Small Craft News

Consultation launched on fairer and simpler UK boat registration scheme

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Boat owners who keep or use their vessels on Environment Agency (EA) waterways are being urged to have their say on newly proposed boat registration charges which will be introduced from 2022.

All boats kept or used on the non-tidal Thames, the Upper Medway or Anglian waterways (Rivers Great Ouse, Nene, Stour, Ancholme, Welland and Glen) must be registered with the Agency, with registration charges contributing to the operation of the waterways as well as the upkeep and management of the rivers, locks and facilities. As the second largest authority of navigable waterways in the country, the EA wants to replace the current scheme – which can be inconsistent and complicated for customers – with a fairer and simpler charging regime across its three main waterway areas. Continue reading “Consultation launched on fairer and simpler UK boat registration scheme”

RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items

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RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items
RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has published a Marine Safety Advisory notice. In it RMI stresses the importance of properly inspecting and maintaining all immersion suits, following a number of recent cases of defective equipment found onboard RMI flagged vessels.

Since 2019, when RMI shared a marine safety advisory focusing on the importance of following the manufacturer’s instructions for maintaining immersion suits, there have been multiple additional instances of defective or improperly maintained suits on RMI-flagged vessels, one of which resulted in a PSC detention by the US Coast Guard. In that case, “29 of 32 immersion suits were unserviceable due to unsealed seams,” and these suits were only five years old.

On a second occasion during a flag State inspection, an inspector found 38 out of 39 immersion suits not fit for use. In this case, the Continue reading “RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items”

Urgent appeal goes out to save SS Sir Walter Scott

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An appeal to save the SS Sir Walter Scott has been launched
An appeal to save the SS Sir Walter Scott has been launched

An urgent call has gone out from the Loch Katrine Steamship Trust for enthusiasts, businesses and public bodies to rally round to help raise £500,000 before the end of 2021 to ensure the 1899-built, freshwater steamer SS Sir Walter Scott, can sail again in 2022.

The trust, which took over the historic ship from Scottish Water in 2005, fitted two, new, Cochran, Wee Chieftain boilers in 2008, and converted the vessel from coal firing to biofuel, as one of the first heritage steam-powered vessels to do so.

Boiler hairline cracks were discovered during inspection in 2020, and the ship was berthed pending the launch of an appeal which was delayed by the Covid-19 crisis.

Continue reading “Urgent appeal goes out to save SS Sir Walter Scott”

STEERSAFE project report provides analysis of SOLAS regulations on steering and manoeuvrability

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STEERSAFE project report provides analysis of SOLAS regulations on steering and manoeuvrability
STEERSAFE project report provides analysis of SOLAS regulations on steering and manoeuvrability

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has published a report, presenting the findings from the STEERSAFE project, conducted on its behalf by DNV.

The STEERSAFE project aims to provide a holistic analysis of the SOLAS regulations and associated circulars related to steering and manoeuvrability, provide a consistent update of these and to propose practical and meaningful performance parameters in normal service and in failure mode.

More specifically, the first phase of the project aims to:
– Provide an overview of the current situation, in terms of a description of relevant steering and propulsion systems and the gaps and Continue reading “STEERSAFE project report provides analysis of SOLAS regulations on steering and manoeuvrability”

Sharp increase in the number of complaints to the UK Waterways Ombudsman

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The UK Waterways Ombudsman has reported a sharp increase in complaints
The UK Waterways Ombudsman has reported a sharp increase in complaints

The UK Waterways Ombudsman and the Waterways Ombudsman Committee have seen a substantial rise in the number of complaints over the last 12 months. The UK Waterways Ombudsman scheme deals with complaints about the Canal & River Trust and the Avon Navigation Trust once its own complaints processes have been exhausted.

During the year 2020/21, the UK Waterways Ombudsman received 77 enquiries, up from 41 the previous year. Ten new investigations were opened and the number of complaints resolved was eight. As before there was a very diverse range of complaints, and again the majority were about boating issues with a lack of communication being a common cause of conflict. Continue reading “Sharp increase in the number of complaints to the UK Waterways Ombudsman”

UK Maritime Safety Week 2021 is underway

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This year’s Maritime Safety Week 2021 from 5 to 9 July
This year’s Maritime Safety Week 2021 from 5 to 9 July

This year’s Maritime Safety Week 2021 from 5 to 9 July is an opportunity for all key organisations – including HM Coastguard, charities and port authorities – to share best safety practices and knowledge, and challenge each other to enhance their already rigorous standards.

With lockdown restrictions easing and more people than ever holidaying in the UK this year, keeping the public safe on our coast, lakes and waterways is paramount.

To mark the beginning of the fourth annual Maritime Safety Week, Maritime Minister Robert Courts visited the Port of London Authority (PLA) to see first-hand its maritime pilot training space and meet some of the pilots trained to board commercial vessels to ensure safe passage. The PLA manages 95 miles of the Thames and is the UK’s busiest waterway. Continue reading “UK Maritime Safety Week 2021 is underway”

Should regulations be introduced for masts and rigging in the leisure sector?

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Should regulations be introduced for masts and rigging in the leisure sector?
Should regulations be introduced for masts and rigging in the leisure sector?

That’s the opinion of marine consultant David Barrow who carries out surveys for MS Amlin and was director of Sparcraft for 20 years. “I’ve seen many bent and broken masts over the years. There’s no real regulation of masts and rigging in the leisure sector,” he said. “There’s no specific rule to change a boat’s rigging after ten years.”

And he pointed out that while superyachts are regulated under MCA regs and boats that have done a circumnavigation usually have a survey carried out, when it comes to other boats, owners often don’t see the need. If a boat had suffered a knock, this could affect the masts and rigging without the owner knowing. If a boat was inspected very few years, there would be more chances to look at the mast. “It’s not the insurers’ job to regulate the rigging business; the insurer’s job is to behave according to the results of their surveys,” David says. Continue reading “Should regulations be introduced for masts and rigging in the leisure sector?”

Inspection guidance for small passenger vessels issued by USCG

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Inspection guidance for small passenger vessels issued by USCG
Inspection guidance for small passenger vessels issued by USCG

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has issued inspection guidance for Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), Chiefs of Inspection Division (CID), and Marine Inspectors for the small passenger vessels (SPV) risk-based inspection program.

USCG continues to conduct statutory inspections on the SPV fleet in accordance with 46 U.S. Code § 3301; however, data analytics provide a new tool and modernized approach to the marine inspection program to prioritize marine inspection resources. Using various computational methods, machine learning-enabled software, and a database of deficiency and casualty information, the Coast Guard developed a model to categorize SPVs based on potential risk for an undesirable outcome.

The CVC-WI-028 “Small Passenger Vessel Risk Based Inspection Program” issued by the USCG Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CVC) on 14 June says:

Continue reading “Inspection guidance for small passenger vessels issued by USCG”

U.S. Coast Guard releases 2020 Boating Safety Statistics Report revealing a surge in fatalities during the pandemic

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The U.S. Coast Guard released its 2020 Recreational Boating Safety Statistics Report Wednesday, revealing that there were 767 boating fatalities nationwide in 2020, a 25.1 percent increase from 2019.

From 2019 to 2020, the total number of accidents increased 26.3 percent (4,168 to 5,265), and the number of non-fatal injured victims increased 24.7 percent (2,559 to 3,191). There is evidence that boating activity increased significantly during the pandemic, from reports of increased boat sales, insurance policies taken out, insurance claims, and calls for towing assistance. With the increased exposure (i.e., more boating hours), there was greater risk of deaths, injuries, and accidents. The Coast Guard is analyzing variables associated with boating activity to normalize this accident data. Continue reading “U.S. Coast Guard releases 2020 Boating Safety Statistics Report revealing a surge in fatalities during the pandemic”

Warning to inspect FRC lifeboat and workboat lifting frames

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Warning to inspect FRC lifeboat and workboat lifting frames
Warning to inspect FRC lifeboat and workboat lifting frames

IMCA has received information surrounding an incident in which a lifting frame became detached from a fast rescue craft (FRC) during operations.

The incident occurred when the FRC was attempting to come alongside a vessel in good weather with choppy seas. During recovery, the complete lifting frame detached from the boat. No one ended up in the water, but one member of the crew was pulled up with the lifting frame and fell down into the boat. The crew member sustained only minor injuries. An investigation and checkup of similar boats revealed cracks around the lifting frames.

Continue reading “Warning to inspect FRC lifeboat and workboat lifting frames”

500 miles of UK inland waterways uncovered

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New research from the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has revealed a total of 7,000 miles of waterways in Great Britain; 5,000 of the miles identified are navigable today, with the other 2,000 miles either derelict or under restoration.

An additional 500 miles have been uncovered which come, in the main, from including more significant branches of the Grand Union Canal in the London area and further research in Scotland. IWA’s Waterways Directory is a waterways resource that details all the inland waterways ever brought into navigation and has been updated with detailed research by IWA experts and local volunteers. The research informs the charity’s local campaigning and sprung out of the need to know who was responsible for what waterway. The directory lists Continue reading “500 miles of UK inland waterways uncovered”

Regulation falls under the spotlight as technical experts gather for Red Ensign Group Technical Forum

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Regulation falls under the spotlight as technical experts gather for Red Ensign Group Technical Forum
Regulation falls under the spotlight as technical experts gather for Red Ensign Group Technical Forum

Maritime experts from across the Red Ensign Group are gathering online on 16 and 17 June in what is expected to be the last meeting before it receives its mandatory audit. The Red Ensign Group Technical Forum will meet to discuss technical regulation and how it affects the work of the British Shipping Registers.

Representatives from Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey and the United Kingdom are attending the event.

With the International Maritime Organization’s Member State mandatory audit of the REG members expected before the end of this year, much of the event will focus on the work being done by the REG to be ready for it and to ensure that the result of the audit shows the REG’s continued leadership on maritime matters. Continue reading “Regulation falls under the spotlight as technical experts gather for Red Ensign Group Technical Forum”

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