Small Craft News

Greek customs authorities acknowledge rights of UK yachts to retain EU VAT status

Posted on by News Hound

Following a complaint formally made to the European Union (EU) by the Cruising Association (CA) on the post Brexit VAT Status of UK yachts in Greece after returning from outside EU waters, the latest announcement received from the Greek Customs authority acknowledges the rights of UK yachts to return to Greek waters and retain their EU VAT Status.

Greek customs authorities have announced on 3rd June 2021 that, following a request to the EU Commission for clarity on this matter, they have followed EU advice and will allow UK yachts returning from non-EU Countries to regain their Union Goods Status, provided they return within three years under the same ownership, with no changes to the vessel. Continue reading “Greek customs authorities acknowledge rights of UK yachts to retain EU VAT status”

MAIB’s Annual Report 2020 published

Posted on by News Hound
MAIB's Annual Report 2020 published
MAIB’s Annual Report 2020 published

“I am pleased to introduce MAIB’s annual report 2020. It was another busy and successful year for the Branch improving safety at sea by our sustained output of safety investigation reports, safety digests, and safety bulletins despite lock-down conditions affecting work for much of the year. The Branch raised 1,217 reports of marine accidents and incidents and commenced 19 investigations in 2020,” said Capt Andrew Moll in his opening statement.

In 2020, the MAIB published two investigation reports into the collapse of container stacks on large container ships, both of which were transiting the North Pacific Ocean in heavy weather at the time. Such accidents are challenging to investigate due to the multiple inter-related factors involved and that critical evidence could be lost overboard during the accident. There have been more accidents involving Continue reading “MAIB’s Annual Report 2020 published”

MAIB confirms missing fishing boat Nicola Faith has been raised and recovered

Posted on by News Hound
The recovered Nicola Faith fishing boat
Photo credit: MAIB

Four months after the fishing vessel Nicola Faith went missing with all hands off the coast of Wales, the U.K.’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch confirmed that the vessel was recovered in a unique salvage operation. The effort was undertaken after the families of the three lost crew members arranged for a private search to confirm the identity of the vessel on the seafloor. The MAIB said recovery and analysis of the vessel would help to provide answers to the question of why the fishing vessel was lost.

The vessel departed from Conwy, on the north coast of Wales, on January 27 and was believed to be out to set lobster pots. The vessel was not heard from and the MAIB was alerted to an overdue vessel, prompting the SAR operations. Seven RNLI lifeboats and three HM Continue reading “MAIB confirms missing fishing boat Nicola Faith has been raised and recovered”

Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge

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Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge
Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge

The MAIB have issued a report into the fatal crush incident involving workboat Beinn Na Caillich. At about 1510 on 18 February 2020, the Ardintoul fish farm assistant manager drowned after falling into the water from a feed barge access ladder during a boat transfer. He stepped from the deck onto the ladder while Beinn Na Caillich was still moving forward and was crushed between the boat and the barge. A fish farm technician on board the barge attempted to stop the injured assistant manager from falling in to the water by holding onto the back of his personal flotation device and oilskin jacket, but the severely injured casualty slipped out of them. Despite the assistant manager being recovered from the water and the determined efforts of the fish farm workers, emergency services, and medical staff, the assistant Continue reading “Report issued by MAIB on fatal crush incident during transfer from workboat Beinn Na Caillich to a feed barge”

Winners of the 2021 Australian Marine Industry Awards announced

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Winners of the 2021 Australian Marine Industry Awards announced
Winners of the 2021 Australian Marine Industry Awards announced

The winners of the 2021 Australian Marine Industry Awards have been announced during the 10th annual ASMEX Conference. A gala dinner, held at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort on Tuesday 18 May, honoured and recognised the winners in eight categories.

In the commercial segment, Aus Ships Group won the 2021 Commercial Marine Project/Design or Manufacturer of the Year award presented by Rivergate Marina & Shipyard for its high-profile work on the diverse fleet of vessels including the Brisbane City Cat.

The 2021 Commercial Marine Service Provider of the Year was won by Harwood Marine and accepted by Ross Roberts, managing director.

Continue reading “Winners of the 2021 Australian Marine Industry Awards announced”

Interim MAIB report on fatal accident between Seadogz and a buoy plus urgent safety recommendation published

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The Marine and Accident Branch has issued an interim report and safety recommendation on the investigation of the collision between the high-speed passenger craft Seadogz and a navigation buoy resulting in one fatality in Southampton Water on 22 August 2020.

Seadogz was designed and manufactured by Red Bay Ribs Ltd in 2012 with a high sheer bow, deep ‘v’-shaped hull, and inflatable tubes with seven buoyancy chambers. Seadogz was equipped with twin 300hp Yahama outboard engines that, when first fitted, could drive the RIB at speeds of up to 55kts.

Continue reading “Interim MAIB report on fatal accident between Seadogz and a buoy plus urgent safety recommendation published”

Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG

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Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG (Sir Tony Robinson pictured left)
Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG (Sir Tony Robinson pictured left)

Cygnus Instruments developed the Multiple Echo technique in the 1980s in conjunction with IACS (International Association of Classification Societies).  This special ultrasonic technique uses a “single crystal” probe utilising multiple back wall reflections to both ignore coatings (such as anti-fouling paint) and to give an accurate and reliable result on metal thickness.

Mr John Heath, a highly experienced and respected marine surveyor with over 40 years’ experience is the IIMS Technical Director and a board member.  He recalls using his first piece of Cygnus equipment back in the 1980s.  “I certainly remember using the very large oscilloscopes, pencil and tracing paper to conduct diminution surveys – and naturally, I recall what a revolution it was for our industry. Continue reading “Cygnus Instruments: Famous Face Gets a Lesson on Surveying and UTG”

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns of double VAT for extended cruises

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Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns of double VAT for extended cruises
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns of double VAT for extended cruises

In a letter published in The Times, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, patron of the Cruising Association (CA), has highlighted the devastating effect of HMRC’s demands for VAT on boats returning to the UK. This includes all British boats that had been out of the UK for three years having to pay VAT again on their return.

His letter is counter-signed by many other sailing names including Sir Ben Ainslie, Mike Golding OBE, Pip Hare, Dee Caffari MBE, Libby Purves OBE, Paul Heiney and Bob Shepton, in addition to the president of the CA, Julian Dussek.

The text of Knox-Johnston’s letter says:

“The freedom for yachtsmen and women to sail from the United Kingdom and return a few years later has been struck a deadly blow by Continue reading “Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns of double VAT for extended cruises”

London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times

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London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times
London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times

A special webinar entitled ‘Maritime Arbitration in London – Present and Future Challenges’, hosted by law firm HFW, attracted an audience of over 300 listeners from 43 countries at this year’s London International Disputes Week (LIDW21) in mid-May.

Following introductory remarks by HFW Partner and webinar host Jonathan Webb, webinar chairman Lord Hamblen, UK Supreme Court Justice and a leading shipping lawyer at the Bar before becoming a judge, introduced Ian Gaunt, Arbitrator and Past President of the London Maritime Arbitrators Association (LMAA).

Gaunt began the panel discussion by pointing out that the LMAA had reacted quickly to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic last year by Continue reading “London maritime arbitration adapts to the changing times”

UK boat financing deals up 71%

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UK boat financing deals up 71%
UK boat financing deals up 71%

Marine finance lender, Promarine Finance, has seen a 71% increase in the number of boat financing deals in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 as uncertainty caused by COVID-19 continues.

The company has seen the biggest demand driven by motorboat finance during this time with a 180% increase in the number of motorboat mortgages in Q1 2021.

There has also been a 150% year-on-year increase in finance deals for RIBs for the same period compared to 2020 and a 30% increase in the number of canal boat finance deals. Continue reading “UK boat financing deals up 71%”

New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced

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New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced
New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced

With reports of 3,010 arbitrator appointments, 2020 recorded the highest number of London Maritime Arbitrators Association arbitrator appointments since 2015, thus confirming that the LMAA remains a popular forum for dispute resolution in the shipping industry.

The London Maritime Arbitrators Association has published a new set of terms for all of the ‘full’ procedures (the LMAA Terms 2021), the LMAA Intermediate Claims Procedure 2021 and the LMAA Small Claims Procedure 2021. All take effect from 1 May 2021 and will apply to new arbitrations commenced after that date.

Though certain amendments are simple fine tuning of the rules, others are particularly important in view of the recent challenges arising from by the COVID 19 pandemic. The amendments have again been spearheaded by David Owen QC, and the revised full terms and procedures can be found on the London Maritime Arbitrators Association website. Continue reading “New London Maritime Arbitrators Association terms announced”

Report into fire onboard a bulk carrier at Port Kembla published

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Report into fire onboard bulk carrier at Port Kembla published
Report into fire onboard bulk carrier at Port Kembla published

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has published an investigation report surrounding a fire onboard a bulk carrier, Iron Chieftan, that took five days to contain and extinguish. The report highlights the lack of adequate regulatory requirements and standards to address the known risk of fire on-board self-unloading ships.

On 18 June 2018, during cargo discharge operations while alongside at Port Kembla, New South Wales (NSW), a fire broke out in the internal cargo handling spaces of the self-unloading (SUL) bulk carrier Iron Chieftain. The ship’s crew initiated an emergency response but shipboard efforts to control the fire were ineffective. The fire soon established Continue reading “Report into fire onboard a bulk carrier at Port Kembla published”

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