Feature Articles

On 2nd May 2019, a twistlock fitted to one of the bottom corner fittings of a container fell out of the fitting while the container was being restowed aboard the container vessel MOL Bravo, in the port of Manzanillo, Mexico. The twistlock landed on the second officer who was on deck, struck his safety helmet and caused fatal injuries.

The investigation report by the Marine Department of Hong Kong noted the following: Continue reading “Safety helmets: When standards fail stevedores, crews and marine surveyors”

Fire incidents on ships rank among the most frequent accidents, and in recent years, fire incidents have specially increased among container and ro-ro cargo/ passenger ships. DNV has supported many cases of post-fire structural and material assessments, and this news aims to share our insights from this work.

Need to know

Fire exposure can degrade steel strength and toughness, increasing the risk of brittle behaviour or loss of strength. Continue reading “Post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment”

Fire safety has consistently remained one of the highest detention areas during Port State Control (PSC) inspections. Within this category, fire dampers frequently appear among the most cited deficiencies.

PSC reports worldwide indicate that fire dampers often fail inspections because they do not close properly, are heavily corroded, or their operating mechanisms are inoperative. In some cases, dampers may pass an operational test but fail during visual inspection, revealing hidden deterioration such as corrosion, wastage, or damaged sealing arrangements.

Under PSC regulations, the deficiency category “Fire Safety” may be classified not only as a detainable deficiency but also as an ISM-related deficiency, indicating potential shortcomings in the vessel’s Safety Management System. Continue reading “Fire dampers: A critical detention risk in fire safety”

Enclosed space safety isn’t a paperwork problem. It’s a leadership problem. MSC.581(110) finally treats it that way. Most enclosed space deaths don’t happen to the person who entered first. They happen to the person who rushed in to save them. One victim becomes two. Then three. Not because the crew didn’t care, but because nobody stopped to test the atmosphere before the rescue attempt.

And here’s what makes this pattern even harder to accept: in almost every one of these incidents, the permit was signed. The drill was logged. The SMS procedure existed on paper. The paperwork was perfect. The outcome was fatal.

This is the gap that IMO Resolution MSC.581(110) was written to close. Continue reading “The real reason why enclosed space deaths keep happening at sea”

Steamship Mutual P&I Club has issued guidance about the management of catfines in marine fuels, emphasizing best practices to minimize wear and ensure operational diligence.

Catfines, short for catalytic fines, are “left behind” microscopic particles comprising Aluminium Oxide (Al₂O₃) and Silicon Oxides (SiO₂) from the zeolite catalysts which are added to the catalytic cracking process utilized in crude oil refineries. The presence of catfines in fuels have been associated with damage to not only engine cylinder liners and pistons, but also to components in the fuel system such as injectors, fuel pumps and valves. As these catalysts are expensive, refineries attempt to recover and reuse them, until recovery is no longer economically feasible. Continue reading “Key tips and guidance for managing catfines”