Marine News - International Institute of Marine Surveying

Manual rescue boat davits raise PSC compliance concerns

Posted on July 14, 2026July 14, 2026 by News Hound

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued guidance for cargo ships equipped with rescue boat launching appliances that rely entirely on manual operation without stored mechanical power.

The guidance follows the adoption of IMO Resolution MSC.459(101), which introduced an exemption applicable only to rescue boats installed on or after 1 January 2024. The exemption does not apply to systems installed before that date, meaning existing arrangements remain subject to previous requirements. Continue reading “Manual rescue boat davits raise PSC compliance concerns”

Lloyd’s Register campaign targets ageing feeder fleet

Posted on July 14, 2026July 14, 2026 by News Hound

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has launched a new campaign, which will bring together LR’s classification, advisory and digital expertise to support operators as they assess fleet renewal.

The campaign, ‘Powering the next generation of feeder vessels’, is in response to growing pressure in the feeder sector, where ageing vessels, tighter regulation and rising operating costs are forcing owners to make tougher fleet renewal decisions.

Feeder vessels, critical to regional and short-sea container trades, are now under strain from ageing assets, stricter emissions rules, rising fuel costs and shifting trade patterns, forcing owners to reassess long-term fleet strategies. Continue reading “Lloyd’s Register campaign targets ageing feeder fleet”

MTF releases new safety guidance for the growing methanol-fueled fleet

Posted on July 13, 2026July 13, 2026 by News Hound

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released new guidelines aimed at helping shipping companies develop new Safety Management Systems (SMS) and strengthen existing ones for vessels operating on methanol fuel, as the methanol-fueled fleet continues to grow.

The guidance comes as the maritime industry steps up its decarbonisation efforts and methanol gains traction as one of the most viable low-carbon marine fuels. Its ability to remain liquid at ambient temperatures, compatibility with existing fuel infrastructure and growing adoption across the sector have positioned methanol as a leading alternative fuel for the near term. Continue reading “MTF releases new safety guidance for the growing methanol-fueled fleet”

Crewmember crushed by equipment on scallop dredger Jacoba

Posted on July 10, 2026July 10, 2026 by News Hound

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its final report on an incident that left a deckhand seriously injured while working on scallop dredger Jacoba.

The MAIB also published a safety flyer with safety lessons and considerations to the fishing industry.

What happened

On 10 May 2025, a deckhand on the UK registered fishing vessel Jacoba was seriously injured while the vessel was dredging for scallops in the English Channel. Continue reading “Crewmember crushed by equipment on scallop dredger Jacoba”

ICS Maritime Barometer Report 2025-2026 published

Posted on July 9, 2026July 15, 2026 by News Hound

The ICS Maritime Barometer Report 2025-2026 features insights from a record number of industry leaders, offering a comprehensive overview of how this resilient sector is evolving to maintain world trade in an increasingly complex and uncertain environment. A clear theme runs throughout the findings: geopolitical instability continues to act as an underlying force shaping both the risks faced by the industry and the conditions under which it is transitioning. Continue reading “ICS Maritime Barometer Report 2025-2026 published”

AMSA National Compliance Plan for 2026–27 outlined

Posted on July 9, 2026July 9, 2026 by News Hound

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)has published its National Compliance Plan 2026–27, outlining a risk-based approach to improving maritime safety, strengthening compliance and protecting seafarers across Australia’s shipping industry. The plan sets out how AMSA will target high-risk areas over the next 12 months, including conducting at least 2,400 Port State Control inspections on foreign-flagged vessels and 2,300 inspections on domestic commercial vessels. Continue reading “AMSA National Compliance Plan for 2026–27 outlined”

Engine room fire risk highlighted due to auxiliary engine erosion plug failure

Posted on July 9, 2026July 9, 2026 by News Hound

Fire in the engine room remains the most common and costly risk in Hull and Machinery insurance, due to the combination of flammable materials, complex machinery and human factors, according to Skuld Club. Skuld has seen recent cases of engine room fires due to (fusible) erosion plug failure. An erosion plug failure in a fuel pump can cause engine room fires by allowing pressurised fuel to escape as a fine spray, which can ignite instantly upon contact with hot surfaces. An erosion plug is a safety device built into fuel pumps, and particularly in high-pressure fuel pumps. Continue reading “Engine room fire risk highlighted due to auxiliary engine erosion plug failure”

Fire safety and ageing ships signal PSC compliance pressure in Port State Control Annual Report 2026

Posted on July 9, 2026July 9, 2026 by News Hound

With 425 detentions and 1,752 detainable deficiencies recorded in 2025 across the ClassNK fleet, the Port State Control Annual Report 2026 sends a clear message to shipping: PSC readiness depends on daily maintenance, crew familiarity and a living Safety Management System, not last-minute preparation.

ClassNK issued its Port State Control Annual Report in June 2026, providing an overview of PSC detention trends and detainable deficiencies identified on ClassNK-classed ships during 2025. Continue reading “Fire safety and ageing ships signal PSC compliance pressure in Port State Control Annual Report 2026”

Maritime Safety Week 2026

Posted on July 8, 2026July 13, 2026 by News Hound

SMS is the main theme for this year's Maritime Safety Week. — SMS is the main theme for this year’s Maritime Safety Week.

The UK Maritime Safety Week 2026 took place from 6-10 July. To mark this occasion, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents at the UK MAIB, Rob Loder, writes Beyond the binder: making safety management systems work at sea.

Every year, Maritime Safety Week gives the industry a chance to pause and ask a difficult question: are we really doing enough to keep seafarers safe? This year, I want to focus on safety management systems (SMS) and the importance of closing the gap between safety in theory and safety in practice. Continue reading “Maritime Safety Week 2026”

WSC report containers lost at sea more than doubled in 2025

Posted on July 6, 2026July 7, 2026 by News Hound

The World Shipping Council (WSC) Containers Lost at Sea 2026 Report revealed that an estimated 1,478 containers, two-and-a-half times the 576 lost in 2024.

In 2025 approximately 280 million containers were transported globally, which meant the 1,478 lost was equivalent to 0.0005 percent of those transported.

The 2025 figure is above the recent three-year average. This was strongly influenced by several discrete but significant incidents, with one major vessel loss accounting for 640 containers, or approximately 43 percent of all containers lost during the year. Continue reading “WSC report containers lost at sea more than doubled in 2025”

Rising detention rates and recurring areas of concern in Paris MoU Annual Report 2025

Posted on July 3, 2026July 8, 2026 by News Hound

The Paris MoU has published its 2025 Annual Report with a total of 16,474 inspections recorded last year. In 2025, there were 9,879 were inspections with deficiencies, 688 detentions and 19 bannings.

Bans, detentions and deficiencies

During 2025, the number of refusals-of-access (bans) increased to 19, marking a rise following several years of relatively low figures.

The detention rate also trended upward, reaching 4.18% in 2025, Continue reading “Rising detention rates and recurring areas of concern in Paris MoU Annual Report 2025”

Landmark support for shipping innovation with publication of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code

Posted on July 2, 2026July 7, 2026 by News Hound

A landmark international code, the Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code, was published on 1 July, paving the way for stronger, clearer global standards supporting technology, innovation and safety at sea.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched the non-mandatory MASS Code which provides the first international regulatory framework for remotely operated and autonomous cargo ships covered under SOLAS Chapter I. It was drafted at the IMO with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) taking a leading role to uphold UK interests. The UK will ultimately use the high-level principles to bring forward national legislation in close consultation with the maritime sector. Continue reading “Landmark support for shipping innovation with publication of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code”

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