Workboats

Ahead of the spark: Fire safety for workboats and offshore fleets

Posted on by News Hound
Ahead of the spark: Fire safety for workboats and offshore fleets
Ahead of the spark: Fire safety for workboats and offshore fleets

Fire risk during maintenance and refit is under renewed scrutiny across the maritime sector, writes Morgan Davis of Ramtech, which designs and develops industry-leading end-to-end Internet of Things and innovative wireless solutions to suit a variety of industries.

The 2020 blaze aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard caused more than $3 billion (€2.5 billion) in damage and led to the vessel being scrapped, and a December 2025 Government Accountability Office report highlighted ongoing gaps in fire safety oversight. This resonates across Europe, where workboats, harbour craft and offshore wind service vessels face similar risks during hot work, temporary power use and operations in confined spaces.

Morgan Davis stresses that operators must move beyond labour-intensive fire watch and adopt smarter approaches to maintain visibility and control before sparks turn into full-blown engine-room incidents – lessons that resonate across Europe’s workboat and offshore wind sector. Continue reading “Ahead of the spark: Fire safety for workboats and offshore fleets”

Key considerations for the carriage of cement

Posted on by News Hound
Key considerations for the carriage of cement. Photo credit: Britannia P&I Club
Key considerations for the carriage of cement. Photo credit: Britannia P&I Club

The volume of seaborne cement trade continues to grow, with the most recent annual figure estimated to be over 145 million tonnes, however, the carriage of cement on conventional bulk carriers presents significant operational challenges, Britannia P&I Club explains.

According to Britannia P&I Club, bulk cement is typically carried on dedicated cement carriers or standard bulk carriers. On dedicated carriers, cement is loaded from shore silos through a pneumatic system and discharged via a closed self-unloading system, where compressed air fluidizes the cargo and a vacuum pipeline transfers it to shore—effectively minimizing dust and preventing hardening. In comparison, loading cement on conventional bulk carriers, whether in bulk or in bags, remains a much more challenging operation. Continue reading “Key considerations for the carriage of cement”

Global agreement on fishing vessel safety to enter into force in 2027

Posted on by News Hound
Global agreement on fishing vessel safety to enter into force in 2027
Global agreement on fishing vessel safety to enter into force in 2027

Argentina has become the latest country to accede to the 2012 Cape Town Agreement, triggering its entry into force in 12 months.

The Agreement has met the requirements for entry into force and will enter into force in February 2027, closing a longstanding gap in the global maritime safety framework.

It sets out mandatory safety standards for more than 45,000 fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over, according to FAO data, helping to prevent casualties, improve working conditions for fishers, enhance competitiveness and protect the marine environment.

Welcoming the milestone, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez said, “Thousands of fishers lose their lives every year while working to supply the world’s growing appetite for fish and fish products. The 2012 Cape Town Agreement will help protect fishing crews, while safeguarding vessels.” Continue reading “Global agreement on fishing vessel safety to enter into force in 2027”

IMCA releases annual eCMID Inspection Findings and Quality Assurance Report to highlight key safety trends

Posted on by News Hound
The 2024/2025 eCMID Inspection Findings and Quality Assurance Report has been released by IMCA
The 2024/2025 eCMID Inspection Findings and Quality Assurance Report has been released by IMCA

IMCA has published its annual eCMID Inspection Findings and Quality Assurance Report, offering a comprehensive review of vessel inspection results and quality assurance processes for the 2024/25 period. The report continues to serve as a vital resource for the offshore industry, highlighting immediate priorities and mapping a long-term course for safety and compliance.

The eCMID system, comprising both the eCMID Vessel Inspection and the eCMID Small Vessel Inspection, recorded a significant rise in inspection activity. Figures to April 2025 show a 16% increase in inspections Continue reading “IMCA releases annual eCMID Inspection Findings and Quality Assurance Report to highlight key safety trends”

SubChapter M Towboat Rules: Six Years On

Posted on by News Hound

What is Subchapter M?

SubChapter M Towboat Rules: Six Years On Image credit: Pat Folan
SubChapter M Towboat Rules: Six Years On Image credit: Pat Folan

Subchapter M regulations in the United States established towing vessel safety regulations overseeing inspections, standards and options for safety management systems. Operators are required to have a Certificate of Inspection from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to maintain fleet operations. The more than half a decade that has passed since the inception of the subchapter M towboat rule affords an up-close-and-personal look at how it is going. The scorecard is a mixed bag. More than six years ago, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) began inspecting towing vessels for compliance with the new towboat rules; specifically, 46 CFR Subchapter M. It has been a long road to compliance with many starts and stops, and much learning on both sides of the law. Continue reading “SubChapter M Towboat Rules: Six Years On”

West P&I Club on phased banning of scrubbers in North-East Atlantic waters

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Historic phased banning of scrubbers in North-East Atlantic agreement
Historic phased banning of scrubbers in North-East Atlantic agreement

West P&I Club has highlighted the OSPAR Commission, composed of 15 governments and the European Union, which has agreed to a historic phased banning on scrubbers in the North-East Atlantic waters, marking the first regional regulation of its kind.

The decision was made at the OSPAR Ministerial Meeting in June 2025, with ministers expressing concerns about hazardous discharges from exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) on ships, Continue reading “West P&I Club on phased banning of scrubbers in North-East Atlantic waters”

ISU salvage industry statistics 2024

Posted on by News Hound
ISU Logo - ISU salvage industry statistics 2024
ISU Logo – ISU salvage industry statistics 2024

The International Salvage Union (ISU) has published its annual ISU Salvage industry statistics for 2024.

They are the only published measure of the state of the industry but do not include information from non-ISU members. Continue reading “ISU salvage industry statistics 2024”

MAIB report: Fatal accident on the beam trawler Cornishman

Posted on by News Hound
The MAIB report into a fatality onboard the beam trawler Cornishman highlights a number of failings
The MAIB report into a fatality onboard the beam trawler Cornishman highlights a number of failings

On 6 February 2021, a deckhand on the beam trawler Cornishman was fatally injured when the port trawl beam, which had been hoisted to facilitate a repair to the fishing gear, fell and struck him. It was found that a chain that was part of the trawl beam’s quick-release gear had failed, causing the beam to fall.

Safety issues affecting the beam trawler Cornishman were:
– Risk assessments were not followed and stated mitigations were ineffective, Continue reading “MAIB report: Fatal accident on the beam trawler Cornishman”

Understanding hull fouling with Britannia P&I Club

Posted on by News Hound

Britannia P&I Club logoBritannia P&I Club has published loss prevention guidance on the consequences that need to be considered regarding hull fouling.

Hull fouling refers to a condition when marine organisms such as barnacles, algae, and mussels attach themselves to a ship’s underwater hull surface area. When operating in tropical or seasonal tropical waters the higher temperatures and sunlight provide ideal conditions for the rapid growth of marine organisms, particularly when the ship is stationary at anchorage for a longer period. Furthermore, during seasonal tropical periods, ocean currents transport nutrients from deeper waters to the surface in coastal areas, promoting the growth of photosynthetic organisms. Continue reading “Understanding hull fouling with Britannia P&I Club”

Streamlining PSC inspections through AI-powered approach

Posted on by News Hound
A ship sailing at sunset - PSC inspections
A ship sailing at sunset

Port State Control (PSC) inspections are a fact of life in the maritime world — and they’re getting tougher. With rising detention rates, unpredictable inspection criteria, and mounting pressure on crew performance, preparing for a PSC visit can feel like navigating a minefield, says Kaiko Systems.

In 2024 alone, over 73,000 PSC inspections were conducted globally, with a growing detention rate now over 3%. For vessel operators, a failed inspection can mean costly detentions, delayed cargo, reputational damage, and a hit to operational performance. Continue reading “Streamlining PSC inspections through AI-powered approach”

MCA Workboat Code edition 3 becomes law

Posted on by News Hound
The new edition of the code will be statutory from 13th December 2023
The new edition of the code will be statutory from 13th December 2023

Following many months of protracted discussions and consultation earlier this year, Workboat Code edition 3 is set to become law from 13 December 2023. From this date onwards this Code must only be used for new workboats and pilot boats.

Existing vessels that are certificated under the Brown Code, its equivalent standard published in the technical Annex to MGN 280(M), or Workboat Code Edition 2, Amendment 1 shall meet the requirements of Workboat Code edition 3 by the vessel’s next renewal examination or three years after the date of entry into force of the Code, Continue reading “MCA Workboat Code edition 3 becomes law”

Angry response voiced at Seawork over proposed new MCA Workboat Code 3

Posted on by News Hound
The proposed MCAs Workboat Code 3 has drawn angry responses
The proposed MCAs Workboat Code 3 has drawn angry responses

Anger erupted and spilled over at the MCAs handling of the proposed new MCA Workboat Code 3 at the Seawork conference. Accusations were made that the MCA (Maritime & Coastguard Agency) is not communicating new coding regulations that could have disastrous consequences for small workboats.

There was standing room only at the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Authority Workboat Code 3 update presentation at Seawork as the Workboat Association teetered close to expressing a vote of no confidence in the UK’s statutory body. Something of a showdown with Continue reading “Angry response voiced at Seawork over proposed new MCA Workboat Code 3”

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