Broken fuel valve caused an engine room fire

Photo credit: Swedish Club
Photo credit: Swedish Club

In its latest monthly safety scenario, the Swedish Club has explained an incident where a broken fuel valve above the auxiliary engines started spraying fuel oil over an exhaust pipe, causing a huge explosion and a fire in the engine room.

A vessel was lying alongside loading cargo. The Chief Officer called the engine control room (ECR) to ask the duty engineer to start an extra auxiliary engine so he could begin to ballast the vessel. Continue reading “Broken fuel valve caused an engine room fire”

Refrigerated container cargo claims on the rise warns Britannia Club

Britannia Club says there is evidence of rising refrigerated container cargo claims
Britannia Club says there is evidence of rising refrigerated container cargo claims

In the past two years, the Britannia Club has opened just over 250 claims files for allegedly damaged refrigerated container cargo carried on operators’ vessels, with the number of such claims being on the rise recently.

Cargoes carried in refrigerated containers are many and varied, including meat, vegetables, fruit, live plants, flowers and medicines, all requiring their own bespoke temperature and atmosphere management.

Where there is the loss of the entire contents of a 40’ high cube container, Continue reading “Refrigerated container cargo claims on the rise warns Britannia Club”

Merger plans announced by North P&I and Standard Club to create new global marine insurer

illustative purposes only

North P&I and Standard Club have entered formal discussions for a proposed merger to create a new global marine insurer and one of the largest providers of mutual cover in the maritime industries. With 300 years of shared P&I heritage, the combined mutual insurer would provide cover for vessels equivalent to 400M GT.

Combination would establish a global marine insurer positioned to thrive in the face of current and emerging challenges and opportunities posed Continue reading “Merger plans announced by North P&I and Standard Club to create new global marine insurer”

Cargo claims from damage due to water originating from cargo hold bilge systems

Claims arising from cargo hold bilge systems are a concern for the American Club
Claims arising from cargo hold bilge systems are a concern for the American Club

The American Club has warned operators to be vigilant in light of a number of recent claims arising from damage caused by water originating from cargo hold bilge systems.

Specifically, the American Club says:

– Debris lodges in the non-return valves fitted in the hold bilge pumping systems, preventing them from operating as designed to ensure that water cannot flow back via the bilge line, into the hold bilge wells and thereafter into the cargo hold;
– Manually operated valves in the interconnected bilge, ballast and fire lines are left open following Continue reading “Cargo claims from damage due to water originating from cargo hold bilge systems”

Risk alert for container cargo operations issued by Steamship Mutual

Safe container cargo operations are the subject of a risk alert from Steamship Mutual
Safe container cargo operations are the subject of a risk alert from Steamship Mutual

The Steamship Mutual has issued a Risk Alert focusing on container cargo operations to highlight that training and reinforcement of safe work practices is of paramount importance not only to ensure an individual’s personal safety but also to ensure that the work area remains safe for others.

The Club notes that incidents involving serious injuries and fatalities during ccontainer argo operations on vessels are not uncommon and refers to contributory factors that can led to an incident and lessons learned from previous cases. Continue reading “Risk alert for container cargo operations issued by Steamship Mutual”

Corrosion of tank containers’ inner surface now the main cause of claims says TT Club

The main cause of claims is from corrosion of tank containers’ inner surface
The main cause of claims is from corrosion of tank containers’ inner surface

TT Club’s analysis of 2020 claims points to an increase in impact related incidents, with corrosion of tank containers’ inner surface and contamination caused by cargoes previously carried as significant other causes of loss.

The analysis makes clear that the effects of increased volumes of tank containers used to trade chemicals and other liquids on the primary east-west trades have altered, to a degree, the risk profile of damage to such units. While in previous years there has been a consistent dominance of contamination as the major source of losses for tank container operators, the current figures show impact incidents as the foremost causation. Continue reading “Corrosion of tank containers’ inner surface now the main cause of claims says TT Club”

Pre-load steel surveys – recommended only for finished steel products

For their mutual members, Gard P&I Club covers the cost of pre-load steel surveys (after any contribution from charterers). Only finished steel cargos justify the costs. In this short article, the Club highlights the type of cargo that is covered by the pre-load recommendation.

As a general guideline, the Club will cover the costs involved in owners’ entries pre-loading survey on finished steel products. Accordingly, it is normally recommended that pre-loading surveys be carried out on the following products:
• Hot rolled steel in coils or bundles
• Cold rolled steel in coils, packs or bundles Continue reading “Pre-load steel surveys – recommended only for finished steel products”

Practical aspects of the carriage of containers on dry bulk vessels

Practical aspects of the carriage of containers on dry bulk vessels
Practical aspects of the carriage of containers on dry bulk vessels

Mark Dunbar, Surveys Manager at West P&I Club, has highlighted practical aspects on the carriage of containers onboard dry bulk vessels. And as he says, individual cases will vary widely so the following should not be taken as exhaustive, but as an aide memoire for the major factors that need to be considered and addressed.

– Bridge visibility needs to meet SOLAS requirements.
– Vessel stability including bending moments and shear forces to be verified as within limits.
– Container stacking weights – check CSC plate for maximum allowable – US 53 foot containers are usually significantlylower than standard ISO containers.
– Strength of tanktop/hatch covers/deck plating – remember all the weight of a container is distributed Continue reading “Practical aspects of the carriage of containers on dry bulk vessels”

Britannia sustainability report published for the first time

Published for the first time the Britannia sustainability report sets out its future roadmap
Published for the first time the Britannia sustainability report sets out its future roadmap

With the publication of the first Britannia sustainability report, the P&I Club is defining the starting position of its sustainability initiative and roadmap for the future. The report outlines how Britannia P&I is embedding the management of climate related risk into its business strategy and integrating sustainability into its core processes.

Climate change represents a material financial risk to all regulated firms and the financial system. Britannia P&I, as an insurer, is equally exposed to this risk. However, sustainability encompasses not only climate change but also informs a company’s overall approach to improving corporate social behaviour and demands sound corporate governance. The Britannia sustainability report seeks to apply environmental, social and governance (ESG) concepts to all the strategic choices and operations of the Club. Continue reading “Britannia sustainability report published for the first time”

Shipping: Does location matter anymore?

For centuries the great port cities analysed in the recent Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index report were built on the confluence of trade, people and ideas. Centred around ships and the presence of their owners, managers and charterers, maritime clusters steadily grew across Europe, Asia and the Americas. A combination of talent, time-zone, geography, expertise and government policies has helped locations such as Singapore, London and Shanghai thrive. Successful clusters combine the experience and size of established companies with the energy and drive of smaller and start-up firms. Collectively they have consistently delivered innovation, jobs and tax receipts.

But has the successful shift to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic ruptured the maritime business cluster concept Continue reading “Shipping: Does location matter anymore?”

Swedish Club case study following multiple explosions onboard after cargo fumigation

Swedish Club case study following multiple explosions onboard after cargo fumigation
Swedish Club case study following multiple explosions onboard after cargo fumigation

As part of its recently launched casebook series giving safety lessons learned from maritime incidents, the Swedish Club describes a case of multiple explosions onboard a bulk carrier caused by cargo fumigation. A bulk carrier had loaded yellow corn in all cargo holds up to the hatch coamings. After the loading was complete fumigation technicians came onboard and fumigated the cargo with fumitoxin pellets. As per the cargo documentation, the fumigation pellets were required to be applied subsurface.

In this instance, the technicians poured the pellets from flasks while walking on the hatch coamings or hatch covers. This work took a little more than an hour and, afterwards, all the cargo hatches were closed and the vessel sailed. A couple of hours later, an explosion occurred Continue reading “Swedish Club case study following multiple explosions onboard after cargo fumigation”

Electrocution fatality during maintenance onboard explained in Britannia’s BSafe campaign case study

Image courtesy of RMI - Electrocution fatality explained in Britannia's BSafe campaign
Image courtesy of RMI – Electrocution fatality explained in Britannia’s BSafe campaign

As part of its BSafe campaign, the Britannia P&I Club describes a fatality of an electrician from electrocution, while performing maintenance of the inert gas scrubber electrical system whilst onboard an oil tanker. The electrician had been working alone at the time. Before starting work in the morning on the day of the incident, the second engineer (2/E) held a Toolbox Talk to discuss the work planned for that day. The electrician mentioned he might work on the inert gas (IG) scrubber pump starter panel, but he did not specify the items to be completed, nor the timeframe for the work. No formal risk assessment, permit to work (PTW) or Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) procedure were completed, despite all being specifically required by the SMS.

Continue reading “Electrocution fatality during maintenance onboard explained in Britannia’s BSafe campaign case study”

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