Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season

Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season
Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season

The Gard P&I Club has published an an alert drawing attention to the Asian Gypsy Moth, the destructive forest pest that is known to spread via ocean-going vessels in international trade. In the alert Gard has highlighted that Australia has heightened vessel surveillance for Asian Gypsy Moth and in New Zealand is introducing new requirements from 1 February 2018.

Therefore, vessels calling at certain ports in Asia Pacific between May and September should be inspected and certified free of Asian Gypsy Moth prior to departure. These inspections are undertaken to minimize the potential for regulatory action when arriving in a country where the pest is not native.

According to Gard, countries currently known to regulate and inspect arriving vessels for Asian Gypsy Moth are: Continue reading “Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season”

Just four minutes to recharge C-Job’s Amsterdam ferries’ batteries

Just four minutes to recharge the Amsterdam ferries' batteries
Just four minutes to recharge the Amsterdam ferries’ batteries

C-Job Naval Architects has delivered the concept design of a series of five sustainable car and passenger ferries to the City of Amsterdam. In order to maintain efficiency of service and a quick turnaround, this charging process will take place during a timeframe of a maximum of four minutes.

The vessels will operate 100% on electricity, thus providing an emission-free urban transport solution.

C-Job has designed the fully electric ferries to recharge their batteries during the unloading and loading of passengers and vehicles. This notably short charging period will be enough for the vessels to operate a 24/7 service with no overnight charging required.

The new 41-metre long Ro-Ro ferries will replace existing vessels that currently Continue reading “Just four minutes to recharge C-Job’s Amsterdam ferries’ batteries”

Engine failure and poor communication resulted in Nenita grounding

Engine failure and poor communication resulted in Nenita grounding
Engine failure and poor communication resulted in Nenita grounding

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its investigation report about the circumstances that led to the grounding of the Marshall Islands registered bulk carrier Nenita on the Columbia River. The incident, which occurred in November 2016 was as a result of an engine failure combined with inefficient communication on-board.

The incident
On November 19, 2016, the fully-laden bulk carrier Nenita was outbound on the Columbia River, when it suffered an engine failure impacting its ability to manoeuvre. The vessel subsequently ran aground at Continue reading “Engine failure and poor communication resulted in Nenita grounding”

Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers

Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers
Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers

The International Group of P&I Clubs (IG Clubs) and the shipping line members of the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) have issued a revised version of the guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers.

The Guidelines were first issued in May 2016, with version 2.0 of the Guidelines issued in January 2017 to take account of the package limit of 100lb drums under US measurement as well as the package limit of 45kg net weight.

The Guidelines can be considered Continue reading “Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers”

Accident prevention can be aided by proper maintenance is the subject of a USCG safety alert

Image courtesy USCG
Image courtesy USCG

USCG has released a Safety Alert using the example of a commercial airboat incident which lost steering and hit a tree, resulting in a few serious injuries. The Safety Alert aims to remind operators and marine surveyors of the importance of recognising risks and ensuring proper maintenance and repairs.

Throughout maritime history, inadequate or improper maintenance and repairs, combined with the failure to recognize potential risks as a result of those maintenance and repair efforts, have caused numerous marine casualties involving substantial injuries, fatalities, environmental damage and economic costs to the involved parties.

The causal factors behind the decisions to perform inadequate or improper maintenance and repairs are, often, Continue reading “Accident prevention can be aided by proper maintenance is the subject of a USCG safety alert”

European Commission Reducing marine litter stakeholder survey and consultation

Photo credit: Creative Commons/Forest/Kim Starr
Photo credit: Creative Commons/Forest/Kim Starr

The European Commission has published a stakeholder survey “Reducing marine litter: actions on single use plastics and abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear” as part of the follow up to the EU Strategy on Plastics scheduled for adoption in January 2018.

Plastics are an important material in our economy and present in many aspects of our daily lives, but they also have relatively low rates of reuse and recycling and are prone to littering.

The European Commission Action Plan for a Circular Economy (2015) therefore identified plastics as one of 5 priority areas. A Communication outlining the strategy for Continue reading “European Commission Reducing marine litter stakeholder survey and consultation”

ClassNK issues warning over hatch covers and coamings deficiencies

Photo image: ClassNK. Damaged rubber washer wastage and damage of securing device crutch
Photo image: ClassNK. Damaged rubber washer wastage and damage of securing device crutch

Port State Control inspectors have been frequently identifying deficiencies during inspections related to the securing devices of cargo hold hatch covers and hatch coamings, according to a recent warning issued by classification society, ClassNK.

Such deficiencies included seizing, damage or missing cleats, as well as damage or wastage of cleat crutches (saddles) and so on.

Port State Control inspectors often confirm not only the condition of Continue reading “ClassNK issues warning over hatch covers and coamings deficiencies”

Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club

Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club
Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club

The majority of all auxiliary engine damage takes place immediately after maintenance work according to an investigation by The Swedish Club. A key finding in their investigation is that 55% of casualties occur within only 10% of the time between overhaul corresponding to the first 1,000 hours or so of operation after overhaul. In most cases, the damage occurs only a few hours after start up, the Club noted.

The report, Auxiliary Engine Damage, also finds that container vessels have a significantly higher claims frequency due to Continue reading “Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club”

New regulations from the Danish Maritime Authority for operating personal watercraft come into force

New regulations from the Danish Maritime Authority for operating personal watercraft come into force
New regulations from the Danish Maritime Authority for operating personal watercraft come into force

Following the launch of new regulations from the Danish Maritime Authority, effective from 1 January 2018, operators of personal watercraft must complete a theoretical as well as a practical test.

As part of the Danish Government’s efforts to enhance the safety of those using the sea for recreational purposes, the Danish Maritime Authority will now require operators of personal watercraft and the like to hold a special personal watercraft license.

Everyone who wants to operate a personal watercraft must Continue reading “New regulations from the Danish Maritime Authority for operating personal watercraft come into force”

MAIB issues safety bulletin on the use of safety harness tethers on sailing yachts

Figure 1: Tether hook under deck cleat
Figure 1: Tether hook under deck cleat

Background
The sailing yacht CV30 was taking part in the third leg of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race having left Cape Town on 31 October 2017 bound for Fremantle, Western Australia. At about 1414 local time on 18 November 2017, the yacht was in position 42°30.3’S, 087°36.3’E, approximately 1500nm from Fremantle, when a crew member, Simon Speirs, fell overboard. He was attached to the yacht by his safety harness tethers. The hook at the end of the tether that was clipped to a jack-line, deformed and released resulting in him becoming separated from the yacht. Simon Speirs was recovered unconscious onto the yacht but sadly could not be resuscitated.

Continue reading “MAIB issues safety bulletin on the use of safety harness tethers on sailing yachts”

MCA amends its Code of Safe Working Practices

The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published an updated version of the ‘Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers’. The amendments give advice on improving health and safety of seafarers, primarily for those on board UK registered ships. But surveyors should also take note.

The Code provides guidance on safe working practices for the many and numerous situations that occur on ships.

However, it should not be considered a comprehensive guide to safety and its advice should always be considered in conjunction with the Continue reading “MCA amends its Code of Safe Working Practices”

New requirements for authorized service providers under new IMO requirements

DNV GL has announced that IMO has introduced new requirements for the maintenance, examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, relevant for shipyards, suppliers, owners/managers, flag states of all ship types. From 1 January 2020, personnel carrying out maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing overhaul and repair of the following items shall be certified by an authorized service providers:

Lifeboats (including free-fall lifeboats), rescue boats and fast rescue boats
Launching appliances as well as on-load and off-load release gear for lifeboats, rescue boats, fast rescue boats and davit-launched life rafts
Continue reading “New requirements for authorized service providers under new IMO requirements”

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