The UK regards itself as a leader on the world stage as far as preventing climate change is concerned. The UK has set a high standard so far showing the way with an impressive roadmap to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. It was the first country in the world to set statutory decarbonising reduction targets in its climate Change Act of 2008, and in 2019 passed a law on net-zero emissions.
In a new report, a group of NGOs – WWF UK, MarFishEco Fisheries Consultants, Marine Conservation Society and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – have reviewed the UK fishing industry’s response to climate change mitigation. Shipping companies are already working hard to reduce their emissions, and the orders for retrofitting and design for energy-efficient ship propulsion systems is at an all-time high. It is likely the fishing industry will be the next focus.
Dredger fire caused by oil contaminated insulation panels reveals FEBIMA report
The Federal Bureau for the Investigation of Maritime Accidents (FEBIMA) has published its investigation report into the circumstances surrounding a fire onboard the Trail Suction Hopper Dredger ‘UILENSPIEGEL’ whilst she was moored at Lisnave shipyard in Portugal during January 2021. The investigation has established that insulation panels contaminated with oil were installed during the re-assembly of the main engine after dry-dock.
The Merchant Shipping HSOSC Regulations 2021 and accompanying code of practice apply to HSOSC of less than 500gt, allowing no more than 60 persons to be on board subject to a vessel’s safety certification
The Merchant Shipping HSOSC Regulations 2021 and accompanying code of practice apply to HSOSC of less than 500gt, allowing no more than 60 persons to be on board subject to a vessel’s safety certification. This mirrors the International High Speed Craft Code (HSC) for vessels over 500gt.
More than a fifth of fishing vessels subject to a random spot inspection have either been detained or prohibited from being used for fishing by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, being cited as fishing boat deficiencies. The targeted campaign saw surveyors from the MCA visiting ports in Scotland and the South West of England, inspecting 212 vessels at random.
All sizes of vessel were inspected during the unannounced inspections held across seven days in June. A total of 1,249 deficiencies or non-compliant items were found across all those inspected with just 14 being fully compliant with the regulations.
National Park Rangers on Loch Lomond can now be seen but not heard as they cruise the water on a new fully electric boat. The zero direct emissions vessel is the latest addition to the National Park Authority’s marine fleet and is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK. Unlike the distinctive hum heard from a traditional diesel powered boat, the electric maintenance boat on Loch Lomond is almost silent as it moves across the loch, creating less disturbance to surrounding wildlife and zero water pollution. The boat is three times more efficient than a traditional petrol or diesel boat.
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.
ABS publishes guidance on reduced manning requirements for safe operations
Guidance on the technology, systems and regulations needed for minimizing human presence on offshore facilities has been published by ABS. The whitepaper evaluates technology, regulations, systems and design issues. Reduced Manning on Offshore Facilities introduces some of the considerations essential for remotely operating floating facilities from a control center located nearby or onshore. To enable reduced manning without compromising safety, real-time monitoring, control automation and maintenance procedures incorporating remote diagnostics and simulations with minimal human intervention will be required.
Scandies Rose photographed August 15, 2019 at Ocean Beauty, Kodiak. (Photo by Bret Newbaker)
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued seven safety recommendations after the fatal sinking of the fishing vessel Scandies Rose in December 2019. The Scandies Rose was en route from Kodiak, Alaska, to fishing grounds in the Bering Sea when it capsized and sank 2.5 miles south of Sutwik Island, Alaska. The Scandies Rose had seven crew members aboard, two were rescued by the US Coast Guard and five others were never found.
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.
MCA to carry out unannounced inspections of fishing vessels
Surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are to carry out unannounced inspections of fishing vessels across the UK. The unannounced inspections are being carried out as part of ongoing work around fishing vessel safety in an industry recognised to be one of the most dangerous in the world.
Since November 2020, there have been eight deaths –that’s more than ten per cent of the total for the previous ten years. Between 2011 to 2020, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), reported 60 fatalities from UK fishing vessels. The MCA says it has worked solidly with the fishing industry, reinforcing the messages about the requirements of legislation around standards of safety for crew and for vessels. Surveyors regularly carry out surveys and inspections of fishing vessels and detain those that do not meet the requirement of the law, until those deficiencies are corrected. Continue reading “MCA to carry out unannounced inspections of fishing vessels”
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 Coastguard teams searched an area measuring more than 400 square miles but reported no sign of the vessel of its three missing crew members.
In March, an inflatable lifeboat from the vessel was found more than 100 miles away. The bodies of the three missing crew, Captain Carl McGrath, Ross Ballantine, and Alan Minard, were recovered on the shoreline. Only in March did the MAIB locate the sunken vessel less than 100 meters from its last known location and after an initial survey, private searchers were brought in to confirm the identity of the ship. Divers photographed and surveyed the Nicola Faith with the information supplied to the MAIB.
Watch the vessel being raised.
In the first stages of the recovery operation, a remotely operated vehicle was used to conduct a final survey of Nicola Faith on the seabed. Evidence including fishing equipment and outlying debris was mapped and collected from the area around the vessel. MAIB said it believes this information will help the team to understand what led the vessel to capsize.
In preparation for the recovery, anchors were set, and salvage pumps were used to remove a large quantity of seawater from the vessel. The Nicola Faith, which weighed 11 tons was raised using a crane barge capable of lifting up to 150 tons from a depth of 140 feet.
“This operation needed to be meticulously planned and executed to ensure that valuable evidence was conserved,” said Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Captain Andrew Moll. “The purpose of our investigation is to improve safety. The next phase of the investigation will be to establish what events led to the vessel’s capsize, the mechanics of how the vessel sunk, and why. Once the investigation is complete, a report which details the findings will be prepared and published.”
After the vessel was brought to the surface, it was placed on the deck of an adjacent ship. The Nicola Faith is being moved to a specially adapted location where it will be housed until the investigation is complete. Once it has been secured, the families of the crew will have an opportunity to view the vessel.
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”
National Park Rangers on Loch Lomond can now be seen but not heard as they cruise the water on a new fully electric boat. The zero direct emissions vessel is the latest addition to the 
