Safety Solutions News

Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.

Dry chemical powder solutions have long safeguarded LNG and LPG cargo vessels, but as the industry embraces liquefied gases as a propulsion fuel, the unique requirements for protecting bunkering stations on a wider range of vessels, such as large cruise ships, containerships, and tankers, is becoming increasingly important. In response to the growing demand for advanced fire safety solutions to support the maritime's energy transition, Survitec has reconfigured and enhanced its Dry Chemical Powder (DCP) fire extinguishing system.

Danish maritime safety solutions company Viking Life-Saving Equipment has acquired rights to manufacture and supply Undertun marine evacuation systems (MES).The Viking acquisition has been agreed with Sverre Undertun, whose Norway-based company offers solutions which include its well-known Undertun ship gangways.The solution is suitable for the small ferry market due to its easy installation and use.Catering for up to 150 persons, Undertun MES are especially convenient when installation heights and crew numbers are low…

Software company NAPA will install its electronic reporting and data integration system, NAPA Logbook, across Anthony Veder's fleet of LNG and gas carriers.This shift from manual to electronic logbooks facilitates onboard record-keeping, significantly reducing crew workloads while also streamlining voyage reporting and regulatory compliance. Voyage reports, such as noon and bunkering reports, as well as notices of readiness, departure, and arrivals, are now fully automated. This eliminates duplication and facilitates communication between all stakeholders…

Classification society DNV has awarded type approval to NAPA’s new onboard stability software for the passenger sector – NAPA Stability, a new onboard stability solution that will replace NAPA Loading Computer, the stability management solution for passenger ships.This type approval establishes that the software meets DNV’s requirements for the assessment of ship stability in both intact and damaged conditions, and the relevant IACS requirements to enable Safe Return to Port (IACS UR L5 Type 4 requirements)…

Maritime satellite communications solutions provider Applied Satellite Technology (AST) is partnering with The Liberian Registry as the first authorized service provider of the Iridium Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) for Liberian flagged vessels.As a Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) convention recognized system, the Iridium GMDSS maritime emergency and distress service helps keep mariners safe in emergency situations at sea, prevent accidents via receipt of Maritime…

Brian Bailey, Director of Safety and Environmental Stewardship for the American Waterways Operators (AWO), was recently named a 2020 Rising Star of Safety by the National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit public service organization promoting health and safety in the U.S. Marine News spoke with Bailey about workboat safety and the AWO’s mission to protect industry workers, assets and the environment.Please tell us a bit about yourself and your role at AWO.I’ve been with The American Waterways Operators as its Director of Safety & Environmental Stewardship since 2016…

Fire safety has become a major concern in the container shipping industry, in particular, with vessels of 20,000-TEU and more entering the market. A fire in just one container can have catastrophic implications for the whole of the cargo. The very nature of container shipping means that the cargoes are in general finished goods of high value. Insurer Allianz gives the example of a March 2018 fire onboard the Maersk Honam southeast of Oman. At the time the ship was carrying 7,860 containers, corresponding to 12,416 TEU.

Maritime software, services, and data analysis provider NAPA said it has been awarded type approval by DNV GL for its latest loading computer, the NAPA Loading Computer Type 4 and Loading Computer System Damage Control, LCS(DC). The type approval, which is the first of its kind to be awarded by DNV GL, is significant in enabling further adoption of a new generation of loading computers, which assess damage in real time with increased accuracy, allowing crew to make essential decisions on ship stability.According to NAPA…

Looking back through articles on autonomous shipping, one could be forgiven for thinking that it’s becoming the nuclear fusion of maritime; always seemingly five or 10 years away but never quite arriving. In 2018, numerous commentators predicted that by 2030, autonomous vessels would be commonplace. With the lifecycle of most ships making this very difficult, barring a massive program of scrappage and new building, this is now looking less likely. As an industry we have undoubtedly learned much from the trials of autonomous ships and the advances in big data that have stemmed from such trials.

Trelleborg has acquired Signum Technology Ltd. The acquisition of Signum and its subsidiary companies Gall Thomson, KLAW LNG, KLAW Products, and Vee Bee Filtration., provides safety-critical solutions for flow control applications, including Marine Breakaway Couplings (MBCs) and safety solutions for LNG transfer systems.The move is part of Trelleborg’s strategy to strengthen its position as a system provider in oil and gas market segments, such as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore LNG transfer.Signum Technology is headquartered in Wiltshire…

The globally exclusive HydroPen distributor and leading safety solutions expert, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, has announced the signing of a fleetwide contract with a major global container shipping operator to integrate the HydroPen System for container firefighting. Beyond the revolutionary system developed by Rosenby Engineering, the scope of supply also includes MED approved mobile water monitors, providing a further boost to the operators’ onboard fire safety setup.Closing the container safety gapWith the deal…

After two years of slightly declining revenue, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S is seeing growth once more, said the global market leader in maritime and offshore safety.In 2018, VIKING acquired the Norwegian manufacturer of lifeboats Norsafe AS. Adjusting for the costs of integrating this business and the impact on revenue in the last quarter of the year, the results show growth in both revenue and earnings.“We were able to deliver growth in activities and earnings in the original VIKING business, and we expect that the picture will remain the same for both areas of business in 2019," says CEO Henrik Uhd Christensen.Norsafe’s lifeboat…

Survitec opened a new service and distribution hub in Singapore.The complex in Singapore’s Sembawang district covers a 7,153 cu. m. area, of which 1308 cu. m. is outdoors. With more than 200 personnel, it is Survitec’s largest service and distribution center globally, housing three distinct business units: WH Brennan & Co Pte Ltd, Survitec Safety Solutions Pte Ltd and Survitec Fire Solutions Pte Ltd.The Survitec products and services supplied by the Singapore facility include…

The end of 2018 provides an excellent opportunity to highlight some of the measures that have been taken by the maritime industry over the past year to develop a better understanding of autonomous shipping. A drive towards autonomous shipping has been embraced by many major players such as Rolls Royce and Wärtsilä, and this has led to numerous new strategies, visions, and projects that are pushing the boundaries of technological innovation. It’s no longer a matter of whether technology can achieve this next step…

Naval Dome has called on marine insurers to revoke the controversial Clause CL 380 and implement policies that insure against the risk of cyber-attacks on ship systems.Speaking in Cape Town, South Africa, today during the International Union of Marine Insurance’s (IUMI) annual conference, Naval Dome CEO Itai Sela said that with the maritime industry increasingly moving towards connected, cloud-based technologies and autonomous operation, a 15-year-old Clause that excludes damage to computer systems…

Maritime safety equipment manufacturer and global service provider VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S has acquired Norsafe, the Norwegian boatbuilder whose lifeboats are used throughout the world. The parties have not disclosed the sales price, and closing is expected October 1, 2018.Established in 1903, Norsafe produces a full range of free-fall lifeboats and fast rescue boats with davits and have supplied over 28,000 lifeboats to the global ship market over the years. Its lifeboat…

NAPA, the maritime software, services and data analysis provider announced that its industry-benchmark electronic logbook, NAPA Logbook, is now available as a monthly service solution.According to media release, this reduced barrier to entry will bring the connectivity and job automation benefits of digital logbooks to more of the maritime market. NAPA Logbook will also be one of the first integrations with NAPA Mobile, enabling support for smartphone logbook entries wherever the crew are onboard.As the world’s leading provider of electronic logbooks, NAPA Logbook has more than a decade’s service on board vessels serving more than 8,000 users and is approved by more than 20 major flag states, including the Bahamas, Marshall Islands, Panama, Malta and Singapore.

Safety solutions provider Survitec is returning to Seawork International in Southampton from July 3-5, a year after winning the Spirit of Innovation award at last year’s event. The focus of Survitec’s stand this year will be SOLAS 360; a brand-new concept aimed at improving overall safety levels through offering the products and services required in a holistic and consistent manner, available through one supplier. SOLAS 360 includes lifeboats, liferafts, personal lifesaving appliances…

It’s been a full year since the International Maritime Organization (IMO) launched the Polar Code to enhance the protection of seafarers and the environment in Arctic and Antarctic regions. As ship owners and operators now work to ensure compliance, Viking Life-Saving Equipment says it stands ready to throw them a lifeline. The global provider offers a complete range of safety solutions for passenger and cargo vessels operating under the Polar Code. “Like the Poles themselves, Polar safety is uncharted territory to many operators.

Cable and pipe transit manufacturer Roxtec says it is growing in several different industries. In order to meet the increasing demand for product testing and pave the way for continuous growth, the company is building a new fire test lab in Karlskrona, Sweden, to be ready in 2018. The Roxtec sealing system is used all over the world to protect life and secure operations. Owners and contractors within everything from shipbuilding and construction to renewable energy rely on the seals that are tested and certified to protect against multiple risk factors, including fire.

A newly built pilot boat Kara Yusuf, named after the owner’s grandfather, went into service on March 4, 2017 in Turkey. The boat will provide pilot transfer service in the southwest region of the Marmara Sea. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., of Vancouver Canada, the boat was built by ICDAS Shipyard in Turkey for their own use as well as for marketing to the pilotage industry. Designated as the RAlly 1600 class, the 16 m boat is constructed with a steel hull and aluminum deckhouse.

Software solution provider for ship design and operation NAPA Group (Napa Ltd.) has appointed Ilmo Kuutti as its new President. Kuutti assumes the position from Juha Heikinheimo, who served as President of NAPA Group for five and a half years. Kuutti holds a master’s degree in naval architecture from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. He started his career in shipyards, where he undertook various roles throughout the 1980s. Since joining NAPA in 1991, he has been taken on various leadership positions…