Marine industry announced as Trailblazer

Marine industry announced as a Trailblazer co-ordinated by the British Marine Federation
Marine industry announced as a Trailblazer co-ordinated by the British Marine Federation

The government’s spotlight shines on marine apprenticeships, with the marine industry being announced as a Trailblazer today. Within this scheme, a new boatbuilding apprenticeship will be developed by employers working together to design standards in their occupations and sectors.

Co-ordinated by the British Marine Federation, the employer group for the marine industry will be lead by Berthon Boat Company and includes Sunseeker International, Princess Yachts, Pioneer Sailing Trust, Pendennis Shipyard, Fairline Boats, Broom Boats, Green Marine, English Harbour Yachts, Windboats and Cockwells.

Continue reading “Marine industry announced as Trailblazer”

New safety and health guidelines to protect seafarers

Maritime occupational safety and health experts agreed on guidelines to bolster the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 to further protect seafarers at a recent meeting in Geneva.

Recognising the special needs of seafarers, experts have agreed on guidelines to assist governments to implement occupational safety and health provisions previously set down in the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006).

Intended to provide supplementary practical information to be reflected in national laws and other measures, the OSH guidelines deal with the special maritime working environment. This includes demanding physical working conditions, potentially hazardous tasks, isolation, long hours of work, rigid organizational structures and high levels of stress and fatigue.

Continue reading “New safety and health guidelines to protect seafarers”

AMSA warns of rubber fender scam

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has become aware of a sophisticated scam, using a falsification of AMSA’s crest and stamp to endorse rubber fenders.

Ship Safety Division general manager Allan Schwartz said the scam contained what appears to be a certification or approval letter from AMSA’s “quality control department” for the ‘yokohama’ style of fenders, designed for the berthing and mooring of a ship to another ship or berthing structure.

“These letters bear a stamp and crest in the name of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority,” Mr Schwartz said.

Continue reading “AMSA warns of rubber fender scam”

First UK aircraft carrier centre blocks completed

Pictured are Cammell Laird's head of construction Jeff Jones, project director John Drummond and steelwork supervisor Joe Dawber.
Pictured are Cammell Laird’s head of construction Jeff Jones, project director John Drummond and steelwork supervisor Joe Dawber.

Cammell Laird has completed its first aircraft carrier centre blocks for a second ship set to become the centrepiece of Britain’s military capability.

The Birkenhead marine and engineering services company has fabricated and outfitted two blocks for the new PRINCE OF WALES aircraft carrier, which are being transported by sea to the Rosyth shipyard in Scotland.

Construction of the blocks began in July 2013 and has involved a workforce of 250 including contractors. Cammell Laird is playing a key role in the aircraft carrier project, the biggest UK engineering project since the London Olympics.

Continue reading “First UK aircraft carrier centre blocks completed”

International Superyacht Coatings Conference

International Superyacht Coatings Conference
International Superyacht Coatings Conference

The International Superyacht Coatings Conference will take place on 11 – 12 December 2014 and is being held at Amsterdam Rai.

The International Superyacht Coatings Conference (ISCC) is a prominent business-to-business event organised by Amsterdam RAI in association with ICOMIA and the Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss). Specialising in superyacht coating processes and related rules and legislation, ISCC is much more than a conference and networking event – delegates will be encouraged to participate and contribute, not merely spectate. This highly interactive event will provide genuine opportunities to influence future decisions surrounding current issues facing the coatings industry.

Continue reading “International Superyacht Coatings Conference”

Asian piracy incidents decrease

According to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) a total of 39 Asian piracy incidents were reported during July to September 2014 compared with 58 incidents during April to June 2014, a drop of one third.

Contrastingly, for the first six months of 2014, there has been a significant increase in the number of incidents compared to the same period of last year. The ReCAAP ISC witnesses a surge in the number of incidents from 61 reported during January – June 2013 to 90 during the same period in 2014. However, after July 2014, there has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents within the three-month period from July to September in 2014, ReCAAP reports.

Continue reading “Asian piracy incidents decrease”

Panama Canal Pilots Not Renegotiating

According to a press release issued by the Panama Canal Pilots’ Union, (who represent more than 250 professional pilots), it has made the decision not to start renegotiations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a right afforded to the Union under the current Agreement.

“What the Panama Canal Pilots’ Union wants is for the Panama Canal Authority to concentrate on keeping the Canal safe and efficient, specially at a time when they seem to have lost the right course when it comes to Canal operations,” said Captain Rainiero Salas, Secretary General of the Union.

Continue reading “Panama Canal Pilots Not Renegotiating”

ILO MLC2006 smartphone app available

The ILO MLC2006 Smartphone App, that was developed by The UK P&I Club and Lloyd’s Register, is freely available to download. The app is aimed at assisting those who need to be compliant with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, which is now in full force. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones.

The pocket checklist app serves as an interactive tool that enables ships’ crews and their managers to view the requirements of the ILO MLC2006 and check off required activities as they are completed.

Download the ILO MLC2006 app at:

iOS
Android

Spain and Italy face European Commission clamp down

The European Commission is taking action against Spain before the Court of Justice of the European Union, because 20 Spanish ports have yet to adopt and implement the port security plan, the Commission said. Spain has failed to transpose the Directive 2005/65/EC on enhancing port security which “aims to guarantee uniformly high levels of security in all European ports” because it hasn’t implemented a port security plan laying down provisions for ensuring port security.

The EU Member States had until June 15, 2007 to transpose the Directive. The EC has asked Member States with the greatest delays in meeting their obligations, including Spain, to prepare national action plans with precise time-frames for conducting assessments and drawing up port security plans.

Continue reading “Spain and Italy face European Commission clamp down”

New research points to British superyacht success

With the improvement in the UK economy, British superyacht sector is gaining momentum. Recent research by the BMF says that 69% of members responding to the Superyacht UK survey rating prospects for the next 12 months as good or excellent. The forecast is the most positive outlook for UK based superyacht manufacturing and supply for seven years. The value of the UK superyacht industry has grown to £492 million in 2013/14, a 7.1% increase from 2012/13.

Whilst last year’s headlines reported an increase in refit, this year it is new builds that are driving the improved results with 57% of superyacht revenues from new orders. Overall, 59% of respondents experienced a higher workload over the last 12 months compared to the same period a year ago.

Continue reading “New research points to British superyacht success”

Non MLC 2006 compliant supply ships could be detained

iims50Non compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 regulation, which came into force on 7 August, could result in North Sea supply ships being detained says shipping and maritime law expert Katie Williams of Pinsent Masons.

Katie Williams said that although most UK operators were already compliant, vessels operating or passing through UK waters under other national flags could now be at risk of enforcement action. “The Maritime Labour Convention consolidates what has been in place in the UK for some years, but a major change is that for the first time it has an enforcement mechanism with real ‘teeth’,” she said.

“Many shipping companies and charterers have invested significant time and effort in trying to ensure that they will comply with the new regime, however the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as the UK’s enforcement body will be looking to set down a marker that they intend to rigorously apply the new laws. It would be a nightmare scenario for a boat which is chartered at thousands of pounds a day to be detained in port, but it is feasible that in extreme circumstances this could happen,” she said.

Continue reading “Non MLC 2006 compliant supply ships could be detained”

Lloyd’s Register issues new energy guidance notes

Lloyd’s Register issues new energy guidance notes
Lloyd’s Register issues new energy guidance notes

The new Lloyd’s Register energy guidance notes, launched at ONS 2014, are designed to assist designers, owners and operators of oil and gas equipment on how to assess fire loadings on an installation, and how to protect people and equipment against different fire scenarios.

“Protection against fires on board vessels and installations is critical to a safe operating environment,” said Joar Dalheim, VP Technology, Consultancy Services of Lloyd’s Register.

“Our Guidance Notes provide a significant reference document to guide oil and gas designers, owners and operators on different risk-based methodologies to establish what could be at risk, ranging from simple fire risk issues to highly technical and complex fire risk situations.”

Continue reading “Lloyd’s Register issues new energy guidance notes”

Instagram Posts from the IIMS @iimsmarine