International News

Seafarers are dying needlessly in lifeboat accidents when maritime legislation doesn’t actually require vessels to be manned during drills.

InterManager, the international trade association for ship and crew managers, is raising awareness of this fact by highlighting a legislative change which means that it is not necessary for crew to be onboard when lifeboats are tested.

SOLAS regulation III/19.3.3.3 requires each lifeboat to be launched at least once every three months Continue reading “Seafarer lives are being risked unnecessarily during lifeboat drills”

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation requiring new safety measures for DUKW boats, the amphibious landing craft commonly repurposed for tourist trips.

DUKW boats, also known as duck boats, were designed and built in WWII for military use. A number were later converted for commercial service, carrying tourists on brief land and water itineraries. DUKW boats have been implicated in several fatal accidents, including two tragic sinkings. Continue reading “US House of Representatives passes new safety regulations for DUKW boats”

Following an incident, the US Coast Guard (USCG) had released a Safety Alert which addresses the importance of verifying atmospheric conditions in fish holds on commercial fishing vessels, that can lead to a dangerous gas build-up.

Four crew members onboard a commercial fishing vessel noticed an unusual odor coming from the fish hold while conducting shrimping operations. While under the assumption that the odor was due to a leaking refrigerant line, the crew hauled in their nets and began transiting back to port to have their system inspected by a service technician. Continue reading “USCG: dangerous gas build-up in fish holds”