What caught my eye: December 2023

Group of five tourists takes an early bath in Venice whilst taking selfies

If you thought taking selfies was without risk, this bizarre story proves otherwise. Have you ever wondered about the dangers of taking a selfie on an unstable vessel for example? Well, here is one such incident. Fortunately, on this occasion, nobody was seriously injured, but it could have been far worse.

A group of five tourists, from China apparently, had an unscheduled trip into the cold winter waters of the Venice canal system in early Continue reading “What caught my eye: December 2023”

IIMS President raises concerns about the growing tick box culture of marine survey reporting

Marine survey reporting techniques are under the spotlight
Marine survey reporting techniques are under the spotlight

Tick box marine survey reporting is becoming far more common than it used to be. That is the view of Peter Broad, President of the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS). But are tick box marine survey reports fit for purpose, or are they lazy reporting?

There are Advantages and limitations

Advantages:

1. Standardisation: They provide a standardised framework for conducting inspections, ensuring that essential aspects of a vessel are systematically checked. Continue reading “IIMS President raises concerns about the growing tick box culture of marine survey reporting”

What caught my eye: November 2023

Bragging rights up for grabs by the Chesapeake cowboys

Of all the stories I have unearthed this year, this one is one of my favourites and one of the strangest too; and please forgive me for it sounds like something that could only happen in America – a sort of rodeo with boats instead of cattle!

I understand the competitors who participate in this unusual sport are known locally as the Chesapeake cowboys, and their competition draws thousands of spectators along the shores of Maryland and Virginia each year. Apparently, a recent article in The New York Times Continue reading “What caught my eye: November 2023”

Maritime transport review 2023 published by UNCTAD

The new maritime transport review 2023 has been published
The new maritime transport review 2023 has been published

In a world rife with cascading crises – geoeconomic fragmentation, retreating development, and climate change – maritime trade serves as a stabilizing anchor, holding fast against the turbulent currents of disruption which are reflected in the maritime transport review 2023.

Over four fifths of all trade in the world flows through the high seas. This includes the crucial trade of food, energy, and other essential goods. As recent trade disruptions, and most notably that of Black Sea food exports due to the war in Ukraine have shown, in our interconnected world, billions of people need open ports and steady ships to eat, keep their lights on, and have their hospitals well-stocked. Continue reading “Maritime transport review 2023 published by UNCTAD”

ICOMIA publishes a Smart Marinas Guide

The ‘Smart Marinas Initiative’ was introduced in light of a pressing need for the marina industry to respond to the technological developments such as digital transformation processes that enhance efficiency, and seamless user experiences across the transportation and hospitality industries.

The ICOMIA Marinas Group (IMG) realised that there is clearly some considerable scope for ICOMIA to assume a global role in developing programs on crucial marina-related issues such as interconnection, data collection, and sustainability. Continue reading “ICOMIA publishes a Smart Marinas Guide”

Tour boat collision leads to captains imprisonment

collision with a tour boat that left 27 people dead in the Danube River in Budapest.
Collision with a tour boat that left 27 people dead in the Danube River in Budapest.

A court in Hungary has sentenced a Viking cruise ship captain to five and a half years in prison for his role in a collision with a tour boat that left 27 people dead in the Danube River in Budapest.

On Tuesday 26 September, 68-year-old Ukrainian national Yuri Chaplinsky, captain of the Viking Cruises river cruise ship Viking Sigyn, was found guilty of negligence leading to mass casualties after his vessel struck and severely damaged the tour boat Hableány on the night of 29 May 2019. Continue reading “Tour boat collision leads to captains imprisonment”

ICOMIA launches essential new Paint Colour Guide: Yacht Coating Technical Guidelines

New from ICOMIA - the Paint Colour Guide: Yacht Coating Technical Guidelines
New from ICOMIA – the Paint Colour Guide: Yacht Coating Technical Guidelines

The International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) has produced a Paint Colour Guide: Yacht Coating Technical Guidelines as a result of their work with leading yacht coating manufacturers including Akzo Nobel, Hempel, Boero, CMP Chugoku and specialist coating consultants the Safinah Group.

The guide has been produced by ICOMIA members, for their members and the wider marine sector, in conjunction with industry technical experts including yacht paint surveyors, inspectors, chemists and formulators. It aims to provide clear, objective industry guidance on the use of paint colours and yacht coatings.

The days of yachts being painted only with the typical blue hulls and white superstructures are long gone. Continue reading “ICOMIA launches essential new Paint Colour Guide: Yacht Coating Technical Guidelines”

Marine Surveyors Association of Bangladesh celebrating thirty years

The Marine Surveyors Association of Bangladesh conference made the front page of the Chittagong daily paper
The Marine Surveyors Association of Bangladesh conference made the front page of the Chittagong daily paper

On Saturday 16th September 2023, I had the absolute pleasure to attend the one day conference at Hotel Agrabad, Chittagong, Bangladesh, as Guest of Honour, to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Marine Surveyors Association of Bangladesh (MSAB). An audience of more than 100 delegates from the marine surveying profession and wider local shipping industry had assembled to take part in the event. The conference was also broadcast live via Facebook. Continue reading “Marine Surveyors Association of Bangladesh celebrating thirty years”

What caught my eye: August 2023

Young teens launch model boats to circumnavigate Antarctica
The boys with their model boats. Photo credit: MacNeill Ferguson
The boys with their model boats. Photo credit: MacNeill Ferguson

They say you have to catch them young! This is such a wonderfully curious and quirky story, I simply had to bring it to your attention. Ollie Ferguson (13) and his brother Harry (11) of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, have launched replica vessels of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror to circumnavigate Antarctica in what is probably a world’s first. The brothers have been inspired by the 1839-43 scientific expedition that discovered the Ross ice shelf. According to an article from The Guardian, the models, both more than 3 feet long, will follow the circumpolar current around Antarctica. The journey is more than 12,500 nautical miles and could take two or more years to complete.
According to their father, MacNeill, the boats have cameras onboard to catch pictures of penguins and whales for Harry.

Continue reading “What caught my eye: August 2023”

Documentary series Coastguard: Every Second Counts set to air from 2 July

For the first time, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is bringing a TV audience a behind-the-scenes documentary series. The new series, Coastguard: Every Second Counts, which rund for six episodes will air on Sunday 2 July at 9pm on Channel 5. It offers viewers the chance to see the wide breadth of work covered by the agency.

From the surveyors who check the safety of vessels to the nail-biting rescues HM Coastguard carry out, viewers will see that safety always underpins the work across the agency. The MCA granted full and exclusive access to TV crews for 12 months to allow time to provide insight into the varied, complex and, at times, tragic work of the maritime regulator in the UK. Continue reading “Documentary series Coastguard: Every Second Counts set to air from 2 July”

Electric boat and ship markets gaining momentum, says IDTechEx

In its new report “Electric Boats & Ships 2024-2044,” technology company IDTechEx has provided granular 20-year forecasts in unit sales, battery demand and battery market value for the electric ferry, electric cargo/container, electric Ro-Ro, electric cruise, electric OSV, electric tugboat and electric recreational boats by power class. It also shared technology analysis and price information on marine Li-ion battery systems ($/kWh 2020 – 2044) and electric propulsion systems.

The company pointed out that across the land-based electric vehicle sectors, there is mostly a transition to battery-electric propulsion Continue reading “Electric boat and ship markets gaining momentum, says IDTechEx”

What caught my eye: June 2023

Why has Venice’s Grand Canal turned bright green?
Photo credit: Italy's national fire brigade
Photo credit: Italy’s national fire brigade

An area of Venice’s famous Grand Canal has turned fluorescent green due to the presence of fluorescein – a chemical commonly used in underwater construction to help identify leaks, Italian authorities say. On 28 May 2023, residents of Venice took to Twitter after an area of phosphorescent green water was spotted near the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Authorities were called, and environmental agencies began investigating the source of the bright green water. Following samples of the water being taken, the Regional Agency for Environmental Continue reading “What caught my eye: June 2023”

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