Lithium batteries withdrawn following boating fires in France

Lithium batteries withdrawn following boating fires in France
Lithium batteries withdrawn following boating fires in France

Reports in France say that after a series of explosions and fires, the Prefecture of Pyrénées-Orientales in the south-west of the country has ordered the suspension of sales and recall of all lithium batteries of the ‘Energy Cases’ brand, marketed by SAS P.C.E, based in Perpignan.

The batteries were suspected of causing several explosions and fires that occurred over the past 10 months throughout France.

To date, the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDTM) of the Pyrénées-Orientales has identified at least six incidents involving the batteries. Included in this list was a fire that ravaged three 8m boats in the port of Lavandou in July 2020. Continue reading “Lithium batteries withdrawn following boating fires in France”

Crew must be familiar with cargo safety information says new note

Crew must be familiar with cargo safety information says new note
Crew must be familiar with cargo safety information says new note

Hong Kong Marine Department has published a safety note regarding cargo safety following an incident where a cargo hold explosion was caused by hot work on the hatch coaming. A Hong Kong registered bulk carrier fully loaded with coal departed for its discharging port with all hatch covers of the cargo holds and ventilation flaps closed.

On the voyage, the crew carried out hot work in an attempt to dismantle the connection of a leaky hydraulic ram which was attached to the cargo hold forward hatch coaming. During the repair, an explosion in the cargo hold took place, injuring three crew members, who were later taken to the hospital by a helicopter. Amongst the three injured crew members, one of them was the fitter who died two days later. Continue reading “Crew must be familiar with cargo safety information says new note”

New Australian national guidelines for complex maritime emergencies

New Australian national guidelines for complex maritime emergencies
New Australian national guidelines for complex maritime emergencies

The Australian Marine Safety Safety Authority has published new guidelines for complex maritime emergencies. As they stress, complex maritime emergencies are a persistent threat to the global maritime environment, and those who work on and by the sea.

We are periodically reminded of this threat by seemingly-random, catastrophic events ranging from collisions to offshore spills and even the loss of aircraft in remote areas.

AMSA recognises that in order to be truly effective in the management of complex maritime emergencies, we must work in a coordinated and collaborative fashion with numerous partners and stakeholders—many who bring advanced understanding of the operational environment, and many who do not.

This handbook has been designed to provide leaders with cross-jurisdictional, multi-cross-sectoral framework and conceptual guidance for managing complex maritime Continue reading “New Australian national guidelines for complex maritime emergencies”

109 years after Titanic sank: What if she sank today?

109 years after Titanic sank: What if she sank today?
109 years after Titanic sank: What if she sank today?

At a recent webinar hosted by Navigate Response with speakers including David Jardine-Smith (International Maritime Rescue Federation), Dustin Eno, (Navigate Response), Georgios Hatzimanolis (MarineTraffic), Richard Turner (International Union of Marine Insurance) and Genevieve Holloway (UK P&I Club), discussion focused on what has been changed 109 years on from the Titanic disaster and how the situation would have been handled in the modern world.

The records are unclear on the number of Titanic fatalities, but it is widely thought that more than 1,500 souls were lost from a total crew Continue reading “109 years after Titanic sank: What if she sank today?”

Loss prevention app developed by marine insurance company

Loss prevention app developed by marine insurance company
Loss prevention app developed by marine insurance company

The Alandia Loss Prevention mobile application, designed by Alandia’s superior Loss Prevention experts, offers an innovative hands-on solution for professional mariners for transforming everyday routines into truly proactive safety management.

Proactive maritime safety management requires efficient communication, regular reporting, and up-to-date safety know-how. Alandia, known for offering superior  prevention to its customers, has developed a mobile application to help foresee and prevent any accidents that might involve a vessel, its crew, or any damage to the marine environment.

“The main purpose of the Alandia Loss Prevention application is to minimize losses and keep operations accident-free by enhancing communication and integrating safety observation reports into daily routines,” says Martti Simojoki, Senior Loss Prevention Manager at Alandia.

Continue reading “Loss prevention app developed by marine insurance company”

Composites and recreational boating industry team up to make headway on circular economy

European Boating Industry (EBI) and the European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA), representing respectively the Recreational Boating and Composites industries at European level, have agreed on a new partnership. The aim is to jointly tackle the key challenges around circularity of composites used in the recreational boating industry and promote sustainable recycling solutions to the supply chain for end-of-life boats. Composites are the main material for manufacturing of recreational boats.

Following a common understanding of the importance of the circular economy and aiming to find solutions for end-of-life composites, EBI and EuCIA agreed a formal partnership. The aim will be to find common approaches to the key issues of dismantling, recycling, and the Continue reading “Composites and recreational boating industry team up to make headway on circular economy”

DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other

DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other
DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other

As one of the most challenging years in DNV’s 157-year history, the strong financial result is a testament to the strength and resilience of the company and the hard work and dedication of employees worldwide. DNV’s annual report 2020 detailing DNV’s financial and sustainability performance is now available. Group President & CEO Remi Eriksen noted in the annual report: “It is particularly when times are tough that I am reminded how proud I am to work for this company.”

As lockdowns began sweeping across the globe in early 2020, the uncertain prospects ahead led to tough decisions being taken by management. More than half of the workforce was placed on partial furloughs or salary cuts to quickly curb costs. Strong customer relationships and a swift shift to digital services such as remote surveys, inspections and audits, enabled DNV to continue to support customers’ operations. A robust IT infrastructure and significant investment in digitalization in previous years enabled the majority of Continue reading “DNV’s annual report: A year unlike any other”

Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued

Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued
Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued

The International Group together with the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) have jointly released an updated version of the “Guidelines for the Carriage of Seed Cake in Containers”.

For reference, the term Seed Cake refers to pulp, meals, cake, pellets, expellers and other similar cargo where edible vegetable oils have been removed from oil-bearing seeds, cereals or commodities with similar properties. The carriage of Seed Cake cargoes continues to cause confusion and the potential for undeclared or misdeclared cargo remains high, with the consequent risk of fire on board container ships.

As the new version of the guidelines notes: It is vital that Seed Cake that is not classified in Class 4.2 of the IMDG Code. In fact, it should Continue reading “Updated guidelines for the carriage of seed cake in containers issued”

Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB

Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB
Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB

The MAIB has released a report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard the motor cruiser Diversion. At about 2000 on 4 December 2019, the bodies of two men were discovered in the cabin of the privately owned motor cruiser Diversion, which was moored to a quay in the centre of York, England. The bodies were those of the boat owner and his friend, who had spent the previous evening in the city centre socialising with former work colleagues and were spending the night on board.

Both men had died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. The carbon monoxide had leaked into the cabin from the boat’s diesel-fuelled cabin heater exhaust.

Continue reading “Report on fatal carbon monoxide poisoning aboard motor cruiser Diversion published by MAIB”

How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping

How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping
How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping

Last year, satcom specialist IEC Telecom highlighted that demand for digital technology had risen tenfold as maritime businesses embraced new ways of working during the coronavirus pandemic inspiring a technology revolution. But why has it taken a pandemic to change attitudes to technology?

2020 was the year where remote working became the norm. Lockdowns and restrictions forced many businesses to close offices and move their workforce to home working. Shipping companies sent shore-based teams to work from home where possible. However, this highlighted some huge technology gaps. Those that had the right online tools and access to the cloud already could access data and information from any location and continue work. Others though, still reliant on paper-based systems and outdated technology realized they couldn’t function effectively in this new remote world, and something needed to change.

For many this prompted investment in technology and moving their business into the cloud for the first time. A recent report from Lloyd’s Continue reading “How COVID-19 has driven a technology revolution in shipping”

Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded

Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded
Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded

The development of the wind turbine sector is creating new challenges for the shipping industry as giant wind blades and elements are shipped from their manufacturers to the staging points for their installation. APM Terminals Pecem, at the port of Pecem in northeast Brazil, recently handled the loading of three blades, which it reports became the largest non-containerized cargo operation in the world.

The shipment consisted of three giant wind blades, each of which measured approximately 238 feet in length. While these blades were only about two-thirds the length of the largest wind blades ever built, they were the largest in Brazil and needed to be shipped from the port of Pecem in the north to the state of Santa Catarina in the south where they will be installed as part of the growing wind energy sector Continue reading “Giant wind blades are largest non-container cargo loaded”

Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published

Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published
Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published

MAIB have published their report on the flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest.

On 18 August 2019 and about 70 miles north-east of Fraserburgh, the UK registered trawler Ocean Quest, sank as a result of an engine room flood. The source of the flood has not been determined; however, it was almost certainly a result of shell plating or hull weld failure. The crew tackled the flood with fixed and portable pumps but were not able to get the situation under control. The alarm was raised as soon as the flood was discovered, the crew were well prepared for the abandonment and all were rescued safely by a coastguard helicopter.

Safety Issues
Flooding presents an immediate threat, and every effort must be made to pump out the floodwater. In this case, the crew followed their onboard routine for bilge pumping, which meant that sea suction valves were left partly open. This potentially restricted the bilge pumps’ Continue reading “Flooding and sinking of trawler Ocean Quest report published”

Instagram Posts from the IIMS @iimsmarine