Containers Archives - The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)

Australia imposes container fumigation rules for Khapra beetle

Posted on July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 by News Hound

With effect from 12 July 2021, the Australian authorities have introduced new fumigation requirements for containers coming from a total of 40 high-risk countries, in a bid to tackle Khapra beetle infestation. The Khapra Beetle has been identified by Australia as a major biosecurity risk. It feeds on grains and other dry foodstuffs, causing damage to the production while also infesting goods with larval skins and hairs that are difficult to remove.

According to data provided by the North P&I Club, containers from 40 designated countries, as listed by the Department for Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE), must undergo treatment to prevent the migration of this invasive species – using methyl bromide, heat Continue reading “Australia imposes container fumigation rules for Khapra beetle”

Cargo tank explosion and fire on chemical tanker Stolt Groenland report published

Posted on July 21, 2021July 21, 2021 by News Hound

On 28 September 2019, a cargo tank containing styrene monomer on board the MAIC (Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands) registered chemical tanker Stolt Groenland ruptured due to runaway polymerisation. The catastrophic rupture released a large quantity of vapour to the atmosphere, and it subsequently ignited. Fire-fighting efforts by the emergency services took over six hours and involved more than 700 personnel and 117 units of fire trucks, pumps and fire tugs.

The rupture of the styrene monomer tank resulted from a runaway polymerisation that was initiated by elevated temperatures caused by heat transfer from other chemical cargoes. The elevated temperatures caused the inhibitor, added to prevent the chemical’s polymerisation during the voyage, to deplete more rapidly than expected. Athough the styrene monomer had not been stowed directly adjacent to heated Continue reading “Cargo tank explosion and fire on chemical tanker Stolt Groenland report published”

RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items

Posted on July 13, 2021July 13, 2021 by News Hound

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has published a Marine Safety Advisory notice. In it RMI stresses the importance of properly inspecting and maintaining all immersion suits, following a number of recent cases of defective equipment found onboard RMI flagged vessels.

Since 2019, when RMI shared a marine safety advisory focusing on the importance of following the manufacturer’s instructions for maintaining immersion suits, there have been multiple additional instances of defective or improperly maintained suits on RMI-flagged vessels, one of which resulted in a PSC detention by the US Coast Guard. In that case, “29 of 32 immersion suits were unserviceable due to unsealed seams,” and these suits were only five years old.

On a second occasion during a flag State inspection, an inspector found 38 out of 39 immersion suits not fit for use. In this case, the Continue reading “RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items”

What to know about hatch cover maintenance

Posted on July 7, 2021July 7, 2021 by News Hound

In association with McAusland Turner, The Shipowners Club has published advice on effective hatch cover maintenance for dry cargo ships including preventative action against ingress of water. According to the Club, one of the key requirements in cargo vessel operations is ensuring that the cargo is delivered to the discharge port in the same condition in which it was loaded. Despite improvements in the methods for ensuring that hatch covers are weathertight, claims for wetted cargo that has resulted from water ingress through hatch covers are still being experienced.

In order to ensure that hatch covers are closed sufficiently it is vital that the correct procedures are followed every time the hatches are closed and opened. This can be achieved by ensuring that crew are duly familiar with the manufacturer’s operating instructions, the company’s on board operation procedures, risk assessments and any other relevant policies related to these operations. Occasionally, Continue reading “What to know about hatch cover maintenance”

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