International News

The Swedish Club shares lessons learned about an oil spill incident while bunkering

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The Swedish Clue - oil spill incident whilst bunkering
The Swedish Clue – oil spill incident whilst bunkering

The Swedish Club has analysed an incident of an accidental oil spill while bunkering in its recent club bulletin. The subsequent report by The Swedish Club highlights that the crew did not deploy the oil boom because of the potential cost implications. As a result the oil spread across the harbour.

The vessel in question was starboard side alongside and carrying out a cargo operation. The Chief Engineer had ordered a fuel barge to bunker 350 MT of fuel oil. The fuel barge came alongside on the port side in the morning. A hose was connected from the barge to the portside bunker station. The Chief Engineer had Continue reading “The Swedish Club shares lessons learned about an oil spill incident while bunkering”

St Clair: Engine room fire on bulk carrier while in layup status report published

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St Clair - Photo courtesy of duluthshippingnews.com
St Clair – Photo courtesy of duluthshippingnews.com

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published an investigation report on the engine room fire aboard the bulk carrier St Clair whilst in layup status at TORCO dock in Maumee River, Toledo, in February 2019. The investigation has highlighted a lack of operating procedures for continuous monitoring of the vessel while in layup.

About 2010 local time on February 16, 2019, a fire was reported on the bulk carrier St Clair while the vessel was laid-up for the winter at the CSX TORCO Iron Ore Terminal (TORCO dock) at the mouth of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. No one was onboard. The fire was extinguished approximately 36 hours Continue reading “St Clair: Engine room fire on bulk carrier while in layup status report published”

COVID-19 Safety Working Guide – latest IIMS update

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Covid-19 Info
Covid-19 Info

The points made in this updated COVID-19 Safety Working Guide produced by IIMS are essentially common sense suggestions and do not carry any official or authorised backing. Also, remember that advice will change periodically around the world in what is a fast moving situation. Thanks are due to Maurice Pickles, Capt Chris Kelly and the Workboat Association as additional reference sources.

The health and safety of marine surveyors, not just IIMS members, and other related personnel at this time is of primary importance and must not be compromised, especially when coming into contact with others during the course of their work, which is the key focus of our COVID-19 Safety Working Guide. Whilst many marine surveyors are idle at this time, some have still been working in various parts of the world. But as Governments start to look at progressively loosening lockdown procedures, now is not a time to become complacent. COVID-19 remains active in our communities and is likely to remain a challenge for many months until a reliable vaccine is found; so great care should be taken for the foreseeable future to avoid contracting or spreading the disease. No matter if you are currently working, or plan to resume surveying and inspecting soon, here is some practical, common sense advice to help you keep safe. Below is a summary of our COVID-19 Safety Working Guide: Continue reading “COVID-19 Safety Working Guide – latest IIMS update”

The RIVER project designed to elimate CO2 emissions underway

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The RIVER project underway
The RIVER project underway

Engineers at Aqueduct Marina have won a tender to work on the RIVER project, a new initiative they believe could help shape the development of the next generation of boat engines.

The RIVER project, of which a new boat to be built by Aqueduct Marina for the Canal & River Trust will play a major part, consists of nine partners from five EU states and five associated partners involved in the capture, storage, treatment of CO2 and waterways.

The project aims to develop internal combustion engines to virtually eliminate CO2 emissions. Continue reading “The RIVER project designed to elimate CO2 emissions underway”

Overpressurization and rupture of cargo tank onboard Fairchem Filly report published

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Overpressurization onboard Fairchem Filly report
Overpressurization onboard Fairchem Filly report

NTSB issued an investigation report on the overpressurization and rupture of a cargo tank on the cargo ship Fairchem Filly while at Houston Ship Channel, in May 2019. Investigators stressed that the vessel and terminal personnel involved were not following procedures related to cargo discharge and nitrogen-blanketing operations.

On 30 May 2019, about 0750 local time, the Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Fairchem Filly, with a crew of 22, experienced an overpressurization of the number 3 port and starboard cargo tanks while discharging liquid hexene at Vopak Terminal in Deer Park, Texas.

The overpressurization resulted in damage to the number 3 port cargo tank and the tank top (deck). All cargo was contained on board the double-hulled vessel, with no pollution or injuries reported. Damage to Continue reading “Overpressurization and rupture of cargo tank onboard Fairchem Filly report published”

Ariel: Ignition of fuel leaking from the generator fuel supply line in the engine room caused sinking says report

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NTSB publish report on incident involving Ariel
NTSB publish report on incident involving Ariel

NTSB has published its investigation report about the fire onboard and subsequent sinking of the fishing vessel Ariel, while in Sheep Bay, Alaska, in August 2019. The investigation identified ignition of fuel leaking from the generator fuel supply line as key cause of the fire.

On August 26, 2019, the fishing vessel Ariel was transiting Sheep Bay, Prince William Sound, Alaska, when a fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room. The four crewmembers aboard the Ariel attempted to fight the fire, but they were unsuccessful and abandoned ship into the vessel’s skiff.

The Ariel continued to burn and subsequently sank. Good Samaritan vessels rescued the Continue reading “Ariel: Ignition of fuel leaking from the generator fuel supply line in the engine room caused sinking says report”

Japanese government considers shipbuilding merger

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A ship being builtJapan is currently exploring the possibilities to integrate 15 major shipyards in the country under a so-called All Japan Shipbuilding merger plan, following similar steps by neighbouring shipbuilding rival countries China and South Korea, local financial newswire Nikkei is reporting.

The merger plan comes after Japan’s two largest shipbuilders – Imabari Shipbuilding and Japan Marine United (JMU) – declared in December they would form an alliance and enter into a capital tie-up.

Continue reading “Japanese government considers shipbuilding merger”

Nordstar: Exposure to lethal gas levels contributed to fisherman’s death says AIBN report

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AIBN report on Nordstar
AIBN report on Nordstar

The Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) has published an accident report on the matter of a crew member who died on board the factory trawler Nordstar relating to the with preparations for cleaning a silage tank.

The factory trawler Nordstar was on its way to Ålesund after fishing in international waters west of the Reykjanes Ridge. The vessel was to be made ready for fishing for another type of fish (from redfish to white fish) during the voyage, and the crew had finished cleaning the factory on the morning of 10 June 2018.

Later in the morning, the skipper instructed the factory supervisor to prepare the silage tanks for cleaning. This meant flushing the tanks by filling them with seawater and emptying them several times, before lowering a fan (not explosion proof) into the tank to blow in fresh air and lead air out of the tank via the attached plastic hose. According to the skipper, he had given instructions that the fan was to be lowered Continue reading “Nordstar: Exposure to lethal gas levels contributed to fisherman’s death says AIBN report”

Rohav: Lack of securing devices on hatch covers leads to death of a crew member reveals investigation report

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AIBN report on Rohav
AIBN report on Rohav

The Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) has published its report about the incident on 10 September 2018, when a crew member died in an work related accident on board Rohav LLUZ in Bergsfjorden, Senja.

On Monday 10 September 2018 Rohav had just been unloaded and was waiting for instructions for the subsequent order. In the meantime, the motorman was to prepare the holds for new cargo.

Before preparing the hold, he planned to replace a hose in the hydraulic system that operated the cargo hold hatch. When the motorman disconnected the hose, the oil leaked and the hydraulic pressure dropped, Continue reading “Rohav: Lack of securing devices on hatch covers leads to death of a crew member reveals investigation report”

American Club issues guidance for loading steel products when a surveyor is prevented from attending

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American Club issues guidance
American Club issues guidance

The American Club has published helpful guidance specifically when third party surveyors are prevented from attending vessels about to load finished steel products.

All systems and equipment should be checked to make sure they are operational. During the voyage to the load port, ballast tanks adjacent to cargo holds should be pressure tested prior to loading, but only if the holds are free of cargo and safety permitting in every respect.

Caution should be taken when washing down holds with brackish river water, which may include saltwater chlorides. A freshwater flush and drying should be performed before loading, and tarpaulins can be laid on the tank top and lower sides of cargo holds, used in addition to dunnage, to provide a physical barrier Continue reading “American Club issues guidance for loading steel products when a surveyor is prevented from attending”

Pilgrim, the Replica ship, sinks in Dana Point Harbor

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Replica ship Pilgrim: Photo image by Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times
Replica ship Pilgrim: Photo image by Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times

One of the first times the replica ship Pilgrim was mentioned in the Los Angeles Times, it was under the headline “Vagabond Youth.” It was 1974, and a group of young Southern Californians had answered an ad in the paper from Capt. Ray Wallace, who offered them the experience of a lifetime if they’d pay $1,000 and fly overseas to help him on a boating trip from the Spanish and Portuguese coast all the way back to Monterey — maritime experience recommended but not necessary.

Though the journey was a one-off for the Pilgrim and its crew, the vessel and that trans-Atlantic trip imbued all who spent time on it with a classic sense of adventure.

But after nearly 40 years anchored in in Orange County’s Dana Point Harbor, where hundreds of thousands Continue reading “Pilgrim, the Replica ship, sinks in Dana Point Harbor”

IMO Secretary-General asks for pragmatic approach in response to COVID-19

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Kitack LimIMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, has issued a statement and broadcast a video (see below) on COVID-19, stressing the essential need to maintain commerce by sea and protect seafarers’ welfare.

The IMO secretary-General said, “The spread of the coronavirus has placed the entire world in an unprecedented situation. To slow the spread of the disease and mitigate its impacts, travel is being curtailed and borders are being closed. Transport hubs are being affected. Ports are being closed and ships denied entry.”

He added that, it is crucial that the flow of commerce by sea should not be unnecessarily disrupted. At the same time, the safety of life at Continue reading “IMO Secretary-General asks for pragmatic approach in response to COVID-19”

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