The marine environment takes a toll on coatings, and to keep up with maintenance, most ships’ crews use oil-based paints and finishes almost every day that the weather allows. These materials come with an inherent fire risk, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has warned, because waste and rags from cleanup can easily combust. For finishes containing linseed oil – a common ingredient in wood finishes – the risk is elevated by the material’s tendency to self-heat and ignite. Left alone, a linseed-soaked rag can catch fire without any external source of ignition as the crew of the yacht Pegasus discovered last year. Continue reading “Oily rags were the cause of luxury yacht fire are accident investigation findings”
Health & Safety
Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative calls for fire detection solutions
The Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative is calling for innovators to come forward with solutions for early-stage fire detection, one of the most important issues in the drive to mitigate container loss.
Following extensive knowledge sharing among the group, the need for improved fire-detection systems in container cargo holds has been identified as the most pressing area of focus. The Initiative is therefore calling on technology companies to come forward with suitable solutions in early-stage fire detection for cargo holds. Continue reading “Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative calls for fire detection solutions”
Deficiencies and non-conformities involving pilot ladders are on the increase
RightShip has presented four different case studies to highlight an alarming trend which has emerged from incident and inspection data over the last two years with regards pilot ladders and transfer arrangements. The organization has observed several deficiencies while the ladders are not in use. However, critically, it is when an inspector is not present, and ladders are being rigged or utilised, that those deficiencies with high-risk potential can result in incidents. RightShip notes offer the following cases: Continue reading “Deficiencies and non-conformities involving pilot ladders are on the increase”
Safety issues of ship engine cooling systems need to be addressed
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has called on Maritime New Zealand to address critical safety issues with the maintenance and management of ship engine cooling systems. The call was detailed in a preliminary report as part of the Commission’s inquiry into the loss of power experienced by the KiwiRail Interislander passenger ferry Kaitaki, leaving it drifting close to the coast in Cook Strait on the night of 28 January 2023.
The Chief Investigator of Accidents, Naveen Kozhuppakalam, says TAIC has recommended that Continue reading “Safety issues of ship engine cooling systems need to be addressed”
Cargo ship lifeboats need to be reinvented
The Container Ship Safety Forum (CSSF) has released a statement to call for a reinvention of the lifeboat onboard cargo vessels so safety can be improved. According to CSSF, over the years, many seafarers have been injured – some of them fatally – while launching the lifeboat during evacuations or evacuation drills. This has nothing to do with the lifeboats not being compliant with safety standards, but simply because the launch of a lifeboat is a dangerous task to perform.
“For way too long, we have seen able seafarers being injured when launching lifeboats even though crews have been trained and the lifeboat is modern and fully compliant,” said Aslak Ross, Chairman of the CSSF. Continue reading “Cargo ship lifeboats need to be reinvented”
CHIRP 2022/23 annual digest published
Welcome to the eighth annual review of CHIRP Maritime reports, covering all the cases we published during 2022 and including some in-depth articles specially commissioned to highlight important safety topics.
This was our first full year under the guidance of Adam Parnell as Director, Maritime, and Dave Watkins as his deputy, and you will see their influence in the way we analyse reports and seek to extract key points for our readers. As always, they benefit from the wise counsel of our Maritime Advisory Board (MAB) and feedback from our growing band of Ambassadors, who volunteer their time to spread the safety message as widely as possible. Continue reading “CHIRP 2022/23 annual digest published”
MAIB Safety Bulletin: Potential safety hazards from flexible hose installations
On Sunday 19 September 2021, fire broke out in the auxiliary engine room on board the Finland registered roll-on/roll-off cargo ship Finnmaster while departing Hull, UK. The fuel source for the fire was identified as coming from a small-bore flexible hose that failed due to being overheated by an exhaust gas leak from the outboard turbocharger of auxiliary engine 2.
The flexible hose assembly was part of a modification made to the auxiliary engine alarm system more than 15 years prior to the fire. It was contrary to requirements and relevant guidance, as it was too long and had been routed close to hot surfaces. The hose had not been approved or surveyed by the classification society when it was installed. Continue reading “MAIB Safety Bulletin: Potential safety hazards from flexible hose installations”
Guidelines released to improve cooperation in the handling of shipping casualties
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
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
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
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
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”