The German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation has released its reports about two non-connected fires on container ships. The MSC Katrina was in the Elbe estuary when the fire was detected on 20 November 2015. The second ship, the Ludwigshafen Express was in the Red Sea when fire was noticed during an inspection in February 2016.
The first incident
The MSC Katrina was located in the Elbe estuary when its smoke detection system discovered fire. As a result, the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies had the ability to deploy specially trained firefighters.
The West of England P&I Club has said that it regularly receives claims arising from alleged shortages of solid bulk cargoes as a result of discrepancies between draught survey results. Draught surveys by their very nature are not an exact science and the accuracy of the calculated cargo figure may vary typically by between 0.5% and 1.0%. However, there are occasions when considerable differences in the cargo figures derived from the draught surveys have been obtained.
An artist’s impression of Nuyina, Australia’s new icebreaker
More than 8,600 tons of steel has now been shaped, welded and assembled into the hull of Australia’s new icebreaker RSV Nuyina.
A few key pieces of the ship’s propulsion system have recently arrived at the Damen Shipyard at Galati, including the propellers, propeller hubs and the sterntubes.
RSV Nuyina, will make her maiden voyage to Antarctica in 2020-21. The ship will be the main lifeline to Australia’s three Antarctic research stations and its sub-Antarctic station on Macquarie Island, and will support Australia’s leadership role in Antarctic and Southern Continue reading “Propulsion system being prepared for Australian icebreaker Nuyina”
A number of strain-hardened, Type 304 stainless steel bolts, (ASTM A193 B8, Class 2) failed unexpectedly at an offshore facility
The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) published an alert regarding an unexpected failure of certain kinds of strain-hardened Type 304 stainless steel bolts. The failure happened at an offshore facility during a pneumatic leak test of gas piping exiting a test separator.
The incident
A number of strain-hardened, Type 304 stainless steel bolts, (ASTM A193 B8, Class 2) failed unexpectedly at an offshore facility while a pneumatic leak test of gas piping exiting a test separator was being conducted.
A certified marine chemist traced the source of the vapors to an eight inch crack on a cargo vapor line
The USCG has published a safety alert informing marine inspectors that ethylene vapors on LNG carriers can activate Carbon Monoxide alarms. Specifically, during an examination of a LNG carrier whose cargo tanks contained ethylene vapors, PSC Officers (PSCOs) received alarms on their portable four gas meters giving a reading of 60 to 100 parts per-million (PPM) Carbon Monoxide (CO).
A certified marine chemist traced the source of the vapors to an eight inch crack on a cargo vapor line. PSCOs initially thought the alarm was related to a combustion event and did not suspect the ethylene vapors were the source, because they did not get a Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) reading on their monitors.
The chemist indicated that the LEL most likely never alarmed because of high winds on deck. He further explained that the molecular weight of Ethylene (28 g/mol) was identical to the molecular weight of CO which accounted for the CO PPM readings. USCG personnel contacted the manufacturer who confirmed that Continue reading “Ethylene vapors activate carbon monoxide alarm says safety alert”
LATTICE technology’s proprietary LPV containment system for LNG has been approved by seven international classification societies following the successful test of four prototype tanks.
LATTICE Technology’s CEO Hoonjin Park confirmed on May 23rd that the company has secured the order for a 15m3 a lattice pressure vessel (LPV® ) LNG fuel tank to be installed onboard a newbuild Port Cleaning Ship to assume service for the Ulsan Port Authority during 2019. The LPV® tank is a Type C-equivalent pressure vessel based on proprietary design by LATTICE Technology. This will be the first commercial contract for a LPV as well as the first LNG-fueled, public service vessel in South Korea.
The Port Cleaning Ship is the first project following the Korean government’s recent assertion that it will actively boost eco-friendly LNG-fuelled shipping by ordering LNGfuelled public service ships and supporting use of LNG-fueled, commercial ships. LATTICE Technology is proud to have been chosen to deliver its unique LPV LNG fuel tank for this project. This LPV is designed for 9 Continue reading “LATTICE Technology secures first commercial sale of its on-board LPV LNG Fuel tank”
The hose had been recently replaced, but the replacement hose was a hydraulic oil service hose with oxygen fittings.
In its latest Safety Flashes, IMCA presents a case of a fire due to incorrectly selected oxygen welding gas hose, during a routine cutting job onboard a ship. There were no injuries or ship damage, but investigation later revealed that the hose had been recently replaced with one that did not comply with ISO 14113 specification.
The incident
The ship’s welder opened the Oxygen and Acetylene gas bottle valves in order to do a cutting job on deck. These gas bottles were attached to the vessel’s integrated welding gas system. Opening the valve on the Oxygen bottle caused an explosion to a short, high pressure hose delivering oxygen from the bottle to the oxygen gas regulator. The end of the hose caught fire and was quickly extinguished by turning off the oxygen bottle. Nobody was injured and the only damage was to the hose that completely separated.
The failure of engine cooling system pipework is one of the most common causes of flooding on small fishing vessels
In its latest Safety Digest, the UK MAIB provides learnings about an 8.13m fibreglass fishing vessel that was engaged in picking up its fleets of creels when it began to take on water and subsequently sank. The skipper, who was working alone, managed to deploy the boat’s liferaft and climb into it as the boat was sinking and was later rescued without injuries.
The incident
The skipper went out to sea shortly after daybreak to recover his two fleets of creels. The weather was good. As soon as he arrived at the fishing grounds, he hauled in the first fleet of creels and stowed it on the aft end of the deck. He then headed at speed toward the second fleet of creels.
Intelligent wireless bolts in wind turbines or satellites may be able to let the operator know when something is wrong
In the future, intelligent wireless bolts in wind turbines or satellites may be able to let the operator know when something is wrong. This could reduce the risk of human injuries and save cost.
A research team at NTNU in Gjøvik is working to create bolts that send an alert when something is not as it should be or when maintenance is needed. Each bolt must be able to contact a control center, which will receive messages from all intelligent bolts of this type in all installations around the world.
The team working on these wireless bolts includes Professor Michael Cheffena, two fellows and the manufacturer Dokka Fasteners. The vision of the research team is to develop wireless sensors to be installed inside the bolts. If the sensors detect that something is Continue reading “Are ‘Smart Bolts’ the thing of the future?”
Life Cell, which stores essential safety gear together in a buoyant, high-visibility floating case for quick and easy access in emergencies, has received a 2018 Top Product Award from Boating Industry magazine.
Designed by a survivor of a rapid sinking off the coast of Sydney, Australia, Life Cell is redefining how safety equipment is stored on boats and creating a new category of safety equipment in an attempt to save lives. It is like combining a life ring and a ditch kit in one device, two items that have undergone little innovation in recent history.
The Swedish Club has published a report warning bulk carrier owners to pay extra attention to the basics. The Club has concluded that for bulk carrier operators, wet damage is the most costly claim type and the second most common claim that they experience.
The report is entitled Wet Damage on Bulk Carriers and has been prepared in cooperation with DNV GL, and MacGregor. It identifies heavy weather and leaking hatch covers as the most common and the most costly type of wet damage claim and the average cost for a wet damage cargo claim being almost $110,000.
The aim of this amendment is to increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag
The Danish Parliament adopted a legislative amendment on 26 of April, which cancels the registration fee for vessels in the Danish Registers of Shipping. The aim of this amendment is to increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag.
Denmark supports that this measure will indeed increase the attractiveness of the Danish Flag, as it now offers the same benefits as foreign Flags.
This amendment also provides increased economic activity and international influence, when the Danish Flag attracts more vessels from both national as foreign shipowners.
The German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation has released its reports about two non-connected fires on container ships. The MSC Katrina was in the Elbe estuary when the fire was detected on 20 November 2015. The second ship, the Ludwigshafen Express was in the Red Sea when fire was noticed during an inspection in February 2016.
