Health & Safety

Small craft sector must inform and educate customers of dangers to avoid passenger injury says MAIB

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Small craft passenger safety is pulled sharply into focus by recent events
Small craft passenger safety is pulled sharply into focus by recent events

Poor posture, inadequate seating and a host of other factors can lead to life-changing injuries on RIBs as small craft passenger safety is pulled sharply into focus by recent events in the small craft sector. If the sector’s reputation is to survive accidents like Seadogz, owners and operators need to start owning best practice, controlling the risks and demonstrating that their trips are safe, says MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch). Continue reading “Small craft sector must inform and educate customers of dangers to avoid passenger injury says MAIB”

Enclosed space deaths spark calls for change

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Enclosed space deaths spark calls for change
Enclosed space deaths spark calls for change

Appalled that deaths in enclosed spaces continue to be all too frequent occurrences in the shipping industry, the Maritime Professional Council of the United Kingdom (MPC) has announced its support for fundamental changes to ship operation and design.

MPC member InterManager has been at the forefront of raising this issue where, it says, seemingly innocuous compartments, cargo holds and fuel tanks, vital for storage and operation on board any vessel, have become graveyards for far too many seafarers due to a lack of attention, regulation, and understanding. Continue reading “Enclosed space deaths spark calls for change”

Updated guidance for MGN 436 (M+F) issued by the MCA on mitigating against the effects of shocks and impacts on small vessels

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Updated guidance for MGN 436 (M+F) issued by the MCA
Updated guidance for MGN 436 (M+F) issued by the MCA

MGN 436 (M+F) Amendment 4 gives guidance for operators, managers, owners and builders of small vessels on mitigating the risk of injury from whole body vibration (WBV) on small vessels, and in particular severe and repeated shocks (RS) as a result of impacts.

There have been a number of incidents involving small craft, travelling at a wide range of speeds, receiving predominantly vertical shock impact when coming off a wave, resulting in injury to one or more persons on board. The effects of crossing seas and side-on waves can also cause injury. Incidents have occurred on inland waters and estuaries as well as at sea, Continue reading “Updated guidance for MGN 436 (M+F) issued by the MCA on mitigating against the effects of shocks and impacts on small vessels”

IMPA and NCEMP to assess the impact of remote pilotage

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IMPA is collaborating with the NCEMP and the Canadian Coast Guard to assess the feasibility, readiness, and impact of remote pilotage.
IMPA is collaborating with the NCEMP and the Canadian Coast Guard to assess the feasibility, readiness, and impact of remote pilotage.

The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) is collaborating with the Canadian National Centre of Expertise on Maritime Pilotage (NCEMP) and the Canadian Coast Guard to assess the feasibility, readiness, and impact of remote pilotage. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive insights into the current and future use of remote pilotage, particularly for conventional ships and those potentially navigated by autonomous systems. Recognizing the crucial role of qualified maritime pilots, the International Maritime Organization emphasizes their importance in ensuring safe navigation in challenging conditions, such as ports. Continue reading “IMPA and NCEMP to assess the impact of remote pilotage”

Always inspect all pilot and embarkation ladders to ensure they are genuine

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LISCR has published a notice to ensure people are checking pilot ladders are genuine
LISCR has published a notice to ensure people are checking pilot and embarkation ladders are genuine

The Liberia Maritime Authority (LISCR) has published a notice to provide guidance to vessel owners, operators and managers on compliance and maintenance of pilot and embarkation ladders, including notification on counterfeit products and the latest developments from IMO.

The Flag Administration says that several advisories have been issued recently concerning counterfeit pilot and embarkation ladders. In one case, a company copied a certified product and created their own counterfeit certificate for their pilot ladder and then sold the counterfeit product to customers who thought they were purchasing the genuine item. Continue reading “Always inspect all pilot and embarkation ladders to ensure they are genuine”

Transport Malta investigation into fatality on oil tanker Seaprincess

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Photo of oil tanker Seaprincess at port
Photo by Thenamaris Ships Management Inc. Taken from Transport Malta Marine Safety Investigation Report on Seaprincess.

The Malta Transport Marine Safety Investigation Unit has released a report into a fatality on board oil tanker Seaprincess. The Maltese-registered ship entered TK Tuzla Shipyard, Türkiye, for its planned dry-docking on 29 July 2023.  At the time of arrival in the dry-dock, all cargo and slop tanks had been washed, cleaned and dried, and declared gas free.  The compartments were tested on a daily basis and while they had been declared to be gas free, they were only suitable for entry provided a personal gas monitor was worn.  Moreover, the compartments’ environment was declared unsafe for hot work.

Continue reading “Transport Malta investigation into fatality on oil tanker Seaprincess”

Mental health struggles amongst yacht crew highlighted in ISWAN YachtCrewHelp 2023 Annual Review

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The ISWAN YachtCrewHelp 2023 Annual Review highlights growing mental health issues for yacht crew
The ISWAN YachtCrewHelp 2023 Annual Review highlights growing mental health issues for yacht crew

Data from the ISWAN YachtCrewHelp 2023 Annual Review indicates that yacht crew were more likely to contact ISWAN in relation to mental health concerns or experiences of abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence (ABHDV) than seafarers working in other maritime industries, particularly merchant shipping.

In 2023, the proportion of contacts relating to ABHDV on YachtCrewHelp was more than double the level received by SeafarerHelp, accounting for 7.3% of all issues raised compared to 3.1% on SeafarerHelp. Women were more than five times more likely to report an Continue reading “Mental health struggles amongst yacht crew highlighted in ISWAN YachtCrewHelp 2023 Annual Review”

TSB concerned about Canada’s marine emergency preparedness following investigation into a fire aboard container vessel ZIM Kingston

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investigation into a fire aboard container vessel ZIM Kingston raises concerns on Marine Preparedness
Investigation into a fire aboard container vessel ZIM Kingston raises concerns on Marine Preparedness

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) issued two safety concerns following the 2021 loss of containers and fire on board the container vessel ZIM Kingston (M21P0297), off Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC).

The first safety concern relates to the risk of a phenomenon called parametric rolling, which led to the loss of containers, and the second concern addresses gaps in Canada’s preparedness to respond to marine emergencies. Continue reading “TSB concerned about Canada’s marine emergency preparedness following investigation into a fire aboard container vessel ZIM Kingston”

Design flaw caused Staten Island ferry fire is report finding

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Design flaw caused Staten Island ferry fire is report finding
Design flaw caused Staten Island ferry fire is report finding

The design of a new passenger ferry’s fuel oil return system and inadequate follow-on training for engineering crewmembers led to the 2022 fire aboard the Staten Island Ferry Sandy Ground, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

The fire broke out in the engine room of the Sandy Ground in New York Harbor with 884 persons aboard on December 22, 2022. The crew’s actions to contain and extinguish the fire, combined with a quick response from good samaritan vessels, resulted in the safe evacuation of all onboard. Damage to the vessel totaled $12.7 million. Continue reading “Design flaw caused Staten Island ferry fire is report finding”

Importance of emergency beacons reminder after AMSA rescue three from sinking boat

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emergency beacons reminder issued by AMSA
emergency beacons reminder issued by AMSA

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) have issued an emergency beacons reminder after they coordinated the rescue of three people after their recreational vessel sank near Block Reef, nearly 90km north-east of Airlie Beach.

​At 10.15pm (local time), 25 July 2024, AMSA detected the vessel’s emergency beacon, tasking the Cairns-based Challenger rescue aircraft and two rescue helicopters – CQ Rescue helicopter from Mackay and QG Air Rescue helicopter from Townsville – to the scene. Continue reading “Importance of emergency beacons reminder after AMSA rescue three from sinking boat”

MCA releases MGN 548 (M+F) Amendment 1 – Servicing Requirements for SOLAS Inflatable Life-Saving Appliances

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MCA releases MGN 548 (M+F) Amendment 1
MCA releases MGN 548 (M+F) Amendment 1

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published an amended MGN 548 that details how SOLAS-certificated life-saving appliance servicing stations can gain the necessary approval from the UK Secretary of State to act as a UK Approved Service Station. It also provides some essential considerations for vessel owners.

Before submitting a SOLAS-certificated inflatable life-saving appliance (LSA) to a service station, owners, masters, or skippers of Continue reading “MCA releases MGN 548 (M+F) Amendment 1 – Servicing Requirements for SOLAS Inflatable Life-Saving Appliances”

Loss of propulsion of ro-ro cargo vessel Mazarine: Transport Malta Report

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The vessel Mazarine dramatically stuck on Wolf Rock
The vessel Mazarine dramatically stuck on Wolf Rock

Transport Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit has published an investigation report into the loss of propulsion and subsequent grounding of the Maltese-registered ro-ro cargo vessel Mazarine, on Wolf Rock off Land’s End, UK on 10 July 2023.

At about 1040, the Maltese-registered, ro-ro cargo vessel, Mazarine ran aground on Wolf Rock, UK. The vessel sustained structural damage to the underwater section of the hull. In addition to the hull perforations, several deformations were observed, mostly on the port Continue reading “Loss of propulsion of ro-ro cargo vessel Mazarine: Transport Malta Report”

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