Marine News

Report analyzing the impacts of underwater noise in Europe published by EMSA

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Report analyzing the impacts of underwater noise in Europe published by EMSA
Report analyzing the impacts of underwater noise in Europe published by EMSA

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has commissioned a study to consolidate information on the subject of continuous Underwater radiated noise (URN) from shipping, in order to derive recommendations for a future multi-stakeholder strategy within Europe. The 103 page report is now available to read.

The study focussed on four main subject areas, with noise sources, environmental impact and policy providing the basis for the main goal, mitigation. The main source of URN from shipping is broadband propeller cavitation, radiating noise over a large frequency range. Machinery, primarily main propulsion engines, can also have an important contribution. Continue reading “Report analyzing the impacts of underwater noise in Europe published by EMSA”

Sobering man overboard incident

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A man overboard with a liferaft on - Image used for illustration purposes only
A man overboard with a liferaft on – Image used for illustration purposes only

At the recent Seawork Connect online event, the Workboat Association and British Tugowners Association Safety Forum at Seawork Connect gave details about a real-life man overboard (MOB) incident. Shaun Mansbridge, Safety Manager at Williams Shipping, described a situation that occurred within Willliams’ pilot vessel fleet, fortunately with a happy outcome, but which could have gone the other way.

A 13m pilot launch with two crewmembers aboard – skipper and deckhand – was delivering onsigners to a ship at the Nab Anchorage in the Solent, UK. It was Autumn with fine weather and light seas and an estimated water temperature of 13-15 degrees Celsius. The onsigning crew all safely ascended the pilot boarding ladder to the deck. The deckhand started passing the suitcases up while the pilot boat’s skipperkept the vessel on station. Unfortunately, the deckhand got a finger trapped in the handle of one of the bags, which the onsigned crew had hold of, and a drop of the pilot boat at that moment due to swell caused the deckhand to be lifted clear of the deck and placed, momentarily dangling, in a danger area between the two hulls. Continue reading “Sobering man overboard incident”

New chapter for safe disposal of marine flares from the pleasure boat sector

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Marine flares and a pair of glovesThe Maritime and Coastguard Agency is to work with industry to develop local self-regulated schemes for the safe disposal of  marine flares from the pleasure vessel sector. It follows a consultation (which concluded on 15 March) with the industry, industry regulators and boat-owners to seek ways considered acceptable to all for the effective means of disposing of flares.

The MCA supported a proposal for an industry-led, self-regulated disposal service that complies with existing legislation. It was also felt this was an opportunity for small regional businesses to tailor a disposal service that meets local needs, enabling an effective geographical spread of options available to boat-owners. Continue reading “New chapter for safe disposal of marine flares from the pleasure boat sector”

Recycled dead boats – an environmental threat in pictures

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Scuppered dreams and recycled dead boats - an environmental threat in pictures
Scuppered dreams and recycled dead boats – an environmental threat in pictures

As long ago as 1999, the US based naval architect, Eric Sponberg, raised the alarm within the recreational boating community with his outspoken article entitled ‘Recycled Dead Boats.’ To quote his actual words, he said: “The industry has ‘shot itself in the foot’ by building boats out of such a durable and almost indestructible material as fibreglass (GRP.)”

Almost a quarter of a century later, the Centre for Aquatic Environments at Brighton University in the UK has picked up the baton and recently produced a video that vividly emphasises the same ongoing challenge. The film features academic research information, and real-life contributions from various stakeholders around the world, clearly making the point; that not enough has been done to address the threats to the environment, or to the future sustainability of boating. Continue reading “Recycled dead boats – an environmental threat in pictures”

US Coast Guard vessel deficiency reports to be posted monthly

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Ensign Patricia Carrow, a Coast Guard vessel inspector, examines a passenger vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrea Anderson)
Ensign Patricia Carrow, a Coast Guard vessel inspector, examines a passenger vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrea Anderson)

The Coast Guard will begin posting monthly data vessel deficiency reports on domestic and foreign vessels on the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) website in an Excel file format. Access to data such as common vessel deficiencies or marine casualty occurrences can inform vessel owners and operators of current trends on similar vessels. Armed with this information, vessel owners and operators may proactively take action to identify potential deficiencies on board their vessel and improve safety.

For years, the Port State Information Exchange (PSIX) XML data service has provided a means for the public to access large quantities of Coast Guard vessel deficiency and marine casualty data. However, XML data service requires a level of programming knowledge that can make it difficult for the average user to access the information. Continue reading “US Coast Guard vessel deficiency reports to be posted monthly”

Lloyd’s Register and UK P&I Club launch new Port State Control checklist app

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Lloyd’s Register and UK P&I Club launch new Port State Control checklist app
Lloyd’s Register and UK P&I Club launch new Port State Control checklist app

Lloyd’s Register (LR) and UK P&I Club have released a new and improved Port State Control (PSC) checklist app. The app helps ensure that ship personnel are trained in how to inspect, maintain and operate life-saving equipment and that equipment is ready for use at all times. The app also includes a list of common deficiencies to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and help reduce the risk of PSC detentions.

The full list of checklists featured include ILO MLC, ISM & ISPS, Life Saving Appliances, Marine Fire Safety, Marine Pollution Prevention and Port State Control into one, easy-to-use app. Checklists on the new and improved app are continuously updated to reflect new or amended legislation as it comes into force, so users remain up to date. Continue reading “Lloyd’s Register and UK P&I Club launch new Port State Control checklist app”

UK to establish regulatory framework for autonomous shipping

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Department of Transport Logo - UK aspirations to establish regulatory framework for autonomous shipping become clearer
UK aspirations to establish regulatory framework for autonomous shipping become clearer

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has announced it is set to ‘unleash the UK’s potential as a world leader in future technologies’ with proposals to support the development of autonomous ships and shipping. The UK government is proposing to amend the current legal framework to take powers in primary legislation to regulate all Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) regardless of size, including craft that would not traditionally be considered ships.

The benefits of this approach would be to:
Continue reading “UK to establish regulatory framework for autonomous shipping”

Canal & River Trust wages battle to overcome invasive weeds in the Lancaster Canal

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Canal & River Trust wages battle to overcome invasive weeds in the Lancaster Canal
Canal & River Trust wages battle to overcome invasive weeds in the Lancaster Canal

Throughout the summer and early autumn, a combination of warm weather, sunshine and extra nitrates from agricultural run-off create perfect growing conditions for duckweed, water fern, common reeds and Canadian waterweed and our canals can become overcome with invasive weeds. These fast-growing plants are spread by passing boats, canoeists, paddle boarders, anglers’ nets and walkers’ muddy boots and, left undisturbed, can form a thick green carpet on the water. This can then cause problems for boat engines, and its solid appearance makes it a potential danger for children and animals. Hotspots for the invasive weeds are low flow areas around the Lancaster Canal, Garstang, Cabus Nook, north Preston, Radcliffe Wharf and Woodplumpton.

Continue reading “Canal & River Trust wages battle to overcome invasive weeds in the Lancaster Canal”

New US bill proposes reforming liability for maritime accident compensation

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A fireman in front of a burning boat - Photo credit: Ventura County Fire Dept
Photo credit: Ventura County Fire Dept

A bill has been introduced before the US Congress designed to reform the 170-year-old regulation that limits maritime accident compensation. The effort is being led by California’s Congressman Salud Carbajal and Senator Dianne Feinstein and has been written to be retroactive to cover the 2019 fire aboard the dive boat Conception, which killed 34 people off the California coast.

The Carbajal-Feinstein bill updates an 1851 law that can prevent maritime accident victims and their families from receiving compensation from those responsible for the accident. Under the terms of the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, boat owners can limit their liability tothe value of the vessel after the accident. The sponsors of the new bill said according to the current legislation the owner of the Conception dive boat may not be held financially liable for any losses incurred as a result of the fire – including loss of life – because the boat had no value after it was destroyed. The Conception was declared a total loss after the 2019 fire. Continue reading “New US bill proposes reforming liability for maritime accident compensation”

Beware the challenges of surveying inland waterways craft

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IIMS President speaks out: Beware the challenges of surveying steel hull inland waterways craft – and other considerations
IIMS President speaks out: Beware the challenges of surveying steel hull inland waterways craft – and other considerations

IIMS President, Geoff Waddington, has spoken out passionately in light of a number of issues that are causing concern regarding the survey of steel hull inland waterways craft, steel narrowboats and barges in the UK particularly. His advice, however, is good practice for surveyors working around the world. The result is a helpful pdf document that can be downloaded and retained as a reference source (see below).

Geoff takes up the story:

I admit that I have only limited experience of inland waterways craft. My career in the marine industry started over fifty years ago on ships. Over the last forty years of surveying both large and small craft, I have been involved with the new construction of a wide beam barge, fitting out of a narrowboat, insurance investigations involving narrowboats and small, steel inland waterways craft, and of course many GRP motor cruisers designed for both use on inland waterways and RCD CE CAT B vessels, which were in use on inland waterways. Continue reading “Beware the challenges of surveying inland waterways craft”

Maritime UK launches its Coastal Powerhouse Manifesto

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Maritime UKs Coastal Powerhouse Manifesto is available to read now
Maritime UKs Coastal Powerhouse Manifesto is available to read now

Maritime UK and the Local Government Association Coastal Special Interest Group (LGA Coastal SIG) have urged the UK government to come up with a clear strategy to stem the brain drain by launching a new Coastal Powerhouse Manifesto.

The Coastal Powerhouse Manifesto sets out proposals to boost connectivity to the rest of the country, extend freeport benefits to all coastal areas, install a shore power network across the coast to charge tomorrow’s Teslas of the seas, and develop new skills in coastal communities, including digital skills.

Maritime UK chair, Sarah Kenny, said, “There is nothing inevitable about coastal decline. These areas are Britain’s gateway to the world Continue reading “Maritime UK launches its Coastal Powerhouse Manifesto”

Steamship Mutual: alert about exhaust gas scrubber system

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Alert issued for surveyors by Steamship Mutual about corrosion in the exhaust gas scrubber system
Alert issued for surveyors by Steamship Mutual about corrosion in the exhaust gas scrubber system

Steamship Mutual had published a risk alert to highlight the issues around the corrosion in the exhaust gas scrubber system. According to Vijay Rao, Loss Prevention at Steamship Mutual, corrosion in the exhaust gas scrubber system is a recognised issue requiring adequate corrosion protection measures to be in place in the installation. Despite this several cases of acidic corrosion within the scrubber discharge piping system have been reported and this is an increasing cause for concern.

Steamship Mutal notes that of particular concern is the case of severe corrosion in the section of the discharge piping outboard of the scrubber overboard valve – the distance piece. Wastage and failure of this piping section could, in worst case scenario, lead to flooding of the engine room. Continue reading “Steamship Mutual: alert about exhaust gas scrubber system”

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