The Red Ensign Group has released an update for its revised Red Ensign Group (REG) Yacht Code. The revised code, which came into force this July, marked the first major update since 2019 after extensive consultation in the industry. This Code of Practice outlines the essential safety standards and pollution prevention measures tailored to various yacht sizes and types. Now the REG has published further Continue reading “Red Ensign Group (REG) Yacht Code update”
Lloyd’s Register has announced upcoming restrictions regarding the discharge of garbage, oil, and oily mixtures within the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Special Areas.
These new restrictions will come into effect from 1 January 2025.
This is the result of the following IMO Resolutions:
Resolution MEPC.381(80) – Establishes the discharge requirements of regulations 15.3, 15.5 and 34.3 to 34.5 of MARPOL Annex I in respect to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Special Areas in accordance with Regulation 38.8.1 of MARPOL Annex I.
Resolution MEPC.382(80) – Establishes the discharge requirements of Regulation 6 of MARPOL Annex V in respect to the Red Sea Special Area in accordance Continue reading “New MARPOL discharge regulations within Red Sea and Gulf of Aden”
The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has published a comprehensive best practice guide for the safe use of flexitanks for the transport of liquid cargoes. According to IUMI, the guide’s objective is to provide underwriters, brokers and their clients with practical guidance to ensure cargoes transported by flexitanks arrive intact at their chosen destination. The paper outlines a range of potential risks including poor stowage, incorrect installation, overloading, material deficiencies, transport issues and others.
Flexible tanks – or flexitanks – are poly film bladders that are filled with a liquid cargo (such as dairy products, wine, fruit juice or non-dangerous oils) and then placed into a standard ISO container for transportation. Continue reading “IUMI issues guidance on mitigating the risks of flexitanks”
The Isle of Man Ship Registry has published Technical Advisory Notice 005-24 regarding enclosed space entry, gas detection, and CO2 hazards. The advisory primarily targets dry cargo operators, as they experience the highest incidence of enclosed space accidents. It emphasizes the need to assess hazards from cargoes before loading, particularly those that emit CO2, such as organic cargoes like coal. A recent incident resulted in the deaths of three stevedores, highlighting the risks of oxygen depletion and CO2 toxicity from organic materials.
This advisory serves as a supplement to previous Technical Advisory Notices (007-19 and 008-19), which also addressed issues related to enclosed space safety. Continue reading “Isle of Man advisory on enclosed space entry and CO2 hazards issued”
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is urging owners, operators and skippers of fishing vessels fitted with side shell doors to ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessment of watertight integrity.
Argos Georgia was a longline fishing vessel registered in St Helena. The vessel foundered while on passage from Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands to fishing grounds near the island of South Georgia. Of the 27 persons people on board, 13 perished.
The ongoing investigation has found that the shell door in the starboard side of Argos Georgia descended slowly into the fully open position. This allowed significant quantities of water to enter the vessel. Continue reading “MAIB issues safety bulletin after fishing vessel Argos Georgia sinks leaving 13 dead”
The Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) has published amendments to the Classification Notes: Requirements for NDT Service Suppliers
Revisions have been made to both sections of the document including:
Section 1: General – Amendments are made to provide better clarity in the scope. Definitions for terms such as ‘ANDT’, ‘AUT’, ‘ET’, ‘VT’, etc. have also been introduced while definitions for few other terms such as ‘NDT’, ‘NDT service suppliers’ have been amended. Finally, the list of references has been updated. Continue reading “IRClass releases updates to NDT service suppliers”
The Isle of Man Ship Registry has published the 2023 Annual Casualty Summary Report.
The Annual Summary of Casualties, Accidents and Incidents on Isle of Man Registered Vessels contains an analysis of the data and trends identified from casualty reports submitted to the Ship Registry during 2023.
According to the report, there were 36 accident, 29 incident and 3 casualty reports last year overall, which included 5 fatalities, 5 serious injuries and 11 minor injuries. The most common occurrences in 2023 were collision/allision, sudden uncontrolled release of substances from a system and seafarer injury.
It also stated using portable tools and moving about the ship were the most dangerous activities for seafarers. Continue reading “Isle of Man Ship Registry releases 2023 Annual Casualty Summary Report”
At 1149 on 6 October 2022, the pair trawlers Guiding Light and Guiding Star have a collision during a routine fish transfer. Guiding Star’s stern was breached, and flooded. The crew unsuccessfully attempted to pump out the floodwater, and the vessel foundered about an hour later. The eight crew evacuated to a liferaft, which capsized during the accident; five were recovered to Guiding Light and the remaining three were winched to a coastguard rescue helicopter. All crew survived unharmed.
Safety issues
• The fish transfer had not been risk assessed and, during the operation, Guiding Light’s wheelhouse was left unattended, which meant the skipper was not at the navigational controls to prevent the collision. Continue reading “Pair trawlers collision results in flooding and sinking of vessel”
Liberia Maritime Authority has published a marine notice with an update to safety inspections of Liberian ships.
The update now includes an annex with a separate form for additional checklist to be used for passenger ships only. The notice was published 30 September and supersedes Marine Notice INS-001, dated 05/24.
The checklist for passenger ships contains 14 parts with questions focusing on: Continue reading “Liberia: New checklist for safety inspections of Liberian ships”
Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has issued its second Safety Digest of 2024 featuring a collection of lessons learned from a variety of the latest marine accidents involving vessels from the merchant, fishing and recreational sectors.
The sole purpose of the Safety Digest is to prevent similar accidents from happening again. The publication examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to or on board UK vessels worldwide, and other vessels in UK territorial waters. It aims to draw the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. Continue reading “UK MAIB Safety Digest 2nd edition 2024”
It was a year of record spend on charitable activity, but one that saw the continued effect of climate change taking its toll on the Trust’s ageing canal infrastructure. The waterways movement came together to raise the profile of the considerable benefits to society delivered by the Canal & River Trust and its historic canal network following an announcement about future funding cuts by government.
Work to repair and strengthen the resilience of the canal network during the year included almost 450 planned engineering projects, at a cost of around £70 million. Delivering statutory safety measures at the charity’s large reservoirs, critical for navigation and in protecting Continue reading “Canal & River Trust 2023/24 Annual Report & Accounts published”
Two IMO resolutions relating to the Ballast Water Management Convention are coming into effect that change the format of the Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB) and introduce new requirements for the use of electronic BWRBs:
• IMO – Resolution MEPC.369(80) – Amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, Amendments to Appendix II (Form of Ballast Water Record Book). Applies from 1 February 2025.• IMO – Resolution MEPC.383(81) – Amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Continue reading “Lloyd’s Register announces new requirements for Ballast Water Record Book”
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