IIMS joins forces with four other leading organisations to form the Maritime Professional Council of the UK to influence lawmakers

The logo of the newly formed Maritime Professional Council of the UK
The logo of the newly formed Maritime Professional Council of the UK

Shipping and boating are going through huge technological changes, but the industry’s professional bodies say their expertise needs to be listened to when policy decisions are made in this vital sector. To make this easier five professional bodies have formed the Maritime Professional Council of the UK to make sure policymakers are aware of the considered professional opinions of those with the qualifications, expertise and experience to provide informed advice on the many policy decisions that need to be made.

The Council will bring together the collective voices of the United Kingdom based professional organisations for the British Merchant Navy and associated maritime industry. It will promote professionalism within the industry and offer expert opinion on maritime matters to the Continue reading “IIMS joins forces with four other leading organisations to form the Maritime Professional Council of the UK to influence lawmakers”

Collision prevention guidelines to protect fishing vessels in Chinese coastal waters issued

Following two collisions involving Bahamian ships resulting in 24 fatalities in 2018-2019 and in view of the summer fishing ban lifting on 16 August, the Bahamas Maritime Authority has published collision prevention guidelines to be issued by the China Maritime Safety Administration on the prevention of collisions between merchant ships and fishing vessels in Chinese coastal waters.

Collisions between merchant ships and fishing vessels and fishing fleet support vessels in Chinese coastal waters continue to result in a large number of fatalities. Continue reading “Collision prevention guidelines to protect fishing vessels in Chinese coastal waters issued”

Safe loading of containers on vessels other than container ships

The P&I Club, Steamship Mutual, has received a number of enquiries concerning the carriage of containers on vessels not primarily designed to carry containers on deck and/or inside cargo holds, such as bulk carriers and general cargo vessels
The P&I Club, Steamship Mutual, has received a number of enquiries concerning the carriage of containers on vessels not primarily designed to carry containers on deck and/or inside cargo holds, such as bulk carriers and general cargo vessels

The P&I Club, Steamship Mutual, has received a number of enquiries concerning the carriage of containers on vessels not primarily designed to carry containers on deck and/or inside cargo holds, such as bulk carriers and general cargo vessels. The Club is aware of at least one instance where carriage of containers in this manner on a bulk carrier has resulted in a container stack collapse within the hold, necessitating a return to port in order to restow the containers.

Steamship Mutual has issued this guidance concerning the risks presented by such operations and to draw attention to the need to ensure that a ship is suitable for the safe loading, carriage and discharge of the cargo and is equipped with the appropriate means of securing such cargo. The note identifies some of the primary information gathering and reporting necessary for considering such activities, along with other considerations of due diligence and risk assessment to mitigate and minimise the potential risks. Continue reading “Safe loading of containers on vessels other than container ships”

Joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign on vessel stability to be undertaken

Container ship - Image credit: Paris and Tokyo MOUs
Image credit: Paris and Tokyo MOUs

Member authorities of the Tokyo and the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control are to launch a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on vessel stability. It will be held for three months, commencing from September 1, 2021, and ending November 30, 2021, and inspectors will examine specific areas related to the campaign in conjunction with the regular Port State Control inspection.

The purposes of the campaign are:

– to confirm that the ship’s crew are familiar with assessing the actual stability condition on completion of cargo operations before departure of the ship and on all stages of the voyage;
– to create awareness among the ship’s crew and owners about the importance of calculating the actual stability condition of the ship on completion of cargo operations and before departure of the ship; and
– to verify that the ship complies with intact stability requirements (and damage stability requirements, if applicable) under the relevant IMO instruments. Continue reading “Joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign on vessel stability to be undertaken”

Cargo Integrity Group calls for risk-based measures to prevent pest contamination

COA, ICHA, Golbal Shipping Forum, TTV and World Shipping Council logoThe international freight transport organisations of the Cargo Integrity Group are calling for urgent action from actors in global supply chains to reduce the risk of pest transference through international cargo movements. The five partners in the Cargo Integrity Group, known as CIG, recognise the vital importance of focusing on the threat of invasive pests to natural resources across the world, and of the urgency in crafting risk reduction measures that address the situation.

This call to action follows the intentions by pest control experts under the auspices of the International Plant Protection Convention Continue reading “Cargo Integrity Group calls for risk-based measures to prevent pest contamination”

Guidelines for fuel oil sampling and designated sampling points

Guidelines for fuel oil sampling and designated sampling points
Guidelines for fuel oil sampling and designated sampling points

During MEPC-75 meeting, that was held in November-2020, new amendments to MARPOL Annex VI were adopted through Resolution MEPC.324(75). These amendments will enter into force on 1 April 2022. It introduces new requirements for fuel oil sampling points and outline methods for sampling fuel oil to validate its sulphur content.

Essentially, there are three types of fuel oil samples as defined in the IMO guidelines:
-sample of the fuel delivered to the ship during the bunker operation, i.e. ‘MARPOL delivered sample’ (MEPC.182(59))
– sample of the fuel oil in use on a ship, i.e. ‘in-use sample’ (MEPC.1/Circ.864/Rev.1) Continue reading “Guidelines for fuel oil sampling and designated sampling points”

Autonomous ships and safety at sea white paper published

Autonomous ships and safety at sea white paper published
Autonomous ships and safety at sea white paper published

One Sea, the industry alliance that brings together leading exponents of autonomous ship technology, has published an autonomous ships and safety at sea white paper

The paper examines the safety advances achieved by and expected from autonomous ship technology, with the aim of driving the consultative process forward towards a revised set of maritime regulations. It considers today’s safety framework, cybersecurity, views from ship owners and operators, consequences for labour and insurance, and the classification implications for varying levels of autonomy, before offering a proposal for next steps by the industry.

Continue reading “Autonomous ships and safety at sea white paper published”

Shipping: Does location matter anymore?

A nap with a small boat next to the pin logoFor centuries the great port cities analysed in the recent Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index report were built on the confluence of trade, people and ideas. Centred around ships and the presence of their owners, managers and charterers, maritime clusters steadily grew across Europe, Asia and the Americas. A combination of talent, time-zone, geography, expertise and government policies has helped locations such as Singapore, London and Shanghai thrive. Successful clusters combine the experience and size of established companies with the energy and drive of smaller and start-up firms. Collectively they have consistently delivered innovation, jobs and tax receipts.

But has the successful shift to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic ruptured the maritime business cluster concept forever? Will like-minded and complementary as well as competing businesses operating in the same field continue to see the advantage of co-locating in the same expensive business districts? Has the theory of clustering, which describes the economic advantages of the concentration of specialised industries in a single location, been overturned by a brave new world of remote meetings and home working? Or will we see a swift return to business as usual and offices in maritime clusters fill up again with shipbrokers, tech-specialists, financiers, insurers and lawyers when the pandemic ebbs? Continue reading “Shipping: Does location matter anymore?”

Australia imposes container fumigation rules for Khapra beetle

Khapra Beetle diagramWith effect from 12 July 2021, the Australian authorities have introduced new fumigation requirements for containers coming from a total of 40 high-risk countries, in a bid to tackle Khapra beetle infestation. The Khapra Beetle has been identified by Australia as a major biosecurity risk. It feeds on grains and other dry foodstuffs, causing damage to the production while also infesting goods with larval skins and hairs that are difficult to remove.

According to data provided by the North P&I Club, containers from 40 designated countries, as listed by the Department for Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE), must undergo treatment to prevent the migration of this invasive species – using methyl bromide, heat Continue reading “Australia imposes container fumigation rules for Khapra beetle”

Cargo tank explosion and fire on chemical tanker Stolt Groenland report published

Cargo tank explosion and fire on chemical tanker Stolt Groenland report published
Cargo tank explosion and fire on chemical tanker Stolt Groenland report published

On 28 September 2019, a cargo tank containing styrene monomer on board the MAIC (Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands) registered chemical tanker Stolt Groenland ruptured due to runaway polymerisation. The catastrophic rupture released a large quantity of vapour to the atmosphere, and it subsequently ignited. Fire-fighting efforts by the emergency services took over six hours and involved more than 700 personnel and 117 units of fire trucks, pumps and fire tugs.

The rupture of the styrene monomer tank resulted from a runaway polymerisation that was initiated by elevated temperatures caused by heat transfer from other chemical cargoes. The elevated temperatures caused the inhibitor, added to prevent the chemical’s polymerisation during the voyage, to deplete more rapidly than expected. Athough the styrene monomer had not been stowed directly adjacent to heated Continue reading “Cargo tank explosion and fire on chemical tanker Stolt Groenland report published”

Guidelines for the shipment of vegetable and edible oil cargoes

Edible oil cargoes are one of the most common types to be involved in cargo claims
Edible oil cargoes are one of the most common types to be involved in cargo claims

The Swedish Club has published guidelines for the shipment of vegetable and edible oil cargoes in an attempt to assist operators in the of their vessels. According to the Club, vegetable and edible oil is one of the most common types of cargo involved in cargo claims.

Edible oil cargoes are commonly shipped under FOFSA contracts. Not only does FOSFA provide guidance regarding contracts covering goods being shipped, but also offers advice regarding cargo tank inspections and assessing tank suitability for carriage of products shipped under FOSFA contracts.

These are covered in the FOSFA ‘Combined Masters certificate’ and FOSFA ‘Certificate of compliance, cleanliness and suitability of vessel’s Continue reading “Guidelines for the shipment of vegetable and edible oil cargoes”

RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items

RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items
RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has published a Marine Safety Advisory notice. In it RMI stresses the importance of properly inspecting and maintaining all immersion suits, following a number of recent cases of defective equipment found onboard RMI flagged vessels.

Since 2019, when RMI shared a marine safety advisory focusing on the importance of following the manufacturer’s instructions for maintaining immersion suits, there have been multiple additional instances of defective or improperly maintained suits on RMI-flagged vessels, one of which resulted in a PSC detention by the US Coast Guard. In that case, “29 of 32 immersion suits were unserviceable due to unsealed seams,” and these suits were only five years old.

On a second occasion during a flag State inspection, an inspector found 38 out of 39 immersion suits not fit for use. In this case, the Continue reading “RMI recommends all immersion suits to be checked rather than spot checks following a number of defective items”

Instagram Posts from the IIMS @iimsmarine

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

Show details
Performance & Marketing Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages. This also helps us optimise our marketing campaigns. User data sent to Google Analytics may be used for ad personalization and measurement of our ad campaigns. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Show details