UK News

Sea Start: Record engine failures as owners fail to prepare

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Record high of engine failures reported to Sea Start
Record high of engine failures reported to Sea Start

The UK’s marine assistance breakdown service Sea Start has experienced one of its busiest periods, with call outs to engine breakdowns at sea amongst the busiest on record.

It’s blaming owners’ “desperate rush to feel freedom” overshadowing much of the normal spring preparation made by conscientious owners.

“The boating population have left their berths en masse,” observes founder and MD, Nick Eales, of Sea Start. “We have received a record number of call outs, many of them to report quite serious failures. It’s not a Continue reading “Sea Start: Record engine failures as owners fail to prepare”

IWA: Inland waterways heritage loss needs to stop urges new report

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IWA has launched the first part of a two-part report
IWA has launched the first part of a two-part report

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has launched the first part of a two-part report which aims to highlight the significance of waterways heritage across the UK. The report is part of the IWAs on-going campaign to protect waterways heritage, the need for which was uncovered as part of their ‘Value of Inland Waterways’ report authored by Nicki Schiessel Harvey, which launched last year.

IWA has joined forces with the Historic Narrow Boat Club, National Historic Ships UK and the Railway & Canal Historical Society, who have endorsed the report, and with Historic England who has provided support and research evidence.

The report is focusing on the need for better protection of waterways heritage assets but is also calling on Continue reading “IWA: Inland waterways heritage loss needs to stop urges new report”

INTERCARGO publishes Bulk Carrier Casualty Report

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INTERCARGO publishes Bulk Carrier Casualty Report
INTERCARGO publishes Bulk Carrier Casualty Report

The INTERCARGO Bulk Carrier Casualty Report provides an analysis of casualty statistics covering the years 2010 to 2019. Over that period, thirty-nine bulk carriers with 173 seafarers were reported lost, based on available reports of total losses and constructive total losses from public sources and IMO’s GISIS.

Cargo shift and/or liquefaction has been one of the greatest concerns for the safe carriage of dry bulk over Continue reading “INTERCARGO publishes Bulk Carrier Casualty Report”

UK P&I Club publish Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections

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Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections published by UK P&I Club
Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections published by UK P&I Club

The UK P&I club has published a risk identification guide entitled ‘Risk awareness passenger claims: Passenger ships and ferries – injury and illness – an aid to risk identification and loss reduction’. This essential booklet is a guide to the controls and key points that the UK Club’s Risk Assessors look for when inspecting a vessel.

It will allow you to carry out a similar check on the Threats and Controls and to make sure the vessel has a good risk profile.

Each Threat is followed by a ‘score’ section where the individual Controls can be graded according to how effective they are: Continue reading “UK P&I Club publish Risk identification guide for commercial vessel inspections”

RYA leads call for limited and controlled access to marinas

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RYA Logo
RYA Logo

With the current COVID-19 pandemic forcing the country into lockdown, the Royal Yachting Aassociation has received a considerable number of enquiries from concerned members who are not able to gain access to their boats now that most marinas have controlled access.

RYA is acutely aware that their members currently have valid concerns about the inability to undertake checks in respect of security and essential maintenance. In response, the RYA is writing to key Government Ministers seeking definitive guidance that will give a clear and practical way forward to give owners immediate access to their boats whilst respecting current measures to control COVID-19.

Continue reading “RYA leads call for limited and controlled access to marinas”

Red diesel future for boaters in the UK

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The future of red diesel for boaters in the UK
The future of red diesel for boaters in the UK

The Cruising Association’s Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS) has been in communication with HMRC and confirmed, as a result of the March Budget Statement, that it is their intention to legislate that red diesel in the United Kingdom can only be used in agricultural equipment, on the railways and for non-commercial heating from 1st April 2022.

Since the propulsion of waterborne craft does not fit into these categories, it is HMRC’s intention that they will have to use white diesel for this purpose. The duty on white diesel for boats will be the same as the full rate paid on white road diesel in the UK. This means that the present so called ’60/40′ fuel duty split will disappear but commercial vessels, such as fishing boats, will still be able to claim a rebate on the full rate through their ‘Marine Voyages Relief’ scheme.

HMRC are exploring the issues involved in introducing a scheme that allows private pleasure craft to pay Continue reading “Red diesel future for boaters in the UK”

Static towing assembly guidelines published by OCIMF

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Static towing assembly guidelines published
Static towing assembly guidelines published

Static towing assembly guidelines: This information paper supplements the OCIMF publication Guidelines to Offshore Tanker Operations (GOTO) and should be read along with the relevant guidance for static towing operations.

The purpose of this information paper is to provide technical guidance on selecting fit for purpose towing assemblies that minimise risk of injury to crew members or damage to equipment, and to optimise the effectiveness of static towing operations.

This paper discusses the technical factors that tug operators should consider, in collaboration with terminal operators, when selecting the components of towing assemblies for static towing operations at both Single Point Mooring (SPM) and Floating (Production) Storage and Offloading(F(P)SO) terminals.

The recommendations in this information paper come from extensive industry data gathering and a Continue reading “Static towing assembly guidelines published by OCIMF”

Workboat Association publishes a Coronavirus Good Practice Guide

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COVID-19 Good Practice Guide for Workboats published by the Workboat Association
COVID-19 Good Practice Guide for Workboats published by the Workboat Association

A new COVID-19 Good Practice Guide for Workboats has been published by the Workboat Association to help minimise the spread of COVID-19, protect people’s health and maximise efficiency when responding to an COVID-19-related emergency situation.

The Workboat Association Good Practice Guide says:

It is recommended that Workboat Operators implement the following controls within their organisations to minimise the spread of COVID-19 on board and within the workplace, protect the health of employees [seafarers], passengers and public, and to maximise efficiency when responding to an emergency situation related to COVID-19.

This Good Practice Guide has been created based upon the current industry best practice and guidance Continue reading “Workboat Association publishes a Coronavirus Good Practice Guide”

MCA approach to survey and certification of UK vessels during COVID-19 covered by MIN 612

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MIN 612 details the MCA approach to survey and certification of UK vessels during COVID-19
MIN 612 details the MCA approach to survey and certification of UK vessels during COVID-19

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has published MIN 612, a marine information notice which sets out the policy of the MCA with respect to UK Vessels which are prevented from arranging the relevant surveys, inspections and audits required for compliance with the appropriate Statutory Instruments due to the current pandemic.

In MIN 612 the MCA sets out contingency plans to mitigate disruption to essential statutory activities during the current pandemic. The aim of the notice is to provide a basis for the continued operation of UK vessels during this time.

Continue reading “MCA approach to survey and certification of UK vessels during COVID-19 covered by MIN 612”

Disability badge scheme for boaters developed by CRT

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CRT disability badge
CRT disability badge

Following the rumours that the Canal & River Trust (CRT) was considering a boating equivalent of the disabled blue badges (disability badge) seen in UK car windows, the Trust has now launched the scheme after developing it with the help of a series of meetings and an online Q&A session with disabled boaters.

A ‘Canal & River Trust Aware’ window disability badge (pictured) will be sent to all boaters with an ‘agreed equality adjustment’ – which usually means an agreement with CRT that the requirements to move (to conform with CRT’s interpretation of the legal requirement for boats without a home mooring to cruise) have been Continue reading “Disability badge scheme for boaters developed by CRT”

Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair following inclement weather

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Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair
Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair

The Rothen Group was called upon to help repair a stretch of the Llangollen Canal after heavy rain caused substantial damage to the canal wall. A 20m section of the canal, which links north wales and south Cheshire, was damaged during Storm Miguel resulting in erosion that threatened to close the busy stretch near Marbury. When Kier was contracted by the Canal & River Trust to undertake the work, it became rapidly apparent that the rural location presented challenges.

“The nature and location of the site meant that what should have been a Continue reading “Rothen Group completes complex canal wall repair following inclement weather”

Cold straightening of bent shafts may save time and money

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Cold straightening of bent shafts may save time and money
Cold straightening of bent shafts may save time and money

The Gard P&I club believe cold straightening of bent shafts may save time and money. Some casualties involve damage to machinery parts which are considered very difficult to repair or deemed irreparable. This includes various types of shafts, such as propeller shafts and rudderstock. Large diameter shafts are subject to bending, which can occur during manufacturing, processing or through subsequent use. Such bending can occur in the rough forging of the shaft and when machining to final dimensions. In lively forgings the final cut for a keyway or similar can create bends. In some circumstances, the shafts will become bent after a period of use, or for Continue reading “Cold straightening of bent shafts may save time and money”

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