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Tony Baker News

25 Jul 2016

How to Avoid Claims for Self-cooking Cargo

North P&I Club has advised its members to be extra vigilant during loading and transport of soya beans to ensure they do not get blamed for cargoes that start ‘cooking’ at sea. The advices comes in the latest issue of its loss prevention newsletter Signals. According to North’s loss prevention director Tony Baker, "We have recently experienced a number of high value claims in China associated with damage to soya beans exported from South America. He says China Inspection and Quarantine may test any suspect cargo on arrival but the ship may not necessarily be aware of the results. A cargo damage claim may result with a threat of arrest unless a large security payment is made.

28 Jan 2016

BIG DATA & Maritime: The Downside

Tony Baker, Loss Prevention Director

There is no question that the era of "Big Data" -- and all that those two words encompass -- will be transformational in the maritime market for the coming generation. There is no stopping the data trend, and today's generation demands it from a social aspect and needs it to be efficient in business operation. While the upside to big data has been recorded often, the North P&I Club has warned its members that despite the enormous benefits of digital technology on and around ships, there may also be some downsides.

20 Jan 2016

North P&I Publishes Loss Prevention Guide on Bulk Cargoes

The 175 million GT, ‘A’ rated North P&I Club has published a major new guide for the international shipping industry on how to reduce losses when carrying bulk cargoes by sea. The 280-page Bulk Cargoes: A Guide to Good Practice adds to North’s comprehensive portfolio of guidance provided about different cargo types and is the first to be made available in both print and e-book formats. Bulk Cargoes explains the basic rules to be remembered on every occasion during loading, carriage and unloading of bulk cargoes. It describes where various regulations, recommendations and general guidance can be found, and discusses procedures, preparations and good seamanship practice for appropriate and safe carriage of cargoes in bulk.

27 Apr 2015

Shipoweners Warned to be Prepared for Migrant Rescues

The North P&I club has warned its shipowner members of the need to be properly prepared to meet their moral and legal obligations to rescue migrants at sea. In a new loss prevention briefing published today, North suggests some of the rescue practices and procedures that merchant ships should ideally have in place given the increasing risk of being called upon to rescue large numbers of people. The reminder comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of around 800 people in the Mediterranean just over a week ago following the capsize of a 20 m fishing boat off the coast of Libya. The deaths occurred despite the attendance of a Portuguese controlled containership that had answered a distress call but was powerless to prevent the migrant boat sinking.

28 Oct 2014

North P&I Club Advises Inclusion of Ebola-Specific Clauses

The 180 million GT, ‘A' rated North P&I Club is advising shipowner Members to take great care to protect the health of their crew members when calling at ebola-affected ports in west Africa. In the latest issue of its loss prevention newsletter Signals, it also recommends that shipowners incorporate ebola-specific clauses in their charterparties. According to head of loss prevention Tony Baker, ‘Members trading or being requested to trade to an ebola-affected area must consider both the health and commercial risks very carefully. North recommends a series of control measures that shipowners calling at affected ports may implement, including preventing shore leave and unauthorised access to the vessel…

04 Aug 2014

North P&I Club Warns of Poor Newbuild Construction

The North P&I club has warned its members to check their new ships very carefully before accepting delivery. The club said in the latest issue of its loss prevention newsletter Signals that it has become aware of several of instances of potentially dangerous poor construction in the newbuilding market. The club reports that ships are being delivered with cargo hold access ladders, platforms and their cages constructed and secured to the bulkheads only by tack welds, rather than being fully welded. “When subject to a load or any other applied stress, such as vessel movement, the tack welds have failed and resulted in an unsafe access to and from the cargo hold. In addition to accidents North warns that defects can also result in costly delays and port state control problems.

10 Jan 2014

North P&I Club Launches Healthcare Campaign

The North P&I Club launched a new campaign for 2014 aimed at reminding members of the importance of providing high quality healthcare while avoiding excessive medical costs, the club said. An information sheet entitled 'People Claims: Controlling the Cost' is being circulated to all entered ships and members' offices this week with the latest issue of the club's loss prevention newsletter Signals. "Illness and injuries are an unfortunate aspect of living and working on ships, as are the associated costs of treatment," said North's head of loss prevention Tony Baker. Baker points out that any illness or injury claim on board is immediately made more serious by the vessel’s distance from port.

28 Oct 2013

North P&I Issues Oily Discharge Penalties Warning

The 170 million GT North P&I club has warned its members of the importance of being "above suspicion" when port authorities allege an oily water discharge due to the risk of multimillion dollar penalties. North’s head of loss prevention Tony Baker said, "Fines under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) for bypassing a ship’s oily water separator systems continue to increase. According to North, a ship operator was recently fined over $10 million for violations of APPS and obstruction of justice. Another operator and two engineers have just been convicted for conspiracy, failure to maintain an oil record book and falsification of records. Sentencing is scheduled for November 2013.

25 Jan 2013

'Rule of the Road' Bridge Prompts

North P&I Club  publish a new loss prevention guide for watchkeepers on how to avoid collisions at sea. Designed specifically for use on ship's bridges, the guide focuses on what the Club considers to be the most important ‘rules of the road' in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (COLREGS). In his foreword to Collisions: How to Avoid Them, the Hon Mr Justice Nigel Teare, Admiralty Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, says, ‘Despite all the impressive electronic assistance designed to enable deck officers to avoid collisions, collisions still occur. The answer is, and always has been since radar was first introduced, that the rules of navigation set out in the COLREGS must still be applied by deck officers.

21 Jan 2013

North P&I Club Publishes New Bridge Guide

The ‘A’ rated 170 million GT North P&I club has just published a new loss-prevention guide for watchkeepers on how to avoid collisions at sea. Designed specifically for use on ship’s bridges, it focuses on what the club considers to be the most important ‘rules of the road’ in the International Regulations for Prevention Collisions at Sea 1972 (COLREGS). In his foreword to Collisions: How to Avoid Them, the Hon Mr Justice Nigel Teare, Admiralty Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, says, ‘Despite all the impressive electronic assistance designed to enable deck officers to avoid collisions, collisions still occur. The answer is, and always has been since radar was first introduced, that the rules of navigation set out in the COLREGS must still be applied by deck officers.

16 Oct 2012

North P&I Club Launches Prevention Initiative

The ‘A’ rated, 170 million GT North P&I club has launched a new loss prevention initiative to help get ships’ masters and officers talking to each other about health and safety issues at sea. Announced in the club’s loss prevention newsletter ‘Signals’  (16 October 2012), the ‘Talking Points’ scheme involves producing a range of topical sheets specifically designed for handing out and discussing at on-board safety briefings. North’s head of loss prevention Tony Baker says, ‘While drills, training videos, guides and posters all help to deliver safety messages on ships, getting people to actually talk and think proactively about risk is the most effective way to raise awareness.

15 Mar 2012

North P&I Club Update Guide to P&I Industry

The ‘A’ rated, 170 million GT North P&I club has published a second edition of its comprehensive introduction to the critically important topic of maritime liability cover - otherwise known as ‘protection and indemnity’ (P&I) - which recent international casualties, pirate attacks and trade sanctions have brought increasingly into the public eye. Entitled ‘An Introduction to P&I Insurance and Loss Prevention, Second Edition’,  the 220-page guide focuses on the services provided by the 13 members of the International Group of P&I Clubs, which mutually insure some 90 percent of the world’s ocean-going fleet of merchant shipping tonnage.

26 Apr 2011

North P&I Publishes 3rd Edition Of Bunker Claims Prevention Guide

The ‘A’ rated, 150 million GT North of England P&I club has published a third edition of its popular loss-prevention guide ‘Bunker Claims Prevention’, which aims to help shipowners avoid potentially large losses arising from loading unsuitable or insufficient marine fuel oil. The new edition reflects recent changes to international marine fuel specifications introduced in ISO 8217:2010. Head of loss prevention Tony Baker says, ‘The guide tackles bunker quality and quantity issues…

18 Apr 2011

NORTH P&I CLUB Publishes Guidance On Sanctions For Shipowners

The ‘A’ rated, 150 million GT North of England P&I club has published new guidance for shipowners on how to avoid being caught out by the increasingly complex ‘patchwork’ of international trade sanctions currently in force worldwide. Writing in the club’s newsletter ‘Signals’, head of loss prevention Tony Baker says, ‘Trade sanctions are at the forefront of modern diplomacy and can be imposed by individual countries or supranational bodies such as the UN and EU. Baker says sanctions are a particular problem for shipowners…

14 Apr 2011

NORTH P&I Club Improves Access To Staff Via Smart-Phone Application

The ‘A’ rated, 150 million GT North of England P&I club has improved access to its worldwide claims handling and support staff through a freely available smart-phone application or ‘app’. It is the first in a series of initiatives to make the club’s services and information more accessible to members and intermediaries via mobile communications as well as the first to be undertaken by a P&I club. According to head of loss prevention Tony Baker, ‘The North Contacts app provides a fast and easy-to-use version of our online Who’s Who directory…

17 Nov 2010

North P&I club Writes New Evidence Handbook

Photo courtesy Simon Fullalove

The 125 million GT ‘A’ rated North P&I club has written a new handbook on collecting and preserving factual evidence to help raise levels of responsibility and professionalism within the international shipping industry. The Nautical Institute has published The Mariner’s Role in Collecting Evidence Handbook as a companion to its guide The Mariner’s Role in Collecting Evidence in Light of ISM. The handbook was launched at a major maritime seminar in Newcastle upon Tyne on 12 November 2010.

28 May 2009

North P&I Club Loss-Prevention Campaign

The A rated, 100 million North of England P&I club is stepping up its loss-prevention campaign by identifying opportunities within its entered fleet to develop risk-avoidance measures and providing members involved with direct advice and support. The initiative is one of a series of proactive loss-prevention measures discussed by the club’s loss-prevention working party during its recent meeting in Amsterdam. The aim is to ensure North's continued long-term financial strength through an ongoing process of structured identification and mitigation of risks. According to North's head of loss prevention Tony Baker, A risk-based approach…

22 Jul 2008

North of England Warns Shipowners to Keep Close Watch on Surveys

The North of England P&I club has warned its members to keep a closer watch on draught surveys to avoid costly cargo shortage claims. According to Tony Baker, head of North of England’s loss-prevention department, ‘We have recently witnessed a number of incidents where draught surveys have been manipulated to show short delivery of bulk cargoes. In the latest issue of its loss-prevention newsletter Signals, the club says masters in some regions are being asked to stamp and sign initial draught figures in such a way that allows a third party to falsify final draught results. ‘Subsequent allegations of shortage are then difficult to defend as they are supported by a signed and stamped draught survey…

11 Nov 2003

Port-State Control Guide Published

port-state control inspections. on the commercial implications of delays, detentions and banning orders. scope every year. 3,500 ships. a port-state control inspection can be severe. says. the North of England. shipowners. inspection. sent a copy of the second edition. [email protected]) for £30 including postage. 0 9542012 8 0.

27 May 2004

P&I Club: ISPS Will Make Stowaways a Bigger Problem

The introduction of the International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) Code on 1 July 2004 is more likely to increase rather than reduce the problems caused by stowaways to shipowners, warns North of England P&I club. North of England points out that port security in many parts of the world remains extremely lax. 'It is hoped that the ISPS Code will improve the situation and reduce the burden on shipowners,' says loss prevention executive Tony Baker. 'Regardless of efforts made by shipowners to control access to their vessels in port, the task of securing port facilities is a much larger, more complex operation and one which many ports will find difficult to achieve,' he says.

04 Oct 2004

P&I Club Launches Safety Poster Campaign

North of England P&I club has launched a graphic new series of safety posters as part of its continuing campaign to help reduce personal injuries on ships. Unlike previous safety poster series produced by the club, the new 'If only...' series clearly depicts the distressing results of not doing things properly. Each of the new A2 colour posters shows two different outcomes to a common shipboard activity - one after correct procedures have been followed, the other after getting it all wrong.

27 Oct 2004

P&I Club Warns of Using Crew in Unfamiliar Roles

The North of England P&I club says that unfamiliar tasks imposed on ships' crews are leading to more personal-injury accidents occurring on board. In the latest issue of its loss-prevention newsletter 'Signals', the 50 million GT club says that additional duties - particularly those on deck - are being carried out by inadequately trained crewmembers from places such as the galley and the engine room. 'We have experienced a number of recent cases in which members of both the catering and the engineering departments have been working on deck, only to suffer serious accidents with tragic consequences,' says the club's loss prevention executive Tony Baker.

31 Aug 2004

Enclosed Space Death Toll Continues to Rise

Deaths caused by entering enclosed spaces on ships with unbreathable or toxic atmospheres continue to occur with 'relentless regularity', according to the North of England P&I club. The 50 million GT mutual has thus published a special supplement to highlight the problem yet again in the latest issue of its loss-prevention newsletter 'Signals'. 'Few aspects of personal safety on ships have received more attention than the importance of following correct procedures before entering an enclosed space,' says loss-prevention executive Tony Baker. The North of England has repeatedly reminded its members of the dangers, including a special issue of 'Signals', three 'Signals Experiences' accident case studies and two safety posters.