SIGTTO presents recommendations for management of cargo alarm systems

SIGTTO presents recommendations for management of cargo alarm systems
SIGTTO presents recommendations for management of cargo alarm systems

The Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators Ltd (SIGTTO) published the first output from the Human Element Committee, ‘Recommendations for Management of Cargo Alarm Systems’, recommending the implementation of alarm management philosophies for cargo alarm systems on gas carriers.

The purpose of these recommendations is to encourage owners to create an alarm management system that will address the design, management and operation of alarm systems. Owners may find valuable assistance from Classification Societies, alarm system designers and shipyards.

This document provides guidance for all types of gas carriers, from large LNG carriers to the smallest LPG carriers. All gas carriers will need to have alarm management processes, but less complex alarm systems will be easier to set up.

Continue reading “SIGTTO presents recommendations for management of cargo alarm systems”

Smart fuel hose set to enhance safety at sea

Smart fuel hose set to enhance safety at sea
Smart fuel hose set to enhance safety at sea

“A fire in the engine room is any seafarer’s worst nightmare,” says Tom Backlund, Wärtsilä’s General Manager Large Bore Engines.

This is especially true when it comes to fuel leakages in vessel engine rooms. This is why the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulation, enforced by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), stipulates a number of minimum safety standards for operations throughout the vessel, including the engine room, with a strict limit for splash guards’ surface temperatures that could ignite liquid and cause fires.

Wärtsilä continuously delivers improvements to its engines and has introduced a variety of new solutions to comply with the hot surface Continue reading “Smart fuel hose set to enhance safety at sea”

MAIB issues urgent bulletin for owners of boats with retractable keels

Photo courtesy of MAIB
Photo courtesy of MAIB

The MAIB has issued a safety bulletin on retractable keels after the capsize of a sailing boat on Windermere with the loss of one life on 12 June 2019. The bulletin contains details on the background of the accident, initial findings, action taken and a safety lesson.

At approximately 1220 on 12 June 2019, a RS Venture Connect sailing boat fully inverted, its crew comprised an assistant instructor and an experienced disabled crewman. The boat was knocked down in the windy conditions on the day and heeled to such an extent that the keel fully retracted. During the subsequent capsize, the disabled crewman became trapped under the inverted boat. The safety boat crew saw the accident and attended the scene quickly, but had difficulty righting the boat and so were unable to reach the crewman in sufficient time to effect a successful rescue. Continue reading “MAIB issues urgent bulletin for owners of boats with retractable keels”

USCG raises awareness on towing vessel’s unsafe conditions

The US Coast Guard has published Findings of Concern 009-19, entitled Corrosion Caused Casualties. The purpose of this release is to bring awareness to towing vessel’s unsafe conditions. Discovered during 2018 on a Louisiana towing vessel during a marine casualty investigation.

On September 25, 2018, an Inspected Towing Vessel (ITV), pushing a loaded tank barge, experienced a loss of steering and ran aground.

The marine casualty investigation decided the initiating event to the incident to be the port shaft propeller nut that was wedged into the rudder, which obstructed the free and full movement of the steering gear.

Continue reading “USCG raises awareness on towing vessel’s unsafe conditions”

Aisling Patrick accident caused by lack of compliance

Ireland’s Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has published an investigation report on a fatal incident involving the fishing vessel ‘Aisling Patrick’ 15 nm off Broadhaven, Co Mayo, on 10th April 2018. The accident resulted in one fatality. The report highlighted poor training and maintenance, as well as inefficient EPIRB.

On the 10th April, 2018 at approximately 07.00 hrs, the ‘FV Aisling Patrick’ departed from Ballyglass, Co. Mayo, with three persons on board to fish for mackerel between Erris Head and Eagle Island. Around 12.30 hrs the vessel began listing to starboard. The Skipper entered the wheelhouse and the speed was reduced to ascertain the cause of the list. A wave struck the vessel on the port quarter which pushed the starboard bulwark under water and flooded the deck. Almost immediately a second wave struck the port side again and capsized the vessel. Continue reading “Aisling Patrick accident caused by lack of compliance”

CHIRP has published its Maritime Feedback Report 55

The CHIRP Charitable Trust has published Maritime Feedback 55. This second bulletin of 2019 contains reports on engine room heat protection, main engine failures, CBM systems, communications and hours of rest violations.

MFB 55 is currently available online in 3 languages; English, Chinese and Filipino and will soon be available in Portuguese.

The CHIRP Maritime Annual Digest 2018, giving a round-up of reports for 2018 along with insight articles, is also available online here.

A second study in collaboration with UCL Department of Neurosciences is close to completion and will be published in June. This second study focuses on “critical decision making” at sea and is a follow on from CHIRP’s “perception” study of 2018.

About CHIRP
The aim of CHIRP is to contribute to the enhancement of aviation safety in the UK and maritime safety worldwide, by providing a totally independent confidential (not anonymous) reporting system for all individuals employed in or associated with these industries.

Continue reading “CHIRP has published its Maritime Feedback Report 55”

DNV GL has published updated bulk cargo liquefaction guidance information

DNV GL Classification society has updated its bulk cargo liquefaction guidelines. Originally published in 2015, the revised guidelines are based on feedback from readers and practical experiences that have arisen historically. The guidelines focus on design and operation of vessels with bulk cargoes that may liquefy.

Specifically, the revised guidelines provide additional material to better describe precautions to be followed during voyages or even the steps to be taken in the possibility of cargo liquefaction.

Continue reading “DNV GL has published updated bulk cargo liquefaction guidance information”

New Allianz review reveals the lowest shipping losses this century

In 2018, the maritime industry saw the number of total shipping losses of vessels over 100GT falling significantly to 46, representing the lowest total this century, said Allianz in its new Shipping and Safety review 2019. To put it into context, there were 207 total losses reported in 2000. Cargo vessels were the ship type involved in a third of losses (15) during 2018.

Key points

Shipping losses declined by a record level of more than 50% year-on-year from 98 in 2017, driven by a significant fall in hotspots around the world and weather-related losses halving after a quieter year of hurricane and typhoon activity.

The 2018 loss year is exceptional compared with the rolling 10-year loss average of 104 (down by 55%).

Continue reading “New Allianz review reveals the lowest shipping losses this century”

Mis-declared dangerous cargo cause of KMTC Hong Kong fire

Photo credit: Reuters

Port Authority Director of Thailand, Kamolsak Phromprayoon, has reported that the fire onboard the ‘KMTC Hong Kong’ containership was due to mis-declared chemical cargoes of calcium hypochlorite and chlorinated paraffin wax.

More than 130 people were transferred to hospital after an explosion and fire onboard the South Korean container ship ‘KMTC Hong Kong’ while berthed in Thailand’s eastern Laem Chabang port.

The port Authority inspected 35 containers at the centre of the blaze and more than half of them contained chemical products.

Continue reading “Mis-declared dangerous cargo cause of KMTC Hong Kong fire”

MAIB report into the fatal sinking of Nancy Glen recommends a regular review of small fishing vessels’ stability

At about 1750 on 18 January 2018, the prawn trawler Nancy Glen (TT100) capsized and later sank in Lower Loch Fyne, Scotland.

Weather conditions were benign, and rescuers were quickly at the scene; however, only one of the three crew survived.

Nancy Glen was trawling at the time of the accident and the combined effect of a turn to starboard at the same time as the starboard net filling with mud caused the vessel to rapidly heel to starboard, then capsize. Through life modifications to the vessel had reduced its stability, increasing its vulnerability to capsize.

Realising the seriousness of the situation, one crewman dashed to escape. However, the darkness, disorientation, rapid nature of the Continue reading “MAIB report into the fatal sinking of Nancy Glen recommends a regular review of small fishing vessels’ stability”

New safety requirements for older UK passenger ships go out for second consultation

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency begins a second public consultation today on proposed new technical requirements for domestic passenger ships.

The planned changes aim to make sure older ships more closely match the safety standards of newer vessels.

Feedback on the initial consultation has been used to modify the proposals in the areas relating to lifejacket provision, fire safety and the vessels in scope of damage stability requirements.

Continue reading “New safety requirements for older UK passenger ships go out for second consultation”

Crankcase breach of port main engine leads to fire says new report

Photo credit: NTSB. Inboard side of Leland Speake's port main engine at the lower engine room level
Photo credit: NTSB. Inboard side of Leland Speake’s port main engine at the lower engine room level

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published an investigation report into the engine room fire onboard the towing vessel Leland Speakes on the Lower Mississippi River in February 2018.

A catastrophic failure and crankcase breach of the port main engine caused the fire.

On 21 February 2018, at 0740, the towing vessel Leland Speakes was pushing 21 barges upbound on the Lower Mississippi River when a fire broke out in the engine room at mile 520.6, south of Greenville, Mississippi.

The nine crew members onboard tried to fight the fire but, unable to control it, abandoned the vessel to a skiff dispatched from a Good Samaritan towboat. Continue reading “Crankcase breach of port main engine leads to fire says new report”

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