Ships carrying heavy fuel oil cargoes subject to ongoing condition surveys

Libya releases tanker carrying fuel to rival government
Libya releases tanker carrying fuel to rival government

In order to improve ship standards, the International Group of P&I Clubs has said it will continue to conduct survey triggers for seagoing vessels of 10 years of age or more carrying heavy fuel oil cargoes.

As a result, all sea-going vessels that are 10 years old or more and have carried heavy fuel oil as cargo within the previous 12 months will be subject to condition survey, unless:

– The vessel has undergone a P&I club condition survey during the previous 12 months.
– The vessel has undergone a Special Survey during the previous 6 months.
– The vessel has a valid Condition Assessment Program (CAP) rating of 1 or 2 with a classification society having membership in the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

Operators should have in mind that a declaration is now required so that Continue reading “Ships carrying heavy fuel oil cargoes subject to ongoing condition surveys”

UK P&I Club releases a detailed guidance report on packing dangerous goods for carriage by sea

UK P&I Club releases a detailed guidance report on packing dangerous goods for carriage by sea
UK P&I Club releases a detailed guidance report on packing dangerous goods for carriage by sea

As accidents involving dangerous goods continue to occur with regularity at sea, the UK P&I Club has published a comprehensive guide running to more than 100 pages to support operators who pack dangerous goods into cargo units for onward transportation by sea.

As part of the new guide, UK P&I Club makes the following points and advice:
– Improper packing practices and loads not properly secured increase the number of accidents across the supply chain and have as a result caused damages, loss and injuries, both on land and at sea.
– There is a lack of guidance regarding personnel working in the cargo handling industry. That is where the Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU) becomes relevant. The CTU provides information regarding packing cargo in containers, in order to comply with the requirements of sea and land transport.
– Classification of dangerous goods: The first key task for an operator is to make sure that the dangerous goods on board have the correct UN classification.
– Selection of Continue reading “UK P&I Club releases a detailed guidance report on packing dangerous goods for carriage by sea”

Operators and surveyors urged to test cargo hold’s bilge system to minimise claims

Operators and surveyors urged to test cargo hold bilge systems to minimise claims
Operators and surveyors urged to test cargo hold bilge systems to minimise claims

The UK P&I Club has reminded those working in the marine industry that significant insurance damage claims can result if a bulk cargo is damaged due to the leakage of the bilge system into a loaded bulk cargo hold.

To reduce the chance of such cargo damage, operators and surveyors are advised to inspect and test the cargo hold bilge system as part of the routine pre-loading checks of the cargo holds.

Inspection and testing of cargo hold bilge system non-return valves should be included in routine pre-loading checks of the holds. These non-return valves may not be seated tightly, because of the Continue reading “Operators and surveyors urged to test cargo hold’s bilge system to minimise claims”

Autonomous vessels – the challenges and opportunities in design

Autonomous vessels – the challenges and opportunities in design
Autonomous vessels – the challenges and opportunities in design

Automation presents a set of unique challenges to designers, insurers and operators of ships. In this article, reprinted from the Shipowners P&I Club website Keir Gravil, a naval architect at Frazer-Nash Consultancy in Bristol, UK discusses some of the key issues that could face automated ships of the future from a design perspective.

It is a truth recognised by many industries that the future of transportation lies with greater automation. Over the last 50 years we have seen huge changes not only in shipping, but in every form of transportation and vehicle. Aircraft now incorporate automation routinely on flights around the world, cars are being developed to drive themselves and many railways have been totally automated for some time. As each step in the evolution of transportation progresses, the human element of control is reduced or eliminated altogether. But what of shipping? Surely an industry the size and scope of international shipping faces unique challenges in the realm of automation?

The background
It is often the job of ship designers, especially those in the naval defence industry, to think ahead and anticipate future technological changes. One could argue that Continue reading “Autonomous vessels – the challenges and opportunities in design”

Improper maintenance could have cost the lives of two surveyors says UK P&I Club case study

Photo credit: UK P&I Club
Photo credit: UK P&I Club

In UK P&I Club’s latest ‘Lessons Learned’ series of case studies, Captain David Nichol presents the case regarding improper ventilation after a maintenance operation, which could have led to the deaths of two surveyors during a third party survey on the emergency fire pump.

About the incident
During a third party survey, the surveyor made a request to test the emergency fire pump, which was arranged with the assistance of the chief engineer. The emergency fire pump was located in a recessed well in the steering gear compartment, approximately 3 metres deep and accessed by an inclined stairway. At the start of the test, the surveyor asked to observe the pump being started locally and operating before proceeding on deck to check the hoses rigged fore and aft.

Shortly after descending into the fire pump well, the chief engineer urgently ordered the surveyors to get out and by the time both men reached the steering compartment deck, they were Continue reading “Improper maintenance could have cost the lives of two surveyors says UK P&I Club case study”

Cargo damage caused by leaking hatch covers

Cargo damage caused by leaking hatch covers
Cargo damage caused by leaking hatch covers

The Swedish P&I Club has described the case of cargo damage on a bulk carrier caused by water ingress, as a result of the poor condition of hatch covers.

The incident
The bulk carrier had seven cargo holds which had been fully loaded with soybeans. The vessel had side rolling cargo hatch covers. For six days, the vessel encountered heavy weather of force 9 on the Beaufort scale, causing the vessel to pitch and roll heavily. The cargo hatch covers were repeatedly washed over by seawater.

All hatch covers were opened when the vessel was at anchor and waiting for an available berth. This was to ensure the vessel was gas free since fumigation had been carried out in all cargo holds at the loading port. When the cargo hatch covers were removed, it was found that Continue reading “Cargo damage caused by leaking hatch covers”

Bilge system back-flow causes significant cargo damage

Bilge system back-flow causes significant cargo damage
Bilge system back-flow causes significant cargo damage

Writing in the latest publication by UK P&I Club, Captain David Nichol cites a case history describing a cargo damage case involving a bulk carrier caused by insufficient maintenance of the bilge system valves and the crew’s wrong estimation of the ingress alarm system.

The incident
Prior to loading a full cargo of bulk minerals the cargo holds were cleaned and tested successfully for watertight integrity. In addition, the efficient operation of the cargo hold bilge pumping system and water ingress alarms was also verified. A few days after departure from the loading port, the water ingress alarm for no.2 cargo hold was activated. However, when the hold bilges were sounded by the crew, they appeared to be dry and it was therefore assumed that the ingress alarm system was defective. Daily hold bilge soundings continued to give no cause for concern. At the discharge port, wet cargo was revealed at Continue reading “Bilge system back-flow causes significant cargo damage”

Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season

Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season
Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season

The Gard P&I Club has published an an alert drawing attention to the Asian Gypsy Moth, the destructive forest pest that is known to spread via ocean-going vessels in international trade. In the alert Gard has highlighted that Australia has heightened vessel surveillance for Asian Gypsy Moth and in New Zealand is introducing new requirements from 1 February 2018.

Therefore, vessels calling at certain ports in Asia Pacific between May and September should be inspected and certified free of Asian Gypsy Moth prior to departure. These inspections are undertaken to minimize the potential for regulatory action when arriving in a country where the pest is not native.

According to Gard, countries currently known to regulate and inspect arriving vessels for Asian Gypsy Moth are: Continue reading “Gard P&I Club warns about forthcoming Asian Gypsy Moth season”

California’s ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations

California's ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations
California’s ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations

Gard, a leading P&I insurer, has reminded shipowners and other involved parties that they should take care to comply with the requirements of California’s Marine Invasive Species Program (MISP). These regulations extend beyond IMO and US Coast Guard requirements for ballast water to address the risks posed by hull biofouling, which can also carry invasives.

According to the new regulations, after each newbuild’s delivery or after each existing vessel’s next regularly scheduled dry docking, the operator must implement a vessel-specific Biofouling Management Plan and Biofouling Record Book consistent with the best practices found in the IMO Biofouling Guidelines. These two documents must be Continue reading “California’s ports are now subject to new biofouling regulations”

Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers

Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers
Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers

The International Group of P&I Clubs (IG Clubs) and the shipping line members of the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) have issued a revised version of the guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers.

The Guidelines were first issued in May 2016, with version 2.0 of the Guidelines issued in January 2017 to take account of the package limit of 100lb drums under US measurement as well as the package limit of 45kg net weight.

The Guidelines can be considered Continue reading “Updated guidelines for the carriage of calcium hypochlorite in containers”

Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club

Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club
Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club

The majority of all auxiliary engine damage takes place immediately after maintenance work according to an investigation by The Swedish Club. A key finding in their investigation is that 55% of casualties occur within only 10% of the time between overhaul corresponding to the first 1,000 hours or so of operation after overhaul. In most cases, the damage occurs only a few hours after start up, the Club noted.

The report, Auxiliary Engine Damage, also finds that container vessels have a significantly higher claims frequency due to Continue reading “Auxiliary engine damage is mostly caused by human error says Swedish Club”

The importance of cargo ventilation news bulletin issued by Japan P&I Club

Photo credit: Japan P&I Club who have issued a news bulletin about the cargo ventilation
Photo credit: Japan P&I Club who have issued a news bulletin about the cargo ventilation

The Japan P&I Club has recently published a news bulletin. It highlights the importance of cargo ventilation, the introduction of air into and through the cargo space and the exhausting of the in-hold air.

Cargo ventilation may be needed in order to ensure that there is a sufficient oxygen supply for safe personnel entry into the cargo space. In addition, ventilation can remove poisonous and flammable gases which could give rise to a dangerous situation.

These gases might be produced by the cargo itself, e.g. evolution of carbon monoxide from a heating coal cargo, or they may originate from another external source, e.g. phosphine gas evolution during cargo fumigation.

Continue reading “The importance of cargo ventilation news bulletin issued by Japan P&I Club”

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