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Safety helmets: When standards fail stevedores and crews

Posted on by News Hound
Stock image from Pexels
Stock image from Pexels

On 2 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:

– The second officer failed to follow the company safety procedures Continue reading “Safety helmets: When standards fail stevedores and crews”

DNV interview on cruise ship battery technology

Posted on by News Hound
DNV interview on cruise ship battery technology
DNV interview on cruise ship battery technology

As cruise operators explore pathways to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency, batteries are emerging as a pragmatic part of the solution.

DNV has shared a fact-based interview featuring Hilde Bølstad, DNV’s Principal Consultant of Alternative Fuels & GHG Compliance on how batteries fit into cruise vessel design and operation.

Hilde Bølstad is an MSc‑ and BSc‑qualified maritime advisor with 23 years’ experience in ship operations, classification, and surveyor work. Since 2020, she has worked in decarbonization at DNV, supporting shipowners on new regulations and reporting of emissions. Continue reading “DNV interview on cruise ship battery technology”

Short circuit caused jet boat canyon wall crash in New Zealand

Posted on by News Hound
Image credit: Discovery 2 before the fitting of roll bar. Credit: Skippers Canyon Jet Limited, anonymised by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission.
Image credit: Discovery 2 before the fitting of roll bar. Credit: Skippers Canyon Jet Limited, anonymised by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has released a report into an incident where several passengers were injured after a jet boat crashed into a canyon wall last year.

What happened

On 25 February 2025, commercial jet boat Discovery 2 was operating in Skippers Canyon, on the Shotover River, with 11 passengers on board.

Shortly after commencing the return leg of the journey, and as the boat completed a right-hand turn, its engine suddenly cut out. The driver immediately reset the ignition, but the engine would not start, so the boat had no propulsion and no thrust to provide steering control. Continue reading “Short circuit caused jet boat canyon wall crash in New Zealand”

Pipe failure cause of Oliver Hazard Perry flooding

Posted on by News Hound
Source: Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island
Source: Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island

A corroded cooling supply pipe caused US$1 million worth of damage to a sailing school ship after the vessel’s engine room flooded, according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

What happened

About 2200 on May 10, 2025, the sailing school vessel Oliver Hazard Perry started taking on water while moored at Fort Adams State Park dock in Newport, Rhode Island. At about 0730 the following morning, a crewmember was awoken by an alarm and discovered the flooding. An estimated 21,000 gallons of seawater entered the engine room and the forward auxiliary machine space. Continue reading “Pipe failure cause of Oliver Hazard Perry flooding”

ITIC warning to marine surveyors following US$30,000 off-spec grain cargo dispute

Posted on by News Hound
ITIC warning to marine surveyors following US$30,000 off-spec grain cargo dispute
ITIC warning to marine surveyors following US$30,000 off-spec grain cargo dispute

A US$30,000 off-spec grain cargo dispute claim directed at the wrong surveyor has prompted International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) to warn marine surveyors of the liability exposure they face when the scope of their instructions is not precisely recorded.

A marine surveyor was appointed by the seller of a grain cargo to conduct a joint survey at the load port. The buyer accepted the cargo and subsequently sold it on. At the discharge port, the ultimate buyer and consignee alleged the grain was off-spec due to the presence of ambrosia seed and other impurities. Continue reading “ITIC warning to marine surveyors following US$30,000 off-spec grain cargo dispute”

Engine retrofit market continues to prepare but not fully commit

Posted on by News Hound
Engine retrofit market continues to prepare but not fully commit
Engine retrofit market continues to prepare but not fully commit

The future of engine retrofits will depend heavily on regulatory developments says Lloyd’s Register in its latest Engine Retrofit Report.

LR added the longer conventionally fuelled vessels remain in service, the greater the pressure will be to retrofit them later to meet emissions targets, potentially compressing demand into a narrower and more costly timeframe.

The 2026 update shows that 2025 delivered limited growth in announced retrofit projects, but significant progress in capability. Continue reading “Engine retrofit market continues to prepare but not fully commit”

Britannia P&I Club guidance on transporting cement

Posted on by News Hound
Correct way of hooking FIPC bags. Source: Britannia P&I Club
Correct way of hooking FIPC bags. Source: Britannia P&I Club

The volume of seaborne cement traded continues to grow, with the most recent annual figure estimated to be over 145 million tonnes.

Cement is carried on board ships either in bulk or in bags. And Britannia P&I Club’s loss prevention team has provided guidance on the carriage of cement.

Bulk cement

Risk factors of loading cement in bulk include solidification of the cargo due to water ingress, mainly through hatch covers or the Continue reading “Britannia P&I Club guidance on transporting cement”

Warning sent out on counterfeit GMDSS batteries

Posted on by News Hound
Warning sent out on counterfeit GMDSS batteries
Warning sent out on counterfeit GMDSS batteries

The Norwegian Maritime Authority has sent out a warning following a significant increase in the marketing, sale and installation of counterfeit batteries for Jotron GMDSS products in recent years.

Affected products include Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), radar and AIS-SART devices, as well as handheld GMDSS emergency VHF radios. Continue reading “Warning sent out on counterfeit GMDSS batteries”

DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment

Posted on by News Hound
DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment
DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment

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.

And DNV has supported many cases of post-fire structural and material assessments.

The incidents have ranged from isolated small-scale fires in cargo holds to major fires damaging the complete ship. Continue reading “DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment”

IACS publishes recommendation for onboard lifting appliances

Posted on by News Hound
IACS publishes recommendation for onboard lifting appliances
IACS publishes recommendation for onboard lifting appliances

IACS, the membership organisation for the world’s leading classification societies, has published a recommendation to improve safety standards for lifting appliances, in line with SOLAS regulations covering both new and existing lifting appliances.

Lifting appliances play a vital role in cargo handling and ship operations, yet their limited structural redundancy has long posed safety risks for crews and vessels. To address these hazards, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Continue reading “IACS publishes recommendation for onboard lifting appliances”

O-ring failure caused $5.5M engine room fire on bulk carrier, says NTSB

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Left photo is of lower module of the oil fittings block showing overlap between the lower and upper module fuel ports. Right photo is the upper module of oil fittings block and fuel flow meter showing the pinched O-ring as indicated.
Source: Lemissoler Shipmanagement

A failed O-ring seal on a bulk carrier’s composite boiler unit led caused a fire costing more than $5 million dollars in damage, said an investigation report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

On January 4, 2025, at about 2323, bulk cargo vessel Lem Verbena was docked at the Alabama State Docks on the Mobile River in Mobile, Alabama, with 19 crewmembers on board when a fire started in the engine room. Continue reading “O-ring failure caused $5.5M engine room fire on bulk carrier, says NTSB”

Brookes Bell on engineering analysis when the answer isn’t clear

Posted on by News Hound
Brookes Bell on engineering analysis when the answer isn’t clear
Brookes Bell on engineering analysis when the answer isn’t clear

Engineering claims rarely begin with a complete picture, says Brookes Bell. More often, they start with partial evidence, damaged components, and an initial explanation of what may have gone wrong. In practice, those early assumptions are not always reliable.

For Andrew Kingshott, recognising and managing this uncertainty is a fundamental part of the investigation process. Continue reading “Brookes Bell on engineering analysis when the answer isn’t clear”

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