Karl Lumbers News

Lloyd’s Register and the UK P&I Club have updated the ILO MLC smartphone app and launched a new ISM & ISPS pocket checklist app. Both apps are free and are available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. In a fully paperless operation, the apps enable ships’ crews and their managers to view necessary legislative and regulatory requirements, save multiple checklists, check off completed activities, add essential notes and send the completed checklists via email. Lloyd’s Register and the UK P&I Club have analyzed ISM, ISPS and ILO MLC reported deficiencies found by Port State Control.

International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargos (IMSBC) Code pocket checklist will be available at Marintec 2013 next week. Lloyd’s Register, UK P&I Club, and Intercargo produced a pocket guide and checklist earlier this year for ships’ officers and agents who arrange cargos for loading. When bulk cargos shift, liquefy, catch fire or explode due to poor loading procedures, the consequences can be critical – ships could capsize, lose stability or sustain severe structural damage. Now the pocket checklist…

When bulk cargoes shift, liquefy, catch fire or explode as a consequence of poor loading procedures, the consequences can be massive. Ships may capsize, lose stability or sustain severe structural damage. Such happenings enhance the risks and occurrence of death, injury, insurance claims, operational delay and considerable expense. This prompted the UK P&I Club, Lloyd’s Register and Intercargo to produce a pocket guide and checklist for ships’ officers and agents who arrange cargoes for loading. Carrying solid bulk cargoes safely: Guidance for crews on the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code outlines the precautions to be taken before accepting solid bulk cargoes for shipment…

The UK Club is providing a package of the International Shipping Federation’s (ISF) guide publication “Guidelines on the Application of the ILO Maritime Labour Conventions (2nd edition)” and the Lloyds Register/UK Club “ILO MLC pocket checklist” free to all its members. Both publications focus on helping employers ensure compliance with the ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), which enters into force in six months’ time on 13 August. UK Club Loss Prevention Director, Karl Lumbers, explained:  “The MLC represents a significant change to the regulation of employment terms and working conditions for seafarers. It consolidates and updates more than 65 international labour standards adopted over the last 80 years.

The UK P&I Club is absolutely committed to maintaining a vibrant loss prevention program and its latest move is a new DVD that places a specific focus on the Bow Tie concept - a comprehensive risk assessment initiative which helps members identify and prioritize risk across their whole fleets. According to the Club’s Loss Prevention Director, Karl Lumbers, the DVD, titled ‘No room for risk’, will be a very effective form of communication when conveying the Club’s risk prevention messages to ships’ crews and managers…

Following the launch of its Bow Tie loss prevention initiative in January, 2012, the UK P&I Club is now embarking on the publication of a series of ‘Risk Focus’ booklets, which highlight specific areas of risk. This month (April) sees the publication of ‘Risk Focus: Slips, Trips and Falls.’ The Bow Tie loss prevention initiative involves surveyors visiting ships and, together with the managers and crew, producing Bow Tie charts, specific to individual vessels, which identify areas of risk and suggest how such risks might be mitigated.

The UK P&I Club takes a BowTie approach to risk management. Marine mutuals like the UK P&I Club are committed to reducing the number and size of insurance claims they receive. After all, in the P&I world, members own their respective clubs and through pool arrangements within individual clubs, they in effect pay their own claims. The smaller the level of claims, the healthier the club becomes and this has a knock-on effect on the cost of insuring through the club. After much study and only after in-depth trials with certain shipowners…

The UK P&I Club recently completed a series of three short articles which provide a user friendly guide to the mystery surrounding electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS). These have now been consolidated into a 16-page booklet "ECDIS - Navigational and claims issues" that is available in hard copy from the Club or as a .pdf file from the club's website. While the booklet is not really intended for navigators, it should, the Club believes, be of great value to…

Self-heating incidents involving coal cargoes have been problematic for centuries. It was a much-feared hazard in the days of wooden sailing ships, and has continued on since the advent of modern steamships. The problems associated with carrying coal by sea are today much better understood, says Karl Lumbers, a Director of Thomas Miller P&I Ltd, Managers of the UK P&I Club: “When coal cargo oxidizes, it spontaneously generates heat and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide. This can lead to flammable atmospheres in the hold, depletion of oxygen in those spaces and corrosion of metal structures. Lower quality coals such as lignite are more prone to this process than higher quality coals such as anthracite.

Who is in charge when a land-based fire brigade responds to a blaze at sea? What are the fire risks for ships in port and under construction? How can design and technology enhance marine fire protection? Prevention, detection and control on ships and offshore structures will be examined at a new forum in London in March by key personnel including ship owners and managers, ship and harbour masters, safety officers, marine and fire protection engineers, insurance executives and senior fire-fighters. The first International Fire on Ships Conference takes place at the Inmarsat Conference Centre on March 11-12, organised by Lloyd’s List Events and supported by UK body the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CACFOA).

Of 578 vessels visited by the UK P&I Club’s ship inspectors during 2002, the great majority were up to standard. Some 281 ships (48.5 per cent) were given high ratings, incurring no formal comments at all on their condition or operations. Some 283 (49 percent) received some comments and suggestions for improvement, mostly on service and maintenance, and on safety standards. Only 14 vessels---five general cargo ships, four bulk carriers and five container ships---required full condition surveys under the Club Rules. This was just 2.5 per cent of the total inspected. One has since been scrapped, three remain in breach of the Rules with repairs not completed within the time specified, four have been fully cleared, one cleared provisionally and five remain under survey.