Shipping

Fracture of propeller shaft resulted in loss of starboard propeller

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New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has issued the investigation report for the passenger and freight ferry Aratere which was in Cook Strait en-route from Picton to Wellington when the starboard propeller shaft fractured and the propeller was lost. The ship was able to complete the trip using its port propulsion system only.

On 5 November 2013, when the ship arrived in Wellington, divers confirmed that the starboard propeller tail shaft had totally fractured within its tapered section, near the forward end of the propeller.

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Aberdeen Harbour expansion project approval announced

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Commencement of a £350 million project to expand facilities at Aberdeen Harbour, which was recently granted planning consent in the form of Marine Licenses and a Harbour Revision Order by the Scottish Government, has been sanctioned by Aberdeen Harbour Board.

“We are delighted that, after six years of detailed planning and extensive consultation with our many stakeholders and the regulatory authorities, we are now in a position to approve commencement of construction”, stated Colin Parker, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Harbour Board.

Following a detailed engagement process, Aberdeen Harbour Board, in partnership with Dragados UK, a main contractor, will develop facilities over the next three years that will represent a step change in the marine support capabilities in Scotland. These will transform the port’s ability to accommodate the trend for larger vessels we are witnessing across a whole range of industries.

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IMO Polar Code comes into force from 1 January 2017

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The IMO Polar Code regulations come into force in January 2017
The IMO Polar Code regulations come into force in January 2017

As the potential for marine traffic in Polar regions increases, there is a clear need for modern and effective regulation. With this in mind, a significant step towards that goal was achieved in May 2015 when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) formally adopted the remaining parts of the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters – known colloquially as the “Polar Code.” The IMO Polar Code will come into force on 1 January 2017.

As part of the new directive, the IMO Polar Code is mandatory for all ships certificated under Chapter 1 of SOLAS, both new and existing, operating on international or domestic voyages within the IMO defined boundaries of Arctic waters and the Antarctic area. Polar waters generally cover the areas north of 60°N or south of 60°S, although there are slight deviations for Arctic waters intended to include the Continue reading “IMO Polar Code comes into force from 1 January 2017”

Hyperloop One: new concept will ship freight underwater – no joking!

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Hyperloop One is conducting feasibility studies that would cause disruptive changes in the way good are shipped port to port
Hyperloop One is conducting feasibility studies that would cause disruptive changes in the way good are shipped port to port

One of the strangest and potentially most far reaching stories of the year must surely be the desire of Hyperloop One desire to explore the feasibility of shipping freight underwater. Far sighted? Yes very, but it seems the whole idea is not as daft as it may seems on first reading about it.

Developed by Hyperloop One, just one of the companies involved in the Hyperloop vision, this aquatic version sees the opportunity to radically change how goods arrive at ports and terminals, dispensing with the well-trodden idea of port-to-port container shipping.

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Voluntary compliance of amended IMDG Code ahead of implementation on January 2018

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In May 2016 the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee adopted the amendments to the IMDG Code contained in Resolution MSC.406(96) Amendments to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. Contracting governments may apply the new requirements, in part or in whole, on a voluntary basis from 1st January 2017. However, be aware that mandatory compliance will be required from 1st January 2018.

Due to the large number of changes to the Code, IMO Resolution MSC.406(96) contains the revised full text of volumes 1 and 2 of the Code. Of the many changes, several are of particular interest:
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Most onboard fires originate in the engine room says UK P&I Club

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Engine room fires are one of the most common fires on ships owing to the presence of a wide range of sources of fuel, sources of ignition and running machinery. An extended period of time onboard a ship without a fire incident can lead to complacency and a failure to prioritise fire prevention measures and simulated fire incident practices.

The risk of a fire can be substantially reduced by:
Maintaining a clean and tidy engine room.
Ensuring that machinery and emergency control equipment are installed and operating in accordance with SOLAS
Regulations and IMO Guidelines and they are routinely serviced and maintained in good working order, and subject to routine testing.
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IACS and IMO set to extend their collaboration

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The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to collaborate further on their shared goals and objectives with regard to safe, secure and environmentally sound shipping.

The MoA signals and will deliver a further strengthening of the bond between IACS Members, in their capacities as Recognized Organizations, and the IMO Member States they serve, for the benefit of the membership of both the IMO and IACS.

In order to deliver tangible outcomes, both parties have agreed that work will initially concentrate on three areas: Cyber safety; the ongoing maintenance of the verification process of IACS Members’ Rules with goal-based standards; and the redesign of the Marine Casualty Investigation (MCI) module of the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS).

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Siemens commissions first customised wind turbine vessel

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Siemens has commissioned its first specialized transport vessel, the Rotra Vente, to transport the large nacelles used in offshore wind turbines.

The 141-meter long vessel can carry multiple 8MW nacelles per trip and will connect Siemens’ coming manufacturing site in Cuxhaven, Germany, with installation harbours in the North and Baltic Seas.

For Ro-Ro loading, a large bow door can be opened. A telescopic roof protects the nacelles from salty seawater spray and can be slid away for optional lift-on loading.

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NTSB issues marine accident brief regarding a fire incident

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The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a marine accident brief regarding a fire incident that happened aboard Freighter Alpena on 11 December 11 2015.

At about 17.40 local time, a fire broke out in the electrical control room for the aft winches aboard the freighter Alpena while the vessel was dry docked undergoing work. Shipyard workers evacuated the vessel and notified the local fire department, who extinguished the fire. No one was injured, but the Alpena sustained nearly $4 million in damage.

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India set to propose and develop new shipping routes

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The Indian Government has proposed to develop new sea routes and shipping services connecting with various countries. These services are reviewed and restructured as per the viability study, giving due regard to the availability of cargo for a given port-pair at desired freight levels, transit time and other such considerations which impact the service schedule and profitability.

New sea routes are considered with a view to enhance regional connectivity from the strategic and trade perspectives, and also to enhance maritime cooperation with neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand.

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UK P&I Club advises on white powder deposits on food cargoes

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Following a number of incidents involving white powder deposits being found on food cargoes that have been transported in refrigerated containers, UK P&I Club has issues some advice. The presence of aluminium oxide/hydroxide, which appears as white powder deposits on food cargoes, can result in lost transportation revenues, customer rejections, insurance claims and even government mandated destruction of the food cargoes. George Radu, Claims Executive at UK P&I Club, comments on how this cargo loss can be prevented.

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Gard P&I Club advises on ways to minimise heat damage risk in soya bean cargoes

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Gard P&I Club reports an increase in heat related damage claims in soya bean cargoes loaded in South America
Gard P&I Club reports an increase in heat related damage claims in soya bean cargoes loaded in South America

Gard P&I Club says that many claims relating to heat damage in soya bean cargoes loaded in South America, particularly Brazil and Uruguay, mostly for discharge in China have been reported this year. Due to the relatively high value of soya beans and the fairly large quantities shipped, the disputes have in some cases involved multi-million dollar claims. In a recently published loss prevention article, Gard P&I Club highlights the importance of inspections as important visible signs that fall under the phrase “apparent condition” can reveal at an early stage the problem and recommends guidelines to assist operations involved in the transportation of soya bean cargoes.

It is important to remember that there is an obligation in law, under the relevant cargo carriage liability regimes, to inspect the cargo’s apparent order and condition at loading, to enable the Master to ensure that the bill of lading is accurate in its description of these items. The same regimes obliges the Master and his crew to properly care for the cargo once loaded.

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