Marine News - International Institute of Marine Surveying

RSG Guidelines 2023 Version 2 published

Posted on March 22, 2023April 17, 2025 by News Hound

The most recent revised version of the RSG Guidelines 2023 (version 2) has been released and contains a number of updates.

These guidelines are the go-to document for boatbuilders and boatyards, detailing the RCD requirements, and supporting ISO Standards which clarify certain areas of the regulations.

The RSG Guidelines 2023 are prepared to assist with the conformity assessment procedures undertaken by Notified Bodies for recreational craft, personal watercraft, their components and their engines, in accordance with Directive 2013/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated 20 November 2013 on recreational craft and personal watercraft and repealing Directive 94/25/EC Continue reading “RSG Guidelines 2023 Version 2 published”

A unique international maritime collection goes online

Posted on March 22, 2023April 25, 2025 by News Hound

Dunedin (pictured) was an iron sailing ship of 1,320 tons built in 1874

Over one million maritime archival records, documenting nearly 100,000 ships, are now available online for the first time following a five-year digitisation programme by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Heritage and Education Centre (HEC).
The collection includes maritime technical records such as ship plans and survey reports for famous ships including the Carpathia – the Cunard passenger liner that rescued survivors of the Titanic – and other material such as wreck data, correspondence, photographs and certificates. Alongside the digitised collection of Lloyd’s Register of Ships from 1764 to 2000, it provides a fascinating insight into the history of maritime safety, the development of Lloyd’s Register, Continue reading “A unique international maritime collection goes online”

Guidelines released to improve the handling of shipping casualties

Posted on March 22, 2023September 29, 2025 by News Hound

IUA IGP&I and LMA collaboration on casualty liasion The Salvage Committee of the International Group (IGP&I) has drafted new guidelines in collaboration with the Joint Marine Claims Committee (JMCC) to help improve cooperation in the handling of shipping casualties.

The protocol document aims to promote more effective communication among the parties involved, ensuring the prompt deployment of emergency response services to ships in distress. The ‘Guidelines for casualty Continue reading “Guidelines released to improve the handling of shipping casualties”

Industry groups agree common action on crucial safety issues

Posted on March 21, 2023September 29, 2025 by News Hound

The coming together of five organisations with shared visions for the safety and security of global trade will take advantage of unified information and data sources to bring greater awareness and understanding of issues with the goal of producing preventative output.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on 16 March 2023 by representatives of the following five organisations:
Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme Continue reading “Industry groups agree common action on crucial safety issues”

UK P&I Club releases video on securing fasteners after an overhaul

Posted on March 21, 2023September 29, 2025 by News Hound

Labelled diagram of a fastener The Loss Prevention team at the UK P&I Club has produced its latest ‘Inside Ship’ animated training video, focused on correctly securing fasteners to prevent equipment failures during an overhaul.

The proper installation of fasteners is essential to avoiding preventable engine room incidents. Threaded studs have a variety of critical uses on board, including to secure engine fuel injectors, pumps and monitoring instruments in place. If these studs are incorrectly fastened, they can stretch beyond their elastic limit and shear. This can lead to engine room fires, potentially immobilising the vessel, causing significant damage and presenting a danger to crew. Continue reading “UK P&I Club releases video on securing fasteners after an overhaul”

Key guidance for machinery space deficiencies

Posted on March 21, 2023September 29, 2025 by News Hound

The Republic of Liberia has issued guidance to alert shipowners and operators, masters and surveyors and recognised oganisations based on recent trends observed during the inspection of machinery spaces.

The following items are consistently noted by Port State Control Officers:
– Engine room water mist system set in “Manual” mode.
– Fuel oil quick closing valves blocked open by use of wedges or wires.
– Pipes insulation laggings wrongly installed, soaked in fuel oil or missing.
– Excessive fuel, oil accumulation and lubrication oil leaks in machinery spaces, auxiliary engines, steering gear room or purifier room. Continue reading “Key guidance for machinery space deficiencies”

UK Transport Select Committee publishes report on Maritime 2050

Posted on March 21, 2023October 16, 2025 by News Hound

The UK Government’s Transport Committee has published a report on the Government’s Maritime 2050 strategy, and calls for investment in new technology, cleaner fuels and workforce training so that the UK’s sector can compete with the world.

This sometimes-overlooked “Cinderella” sector is vital to the UK economy. Approximately 95 per cent of goods by weight come to the UK by ship, and the Department for Business and Trade predicts maritime cargo volumes will triple by 2050. The UK’s sector employs 185,000 people throughout the four nations and contributes £40 billion a year to the economy. Continue reading “UK Transport Select Committee publishes report on Maritime 2050”

New EMSA CARGOSAFE study investigates risks from cargo fires

Posted on March 20, 2023April 25, 2025 by News Hound

CARGOSAFE Executive Summary Based on a safety risk study on containerized cargo fires, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has released the CARGOSAFE study, with the goal of identifying cost-effective risk control options for cargo fires. It assesses the dimensions of the problem for both existing ships and newbuilds.

The CARGOSAFE study examines the risks associated with fires on container ships and evaluates measures to control these risks in terms of prevention, detection, firefighting, and containment. CARGOSAFE follows the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) structure for use in IMO rule-making process. Continue reading “New EMSA CARGOSAFE study investigates risks from cargo fires”

How the movement of containers can cause spread of pests

Posted on March 20, 2023September 29, 2025 by News Hound

The World Shipping Council has released an informative video on how containers can facilitate the start and spread of pests to communities around the world, risking agriculture, forestry and natural resources.

The cargo transported in a ship’s hold or in containers can transfer invasive species. Winged insects such as the Flighted Spongy Moth and the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug are seasonal threats, and national regulations mandate treatment by shippers and inspection regimes to prevent their transfer. Being at the frontline of this issue, the industry is actively working with shippers, packers and freight forwarders in establishing and sharing best practice when it comes to prevention, inspection, cleaning and treatment of goods and containers. Continue reading “How the movement of containers can cause spread of pests”

ChatGPT: The AI chatbot that will change the way marine surveyors work and live

Posted on March 17, 2023October 16, 2025 by News Hound

ChatGPT is set to change the digital landscape for good

Article by Mike Schwarz, IIMS Chief Executive Officer

ChatGPT is in our midst. The one thing we know for sure is that in this modern digital world, things never stand still for long and there is always something bright, shiny and new coming along to challenge us, threatening to change the digital landscape and the way we operate for good.

ChatGPT is one such innovation. Perhaps you have already heard about this phenomenon, or maybe it is completely new to you. As a business acquaintance said to me when I asked her about it, Continue reading “ChatGPT: The AI chatbot that will change the way marine surveyors work and live”

ABS releases Port State Control deficiencies from quarter 4 in 2022

Posted on March 16, 2023October 16, 2025 by News Hound

ABS releases Port State Control deficiencies from quarter 4 in 2022. Which shows that Port State Control inspections have proven to be an effective tool for eliminating substandard vessels that may be in operation, which may impact maritime safety and the marine environment.

A ship is regarded as substandard if the hull, machinery, equipment or operational safety and the protection of the environment is substantially below the standards required by the relevant conventions or if the crew is not in conformity with the safe manning document.

Evidence that the ship, its equipment, or its crew do not comply substantially with the requirements of the relevant conventions or that the master or crew members are not familiar with essential shipboard procedures relating to Continue reading “ABS releases Port State Control deficiencies from quarter 4 in 2022”

Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work reveals Transport Malta Investigation

Posted on March 13, 2023September 29, 2025 by News Hound

Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work on board Pearl LNG

Transport Malta has published an investigation report about an incident which resulted in serious injury to three crew members during maintenance work on the fire jockey hydrophore tank on 23 February 2022. The ‘violent’ dislodging of the inspection cover was the result of a pressurised hydrophore.

Shortly after 1430 on 23 February 2022, three crew members on board the Maltese registered LNG carrier Pearl LNG, were involved in an accident about 185 nautical miles West Southwest of Saint Nazaire, France. At the time, the crew members were attempting to remove an inspection cover on one of the vessel’s hydrophores, when the cover dislodged violently from the hydrophore. This caused a serious injury. Continue reading “Serious injury to crew members during maintenance work reveals Transport Malta Investigation”

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