Swedish Club

High speed when approaching berth results to accidents

On its monthly safety scenario for January, the Swedish Club presents a case where a ro-ro vessel with high speed approached the berth in a port but was not able to carefully enter because of the wind, causing the vessel’s bulbous bow to hit the quay. The vessel was obliged to dry dock and repair the bulbous bow.

The incident

During morning hours and NW winds at 25-30 knots, the 200 m ro-ro vessel picked the pilot and the bridge was informed that the vessel was to berth starboard side to berth A...

https://safety4sea.com/high-speed-when-approaching-berth-results-to-accidents/

Swedish Club: How to prevent engine room fires

Between 2008 and 2017, the Swedish Club received 28 reports about engine room fires. Fires may take place with very low frequency when compared with other types of damage, but the consequences can be severe. For this reason, the Swedish Club presents ways to prevent such incidents from happening.

Engine rooms on ships have all the ingredients for a fire, while one of the most common causes is lube-oil or fuel-oil mist spraying onto hot surfaces and then igniting.

GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!

N...

https://safety4sea.com/swedish-club-how-to-prevent-engine-room-fires/

New IMSBC Code requirements from Jan 2019

The Swedish Club informs that by 1 January 2019 there will be a supplementary IMSCB (International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code) for coal. Namely, coal will not only be categorized as a chemical hazard cargo (Group B) but will also fall into Group A (liquefaction).

For a Group A cargo TML and FMP always need to be established by the shipper and provided to the vessel according with the Code before loading.

However, if the particles are large enough to prevent liquefaction, then they will not...

https://safety4sea.com/new-imsbc-code-requirements-from-jan-2019/

Absence of communication leads to serious main engine problems

On its monthly safety scenario for December, the Swedish Club presents a case where serious damage was caused to a ship’s main engine. Namely, due to lack of communication water contaminated the lubrication oil damaging severely the engine.

The incident

Engineers on a bulk carrier were conducting scheduled maintenance on one of the ballast pumps. They had closed all the isolating valves to the ballast pump and put up notices about the job in the engine room and engine control room, but not on the...

https://safety4sea.com/absence-of-communication-leads-to-serious-main-engine-problems/

Legal issues arising from 2020 sulphur cap

After the MEPC 73 in October which confirmed that there would be no delay in the implementation date of 2020 sulphur cap, the Swedish P&I Club in cooperation with Ince&Co law firm discussed legal implications for shipowners associated with the new rules, both in terms of compliance, and in relation to the terms of their charterparties, which need to be considered.

The sulphur cap, to take effect from 1 January 2020, mandates that ships must run on fuel containing no more than 0.5% m/m of...

https://safety4sea.com/legal-issues-arising-from-2020-sulphur-cap/

Officer forgets to insert a waypoint in GPS, ship runs aground

In its Monthly Safety Scenario for November, the Swedish P&I club analyzes a case of a ship grounding due to insufficient checking of the passage plan. When creating the passage plan, it is suggested that the plan is double checked by another officer to ensure all waypoints have been selected.

The incident

It was a rainy night and the vessel was sailing towards the next port close to the coast. The 2nd officer was on the bridge and acting OOW. The passage plan had been approved by the Master and...

https://safety4sea.com/officer-forgets-to-insert-a-waypoint-in-gps-ship-runs-aground/

Swedish Club: Iran sanctions can pose problems to payments

As the US has withdrawn from the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), it will impose additional extra territorial sanctions in relation to Iran, starting from 4 November 2018, the Swedish Club informed.

One consequence of the new sanction is that banks are reluctant to make any payments related with Iran, even if the payment may be perfectly legitimate. For instance, the Swedish Club informed of some problems, where it had problems paying surveyors in Dubai attending to a vessel where the...

https://safety4sea.com/swedish-club-iran-sanctions-can-pose-problems-to-payments/

Swedish Club: New declaration forms in Argentina

Citing information from Argentinian P&I correspondents, Pandi Liquidadores S.R.L., the Swedish Club informed of new forms issued by the local custom authorities aimed at providing more certainty as to what items need to be declared upon arrival.

Nevertheless, there is still uncertainty in regards to some items which are not listed in the form, as for example in form OM 1646 (Deck Store List) where other type of oils are mentioned, without being clear as to whether this item refers to oil in the...

https://safety4sea.com/swedish-club-new-declaration-forms-in-argentina/

Houthi militia holding 10 vessels in Port of Hodeidah

In its latest Yemen ports update, the Swedish Club informed that Houthi militia is holding 10 oil and commercial vessels in the port of Hodeidah, preventing them from unloading their cargo, while some ships have been detained for nearly 6 months, according to the head of the Higher Relief Committee, Abdul Raqeeb Fath.

A ship dubbed ‘Distya Pushti’ arrived at the port on 28 September, with 10,955 tons of diesel and 9025 tons of gasoline, while the ship ‘Rina’ arrived on 3 October, carrying 5,700...

https://safety4sea.com/huthi-militia-holding-10-vessels-in-port-of-hodeidah/

Lessons learned: Language attributed to ship grounding

In its Monthly Safety Scenario for October, the Swedish P&I Club presents a case of ship grounding, discussing what can happen when someone communicates in a language that is not understood by everybody onboard.

The incident

The vessel was sailing in a South American river bound for its next port. The Master and the 3rd officer, who was the OOW, were on the bridge. It was evening, so it was dark outside. An AB was hand steering as per the pilot’s orders.

The port pilot had disembarked and the...

https://safety4sea.com/language-attributed-to-another-ship-grounding/

+ More