Developments in the dry bulk industry

The DryBMS standard was a demand by the bulk carrier operators and other stakeholders as well as major iron ore carriers. Despite delays and negotiations, the standard is now finalized; joint committees and working groups together developed the DryBMS, which is a compromise between RightShip and INTERCARGO. DryBMS provides shipowners and managers with a framework to go beyond compliance.

Welcome to DCBE

On September 2024, the Dry Bulk Centre of Excellence (DBCE), an independent organization was set up in London. The DCBE is an independent not-for-profit industry organization dedicated to raising standards and best practices in dry shipping through the implementation of the DryBMS framework.

In the board of DBCE there are two representatives from ICS and BIMCO, with the two funding members of DBCE being INTERCARGO and RightShip. In addition, there is also one representative from the shipowners, ship operators, Rio Tinto and I, myself that we attend the board of DCBE. The board is there to ensure transparency and proper operation of the new project.

The participation of the dry bulk industry in the DCBE will help pinpoint and analyze and see where the industry standard stands in regards to a more transparent, fair and efficient dry bulk industry.

IGC vs IGF Codes

On 16 July 2024, the first ever collision involving a dual-fuel bulk carrier at the anchorage of Hay Point, Australia occurred. The incident is still under investigation with AMSA to have taken over the investigation. This incident raised a lot of concerns mainly because nobody had predicted it and because of the different requirements between IGC and IGF Codes.

The development of RISQ 3.1

Overall, the dry bulk industry and Maran Dry are in favor of having the RISQ Standard, as revised. The industry is moving from mandatory requirements to best practices and industry recommendations. Through this physical inspection process development, the next steps are to move to a more structured and documented guidance, to crew familiarity and competence as well as more transparent inspection processes.

How AI will impact seascape

The applications that some of the companies use are geared more towards monitoring. There’s still long way to go in the development of bots, apps and tools with ability to reason. Some of these applications have been tested and found to be useful.  I believe it is crucial to focus on AI technology on vessels.

Human element remains at the center

Currently, vessels passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that are being attacked and experiencing fatalities pose a threat to the well-being of the crew. I am concerned about the security levels and the guidance for navigating these zones.

In my opinion, there’s not an in-depth understanding of the scientific, engineering, cultural, and psychological perspective of the human element in the industry. There’s a need to address underreporting and underrepresentation, as well as the apparent “de-marinization” in several key functions of the industry.

It is crucial to consider several key factors essential for preventing human error: comprehensive training, advanced technology, robust regulations, human factors engineering, and a strong organizational safety culture. Focusing on these areas is imperative to enhance overall safety and performance.

I encourage the industry to change its view and see the humans on-board not as the weak link, but as a strong team and an essential part of what makes a voyage successful.

The views presented are only those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.

Above article has been edited from Captain Panagiotis Nikiteas’ presentation during the 2024 SAFETY4SEA Athens Forum.

Explore more by watching his video presentation here below