo credit: NTSB. Inboard side of Leland Speake’s port main engine at the lower engine room level

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published an investigation report into the engine room fire onboard the towing vessel Leland Speakes on the Lower Mississippi River in February 2018.

A catastrophic failure and crankcase breach of the port main engine caused the fire.

On 21 February 2018, at 0740, the towing vessel Leland Speakes was pushing 21 barges upbound on the Lower Mississippi River when a fire broke out in the engine room at mile 520.6, south of Greenville, Mississippi.

The nine crew members onboard tried to fight the fire but, unable to control it, abandoned the vessel to a skiff dispatched from a Good Samaritan towboat. Continue reading “Crankcase breach of port main engine leads to fire says new report”

Swedish Club publishes booklet on preventing wet damage to cargo on bulk carriers

The Swedish Club has highlighted how to avoid wet damaged cargo on bulk carriers in a 32 page pdf booklet, which can be downloaded below. The Club says that heavy weather in combination with leaking hatch covers is the most common cause of wet damage on cargo. However, the main concern is the incorrectly applied and poorly maintained cargo hatch covers and sealing systems.

As a result of information collected from its claims handling, many cargoes of steel and steel coils, grain, peas and solidified cement were damaged by sea and rainwater enabling the report to be produced. In fact, 34% of all insured bulk carriers suffered a cargo claim in 2017 and this has increased by 75% since 2014. For 2017, the average cargo claim on a bulk carrier was almost USD 70,000.

Continue reading “Swedish Club publishes booklet on preventing wet damage to cargo on bulk carriers”

Improper operation of crane leads to fatal accident

The investigation found improper operation of the shoreside crane was the direct cause of the mishap.
The investigation found improper operation of the shoreside crane was the direct cause of the mishap.

The US Coast Guard has published its report into the crane accident in the Coast Guard buoy yard in Homer, which resulted in the death of Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski.

The investigation found improper operation of the shoreside crane was the direct cause of the mishap.

On 31 January 2019, at the USCG Cutter Hickory buoy yard in Homer, Alaska, numerous crewmembers were carrying out several yard clean up, maintenance and repair and organization tasks before a planned underway period.

A two person team was operating the Shuttlelift crane car, the Mishap Crane (MC), to move four distinct loads of Aids to Navigation equipment from the top of Container Express boxes to a location on the ground where they were subsequently moved via forklift to alternate locations. Continue reading “Improper operation of crane leads to fatal accident”

Report finds fire onboard cargo vessel was due to lack of compliance with SMS

The NTSB has published its report on the fire that took place on board the cargo ship Chipolbrok Moon on 23 May 2018. The fire occurred while the ship was moored at the Industrial Terminal West in Greens Bayou in the Port of Houston, Texas.

The incident
On May 21, the Chipolbrok Moon arrived at Industrial Terminal West in Houston. After the ocean voyage and before offloading the cargo, the steel sea fastener tabs used to secure the turbine components had to be removed by cutting, using an oxygen/acetylene torch.

The next afternoon, a marine chemist tested the atmosphere in cargo holds no. 2 port, no. 3 port and starboard, and no. 4 starboard for oxygen content and presence of flammable vapors to determine if it was safe to carry out hotwork.

Continue reading “Report finds fire onboard cargo vessel was due to lack of compliance with SMS”

Future and emerging trends in the world of salvage and wreck removal

Sam Kendall-Marsden, head of claims for The Standard Club, has given an insight into the future and emerging trends and significant issues in the world of salvage and wreck removal.

Mr Kendall-Marsden focuses on five key areas which are mega boxship casualties, waste management, technology, the changing nature of the salvage industry and wildcards.

1. Mega boxship casualties

This part focuses on casualties involving very large container vessels in which Mr Kendall-Masden articulates that the size increases the risk of accidents. A major casualty involving big vessels could easily lead to environmental disasters and significantly increase a company’s financial exposure.

Continue reading “Future and emerging trends in the world of salvage and wreck removal”

Over 50% of flag states could be removed from STCW White List

Iran in the quot White List quot of Revised STCW Convention

IMO’s Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW 6) considered matters relating to the list of STCW Parties (“White List”) and its review, as required by the STCW Convention. The Sub-committee found that the white list of top-rated flag states would be decimated if requirements to report information were strictly enforced.

IMO holds a ‘White List’ containing countries who have confirmed to the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) to be following the relevant provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW Convention).

Continue reading “Over 50% of flag states could be removed from STCW White List”

First judgement of Hague and Hague Visby rules tested in the English courts

Britannia P&I Club referred to the English supreme court that presented its first authoritative judgement in English law, addressing the question of whether it is the carrier or cargo interests who bears the burden of proof under the Hague and Hague-visby rules.

The case had to do with a low value claim for condensation damage to coffee beans.

In the first trial the judge ruled in favour of the cargo deciding that where goods shipped in apparent good order and condition show loss or damage on discharge, there is an evidential inference that the loss or damage is caused by the fault of the carrier.

The carrier then has the burden of showing that it has not breached any of its obligations.

Continue reading “First judgement of Hague and Hague Visby rules tested in the English courts”

Join IIMS in Brisbane for an essential two day workshop on 1 and 2 August

Members and non members from Australia and New Zealand are invited to attend the IIMS two day workshop that has been arranged in Brisbane on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 August 2019. IIMS is grateful to Kedge PYT Ltd for their generous support.

And if you are unable to be there in person, or distance is an issue, you are welcome to join us as an online only delegate via the Zoom platform.

The venue is:
Novotel Brisbane Airport, 6-8 The Circuit, Brisbane Airport QLD 4008, Australia

The cost for both days to include refreshments, tea, coffee and buffet lunch is just AUS$ 275. Attendance at the event earns 5 CPD points. Continue reading “Join IIMS in Brisbane for an essential two day workshop on 1 and 2 August”

BIMCO elects first woman President

The world’s largest shipping association BIMCO has elected Şadan Kaptanoğlu, managing director of HI Kaptanoglu Shipping, as its new President.

“It is a great privilege for me to chair the BIMCO Board of Directors in this crucial time of change for shipping. The environment and climate change are key public concerns and getting the shipping industry to embrace this reality – and delivering the solutions to meet the world’s environmental expectations – will be my priority,” Kaptanoğlu says.

She underlines that BIMCO is both the oldest and largest global association representing shipowners and has the depth of resources and Continue reading “BIMCO elects first woman President”

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