August 1, 2022 Maritime Safety News
Fire erupted on board of passenger ship KM CIREMAI on Jul 28, black smoke billowed from Economy Class Passengers Quarters, where fire started. The ship was said to run trials off Jakarta after repairs including dry docking, she was to enter scheduled service on Aug 3. Undoubtedly, fire and following repairs, will delay her deployment. No injures reported.
New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/
(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) Chirpmaritime has recently published their flagship magazine, a very educational publication on maritime safety. Anyone who comes across an unsafe situation in their maritime world can report this to Chirpmaritime. Chirpmaritime will anonymize the report and contact the parties involved. The purpose is to prevent an unsafe event from happening again without starting a blame game or pointing fingers.
2021 has been another very difficult year for seafarers with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic causing major disruptions, particularly regarding crew changes. Many of our colleagues are still trapped at sea long after they should have been repatriated, while others are stuck at home and do not know when they will be able to work again. The professional way our colleagues have continued to move the world’s trade goods, often in terrible conditions, has been an inspiration. Perhaps one day the world will acknowledge the great debt it owes to the men and women at sea.
Despite all the hardships, seafarers have still managed to submit reports to CHIRP but we believe the standard of those reports is higher than ever and we wish to publicly thank all contributors for their excellent feedback.CHIRP Maritime and the results are for all to see.
Source: CHIRP
A loaded general cargo vessel had left berth but went to anchor in the river for repairs before proceeding to sea. The pilot showed the Master and Chief Officer his intended anchoring position on the ship’s ECDIS and informed them of his plan to use both anchors, establishing a ‘good spread’ between the port and starboard anchor chains. There were thunderstorms forecast for that afternoon that could bring strong and gusty winds to the area and river water levels were high, causing an outflow current of about four to five knots.
The starboard anchor was let go (position 1 in the diagram). The vessel then manoeuvred to port and, five minutes later, the port anchor was also let go (position 2). The starboard anchor was heaved to four shackles on deck and the port to three shackles in the water. About 15 minutes after the port anchor was let go the pilot informed the Master that the anchoring was finished. The pilot was satisfied with the situation (position 3), but recommended keeping the engine on short standby due to the inclement weather that was due to arrive and the strong river current. Another issue was that the vessel’s stern was only 150 metres from the bow of another ship anchored astern (shown in red in the diagram).
The pilot left the vessel a few minutes later. Unknown to him, the vessel was not in a stable condition and continued to yaw between the anchors.
Even though the vessel astern was only 150 metres away, the OOW set the anchor watch alarm on the ECDIS for a radius of 180 metres. Soon, the vessel was moving astern at a speed over the bottom of about 1.8 knots. At 1602 there was a watch handover; the relieving officer, unfamiliar with the vessel’s ECDIS because he was new, asked why the ship was not in the middle of the ECDIS ‘anchor watch’ circle.
The officer being relieved offered to help familiarise the relieving officer with the ECDIS, but they did not further discuss the vessel’s position at anchor as they went on to other business. About 10 minutes later, the OOW aboard the vessel anchored astern called on VHF radio giving a warning – he had noticed that the general cargo vessel was moving astern toward his vessel.
At 1639, the OOW became aware that they were now too close to the other anchored vessel. He contacted the engine room and engine control was received on the bridge nine minutes later. The Master began using full ahead engine, along with the bow thruster and rudder, to reduce the swing and bring the ship ahead. By this point, the ship was unable to turn to starboard away from the other anchored ship. At 1655, with the first vessel now broadside to the current and pushing on the bow of the other anchored vessel, both vessels were now dragging anchor.
Tugs were requested to help hold and stabilise the vessel. The first tug arrived on scene about 30 minutes later. A further 30 minutes passed before pilots arrived on both vessels, but more tugs were needed to extricate the vessels from their position. Although these arrived some time later, the vessel nonetheless hit a shore dock at a speed of 6 knots before its bow grounded on the river bank. Damage to the two vessels and the dock were estimated at $16.9 million.
Source: https://www.marineinsight.com/case-studies/real-life-incident-two-anchors-are-not-always-enough/
Cruise ship NORWEGIAN PEARL was hit by fishing vessel GABBY G at around 0640 UTC Jul 30 ESE of Nantucket, USA East Coast. Cruise ship left Boston on Jul 29 for a week-long cruise, she wasn’t damaged except maybe some scratches and dents, while GABBY G sustained serious damages in stb bow area, she was taken to New Bedford, probably on tow. NORWEGIAN PEARL resumed voyage and arrived at Bermuda, Ireland Island, on Jul 31.
New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/
August 1, 2022 Maritime Safety News
FPSO SEA EAGLE reported water ingress on Jul 24, she’s positioned in EA field southwest of Warii, Nigeria. As of morning Jul 29, there weren’t yet detailed and timely updates, to figure out what happened, what’s going on and what are ship’s status and condition. AIS seems to be working, latest position received at around 2300 UTC Jul 28. The leak didn’t affect oil storage area, said FPSO operator SHELL.
New FleetMon Vessel Safety Risk Reports Available: https://www.fleetmon.com/services/vessel-risk-rating/
Competition over the world’s maritime resources and territorial disputes over maritime borders are becoming increasingly prominent in international affairs. At the same time, depleted fish stocks and polluted waters make the question of how countries can collectively manage maritime resources a central one, particularly in discussions over climate change.
Against the backdrop of heightened competition in the maritime domain, China has been rapidly modernizing and expanding its naval capabilities thanks to an unprecedented shipbuilding effort. By contrast, the U.S. Navy is struggling to meet its ambitious goals toward expanding its fleet while nevertheless maintaining a demanding operational tempo.
Meanwhile, the resources that lie beneath the ocean’s surface are increasingly at risk of overexploitation. Illegal fishing is devastating already diminished global stocks and may soon present a severe crisis to countries whose populations depend on seafood for their diets. In the South China Sea, competition over fishing rights as well as offshore oil and gas reserves has been a major driver of tensions and conflict.
The maritime domain highlights the tensions between national sovereignty and transnational challenges, between the ocean’s littoral regions as exclusive economic zones and the high seas as a global commons. While often ignored in coverage of international affairs, it features prominently in bilateral, regional and multilateral diplomacy, particularly when it comes to resolving boundary disputes.
WPR has covered maritime issues in detail and continues to examine key questions about what will happen next. Will the United States shore up its naval superiority or continue to cede ground to China? How will the pivot to renewable energy affect competition for maritime resources? Will concerns over depleting fish stocks jumpstart global efforts to improve the state of the world’s oceans? Below are some of the highlights of WPR’s coverage.
In recent years, several European states have sought to project their precious naval assets in the Indo-Pacific region in ways that reflect widely accepted fashions in strategic thinking. But the underlying logic of this thinking now needs to be viewed more critically after the return of interstate war on European soil.
Countries around the world are improving their navies and stepping up their naval activities. That includes China, which has made qualitative and quantitative improvements, but also France and India. All of this stands in contrast to the United States’ struggles to improve the preparedness of its own fleet. These rivalries now include efforts to obtain port access and basing rights, as Russia and China increasingly seek to expand their naval presence overseas.
Every fifth fish caught in the world is netted illegally, undermining efforts to officially address the alarming problems caused by overfishing. But with global fish stocks declining by as much as 50 percent, there is mounting pressure to address overfishing—and the governments, including China, that encourage it. Failure to do so could be catastrophic for food systems and economies around the world.
As varied as they are common, disputes over maritime access have become increasingly significant within domestic and regional politics. Bolivia’s campaign for Pacific Ocean access was a central theme during former President Evo Morales’ years in office. And China’s disputed claims to the South China Sea are a significant driver of political tensions with the affected countries. But recently resolved conflicts, including a long-standing dispute between Australia and East Timor over access to natural gas fields, demonstrate that diplomacy can still be an effective tool.
Piracy remains a problem, particularly in remote, conflict-ridden areas. Countries are increasingly working collaboratively to address this problem, but these efforts are often reactive. Because global waters will always remain difficult to police, lasting solutions to piracy depend more on providing economic opportunities to citizens onshore than eliminating piracy on the water.
Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/competition-and-cooperation-in-the-maritime-domain/
S.M.C. is a well-established newbuilding and conversion technical consultant and project manager that has extensive experience working in the Chinese shipbuilding sector. Having supervised a diverse portfolio of vessels from container ships and tankers to gas carriers, DF vessels and passenger ships, the company has now expanded its services to offshore wind projects in China.
At the start of 2022, Shanghai Electric Wind Power (Group) Corporation awarded S.M.C. with a plan approval and site supervision contract for two SOVs that will be purpose designed and built for the Chinese offshore wind industry. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.
S.M.C. will be working closely with Shanghai Electric – a leading provider of offshore wind turbines in China, Ulstein – a leading designer of SOV units and ZPMC – the builder awarded construction contract. Equipped with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that comes with a Battery Energy Storage System installed in addition to very high safety and comfort features, the vessels will improve the efficiency of service operations at Chinese offshore wind farms while reducing their carbon footprint.
In addition to the SOV project, S.M.C. was appointed to carry out plan approval and supervise the construction of a 1,600 tons crane wind turbine installation vessel in China in the beginning of 2022. Set to be jointly classed by the China Classification Society and Bureau Veritas, the self-elevating wind power installation platform is equipped with diesel-electric propulsion system with six diesel generators feeding three azimuth thrusters and two tunnel type bow thrusters. This is in line with efforts by the renewable energy industry to manage its environmental impact. Scheduled for completion by mid 2023, the vessel is capable of installing 20 MW wind turbines at up to 70 m maximum depth of water. The platform, which is independently developed, designed and built in China, is also capable of assembling wind hubs and blades on the main deck.
Krzysztof Kozdron, Managing Director of S.M.C. says: “These new projects will help us deepen our understanding of the operational and geographical requirements of the Chinese offshore wind market. While this is not our first foray into the market, we look forward to the close technical cooperation with our local and international design and shipyard partners to ensure smooth and successful completion of the projects. We want to use our global experience to support our Chinese clients in meeting the growing demand for renewable energy and a more sustainable future.”
As part of China’s national strategy to develop non-fossil-fuel energy sources, various provincial governments have identified large-scale wind and solar projects as key engines for the development of renewable energy. In 2021, China overtook the UK to become the world’s largest operator of installed offshore wind capacity.
Source: https://www.bs-shipmanagement.com/media-centre/bsm-highlights/schulte-marine-concept-gains-foothold-in-chinese-offshore-wind-market/
Safetytech Accelerator, launched by Lloyd’s Register, has selected three companies to join its Waypoint 3: Maritime Risk start-up programme, with ShipIn Systems, eyeGauge and Alicia Bots chosen from the more than 100 applicants.
Waypoint 3 is the third iteration of the Safetytech Accelerator programme, launched in February 2022 to work with technology companies focused on tackling major challenges in maritime risk. The initiative exclusively supports high tech start-ups aiming to secure paid pilot projects in the industry.
More than 100 companies applied, of which 22 were approached for further evaluation. Five finalists were invited to pitch in front of a judging panel made up of executives from Lloyd’s Register and Safetytech Accelerator, who made their selection based on three main criteria: commercial readiness, innovation and the potential impact they could make in maritime risk.
ShipIn’s Fleetvision Platform uses visual analytics and AI to improve ship-to-shore collaboration for maritime fleets by alerting shipowners, managers and seafarers to onboard events in real-time.
“The sharing of real-time operational data between ship and shore is one of the latest tech developments that will help deliver a safer and lower risk marine professional environment,” said Osher Perry, Co-Founder and CEO of Shipin.
“We are thrilled to be working with like-minded tech and maritime experts who share our passion for making safer shipping operationally and commercially attractive and look forward to fast-tracking our significant growth plans.”
eyeGauge offers a non-invasive ship digitalisation system that provides tools to support decision making in fleet operations, to improve emissions reduction and environmental compliance.
“Many challenges of maritime transportation like decarbonisation, safety risks, lack of transparency and others can be addressed with digital solutions. But this industry is adopting digital transformation very slowly,” said Rodion Denisyuk, eyeGauge CEO.
“It is very difficult for tech start-ups to navigate this environment and deliver the message to decision-makers. Therefore, we are very pleased and honoured to be selected by the SafetyTech accelerator to get help and support from high-profile mentors and reputable industry partners.”
Alicia Bots offers multipurpose robots designed for accomplishing high risk maritime tasks, such as hull cleaning and inspections.
“The endorsement by Safetytech Acclerator is a validation that the shipping industry is adapting to new technologies which embrace safety and efficiency. Alicia Bots provides proactive hull cleaning and inspections robots, which operate autonomously and are deployed by ship’s crew providing hull cleaning robots as a service,” said Inder Mukhopadhyay, CEO at Alicia Bots.
Between July and October, the Safetytech Accelerator team will work with the three companies to develop opportunities to pilot their technologies, as well as offering funding to support those pilot projects.
“The standard of Waypoint entries were high this year, however eyeGauge, Alicia Bots and ShipIn Systems stood out as excellent contenders for our programme. We believe they have the potential to make a positive impact in reducing risk and increasing safety in the maritime industry,” said Nadia Echchihab, Safetytech Accelerator Head of Innovation Programmes.
“We look forward to working together over the coming months, boosting their value propositions, and supporting them in generating new business opportunities.”
Source: https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2022/07/27/safetytech-accelerator-selects-shipin-systems-eyegauge-and-alicia-bots/
July 28, 2022 Maritime Safety News
“We all know that about 90% of the world’s trade is carried by the international shipping industry. Without shipping, half the world would starve and the other half would freeze!” said Koji Sekimiza, former secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization.
In order to continue maintaining Singapore’s position as a global port hub and a premier international maritime centre, there is a need to establish a highly skilled and specialized workforce.
The Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), located in Singapore Polytechnic, offers a wide array of courses for both students and working professionals.
For the post-secondary students, SMA offers courses targeting the business and engineering aspects of the industry. The Diploma in Maritime Business is a three-year program that offers a big picture on the shipping business activities as well as logistic-related aspects of maritime. According to SMA, graduates are highly sought after as junior executives in a plethora of organizations from ship owning to supply chain management.
As for the aspiring engineers, the Diploma in Marine Engineering is a three-year program covering various engineering disciplines such as mechanical, electrical and electronic, engineering design, and control technology that are required to make a ship an independent power plant. Students will have a comprehensive learning experience through hands-on training using engine simulators and ship design software, enrichment talks, ship visits and industry exposure.
The graduates of the Marine Engineering course can opt for a job at sea as an engineer or a shore-based job in the marine, service and oil industry. As a engineer onboard a ship, the starting monthly salary is around S$3,000 and can go up to about S$10,000 for a chief engineer, the highest position for an engineer onboard a ship.
In any stage of their seafaring career, graduates can opt to pursue further studies to transition to a shore-based job.
The three-year Diploma in Nautical Studies program is a “direct fast track to becoming a ship’s captain”, according to SMA. Aspiring captains would need to first undergo an eyesight test before going through an interview. This double-award program gives graduates a diploma and the internationally recognized professional Class 3 Certificate of Competency (CoC) qualification that allows them to sail as a certified sea-going officer worldwide.
Graduates of the Nautical Studies program also have the choice of choosing between a sea or shore career path. Graduates pursing a job on land may work as an executive in port, pilot, surveying and offshore services.
On the other hand, a junior officer on merchant or offshore and dynamic positioning vessels receives a starting monthly salary of around S$3,000, and the salary of a chief officer is about S$7,500. The ship master, the head of the ship, receives around S$10,000.
Similar to that of the marine engineering graduates, officers may pursue further education in any stage of their seafaring journey to transition into a shore-based job such as middle management in shipping, port, pilot, surveying and off-shore services.
Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Diploma in Marine and Offshore Technology is the only program in Singapore that covers both Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering. Graduates in this three-year program will learn to design and build their own ship models and get to test them in Singapore’s only towing tank located in NP’s campus throughout the three years of education.
The integrated real-world projects will give graduates an edge in creating innovative solutions for using clean energy, developing new materials and processes, as well as designing and building marine vessels and offshore structures.
Graduates can pursue a career in the design, marketing, commerce, survey, production, safety, human resource, and research and development areas of the marine and offshore industries. They can look forward to roles such as assistant design engineer, assistant production engineer and quality control engineer.
Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Bachelor of Science in Maritime Studies is the only maritime business degree program in Singapore. The four-year program primarily focuses on shipping business and management. Courses include Marine Insurance, Shipping and the Environment, Shipping Economics, Maritime Law, Maritime Technology, Ship Chartering, Maritime Strategy and Shipping Logistics to equip graduates with knowledge for shipping and maritime related sectors.
In addition to the degree, students can enrol in second majors such as in Business or Data Analytics to broaden their horizon and equip themselves with additional proficiencies. The specialization in International Trading is also offered as part of the degree program to provide graduates with enhanced career opportunities in global commodity trading.
The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Marine Engineering/Naval Architecture/Offshore Engineering is a three-year direct honours degree program jointly offered by Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Newcastle University.
Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering students will learn about the engineering behind the design, structure, operation and management of ships and other large floating structures. Marine Engineering students will be exposed to marine engineering systems, from the main propulsion engines to auxiliary machineries like power generators, pumps, heat exchangers and other machinery within water, air and hydraulic systems.
Graduates can look forward to working in, but not limited to, Maritime Port Authority, shipping companies, shipbuilding and rig building yards, Republic of Singapore Navy, manufacturers or suppliers, ship brokering and chartering companies, marine and offshore original equipment manufacturers, statutory boards, consultancy and design companies, renewable energy companies, classification societies as well as oil and gas companies
The Maritime Business and Operations Track degree offered by Singapore Management University (SMU) is designed to provide graduates with understanding of the maritime business covering the economic, legal and managerial environment, as well as the operations of their organizations up and down the maritime and trade value chain.
Graduates will acquire knowledge in different business, operational, and management aspects such as port-focal logistics and maritime operations, shipping business, logistics and transportation and business analytics.
In addition, graduates are required to take up non-credit classes conducted by industry practitioners that range from tanker chartering and ship brokering to applications of data analytics and how robotics and automation are applied in the maritime sector.
The Diploma (Conversion) in Maritime Business Management by SMA is a one-year part-time course that is designed to equip non-maritime graduates with the knowledge and skills in shipping operations and logistics/offshore management so that they can join the industry as senior executives/junior managers and perform their jobs with a greater level of competence and understanding.
This course is suitable for shipping, logistics and offshore executives, currently working in the industry but do not possess maritime qualifications or relevant sea-going experience. The course is also for nautical/engineering seafaring junior officers who may be keen to supplement their technical skills with commercial and operational knowledge to prepare them for a shore-based career.
Additionally, professionals in other relevant fields who are keen to switch to a career in the maritime industry can take up this course.
The Specialist Diploma in Maritime Superintendency is a one-year part-time course administered by SMA offers a comprehensive training to those who are seeking to attain the relevant knowledge and technical skills to plan, direct and coordinate the marine and technical operation from shore.
At the end of the course, graduates will acquire a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a maritime superintendent to ensure safe, economic and efficient operation of the ships and offshore vessels. They will also be able to manage and operate vessels in accordance with organization policies, operating procedures and management systems.
The Diploma in Maritime and Offshore Management also by SMA is a one-year program for participants who do not possess maritime qualification to take up a career in the maritime and offshore industry.
The course is suitable for ambitious seagoing junior officers to gain more qualifications, and those currently working in non-maritime fields and would like to switch to a career in the maritime and offshore industry. It is also applicable for shipping, logistics and offshore executives currently working in the maritime industry but do not possess maritime qualifications or relevant seagoing experience.
The Master of Science in Maritime Studies in NTU provides young graduates and middle-management executives working in maritime related areas an avenue for higher education. Full-time study will take one to three years while part-time study takes two to four years.
Graduates will gain knowledge and tools to elevate from local business management to global settings. Overall, this program will uplift the local business practice and knowledge to a higher echelon in the international shipping scene, associated with business management, international shipping finance, chartering, and other related issues.
The Master of Science (Maritime Technology & Management) by National University of Singapore (NUS) is a program jointly hosted by the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management (ISEM) and the Centre for Maritime Studies (CMS). Full-time study takes one year while part-time takes two years.
The program seeks to train and equip graduates with key skillsets to enable next-generation port capabilities in Singapore, such as industrial systems development, big data analytics tools, and emerging port technologies.
Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/top-maritime-courses-singapore/
Motivated and highly qualified sea personnel are the backbone of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM). The HR Marine department is working hard to steadily expand the company’s pool of skilled seafarers and thus ensure the safe and efficient operation of the growing fleet under BSM crew management. An important component of the recruitment and qualification strategy is the company’s wholly owned training centres, which must be constantly adapted to meet new industry requirements and technological developments.
The latest development in BSM’s Maritime Training Centres is the relocation of the previous MTC in Mumbai to Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala where it has expanded its footprint approximately fivefold to 24,000 square feet. The new MTC is equipped with modern classrooms facilitating online and offline training. The facilities are supported by the latest technology including fully immersive simulators for bridge, engine, LNG, LPG, chemical, electrical and cargo handling. It also features a fully equipped mechanical workshop, slinging and lifting training facilities, together with a galley and external mooring station. This enables BSM to deliver foundation and ongoing skills improvement programmes for its new and existing seafarers.
The external mooring station is 5,000 square feet, almost the same size of the whole MTC in its former Mumbai location. It brings seafarer training to life through an external promenade with a practical training area that replicates an actual vessel’s mooring deck with all on-board equipment to deliver a range of maritime-focused training.
Source: https://www.bs-shipmanagement.com/media-centre/bsm-highlights/new-mtc-kochi-incorporating-smart-technologies-into-seafarer-training/
