Maritime Safety News Archives - Page 19 of 260

Finnish Navy minelayer/LCT PYHARANTA ran aground in waters of Archipelago Sea, off Turku, Finland, in the afternoon Aug 24, during Navy Coastal firing drill, while uplifting from water some military device. The ship reportedly, sustained hull breach with ensuing water ingress. Divers are to estimate extent of damages prior to ship’s refloating. No spill reported.
Finnish Navy minelayer/LCT PYHARANTA, MMSI 230997550, displacement 608, commissioned 1992, armament guns, 50 sea mines; capacity 200 troops or 100 tons, crew 12-22.

Source: https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2022/39293/finnish-navy-minelayer-ran-aground-holed/

The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transport Safety Board have commenced investigations into the collision between a bulker and a cargo ship in the Sabine Pass leading to Port Arthur, Texas. The collision happened on August 21, and currently, both vessels remain in the Port Arthur anchorage where complete damage assessments were underway while the shipping companies are arranging for repairs.

Pictures released by the U.S. Coast Guard show extensive damage to the port quarter of the AP Revelin, a 38,000 dwt bulker registered in Croatia. The vessel had been outbound from Port Arthur with a load of wood chips when the collision occurred.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s initial report on the accident appears to show that the damage while significant was limited to above the waterline of the 590-foot vessel. Her port quarter near the stern was ripped open exposing one compartment to the elements. Unconfirmed reports that the emergency boat was damaged in the collision are also confirmed by the photos.

The vessel’s owner, Atlantska Plovidba issued a statement saying that they expected a significant reduction in the vessel’s in-service time while repairs to the significant damage were completed.

The cargo ship Damgracht (18,000 dwt) registered in the Netherlands was inbound the U.S. Coast Guard reports when an engine alarm sounded causing the engine to shut down. The vessel experienced a loss of steering with its port bow making contact with the AP Revelin.

While the pictures of the Damgracht show apparently only superficial damage with her paint scraped, the Coast Guard report said the vessel took on water after the collision indicating likely damage below the waterline not visible in the pictures. The Coast Guard reported the ship’s pumps were handling the water and she was in no danger.

There were no injuries to the crew aboard either vessel. A Coast Guard survey of the area also showed no pollution in the water from either vessel.

Photos courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard

Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/photos-uscg-releases-images-of-significant-damage-in-texas-collision

While symbolic barriers are better than nothing, it would be best to invest in physical barriers. The Nautical Institute gives this advice in its latest Mars Report in which a dredger’s master accessed the area a crane was in operation and was crushed between the crane and cargo hold as a result.

The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. A summary of this incident:

A small hopper dredger equipped with a deck grab crane was occupied with the refurbishment of a port breakwater. The work involved lifting boulders from the cargo hold with the deck grab crane and positioning them at the breakwater. The chief engineer, who maintained direct contact with the crane operator via a portable radio, was on the bridge overseeing the operation.

The master, who was new to the ship and had joined only two weeks earlier, was occupied with administrative tasks. At one point, he decided to go on deck and check on some recent maintenance work at the bow. He took the access way on starboard side of the cargo hold to reach the forecastle (the port side access way had been cordoned off.) During this time, the crane operator, who was placing one boulder in position at the breakwater, noticed the master in proximity of the paint locker.

After checking on the maintenance, the master decided to check the status of the boulders in the cargo hold. He climbed the starboard stairs to the cargo hold and looked inside the cargo hold. At this time, the crane operator had the crane’s boom in line with the cargo hold and was picking up a boulder from the hold. Within a matter of seconds, the crane turned clockwise towards the breakwater, entrapping the master between the body of the crane and the cargo hold coaming.

The crane operator heard a scream and turned the crane back towards the cargo hold. He immediately noticed the master lying on deck. He raised the alert and the chief engineer, who was on the bridge, called for shore medical assistance.

The master was admitted to the local hospital; he had suffered a massive hematoma, muscle laceration of the right abdominal wall, and a fractured vertebrae. The victim was discharged from hospital the next day and received further medical treatment once home.

Investigation findings

The investigation found, among others, that although access to the forecastle from the port side of the cargo hold had been cordoned off by a physical barrier system (a chain), access to the forecastle from the starboard side was unobstructed. Black and yellow “hazardous area” markings were painted in a semi-circle on the deck around the crane, extending from port to starboard. But paint markings are a symbolic barrier system and therefore require one’s interpretation to be effective (as opposed to a physical barrier system).

Advice from The Nautical Institute

While symbolic barriers are better than nothing, their effectiveness is debatable. Physical barriers are much better. And an excellent complement to physical barriers are administrative barriers documented in a vessel’s safety management system (SMS).
Mars Report 201851 documents a very similar accident, but one with more serious consequences as the victim, new to the ship, died of his injuries. In that case, not only was there an absence of physical barriers, but no danger warnings were present.

Source: https://swzmaritime.nl/news/2022/08/24/lack-of-physical-barriers-results-in-dredgers-master-being-crushed-between-crane-and-cargo-hold/

Wärtsilä Voyage, part of the technology group Wärtsilä, has signed a contract for a five-year framework agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading ports group, to digitalise operations at its 21 ports. The project aims to accelerate the digital transformation of port calls and operations, making them as efficient, sustainable and safe as possible. The Wärtsilä Voyage technologies chosen for the project; Navi-Port, Navi-Harbour Vessel Traffic Services, and Port Management Information System (PMIS), will help ABP employees meet their targets, complement the company’s safety culture during port operations and optimise vessel planning and movements, which can have a positive impact on local, national and global supply chains.

Sean Fernback, President Wärtsilä Voyage, commented: “ABP truly understands how impactful technology can be in the maritime industry and its innovative approach has cemented its position as the UK’s leading ports group. This new agreement will help ABP maintain its competitive advantage now and into the future.

“Holistic and seamless technological solutions are critical to ensuring that ports, and the maritime industry more broadly, are ahead of the curve in terms of supply chain modernisation, that operations are future-proofed, and that data underpins decisions. The scope and scale of what we can achieve with ABP is very exciting, and we’re pleased to be working together.”

After a thorough international procurement process where all major suppliers of port optimisation solutions were invited to tender, ABP chose to collaborate with Wärtsilä Voyage, a cutting-edge technology developer accelerating the digital transformation of the maritime industry. Wärtsilä Voyage has a clear vision on how to enable ABP to become an early adopter of state-of-the-art port management solutions, while also ensuring a strong return on investment aligned with the goals and ambitions of ABP.,

The project, which began in June, will span multiple phases across all of ABP’s ports. Wärtsilä’s Vessel Traffic Services system and Port Management Information System are expected to be integrated into the Port of Southampton before April 2023, with other solutions subsequently being deployed across ABP’s other 20 ports. The agreement with ABP includes an ongoing human factor review to ensure the existing control room environment is optimised for people’s needs and is fully compliant with all national and international standards and guidelines.

The framework agreement, valid for at least the next five years, formalises a shared vision and commitment from both organisations to develop modern smart port applications through extensive and long-term collaboration.

Harm Van Weezel, Chief Information Officer at ABP, said: “We are delighted to be working with Wärtsilä on a programme that really delivers towards our vision of a modern, digital port. Wärtsilä’s approach – forming a deep and long-term partnership that is mutually beneficial to both organisations – really stood out to everyone at ABP. We are looking forward to the vast benefits this programme will bring.”

Håkan Agnevall, President and CEO, Wärtsilä Corporation, added: “This is a landmark contract that will have a profound impact on the sustainability, resilience and efficiency of global supply chains. Digitalisation offers great potential for the maritime industry to reach its ambitious emissions reductions targets. That is why the expertise within Wärtsilä Voyage plays such an important role in the pathway to zero emissions and continues to be integral to Wärtsilä’s strategy to generate genuine and long-term change for our sector.”

Source: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/ports-terminals/24082022/wrtsil-to-digitalise-associated-british-ports-maritime-operations/

Wärtsilä Voyage has signed a contract for a five-year framework agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s ports group, to digitalise operations at its 21 ports.

The project aims to accelerate the digital transformation of port calls and operations, making them as efficient, sustainable and safe as possible.

The Wärtsilä Voyage technologies chosen for the project; Navi-Port, Navi-Harbour Vessel Traffic Services, and Port Management Information System (PMIS) will help ABP employees meet their targets, complement the company’s safety culture during port operations and optimise vessel planning and movements, which can have a positive impact on local, national and global supply chains.

Sean Fernback, president, Wärtsilä Voyage said: “ABP truly understands how impactful technology can be in the maritime industry and its innovative approach has cemented its position as the UK’s leading ports group. This new agreement will help ABP maintain its competitive advantage now and into the future.

Holistic and seamless technological solutions are critical to ensuring that ports, and the maritime industry more broadly, are ahead of the curve in terms of supply chain modernisation, that operations are future-proofed, and that data underpins decisions. The scope and scale of what we can achieve with ABP is very exciting, and we’re pleased to be working together.”

After a thorough international procurement process where all major suppliers of port optimisation solutions were invited to tender, ABP chose to collaborate with Wärtsilä Voyage, the cutting-edge technology developer accelerating the digital transformation of the maritime industry. Wärtsilä Voyage’s clear vision on how to enable ABP to become an early adopter of state-of-the-art port management solutions, while also ensuring a strong return on investment aligned with the goals and ambitions of ABP.

Harm Van Weezel, chief information officer at ABP said: “We are delighted to be working with Wärtsilä on a programme that really delivers towards our vision of a modern, digital port. Wärtsilä’s approach – forming a deep and long-term partnership that is mutually beneficial to both organisations – really stood out to everyone at ABP. We are looking forward to the vast benefits this programme will bring.”

Håkan Agnevall, president & CEO, Wärtsilä Corporation added: “This is a landmark contract that will have a profound impact on the sustainability, resilience and efficiency of global supply chains. Digitalisation offers great potential for the maritime industry to reach its ambitious emissions reductions targets. That is why the expertise within Wärtsilä Voyage plays such an important role in the pathway to zero emissions and continues to be integral to Wärtsilä’s strategy to generate genuine and long-term change for our sector.”

Source: https://www.thedigitalship.com/news/maritime-software/item/8007-waertsilae-to-digitalise-associated-british-ports-operations

The NTSB has released its final report on the allision of a bulker with a decommissioned offshore platform off the coast of Louisiana last year. Its investigators determined that poor bridge resource management and a charting error were the root causes of the casualty.

On Jan. 7, 2021, the bulker Ocean Princess struck the oil and gas platform SP-83A some 24 miles south of Pilottown, Louisiana. No pollution or injuries were reported, and damage to the vessel and platform came to about $1.5 million.

The Ocean Princess offloaded a cargo of ore and steel in New Orleans in late December. On January 6, she was drifting in the Gulf of Mexico before heading back up river to load a cargo of grain. The master planned to drift through the night with the engine on 15-minute standby, keeping clear of traffic and the three platforms located in the area.

In order to give the crewmembers some rest time after a long day of cleaning cargo holds, the master scheduled himself on the bridge, joining the second officer. The vessel was drifting at about 2-3 knots in a northerly direction, with on and off rain showers periodically limiting visibility.

As the watch went on into the early hours of January 7, the master and second officer worked on administrative tasks on the bridge. At about 0100 hours, the vessel drifted towards a fairway, and they called the engine room to prepare to maneuver. With the master at the helm, they headed away from the fairway at a slow bell. At 0113, as he maneuvered away, the master saw a dim yellow light and checked the radar, which was set at a range of about 1.5-3 miles. The second officer had a look and confirmed that the contact was a platform, but could not determine the range visually. It looked like an ENC-charted platform some 5-6 miles away, and they concluded that it was not a hazard.

They were mistaken, and the master only fully appreciated the risk about 40 seconds before contact. Last-minute maneuvers were not successful and the bulker allided with the platform at four knots. The starboard anchor lodged in the platform structure, and the bulker swung on the anchor chain until morning when it could be safely cut free.

Ocean Princess’ trackline in the hours leading up to the allision (NTSB)

The master and second officer told NTSB that they never saw SP-83A on the radar. After the contact, they found that the platform was properly marked on the paper chart (an Admiralty product) – but SP-83A did not appear on their ECDIS ENC (a NOAA product).

NTSB verified that platform SP-83A was not charted on the official U.S. charts that fed Ocean Princess’ ECDIS. It had been charted correctly at platform commissioning in 1990 but was removed from the NOAA charts in 2010 for unknown reasons. Its absence went unnoticed and uncorrected until the allision. (After the accident, NOAA added it back in.)

A photo of the British Admiralty chart 3857 (left) and ECDIS screenshot from the Ocean Princess fed by NOAA ENCs (right), which were up to date at the time of the casualty. The British Admiralty chart shows SP-83A, but the ECDIS image shows nothing at that position. (NTSB)

NTSB determined that poor BRM was the probable cause of the casualty, since the bridge team noticed the platform’s lights 10 minutes in advance but failed to take timely and effective action. The platform’s absence from the ENC was a contributing factor.

“Technology, such as an ECDIS, can result in operator overreliance and overconfidence that degrades sound navigation practices and negatively affects situational awareness,” advised NTSB. “When identifying hazards, bridge teams should avoid overreliance on a single data source.”

Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ntsb-poor-brm-caused-allision-with-uncharted-offshore-platform

Environment management regulators in Turkey have advised that a new inventory of hazardous materials (IHM) must be conducted prior to the export of a Brazilian aircraft carrier to a Turkish shipbreaking yard, AllAboutShipping reported on August 23.

Reports indicate, however, that the six-decade-old carrier, the Sao Paulo, has already set sail for Turkey.

The trade news site reported that the Brazilian government and ship recycler Sok Denizcilik Tic.Ve Ltd.Sti (SOK) of Aliaga, Turkey, the buyer of the Sao Paulo, were sent scrambling when the regulators sent a letter to the Brazilian agency IBAMA, the competent authority for the Basel Convention, requiring the new IHM.

“… As a result of the [Turkish] Supreme Court’s interim injunction, news in the press, and the hazardous materials notices made to our [Turkish Environment] Ministry, it has emerged that a new Inventory of Hazardous Materials for the ex-naval vessel in question should be prepared while the vessel is in Brazilian territorial waters before it comes to our country,” the regulators wrote.

Environmental and labour rights groups working on the matter in Turkey, Brazil, and internationally have claimed for weeks that the export of the ship from Brazil to Turkey was illegal under the Basel and Barcelona Conventions and that the current IHM was not credible.

“Turkey is to be applauded for asking for a true and accurate survey and inventory,” Nicola Mulinaris of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform was cited as saying. “The current one is simply not believable based on what we know about older aircraft carriers. We have real concerns that the provided inventory grossly underestimates the hazardous and radioactive materials on board the Sao Paulo.”

AllAboutShipping said it must be noted that Grieg Green, the survey company that issued the IHM for SOK, among other things:

admitted they had access to only 12% of the ship;

did not have access to the IHM prepared by the Brazilian Navy;

concluded that there might be more asbestos onboard the aircraft carrier than the estimated nine tons;

and

recommended further sampling during dismantling operations.

The Sao Paulo’s sister ship Clemenceau was estimated to have at least 760 tonnes of asbestos, a figure later confirmed by Bureau Veritas upon its dismantling at scrap yard Able UK, the news outlet added.

Jim Puckett, executive director of the Basel Action Network, was reported as saying. “The rush by the Brazilian government to get out to sea without checking to see if Turkey has laws against such import, to alert transit countries, and before a court injunction can be properly served, is not an excuse for Turkey to ever allow this ship into our territory.”

The Sao Paulo was first commissioned by the French Navy as Foch in 1963 and was sold to Brazil in 2000 for around $30mn, where she became the new flagship of the Brazilian Navy. The ship was demobilised and decommissioned in 2017.

Source: https://www.intellinews.com/toxic-materials-warning-as-brazilian-aircraft-carrier-sets-sail-for-date-with-turkish-shipbreaker-254373/?source=turkey

On August 15, at the Depot of PT Berlian Jasa Terminal Indonesia (PT BJTI) Tanjung Perak, Surabaya, Imam Kastiawan died when a container fell off the crane and hit the truck he was driving.

The incident occurred during loading activities on the Green Samudra ship, which was about to head to Makassar from Surabaya. The lock on the reach stacker malfunctioned and the container fell on the truck driven by Imam, who was declared dead after being taken to the PHC Surabaya hospital.

The Indonesian police are investigating the incident, and PT BJTI will be carrying out an internal inquiry too. PT BJTI’s head of public relations, Budi Hermawan said to the press: “We express our deepest condolences to the victim and ensure that we take full responsibility for this incident. Together with the police, we will find out the cause.”

This incident is the first of its kind in Indonesia. In an interview with Maritime Fairtrade, Director of the National Maritime Institute (NAMARIN), Siswanto Rudi, said work safety of port workers has to be further improved. After this tragic event, Siswanto said “all parties must find out the causes, implement safeguards and ensure nothing similar will happen again. This incident may have occurred due to negligence. It could be due to the crane operator’s negligence or equipment problems.”

According to Siswanto, to further improve work safety for port workers, a number of important aspects needed immediate attention from port operators and regulators, one of which is the issue of equipment worthiness. He said: “At the port, sometimes there are equipment which are leased from third-party vendors. And this is a vulnerable point because there may not be strict monitoring of whether vendors routinely inspect and maintain their equipment.

“This same principle also applies to those who are leasing the equipment, who do not have their own maintenance program. So far, there is also no oversight from the regulator. There has to be a dialogue among the government as regulator, port operators and vendor who owned the equipment. Importantly, there has to be a strict safety protocol where each party has to follow.”

Special attention must be given to the licensing of crane operators, said Siswanto. All crane operators must be licensed in order to work in ports and terminals and there must be strict enforcement to ensure their licenses are genuine and up to date. Also, he added: “The presence of a supervisor to monitor whether the crane has been completely locked and in which direction the crane will move is also very necessary.”

Siswanto said the Indonesian government, as regulator, has a responsibility to make sure that all safety regulations are followed. For example, a container terminal is regulated by the Regulation of the Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia number 8 of 2020, which applies to cranes, trucks, and lifting and transportation equipment. Under this law, crane operators are required to have a Class 1 operator K3 license above 15 tons. In addition, during the loading process, no one is allowed in the lifting zone.

Another regulation is the International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS Code) under IMO (International Maritime Organization) which specifically regulates activities and lays out steps that must be taken in tackling potential hazards at sea and ports, including the maintenance of port support facilities.

After signing and ratifying the ISPS Code through KEPPRES No. 65/1980 regarding the ratification of SOLAS 1974 which was then followed by the Decree of the Minister of Transportation No. KM 33/2003 concerning the enforcement of the 1974 SOLAS Amendment concerning the Security of Ships and Port Facilities in the territory of Indonesia, port operators are obliged to comply with this regulation.

In the ISPS code, each port is required to have a Port Facility Security Officer, beside the security aspect, a big part of the job scope involves ensuring and improving the work safety of port workers.

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/death-indonesian-port-worker-highlights-urgent-need-improve-safety-%ef%bf%bc/

Pests can cause havoc onboard ships. They spread diseases and pose a risk to seafarers’ health and affect the operation of ships. Pest control is an important function but seldom given enough credit. According to Sogol, a pest controller working onboard a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) ship operating in the Java Sea, Indonesia, his profession is often forgotten because people often assumed wrongly that there is no pest on ships.

Sogol, pest controller working onboard a FPSO.

Sogol said it is a myth that because pests are found on land and as ships are travelling the high seas, pests could not find their way there. Pests find their way onto ships by hitching a ride on luggage, livestock, food supplies, birds and humans. When they get in, they make their home in enclosed areas such as ducts, ceilings, voids, and vaults. When ships get infested, their enclosed nature help in the spread of illnesses and diseases. Common pests include cockroaches, rodents, bed bugs, termites, silverfish, flies and mosquitos.

Sogol is the only pest controller working on the FPSO and is responsible to keep both the 73 crew members and the ship safe from pest infestation. He said a dangerous pest he encountered is the tomcat, a poisonous flying beetle-like insect.

Photo credit: iStock/Anjas Rohendi. A type of tomcat.

Sogol said: “Usually, the tomcat is attached to the outer side wall of the ship and on other exposed part. There is a tomcat season every now and then and there is usually a large swarm of tomcats. During this time, I would work hard to kill them before they managed to enter the interior of the ship.

“The flying tomcats are helped by the strong wind which carried them to the FPSO. When bitten by a tomcat, the symptoms are more or less the same as getting herpes. Tomcats will release a venomous toxin and when in contact, it will cause acute skin irritation. The skin will feel hot and itchy and red rashes and blisters will soon appear.

“It is not easy to replace crew members when we are in the middle of the ocean. I try my best to prevent tomcats from attacking the crew. If bitten, wash the wound immediately, apply cold compress and then aloe vera cream. If possible, seek medical help.”

In Indonesia, pest control on ships is regulated by the Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994 (OSHA), Food Act 1983 & Food Regulation 1985, and Factory and Machinery Act 1967. Getting a pest controller license is not easy and there are a prescribed set of training and requirements he has to fulfil first, Sogol said. His license, Pesticide Applicator License/Assistant Pesticide Applicator License (PAL/APAL), is certified by the Ministry of Health.

To stay on top of his profession, Sogol has to regularly attend ongoing training programs including the Skills Recognition System (NSRS). He also has to undergo on-the-job training and be certified by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

When on duty, Sogol has to strictly follow regulations like the Environmental Protection and Management Regulations (Hazardous Substances), the Hydrogen Cyanide (Fumigation) Act 1953, the 2010 OSH Regulations (Uses and Standards of Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals for Health), and the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

The General Authority of Red Sea Ports announced, today, Tuesday, the establishment of the permanent main committee for port affairs and maritime safety, consisting of representatives from the “Maritime Transport Sector, the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Defense, the Administrative Control Authority, the Customs Authority, The Ministry of the Interior “by passing through the ports of Suez and Zayyat to ensure the integrity of the inspection and review procedures and the legality of disposing of goods” stagnant, neglected and pollutants to the environment“.

In a statement, the authority confirmed that the safety of procedures for handling dangerous goods, emergency plans and scenarios of behavior in different situations and the extent to which workers understand them in practice, and the safety of environmental protection measures “waste disposal plan – oil pollution control plan” and their practical application, and the passage of “Operations – Crisis Management” centers to ensure the integrity of the measures taken.

It also confirmed that all yards, warehouses, companies and berths were passed to ensure the safety and suitability of all equipment used in the loading and unloading work in a manner that achieves the security and safety of handling operations, and to ensure the safety of all civil protection procedures followed in seaports and to implement a firefighting maneuver in one of the marine units in the port. And passing through the central examination laboratories and joint examination committees in the seaports, and ensuring the integrity of the procedures for entering and exiting the port gates for trucks and goods, and passing through the marine units operating in the ports to ensure their technical suitability for sailing. .

Major General Engineer Mohamed Abdel Rahim, head of the Red Sea Ports Authority, stressed to all members of the port community the need to implement the instructions of Lieutenant General, Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir, Minister of Transport, to periodically pass through all warehouses and yards for a comprehensive and accurate inventory of all goods and negligence in the port to quickly dispose of those goods by safe legal methods and to follow all safety procedures Occupational health and raising the degree of maximum preparedness during the exchange of goods and the transport of dangerous materials from ports .

The committee is made up of several different sides

Ensuring maritime safety in ports