Workboats

Ship surveying is being revolutionised by drone technology says ClassNK

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Last September, ClassNK designated ‘survey technology innovation’ as one of four focus areas listed in its new R&D Roadmap, with drones identified as a key technology.
Last September, ClassNK designated ‘survey technology innovation’ as one of four focus areas listed in its new R&D Roadmap, with drones identified as a key technology.

As part of an on-going focus on safety in enclosed spaces, ClassNK describes how it has carried out detailed drone tests to revolutionize ship surveying. In spring this year, ClassNK introduced guidelines on the use of drones in class surveys, covering procedures and technical considerations for safe operation, as well as requirements for drone service suppliers.

Although drones with multiple propellers on the same plane are currently the most widespread design, research is taking place into alternative arrangements with tilt rotors and propellers in a tetrahedral configuration. Meanwhile, significant progress has been seen in autonomous operations using higher precision positioning, and considerable advances in machine image recognition and processing.

Continue reading “Ship surveying is being revolutionised by drone technology says ClassNK”

AMSA warns of safety measures for high pressure fire-fighting systems

Posted on by News Hound
Photo credit: AMSA
Photo credit: AMSA

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has issued a marine notice to inform all shipowners, operators, masters and crew of the hazards when working with high-pressure fire-fighting systems and the safeguards that may be implemented to prevent injury.

A seafarer was severely injured when he attempted to carry out maintenance work on part of a 13 bar high-pressure fire-fighting system on a fire-fighting tug. Before the incident, the seafarers had conducted maintenance work on the manifold on the other side of the vessel without any accidents. The assumption was based on the fact that the system was not pressurised.

During his maintenance routine, the seafarer tried to remove the Continue reading “AMSA warns of safety measures for high pressure fire-fighting systems”

Dynamic loading contributed to deck slewing crane failure says report

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Two crew members, who were inside the deck slewing crane’s cabin, were seriously injured.
Two crew members, who were inside the deck slewing crane’s cabin, were seriously injured.

Transport Malta’s MSIU has published its investigation report on the slewing deck crane failure onboard the Maltese-flagged product tanker ‘Bozdag’, while the ship was in the port of Tallinn on 28 November 2017.

The report revealed that the dynamic loading and the sudden halt of the free falling loads were two major contributing factors to the failure of the deck slewing crane.

Details of the incident
A regular, five-yearly compulsory test on the ship’s deck slewing crane was planned for 28 November 2017. Given that the safe working Continue reading “Dynamic loading contributed to deck slewing crane failure says report”

Workboat apprenticeship scheme tackles skills and crewing challenges

Posted on by News Hound
Training providers including 54 North Maritime and Red Ensign are drawing up plans to run courses for the scheme
Training providers including 54 North Maritime and Red Ensign are drawing up plans to run courses for the scheme

The National Workboat Association (NWA) has finalised its Workboat Crewmember Apprenticeship standard as the industry faces growing skills and crewing challenges in the thriving workboat sector.

This scheme is aimed at addressing industry concerns about falling numbers of young people entering the industry at ground level, exasperated by experienced seafarers leaving the industry, often by retirement.

As well as tugs and ‘multicat’-type vessels the definition of workboat in this context includes: offshore wind personnel transfer vessels, survey craft and pilot vessels, all sectors experiencing growth involving increasingly sophisticated and technically demanding vessels but still requiring seamanship skills that have been around for generations. The new apprenticeship standard has now been finalised, paving the way for the scheme to be rolled out by training providers across England and Wales.

The Workboat Crewmember Standard and assessment has been Continue reading “Workboat apprenticeship scheme tackles skills and crewing challenges”

Loss of propulsion leads dredger to collide with loaded barge says report

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The FRPD 309 sustained damage to the shell plating and forepeak tank forward of the collision bulkhead. In addition, the port anchor was disconnected from its housing and became wedged in the Evco 60's hull
The FRPD 309 sustained damage to the shell plating and forepeak tank forward of the collision bulkhead. In addition, the port anchor was disconnected from its housing and became wedged in the Evco 60’s hull

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its investigation report into the collision of the dredger FRPD 309 with the loaded barge Evco 60, on 5 December 2017, in the Fraser River.

The incident
On 04 December 2017, the dredger FRPD 309 departed a shipyard in Delta, BC, to begin dredging in the Fraser River. The vessel is a conventional trailing arm suction dredger, with the bridge and accommodation located forward and machinery space located aft. Before departure, the crew had carried out pre-departure checks, a safety meeting, and emergency drills.

After arriving at the dredging location, the vessel started dredging sand and sediment from the river bed into the hopper using the 2 trailing arms and a dredging pump. When the hopper was filled, the sand and sediment was pumped ashore via a pipeline. The master left the bridge, handing over the command of the vessel to the officer of the watch (OOW). Two engineers, 2 deckhands, and a pipe operator were also on duty.

As the vessel was turning and the pipe operator was raising the trailing arms to the deck level, the vessel experienced Continue reading “Loss of propulsion leads dredger to collide with loaded barge says report”

Prepare and make way for the world’s largest ship, the Havfarm

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On the drawing board is a ship known as Havfarm (“Ocean Farm”), 430 metres in length and 54 metres wide, it will lay at anchor, fixed to the seafloor using the offshore industry’s technological solutions.
On the drawing board is a ship known as Havfarm (“Ocean Farm”), 430 metres in length and 54 metres wide, it will lay at anchor, fixed to the seafloor using the offshore industry’s technological solutions.

In conjunction with Nordlaks, NSK Ship Design has designed an aquaculture ship that could be the beginning of a sustainable revolution in the fish farming industry, named the Havfarm.

There is an air of excitement at NSK Ship Design, because they have been quietly working away since June 2015 on a special project for Nordlaks – a project that can be classified as no less than sensational for the fish farming industry.

On the drawing board is a ship known as Havfarm (“Ocean Farm”), 430 metres in length and 54 metres wide, it will lay at anchor, fixed to the seafloor using the offshore industry’s technological solutions. Norway is a world leader in Continue reading “Prepare and make way for the world’s largest ship, the Havfarm”

Nippon Paint Marine launches what it claims is the world’s first biocide free SPC antifouling

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The technology adopts an advanced antifouling mechanism based around the anti-thrombogenic polymers used in the construction of artificial hearts and blood vessels in the medical sector.
The technology adopts an advanced antifouling mechanism based around the anti-thrombogenic polymers used in the construction of artificial hearts and blood vessels in the medical sector.

Japan-headquartered Nippon Paint Marine has introduced what is thought the world’s first biocide-free, low friction self-polishing copolymer (SPC) antifouling technology.

Aquaterras, a product name derived from the Japanese word for shining and the Latin for water – Shining Water – is an entirely new type of marine coating developed using neither biocide materials nor silicone.

Nippon Paint Marine Director John Drew said: “Typically ships’ antifouling paints have contained some form of biocide – copper, tributyltin, co-biocides. But the use of biocides today is strictly controlled by both national and international regulations such as the BPR in the EU. And while there are no immediate plans to further regulate the use of approved biocides, we cannot rule out the possibility that copper in antifouling will be regulated in the near future.

“Nippon Paint Marine has always looked to develop systems that go beyond the regulations. And with Aquaterras our chemists have achieved Continue reading “Nippon Paint Marine launches what it claims is the world’s first biocide free SPC antifouling”

All electric passenger vessel Future of The Fjords scoops top award

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The highly innovative Future of the Fjords vessel has been recognised by winning the Ship of the Year 2018 Award
The highly innovative Future of the Fjords vessel has been recognised by winning the Ship of the Year 2018 Award

A revolutionary all electric passenger vessel operating in the Norwegian Fjords has won the Ship of the Year 2018 award at the SMM show.

Future of The Fjords was seen by awards organiser (Norwegian maritime magazine) Skipsrevyen, its readers and expert judging panel as marking a major leap forward in sustainable transport, both on the water and, potentially, on land.

The win represents something of a remarkable double victory. The owner of The Future of the Fjords together with the shipyard Brødrene Aa, has already won the title before back in 2016 with battery hybrid sister ship Vision of The Fjords.

Although both vessels share the same carbon fibre hull, Future of The Fjords was seen by awards organiser (Norwegian maritime Continue reading “All electric passenger vessel Future of The Fjords scoops top award”

Rudder compartment hull leak causes major capsizing of towing vessel says NTSB investigation

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NTSB determines that the probable cause of the capsizing and sinking of the Gracie Claire was the towing vessel’s decreased stability and freeboard due to undetected flooding through a hull leak in the rudder compartment, which made the vessel susceptible to the adverse effects of boarding water from the wake of a passing vessel.
NTSB determines that the probable cause of the capsizing and sinking of the Gracie Claire was the towing vessel’s decreased stability and freeboard due to undetected flooding through a hull leak in the rudder compartment, which made the vessel susceptible to the adverse effects of boarding water from the wake of a passing vessel.

The US NTSB issued an investigation report on the capsizing of the towing vessel ‘Gracie Claire’, while moored on the Lower Mississippi River in Venice, Louisiana. The report revealed that several factors affecting the stability of the vessel led to its capsizing.

The incident
On 23 August 2017, at 0756, Gracie Claire was moored in Tiger Pass near mile marker 10 on the Lower Mississippi River. While taking on fuel and water, the towboat began to slowly list to starboard. After the wake of a passing crewboat washed onto the Gracie Claire’s stern, the list increased. In a short period of time, water entered an open door to the engine room and flooded the space.

The towboat sank partially, its bow being held above the water by the lines connected to the dock. All three crewmembers escaped to the dock without injury. Approximately 1,100 gallons of diesel fuel were discharged into the waterway. Damage to the Gracie Claire was estimated at $565,000.

Probable cause
NTSB determines that the probable cause of the capsizing and sinking of the Gracie Claire was the Continue reading “Rudder compartment hull leak causes major capsizing of towing vessel says NTSB investigation”

MPA Singapore has issued advice on how to conduct effective marine incident reporting

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Once this is ensured, the owner, manager and shipmaster of the affected Singapore-registered ships should alert MPA of the incident immediately or at the latest, within 2 hours.
Once this is ensured, the owner, manager and shipmaster of the affected Singapore-registered ships should alert MPA of the incident immediately or at the latest, within 2 hours.

MPA Singapore issued a marine notice to inform operators of Singapore-registered ships on the procedure of reporting of any marine casualty, incident or security-related incident involving Singapore-registered ships.

To begin with, the following can be considered to-be-reported marine incidents:
– the death of, or serious injury to, a person;
– the loss of a person from a ship;
– the loss, presumed loss or abandonment of a ship;
– material damage to a ship;
– the stranding or disabling of a ship, or the involvement of a ship in a collision;
– material damage to marine infrastructure external to a ship, that could seriously endanger the safety of the ship, another ship or an individual; or
– severe damage to the environment, or the potential for severe damage to the environment, brought about by the damage of a ship or ships.

As noted, the general principle in any incident is that urgent steps on the ground, in accordance with ships’ and companies’ approved plans, must first be taken by Continue reading “MPA Singapore has issued advice on how to conduct effective marine incident reporting”

Bahamas Maritime Authority releases safety bulletin following fatality investigation regarding a nitrogen cylinder

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The examination showed that the damaged nitrogen cylinder had suffered significant corrosion at the point of failure.
The examination showed that the damaged nitrogen cylinder had suffered significant corrosion at the point of failure.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority issued a safety alert regarding the potential serious risk for safety on board a ship where nitrogen cylinders are used as a stored kinetic energy system for launching lifeboats. This alert was issued after the authority obtained information from an ongoing maritime incident investigation conducted by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, New Zealand.

The vessel had hydraulically powered davits with six power packs, three on each side of the vessel. A stored energy system consisted of a piston accumulator and a bank of four high pressure (180-210 Bar) nitrogen cylinders were fitted to each lifeboat launching davit.

In February 2017, one of the nitrogen cylinders of a stored energy system onboard exploded while being topped up to maintain the correct pressure. A crew member died as a result of the explosion. The findings of the investigation indicate that significant corrosion affected the structural integrity of the cylinder.

The remains of the exploded nitrogen cylinder and other three cylinders from the same Continue reading “Bahamas Maritime Authority releases safety bulletin following fatality investigation regarding a nitrogen cylinder”

Seawork 2018 speeds to success

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Photo credit: Adventurer ‘Bear’ Grylls trialled Rafnar’s latest Leiftur 1100 RIB
Photo credit: Adventurer ‘Bear’ Grylls trialled Rafnar’s latest Leiftur 1100 RIB

At a time of political and economic uncertainty, the 21st annual Seawork exhibition was a clear demonstration that the UK and European commercial marine sector is open for business. With deals being struck, exhibitors showing confidence and visitor numbers up, Seawork was again successful at bringing together businesses, trading opportunities and new ideas.

The commercial marine sector is a vital facilitator to trade, security and maintenance of the world’s coastlines.
The UK Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani, opened the 21st edition of Seawork International on Tuesday 3 July with her speech focusing on the importance of the maritime sector, seafarer training, women in maritime, and Maritime 2050; the long-term strategy for the future of the UK maritime industries. As the engine of British trade, the maritime sector supports nearly Continue reading “Seawork 2018 speeds to success”

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