Health & Safety

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has issued advice and lessons learnt following injuries sustained by offshore crew working with stored energy in slings. By issuing this information, BSEE hopes to prevent similar incidents in the future.

There have been multiple instances across the Gulf of Mexico in which offshore personnel have sustained injuries to the face while working with slings. These incidents resulted from stored energy in the slings. Recent incidents include the following:
– December 2021: A contract roustabout slid a sling off a joint of drill pipe, which left a double loop in the sling. While unhooking the shackle Continue reading “Reported injuries due to stored energy in slings”

A set of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the associated Codes enter into force on 1 January 2024. This statutory news from DNV highlights the changes that have been adopted for the 2024 update of SOLAS and its associated Codes.

The SOLAS Convention is regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships. Amendments to the technical provisions generally follow a four-year cycle of entry into force. This news highlights Continue reading “What’s new with SOLAS 2024?”

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has released a report on yet another serious lifeboat-drill accident, illustrating the continuing hazards of this routine SOLAS safety exercise. A failure of a lifeboat launch system on a merchant vessel can result in a fall from height, ending in injuries or fatalities.

On December 1, 2020, the crew of the bulk carrier Blue Bosporus were carrying out a free-fall lifeboat drill at anchor in English Bay, British Columbia. After the four wire rope slings for lowering away the free-fall lifeboat were attached, the third mate and an AB went aboard the boat to conduct a test launch. Continue reading “Another serious lifeboat accident illustrates continued risk in drills”

The European maritime safety framework has evolved to become one of the most robust in the world. That’s according to the European Maritime Safety Report (EMSAFE), the first ever comprehensive overview of maritime safety in the European Union.

One of the key pillars of the EU safety framework is port state control, which results in over 14,000 vessel checks each year by inspectors in EU ports, complemented by legislative initiatives like the specific EU survey Continue reading “EMSA gives first factual analysis of maritime safety in the EU”

The Marine Safety Forum has issued a safety alert to highlight an observation involving corrosion in a fixed CO2 firefighting system onboard a member’s vessel. The vessel concerned found that during a routine monthly inspection of the fixed CO2 system, significant corrosion was noted. This resulted in it not being possible to insert the safety pin to isolate the cylinder during any maintenance. Photo A shows the safety lever and pin, unable to be positioned correctly in line with the pinhole.

In Photo B after corrective maintenance and repair, it can clearly be seen that the activator arm, Continue reading “Marine Safety Forum alert about corrosion in a fixed CO2 firefighting system”

INTERCARGO has published its Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2012-2021. It reports that 27 bulk carriers of over 10,000 dwt were declared as total losses for the years 2012-2021.

According to INTERCARGO, bulkers losses took place as follows:
10,000-34,999 dwt: Six bulk carriers were lost, representing 22.2% of the total.
35,000 – 49,000 dwt: Five bulk carriers were lost, representing 16.3% of the total, with one loss related to suspected cargo liquefaction.
50,000- 59,000 dwt: Seven vessels were lost, representing 25.9% of the total, with the loss of 55 lives, accounting to 59.8%. Four of the casualties, were related to suspected cargo liquefaction. Continue reading “Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2012-2021 published by INTERCARGO”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its report on the engine room fire aboard the containership President Eisenhower, that took place on April 28, 2021, off California.

At midnight, on April 28, the President Eisenhower was about 6 miles south of Port Hueneme, California, navigating the northwest-bound traffic lane of the Santa Barbara Channel at a speed of 17.5 knots with the main engine operating at 68 rpm. The navigation watch group consisted of a third mate and two able seamen (AB). The master’s night orders included instructions to gradually increase Continue reading “Crew swaging compression fitting led to President Eisenhower fire”