Loss Prevention

MGN 276 (M+F): Fire protection – maintenance of portable fire extinguishers updated

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MGN 276 (M+F): Fire protection - maintenance of portable fire extinguishers updated
MGN 276 (M+F): Fire protection – maintenance of portable fire extinguishers updated

The MCA has now published MGN 276 (M+F) Amendment 1: Fire protection – maintenance of portable fire extinguishers.

Portable fire extinguishers are pressure containers that require correct maintenance. The marine environment can be harsh and special care is needed to ensure long-term safe operation.

Fatalities have previously occurred due to people operating marine portable fire extinguishers which have been attributed to corrosion of the extinguisher bases. The structure in these cases was weakened to such an extent that the extinguishers exploded when activated. Continue reading “MGN 276 (M+F): Fire protection – maintenance of portable fire extinguishers updated”

UK P&I Club releases video on securing fasteners after an overhaul

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Labelled diagram of a fastener The Loss Prevention team at the UK P&I Club has produced its latest ‘Inside Ship’ animated training video, focused on correctly securing fasteners to prevent equipment failures during an overhaul.

The proper installation of fasteners is essential to avoiding preventable engine room incidents. Threaded studs have a variety of critical uses on board, including to secure engine fuel injectors, pumps and monitoring instruments in place. If these studs are incorrectly fastened, they can stretch beyond their elastic limit and shear. This can lead to engine room fires, potentially immobilising the vessel, causing significant damage and presenting a danger to crew. Continue reading “UK P&I Club releases video on securing fasteners after an overhaul”

Major shipping carriers set to join forces to tackle safety of cargo

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Containers stackSafetytech Accelerator has launched a collaborative technology acceleration initiative with Evergreen Line, HMM, Lloyd’s Register, Maersk, the Offen Group, ONE (Ocean Network Express) and Seaspan as ‘Anchor Partners’ aiming at reducing cargo fires and losses overboard.

Some of the world’s biggest maritime cargo carriers have joined forces with the world’s first industrial safety technology accelerator to launch a fresh initiative to reduce cargo loss at sea.

The scale and breadth of the challenges facing operators is growing and continues to evolve. These include the increasing carriage of lithium-ion batteries either in containers or within electric vehicles on car-carriers Continue reading “Major shipping carriers set to join forces to tackle safety of cargo”

Recent fire draws safety alert on engine room exhaust hazards

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Fire aftermathFollowing a recent marine casualty resulting in an engine room fire onboard a commercial fishing vessel, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has published a Safety Alert to address the importance of installing noncombustible materials in machinery space boundaries with dry exhaust systems which are leading to exhaust hazards.

The incident highlighted the significant hazards associated with main engine dry exhaust systems coming in direct contact with combustible materials, such as general purpose resin on a wood Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) vessel. Some commercial fishing vessels are required to insulate combustibles from heated surfaces in accordance with 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 28.380(b) and ABYC P-1 requires fittings in contact with uncooled exhaust carriers to be noncombustible. Continue reading “Recent fire draws safety alert on engine room exhaust hazards”

Gibraltar updates its guidance for servicing fire protection system

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Fire stock image
Guidance updated for periodic servicing and testing of every fire protection system

The Gibraltar Maritime Administration has issued a revised Shipping Guidance Notice (SGN) regarding periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire extinguishers, compressed gas cylinders, and fixed fire-extinguishing systems and other fire protection system onboard Gibraltar registered vessels. This SGN superseded SGN 028, 028(a), and 028(b) and was published on January 26th, 2023.

Fire Extinguishers (extinguishers include portable and semi-portable units of all types) should be examined annually by a competent person. The hydraulic test period for all types of portable fire extinguishers should be conducted at intervals not exceeding 10 years unless the extinguisher is found to be defective during an inspection. Continue reading “Gibraltar updates its guidance for servicing fire protection system”

USCG: Avoid loading EV’s onto ships with damaged lithium-ion batteries

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The stricken Felicity Ace photographed before sinking. Photo credit: Portuguese Navy
The stricken Felicity Ace photographed before sinking. Photo credit: Portuguese Navy

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has issued a warning to the shipping industry about the extreme risk of loading electric vehicles (EV) with damaged lithium-ion batteries onto commercial vessels.

Marine Safety Alert 01-23, published by USCG, addresses the issue and provides recommendations to vessels, ports, shippers and regulators. The safety alert comes just a few months after Hurricane Ian made landfall in South Florida. In the aftermath of the intense and destructive storm, first responders encountered numerous EV fires where investigations have subsequently determined were caused by exposure of the lithium-ion batteries to saltwater. Continue reading “USCG: Avoid loading EV’s onto ships with damaged lithium-ion batteries”

GOS makes recommendations for USCG to lessen fishing vessel fatalities

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Deck of a fishing vessel, covered in fish
Image for illustrative purposes only

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has identified several actions that the US Coast Guard (USCG) needs to take to help prevent future fishing vessel losses and related fatalities and has made six key recommendations. According to GAO, USCG hasn’t fully implemented 17 of 22 statutory requirements to improve commercial fishing vessel safety and the USCG needs to lessen fishing vessel fatalities.

For example, USCG hasn’t developed a training program for commercial fishers or re-established an advisory committee on industry safety issues. In addition, USCG doesn’t have a detailed plan to guide their efforts to fully implement the outstanding statutory requirements. Continue reading “GOS makes recommendations for USCG to lessen fishing vessel fatalities”

Electrical component failure causes flame discharge

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Ship on the water - Photo credit: ATSB
Photo credit: ATSB

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has published its investigation report on the liquified hydrogen (LH2) carrier Suiso Frontier. According to the report, the failure of an incorrectly-fitted electrical solenoid valve led to the brief propagation of flame.

While berthed on the evening of 25 January 2022, the chief mate and cargo engineer made plans to start the ship’s gas combustion unit or GCU (see the section titled Gas combustion unit and Figure 1) to burn excess boil-off gas (BOG) from the LH2 cargo tank. 2 They notified the wharf operator and followed standard Continue reading “Electrical component failure causes flame discharge”

Lessons learned from wet damage steel product claims

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Avoidable claims related to the carriage of finished and semi-finished steel products which continue to remain an issue.
Avoidable claims related to the carriage of finished and semi-finished steel products which continue to remain an issue.

John Southam, Loss Prevention Executive, and David Richards, Director (Claims), both from North P&I Club, offer lessons learned and discuss avoidable claims related to the carriage of finished and semi-finished steel products which continue to remain an issue.

The issues highlighted by North P&I include the importance of recording the preload condition and defending yourself against allegations of unseaworthiness with strong evidence.

In some recent cases it became apparent that the preload condition of the steel cargo was poor, whether it was physical damage through impact or corrosion damage from wetting. And when such damage to the cargo is noted at discharge, a high value claim can result. Continue reading “Lessons learned from wet damage steel product claims”

Water flood in cargo hold case study

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There was a water flood into a cargo hold after crew washed the main deck
There was a water flood into a cargo hold after crew washed the main deck

According to the Swedish Club’s latest monthly safety scenario, water was flooding from the cargo hold, after the crew of a containership were washing down the main deck and cargo hatches. Here are the learnings.

It was morning and outside there was a light breeze and some drizzle. The crew of the container vessel was preparing to wash down the main deck and cargo hatches before arrival in port the same afternoon. They had the rare opportunity to do this as there were no containers on deck, only in the cargo hold. Continue reading “Water flood in cargo hold case study”

Poor securing led to the loss of containers from APL England

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falling cargosThe Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has published its final report into the loss of containers from the vessel APL England off the coast of Sydney in 2020. One of the key findings noted is the importance of vessel fixtures being regularly maintained to ensure they are secure and stable.

On 11 May 2020, the 5,780 TEU fully-cellular container ship APL England departed Ningbo, China, bound for Sydney, New South Wales. The ship was loaded with 3,161 containers (5,048 TEU), with a forward draught of 11.44 m, an aft draught of 13.32 m, and a GM2 of 1.69 m. The Singapore-flagged ship was technically managed by the CMA CGM International Shipping Company Pte. Ltd (CCISC). Continue reading “Poor securing led to the loss of containers from APL England”

Poor wiring results in ship’s detention

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Photo credit: American Club
Photo credit: American Club

In its most recent “Good Catch” series, the American Club has shared a case where a ship was detained due to an ISM deficiency, arising from poor wiring.

Since there was no electrician onboard, the vessel’s third engineer was sent to investigate why the vessel’s forward anchor light was out. He found the wiring in extremely poor condition. The insulation was missing in some areas and heavily cracked in others. The wire itself was shorted out against the side of the deck penetration. He made repairs using some wire he had in his tool belt and a lot of electrical tape. He then reported that the problem was fixed. Continue reading “Poor wiring results in ship’s detention”

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