Insufficient cargo lashings caused European Causeway incident

Cargo lashings insufficient says MAIB report
Cargo lashings insufficient says MAIB report

At 0633 on Tuesday 18 December 2018, the roll-on/roll-of (ro-ro) passenger ferry European Causeway rolled heavily in very rough seas and very high winds during its voyage from Larne, Northern Ireland to Cairnryan, Scotland. Insufficient cargo lashings have been found to be a key factor in the incident.

The violent motion caused several freight vehicles to shift and nine to topple over. This resulted in damage to 22 vehicles, some damaged severely. At least six freight vehicle drivers had remained in their cabs on the vehicle decks
during the crossing and four were found in cabs of vehicles that had toppled over. One driver was trapped and had to be freed by the emergency services when the ship arrived in Cairnryan. Continue reading “Insufficient cargo lashings caused European Causeway incident”

Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations

Advisory safety equipment for pleasure craft
Advisory safety equipment for pleasure craft

For pleasure yachts of less than 13.7 meters in length there are no statutory requirements for safety equipment other than those required under SOLAS V. Safety equipment is an important part of preparing a boat. It is advisable that all pleasure craft skippers check that their vessel is properly equipped.

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) recommends it is essential that you properly equip your boat prior to going on the water and that you ensure that the craft is Continue reading “Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations”

Research reveals many don’t dial 999 for coastal emergencies

Lands End Coastguard Rescue Team
Lands End Coastguard Rescue Team

Last year, countless lives were saved because someone knew to call 999 in coastal emergencies and ask for the Coastguard. But shockingly, research carried out by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) shows in some parts of the UK more than half still don’t know who to call when the worst happens at the coast or at sea close to the shoreline.

To help get the message home, the Coastguard has recreated and shared the kind of thank you messages it receives from those people who are alive today because Continue reading “Research reveals many don’t dial 999 for coastal emergencies”

Misdeclared cargo needs urgent action says Digital freight forwarder iContainers

Fire caused by dangerous misdeclared cargo
Fire caused by dangerous misdeclared cargo

On the back of a spate of incidents in which has been the source on fires onboard container vessels, the digital freight forwarder iContainers highlighted that the shipping industry needs to pay attention to increasing misdeclared cargo.

Over the past two years there has been a noticeable, sharp increase in the number of container fires directly resulting from shippers’ dangerous misdeclared cargo.

Klaus Lysdal, vice president of operations at iContainers, has identified this is a vital Continue reading “Misdeclared cargo needs urgent action says Digital freight forwarder iContainers”

Towboat sinking blamed on ineffective hull maintenance says NTSB report

Towboat Miss Roslyn
Towboat Miss Roslyn

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a Marine Accident Brief about the capsizing and sinking of the fleet towboat Miss Roslyn, citing the company’s lack of effective hull inspection and maintenance program.

On October 9, 2018, at 1630 local time, the Miss Roslyn was traveling downbound at mile 142 on the Lower Mississippi River near Reserve, Louisiana, when she began to flood and list to starboard. The three crewmembers abandoned the towboat onto a moored fleet barge and a Good Samaritan vessel. The Miss Roslyn capsized and sank on her starboard side. Continue reading “Towboat sinking blamed on ineffective hull maintenance says NTSB report”

Dangerous goods on containerships: New safety guidance for stowage

Container ship fires originating from dangerous goods
Container ship fires originating from dangerous goods

Containership fires are a growing concern. Fires, originating from dangerous goods in containers, whether wrongfully declared or not, occur with alarming frequency. Such fires endanger the lives of the crew, harm the environment and cause damage to cargo and property.

The Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) has published a new safety guidance for the stowage of classified dangerous goods onboard containerships. The “Safety Considerations for Ship Operators Related to Risk-Based Stowage of Dangerous Continue reading “Dangerous goods on containerships: New safety guidance for stowage”

Canal & River Trust issues a strategy update

Canal & River Trust issues a strategy
Canal & River Trust issues a strategy

The Canal & River Trust has released its latest annual update detailing progress over the past year against its strategic action plan.

In October 2015 the Canal & River Trust published its water resources strategy, ‘Putting the Water into Waterways’, setting long term aspirations for the next five years as well as looking ahead to 2050 to understand longer-term pressures and challenges regarding water supply and use.

Drought conditions have persisted in 2019 with restrictions being re-imposed on Continue reading “Canal & River Trust issues a strategy update”

Inland Waterways value to the UK highlighted in report

UK Inland Waterways
UK Inland Waterways

The value of inland waterways across the UK has been highlighted in a new report by the Inland Waterways Association.

The review brings together previously written reports and studies to evidence the many benefits that a waterway can bring to an area with the aim of influencing planners and policy makers.

“As budgets are stretched and funding is being cut, it is all the more important to have clear information at your fingertips when speaking to members of the local council or developers who are looking to impact on inland waterways,” explained Continue reading “Inland Waterways value to the UK highlighted in report”

The securing of containers on deck of a container ship

Container ship
Container ship at dock

There are six different ways in which ships move in the sea, primarily pitching, heaving and rolling.

Lateral rolling motion represents the greatest challenge for stacks of containers and securing of containers on deck of a container ship is proving to be harder and harder. If containers are to be transported safely on the deck of a container vessel, they must be firmly connected to the ship. This is done with the aid of what are known as twistlocks. These twistlocks are inserted into the corner castings of the containers. These corner castings have elongated holes in which the rotating lug of the twistlock engages, locking the containerstogether. In addition, the bottom two layers of the stacked containers are connected to the ship with lashing rods. Initially, it was common practice to stow stacks of containers on deck in such a way that the individual stacks were connected to each other Continue reading “The securing of containers on deck of a container ship”

The Human Side of the maritime industry

Life buoy
Life buoy

When the Titanic sank in 1912, many crewmembers went down with the ship so that passengers could survive. When the cruise ship Oceanos foundered off the coast of South Africa in August of 1991, most of the crew – including the Master – abandoned the vessel, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves. In 2012, after running his ship onto the rocks, Captain Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia gained infamy and imprisonment when he claimed he fell into a lifeboat and lost consciousness, leaving his passengers and most of his crew behind. The Human Side of the maritime industry has and always will be important. Continue reading “The Human Side of the maritime industry”

The Expected Life Span of Yacht Enclosures

A yacht leaving its enclosures
A yacht leaving its enclosures

What is the expected life span of  yacht enclosures? There are a lot of variances, and this article is prepared to give you the information needed to determine the life of a given yacht enclosures.

Soft Enclosures

The least expensive of boats will typically have roll vinyl curtains. These are made from a clear pvc material that typically comes 51” wide on a roll and can be .015, .020 or .030 in thickness. It is soft and the life span is very short and unremarkable.

Better boats may have pressed polished sheets. These are made using the roll vinyl Continue reading “The Expected Life Span of Yacht Enclosures”

Hidden benefits of a shipboard asbestos survey

Shipboard asbestos survey
Shipboard asbestos survey

Hazardous materials consultancy Lucion Marine was appointed to assist a major cruise line with work on a 2008-built cruise vessel. In this particular case a shipyard, on a pre-refit visit, claimed that an area where a new scrubber installation was planned contained asbestos in the bulkhead fire insulation. There are always hidden benefits of a shipboard asbestos survey.

Continue reading “Hidden benefits of a shipboard asbestos survey”

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