P&I Clubs

Overtightening of locating bolts led to engine failure and grounding

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Overtightening of locating bolts led to engine failure and grounding
Overtightening of locating bolts led to engine failure and grounding

The Swedish P&I Club has described in its Monthly Safety Scenario the case of a bulk carrier grounding caused by engine failure. Soon after departing port, a main engine slowdown alarm was triggered due to a loss of cooling water in the main engine. The Master ordered half head, but there was no response from the engine.

The bulk carrier in question loaded a cargo of soya beans in a North American port prior to travelling to Asia. When loading was completed, the vessel anchored to wait for a favourable tide. At midnight, the vessel departed and headed through the fairway. A pilot was onboard and a pilot briefing had been carried out with the Master. Continue reading “Overtightening of locating bolts led to engine failure and grounding”

Missing gasket leads to cargo hold flooding

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The Swedish Club in its monthly safety bulletin describes a case history about the cargo hold flooding which was attributed to a tank missing a gasket to the manhole. Also, the bilge sensor was broken and heavily corroded, although it had been inspected a couple of days previously and found at the time to be in good condition.

When the container vessel arrived in port, it was instructed to anchor and wait until its berth was available. While the vessel was waiting for the berth, the Chief Officer decided to carry out a routine ballast tank inspection. The second completed a Permit for entry into the Continue reading “Missing gasket leads to cargo hold flooding”

The importance of manifold and first foot samples at load ports

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importance of manifold and first foot samples
importance of manifold and first foot samples

Following the standard tanker practices of sampling when loading petroleum products could save owners millions of dollars in claims and save loss of time and ensuing losses for charterers and shipowners says P&I Club, Gard. When it comes to dealing with liquid cargo contamination claims, the majority of the losses could have been avoided if the vessel had followed basic tanker seamanship practice. Gard has previously highlighted the importance of manifold samples as the multimillion dollar samples for tankers. This alert focuses on the importance of the manifold and first foot samples, and the lessons learnt from cases arising in the Black Sea ports. A recent notification from Gard’s correspondents, Novorissiysk Insurance Company Nostra Ltd., highlighted several cases of flash point depression in gasoil Continue reading “The importance of manifold and first foot samples at load ports”

UK P&I Club publish Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections

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Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections published by UK P&I Club
Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections published by UK P&I Club

The UK P&I club has published a risk identification guide entitled ‘Risk awareness passenger claims: Passenger ships and ferries – injury and illness – an aid to risk identification and loss reduction’. This essential booklet is a guide to the controls and key points that the UK Club’s Risk Assessors look for when inspecting a vessel.

It will allow you to carry out a similar check on the Threats and Controls and to make sure the vessel has a good risk profile.

Each Threat is followed by a ‘score’ section where the individual Controls can be graded according to how effective they are: Continue reading “UK P&I Club publish Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections”

American Club issues guidance for loading steel products when a surveyor is prevented from attending

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American Club issues guidance
American Club issues guidance

The American Club has published helpful guidance specifically when third party surveyors are prevented from attending vessels about to load finished steel products.

All systems and equipment should be checked to make sure they are operational. During the voyage to the load port, ballast tanks adjacent to cargo holds should be pressure tested prior to loading, but only if the holds are free of cargo and safety permitting in every respect.

Caution should be taken when washing down holds with brackish river water, which may include saltwater chlorides. A freshwater flush and drying should be performed before loading, and tarpaulins can be laid on the tank top and lower sides of cargo holds, used in addition to dunnage, to provide a physical barrier Continue reading “American Club issues guidance for loading steel products when a surveyor is prevented from attending”

Hatch covers and ship holds guidance for safe operation and maintenance – booklet published

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The London P&I Club has published an updated guide on the safe operation and maintenance of ship holds and hatch covers, highlighting some of the common associated causes of damage, loss and personal injury and providing recommendations on best practices and points to avoid.

According to the Club’s data, the cause of large cargo claims by value in dry bulk and general cargo vessels accounts for 33%.

As noted, ISM Code systems should include procedures for loading, unloading, ballasting, deballasting, securing manholes, blanking ballast lines, testing bilge Continue reading “Hatch covers and ship holds guidance for safe operation and maintenance – booklet published”

Bunker spill: Lessons learnt

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UK P&I Club discuss bunker spill
UK P&I Club discuss bunker spill

Stuart Edmonston, Loss Prevention Director at UK P&I Club, discusses a poorly planned bunkering operation, which led to a bunker spill, and advises on the lessons that can be learnt from this incident.

A bulk carrier was to bunker 215 metric tons of intermediate fuel oil from a supply barge. The bunkers were to be received in a pair of empty topside tanks, each with a capacity of 200 cubic metres. According to the company safety management system procedures, bunker tanks were not to be filled in excess of 85% capacity which corresponded to a minimum ullage of 55cm. Continue reading “Bunker spill: Lessons learnt”

Cargo handling industry experts move to prevent port and terminal collisions

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To minimize risk and improve port safety, three of the cargo handling industry’s leading bodies have produced an information paper Collision Prevention At Ports & Terminals. Experts from international freight transport insurers, TT Club, together with cargo handling industry experts ICHCA and PEMA share the latest technologies to detect and prevent collisions to promote safety.

In an attempt to improve safety, reduce injuries and loss of life, equipment damage and minimize costly business disruption at ports and terminals worldwide, PEMA, TT Club, and ICHCA International have pooled resources to make available information to promote collision prevention. All relevant stakeholders have been involved in the development of this project. PEMA represents container crane and technology manufacturers, and TT Club and ICHCA International represent container terminals.

Continue reading “Cargo handling industry experts move to prevent port and terminal collisions”

The role of the marine surveyor – a P&I club’s perspective

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‘…The ship wherein Theseus {ref.2} and the youth of Athens returned had 30 oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their place…’

per Plutarch in Life of Theseus {ref.3}

Like their predecessors of ancient times, the marine surveyors of today inspect and make recommendations in respect of the state of seaworthiness (or lack thereof) of a vessel. Unlike their predecessors, and unsurprisingly, their role has expanded. Continue reading “The role of the marine surveyor – a P&I club’s perspective”

Gard conference promotes the value of industry collaboration on container ship fires

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Speakers at the Gard Conference on container fires
Speakers at the Gard Conference on container fires

Container ship fires are a growing concern. Fires, originating from dangerous goods in containers, whether wrongfully declared or not, occur with alarming frequency. During the Gard conference it was revealed that Gard’s cargo claims team determined that on average there has been a fire onboard a container ship weekly during the first half of 2019 and this does not include “near misses”. Obviously, such fires endanger the lives of the crew – a burning ship mid-ocean is a very dangerous place and being tasked to tackle such a fire exponentially adds to the risk.

The Increasing TEU volumes, carried on-board ever larger container ships increase Continue reading “Gard conference promotes the value of industry collaboration on container ship fires”

CO2 systems safe working case study

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David Patterson, North P&I Club, the author of a case study on safe working with CO2 systems
David Patterson, North P&I Club, the author of a case study on safe working with CO2 systems

North P&I Club has published a study following a recent incident that resulted with the loss of ten people onboard a vessel, highlighting the dangers when the operation of fixed CO2 systems is not fully understood.

The incident occurred whilst the vessel was in dry dock. A junior officer was tasked with getting details of the fixed systems CO2 bottles in the vessel’s CO2 room. While the junior officer was in the CO2 room, he discovered a leak from one of the cylinders. In an attempt to stem the leak, a pressure increasing valve was mistakenly opened, which increased the pressure in the system and resulted in the release of all the cylinders in that bank.

The system had a final distribution valve to the engine room which was initially Continue reading “CO2 systems safe working case study”

‘Bunkering – A Compendium’ – American Club publishes a detailed loss prevention guide

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Bunkering – A Compendium
Bunkering – A Compendium

The American Club has released its latest loss prevention guidance ‘Bunkering – A Compendium’, together with website access to a comprehensive approach to loss prevention initiatives demanded by new regulations and generally by supplying guidance on operations and management.

The Compendium is intended to give guidance not only in respect of issues arising from the new MARPOL regulations coming into effect on January 1, 2020, but also in regard to best practice generally in the conduct of bunkering operations. Continue reading “‘Bunkering – A Compendium’ – American Club publishes a detailed loss prevention guide”

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