USCG safety alert to address electrical installations knowledge gap issued

USCG safety alert to address electrical installations knowledge gap issued
USCG safety alert to address electrical installations knowledge gap issued

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has issued a Safety Alert to emphasize the importance of properly installed and maintained listed or certified safe electrical equipment in hazardous areas in order to reduce the risk of fire or explosion onboard vessels. Publication follows an increasing number of instances by the Coast Guard where there was a lack of knowledge regarding the installation, training, maintenance and inspection of these certified systems.

Electrical equipment in hazardous areas is common; for example, 12% of all deficiencies written to gas carriers involved hazardous area electrical equipment.

PSC Officers (PSCOs) have found certified safe equipment improperly installed or identified missing components, which compromises the certification of the system and nullifies this critical protection in a flammable environment. In other cases, PSCOs found degraded components and evidence of equipment not being maintained or inspected. Continue reading “USCG safety alert to address electrical installations knowledge gap issued”

Marshall Islands Yacht Code set for revision in 2021

Marshall Islands Yacht Code set to be updated for 2021

An initiative to update and amend the Republic of the Marshall Islands Yacht Code is currently in progress with the launch of the new revised edition anticipated for the second half of 2021.

The Marshall Islands Yacht Registry is one of the largest in the world. As of May 31, 2020, it included 595 yachts representing 13% by number of the 4,722 vessels listed. The yachts totalled 183,817 GT, which accounted for just 0.10% of the 175.2m GT of the total flag fleet.

The revision work is taking input from across the Registry’s global specialist teams, as well as external experts. A revised version is Continue reading “Marshall Islands Yacht Code set for revision in 2021”

Golden Ray: Heavy crane set to lift and salvage capsized vessel

Golden Ray Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer John D. Miller
Golden Ray Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer John D. Miller

The team working on the removal of the capsized car carrier Golden Ray is preparing for the final stage of the operation to remove the vessel that has been lying on its side in St. Simons Sound since September 2019.

The twin-hull heavy lift vessel VB-10,000 arrived at the Port of Fernandina in Florida on July 3 for final modifications and function checks before heading to St. Simons Sound. The lift vessel is currently scheduled to arrive at the wreck site by mid-July.

The 255-foot tall gantries of the VB-10,000 made an impressive sight at the docks in Florida. The configuration of the rigging beams underneath the top of the gantries will be modified to prepare for the lifting on the Golden Ray.

Continue reading “Golden Ray: Heavy crane set to lift and salvage capsized vessel”

New white paper by National Cargo Bureau calls for a new approach to address container fires

National Cargo Bureau white paper calls for urgent action to prevent serious container incidents
National Cargo Bureau white paper calls for urgent action to prevent serious container incidents

A white paper published by the National Cargo Bureau calls for urgent reform to stem the increasing number of container related incidents caused by poorly stowed, undeclared or misdeclared dangerous cargoes. This follows a recent inspection initiative that revealed an alarming number of containers with misdeclared dangerous cargoes that represent a serious safety risk.

Consequently, the National Cargo Bureau, the US inspection body for Dangerous Goods regulations, is calling for industry to adopt a comprehensive, holistic and coordinated approach to address this worrying trend. The inspection initiative also showed that 55% of containers were non-compliant with 43% failing to secure dangerous goods correctly within the container itself. Approximately 6.5% of Continue reading “New white paper by National Cargo Bureau calls for a new approach to address container fires”

Swedish Club reports a rescue boat drill ending with injuries due to a lack of SMS manual

Swedish Club reports a rescue boat drill incident
Swedish Club reports a rescue boat drill incident

The Swedish Club has highlighted an incident in its July safety bulletin about the bizarre case of a vessel that conducted a rescue boat drill resulting in an incident as the company had no specific instructions in the training manual, SMS, PMS as to how the rescue boat should be launched.

The vessel concerned was in port and the Master wanted to conduct a rescue boat drill as none had been completed since the vessel was delivered a month earlier. According to the report, the weather was favourable and the harbour authority had given the vessel clearance to launch and maneuver the rescue boat in the harbour. Continue reading “Swedish Club reports a rescue boat drill ending with injuries due to a lack of SMS manual”

New President of The Nautical Institute to focus on three challenges

The newly elected President of The Nautical Institute, Jillian Carson-Jackson has vowed to help the Institute and wider maritime community meet three important challenges – those of diversity and inclusion, branch engagement and managing the impact of technology.

Speaking at today’s Nautical Institute Annual General Meeting she announced a pledge from the Institute on diversity and inclusion saying: “There has been a concerted effort over the past years to raise visibility of not just women, but the overall role of diversity and inclusion in maritime. The pledge of the Institute, as a global body for maritime professionals, is to show its commitment to encourage, support and celebrate a diverse and inclusive maritime industry.”

Championing the Institute’s worldwide network of branches Ms Carson-Jackson described her own branch, The Nautical Institute South East Australia branch, as her professional family, sounding board and reality check. She commented “Nautical Institute branches provide a focus to engage with other maritime professionals and to think global while acting local. They offer a forum to gather ideas, share experiences, develop best practice and influence the activity of the Institute and beyond.” Continue reading “New President of The Nautical Institute to focus on three challenges”

Geo Therm Ltd picks up LR and ABS accreditation

Geo Therm Ltd picks up LR and ABS accreditation
Geo Therm Ltd picks up LR and ABS accreditation

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown the team behind Geo Therm Ltd has actively sought to gain the coveted Lloyds Register (LR) and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) approved service supplier status, bolstering its existing ISO 9001:2015, FPAL and Safe Contractor accreditations.

As an independent third-party inspection company Geo Therm Ltd prides itself with performing condition monitoring inspections across the globe, to-date surveying in over 40 countries, as far north as the Arctic Circle to as far south as the Falkland Islands. The company has been supporting the offshore energy sector since 2002 with their inspection surveys to aid fleet with their safe systems of work remits, preventative maintenance, and regulatory commitments.

With the team was in lockdown, audit allocation and rechecking was undertaken online, ensuring all systems documents were current, fit for purpose and error free, while the actual LR and ABS audits being undertaken at Geo Therm Ltd’s premises in Reydon, Suffolk and the Continue reading “Geo Therm Ltd picks up LR and ABS accreditation”

Dutch Safety Board report: Lessons learned after loss of containers from MSC Zoe

The Dutch Safety Board has published an investigation report into the loss of containers from the MSC Zoe in 2019, sharing valuable lessons learned on the shipping routes that pass the Wadden Islands to the north of the Netherlands. The report stressed that minimizing the risks of container loss in the area requires an integrated approach by the container shipping sector, the IMO and the Dutch government.

On the night of 1 to 2 January 2019, the MSC ZOE with more than 8,000 containers onboard was travelling from Sines in Portugal to Bremerhaven in Germany. North of the Dutch Wadden Islands, the MSC ZOE found itself in severe weather. The ship lost 342 containers. The cargo comprised a wide range of items and packaging materials that on the subsequent days washed ashore on the coastline of the Wadden Islands. Continue reading “Dutch Safety Board report: Lessons learned after loss of containers from MSC Zoe”

MAIB publishes its 2019 Annual Report

The MAIB has published its Annual Report for last year with details about its activities and safety investigation work undertaken. In an extract from his Foreword, Capt Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector of Accidents at MAIB, said, “I am pleased to introduce MAIB’s annual report 2019. It was a busy and successful year for the Branch improving safety at sea by our sustained output of safety investigation reports, safety digests, safety bulletins, and wider industry engagement. The Branch raised 1222 reports of marine accidents and incidents and commenced 22 investigations in 2019, compared with 1227 reports and 23 investigations started in 2018. Tragically, 13 investigations involved loss of life.

Continue reading “MAIB publishes its 2019 Annual Report”

NTSB investigation identifies lack of a towing safety management system

NTSB has published an investigation report into an incident with crane barge
NTSB has published an investigation report into an incident with crane barge

NTSB has published an investigation report into an incident when a crane barge U1510, pushed by the towing vessel Goose Creek, made contact with overhead powerlines on the Elizabeth River in June 2019. The report has highlighted poor company oversight and the lack of a towing safety management system.

At 1134 local time on June 20, 2019, the crane barge U1510 (with three persons onboard), being pushed by the towing vessel Goose Creek (with three crew members onboard), struck three overhead power transmission lines while transiting to Precon Marine on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Virginia.

There was neither pollution nor injuries. Damage to the powerlines and crane barge was estimated at $226,204. Continue reading “NTSB investigation identifies lack of a towing safety management system”

TAIC investigation report released into crew fatally struck while securing logs

TAIC investigation report released
TAIC investigation report released

New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Committee (TAIC) has published an investigation report on the crew fatality during cargo-securing operations onboard the bulk log carrier Coresky OL, while at Eastland Port, Gisborne, in April 2019.

At approximately 2130 on 2 April 2019, the bulk carrier Coresky OL completed loading logs in Eastland Port, Gisborne. Shortly afterwards the crew commenced securing the logs that were stowed on deck.

At 2341 the chief officer, boatswain and two able-bodied seamen had just completed securing the logs stowed on top of number one hatch and were commencing to lash the logs stowed on top of number two hatch. It was dark but the deck was well lit by both the ship and shore floodlights. Continue reading “TAIC investigation report released into crew fatally struck while securing logs”

Bureau Veritas completes a remote marine survey on LNG dual fuel harbour tug PSA Aspen

Bureau Veritas completes a remote marine survey
Bureau Veritas completes a remote marine survey

Bureau Veritas Marine Singapore (BV), in collaboration with PSA Marine (Pte) Ltd (PSA Marine), has successfully completed a remote marine survey on ‘PSA Aspen’, an LNG dual fuel harbour tug. Supported by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the project marks the first time a harbour tug registered under the Singapore Registry of Ships has undergone a fully accredited annual survey conducted remotely, without a surveyor physically present onboard the vessel.

Marine services provider and vessel owner, PSA Marine, has been working with leading classification Continue reading “Bureau Veritas completes a remote marine survey on LNG dual fuel harbour tug PSA Aspen”

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