Australian Transport Safety Board News

BMT, a leading, multidisciplinary management consultancy, has reported phenomenal growth in sales of its maritime simulator and has just signed multiple key contracts with select cruise lines including Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn in North America and P&O Cruises Australia. The orders for both office and ship-based licences of BMT’s REMBRANDT maritime simulator will support cruise lines on more than 39 cruise ships.REMBRANDT is fully scalable – operating in full mission modes through to desktop and laptop configurable modes.

BMT has reported rapid growth in sales for its maritime simulator and has signed a number of contracts for its simulator system with cruise lines that include Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America and P&O Cruises Australia.The orders for both office and ship-based licenses of the company’s REMBRANDT maritime simulator will support cruise lines on more than 39 ships.Dr. Phil Thompson, Simulation and Training Business Director at BMT, commented: “REMBRANDT delivers the highest standards of maneuvring simulation within an S-57 and S-63 ENC environment.

The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) issued its investigation report into the collision between the bulk carrier Bunga Orkid Tiga and the fishing vessel Stella VII near Creech Reef in the Great Barrier Reef on 5 January 2004. The report attributes the collision to the failure of both vessels to maintain a proper lookout. There was no loss of life, but the fishing vessel incurred substantial damage. Report No. 199 (HK Law).

The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) released its investigation into the engineroom flooding on the bulk carrier HARMONIC PROGRESS in the Coral Sea on April 16, 2004. Leaks in valves in the ballast line resulted in the main ballast line being pressurized, causing it to discharge and flood the engineroom. The crew was new, the ship having recently changed owners, and the handover was found to be inadequate. As a result, the personnel were unable to quickly find and correct the problem. Marine Safety Investigation No. 202 (HK Law).

The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) issued its report of the investigation of the death of an electrician on board a bulk carrier while the ship was anchored off Gladstone in Queensland on 11 May 2005. The crew member was working alone in the engineroom. It appears that he received an electric shock that knocked him off balance, causing him to fall between the deep frame and an adjacent pipe. He then suffered a fatal heart attack. Investigation revealed that he suffered from a pre-existing, but undetected, heart condition. Marine Accident Investigation Report 213 (HK Law)

The Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) issued its report on the explosion with loss of life that occurred on the Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier NEGO KIM at Dampier on 18 November 2001. Eight crew members were involved in spray painting inside a ballast tank. While atmospheric conditions in the tank were adequate when the painting commenced, the ship's safety management manuals provided no clear instructions on hazards of painting operations and for checking on changing conditions in enclosed spaces. The ATSB also recommended that the port's emergency response plan be reviewed to remove ambiguities and ensure a consistent and appropriate approach to emergency situations. Source: HK Law