Marine News

IIMS set to change its Certifying Authority training strategy

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For many years, the IIMS Certifying Authority (CA) has pursued a rigid training policy, requiring an examiner to attend one of the two days real-time training that has been arranged annually. This concept now seems somewhat outdated and inflexible. Furthermore, asking an examiner whose specialism is coding motorboats to sit through a presentation on workboats and cranes at a training day is not a great use of anyone’s time, unless it has direct relevance of course!

It has always been a requirement as part of the Institute’s contract with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) that our coding examiners are continually assessed, which includes attending training. And at MCA audit the CA is asked to provide evidence that this has happened.

Continue reading “IIMS set to change its Certifying Authority training strategy”

Poor oversight and regulatory requirements led to the fatal Conception dive boat fire says NTSB

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Following an investigation into the California dive boat fire that killed 34 people in 2019, the National Transportation Safety Board has called for major safety improvements to small passenger vessels, including interconnected smoke detectors and a USCG inspection program.

The 75-foot recreational diving vessel, Conception, with 33 passengers and six crew aboard, was anchored in Platts Harbor, off Santa Cruz Island, when it caught fire in the early morning of 2 September 2019.

All 33 passengers and one crewmember died of smoke inhalation after they were trapped in the berthing area while a fire raged on the Continue reading “Poor oversight and regulatory requirements led to the fatal Conception dive boat fire says NTSB”

MAIB issues urgent safety bulletin about the death of two men caused by carbon monoxide poisoning

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On 4 December 2019 two men returned to 9.18m privately owned motor cruiser Diversion, which was moored on the river Ouse in York. The diesel fuelled heater had been leaking exhaust fumes into the boat’s cabin while they were ashore, and both men were overcome by a high level of carbon monoxide gas and died shortly after they entered the boat’s cabin.

Safety Issues
1) no carbon monoxide alarm was fitted;

2) the cabin heater had been installed by the vessel’s owner, Continue reading “MAIB issues urgent safety bulletin about the death of two men caused by carbon monoxide poisoning”

Loss of towline shackle pin led to tugboat Mangilao sinking reveals NTSB accident report

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Tugboat Mangilao (Photo: Cabras Marine Corporation / NTSB)
Tugboat Mangilao (Photo: Cabras Marine Corporation / NTSB)

The loss of a towline shackle pin and deteriorated watertight fittings caused tugboat Mangilao to sink in the Pacific Ocean about 800 miles northwest of Guam, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed in a Marine Accident Brief.

The 114 foot US flagged tugboat Mangilao sank on August 5, 2019 while being towed to a drydock in Subic Bay, Philippines by the 97 foot US flagged tug Chamorro. Both vessels were owned and operated by Cabras Marine Corporation. No one was aboard tugboat Mangilao and there were 10 crew members aboard the Chamorro.

No pollution nor injuries were reported in connection with the sinking. The 1982-built tugboat Mangilao, which was estimated to be worth Continue reading “Loss of towline shackle pin led to tugboat Mangilao sinking reveals NTSB accident report”

Small Craft Standards Bulletin published by ICOMIA

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The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) has released its latest Small Craft Standards Bulletin. The bulletin provides industry stakeholders with early notification on changes to existing standards or new work items that are developed and maintained by the ISO Technical Committee for Small Craft Standards (TC 188).

This edition includes an additional appendix at the end which covers various platforms available to use to access the ISO TC 188 Small Craft Standards.

Continue reading “Small Craft Standards Bulletin published by ICOMIA”

900,000 UK boaters set to be hit by post-Brexit travel rules is RYA survey finding

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Almost 900,000 UK boaters are due to be hit by restrictions on how long they can stay in Europe after the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December 2020, a new survey by the RYA has found.

With the end of the free movement of people, UK citizens, including boaters, will be restricted to spending no more than 90 days in a rolling 180-day period in the Schengen Area (the Schengen rule) before they have to obtain a visa for each Schengen country they plan to visit.

The RYA’s survey shows that of the estimated 1.2 million UK boaters who currently boat in the Schengen Area, 74% spend more than 90 Continue reading “900,000 UK boaters set to be hit by post-Brexit travel rules is RYA survey finding”

Two free guides available to download in pdf format published by IIMS

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IIMS has published a new free 36-page informative guide called ‘The use of moisture meters on small craft’. Additionally, the Institute has republished another free 16-page guide entitled ‘Biological Attack on Iron & Steel’.  Both guides, authored by Jeffrey Casciani-Wood HonFIIMS, are available in pdf format from the IIMS website.

The use of moisture meters on small craft
The first thing to know about moisture meters is that they do not actually measure moisture. What they do measure is conductivity. The origins of the moisture meter lie in the building and construction industries and the original scale was based on the water content of brick Continue reading “Two free guides available to download in pdf format published by IIMS”

The sad death of IIMS stalwart Captain Barry Thompson is announced

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Captain Barry Thompson addressing dinner guests at the IIMS 25th Anniversary dinner in London in 2016
Captain Barry Thompson addressing dinner guests at the IIMS 25th Anniversary dinner in London in 2016

The world of marine surveying is mourning the death of one of its most admired and respected practitioners of recent times. News has reached the IIMS Head Office of the passing of Captain Barry Thompson HonFIIMS. Barry died on 24 September 2020 aged 92 years old and will be known to many members as well as others in the marine world.

A more detailed obituary will be published in the December Report Magazine, but for now, IIMS CEO, Mike Schwarz, remembers a much-admired and skilful marine surveyor, who was a stalwart of the Institute.

I cannot claim to have known Barry closely, nor indeed for very long – only the past 6 years. But what I learnt immediately upon joining Continue reading “The sad death of IIMS stalwart Captain Barry Thompson is announced”

ROs must inform of non-compliant equipment onboard a Maltese ship

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Transport Malta requires recognised organisations to inform them where it is suspected MED equipment placed onboard a Maltese ship is not compliant
Transport Malta requires recognised organisations to inform them where it is suspected MED equipment placed onboard a Maltese ship is not compliant

Transport Malta has reiterated the need for compliance with the Directive 2014/90/EU on Marine Equipment (MED). The Directive requires recognised organisations to inform the Directorate in cases where it is suspected that MED equipment placed onboard a Maltese ship is not compliant with the applicable requirements.

Market surveillance also includes activities carried out in the course of the Directorate’s recognised organisations auditing and oversight programme with respect to compliance with the MED of equipment placed onboard.

Marine equipment is required to be evaluated after installation onboard a Maltese ship, both by carrying out documentary checks related Continue reading “ROs must inform of non-compliant equipment onboard a Maltese ship”

NTSB releases mass of evidence on deadly Conception dive boat fire ahead of October hearing

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The Conception dive boat hearing is set for 20 October 2020 after which the full report will be published
The Conception dive boat hearing is set for 20 October 2020 after which the full report will be published

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a mass of documentary evidence and factual reporting on the deadly fire aboard the Conception dive boat on 2 September 2019, one of the worst tragedies of its kind in living memory. The docket’s technical reports confirm that there was no assigned roving watch on the night of the fire, and they raise new questions about the level of safety training that the crew received before setting sail. The new material does not include any conclusions or recommendations, which will have to wait for the NTSB’s final report; that document will be released after a hearing scheduled for 20 October.

In multiple witness interviews, former crewmembers told NTSB investigators that they did not recall a designated watch or roving patrol Continue reading “NTSB releases mass of evidence on deadly Conception dive boat fire ahead of October hearing”

Cargo collective publishes a Quick Guide to container packing and the CTU Code

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Five international freight transport and cargo handling organisations have published a Quick Guide to the United Nations sponsored Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (the CTU Code), together with a checklist of actions and responsibilities for those involved. It is part of a range of activities to further the adoption and implementation of crucial safety practices by the Container Owners Association, the Global Shippers Forum, the International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association, the TT Club and the World Shipping Council.

With several container fires aboard ships recently, some of them fatal, the organisations believe that adherence to the CTU Code by all Continue reading “Cargo collective publishes a Quick Guide to container packing and the CTU Code”

New AMSA national compliance plan 2020-2021 outlines what the authority will be looking for over coming year

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The 2020-2021 AMSA national compliance plan gives details of what to expect from the authority over the coming year
The 2020-2021 AMSA national compliance plan gives details of what to expect from the authority over the coming year

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the national Commonwealth Government agency responsible for maritime safety, protection of the marine environment, and maritime and aviation search and rescue. A new AMSA National Compliance Plan 2020-2021 gives industry a transparent overview of the compliance focus areas over the coming year and what to expect in instances of non-compliance.

Through the AMSA National Compliance Plan the authority is dedicated to supporting the regulated community. Their regulatory approach supports this by adopting a risk-based approach and tailoring their compliance focus and resources according to the willingness Continue reading “New AMSA national compliance plan 2020-2021 outlines what the authority will be looking for over coming year”

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