Lithium-ion battery fires on vessels remain one of the biggest safety issues

Allianz logoAllianz has highlighted that battery fires on vessels remain one of the biggest safety issues facing the shipping industry. There have been a number of serious fire incidents in recent years where Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have been reported as the source of, or contributing to fires on vessels. Allianz experts Capt. Rahul Khanna, Captain Randy Lund and Captain Anastasios Leonburg, share their thoughts on how electric vessels may impact safety onboard.

Decarbonization and electrification are increasing the number of shipping goods that contain Li-ion batteries, from electric vehicles (EVs) Continue reading “Lithium-ion battery fires on vessels remain one of the biggest safety issues”

Wakashio report by the Panama Maritime Authority issued 3 years after Mauritius grounding

Overview of the damage to the Wakashio
Overview of the damage to the Wakashio

Almost 3 years after bulk carrier, the Wakashio, ran aground and spilled oil along the coast of Mauritius, the Panama Maritime Authority’s investigation report into the accident has been made public. The bulk carrier was not carrying cargo when it grounded on a reef off Mauritius’ Pointe d’Esny during a voyage from Singapore to Brazil on July 25, 2020. The incident sparked an “environmental emergency” after the ship broke up and spilled approximately 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil into the pristine waters. The report does not contain any major Continue reading “Wakashio report by the Panama Maritime Authority issued 3 years after Mauritius grounding”

ClassNK Annual Port State Control report

ClassNK Port state control annual report June 2023Recently published, the annual Port State Control (PSC) report from ClassNK reveals that in 2022 a total of 1,214 detainable deficiencies were reported and 313 detentions were made. Issues around fire safety topped the list and worryingly show a big increase over the previous year.

The Annual Report summarises deficiencies identified during PSC inspections carried out in various countries around the world. This report is prepared with the objective of building awareness of the present state of PSC and thereby improving future onboard maintenance and inspections as well as Safety Management Systems. Continue reading “ClassNK Annual Port State Control report”

Planning and preparation vital to reduce man overboard fatalities

people at overboard trainingAt a special event to mark UK Maritime Safety Week event, a demonstration of man overboard recovery techniques highlighted how little time there is to effect a successful rescue.

MAIB, (Marine Accident Investigation Branch), analysis has revealed that, on average, crew have under 11 minutes to recover someone who has fallen overboard into cold water before they become unresponsive. The analysis of 20 accidents that occurred between 2017 and 2021 shows that the time decreases as the water becomes colder or the sea state rougher. In some cases, crew had just 4 or 5 minutes to coordinate a complex recovery under extreme pressure. Continue reading “Planning and preparation vital to reduce man overboard fatalities”

Documentary series Coastguard: Every Second Counts set to air from 2 July

Coastguard: Every Second CountsFor the first time, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is bringing a TV audience a behind-the-scenes documentary series. The new series, Coastguard: Every Second Counts, which rund for six episodes will air on Sunday 2 July at 9pm on Channel 5. It offers viewers the chance to see the wide breadth of work covered by the agency.

From the surveyors who check the safety of vessels to the nail-biting rescues HM Coastguard carry out, viewers will see that safety always underpins the work across the agency. The MCA granted full and exclusive access to TV crews for 12 months to allow time to provide insight into the varied, complex and, at times, tragic work of the maritime regulator in the UK. Continue reading “Documentary series Coastguard: Every Second Counts set to air from 2 July”

Oily rags were the cause of luxury yacht fire are accident investigation findings

Fire on yachtThe 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”

Cargo Fire & Loss Innovation Initiative calls for fire detection solutions

Container ship on fireThe 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

ladder on the side of a shipRightShip 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

Ship engine cooling systems safety issues need to be addressed
Ship engine cooling systems safety issues 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

Lifeboat on the side of a shipThe 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

Annual CHIRP 2022/23 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

fire aftermathOn 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”

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