Safety

The Cayman Registry issues Notice 10/2011 The Cayman Registry issues Notice 10/2011 regarding Maintenance and Inspection of Life Saving Appliances as follows:1. BACKGROUND1.1 This notice offers general guidelines for the maintenance inspection and testing of life saving appliances on Cayman Flag vessel and it is not intended to replace the requirements of the appropriate International Conventions in force.1.2 This information was previously available in Shipping Notice 03/2004, however changes in Convention requirements have superseded the information in SN 03/2004.1.3 Shipping Notice 03/2004 is now withdrawn and replaced by this Notice.2. OPERATIONAL READINESS2.1 Before the ship leaves port and at all times during the voyage, all life-saving appliances shall be in working order and ready for immediate use. If life saving appliances are under repair, then suitable alternative arrangements approved by the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry should be made to ensure an equivalent level of safety is maintained3. WEEKLY TESTING AND INSPECTION3.1 All survival craft, rescue boats and launching appliances inspected to ensure that they are ready for immediate use.3.2 Lifeboat and rescue boat engines run ahead and astern.3.3 General Alarm and Public Address Systems tested.3.4 Lifeboats (other than free fall lifeboats) moved from their stowed position to demonstrate satisfactory operation...

Mooring and unmooring operations hide a number of risks for those who get involved, many times leading to a fatal accident or a collision; Thus, it is of a great importance when conducting any mooring operation to follow specific steps to ensure the safety of all those conducting the operation.

The fourth edition has been extensively updated and addresses: Lessons learned from incidents, most notably from failures of HMSF mooring lines; Human centred mooring designs and human factors in mooring operations; New and in-development regulations and guidance from the IMO on the safety of mooring; Alternative mooring technologies and how they can be incorporated safely into the design of mooring systems both for ships and terminals.

The Republic of Marshall Islands issued a marine notice, setting out the revised requirements for hot work, including all ships, not just tank ships and combination carriers. Hot Work involves sources of ignition or temperature sufficiently high enough to cause the ignition of a flammable gas mixture.

The London P&I Club has launched new LP Focus issue to address all issues related to permits to work as frequently, fatalities or serious injury to seafarers – or environmental, ship or cargo incidents – are caused by failing to use the Permit to Work system, or the requirements have been ignored. ignored or misunderstood when the permit has been issued.

Seafarers face one of the highest risks of workplace injury or death and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is considered as a first line of defense to keep maritime workers safe while on duty. However, not only seafarers need to start their day by wearing proper PPE but also shipping organizations need to develop a workplace culture that promote the use of PPE at all times.

A new SOLAS Amendment clarifies installation of BNWAS for ships built before 1 July 2002 The Maritime Safety Committee at its 92nd session adopted Resolution MSC.350(92) with amendments toSOLAS coming into force on 1 January 2015. The amendments to SOLAS Chapter V now set a clear timeschedule for the implementation of a BNWAS for ships built before 1 July 2002. Time schedule for the required BNWAS is set as follows:1) passenger ships irrespective of size, not later than the first survey after 1 January 2016;2) cargo ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards, not later than the first survey after 1 January 2016;3) cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 3,000 gross tonnage, not later than thefirst survey after 1 January 2017; and4) cargo ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 500 gross tonnage, not later than the firstsurvey after 1 January 2018.Administrations may exempt ships from the requirement when such ships will be taken permanently out ofservice within two years after the implementation date.The term "first survey" means the first annual survey, the first periodical survey or the first renewal survey whichever is due firstafter the date specified or any other survey...

Means of recharging breathing apparatus cylinders and spare cylinders ClassNK has issued Technical Information regarding the special requirements for means of recharging breathing apparatus cylinders and spare cylinders regarding UK, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man flagged vessels.With regard to the additional requirements for relevant equipment of fire-fighter's outfit, it had been notified by the Technical Information (No.: TEC-0990, Date: 24 June 2014) for existing ships (ships which are constructed (keel-laid) before 1 July 2014) and by Amendments to Part R of the RULES FOR THE SURVEY AND CONSTRUCTION OF STEEL SHIP on 26 February 2014 for new ships (ships which are constructed (keel-laid) on or after 1 July 2014).With regard to thThe Administrations of the UK, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man have issued special requirements for means of recharging breathing apparatus cylinders and spare cylinders as follows.In addition to the fully charged spare cylinders required by the regulations for each Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), where no means for recharging such cylinders is provided on board, sufficient additional spare cylinders must be provided for training purposes.Factors to be considered by the ship owner when deciding upon...

A carbon residual-materia The BIMCO Marine department has been asked many times by members whether Met Coke is a clean or a dirty bulk cargo under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC ) Code.In order to answer that, we need to know what sort of cargo Met Coke isin the first place.What is Met Coke ? "Met Coke" or "Metallurgical coke" is a carbon residual-material made or manufactured by the "destructive distillation" or "carbonization" of various blends of bituminous coal; a type of coal which is a soft, medium grade containing a high percentage of volatile components. The coal is often referred to as coking coal or metallurgical coal, that is, coal processed to be become Met Coke. Metallurgical coal is found in large quantities in Asian and Far Eastern countries like India and China. Large reserves have also been found in Turkey with small quantities in United States too.How is Met Coke manufactured? The destructive distillation or carbonization process is performed by heating the bituminous coal in an oxygen-free environment inside a coke oven. This process is also called coking and is conducted so that coal can be purified from its volatile components.The coke ovens used are special...

Meeting the requirements of SOLAS and the FSS Code The 2014 amendments to SOLAS and the Fire Safety Systems (FSS) Code adopted by IMO Resolutions MSC.338(91) and MSC.339(91) will enter into force on 1 July, 2014, introducing revised and new requirements for fire-fighter's outfit breathing apparatus and two-way portable radiotelephone apparatuses.Owners and operators of new and existing ships should ensure that the fire fighters' outfits on their vessels meet the requirements of SOLAS and the FSS Code and that any changes to the fire locker contents are shown on the vessel's fire control plans, if included.Breathing apparatusChanges to SOLAS regulation II-2/10.10.1 and the FSS Code mean that: "Compressed air breathing apparatus shall be fitted with an audible alarm and a visual or other device which will alert the user before the volume of the air in the cylinder has been reduced to no less than 200 litres."This applies to ship's constructed (keel laid) on or after 1 July, 2014. Ships constructed (keel laid) before 1 July, 2014 must comply no later than 1 July, 2019.New SOLAS regulation II-2/15.2.2.6, relating to 'Onboard training and drills' requires that: "An onboard means of recharging breathing apparatus cylinders used during drills shall be provided...