Feature Articles

Enhanced safety regulations could advance maritime electrification

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Enhanced safety regulations could advance maritime electrification
Enhanced safety regulations could advance maritime electrification

The maritime industry is having to contend with an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. The introduction of FuelEU Maritime at the beginning of the year has, for the first time, established comprehensive regulations for phasing out the use of fossil fuels by vessels sailing in Europe and the start of maritime electrification. Additionally, the recent outcomes from MEPC 83 suggest a likely introduction of a new global carbon pricing mechanism for international shipping. Continue reading “Enhanced safety regulations could advance maritime electrification”

Navigating the Risks: Lithium-Ion Batteries, Electric Vehicles, and Fire Safety in the Maritime Industry

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Navigating the Risks: Lithium-Ion Batteries, Electric Vehicles, and Fire Safety in the Maritime Industry
Navigating the Risks: Lithium-Ion Batteries, Electric Vehicles, and Fire Safety in the Maritime Industry

INTRODUCTION

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are an everyday essential item embedded in everyday life, found throughout the world and in almost every household or workplace in one form or another. We can find them in portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, power banks and cordless vacuums, all the way through to electric vehicles (EVs) – scooters, buses, cars and bikes. However, their widespread use has led to a surge in fire incidents, particularly involving EVs. Recent media reports and insurance data highlight a 17% increase in Li-ion battery-related fires in New Zealand alone1. As the maritime industry embraces the global shift toward electrification, the integration of Li-ion batteries and EVs onboard vessels presents both opportunities and significant fire safety challenges. This article explores the science behind Li-ion batteries, the risks they pose, and the implications for maritime operations, drawing on recent incidents and emerging mitigation strategies. Continue reading “Navigating the Risks: Lithium-Ion Batteries, Electric Vehicles, and Fire Safety in the Maritime Industry”

AI is empowering shipowners to tackle new safety management challenges

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AI is empowering shipowners to tackle new safety management challenges
AI is empowering shipowners to tackle new safety management challenges

It is no secret that the maritime industry is undergoing a digital transformation, and one of the key innovations increasingly making waves is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into safety management systems as AI is empowering shipowners.

The increased documentation required following the gamut of new rules and procedures place increasing demands on seafarers but companies such as WiseStella are leveraging AI to ease the cognitive burden to enhance safety across the global fleet. “Seafarers today are faced with an overwhelming amount of information and documentation to manage,” explains Ali Demiral, Chief Technology Officer, and AI lead at WiseStella. “This cognitive load can be a significant source of stress, especially when it comes to tackling complex safety assessments. But AI-powered technology can provide seafarers and ship managers with the tools they need to navigate these new requirements with confidence.” Continue reading “AI is empowering shipowners to tackle new safety management challenges”

Historic canals repurposed to address modern UK’s challenges

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Historic canals repurposed to address modern UK’s challenges
Historic canals repurposed to address modern UK’s challenges

A new report highlights how the UK’s historic canals have been repurposed, originally a product of the Industrial Revolution, they are being adapted to tackle key contemporary issues. These interconnected waterways, rich in biodiversity, are contributing to efforts addressing the biodiversity crisis, improving public health, and mitigating some effects of climate change.

The Canal & River Trust, a charity responsible for maintaining 2,000 miles of canals across England and Wales, has released an Impact Report demonstrating the ongoing relevance of these waterways. The report also details the challenges posed by the ageing infrastructure and the organisation’s efforts to preserve and enhance the UK canal network. Continue reading “Historic canals repurposed to address modern UK’s challenges”

The Hague Rules: 100 years old and still standing

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The Hague Rules: 100 years old and still standing
The Hague Rules: 100 years old and still standing

Is simplicity a reason for the success of the Hague Rules? In this opinion piece, Mark Russell, Head of Cargo Claims in Gard, outlines the history – and looks to the future – in a world of competing cargo carriage regimes.

The Hague Rules came into being 100 years ago this year, becoming the first international convention governing the rights and obligations under bills of lading for the carriage of goods by sea. As the volume of internationally traded goods grew, the Hague Rules were born out of a need for uniformity in the allocation of risk between shipowners and cargo interests. Continue reading “The Hague Rules: 100 years old and still standing”

Understanding effective risk assesments

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Understanding effective risk assesments
Understanding effective risk assesments

The growing scale and complexity of marine transportation necessitate a proactive and multi-faceted approach to risk management. While professional expertise, experience, and regulatory frameworks provide valuable advantages, they cannot anticipate all potential risks which is why Understanding effective risk assesments is important.

A review of incidents often finds that opportunities were missed to identify and mitigate the risks. As with any process, risk assessments may be ineffective and unlikely to contribute to safety if they are missing the point, are not understood, or seen merely as a ‘tick box exercise’. Risk assessments should ideally occur on many levels, both as a formal, documented process and as a dynamic, ‘on the job’ activity. Continue reading “Understanding effective risk assesments”

Bringing expertise to the UK Maritime Industry

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Bringing expertise to the UK Maritime Industry
Bringing expertise to the UK Maritime Industry

The UK’s top maritime professional organisations are working together to make their voice heard on key issues and bringing expertise to the UK Maritime Industry.

While the size of the British merchant fleet may have declined significantly over the past several decades the UK continues to be well endowed with maritime expertise.

For generations, professional organisations have provided a key source of expertise helping to maintain the right standards across industrial sectors ashore. However just over three years ago a number of maritime-linked bodies came to the view that this has not been happening within the maritime sector and, often, regulators and employers had been missing out on the years of experience leading professionals can bring to the table. Continue reading “Bringing expertise to the UK Maritime Industry”

How a Navy doctor revolutionized high-speed boat safety

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How a Navy doctor revolutionized high-speed boat safety Photo Credit: Ullman Dynamics
How a Navy doctor revolutionized high-speed boat safety Photo Credit: Ullman Dynamics

For years, operators of high-speed boats have silently endured the physical toll of their profession. Repeated slamming impacts from rough seas caused serious injuries, many of them life-altering. However, one Navy doctor saw these challenges not as an unavoidable consequence but as a problem that could be solved. His solution? A seat that would change the course of high-speed boat safety. This article is about how a Navy doctor revolutionized high-speed boat safety. Continue reading “How a Navy doctor revolutionized high-speed boat safety”

Managing the growing risk of Lithium-ion battery fires

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Managing the growing risk of Lithium-ion battery fires
Managing the growing risk of Lithium-ion battery fires

The global energy transition has led to an acceleration of new and innovative technologies designed to support decarbonization efforts across the global supply chain. The maritime industry  plays a fundamental part in this effort, not simply by addressing its own impact on global CO2 emissions, but also by facilitating the availability and transportation of new and innovative technologies that are designed to mitigate carbon emissions. But not all of this is safe as their is a growing risk of Lithium-ion battery fires.

For instance, the shipping industry is playing a critical role in accelerating the green automotive market, particularly the global transportation of electric vehicles (EVs) and large battery hybrids. According to Statista, the EV market is projected to grow by nearly 10% each year and account for over 17 million vehicles by 2028. However, this development also brings with it significant safety implications that don’t just impact the vessel, but also the health and wellbeing of crew members onboard – specifically in relation to the significant increase in fire risks presented by the lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries used in EVs. Continue reading “Managing the growing risk of Lithium-ion battery fires”

Container ship fires on the rise again?

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Container ship fires on the rise again?
Container ship fires on the rise again?

After a seemingly ‘benign’ period, we have seen several serious container ship fires lately, including a large one leading to tragic loss of life. Congested ports in Asia and increasing traffic of large container ships around Africa are also a cause for concern. Which begs the question: are container ship fires on the rise again?

Cargo-related fires on board container ships have long been a hot topic in the industry – and rightly so: In 2023, we saw on average one container cargo fire every 9 days, according to statistics from Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS). This is an increase compared with 2020, when the number was approximately one container fire every two weeks. Continue reading “Container ship fires on the rise again?”

Asphyxiation in cargo hold due to oxygen depletion

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Asphyxiation in cargo hold due to oxygen depletion
Asphyxiation in cargo hold due to oxygen depletion

Britannia P&I Club has published a case study focusing on an incident onboard a bulk carrier nearing the completion of loading corn cargo, which caused the asphyxiation in the cargo hold of two fumigation contractors, one of whom died.

On 3 December 2021, a 33,000 GT bulk carrier arrived in Chennai, India, to load 53,000 tonnes of yellow corn. Fumigation contractors boarded to install ducting for fumigating the cargo. Loading began that day but was intermittently halted due to rain. By 15 December 2021, cargo hold four was loaded and its hatches and accessways were sealed. Loading continued in other holds as weather allowed. Continue reading “Asphyxiation in cargo hold due to oxygen depletion”

Proper Towage of mixed cargoes on bulk carriers

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Proper Towage of mixed cargoes on bulk carriers
Proper Towage of mixed cargoes on bulk carriers

The American P&I Club has raised concerns that have arisen regarding the loading of finished and unfinished steel products alongside break-bulk, containerized, and project cargoes in the same cargo hold of bulk carriers. Which has caused American P&I Club to create instructions on proper towage of mixed cargoes on bulk carriers.

Examples of break-bulk, containerized, and project cargoes include large, heavy, oversized items, machinery parts, crates, and heavy-duty wheeled items such as trucks, cranes, or pay loaders. Unlike vessels dedicated to carrying break-bulk, containerized, or project cargoes, bulk carriers are not fitted with suitable lashing and securing arrangements. Continue reading “Proper Towage of mixed cargoes on bulk carriers”

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