Due to a recent increase in the incidence of deck cargoes shifting in heavy weather, the London P&I Club said it supports a recommendation to appoint a marine warranty surveyor to supervise high-risk marine construction and transportation project operations where appropriate.
“In the past year, LOC has seen many deck cargoes shifting in heavy weather,” Paul Walton, a director with international marine consultant LOC (Hong Kong), said.
Martek Marine has been awarded a ground breaking two year Remotely Piloted Aircraft Services (RPAS) contract from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The services offered will fulfil part of the world’s largest ever maritime drone contract.
Part of a five year EMSA strategy of improving coastguard monitoring and surveillance of maritime activity valued at EUR 67 million, the service provision from Martek Marine not only includes the RPAS, commonly known as drones, but also the pilots, long-range antennae, mission control vehicles and ground crew. Video and drone sensor data will be streamed live to a control centre, to allow EU Member States to make prompt decisions on intervention actions. Continue reading “Martek Marine named on major €67M maritime drone contract”
The North of England P&I Association Limited (North of England P&I) has warned vessel operators that, despite new regulations in Singapore that make the use of Mass Flow Meters mandatory for bunker deliveries, operators should still utilise soundings before and after deliveries.
“The introduction of Mass Flow Meters for bunker operation in Singapore is a welcome development. Unfortunately it appears that although the equipment has changed, the behaviour of some unscrupulous suppliers has not,” said the P&I Club.
The organisation says, with reports that piping irregularities have been identified on some bunker tankers, it is possible that some quantity of bunkers could be syphoned back into the bunker vessel’s tanks during the process of bunkering.
Feature article written by Alan Broomfield MIIMS, who tackles the thorny subject of overplating on steel hulled vessels, in particular Dutch barges and Narrowboats.
It is common practice when in the field surveying steel vessels to find mild steel plates welded to the hull, a practice regularly carried out on leisure vessels as a permanent repair. If any defects are found on the shell of a metal boat during a survey, surveyors are all too quick to recommend that the area concerned be overplated. Marine surveyors who deal with steel vessels will find that very often – Dutch barges and canal boats in particular – are frequently heavily overplated and should remember at all times that such overplating does NOT constitute a repair. It merely hides the defect.
Feature article written by Nick Parkyn
Synthetic rigging (also referred to as composite rigging) is disruptive technology that in time will replace stainless steel wire rigging. Since marine surveyors will increasingly come into contact with this type of rigging, they need to understand this new technology to enable them to carry out surveys on craft which use it.
Many new types of synthetic fibres have been discovered in recent years. Typically, they are initially used in aerospace applications and later become available for other application where high performance is required. Most of the high performance fibres are characterised by impressive tensile properties, which with the exception of carbon fibre significantly exceed their compressive strength. With yacht Continue reading “An introduction to synthetic rigging for marine surveyors”
Feature article written by Capt Michael Lloyd RD**, MNM, FNI
Enclosed space working and entry and the resulting deaths caused by poor procedures and/or lack of knowledge each year is a vexing subject and one that the International Institute of Marine Surveying has highlighted before. However, it seems insufficient progress is being made in this area and the number of casualties remains stubbornly high. Capt Michael Lloyd has become passionate about the subject of enclosed space working and is now something of an authority in the field. In this article, Michael shares his current thoughts on the matter and offers some practical tips and advice for surveyors.
Continue reading “The importance of understanding enclosed space working”
Feature article written by Capt Barry Thompson HONFIIMS
Although the following account refers to a cargo survey the lessons to be learnt from it by a surveyor apply just as much to a yacht or small craft condition survey — indeed to any ‘fit for purpose’ survey.
In 1985 a New Zealand company ordered just over 22,000 tonnes of compound fertiliser at a C & F cost of US$4.2 million. It was part loaded into the geared bulk-carrier Adelina (26,687 dw, built 1977) in Sweden with the balance in Tampa, Florida. SGS, of worldwide reputation, were the appointed surveyors to certify the holds as clean, dry and fit to receive the fertilizer.
Feature written by Derek Ellard of Scruffie Marine
Electric boats operate at a fraction of the cost of conventional fossil-fuel powered boats. They offer maximum torque through the whole rev range and ride in silence with no emissions. This means that marinas and waterways will be cleaner and quieter. No noise and no fumes from conventional engines to contend with. Are electric boats the thing of the future? Derek Ellard of Scruffie Marine, based in North Tamborine, Queensland, Australia thinks so and is involved in building them.
Continue reading “The secret life of an electric launch by Scruffie Marine”
The wreck of the Sewol ferry, which sank almost three years ago with over 300 people on board, could emerge from the water by early april, says the South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The 6,825-ton Sewol tragically sank off Jindo Island on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people onboard, 250 of whom were high school students on a school trip.
Continue reading “The wreck of the Sewol ferry to be lifted by early April”
Carbon monoxide poisoning is sometimes called death by stealth and there have been some high profile marine cases that have made unpleasant media headlines in recent times. Victims are unaware that they are being poisoned and the symptoms are hard to spot. In this specially commissioned feature, Susan Stockwell, Director of Nereus Alarms Ltd, discusses how CO is produced and offers readers some background to this hidden killer. She also gives essential advice that surveyors will surely find invaluable.
Continue reading “The hidden dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning afloat”
The IIMS Small Craft Working Group joined the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) annual surveyor training conference. Following a detailed tour around the RNLI facility in Poole, the combined group of approaching 50 surveyors listened to a series of presentations and had the chance to network and share ideas amongst themselves. Both RNLI and IIMS felt the occasion was a great success and expressed a desire for the two organisations to work more closely together. As a direct result of that recent gathering, IIMS invited RNLI to write an article. Andrew Squibb MEng AMRINA AMIMarEST, Technical Surveyor RNLI picks up the story. Continue reading “Marine surveyors helping to save lives at sea… behind the scenes at the RNLI”
The West of England P&I Club has confirmed that India has now approved eDOT Marine Laboratories to use the modified Proctor Fagerberg test for iron ore fines. A table with up to date details of approved laboratories has been released. The table also includes the validity of their approval and the test methods which they are authorized to use.
For a number of years the Director General of Shipping (DGS) India has approved local laboratories to carry out tests as provided for in Appendix 2 of the IMSBC Code, to determine the TML of material which may liquefy.
Effective from January 1st, 2017, a new test procedure for determining Transportable Moisture Limit (TML), the modified Proctor Fagerberg test procedure for iron ore fines is mandated in accordance with SOLAS – Amendments to the IMSBC Code (Amendment 03-15).
Instagram Posts from the IIMS @iimsmarine