Fishing vessel pilot highlights new safety management project

Image used for illustration purposes only
Image used for illustration purposes only

Leading provider of grants and support to the maritime community, The Seafarers’ Charity, has received funding for a pilot project to develop safety management onboard fishing vessels to the standard of the Fishing Safety Management (FSM) Code. The new service, Fishing First Safety Management by SafetyFolder, aims to improve safety in the UK fishing fleet.

The Seafarers’ Charity’s chief executive, Catherine Spencer says: “I am delighted that funding has been secured for this pilot project as the addition of an auditable safety standard that will transform vessel safety in the fishing industry. The Seafarers’ Charity is improving the lives of seafarers every day and ensuring fishers can work and return home safely from voyages without experiencing harm or accidents is Continue reading “Fishing vessel pilot highlights new safety management project”

AMSA consultation begins on mandatory lifejacket wearing proposal on domestic commercial vessels

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is inviting feedback from the domestic commercial vessel industry on a proposal to mandate lifejacket wear on some domestic commercial vessels. Informed by safety data, AMSA is exploring options to increase lifejacket wear across the domestic commercial vessel sector, focusing on sectors of the fleet with the greatest risk of a fatality following a person overboard incident.

AMSA Chief Executive Officer Mick Kinley said the proposal aims to minimise the risk of drowning and achieve greater safety outcomes for all people on domestic commercial vessels. Continue reading “AMSA consultation begins on mandatory lifejacket wearing proposal on domestic commercial vessels”

IMO 104th session of the Maritime Safety Committee considers remote surveying

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) held its 104th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) from 4–8 October 2021. This meeting was conducted remotely and a number of topics will be of interest to the superyacht, commercial vessel and yacht and small craft leisure sector, including remote surveys, which came up for discussion:

Covid-19 issues. In recognition of the ongoing difficulties faced by seafarers and management companies during the pandemic, the Committee approved a draft assembly resolution on issues relating to seafarers in respect of crew changes, vaccination and ‘key worker’ designation. The resolution urges Member States to: Continue reading “IMO 104th session of the Maritime Safety Committee considers remote surveying”

New online shipbuilding acquaint course exclusive to IIMS announced

Image used only for illustrative purposes
Image used only for illustrative purposes

The new Shipbuilding Acquaint Course has been developed by Broadreach Marine Ltd and is presented exclusively in conjunction with the International Institute of Marine Surveying, the leading worldwide professional body for the marine surveying profession. The aim of this unique one-week online course starting from 7 February 2022 is to provide an opportunity for the student to gain an understanding of modern shipbuilding procedures, from placing a contract to delivering a completed ship.

The course content and objectives can be summed up as follows:
– The Shipbuilding Acquaint Course content follows the logical processes and timeline required to build a ship from scratch. Continue reading “New online shipbuilding acquaint course exclusive to IIMS announced”

National Safe Boating Week in Australia and New Zealand highlighted three key issues

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has partnered with the Australian New Zealand Safe Education Boating Group (ANZSBEG) for National Safe Boating Week, which took place from the 2nd to the 8th of October. It represented an opportunity for governments, industry leaders, and casual and professional seafarers alike to highlight the importance of safe boating across Australia and New Zealand.

AMSA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Sachi Wimmer said “Boating is core to our way of life. Not only is it a great way to spend your free time and enjoy the outdoors, but we also have a lot of people on boats out on the water earning a living,” Continue reading “National Safe Boating Week in Australia and New Zealand highlighted three key issues”

Maritime New Zealand report highlights recreational boating accidents between 2015 and 2020

Each year a number of people die while participating in recreational boating, an activity pursued for enjoyment, or for the benefit of friends or family. Each accident is tragic and has its own unique set of circumstances, but the common factors across these accidents can help highlight ways that similar deaths may be prevented in the future.

This report is intended to give an overview of fatal recreational boating accidents between the beginning of 2015 and the end of 2020, and to provide additional insight into a number of key characteristics and identified patterns.

This six-year time period provided a total of 92 accidents resulting in 98 deaths or persons missing and presumed dead. The analysis Continue reading “Maritime New Zealand report highlights recreational boating accidents between 2015 and 2020”

Superyachts must do more to raise on-board safety says Lloyd’s Register

Lloyd’s Register, the world’s largest yacht classification society, is calling on the industry to step up enforcement of safety at sea rules.

“The number one priority of any yacht should be to provide a quality service, but with safety being one of the most dominant values,” said Thomas Zeferer, manager of marine training services for Northern Europe at Lloyd’s Register.

“A culture of behaviour-based safety must start from the top (and) filter down to the guests. Setting the right example means providing quality service, but also telling guests when they are doing something that is fundamentally unsafe.” Continue reading “Superyachts must do more to raise on-board safety says Lloyd’s Register”

Report analyzing the impacts of underwater noise in Europe published by EMSA

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has commissioned a study to consolidate information on the subject of continuous Underwater radiated noise (URN) from shipping, in order to derive recommendations for a future multi-stakeholder strategy within Europe. The 103 page report is now available to read.

The study focussed on four main subject areas, with noise sources, environmental impact and policy providing the basis for the main goal, mitigation. The main source of URN from shipping is broadband propeller cavitation, radiating noise over a large frequency range. Machinery, primarily main propulsion engines, can also have an important contribution. Continue reading “Report analyzing the impacts of underwater noise in Europe published by EMSA”

Sobering man overboard lesson

Image used for illustration purposes only
Image used for illustration purposes only

At the recent Seawork Connect online event, the Workboat Association and British Tugowners Association Safety Forum at Seawork Connect gave details about a real-life man overboard (MOB) incident. Shaun Mansbridge, Safety Manager at Williams Shipping, described a situation that occurred within Willliams’ pilot vessel fleet, fortunately with a happy outcome, but which could have gone the other way.

A 13m pilot launch with two crewmembers aboard – skipper and deckhand – was delivering onsigners to a ship at the Nab Anchorage in the Solent, UK. It was Autumn with fine weather and light seas and an estimated water temperature of 13-15 degrees Celsius. The onsigning crew all safely ascended the pilot boarding ladder to the deck. The deckhand started passing the suitcases up while the pilot boat’s skipper Continue reading “Sobering man overboard lesson”

New chapter for safe disposal of marine flares from the pleasure boat sector

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is to work with industry to develop local self-regulated schemes for the safe disposal of redundant pyrotechnics (flares) from the pleasure vessel sector. It follows a consultation (which concluded on 15 March) with the industry, industry regulators and boat-owners to seek ways considered acceptable to all for the effective means of disposing of flares.

The MCA supported a proposal for an industry-led, self-regulated disposal service that complies with existing legislation. It was also felt this was an opportunity for small regional businesses to tailor a disposal service that meets local needs, enabling an effective geographical spread of options available to boat-owners. Continue reading “New chapter for safe disposal of marine flares from the pleasure boat sector”

Scuppered dreams and abandoned boats – an environmental threat in pictures

As long ago as 1999, the US based naval architect, Eric Sponberg, raised the alarm within the recreational boating community with his outspoken article entitled ‘Recycled Dead Boats.’ To quote his actual words, he said: “The industry has ‘shot itself in the foot’ by building boats out of such a durable and almost indestructible material as fibreglass (GRP.)”

Almost a quarter of a century later, the Centre for Aquatic Environments at Brighton University in the UK has picked up the baton and recently produced a video that vividly emphasises the same ongoing challenge. The film features academic research information, and real-life contributions from various stakeholders around the world, clearly making the point; that not enough has been done to address the threats to the environment, or to the future sustainability of boating. Continue reading “Scuppered dreams and abandoned boats – an environmental threat in pictures”

US Coast Guard vessel deficiency reports to be posted monthly

Ensign Patricia Carrow, a Coast Guard vessel inspector, examines a passenger vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrea Anderson)

The Coast Guard will begin posting monthly data reports of all deficiencies to foreign and domestic vessels on the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) website in an Excel file format. Access to data such as common vessel deficiencies or marine casualty occurrences can inform vessel owners and operators of current trends on similar vessels. Armed with this information, vessel owners and operators may proactively take action to identify potential deficiencies on board their vessel and improve safety.

For years, the Port State Information Exchange (PSIX) XML data service has provided a means for the public to access large quantities of Coast Guard vessel deficiency and marine casualty data. However, XML data service requires a level of programming knowledge that can Continue reading “US Coast Guard vessel deficiency reports to be posted monthly”

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