International News

IMO SDC 6 introduces SOLAS amendment for safer mooring

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The draft SOLAS amendments and draft guidelines/guidance will now be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in June, for approval.
The draft SOLAS amendments and draft guidelines/guidance will now be forwarded to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in June, for approval.

As part of its work to make ships mooring safer, IMO’s Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 6), which took place on 4-8 February 2019, has introduced new requirements for appropriate and safe-to-use designs of mooring arrangements, a maintenance and inspection regime, as well as proper documentation.

The submissions at the meeting highlighted that mooring operations continue to pose a risk to ships’ crews, but also shore-based mooring personnel.

It is also one of the work situations where crew members are exposed to excessive dynamic forces (snap-back), detrimental heavy manual Continue reading “IMO SDC 6 introduces SOLAS amendment for safer mooring”

Ensuring safe passage for a steel coil cargo

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Steel coils come in many sizes and weights, and can be arranged in various ways regarding the placement of the locking coil, the number of tiers, and the dunnage.
Steel coils come in many sizes and weights, and can be arranged in various ways regarding the placement of the locking coil, the number of tiers, and the dunnage.

Often cargo planners who are preparing the stowage of steel coils in the cargo hold of a general dry cargo ship or bulk carrier, do not have the necessary cargo type specific information required to help them decide the permissible cargo load, thus preventing damage to the ship’s structure.

As Jan Rüde, Ship Type Expert MPV, DNV GL explains, according to SOLAS Chapter VI, Reg. 5, every ship must have an approved cargo securing manual.

Nonetheless, the majority of these manuals do not include detailed information about the carriage of steel coils or the only contain only particular types of steel coil. Continue reading “Ensuring safe passage for a steel coil cargo”

Unsecured deck hatches led to sinking of Ricky Robinson

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The Ricky robinson at harbour
The Ricky robinson at harbour

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued an investigation report on the sinking of the towing vessel ‘Ricky Robinson’ on the Lower Mississippi River, in December 2017, which caused death of the two crewmen onboard, oil discharge and significant damage of the vessel.

On 8 December 2017, about 11:26 local time, the Ricky Robinson capsized and sank on the Lower Mississippi River at mile 732.8 near Memphis, Tennessee, with two crewmembers on board, after the towing vessel began taking on water.

The pilot made a distress call just before the sinking; neither crewmember was found during the search and rescue operations that followed.

When the vessel was recovered 9 days later, the deckhand’s body was discovered inside the wreckage; the pilot is Continue reading “Unsecured deck hatches led to sinking of Ricky Robinson”

Change in enforcement expectations for mild steel welding fume

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Sparking welding work
Sparking welding work

There is new scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer that exposure to mild steel welding fume can cause lung cancer and possibly kidney cancer in humans. The Workplace Health Expert Committee has endorsed the reclassification of mild steel welding fume as a human carcinogen.

Consequences

With immediate effect, there is a strengthening of HSE’s enforcement expectation for all welding fume, including mild steel welding; because general ventilation does not achieve the necessary control. Continue reading “Change in enforcement expectations for mild steel welding fume”

Leaking lube oil causes engine room fire on towing vessel

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The speed of which the fire grew to encompass the engine room and the location of primary fire equipment within that same space together eliminated the opportunity for the crew to effectively fight the fir
The speed of which the fire grew to encompass the engine room and the location of primary fire equipment within that same space together eliminated the opportunity for the crew to effectively fight the fire.

The NTSB issued an investigation report on the engine room fire and explosion onboard the towing vessel ‘J.W. Herron’ on Big Bayou Canot near Mobile, Alabama in December 2017. The report identified leaking lube oil from a propulsion diesel engine hose or tubing fitting that was ignited off an exposed hot engine surface, as the key cause of the accident.

About 1340 local time on 13 December 2017, the towing vessel J.W. Herron was shifting barges on Big Bayou Canot near Twelvemile Island, approximately 8 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, when a fire began in the lower engine room and quickly spread.

After the crew of three partially secured the engines and fuel supply, heavy smoke and fire prevented them from Continue reading “Leaking lube oil causes engine room fire on towing vessel”

Operation on high thermal load damages engine

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High thermal engine - Photo for illustration purposes only.
Photo for illustration purposes only.

The Swedish Club has published some lessons learnt from a machinery failure. The six cylinder, medium speed type engine sustained serious damage serious damage and had to be renewed. Additionally, the turbo charger had to be overhauled.

The vessel in question was in ballast and at anchor, waiting for further instructions. After seven days the weather got worse and the ship’s anchor dragged. The anchor was heaved up and the vessel started to slow steam in the area.

After about a day, the differential pressure alarm of the main engine duplex lubrication oil filter sounded in the engine control room. The crew found aluminium and other metal inside the Continue reading “Operation on high thermal load damages engine”

Norwegian Electric Systems selects Corvus Energy storage system for new ferries

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The leading manufacturer of energy storage systems for maritime applications, Corvus Energy provides battery power to more ferries than all other providers of energy storage systems combined.
The leading manufacturer of energy storage systems for maritime applications, Corvus Energy provides battery power to more ferries than all other providers of energy storage systems combined.

Corvus Energy has announced that it has been selected by Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) to supply lithium ion battery-based energy storage systems (ESS) for five new all-electric ferries being built by Havyard for Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1.

“Fjord1 continues to forge a very progressive path towards environmentally sustainable operations with these additional all-electric ferries,” says Stein Ruben Larsen, Senior Vice President Sales at NES, a total system integrator of electric systems for the global marine market. With respect to their ESS selection, he remarks, “The proven reliability, safety and performance of the Corvus ESS was important in awarding this contract to Corvus Energy.”

Continue reading “Norwegian Electric Systems selects Corvus Energy storage system for new ferries”

HS2 construction workers find remains of first sailor to circumnavigate Australia

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His grave disappeared in the 1840s when the original Euston station was expanded into part of the cemetery.
His grave disappeared in the 1840s when the original Euston station was expanded into part of the cemetery.

Construction workers building the new London-Birmingham high-speed railway line have unearthed the grave of the Royal Navy sailor who gave Australia its name.

For 180 years the last resting place of explorer and navigator Captain Matthew Flinders has been lost among 40,000 other bodies in graves near Euston station. But archaeologists excavating St James’ burial ground to pave the way for the new HS2 terminus have identified the officer’s grave out of the thousands at the site. The lead depositum plate – breast plate – put on top of Flinders’ coffin when he was buried in July 1814 meant his remains could be formally identified.

As commanding officer of HMS Investigator, Flinders sailed from Portsmouth in Continue reading “HS2 construction workers find remains of first sailor to circumnavigate Australia”

Fire caused by moving cargo

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One of the containers came loose and hit one of the flat racks with jerry cans.
One of the containers came loose and hit one of the flat racks with jerry cans.

The Swedish Club has released details about a cargo fire caused by moving cargo due to inclement weather conditions. The case has highlighted the importance of detailed planning and discussions among Master, Chief Officer, technical manager or charterer, when it is about critical cargo operations.

The RoRo vessel was underway and expected to sail through heavy weather with up to Beaufort scale 10 winds and eight metre high waves. The cargo onboard consisted mainly of vehicles, containers and jerry cans with fuel on flat racks.

Before loading, the Chief Officer went ashore to inspect the cargo. He inspected the jerry cans that were secured with quick lashings through the handles of each row and secured to bars on the flat racks.

He was concerned that the jerry cans were placed on flat racks and not in containers, as there were no walls around the racks to protect the jerry cans. The flat racks and containers were Continue reading “Fire caused by moving cargo”

Boat docking just got simpler with the launch of Raymarine DockSense

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The system is designed to augment a captain's boat handling skills using the system’s Virtual Bumper zone technology around the vessel.
The system is designed to augment a captain’s boat handling skills using the system’s Virtual Bumper zone technology around the vessel.

FLIR Systems has launched the Raymarine DockSense assisted docking system, which it bills as the marine industry’s first intelligent object recognition and motion sensing assisted docking solution for recreational boating.

The DockSense system uses FLIR machine vision camera technology and video analytics to integrate intelligence gathered from surrounding imagery with the vessel’s propulsion and steering system to assist boat owners in tight quarter docking manoeuvring.

“Raymarine DockSense assisted docking system embodies our focus on solutions by combining FLIR navigation, machine learning and sensing technologies,” explained Jim Cannon, FLIR president and CEO.

He continued, “Most importantly, we bring these innovations together into a Continue reading “Boat docking just got simpler with the launch of Raymarine DockSense”

Shipowners Club warns of the dangers following a spate of enclosed space incidents

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Between September and November 2018, there were 8 reported fatalities related to enclosed spaces.
Between September and November 2018, there were 8 reported fatalities related to enclosed spaces.

Although the industry continuously reminds the industry of the dangers of entering enclosed spaces, this remains the hidden enemy for crews. Between September and November 2018, there were 8 reported fatalities related to enclosed spaces. With this ongoing issue in mind the Shipowners Club has published a sample risk assessment addressing the various hazards associated with entering enclosed spaces.

In a span of just 18 months, the Club alone has experienced 15 related claims due to falls, asphyxiation, explosive burns and six fatalities. These alarming statistics have prompted the Club to produce a sample risk assessment on enclosed space entry as part of its ongoing campaign.

The guidance addresses the various hazards associated with an enclosed space entry operation, enclosed space entry requirements and Continue reading “Shipowners Club warns of the dangers following a spate of enclosed space incidents”

Beware the dangers of aluminium dross

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If the product meets the Class 4.3 criteria, it should be declared as UN 3170, noting the application of Special Provision 244 regarding ventilation and protection against water ingress throughout the intended journey.
If the product meets the Class 4.3 criteria, it should be declared as UN 3170, noting the application of Special Provision 244 regarding ventilation and protection against water ingress throughout the intended journey.

The UK P&I Club and the TT Club have published advice following an incident involving a consignment of aluminium pellets (or dross) that was found at the port of loading with the doors and sides of the container blown out. The terminal arranged to test the samples, as there was no evidence that the unit had been dropped during handling.

The test results indicated that aluminium dross is highly susceptible to a reaction with chlorides when moisture is present. The commodity produces gases when exposed to moisture and the build-up of gasses was considered the most likely cause of the container exploding.

The container was damaged beyond repair and it is understood that some lines and ports are refusing this cargo commodity.

According to the UK Club, at the time the material is tested, before filling the container and subsequent shipping, the moisture level is such that the reaction with the commodity does not generate Continue reading “Beware the dangers of aluminium dross”

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