The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its investigation report into the grounding of the tanker Bow Singapore in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, in August 2016, highlighting both procedural and maintenance issues as contributing to the accident.
On August 19, 2016, a Port Phillip Sea Pilot boarded the vessel. The pilot was to conduct the ship through The Rip and the South Channel to an anchorage in the northern part of Port Phillip.
Stephen Birt, Chairman of the IMCA Marine eCMID Committee, has written this short article.
Those of you in the Offshore maritime industry are no doubt very familiar with the International Marine Contractor’s Association (IMCA) Common Marine Inspection Document (eCMID), or perhaps the smaller vessel equivalent Marine Inspection for Small Workboats (eMISW). In this article I use eCMID to include eMISW.
However, not everyone is aware of the recent upgrades to the system and database that have seen the most recent version (revision 10) released in July 2016, incorporating extra and refined supplements for various vessel types (including DP vessel and Heavy Lift for example), and also a review of the approximately 250 general vessel questions. Continue reading “Raising the bar in Vessel Assurance through IMCA eCMID accreditation”
The US Coast Guard has published the SS EL FARO Marine Board of Investigation report, which includes a detailed account of the accident along with the MBI’s conclusions on contributing factors and recommendations. The loss of the US flagged cargo vessel EL FARO, along with its 33 member crew, ranks as one of the worst maritime disasters in US history, and resulted in the highest death toll from a US commercial vessel sinking in almost 40 years.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to, or on board UK vessels worldwide and other vessels in UK territorial waters. This Safety Digest (02/17) draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. It contains information which has been determined up to the time of issue.
In his introduction to the Safety Digest, Steve Clinch, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents for the MAIB says, “A fire is one of the most frightening things that can happen at sea. Often, seafarers have no ready access to the emergency services when a fire breaks out and will need to rely on their own resources, courage and training to tackle and extinguish the blaze quickly to ensure the safety of the ship and everyone on board. After reading one of the cases while editing this edition of the Safety Digest, I found myself thinking about the recent fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower, a west London residential tower block. This was an horrific incident; 80 people are currently presumed to have died but the ferocity of the fire means that the final death toll may never be known for sure. Why the Grenfell Tower fire spread so quickly is the subject of intense debate but its source was attributed to a domestic fridge/freezer that overheated. Case 10 provides a reminder that fires can quite easily start in a similar way on a ship. In that case a fire was caused when a travel fridge was placed on the carpeted area of the deck in a cabin; the lack of air circulation around the unit caused the fridge to overheat… fortunately the crew were able to extinguish the fire without too much damage being done.” Continue reading “MAIB issues an essential Safety Digest featuring 25 cases”
The world’s first fully electric luxury yacht by Hinckley Yachts is set to launch in 2018
Since 1928, Hinckley has been at the forefront of designing highly innovative and timeless yachts. Now Hinckley Yachts announces the birth of Dasher, which it claims to be the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht. Reservations now being accepted for delivery in Summer 2018.
Designed from the ground up for fully electric propulsion, Dasher achieves a new standard of excellence with modern styling paired with super lightweight construction. From her carbon-epoxy composite hull, to her hand-painted, lightweight Artisanal Teak, every ounce of weight has been shaved and every curve sculpted.
A six metre long model of the final design of the autonomous and zero emission container vessel “Yara Birkeland” was launched in SINTEF Ocean’s sea laboratory in Trondheim, Norway, on 28 September.
In May, Yara announced the partnership with technology company Kongsberg to build the world’s first electric container ship.
The vessel will be built and put to use late 2018, as part of Yara International’s logistics value chain at the plant in Porsgrunn, Norway. The project is a collaboration between Yara and KongsbergGruppen, a Norwegian technology company.
IIMS has joined forces with the British Stainless Steel Association (BSSA) to deliver an essential one day seminar called ‘Marine Corrosion and its Prevention in Small Vessels’. The day’s seminar programme will be delivered by Dr Mike Lewus, Technical Advisor, BSSA on Tuesday 23 January 2018 at Lakeside, North Harbour, near Portsmouth commencing at 09.00. Delegates who cannot be there in person may join online live via Zoom. IIMS was so impressed with Mike when he spoke at the London Conference on the same topic, that they have engaged him to expand his presentation into a whole day’s seminar. And this is the result.
Despite continued uncertainty that followed the EU referendum and recent General Election, the UK’s superyacht industry remains buoyant, posting its fifth consecutive year of growth, contributing £450m in Gross Value Added to UK GDP, while generating an estimated £186m in taxes for the UK exchequer. These ew figures, released in a report by Superyacht UK came as UK businesses headed to Monaco Yacht Show to showcase the best of British.
On the 8th September 2017 the International Convention of the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) entered into force. With a few exceptions, according to Seagull Maritime, it will apply to all ships in international trade beginning in 2017 and fully implemented in 2024.
Complex in parts, there are a number of conditions that officers must meet in order to avoid problems in relation to topics such as Port State inspections. In essence, existing ships MUST comply with the convention. This means that the ballast water must be exchanged on the journey if a treatment system is not installed.Vessels must also be equipped with a International Ballast Water Management Certificate (or statement of compliance) and an approved ship-specific Ballast Water Management Plan.
Australian custom Superyacht builder Echo Yachts is excited to unveil their new Adventure Support Yacht aptly named ‘Project Echo’ designed in collaboration with renowned industry experts Bannenberg & Rowell Design, Triton Submarines and Incat Crowther Naval Architects.
With a strong focus on both form and function, plus its 50m catamaran hull form, the 495 GT ‘Project Echo‘ introduces and demonstrates a totally fresh approach to both the charter Adventure Yacht and Superyacht Support vessel markets.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) has published a technical alert aimed at highlighting some major deficiencies related to fuel oil quick closing valves, which it has observed during Port State Control inspections. These deficiencies are considered of importance and often lead to detention.
Quick closing valves are fitted to oil tanks so that in the event of a fire they can be safely closed from a remote location to stop the supply of fuel to the fire. These valves may be operated remotely by pull wires, hydraulics, compressed air, etc.
The Marine Safety Investigation Unit has issued an investigation report on the fatality of a crew member on board the Maltese registered container ship, Sydney Trader, off Port Limits Anchorage, Hong Kong that occurred in September 2016. The report, (which can be downloaded below), provides a description of what happened and the safety conclusions and recommendations.
The incident
The Maltese registered container vessel Sydney Trader had been anchored OPL at Hong Kong, China since 19 June 2016, awaiting orders for the next charter. At 0730, on 02 September 2016, the chief mate instructed the bosun to continue routine maintenance work in cargo hold no. 2. The chief mate also confirmed that all the Safety Management System (SMS) risk assessments and Permit to Work forms had been completed and signed before the bosun left the bridge at 0750. Continue reading “Wire failure results in fatality onboard Sydney Trader”
