Vessel Safety
U.S. SOLAS Working Group – meeting
The U.S. SOLAS Working Group on Stability and Load Lines and on Fishing Vessel Safety will meet in Washington, DC on December 1. Topics on the Agenda include subdivision and damage stability harmonization; large passenger ship safety; and the Intact Stability Code. (HK Law).
Bachrach & Wood Celebrates 50 Years
Bachrach & Wood was formed 1953 to provide marine surveying and consultant services to the shipping industry in New Orleans. This year marks its 50th year of service. Over the years, Bachrach & Wood has changed its focus from bluewater shipping to the offshore oilfield, now providing builder’s risk surveys for heavy lifts and pipeline construction, warranty surveys for trips-in-to, vessel safety and security audits, and on/off charter surveys for barges and boats
U.S. Congress to Hold Meeting on Cruise Ship Safety
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica (R-FL) announced the Committee will conduct a hearing to review cruise ship safety in light of the recent Costa Concordia incident in the Mediterranean Sea. “The Costa Concordia tragedy is a wakeup call for the United States and international maritime organizations to carefully review and make certain we have in place all appropriate standards to ensure passengers’ safety on cruise ships,” Mica said
Coast Guard Terminates Voyage for Fishing Vessel
The Coast Guard Cutter Cuttyhunk terminated the voyage of the 32-ft. fishing vessel Duffy Sunday. The master, Todd Cannon of Everett, was retrieving and setting crab pots in Possession Sound, south of Whidbey Island. A Coast Guard boarding team from the Cuttyhunk conducted a safety inspection and found significant violations. Specifically, the Duffy had expired flares, only one fire extinguisher, and no official identification markings on the boat's hull.
IMO Fishing Boat Protocal Now in Force
The International Convention on Training and Certification for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F 1995) enters into force. The STCW-F Convention sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above. The Convention consists of 15 Articles and an annex containing technical regulations. The STCW-F Convention has been ratified by 15 States: Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Kiribati, Latvia, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Norway
Lloyd’s Register and International Paint Join Forces
Lloyd’s Register and International Paint have teamed up to offer shipyards in China step-by-step advice on how to prepare to meet the requirements of the new Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC) as the industry looks to increase vessel safety and lifecycles by preventing corrosion. This powerful new partnership, which joins the world’s first classification society with the world’s leading producer of marine and protective coatings
Operation Big Tow – Great Lakes
The Ninth Coast Guard District will commence Operation Big Tow within the Great Lakes area of responsibility to ensure commercial tugs are compliant with rules, regulations and licensing procedures. The Coast Guard is conducting Operation Big Tow as a continuous safety message to the maritime industry community. The intent of this operation is strictly a marine safety focused operation being conducted to ensure that individuals operating Uninspected Towing Vessel (UTVs) are properly licensed
AWO Applauds Judgment Against Oil Spill Law
The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, hails the decision yesterday by the U.S. District Court, Massachusetts District, to grant Summary Judgment against a 2004 Massachusetts oil spill law, declaring it null and void. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the Commonwealth over the constitutionality of the law enacted in response to a 2003 accidental tank barge oil spill in Buzzards Bay
Shipping Coordinating Committee Meetings
The U.S. Department of State issued Notices announcing three meetings of the Shipping Coordinating Committee. On May 20, the committee will meet in Washington, DC to discuss and decide upon possible changes to the subcommittee structure. Changes under consideration include disestablishment of the subcommittees on tonnage and measurement and on UNCTAD and establishment of subcommittees on IMO administration and budget; IMO
Adm. Watson Kicks Off N.Y./N.J. Propeller Club Year
Rear Admiral James Watson, the United States Coast Guard’s Deputy Commander for the Atlantic Area, will kick off the membership year of the Propeller Club Chapter of New York/New Jersey on February 3rd with a presentation designed to inform the attendees about changes and initiatives on the horizon for the region. The meeting will run from 5-7PM at the Harvard Club (27 W. 44th St., NY, NY) and will include a reception
Vessel Damage Stability: IMO Sub-Committee Completes Review
The IMO’s Sub-committee on Stability and Load Lines & on Fishing Vessels Safety (SLF) has reviewed and finalised the draft Guidelines. The Sub-committee had, at its last meeting in January 2012 also developed draft amendments to mandatory instruments
'Pst... Wanna Buy a Cheap Chart?'
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) sees an increase in the number of counterfeit versions of its Admiralty charts & publications. Counterfeit documents do not satisfy SOLAS carriage requirements, as they have not been issued by an officially approved government body or authorised hydrographic
Subsea Operations Vessel Gets Vital Certificate
Hallin Marine Australia's Subsea Operations Vessel (SOV) 'Windermere' obtains NOPSEMA Safety Case certification. The National Offshore Petroleum Safety & Environmental Management Authority's (NOPSEMA) Safety Case acceptance enables the vessel to operate in Australian Commonwealth waters
ABS Forms Operational, Environmental Performance Team
Top talent to take leadership role in developing solutions for industry’s most pressing challenges. ABS, a provider of global classification services, has taken another step forward to meet industry needs with the formation of an Operational and Environmental Performance department
St Lawrence Seaways: New Vessels, New Technology, Tonnage Up
New ships and new navigational technology play a part as Seaways report 2012 tonnage exceeds forecasts A number of newly built state-of-the art vessels came into service within the Seaway in 2012, boasting sharp increases in fuel efficiency and reductions in emission levels
Tote Services Top Leadership Position Changes
President of TOTE Services, Captain Jorge Aguirre, retires after 33 years with the company, to be replaced by Retired Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, Philip H. Greene, Jr. Captain Aguirre spent 16 years at sea, coming ashore with TOTE Services in June of 1980 as a Port Captain at the Philadelphia
St. Lawrence Seaway Sees Late Season Surge
Tonnage Exceeds Forecast as Grain Heads to Overseas Markets. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced today that tonnage increased by 4% to 38.9 million tonnes during the 2012 navigation season, exceeding the SLSMC’s original forecast by 300
Splash & Grab – Oil Theft Blights Gulf of Guinea
Dryad Maritime, the UK-based specialist in maritime intelligence, has completed an analysis of a specific type of maritime crime that poses a risk to shipping in the Gulf of Guinea, West Africa. The hijack of vessels for the theft of refined fuel cargoes
IMO PaperSmart Meeting Restructures Sub-Committees
The IMO Council, meeting for its 109th session in London has endorsed, in principle, a restructuring of IMO's Sub-Committees. The Council meeting was the first “PaperSmart” meeting for the Organization, and was considered a success by delegates
US Coast Guard Fishing Vessel Safety Examinations Now in Force
USCG's mandatory commercial fishing vessel safety examinations for those operating more than three miles from the territorial sea baseline take effect. This requirement, which affects commercial fishing fleets nationwide, comes as a result of Congress' passing of the Coast Guard Authorization
Fishing Vessel Safety to be Regulated Internationally
The “Cape Town Agreement of 2012 agreed by 58 states will be open for signature ratification at IMO HQ early next year. The new Agreement adopted at a recent diplomatic conference held under the auspices of IMO in Cape Town refers to the implementation of the provisions of the 1993
Videotel Delivers STCW Compliance
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) aims to achieve for the shipping industry what increased technology has so far failed to deliver, namely a reduction in the 80% of accidents on board ship attributable to human error
Louisiana Company Ahead of Proposed Steering Rules
With implementation of the US Coast Guard Subchapter M regulations just around the corner, owners of uninspected towing vessels are scrambling to understand and prepare for what’s to come, even while the rules are still evolving. Among the proposed changes for towing vessels are standards
DNV’s Hull Integrity System Now Integrated with AMOS
DNV’s hull integrity system now integrated with AMOS DNV and AMOS system supplier SpecTec have launched an all-in-one planned inspection and maintenance system for ship structures. AMOS is a system that crew and management are already familiar with
Improving Vessel Safety Around The Solomon Islands
Improving vessel safety around the Solomon Islands The Asian Development Bank recently commissioned GMDSS specialists Dunstan and Associates and their local partner company Cruz Communications to supply and install a new GMDSS marine radio station for the Solomon Islands Maritime Safety Authority