The International Group of P&I Clubs together with The Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) has published a new guide with advise on the safe carriage of charcoal and carbon cargoes.
According to data, the local production of wood charcoal and carbon for domestic and export markets is about 53 million tonnes per year. These cargoes need to comply with the IMDG Code compliance and the aim of the guide is to highlight additional precautions to enhance their safe carriage.
The US Coast Guard has issued an interim safety alert to address its concerns regarding vessel stability and watertight integrity, especially in light of a recent marine casualty in the Bering Sea that resulted in multiple fatalities and the total loss of the fishing vessel involved.
Although the investigation is not complete, testimony and fact finding indicate that vessel owners, operators, and crews should give special consideration to vessel stability concerns.
As a result, USCG suggests that operators and crew should seek out opportunities to further their knowledge of stability via courses, training, workshops, and visits from Naval Architects. They should also take advantage of other various initiatives, both mandatory and Continue reading “Safety alert issued about vessel stability and watertight integrity following fatalities”
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) has published its investigation report concerning the cargo handling fatality of two workers onboard the cargo vessel ‘BBC ASIA’. The incident happened in October 2016 at Hanshin Port. The report provides a description of what happened and provides important safety issues to prevent similar accidents in the future.
The incident
The accident occurred at around 11:31 on October 30, 2016, on the cargo ship BBC ASIA when, during work to load pipes with a crane at Shinko East Quay T Wharf, Kobe Section, Hanshin Port, three workers who were working in a cargo hold were caught between pipes being hoisted by the crane and a side wall. Two of the workers were killed and one was seriously injured.
Continue reading “Cargo handling fatality report and recommendation issued by JTSB”
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its investigation report into the grounding of the tanker Bow Singapore in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, in August 2016, highlighting both procedural and maintenance issues as contributing to the accident.
On August 19, 2016, a Port Phillip Sea Pilot boarded the vessel. The pilot was to conduct the ship through The Rip and the South Channel to an anchorage in the northern part of Port Phillip.
Continue reading “Poor maintenance led to steering failure and grounding of the Bow Singapore”
The US Coast Guard has published the SS EL FARO Marine Board of Investigation report, which includes a detailed account of the accident along with the MBI’s conclusions on contributing factors and recommendations. The loss of the US flagged cargo vessel EL FARO, along with its 33 member crew, ranks as one of the worst maritime disasters in US history, and resulted in the highest death toll from a US commercial vessel sinking in almost 40 years.
Continue reading “Final report into the loss of EL FARO is published by USCG”
A six metre long model of the final design of the autonomous and zero emission container vessel “Yara Birkeland” was launched in SINTEF Ocean’s sea laboratory in Trondheim, Norway, on 28 September.
In May, Yara announced the partnership with technology company Kongsberg to build the world’s first electric container ship.
The vessel will be built and put to use late 2018, as part of Yara International’s logistics value chain at the plant in Porsgrunn, Norway. The project is a collaboration between Yara and KongsbergGruppen, a Norwegian technology company.
Continue reading “Yara Birkeland autonomous and zero emission vessel test model design demonstrated”
On the 8th September 2017 the International Convention of the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) entered into force. With a few exceptions, according to Seagull Maritime, it will apply to all ships in international trade beginning in 2017 and fully implemented in 2024.
Complex in parts, there are a number of conditions that officers must meet in order to avoid problems in relation to topics such as Port State inspections. In essence, existing ships MUST comply with the convention. This means that the ballast water must be exchanged on the journey if a treatment system is not installed.Vessels must also be equipped with a International Ballast Water Management Certificate (or statement of compliance) and an approved ship-specific Ballast Water Management Plan.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) has published a technical alert aimed at highlighting some major deficiencies related to fuel oil quick closing valves, which it has observed during Port State Control inspections. These deficiencies are considered of importance and often lead to detention.
Quick closing valves are fitted to oil tanks so that in the event of a fire they can be safely closed from a remote location to stop the supply of fuel to the fire. These valves may be operated remotely by pull wires, hydraulics, compressed air, etc.
Continue reading “Beware of fuel oil quick closing valve deficiencies”
The Marine Safety Investigation Unit has issued an investigation report on the fatality of a crew member on board the Maltese registered container ship, Sydney Trader, off Port Limits Anchorage, Hong Kong that occurred in September 2016. The report, (which can be downloaded below), provides a description of what happened and the safety conclusions and recommendations.
The incident
The Maltese registered container vessel Sydney Trader had been anchored OPL at Hong Kong, China since 19 June 2016, awaiting orders for the next charter. At 0730, on 02 September 2016, the chief mate instructed the bosun to continue routine maintenance work in cargo hold no. 2. The chief mate also confirmed that all the Safety Management System (SMS) risk assessments and Permit to Work forms had been completed and signed before the bosun left the bridge at 0750. Continue reading “Wire failure results in fatality onboard Sydney Trader”
A combination of ever larger container vessels, coupled with a number of recent fires onboard boxships has caused the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) to call for better firefighting systems. IUMI is concerned that current provisions are inadequate. Consequently it and has published a paper calling for better onboard firefighting systems specifically for container vessels.
Whilst IUMI expressly welcomes the 2014 amendment to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to increase the effectiveness of firefighting, the association believes more should be done to prevent fires onboard boxships.
Continue reading “Following recent fires onboard boxships, IUMI urges improved firefighting systems”
According to a new warning issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), it says that bauxite could become unstable when carried in bulk onboard a ship, potentially resulting in the vessel capsizing.
Bauxite is one of the world’s major sources of aluminium with around 100 million tonnes transported annually by sea. In 2015, a bulk carrier sank while transporting, with the loss of 18 seafarers. Research presented this week to an IMO Sub-Committee found that certain forms of bauxite with a large proportion of smaller particles could be subject to a newly-identified phenomenon of “dynamic separation” when there is excess moisture in the cargo.
Continue reading “IMO highlights hazard of bauxite ship cargo”
At the 98th Session of its Maritime Safety Committee earlier this year, IMO plans to enshrine a range of amendments in to the guidelines relating to abandon ship drills using lifeboats with the aim of reducing related accidents.
The Committee approved the Guidelines on safety during abandon ship drills using lifeboats, following the amalgamation of annex 1 to the Measures to prevent accidents with lifeboats and the Interim Recommendation on conditions for authorization of service providers for lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear in the Requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.
Continue reading “IMO updates guidelines for abandon ship drills using lifeboats”
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