P&I Clubs

West of England P&I Club says More can be done to prevent engine room fires

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Burnt engine room - Photo credit: West of England P&I Club
Photo credit: West of England P&I Club

West of England P&I Club says that it is well known that fires on ships require a lot of effort to address. And they risk all those on board, presenting extreme danger to the vessel. Engine room fires are especially challenging to put out because of the potential confined nature of the scene and an abundance of fire triangle elements; namely heat, fuel and air.

Now, condition surveys conducted by the West of England P&I Club repeatedly present worrying examples of substandard fire safety in engine rooms which can easily be avoided by taking some simple steps.

The main sources of ignition in the engine room include hot exhaust manifolds of engines, boilers and indicator valves of the engines. When flammable Continue reading “West of England P&I Club says More can be done to prevent engine room fires”

Mega box ships bulletin published by Standard Club

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Standard Club has published an invaluable bulletin about mega box ships
Standard Club has published an invaluable bulletin about mega box ships

As the size of mega box ships has steadily increased, so has the level of difficulty in handling casualties involving them. A special 32 page edition of the Standard Club bulletin has been published and looks at the different legal, technical and practical considerations.

Ultra large container ships, or mega box ships as they are commonly called, can have a carrying capacity in excess of 20,000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent units) and are frequently in excess of 14,500 TEU. This can have a considerable impact in the event of a casualty. In particular, the global shipping and insurance markets have expressed concern regarding the firefighting capability of these ships, which has not necessarily kept pace with their increasing size. It can be extremely difficult to find suitable ports of refuge to accommodate these ships and which have infrastructure capable of handling the number of containers on board.

Continue reading “Mega box ships bulletin published by Standard Club”

Swedish Club publishes booklet on preventing wet damage to cargo on bulk carriers

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The Swedish Club has highlighted how to avoid wet damaged cargo on bulk carriers in a 32 page pdf booklet, which can be downloaded below. The Club says that heavy weather in combination with leaking hatch covers is the most common cause of wet damage on cargo. However, the main concern is the incorrectly applied and poorly maintained cargo hatch covers and sealing systems.

As a result of information collected from its claims handling, many cargoes of steel and steel coils, grain, peas and solidified cement were damaged by sea and rainwater enabling the report to be produced. In fact, 34% of all insured bulk carriers suffered a cargo claim in 2017 and this has increased by 75% since 2014. For 2017, the average cargo claim on a bulk carrier was almost USD 70,000.

Continue reading “Swedish Club publishes booklet on preventing wet damage to cargo on bulk carriers”

First judgement of Hague and Hague Visby rules tested in the English courts

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Coffee beansBritannia P&I Club referred to the English supreme court that presented its first authoritative judgement in English law, addressing the question of whether it is the carrier or cargo interests who bears the burden of proof under the Hague and Hague-visby rules.

The case had to do with a low value claim for condensation damage to coffee beans.

In the first trial the judge ruled in favour of the cargo deciding that where goods shipped in apparent good order and condition show loss or damage on discharge, there is an evidential inference that the loss or damage is caused by the fault of the carrier.

The carrier then has the burden of showing that it has not breached any of its obligations.

Continue reading “First judgement of Hague and Hague Visby rules tested in the English courts”

Unsafe transfer of cargoes of wood pellets increases the possibility of fire

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Sand cargo on a ship - Photo by Steve Pomeroy, Empire Shipping Agency, Vancouver, B.C.
Photo by Steve Pomeroy, Empire Shipping Agency, Vancouver, B.C.

Peter Hazell, Assistant Vice President and Head of FDD Skuld, has looked at former coal fired power stations that have started to burn biomass as feedstock in order to enhance sustainability of fuel sources. This results in increased shipments of wood pellets intended to be burned.

Most of these shipments are completed without incident but there are significant hazards associated with the carriage of wood pellets that surveyors should be aware of.

Generally, to have safely transfer wood pellets the Club advises always to follow standard enclosed space entry procedures.

The wood pellets can include a binder additive but not all do so. Each of these types can self-heat when in bulk form.

Continue reading “Unsafe transfer of cargoes of wood pellets increases the possibility of fire”

Crack in cargo hold cover leads to wet damage described in latest Swedish Club bulletin

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Cargo shipIn its monthly safety scenario, April edition, the Swedish Club describes a case of cargo damage caused by water ingress due to a crack in the hatch coaming.

The incident resulted in several days of delay for the ship to get the wet cargo off the vessel, while most of the cargo was refused by the buyer.

The bulk carrier had a full cargo of zinc concentrate onboard and was sailing from the west coast to the east coast of South America.

When the vessel passed Cape Horn, it experienced heavy weather of Beaufort scale 9 with green sea covering the cargo hold covers 1, 2 and 3.

This continued for 4 days as the vessel battled the waves. The vessel had no weather routing.

When the weather had calmed down the master asked the chief officer to inspect the cargo holds. The chief officer found that water had Continue reading “Crack in cargo hold cover leads to wet damage described in latest Swedish Club bulletin”

IG Clubs continue to implement survey triggers for tankers carrying HFO

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If a vessel continues to carry HFO as cargo over a period of successive years, the Club is not obliged to carry out a survey every year.
If a vessel continues to carry HFO as cargo over a period of successive years, the Club is not obliged to carry out a survey every year.

As part of the industry’s efforts to ensure higher ship standards, the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG Clubs) continues to implement survey triggers for seagoing vessels of 10 years of age or more carrying HFO, the American P&I Club has reminded the industry in a bulletin.

As a consequence, all sea-going vessels aged 10 years or more which have carried heavy HFO as cargo within the previous 12 months will be subject to condition survey, unless:
– the vessel has undergone a P&I club condition survey during the previous 12 months; or
– the vessel has undergone a Special Survey during the previous 6 months; or
– the vessel has a valid Condition Assessment Program (CAP) rating of 1 or 2 with a classification society having membership in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
– HFO is defined as residual fuel with a kinematic viscosity of 380 centipoises when measured at 50 degrees Celsius by the ISO 3104 test method.

Continue reading “IG Clubs continue to implement survey triggers for tankers carrying HFO”

Campaign for greater container safety must focus first on dangerous goods

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Fire crews tackle a container blaze onboard Maersk Honam in 2018
Fire crews tackle a container blaze onboard Maersk Honam in 2018

The recent reports of container ship fires has once more focussed those in the container supply chain on safety issues related to the incorrect processing of dangerous goods. The nascent Cargo Integrity campaign initiated by the international transport and logistics insurer TT Club has, as a consequence, gained renewed impetus.

The recent fire aboard ‘Yantian Express’, details of the final judgment on the ‘MSC Flaminia’ explosion in July 2012, and the ongoing investigation of the ‘Maersk Honan’ fire are currently making headline news. Then just days ago news has come in of ‘Grande America’ sustaining a container fire in the Bay of Biscay and subsequently sinking. These perilous incidents not only frequently cost lives, millions Continue reading “Campaign for greater container safety must focus first on dangerous goods”

Operation on high thermal load damages engine

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High thermal engine - Photo for illustration purposes only.
Photo for illustration purposes only.

The Swedish Club has published some lessons learnt from a machinery failure. The six cylinder, medium speed type engine sustained serious damage serious damage and had to be renewed. Additionally, the turbo charger had to be overhauled.

The vessel in question was in ballast and at anchor, waiting for further instructions. After seven days the weather got worse and the ship’s anchor dragged. The anchor was heaved up and the vessel started to slow steam in the area.

After about a day, the differential pressure alarm of the main engine duplex lubrication oil filter sounded in the engine control room. The crew found aluminium and other metal inside the Continue reading “Operation on high thermal load damages engine”

Can test training pack launched by North Club P&I Club to address liquefaction risk

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North P&I Club bulk liquification logoNorth P&I Club has launched a new series of bite-sized training packs to help seafarers and others avoid the contributing factors to workplace casualties, as well as unplanned events that had the potential to result in injury, illness, or damage. The first training pack focuses on the Can Test, the IMSBC test for bulk cargoes, to address suspected bulk cargo liquefaction risk, which has claimed the lives of an estimated 112 seafarers since 2007.

The Can Test provides ships’ crews with an indication of whether the cargo being loaded is potentially unsafe to carry, minimizing liquefaction risk. The Club’s delivery guide actually provides the background, instructions and content to support senior officers and superintendents delivering can test training to ship’s officers and crew. Continue reading “Can test training pack launched by North Club P&I Club to address liquefaction risk”

Fire caused by moving cargo

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One of the containers came loose and hit one of the flat racks with jerry cans.
One of the containers came loose and hit one of the flat racks with jerry cans.

The Swedish Club has released details about a cargo fire caused by moving cargo due to inclement weather conditions. The case has highlighted the importance of detailed planning and discussions among Master, Chief Officer, technical manager or charterer, when it is about critical cargo operations.

The RoRo vessel was underway and expected to sail through heavy weather with up to Beaufort scale 10 winds and eight metre high waves. The cargo onboard consisted mainly of vehicles, containers and jerry cans with fuel on flat racks.

Before loading, the Chief Officer went ashore to inspect the cargo. He inspected the jerry cans that were secured with quick lashings through the handles of each row and secured to bars on the flat racks.

He was concerned that the jerry cans were placed on flat racks and not in containers, as there were no walls around the racks to protect the jerry cans. The flat racks and containers were Continue reading “Fire caused by moving cargo”

Shipowners Club warns of the dangers following a spate of enclosed space incidents

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Between September and November 2018, there were 8 reported fatalities related to enclosed spaces.
Between September and November 2018, there were 8 reported fatalities related to enclosed spaces.

Although the industry continuously reminds the industry of the dangers of entering enclosed spaces, this remains the hidden enemy for crews. Between September and November 2018, there were 8 reported fatalities related to enclosed spaces. With this ongoing issue in mind the Shipowners Club has published a sample risk assessment addressing the various hazards associated with entering enclosed spaces.

In a span of just 18 months, the Club alone has experienced 15 related claims due to falls, asphyxiation, explosive burns and six fatalities. These alarming statistics have prompted the Club to produce a sample risk assessment on enclosed space entry as part of its ongoing campaign.

The guidance addresses the various hazards associated with an enclosed space entry operation, enclosed space entry requirements and Continue reading “Shipowners Club warns of the dangers following a spate of enclosed space incidents”

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