Shipping

New global project to address bioinvasions via ships’ hulls

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A new global project to help protect marine ecosystems from the negative effects of invasive aquatic species has been given the go-ahead for preparation.

The GloFouling Partnerships project – a collaboration between the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – will address the transfer of aquatic species through biofouling, in other words, the build-up of aquatic organisms on a ship’s underwater hull and structures.

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Attention required when loading a clay cargo following liquefaction incident

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Image courtesy of West P&I Club
Image courtesy of West P&I Club

The West P&I Club has recently encountered a cargo liquefaction case involving a cargo of ball clay that was loaded in Lumut, Malaysia for discharge in Chittagong, Bangladesh. A similar case was reported in 2013. Therefore the Club issues this warning and urges operators to pay special attention when loading a clay cargo.

According to the cub, laboratory testing of samples of the cargo drawn from the vessel showed a Flow Moisture Point (FMP) of 29.7% and Transportable Moisture Limit (TML) of 26.7%, when determined on the flow table, and an FMP of 32.1% and TML of 28.9% when determined by the penetration test. The lowest moisture content of the cargo onboard was notably higher than either TML, at 36.4%.

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ABS set to join Unmanned Cargo Ship Development Alliance to advance autonomous shipping

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ABS to join Unmanned Cargo Ship Development Alliance. Image credit Rolls-Royce.
ABS to join Unmanned Cargo Ship Development Alliance. Image credit Rolls-Royce.

ABS has confirmed that it plans to join the Unmanned Cargo Ship Development Alliance to work with industry partners, including class organisations, shipyards, equipment manufacturers, surveyors, designers and others to contribute to the advancement of autonomous shipping.

The design will integrate features of independent decision-making, autonomous navigation, environmental perception and remote control.

As ABS Greater China Division President Eric Kleess explains, the increasing connectivity and advanced technologies are changing the way the shipping industry operates:
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Lack of surveyors at UK MCA highlighted as a programme of modernisation gets underway

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The UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is modernising the way the UK Ship Register operates with a number of new initiatives being rolled out as the Agency is also addressing the issue of a shortfall in surveyors on its books.

At the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Maritime and Ports, attendees were informed that the MCA is considering increasing the fee structure for the UK Ship Register to above 2016 levels.

The registry is working to improve the response time for enquiries to one working day, while for complex issues it will take three working days. Increasing ship registry fees would match the higher levels of service being offered, the MCA said. The register also plans to roll out a Continue reading “Lack of surveyors at UK MCA highlighted as a programme of modernisation gets underway”

Australian Senate finds flag of convenience shipping poses risks to national security

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Flag of convenience shipping poses risks to national security is the finding of the Australian Senate inquiry
Flag of convenience shipping poses risks to national security is the finding of the Australian Senate inquiry

Strong words and opinions have resulted as a consequence of the Australian Senate inquiry, which finds flag of convenience shipping poses serious risks to national security. Flag of convenience shipping refers to international trading vessels that are registered in tax havens such as Liberia, Panama and the Marshall Islands and are renowned for their lax labour laws, poor investment controls and lack of ownership oversight.

The Australian border force submission noted that, while most of legitimate sea trade is conducted by ships with flag of convenience registration, there are features of flag of convenience registration, regulation and practice that organised crime syndicates or terrorist groups may seek to exploit. These features are:
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New underwater mountable thruster from Schottel for hard to dock vessels launched

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Schottel has further expanded its portfolio with the addition of a new underwater mountable thruster designed for offshore vessels, rigs, cable laying vessels, offshore construction and crane ships.

The 5.5 MW SRP 800 U rudder propeller can be installed afloat and is ideal for vessels that cannot be docked easily due to their size or area of operation.

“As a result of customer requests, Schottel decided to further develop the robust, well-proven rudder propeller technology in the power range up to 5.5 MW,” said Roland Schwandt, sales director tug & offshore energy, Schottel.

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Global Industry Alliance launched to support a low carbon shipping future

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13 leading shipping and marine organisations have come together to support the progress towards a low carbon shipping future
13 leading shipping and marine organisations have come together to support the progress towards a low carbon shipping future

Leading shipowners and operators, classification societies, engine and technology builders and suppliers, big data providers, and oil companies have signed up to a new Global Industry Alliance (GIA) to support transitioning shipping and its related industries towards a low carbon shipping future.

Thirteen companies have signed up to launch the GIA, under the auspices of the GloMEEP Project, a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNDP)-International Maritime Organization (IMO) project aimed at supporting developing countries in the implementation of energy efficiency measures for shipping.

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Safety warning issued by MAIB following a fatal auxiliary boiler explosion on container ship Manhattan Bridge

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The Manhattan Bridge. Photo credit: Ron van de Velde
The Manhattan Bridge. Photo credit: Ron van de Velde

An engine room oiler suffered fatal injuries and the second engineer suffered severe burn injuries when a furnace explosion occurred on the vessel’s auxiliary boiler. The oiler and engineer were attempting to restart the boiler after it had suffered a flame failure cut out.

The boiler had tripped out several times due to flame and ignition failures earlier in the day and had been successfully restarted by the second engineer.

Following the accident, waxy deposits, sufficient to cause intermittent fuel supply problems, were found in the boiler’s distillate fuel supply filter.

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Ditch the rudimentary liquefaction can test advises the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators

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The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators has warned about the use of the can test method
The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators has warned about the use of the can test method

The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators has called for a complete overhaul of the cargo sampling and liquefaction testing protocols for raw ores and less common cargoes, such as nickel ore, fine wet coal and bauxite.

Professor Mike Bradley, a member of the advisory panel to the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators and head of Greenwich University’s Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, said the current measures in place to test cargoes for potential liquefaction are inadequate, especially for raw ores and variable materials being loaded in ports where conditions are inclement.

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Lack of routine maintenance led to three injured crew due to collapse of accommodation ladder

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Once the 190m-long bulk carrier was moored alongside, the three crewmen were sent to rig its starboard accommodation ladder. The accommodation ladder was in its stowed position and needed to be unstowed, lowered to the quayside and rigged ready for use.

The top of the accommodation ladder was hinged onto a turntable, which in turn was mounted on a platform attached to the ship’s deck. The access platform at the bottom of the ladder was fitted with a set of collapsible handrails on either side.

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Flying Clipper, the world’s largest sailing ship, launched in special ceremony in Croatia

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The world’s largest sailing ship was launched recently at the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia. The Flying Clipper is a near replica of the France II ordered in 1911 at La Gironde shipyard Bordeaux.

The vessel has been under construction for two years for Monaco-based Star Clippers. Flying Clipper has a steel hull and will have teak decking. She is 162 meters (532 feet) long and 18.5 meters (60 feet) wide, with a deadweight of 2,000 tons. She will be square-rigged with five masts and have an overall sail surface of 6,347 square meters (68,300 square feet).

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New diesel injector set to change fuel systems and reduce emissions

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The new RK Lab diesel injector is set to change the fuel system landscape and reduce emissions
The new RK Lab diesel injector is set to change the fuel system landscape and reduce emissions

A new type of diesel injector developed by a Swiss company, RK Lab AG, is claimed to be about to change the face of diesel engine fuel systems and at the same time to reduce emissions.

Not only is this new injector claimed to increase the efficiency of diesel engines, but it is also claimed to greatly simplify the fuel system, removing the need for complex common rail fuel systems.

At the heart of this new fuel system is the self-pressurised RK Injector which utilises the pressure from the piston compression in the Continue reading “New diesel injector set to change fuel systems and reduce emissions”

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