Marine News

RSG Guidelines 2023 Version 2 published

Posted on by News Hound
RSG Guidelines 2023 (version 2) published
RSG Guidelines 2023 (version 2) published

The most recent revised version of the RSG Guidelines 2023 (version 2) has been released and contains a number of updates.

These guidelines are the go-to document for boatbuilders and boatyards, detailing the RCD requirements, and supporting ISO Standards which clarify certain areas of the regulations.

The RSG Guidelines 2023 are prepared to assist with the conformity assessment procedures undertaken by Notified Bodies for recreational craft, personal watercraft, their components and their engines, in accordance with Directive 2013/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated 20 November 2013 on recreational craft and personal watercraft and repealing Directive 94/25/EC Continue reading “RSG Guidelines 2023 Version 2 published”

A unique international maritime collection goes online

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Dunedin (pictured) was an iron sailing ship of 1,320 tons built in 1874
Dunedin (pictured) was an iron sailing ship of 1,320 tons built in 1874

Over one million maritime archival records, documenting nearly 100,000 ships, are now available online for the first time following a five-year digitisation programme by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre (HEC).
The collection includes maritime technical records such as ship plans and survey reports for famous ships including the Carpathia – the Cunard passenger liner that rescued survivors of the Titanic – and other material such as wreck data, correspondence, photographs and certificates. Alongside the digitised collection of Lloyd’s Register of Ships from 1764 to 2000, it provides a fascinating insight into the history of maritime safety, the development of Lloyd’s Register, Continue reading “A unique international maritime collection goes online”

Maritime & Coastguard Agency appoints Virginia McVea as Chief Executive Officer

Posted on by News Hound
Virginia McVea has been appinted as the MCA's Chief Executive Officer
Virginia McVea has been appinted as the MCA’s Chief Executive Officer

Virginia McVea will become the new Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), overseeing the work of the agency as it responds to tens of thousands of incidents at sea every year, inspects thousands of UK-registered ships and protects over 11,000 miles of our coastline.

Her appointment comes at an important time for the MCA, as it continues working to ensure the UK is the world’s best-performing coastal state and takes a leading role in both the international and domestic maritime arenas. Continue reading “Maritime & Coastguard Agency appoints Virginia McVea as Chief Executive Officer”

Are lithium-ion batteries safe on yachts – and other vessels?

Posted on by News Hound
Image credit: Stevie-Iona Vaughan/Facebook
Image credit: Stevie-Iona Vaughan/Facebook

Authored by Mike Schwarz, IIMS Chief Executive Officer

“Mike’s suffering from mild hysteria”, they said. Well, perhaps I have been, yes. The cause of my hysteria? Lithium-ion batteries and fires caused by them! There are believed to have been nearly 70 fires last year alone involving large and superyachts. As more new information on this subject comes to light on a regular basis, I simply have to come back to it time and time again and share what we know. It is a massive and worrying subject and one that is consuming the finest technical minds in the marine world right now. We all need to be aware of the phenomenon for it will not resolve any time soon. As always, I say I understand fully the need to decarbonize and embrace this Continue reading “Are lithium-ion batteries safe on yachts – and other vessels?”

What caught my eye: February 2023

Posted on by CEO

So here we go again with an eclectic mix and round-up of the news stories and events that grabbed my attention and caught my eye during February 2023.

Robots to collect litter from surface and deeper regions of the Mediterranean
Photo credit: Subsea Tech
Photo credit: Subsea Tech

Once again, I take my hat off to the ingenuity of people. Here is yet another fine example of innovation at work that deserves to succeed. After the success of the first autonomous robotic system designed to search for, identify, and collect seafloor litter, a consortium of European researchers will develop a team of robots to collect litter from the surface and deeper regions of the Mediterranean. Continue reading “What caught my eye: February 2023”

What caught my eye: January 2023

Posted on by CEO

For the past 18 months or so, I have published a regular column in the monthly IIMS news bulletin entitled ‘what caught my eye’, but have now decided to share this content here through my blog additionally.  Some of the maritime stories I have souced have been important ones, some fascinating and some just downright daft. But I hope you will enjoy what I have chosen for you this month (and in future months to come too). Continue reading “What caught my eye: January 2023”

Safety alert issued after flare explosion fatality

Posted on by News Hound
Image for illustrative purposes only
Image for illustrative purposes only

The Dutch Safety Board has published an urgent Safety Alert following a recent accident that killed a sailor as he fired a flare. The incident happened on board a Dutch sailing ship in the Pacific Ocean.

Complying with the flare’s requirements and instructions, the experienced sailor fired the flare. The flare did not launch as intended, but exploded immediately with fatal consequences.

After becoming aware of the accident, the Dutch Safety Board started a preliminary investigation. From the initial analysis of the Continue reading “Safety alert issued after flare explosion fatality”

Reckless UK jet skiers to face prison and unlimited fines thanks to law change

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New legislation is being introduced to crack down on the dangerous misuse of watercraft such as jet skis, with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) being granted more powers to prosecute perpetrators of accidents.

The new law comes into force on 31 March 2023 in time for the busy summer period and will enable watercraft users to be prosecuted and bound by the same laws that apply to ships in order to help to prevent accidents. This follows a boom in the watercraft industry during the pandemic with the number, size, power and availability of watercraft like jet skis increasing, and their use in UK waters rising significantly. Continue reading “Reckless UK jet skiers to face prison and unlimited fines thanks to law change”

New ‘smart yacht’ forum planned for Monaco

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A new event focusing on smart yachts from 24m (79ft) and above is scheduled to be held from March 23-24 at the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM).

The 1st Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous is being organised by M3 (Monaco Marina Management), a Monegasque consultancy specialised in eco-marinas, and follows on from the success of its Monaco Smart & Sustainable Marina Rendezvous held in advance of the Monaco Yacht Show 2022.

With this new event, M3 wants to promote sustainable solutions for superyachts, Continue reading “New ‘smart yacht’ forum planned for Monaco”

Announcing the Ian Nicolson Lecture: Your invitation to attend

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Image credit: The Helensburgh Advertiser
Image credit: The Helensburgh Advertiser

One of the more interesting nonagenarians you are likely to meet is Ian Nicolson C.Eng. FRINA HonMIIMS, a marine surveyor based in Scotland, who is not your average ninety-plus-year-old. For one thing, he has been marine surveying for over 70 years – in itself a remarkable feat.

IIMS is delighted to be hosting the Ian Nicolson Lecture “Lessons learned from 78 years of marine surveying” live on Thursday 13th April between 10.30 and 12.30 (UK time). The lecture is open to anyone who wishes to attend. Continue reading “Announcing the Ian Nicolson Lecture: Your invitation to attend”

Here’s hoping for a calmer year ahead

Posted on by CEO
The Legacy of the Fjords. Image credit thefjords.no
The Legacy of the Fjords. Image credit thefjords.no

Welcome to 2023. I wish you all the best for a fulfilling and successful year ahead despite the global challenges that surround us.

The January news bulletin is a bumper start to the year. I have decided to introduce a new feature that will appear in this and subsequent monthly news bulletins. Compiling the IIMS 2022 Safety & Loss Prevention Briefings Compendium late last year made me aware of just how many marine incidents and accidents are reported each month, many of which go unnoticed. I decided rather than saving them all up to publish at the end of this year, I’d share them with you on a month-by-month basis. I believe it is important to give surveyors (and the Continue reading “Here’s hoping for a calmer year ahead”

Poor wiring results in ship’s detention

Posted on by News Hound
Photo credit: American Club
Photo credit: American Club

In its most recent “Good Catch” series, the American Club has shared a case where a ship was detained due to an ISM deficiency, arising from poor wiring.

Since there was no electrician onboard, the vessel’s third engineer was sent to investigate why the vessel’s forward anchor light was out. He found the wiring in extremely poor condition. The insulation was missing in some areas and heavily cracked in others. The wire itself was shorted out against the side of the deck penetration. He made repairs using some wire he had in his tool belt and a lot of electrical tape. He then reported that the problem was fixed. Continue reading “Poor wiring results in ship’s detention”

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