Safer Seas Digest 2023 published by the NTSB

NTSB has released its Safer Seas Digest 2023
NTSB has released its Safer Seas Digest 2023

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its Safer Seas Digest 2023, highlighting the most important lessons learned from 31 maritime tragedies that took place last year involving capsizings, contact, collisions, fires, flooding and groundings.

Among the investigations, the most sobering investigations NTSB conducted involve the loss of human life. In 2023, they completed their investigation of the fatal collision between the Coast Guard cutter Winslow Griesser and the center-console boat Desakata, which took the life of one Desakata crewmember and seriously injured another. Continue reading “Safer Seas Digest 2023 published by the NTSB”

‘Risk of drowning’ alert for some Jeanneau Yachts issued

IIMS has been contacted directly by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) to alert us to potential issues surrounding Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410, 440 and 490 models, which are equipped with Sleipner-Sidepower retractable bow thruster modules. These models were built in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The advice from Jeanneau is to immediately stop sailing. The company has issued a Continue reading “‘Risk of drowning’ alert for some Jeanneau Yachts issued”

Enhancing safety in pilot transfer arrangements: a comprehensive look at the new SOLAS amendments

Photo Credit: BIMCO
Photo Credit: BIMCO

BIMCO has provided a comprehensive look at new SOLAS amendments, which are expected to be adopted later this year.

The IMO Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) convened for its 11th session from 4 to 13 June, and finalised the draft amendments of SOLAS, Regulation V/23 and associated instruments to improve the safety of Pilot Transfer Arrangements. The amendments are expected to be adopted at the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) 109, in autumn this year, with an entry-into-force date as 1 January 2028. There is also a provision of voluntary early implementation for member states.

– PTAs installed on or after 1 January 2028 shall be designed, manufactured, constructed, secured and installed in accordance with the amended performance standards Continue reading “Enhancing safety in pilot transfer arrangements: a comprehensive look at the new SOLAS amendments”

IMCA annual report highlights inadequate control on confined spaces

photo credit: IMCA
photo credit: IMCA

Analysis of more than 1,600 vessel inspection reports in year to 1 April this year reveals ongoing safety concerns over confined spaces.

A new report from IMCA has analysed 1,611 standard vessel inspection reports uploaded to IMCA’s eCMID (Common Marine Inspection Document) and eMISW (Common Marine Inspection Documents for Small Workboats) database in the previous year.

The eCMID system provides the marine and offshore industry with standardised formats Continue reading “IMCA annual report highlights inadequate control on confined spaces”

Ship fire safety systems are crucial and must be treated as such

Ship fire safety systems are the topic of whitepaper
Ship fire safety systems are the topic of whitepaper

Survitec has highlighted the dangers of inadequate maintenance, testing, and inspection of ship fire safety systems in a new white paper, which points to an alarming increase in fire-safety-related deficiencies found during Port State Control Inspections and subsequent ship detentions.

In a white paper released at the Posidonia tradeshow, Survitec highlighted that fire continues to be a leading cause of major shipping incidents, accounting for over 20% of total losses, and the most expensive cause of marine insurance claims. While the highest level of fire safety deficiencies in a decade was recorded by the Paris MoU in 2022, and the Tokyo MoU also reported an increase in detentions, with a staggering 15,562 deficiencies reported in 2023. Continue reading “Ship fire safety systems are crucial and must be treated as such”

BIMCO informs of the dangers of transporting palm kernel shells

Credit: BIMCOBIMCO informs of the dangers of transporting palm kernel shells
PHOTO CREDIT: BIMCO 

According to BIMCO, recent events at the port of Ishinomaki, Japan, involved two workers found unconscious during cargo operations aboard a bulker ship transporting palm kernel shells. While the incident is under investigation by the Japanese Coast Guard to determine any connection between the cargo and the workers’ condition, it underscores the importance of understanding the hazards associated with transporting palm kernel shells. Continue reading “BIMCO informs of the dangers of transporting palm kernel shells”

Paris MoU 2023 CIC on Fire Safety

Paris MoU 2023 CIC on Fire Safety
Paris MoU 2023 CIC on Fire Safety

The Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) on Port State Control (PSC) carried out a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Fire Safety in collaboration with the Tokyo MOU from 1 September to 30 November 2023.

During the CIC, member Authorities focused on compliance with areas specified by the CIC during PSC inspections.

A CIC questionnaire was devised and approved by the Paris MoU Port State Control Committee. The intention of the questionnaire was to provide a supplementary series of questions to the regular inspection process to specifically address areas where there are reoccurring deficiencies with respect to fire safety. Continue reading “Paris MoU 2023 CIC on Fire Safety”

UK Office for Product Safety and Standards issues product recall alert for Honda Marine Outboards

The affected Honda Marine Outboard products present a risk of injuries as it has been identified that the actuator link rod may break during use due to a lack of durability. This can then result in a loss of shift operation, leading to a potential loss of control of the vessel. The product does not meet the requirements of the Recreational Craft Regulations 2017. Due to this, the product has been recalled from end users. Continue reading “UK Office for Product Safety and Standards issues product recall alert for Honda Marine Outboards”

UK MAIB Safety Digest 2024 published

UK MAIB Safety Digest 2024 published
UK MAIB Safety Digest 2024 published

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published its the MAIB Safety Digest 2024 spring edition. It features a varied collection of lessons learned from recent marine accidents involving vessels from the merchant, fishing and recreational sectors.

MAIB Safety Digest 2024 draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. It contains information that has been determined up to the time of issue.

The information is published to inform the merchant and fishing industries, the recreational craft community and the public of the general circumstances surrounding marine accidents and to draw out the lessons to be learned. Continue reading “UK MAIB Safety Digest 2024 published”

Be aware of the risks of fumigated cargo

Be aware of the risks of fumigated cargo
Be aware of the risks of fumigated cargo

Hong Kong Merchant Shipping has issued an information note to draw lessons learned from a fatal accident which happened on board a Hong Kong registered general dry cargo ship during discharging a fumigated cargo of logs at Zhangzhou, China.

The incident
A Hong Kong registered general dry cargo ship berthed at the port of Zhangzhou, China to discharge the fumigated logs. In the morning of the day of the accident, a stevedore entered the spiral ladder space of the almost fully loaded No.1 cargo hold from the access entrance on the main deck to unhook the lifting slings of an excavator which was transported from No.2 cargo hold to the hold by the shore crane. Continue reading “Be aware of the risks of fumigated cargo”

IMPA Safety Campaign: Securing pilot ladders at intermediate length is vital

IMPA Safety Campaign raises awareness of pilot transfer arrangements
IMPA Safety Campaign raises awareness of pilot transfer arrangements to be compliant

The latest International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) Safety Campaign raises awareness of the need for pilot transfer arrangements to be procured, inspected, maintained and rigged in compliance with SOLAS regulation V/23, taking complete account of the ISO 799 standards. IMPA highlights the need for securing pilot ladders at intermediate length and conduct mandatory training, inspection and maintenance.

The results of the 2023 IMPA Safety Campaign show that historical trends in non-compliance continue. The headline non-compliance rate remains over sixteen percent, and the main determinant of noncompliance remains pilot ladders. Pilot ladder observations are included in more than fifty percent of reports of non-compliant arrangements. Continue reading “IMPA Safety Campaign: Securing pilot ladders at intermediate length is vital”

Neptune Thelisis: Leaking thermal oil led to an engine room fire is investigation report finding

leaking thermal oil which led to an engine room fire onboard Neptune Thelisis.
leaking thermal oil which led to an engine room fire onboard Neptune Thelisis.

Transport Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit has published an investigation report on leaking thermal oil which led to an engine room fire onboard Neptune Thelisis.

A fire was discovered by the engine room crew members on board the Maltese registered ship Neptune Thelisis shortly after 16.51 (UTC+1) on 17th January 2022. The crew members gathered at the designated muster station and commenced fire-fighting operations. The fire was controlled and extinguished after the fixed fire-fighting installation was activated. Continue reading “Neptune Thelisis: Leaking thermal oil led to an engine room fire is investigation report finding”

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