Safety

Watch: How the ‘Effective Crew Project’ works

The merchant shipping industry is constantly seeking to balance safety, cost and efficiency, and crewing strategies are a key part of that equation. Led by Southampton’s Solent University, the ‘Effective Crew Project’ explores best practice from maritime and other industries, with the objective of improving safety, welfare and efficiency at sea.

Started in April 2017, the Effective Crew research develops findings from a pilot study conducted by the same research team and will draw upon best...

https://safety4sea.com/watch-how-the-effective-crew-project-works/

The round-table: Making ship-board meetings matter

Round table meetings and plan sharing are very important for ship safety so each person knows what the others are doing and they avoid incompatible tasks, argued Captain VS Parani, noting that meetings should not be cancelled even amid time pressure. On this respect, he shared eight ideas to make meetings more efficient, onboard and ashore.

On a fine day in early 2005, the Master of the ro-pax ship Arahura planned to carry out an emergency steering drill as was required by regulation. Usually...

https://safety4sea.com/the-round-table-making-ship-board-meetings-matter/

Minerva Marine obtains ISO 45001

Minerva Marine obtained ISO 45001 certificate by DNV GL, becoming the first Greek shipmanagement company to obtain this ISO. Now, Minerva upgraded its occupational health and safety management system from OHSAS 18001 to the latest ISO 45001 standard.

ISO 45001:2018 specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, and gives guidance for its use, to enable organizations to provide safe and healthy workplaces by preventing work-related injury and ill health, as...

https://safety4sea.com/minerva-marine-obtains-iso-45001/

Shipping community reaffirms cooperation in Straits of Malacca and Singapore

More than 180 participants from around 80 maritime administrations and organisations, as well as embassies in Singapore, gathered at the 11th Co-operation Forum being held from 24 to 25 September, reaffirming commitment to strengthen cooperation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).

The Co-operation Forum is one of the three pillars of the Co-operative Mechanism on Safety of Navigation and Environmental Protection in the SOMS.

The event gives opportunity to the three SOMS littoral...

https://safety4sea.com/shipping-community-reaffirms-cooperation-in-straits-of-malacca-and-singapore/

Guidance for removal of sunken vessels after Hurricane Florence

The US Coast Guard and other federal and state agencies have partnered under the authority of Emergency Support Function #10 (ESF #10), to assist North Carolina in the assessment and removal of vessels damaged by Hurricane Florence from local waterways. The partner agencies have specific guidance for vessel owners who wish to remove these boats.

A sunken or displaced vessel is a hazard to the environment. The removal of these vessels can hasten the recovery and maintain the resilience of native...

https://safety4sea.com/guidance-for-removal-of-sunken-vessels-after-hurricane-florence/

West Coast voters: Help your friends and family register now, vote in November midterms

If you wish to vote in the U.S. midterm election on November 6, now is the time to:

  • Check your voter registration — is it up to date? If you have moved, you may need to re-register.

  • Read about the candidates.
  • Register to vote.
  • Remind your friends and family register to register before your state’s deadline.

– ALASKA –
Register before Oct. 7
https://voterregistration.alaska.gov/

– CALIFORNIA –
Register before Oct. 22
https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/

– HAWAII –
Register before...

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2018/09/west-coast-voters-help-your-friends-and-family-register-now-vote-in-november-midterms/

Gallery: MPA Singapore holds annual ferry emergency exercise

On 20 September, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) conducted a ferry emergency exercise to test the readiness of various agencies in responding to ferry mishaps in the Port of Singapore. The exercise took place at sea near Kukor Buoy involving more than 100 personnel from 10 organizations.

The exercise scenario involved the evacuation of 72 passengers onboard a domestic ferry, after her grounding on a large underwater object. Passengers were then evacuated onto life rafts and a...

https://safety4sea.com/gallery-mpa-singapore-holds-annual-ferry-emergency-exercise/

Costa Rica: Police in riot gear use tear gas on protesters at terminal entrance

A photo of the Costa Rican national protests taken on Sept. 12, 2018.

A photo of the Costa Rican national protests taken on Sept. 12, 2018.

Excerpts from an article ironically named ‘Breakthrough hope in Costa Rica strike’:

The government and public sector workers in Costa Rica have agreed to enter into talks to bring to an end an indefinite strike that is now in its second week.

The unions, which are protesting against government tax reform plans, released a statement indicating their willingness to negotiate with the mediation of the Catholic church but without...

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2018/09/costa-rica-police-in-riot-gear-use-tear-gas-on-protesters-at-terminal-entrance/

US court judges freight forwarder and chemical maker responsible for MSC Flaminia deaths

MSC Flaminia disaster 2012

From the Handy Shipping Guide:

Early on the morning of 14 July 2012 the ship’s alarms sounded and a cloud of smoke rose from one of the holds. When the fire-fighting team rushed toward it and flooded the hold with CO2 the explosion occurred.

In the second hearing of a potentially three phase case the US District Court for the Southern District of New York has reached a verdict appointing responsibility for the deaths, injuries and damage caused when the MSC Flaminia was struck by an explosion....

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2018/09/us-court-judges-freight-forwarder-and-chemical-maker-responsible-for-msc-flaminia-deaths/

Port of Tacoma pauses operations due to nearby fire, air quality concerns

Update: The Port of Tacoma has announced: “With air quality returning to healthy levels, service at all terminals in Tacoma are expected to be up and running by 1 p.m.”

Excerpts from a KING 5 article titled ‘Stay indoors: Air quality warning issued as Tacoma scrap fire burns’:

An overnight fire at Simon Metals scrap yard in Tacoma weakened the surround air quality Monday morning, forcing the Port of Tacoma to put operations on hold.

The fire began around 2 a.m. and by 10 a.m. air quality around...

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2018/09/port-of-tacoma-pauses-operations-due-to-nearby-fire-air-quality-concerns/

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