Joint Investigation

MAIB Releases Investigation of Engine Room Fire

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) released the report of the joint investigation (with the Cyprus Maritime Administration) of the engine room fire on the passenger vessel THE CALYPSO off Beachy Head on 6 May 2006. The primary cause of the fire was the failure of two flange bolts on a fuel pipe, allowing fuel to spray onto hot exhaust piping. Investigation revealed that the engine manufacturer had issued two safety bulletins concerning the bolts. Due to the ship’s frequent change in ownership, the bulletins were not acted upon by personnel on this ship. Investigation also revealed a lack of familiarity by senior ship personnel with operation of the fixed fire extinguishing system. Source: HK Law

USACE Earns Safety Award

A record low accident rate and a command-wide emphasis on safety helped the USACE earn the 1998 Chief of Staff of Army's Major Army Command (MACOM) Safety Award. USACE, one of only two commands to earn the 1998 award, has earned it three of the past four years. The award recognizes the continued improvement of the USACE safety record in FY 98. In FY 98, there were no accidental federal employee fatalities during normal duty hours, and only 470 lost-time injuries and illnesses

IMO Offers Support After ferry Accident

On his return from a one-day trip to Cairo in the aftermath of the tragic loss of the ferry al-Salam Boccaccio 98, IMO Secretary General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos explained the purpose of his mission as follows: "first, to demonstrate the solidarity and compassion of the IMO membership to the people and Government of Egypt and those of other nations affected (in particular to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims of the tragic accident) and to provide moral support at the

PGM Sentenced for Environmental Crimes

American-based ship operator, Pacific-Gulf Marine, Inc. (PGM), was sentenced for deliberate acts of pollution involving a fleet of four ships, in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. U.S. District Judge William M. Nickerson sentenced PGM to pay a $1 million criminal fine, $500,000 for community service and serve three years of probation under the terms of a rigorous Environmental Compliance Program (ECP), which is subject to court approval.

Fugro Offshore, Gregg Marine, Form Joint Venture

Holland's Fugro Offshore Geotechnics & Gregg Marine form a new Joint Venture company, Seafloor Geotec, LLC Fugro Offshore Geotechnics are specialists in marine site investigation and geo-consulting, and Gregg Marine, Inc., in seabed robotic drilling. The new J/V company, SGL will combine the extensive offshore drilling and testing expertise of both parent companies, with the robotic seabed systems developed by Gregg Marine

Absence of IMO Shipping Casualty Reports a Matter of Concern

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) joins with International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) submit a complaint to IMO. The joint submission to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) comments on the apparent failure of some flag states to submit maritime casualty reports to IMO, which is a requirement under several international maritime conventions, including the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS).

R&B Falcon Announces Deepwater Pathfinder Incident

R&B Falcon Corporation announced drillship Deepwater Pathfinder sustained damage when 20 joints of the vessel's riser and its blowout prevention equipment fell to the seabed in approximately 7,000 ft. of water while preparing to continue drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico offshore Louisiana. None of the personnel aboard the drillship sustained any injury. The drillship's top drive and travelling equipment sustained damage

UK MAIB – Report on Allision

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) issued the joint report (with the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping) on the investigation of the allision of the general cargo vessel ORADE with the training wall at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Trent on 1 March 2005. The vessel was outbound and under pilotage at the time. The pilot had asked the master to switch the steering from manual to the riverpilot mode

Fire Strikes Providence Dock as Tanker Unloading

According to reports, a fire broke out at a Motiva Enterprises LLC fuel terminal dock in Providence, Rhode Island, on Tuesday night, shutting the terminal. A 25,000-ton capacity Danish-flagged gasoline tanker was preparing to discharge its cargo when the fire occurred, according to a U.S. Coast Guard official. Both the Coast Guard and Motiva, a joint venture of Saudi Refining and Royal Dutch Shell's Shell Oil, said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Merchant Mariner Sentenced

Joseph A. Boevink (51) of Panama City, Fla., was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas S. Zilly in Seattle to two months in custody, followed by up to 60 days in a halfway house, and two years of supervised release, for falsely claiming that he had never been convicted of a criminal offense on an application for Merchant Mariner license submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard in Seattle in January 2001. The U.S