International News

UK MAIB Safety Digest published

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The UK MAIB Safety Digest 2016 has been published and acts as a reminder of what can and does go wrong
The UK MAIB Safety Digest 2016 has been published and acts as a reminder of what can and does go wrong

The UK MAIB Safety Digest 2016 has been published, which includes lessons learned from maritime accidents. This latest edition of the MAIB Safety Digest contains 25 short articles that give examples of poor risk awareness demonstrated by the crews of vessels. The publication highlights that a cautionary approach should be second nature to every seafarer and those who engage and interact with shipping and vessels of all types.

This MAIB Safety Digest draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. It contains information which has been determined up to the time of issue.

This information is published to inform the shipping and fishing industries, the pleasure craft community and the public of the general circumstances of marine accidents and to draw out the lessons to be learned.

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What’s next for LNG fuelled ships?

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The future for LNG fuelled ships depends on price, availability and legislation
The future for LNG fuelled ships depends on price, availability and legislation

Dr Gerd-Michael Würsig is Business Director LNG fuelled ships at DNV GL – Maritime. In this news article he assesses some of the current issues being faced by the LNG industry and gives an overview of what DNV GL is doing to support growth in this growing important market sector as LNG looks set to become ever important as a fuel choice.

“The main drivers, in order of importance for LNG fuelled ships, are price, availability, and of course legislation. LNG as a fuel has the potential to become the most important fuel solution for environmentally sustainable shipping over the next few years,” explained Würsig.

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Rolls-Royce reveals its vision for future shore control centre for unmanned ships

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Photo credit - Rolls Royce. This is now a future control crew for unmanned ships might operate
Photo credit – Rolls Royce. This is now a future control crew for unmanned ships might operate

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its vision of the land-based control centres that they believe will remotely monitor and control the unmanned ships of the future. What this vision holds for the future of the marine surveying profession is rather less clear at this point. One thing, however, is for sure. The world of autonomous cars, lorries, ships and presumably planes too is fast approaching and will soon be an accepted every day part of our lives.

In a six minute film, (see below), that some will feel is more akin to the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise rather and has no place in the world of shipping, Rolls-Royce presents a vision of the future in which a small crew of 7 to 14 people monitor and control the operation of a fleet of vessels across the world. The crew uses interactive smart screens, voice recognition systems, holograms and surveillance drones Continue reading “Rolls-Royce reveals its vision for future shore control centre for unmanned ships”

South Korean maritime accident rate doubled last year

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The alarming and worrying statistics and high volume of reported accidents in 2015 are the result of poor maintenance of vessels and equipment, the South Korean government said.

The stark truth is that the number of maritime accidents has doubled during 2015 compared to the previous three years, Yonhap news agency reported, citing data from the South Korea Ministry of Public Safety and Security.

According to government reports, a total of 2,740 maritime accidents occurred in 2015, while the previous annual average was just over 1,300.

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Long term decline in shipping losses continues according to Allianz

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Shipping losses continued their long-term downward trend with 85 total losses reported worldwide in 2015, according to Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty SE’s (AGCS) fourth annual Safety and Shipping Review 2016, which analyses reported shipping losses of over 100 gross tons.

Although the number of losses remained stable year-on-year, declining by just 3% compared with the previous year (88), 2015 was the safest year in shipping for a decade. Losses have declined by 45% since 2006, driven by an increasingly robust safety environment and self-regulation. However, disparities by region and vessel-type remain.

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UK’s new £200m polar research ship could be called RRS BOATY MCBOATFACE

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Shackleton. Endeavour. Falcon. These are just some of the names suggested for the UK’s next world-class polar research ship as part of a campaign that has been launched for the public to put forward names for the state-of-the-art vessel to be built in the North West of England.

Set to set sail in 2019 and backed by £200 million of government funding, the polar research ship will be built at the world-famous Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside.

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Safe carriage of laterite nickel ore cargo under the microscope

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A judgement by a Chinese court shows that the IMSBC Code shall be applicable to the safe carriage of laterite nickel ore cargoes
A judgement by a Chinese court shows that the IMSBC Code shall be applicable to the safe carriage of laterite nickel ore cargoes

The issue of safe carriage of laterite nickel ore has attracted the attention of international societies. The latest judgement by a Chinese court shows that the IMSBC Code shall be applicable to the safe carriage of the laterite nickel ore.

The master shall be cautious and prudent in deciding whether the cargo is suitable for safe carriage. Where heavy moisture of cargo is visible to the naked eyes, the proportion of small particles (<7mm) is large and the moisture content of small particles is above the TML (Transportable Moisture Limit), even if large particles (>7mm) may have a comparatively lower moisture content, the master may, in his professional judgment, deem the cargo unsuitable for safe carriage and is further entitled to make decisions such as to cease the voyage, sun-dry the cargo and to carry out inspection etc. for the common safety of vessel, cargo and the crew, and the carrier shall not be held liable for his breach of obligation under shipping contract.

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Dare devil round the world yachtsman, Alex Thomson, goes skywalking

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Dare devil solo round the world yachtsman, Alex Thomson, is once again proving his passion for the extraordinary and showing that a fear of heights can also be overcome too.

After the KeelWalk 2012 and MastWalk 2014, he has now combined his two favourite sports, sailing and kiting, to perform one spectacular stunt. Alex arrived at the beach looking confident in a Hugo Boss suit and tie.

Alvor, near the southern tip of Portugal, is one of the most popular places for kite surfing in the world. With its strong winds and high waves, it is the perfect location for this unique experience. The plan for this new stunt promised pure adrenaline and it certainly more than delivered. Alex was raised up from his yacht with the kite to twice the height of the mast. At this breathtaking height, he severed the connection with the boat and glided back down to the sea, carried only by the kite.

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Solar powered SeaVax hoover concept set to clean up the oceans

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The new SeaVax solar and wind powered vessel concept will be able to clean up the oceans
The new SeaVax solar and wind powered vessel concept will be able to clean up the oceans

A team of inventors from Sussex, England, has developed a solar and wind-powered boat that can suck up plastic waste.

Bluebird Marine Systems unveiled their proof of concept at the government funded Innovate UK show in London in late 2015 and are now crowd funding the construction of a full-scale vessel.

SeaVax, when built, it will be 44 meters (144 feet) long, have a suction head some 13.5 meters (44 foot) wide, and will be fully autonomous. Deck-mounted solar panels and two wind turbines will feed power to electric pumps and filters that will suck up plastic solids and micro plastics.

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Best practices for RO/RO vehicle deck fire safety released

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interferryIn response to a string of major incidents, trade association Interferry has produced operational best practice guidance for fire safety on RO/RO ship vehicle decks.

The guidance is based on input from a questionnaire sent to association members last year following at least seven serious fire incidents on ROpax ferries in Europe since 2010. The two most recent incidents resulted in fatalities and total loss of the ships, prompting the initiative by Interferry’s Operators Policy Committee to identify and publicize a common set of best practice mitigating actions.

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Multiline anchors for floating offshore wind turbines under research

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A group of US based researchers has teamed up with industry representatives to research the development of a new mooring system for floating offshore wind turbines that uses an integrated network of anchors and lines to hold dozens, or even hundreds of turbines in place in the ocean in industrial scale, offshore wind farms.

Civil and environmental engineers Sanjay R. Arwade and Don J. DeGroot from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, along with Charles P. Aubeny from Texas A&M University and Melissa Landon of the University of Maine, are conducting the research with a three year grant from the National Science Foundation. The funding comes jointly from the NSF’s Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry and Geotechnical Engineering programs.

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Maersk Tankers completes first drone delivery at sea

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Now on the face of it, this could be regarded as a rather frivolous news story – the delivery of a tin of cookie biscuits to the tanker Maersk Edgar at sea. But as you read the story, the potential ramifications for the future become clear.

The first drone delivery to a vessel at sea has been successfully completed by Maersk Tankers, heralding a big cost and time-saving potential for vessels.

The delivery, which took place near Kalundborg in Denmark and was a test, demonstrated how using drones to deliver urgent parcels to vessels and conduct inspections has huge potential for Maersk Tankers. Further tests will now follow before the new drones can become a part of the supply chain for Maersk Tankers’ vessels.

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