Safety News

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary report on the May 17, 2025 collision between the Mexican Navy training vessel ARM Cuauhtémoc and the Brooklyn Bridge, stressing that the findings are not final and remain subject to change as the investigation continues.According to the report, the Cuauhtémoc, a 158-foot air-draft tall ship with 277 crew and cadets aboard, struck the underside of the Brooklyn Bridge while transiting the East River after departing Pier 17 in Manhattan.

Victor, an ESAB brand, now offers qualifying industrial companies a free safety audit of their gas flow control systems and oxyfuel cutting and heating operations. An audit entails an end-to-end review of gas flow, starting where the gas comes into a facility and going all the way to the flame. During an audit, a Victor expert will look for gas leaks, review hose and gas line sizing, check equipment (selection, installation, condition and performance) and evaluate operator skills and knowledge.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its Safer Seas Digest 2024, which details the most important lessons learned from maritime investigations completed last year.Safer Seas Digest 2024 details the facts and analyzes the probable causes of 34 maritime casualties, including capsizings, collisions, contacts, fires, floodings, groundings and machinery damage.Among the events included in the report are the engine room fire aboard the passenger ferry Sandy Ground near Staten Island…

The collision between the MV Stena Immaculate and the feeder containership MV Solong off Grimsby in the UK last week highlights the continuation of maritime accidents, with human error often as the cause. The response to maritime safety concerns is often to invest in better sensors—more advanced Radars, AIS, ECDIS, LIDAR and, more recently, high-resolution computer-vision for enhanced situational awareness. "These tools are absolutely essential, but they only provide fragmented information.

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) released a report today providing recommendations on how to develop and implement a Safety Management System (SMS) for ammonia-fueled ships.Recognizing the industry's forecasts on the uptake of future fuels with low to zero carbon emissions, ammonia has emerged as a frontrunner. However, it presents new risks such as toxicity and corrosiveness.

This week at MarineLink…The term doomscrolling was one of the Oxford English Dictionary's words of the year in 2020.“the action of constantly scrolling through and reading depressing news on a news site or on social media, especially on a phone”It rose to prominence during the pandemic, but today’s social, political and economic unrest keeps it current.The behavior is rooted in the part of the brain often referred to as the lizard brain which promotes self-preservation and drives the fight-or-flight response to danger…

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has published guidelines on safety standards for class surveyors work, Rec. 184.Highlights of the guidelines include:Comprehensive Risk Management: The document provides guidance for surveyors to exercise appropriate risk assessment and situational awareness prior to commencing work for prevention of accidents, near-misses, injury or ill health.Increased Focus on Collaboration: IACS encourages surveyors to share…

The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) welcomed new board members and honored industry leaders at its annual meeting on Jan. 6 in San Antonio, Texas. The event marked the official start of ABYC Standards Week, where experts across the marine industry gather to review and update safety standards for the design, construction, and repair of recreational boats.ABYC Board Chair Jeff Wasil and President John Adey shared updates on the organization’s initiatives and recognized the volunteers who contribute to advancing boating safety.The 2025 board of directors was announced…

Two recent marine casualties on commercial fishing vessels (CFVs) highlighted hazardous stowage conditions that rendered onboard lifesaving equipment ineffective. During the first incident, a 41-foot CFV capsized and sank within two minutes after taking on water. The personal flotation devices (PFDs) were not stored in an easily accessible location, preventing the crew from retrieving them before exiting the vessel. Additionally, the liferaft and hydrostatic release unit were attached to an aftermarket fiberglass canopy…

A towing vessel was pushing a barge loaded with aggregate when it allided with a bulk liquid transfer terminal pier on the Columbia River. The Coast Guard’s marine casualty investigation determined that the operator fell asleep at the helm, resulting in more than $1.5 million in property damage to the barge, handling equipment, and the facility. The incident occurred near a pipeline that could have discharged 25,000 gallons of synthetic diesel into the waterway.The investigation also identified the failure of the Pilothouse Alerter System as a key contributing factor.

A safety management system, while vital, can only take a company so far. The real change has to be cultural throughout an organization.Many maritime companies can operate effectively under the International Safety Management Code, which governs safety and pollution prevention for ships. Frameworks like these enable carriers to act compliant with basic safety standards, but there is a significant human element not quite covered by such standards. In 2012, Allianz looked at around a century of maritime incidents, estimating that 75% to 96% of marine accidents involved some human error.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has released the Sixth Edition of Guidelines on the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code.Print and ebook copies of the Guidelines are now available to buy.The sixth edition replaces the Guidelines on the Application of the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code, Fifth Edition, which has now been withdrawn from sale.The new edition includes new content:• New chapter on internal audits to help companies improve the SMS on an ongoing basis• Example annual program of drills and exercises• Updated publications list…

Survitec launched a new energy containment safety device designed to reduce the risks associated with catastrophic value actuator failures.The concept of the safety device was developed due to issues identified in the North Sea oil and gas sector, oil rigs, platforms, and floating installations, such as FPSOs and FSRUs. The Survitec Gauntlet can be applied to any facility that operates actuator valves and where risks need to be mitigated.Severe injury or death can be caused by the explosive forces released if a high-pressure spring-loaded actuator device fails…