Over the past year, fires on several small passenger vessels (SPVs) have highlighted the need for a renewed focus on fire safety, says the US Coast Guard (USCG) and consequently has issued a Marine Safety Information Bulletin to address key areas of concern.
USCG has initiated a focused self-assessment by owners and operators of all small passenger vessels, and a Coast Guard-led concentrated inspection campaign. The Coast Guard’s concentrated inspection campaign will include additional inspections of some SPVs initially certificated prior to 1996 that carry 100 or more passengers.
The focus of the inspection aligns with the list below. Continue reading “Key items to check for enhanced fire safety on small passenger vessels”
The US Coast Guard (
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has published its 2022 Inspection Report. It reveals that container ships are in the top five detained ship types for three years in a row, accounting for nearly 15 per cent of arrivals during last year. In 2022, 1,181 bulk carriers were inspected with 3,446 deficiencies issued resulting in 76 detentions. The detention rate for bulk carriers increased to 6.4 per cent from 6.1 per cent in 2021.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published the MAIB Safety Digest April 2023, the first of its two biannual publications featuring a wide selection of case studies.
A new series of animated films designed to help first-time boaters navigate the UK’s inland waterways safely has been jointly launched by the Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency.
A roadmap has been launched for the European boating industry aimed at increasing end-of-life boat recycling as a matter of urgency. The plan, launched by the European Boating Industry (
The Lithium-ion Batteries in Containers Guidelines seek to prevent the increasing risks that the transport of lithium-ion batteries by sea creates, providing suggestions for identifying such risks and thereby helping to ensure a safer supply chain in the future. Together with its partners, the Cargo Incident Notification System Network (
Now, a Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report is recommending that racing yacht owners should ensure their auxiliary engines provide the necessary power for their craft to make a safe passage. In addition, the MCIB says risks associated with refuelling outboards at sea need to be highlighted.