VHF

USCG: Guidance on electronic visual distress signal devices

The US Coast Guard provided guidance for acceptance of electronic visual distress signal devices (eVDSDs) that are evaluated as meeting the design and performance requirements of the recently published Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) Standard 13200.0 for Electronic Visual Distress Signal Devices.

These eVDSDs have a new distress signal characteristic in the form of dual color cyan and red-orange S-O-S light sequence. Those eVDSDs that are tested by an accepted independent...

https://safety4sea.com/uscg-guidance-on-rtcm-standard-13200-0-for-electronic-visual-distress-signal-devices/

New Zealand: Four recreational boating fatalities so far in 2018

Maritime NZ, New Zealand’s shipping safety agency, released drowning statistics related to recreational boating, noting a significant progress with only four boating fatalities in 2018 compared to previous years. The agency provided simple advice for boaties to help keep that number down.

Maritime NZ Director, Keith Manch, said each year about 19 or 20 recreational boaties die on the water, with there being a sudden spike in fatal accidents at the end of the year.

What we think happens is boaties...

https://safety4sea.com/new-zealand-four-recreational-boating-fatalities-so-far-in-2018/

Lessons learned from US maritime casualties in 2017

The NTSB issued its ‘Safer Seas‘ annual report providing an overview of key lessons to be learned from the most major maritime casualties, noting that many of the issues noted in last year’s reports were recurring topics, such as fatigue, poor bridge resource management, and distraction. The 41 marine accidents included in the report involved allisions, capsizings, collisions, fires, explosions, flooding, groundings, and equipment damage, resulting in loss of life, injuries, and significant...

https://safety4sea.com/lessons-learned-from-us-maritime-casualties-in-2017/

LED lighting on-board create potential safety hazards

USCG published Safety Alert 13-18 after numerous reports on poor reception of VHF frequencies used for radiotelephone, digital selective calling (DSC) and automatic identification frequencies (AIS).

The U.S. Coast Guard has received reports from crews, ship owners, inspectors and other mariners regarding poor reception on VHF frequencies used for radiotelephone, digital selective calling (DSC) and automatic identification systems (AIS) when in the vicinity of light emitting diode (LED) lighting...

https://safety4sea.com/led-lighting-on-board-create-potential-safety-hazards/

Four men rescued from sinking vessel off Townsville

In the early hours of Sunday, 23 October, AMSA coordinated the rescue of four people from their sinking vessel about 90 kilometres north-east of Townsville. AMSA noted on the occasion that the fishermen had all the necessary safety equipment onboard, which eased the rescue operation.

The men were on a fishing trip when their vessel started taking on water and sinking. They activated their distress beacon at midnight on Saturday night and made a mayday call via radio.

AMSA tasked its Challenger...

https://safety4sea.com/four-men-rescued-from-sinking-vessel-off-townsville/

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