Marine News

SOLAS compliance poor – lifeboat release hook failure identified

Posted on by News Hound
Poor compliance with SOLAS in 'Northern Ranger' incident
Poor compliance with SOLAS in ‘Northern Ranger’ incident

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has published an incident report on a lifeboat release hook failure during a drill on the passenger ferry ‘Northern Ranger’ in October 2017, which led to minor injuries. The failure was linked to poor compliance with SOLAS and the operator’s safety manual.

On 11 October 2017, the starboard lifeboat of the passenger ferry Northern Ranger was undergoing operational testing at the dock in Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador, when its forward release hook failed.

While the crew members were lifting the lifeboat to the vessel’s embarkation deck, the forward release hook suddenly released and the Continue reading “SOLAS compliance poor – lifeboat release hook failure identified”

Pacific 1: Poor decision to remain at sea during continuous flooding cited as main cause of sinking

Posted on by News Hound
Pacific 1
Pacific 1

The NTSB has published its investigation report on the flooding and sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Pacific 1 while in the Bering Sea, Alaska in February 2019. The report identified the master’s decision to remain at sea with continuous flooding as key cause of the sinking.

About 0330 local time on 15 February 2019, Pacific 1 was engaged in cod fishing in the Bering Sea near Kashega Bay, Unalaska Island, Alaska, when the vessel began to take on water at the stern. The five crew members abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the nearby Good Samaritan vessel Kona Kai. There were no injuries, but there was an oil sheen. The vessel sank and was considered a total Continue reading “Pacific 1: Poor decision to remain at sea during continuous flooding cited as main cause of sinking”

We are living in dark and challenging times – COVID-19

Posted on by CEO
Germs
Germs

I didn’t intend for the title of this blog, or indeed its content, to be gloomy, but it seems to reflect what is going on generally here and in the wider world. And as the ‘glass half full’ person that I am it should not mask the extraordinary things that are going on and bubbling under away from this darkness. The gloominess is, of course, led by the continuing and uncertain spread of COVID-19 (more on that in a moment), coupled with the incessant rain and high winds we have experienced in the UK for several weeks, resulting in the worst flooding I can recollect in my lifetime. And as I look out of my office window, it is pouring with rain once again. Yes there are certainly reasons to be miserable!

Continue reading “We are living in dark and challenging times – COVID-19”

Former IIMS member Kelly Tolhurst is appointed as new UK Maritime Minister

Posted on by News Hound
Kelly Tolhurst MP is pictured with Prime Minister, Boris Johnson
Kelly Tolhurst MP is pictured with Prime Minister, Boris Johnson

IIMS is delighted at the news that Kelly Tolhurst, an Institute member for ten years when a practicing marine surveyor, was appointed as the new UK Maritime Minister on 13 February 2020. Kelly who has been the Conservative member of parliament (MP) for Rochester and Strood since 2015, relinquished her membership only last year. She takes up this key role at an interesting time with the huge political upheaval currently underway in the UK post Brexit and IIMS would like to congratulate Kelly and wish her much success in her new role.

Prior to being appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, Kelly Tolhurst was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 19 July 2018.

Continue reading “Former IIMS member Kelly Tolhurst is appointed as new UK Maritime Minister”

Oil companies to explain new super pollutant fuels in market

Posted on by News Hound
A ship with lots of smoke coming from it
A ship with lots of smoke coming from it

Responding to the discovery that some of the new blended low sulphur shipping fuels developed and marketed by oil companies to comply with IMO 2020 air pollution standards will actually lead to a surge in the emissions of a super pollutant known as Black Carbon, the Clean Arctic Alliance is calling for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to support an immediate switch to distillate fuels for ships in the Arctic and develop a global rule prohibiting fuels with high Black Carbon emissions.

“If immediate action isn’t taken by the International Maritime Organization, the shipping industry’s use of very low sulphur fuel oil – introduced to comply with the 2020 sulphur cap – will lead to a massive increase in Black Carbon emissions from Oil companies, and this will both accelerate Continue reading “Oil companies to explain new super pollutant fuels in market”

Netherlands Maritime Technology provides new home for Dutch yards after the collapse of HISWA

Posted on by News Hound
Following the collapse of HISWA, Netherlands Maritime Technology provides new home for Dutch yards
Following the collapse of HISWA, Netherlands Maritime Technology provides new home for Dutch yards

Netherlands Maritime Technology (NMT), a grouping of 400-plus expert maritime companies, showed Dutch superyacht builders and their suppliers a new home last week following the collapse of their HISWA Holland Yachting Group.

NMT has created Dutch Yachting Society (DYS), a stand-alone NMT unit to handle the global branding and export promotion of Dutch superyacht makers and their supply chain.

Around 60 companies have already registered to join DYS. Businesses have until 1st February to make up their minds. NMT officials said they expect 40 to 50 to actually join. They wooed them at a meeting this week by briefing them on NMT house rules and explaining the Continue reading “Netherlands Maritime Technology provides new home for Dutch yards after the collapse of HISWA”

Report on the IIMS Baltimore 2020 Conference

Posted on by News Hound
Capt Bill Weyant and Bob Kissinger discussing surveyor ethics
Capt Bill Weyant and Bob Kissinger discussing surveyor ethics

Held in Baltimore during late January, the Maritime Institute (MITAGS) once again played host to IIMS for its annual 2020 Baltimore conference visit to the US. The conference has grown in popularity and this one, the first marine surveying conference of the new decade, was the largest so far attracting forty plus delegates, most of whom joined in a real time capacity.

James Renn FIIMS had arranged a first class line up of speakers who presented on a wide range of topics, much appreciated by those who participated.

Having welcomed delegates, James handed over to Mike Schwarz, IIMS CEO, who gave an overview of the main activities of the Institute. He gave way to Van Macomb, who delivered a succinct presentation on surface coatings for non-skid surfaces. James came back to the podium to continue the theme as he talked about measuring slip resistance in non-skid surfaces. Continue reading “Report on the IIMS Baltimore 2020 Conference”

Seed cake guidelines published for safe carriage in containers

Posted on by News Hound
Guidelines published for the carriage of seed cake in containers
Guidelines published for the carriage of seed cake in containers

CINS, together with the International Group of P&I Clubs, has published guidelines for the carriage of seed cake (s.c.) in containers. The practices set out in this document are intended to improve knowledge and the safety during the carriage of such cargo and to ensure that it is properly declared, packaged and carried.

In these Guidelines, seed cake includes any type of pulp, meals, cake, pellets, expellers or other cargo where oil has been removed from oil-bearing seeds, cereals or commodities with similar properties.

Continue reading “Seed cake guidelines published for safe carriage in containers”

What news of the world’s largest electric ferry six months on from its first commercial voyage?

Posted on by News Hound
Ferry leaving port - Image courtesy of Adrienne Murray
Ferry leaving port – Image courtesy of Adrienne Murray

In August 2019, Leclanché (battery system provider) announced the world’s largest electric ferry had completed its first commercial voyage when Ellen connected the ports of Søby and Fynshav in Denmark.

Six months on, Halfdan Abrahamsen, an information officer from Ærø EnergyLab, tells the BBC: “Ferry shipping in general is very dirty business.” Ships usually use marine diesel or heavy fuel oil, “which is just about the bottom of the food chain when it comes to product from refineries”. But he says, the only oil onboard Ellen is for the gearbox and in the kitchen for making French fries.

Powered entirely by batteries, Ellen is something of a Tesla among ferries. Fully charged, the 60m vessel can sail 22 nautical miles with up to 200 passengers and 30 cars onboard. That’s a roughly 40km (25-mile) round-trip, and seven times further than other electric ferries. Continue reading “What news of the world’s largest electric ferry six months on from its first commercial voyage?”

Shiptech 2020 report reveals the scale of venture funding invested in maritime last year

Posted on by News Hound
The Shiptech 2020 report shows an annual year on year investment decline once the Flexport project is removed
The Shiptech 2020 report shows an annual year on year investment decline once the Flexport project is removed

According to the Shiptech 2020 report, over $1bn was invested in technology companies working in the maritime sector in 2019.

The Shiptech 2020 report, published by technology research and innovation consultancy Thetius, found that 2019 was a record year for venture capital investment in the maritime sector. However, the headline figure is distorted by the massive $1bn investment in Flexport, led by Softbank’s Vision Fund. If Flexport’s contribution is removed from the figures, venture funding in the industry actually declined by 24%, from $190m in 2018 to $144m in 2019. Overall, 8% fewer deals were made through the year compared with 2018, though the average size of deals has increased by 18% Continue reading “Shiptech 2020 report reveals the scale of venture funding invested in maritime last year”

OLAS Guardian App released by Exposure Lights

Posted on by News Hound
OLAS Guardian fitted inside a console. Photo © Exposure Lights
OLAS Guardian fitted inside a console. Photo © Exposure Lights

OLAS Guardian is a new wireless engine kill switch released by Exposure Lights. It acts as a virtual ‘kill cord’ by stopping an engine within two seconds of a person going overboard. For RIB and powerboat drivers OLAS Guardian means their boat will stop in an instant should the skipper, or a crew member, get separated from the boat.

OLAS Guardian works by wirelessly logging up to 15 crew members to an engine’s kill switch via small, wearable transmitters, the OLAS wrist Tags or OLAS Float-On light.

If the transmitter is submerged overboard, or is separated by distance, it instantly breaks the connection, cuts the engine and triggers an Continue reading “OLAS Guardian App released by Exposure Lights”

ClassNK amends its rules for the construction of steel ships

Posted on by News Hound
Classification society ClassNK amends its survey and construction of steel ships rules and guidance
Classification society ClassNK amends its survey and construction of steel ships rules and guidance

Leading classification society ClassNK has announced that it has released amendments to its Rules and Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships. ClassNK is constantly revising its Rules and Guidance in order to reflect the latest results from relevant research and development projects, feedback from damage investigations, requests from the industry as well as changes made to relevant international conventions, IACS unified requirements (UR), national regulations and so on.

More specifically, some of the requirements amended this time are as follows:

Continue reading “ClassNK amends its rules for the construction of steel ships”

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