Tag: Do you know

The IMO Ship Identification Number is a unique seven-digit number which remains unchanged through a vessel’s lifetime and is linked to its hull, regardless of any changes of names, flags, or owners.

Abandoning the ship needs to take place at the right time, followed by specific steps and procedures, as the decision to leave the vessel and fall into the sea comes with great risk.

Panamax vessels, Aframax vessels, and Suezmax vessels are some of the most prevalent vessel types. But what do they mean and what kind of ships do they represent?

A Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) is the standard document required by Annex VI of MARPOL, which contains information on fuel oil delivery. It is the responsibility of the fuel oil suppliers to provide the bunker delivery note, which must remain on the vessel, for inspection purposes, for a period of three years after the fuel has been delivered. But, what information exactly should A BDN include?

With IMO 2020 just around the corner, the shipping industry must already have a plan to comply. However, despite the fact that we are just two months away from this groundbreaking regulation for maritime, there is increased uncertainty regarding compliant fuel oil availability worldwide. In such case, companies should have a plan to deal with such unavailability, with the answer might lying in the Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report (FONAR).

Have you ever wondered what Plimsoll lines are? And why are they called Plimsoll? Professionals across the shipping industry may be familiar with the term, but even those not working in the industry, but who are extra observative, may have noticed that ships have some line marks on their hull, just above the waterline. These are Plimsoll lines.

Chances are you have never salvaged a vessel yourself or you have (hopefully) never seen a vessel upside down. But in case you have seen photos of a shipwreck or of a new ship getting launched from shipyard, you may have noticed that the bottom of a ship is most times red.

Port and starboard never change, they are unambiguous references that are independent of a mariner’s orientation, and mariners use these nautical terms instead of left and right.

Inert gas is an asphyxiant due to the low oxygen content and contains low oxygen levels for life support, CO2, CO, NOx, SOx and traces of other substances. In addition, some of its components (e.g. carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, etc.) are toxic. Thus, all personnel onboard need to be aware of potential hazards.

“Ships are referred to as ‘she’ because men love them” or “like a woman, a ship is unpredictable”, tradition used to say. But seriously, what is lagging behind this language idiom?