Health & Safety

Guidelines released to improve cooperation in the handling of shipping casualties

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The Salvage Committee of the International Group (IGP&I) has drafted new guidelines in collaboration with the Joint Marine Claims Committee (JMCC) to help improve cooperation in the handling of shipping casualties.

The protocol document aims to promote more effective communication among the parties involved, ensuring the prompt deployment of emergency response services to ships in distress. The ‘Guidelines for casualty Continue reading “Guidelines released to improve cooperation in the handling of shipping casualties”

Industry groups agree common action on crucial safety issues

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Industry groups agree common action on crucial safety issues
Industry groups agree common action on crucial safety issues

The coming together of five organisations with shared visions for the safety and security of global trade will take advantage of unified information and data sources to bring greater awareness and understanding of issues with the goal of producing preventative output.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on 16 March 2023 by representatives of the following five organisations:
Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme Continue reading “Industry groups agree common action on crucial safety issues”

How the movement of containers can cause spread of pests

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The World Shipping Council has released an informative video on how containers can facilitate the start and spread of pests
The World Shipping Council has released an informative video on how containers can facilitate the start and spread of pests

The World Shipping Council has released an informative video on how containers can facilitate the start and spread of pests to communities around the world, risking agriculture, forestry and natural resources.

The cargo transported in a ship’s hold or in containers can transfer invasive species. Winged insects such as the Flighted Spongy Moth and the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug are seasonal threats, and national regulations mandate treatment by shippers and inspection regimes to prevent their transfer. Being at the frontline of this issue, the industry is actively working with shippers, packers and freight forwarders in establishing and sharing best practice when it comes to prevention, inspection, cleaning and treatment of goods and containers. Continue reading “How the movement of containers can cause spread of pests”

Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work reveals Transport Malta Investigation

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Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work on board Pearl LNG
Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work on board Pearl LNG

Transport Malta has published an investigation report about an incident which resulted in serious injury to three crew members during maintenance work on the fire jockey hydrophore tank on 23 February 2022. The ‘violent’ dislodging of the inspection cover was the result of a pressurised hydrophore.

Shortly after 1430 on 23 February 2022, three crew members on board the Maltese registered LNG carrier Pearl LNG, were involved in an accident about 185 nautical miles West Southwest of Saint Nazaire, France. At the time, the crew members were attempting to remove an inspection cover on one of the vessel’s hydrophores, when the cover dislodged violently from the hydrophore. This caused a serious injury. Continue reading “Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work reveals Transport Malta Investigation”

IMO Ship Systems and Equipment 9: Key highlights

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The IMO Ship Systems and Equipment Sub-Committee (SSE) Session 9 took place from 27 February to 3 March 2023. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the technical and operational requirements for systems and safety equipment on ships.

Lloyd’s Register has issued a helpful summary report that includes an executive summary for those requiring a general overview, but also more technical information for those who would like more detail on the discussions that took place.

Key highlights and outcomes from SSE 9:
– Finalisation of the draft International Code of Safety for Diving Operations (Diving Code). Continue reading “IMO Ship Systems and Equipment 9: Key highlights”

Rescue boat lifting arrangement failure

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The deterioration of the rescue boat release hook support structure is shown
The deterioration of the rescue boat release hook support structure is shown

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator has recently been notified of a marine casualty which occurred aboard an RMI-registered ship’s rescue boat that resulted in the injury of two crewmembers.

During a planned drill, the ship’s rescue boat was being lowered to the water with two crewmembers aboard when the release hook support post failed. The rescue boat and two crewmembers fell about 9 meters to the water. The two crewmembers were quickly recovered from the water and transported ashore for medical treatment. Immediately prior to the incident, the rescue boat had been hoisted, swung over the side, and lowered several meters without anyone on board. Continue reading “Rescue boat lifting arrangement failure”

Are lithium-ion batteries safe on yachts – and other vessels?

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Image credit: Stevie-Iona Vaughan/Facebook
Image credit: Stevie-Iona Vaughan/Facebook

Authored by Mike Schwarz, IIMS Chief Executive Officer

“Mike’s suffering from mild hysteria”, they said. Well, perhaps I have been, yes. The cause of my hysteria? Lithium-ion batteries and fires caused by them! There are believed to have been nearly 70 fires last year alone involving large and superyachts. As more new information on this subject comes to light on a regular basis, I simply have to come back to it time and time again and share what we know. It is a massive and worrying subject and one that is consuming the finest technical minds in the marine world right now. We all need to be aware of the phenomenon for it will not resolve any time soon. As always, I say I understand fully the need to decarbonize and embrace this Continue reading “Are lithium-ion batteries safe on yachts – and other vessels?”

Recent fire draws safety alert on engine room exhaust hazards

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Following a recent marine casualty resulting in an engine room fire onboard a commercial fishing vessel, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has published a Safety Alert to address the importance of installing noncombustible materials in machinery space boundaries with dry exhaust systems.

The incident highlighted the significant hazards associated with main engine dry exhaust systems coming in direct contact with combustible materials, such as general purpose resin on a wood Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) vessel. Some commercial fishing vessels are required to insulate combustibles from heated surfaces in accordance with 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 28.380(b) and ABYC P-1 requires fittings in contact with uncooled exhaust carriers to be noncombustible. Continue reading “Recent fire draws safety alert on engine room exhaust hazards”

International safety guide for inland navigation tank-barges and terminals revised

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Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) and the inland navigation sector, with the support of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR), have collaborated with other European organisations to produce the second edition of the International Safety Guide for Inland Navigation Tank-barges and Terminals (ISGINTT).

The purpose of ISGINTT is to improve the safe transport of dangerous goods at the interface between inland tank barges and other vessels or shore facilities (terminals). The safety guide is compatible with other international maritime guidance for seagoing vessels Continue reading “International safety guide for inland navigation tank-barges and terminals revised”

IMPA safety campaign on pilot ladders reveals ongoing persistent non-compliance

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IMPA Safety Campaign on pilot ladders highlights there is still a lot of work to do
IMPA Safety Campaign on pilot ladders highlights there is still a lot of work to do

This year’s International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) Safety Campaign on pilot ladders highlights there is still a lot of work to do as the requirements of SOLAS regulation V/23 (Pilot transfer arrangements), its associated IMO Assembly resolutions, and the ISO 799 series standards are considered as the bare minimum requirement and not an aspirational target according to IMPA.

The IMPA publishes and shares the results of its Safety Campaign annually. Ports and pilotage providers are requesting information from ships on the age and certification of their pilot ladder. IMPA is aware of reports of pilots refusing to board ships due to non-compliance with Continue reading “IMPA safety campaign on pilot ladders reveals ongoing persistent non-compliance”

Gibraltar updates its guidance for periodic servicing and testing of fire protection systems

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Guidance updated for periodic servicing and testing of every fire protection system

The Gibraltar Maritime Administration has issued a revised Shipping Guidance Notice (SGN) regarding periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire extinguishers, compressed gas cylinders, and fixed fire-extinguishing systems onboard Gibraltar registered vessels. This SGN superseded SGN 028, 028(a), and 028(b) and was published on January 26th, 2023.

Fire Extinguishers (extinguishers include portable and semi-portable units of all types) should be examined annually by a competent person. The hydraulic test period for all types of portable fire extinguishers should be conducted at intervals not exceeding 10 years unless the extinguisher is found to be defective during an inspection. Continue reading “Gibraltar updates its guidance for periodic servicing and testing of fire protection systems”

Failure of fire hose couplings case study

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A recent Safety Flash published by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) focuses on an incident in which a fire hose fitting failed at the neck of the stub inserted into the hose during routine pressure/leak testing.

As part of annual testing of the fire hydrant hoses, two crew were assigned to conduct leak testing of the main deck fire hoses. A Number 3 hose (20m x 52mm (2”)) was connected to a fire hydrant valve and nozzle and visual inspections of the hose and valve conducted prior to testing. During the test it was noted that one end of the fire hose had disconnected. The test was stopped, and further investigation was conducted. Continue reading “Failure of fire hose couplings case study”

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