International News

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 the 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”