Health & Safety

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has released a report on yet another serious lifeboat-drill accident, illustrating the continuing hazards of this routine SOLAS safety exercise. A failure of a lifeboat launch system on a merchant vessel can result in a fall from height, ending in injuries or fatalities.

On December 1, 2020, the crew of the bulk carrier Blue Bosporus were carrying out a free-fall lifeboat drill at anchor in English Bay, British Columbia. After the four wire rope slings for lowering away the free-fall lifeboat were attached, the third mate and an AB went aboard the boat to conduct a test launch. Continue reading “Another serious lifeboat accident illustrates continued risk in drills”

The European maritime safety framework has evolved to become one of the most robust in the world. That’s according to the European Maritime Safety Report (EMSAFE), the first ever comprehensive overview of maritime safety in the European Union.

One of the key pillars of the EU safety framework is port state control, which results in over 14,000 vessel checks each year by inspectors in EU ports, complemented by legislative initiatives like the specific EU survey Continue reading “EMSA gives first factual analysis of maritime safety landscape in the EU”

The Marine Safety Forum has issued a safety alert to highlight an observation involving the CO2 firefighting system onboard a member’s vessel. The vessel concerned found that during a routine monthly inspection of the fixed CO2 system, significant corrosion was noted. This resulted in it not being possible to insert the safety pin to isolate the cylinder during any maintenance. Photo A shows the safety lever and pin, unable to be positioned correctly in line with the pinhole.

In Photo B after corrective maintenance and repair, it can clearly be seen that the activator arm, Continue reading “Marine Safety Forum alert about corrosion in a fixed CO2 firefighting system”

INTERCARGO has published its Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2012-2021. It reports that 27 bulk carriers of over 10,000 dwt were declared as total losses for the years 2012-2021.

According to INTERCARGO, bulkers losses took place as follows:
10,000-34,999 dwt: Six bulk carriers were lost, representing 22.2% of the total.
35,000 – 49,000 dwt: Five bulk carriers were lost, representing 16.3% of the total, with one loss related to suspected cargo liquefaction.
50,000- 59,000 dwt: Seven vessels were lost, representing 25.9% of the total, with the loss of 55 lives, accounting to 59.8%. Four of the casualties, were related to suspected cargo liquefaction. Continue reading “Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2012-2021 published by INTERCARGO”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its report on the engine room fire aboard the containership President Eisenhower, that took place on April 28, 2021, off California.

At midnight, on April 28, the President Eisenhower was about 6 miles south of Port Hueneme, California, navigating the northwest-bound traffic lane of the Santa Barbara Channel at a speed of 17.5 knots with the main engine operating at 68 rpm. The navigation watch group consisted of a third mate and two able seamen (AB). The master’s night orders included instructions to gradually increase Continue reading “Crew insufficiently swaging compression fitting ferrule led to containership fire is investigation finding”

International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published details of two incidents in which something went wrong owing to failures in the maintenance process. There were no reported injuries in either incident.

The first incident relates to the lowering of a lifeboat when a small shackle broke. The shackle held the upper sheave guiding the brake release wire, resulting in the sheave falling down on top of the lower sheave. Continue reading “Check that all equipment parts are movable and operational after maintenance process”