Britannia P&I Club issued Health Watch Volume 2, Issue 3 December 2013 including accident prevention. If you fall from a height, whether overboard or onto the deck, this could be fatal or you could be seriously injured. If you dont follow proper procedures, or if you use faulty or old equipment, this could result in a fall. You could also put yourself and people working below you at risk if tools or other objects are not secured properly and are dropped from a height.

ITOPF paper As of 1st January 2013, amendments to MARPOL Annex V mean that shippers have new responsibilities regarding cargo classification and how it affects the ability of the crew to discharge hold wash water into the marine environment. From this date shippers will need to consider whether or not the cargo residues present in the water are harmful to the marine environment (HME).ITOPF paper on Bulk Cargo Hold Wash Water Discharge and Cargo Declarations under MARPOL Annex V sets out the requirements as well as the concept and process of classification of cargoes as HME.The discharge of wash water and any non-recoverable cargo residues contained therein is primarily controlled through MARPOL Annex V, where it is classed as garbage and therefore subject to the controls specified within Regulations 4.1.3 and 6.1.2. of the recent amendments to MARPOL. In essence the discharge of cargo residues contained in wash water is governed by the following criteria:No discharge of cargo residues should occur less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, or the nearest ice shelf.No discharge of cargo residues should occur within the six MARPOL defined "Special Areas" (the Mediterranean, the ''Gulfs'' area, the wider Caribbean including the Gulf of...

The UK MCA has issued Marine Guidance Note to provide information on Life-saving appliances and immersion suits

EMSA explains Long Range Identification and Tracking The long range identification and tracking (LRIT) system for ships aims to enhance security for government authorities. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has produced a leaflet in order to understand LRIT and its potential benefits for maritime safety, marine environment protection, as well as search and rescue operations.Thelong-range identification and tracking(LRIT) of ships was established as an international system on 19 May 2006 by theInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) as resolution MSC.202(81).This resolution amends chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), regulation 19-1 and binds all governments which have contracted to the IMO. The LRIT regulation will apply to the following ship types engaged on international voyages:All passenger ships including high-speed craft,Cargo ships, including high-speed craft of 300 gross tonnage and above, andMobile offshore drilling units.(Source: Wikipedia)International LRIT SystemLRIT provides ship identity and current location information in sufficient time for a government to evaluate the security risk posed by a ship off its coast and to respond to reduce the risk if necessary.An active and accurate long range identification and tracking system also has potential benefits in terms of maritime safety, marine environment protection, and maritime...

To come into force on 1 January 2013. Revised MARPOL Annex V sets new regulatory requirements regardingthe disposal of garbage from ships and will come into forceon 1 January 2013. The new amendments prohibit the disposal of almost all kinds of garbage at sea with the exemption under specific requirements of food waste, animal carcasses, cargo residues contained in wash water and environmental friendly cleaning agents. As a result of these regulations more and more ships will dispose theirship-generated waste to reception facilities ashore.MARPOL Annex V applies to all ships.Generally, discharge is restricted to food wastes, identified cargo residues, animal carcasses, and identified cleaning agents and additives in washwater which are not harmful to the marine environment. Garbage discharge regulations do not apply when the discharge of garbage from a ship was a necessary action for the purpose ofsecuring the safety of a ship and those on board or saving life at sea. In such casesan entry should be made in the Garbage Record Book, or in theship's official log-book forships of less than 400 gross tonnage.According to revised MARPOL Annex V shipboard generated garbage is to be grouped into the following categories:Plastics -Garbage thatconsists of or includes plastic in...

Code on Noise Levels On Board Ships enters into force on July 1st, 2014 On 1 July 2014, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) will be amended to make the 'Code on Noise Levels On Board Ships' (the Noise Code) mandatory for new vessels.The MSC 91, from 26 to 30 November 2012, adopted a new SOLAS regulation II-1/3-12 to require new ships to be constructed to reduce on-board noise and to protect personnel from noise, in accordance with the revisedCode on noise levels on board ships, also adopted, which sets out mandatory maximum noise level limits for machinery spaces, control rooms, workshops, accommodation and other spaces on board ships. The Code supersedes the previous non-mandatory Code, adopted in 1981 by resolution A.468(XII).The Code's purpose is to provide standards on preventing noise levels hazardous to human health and reduce seafarers' exposure to such noise levels.It gives consideration to the need for communication and the ability to hear audible alarms, the importance of protecting the seafarer from noise-induced hearing loss,and the provision of an acceptable degreeof comfort during rest hours. Introduction of the Noise Code will lead to changes in SOLAS, with Chapter II-1 Regulation 36 being...

Lifeboat engine starting in cold weather

Navigation and seamanship: Collision case study: OOW needs to have full situational awareness, included in the Britannia P&I Club Risk Watch Vol.20

GAS ALERT There has been chlorine gas leak at Mumbai Port trust. The incident happened at about 3.30 am in the morning of 14 July 2010. it has affected nearly 59 persons of the nearby Lal Bahadur Shastri Nautical Institute and a Police Station of Siwri area. The Ministry of Shipping has sought a detailed report MPT.The incident involved leakage of chlorine gas from one of the cylinders kept at Hay Bandar area of Mumbai Port Trust. These cylinders have been kept in that area which is meant for storage of hazardous goods for the past few years. The affected persons were evacuated and have been admitted to three Mumbai hospitals Port Trust Hospital, JJ Hospital and KEM Hospital.Seven out of those admitted are in ICU but their condition is said to be stable. No death has been reported as per Deputy Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust.The records of Mumbai Port Trust mention that these cylinders were empty. Mumbai Port Trust says that it is checking its records to find out whether any action had been taken for disposal of the hazardous material in the past.The situation is presently under control, and Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Traffic Manager and other senior officials...

NATO Shipping Centre Alerts The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) posted its latest chart of Shipping Centre Alerts. It shows both Alerts and pirate events for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010 in waters in and around the Indian Ocean.Source: NATO