Enclosed space rescue drills often lead to injuries and fatal incidents, either it’s because of lack of safety measures or lack of oxygen. Gard supports that preparedness comes with regular training and practice during the drills and recommends that time based goals should be set during enclosed space entry drills so that the crew understands the associated risks.
As Gard Club informs, open manholes and displaced gratings can lead to significant dangers to crewmembers on offshore installations, as two recent incidents showcase, reported by the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
Gard advises all vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman, Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf region to be highly alerted, operate with a heightened level of security and follow relevant guidance, as the tension in the area keep increasing.
This year’s concentrated inspection campaigns by port state authorities will begin on 1 September 2019, focusing on emergency systems and procedures, including emergency drills for crew. For this reason, Gard P&I Club talks about the Potential CIC focus areas, and provides recommendations.
As the Gard Club informs, seafarers carrying the European Health Insurance Card benefit from access to medical treatment free of charge or at reduced cost in all EU/EEA countries. The European Health Insurance Card presents that seafarers are members of the national health insurance scheme in their respective home countries and makes it more easy to access healthcare services during temporary visits abroad.
As Gard informs, the mandatory notification requirement for the carriage of nickel ore loaded in Philippines and Indonesia still applies. This loss prevention initiative was launched in 2012 and allows for early interaction with ship operators and an opportunity to reduce the risks arising by this cargo.
With respect to the recent surge in sanctions globally, Mrs. Irene Anastassiou, Senior Lawyer at the Gard P&I Club, noted that the practice of turning off the AIS to avoid detection is a breach of SOLAS and Flag State requirements, while it increases the risk of maritime casualties and loss of life.
In light of the sabotage incident against four commercial vessels, off United Arab Emirates territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, sources revealed that the two sabotaged vessels were identified as the Saudi oil tankers Al-Marzoqah and Amjad. In the meantime, the other two vessels were the Norwegian tanker Andrea Victory, and a UAE bunkering barge, the A Michel.
Gard presents Norway’s local approach on the problem of pollution, as Norwegians teamed up to clean marine litter from Norway’s shoreline. The majority of plastics found on the shorelines, sea surface and sea floor are not biodegradable so discarded or lost plastic items accumulate over time on shorelines.
According to marine insurance provider Gard, Ukraine announced some changes at the ballast water regulations in its ports. The control of segregated ballast in Ukrainian ports has been cancelled and ecological inspectors are no longer permitted to inspect vessels for the purposes of ‘ecological control’, including taking and analyzing samples of ballast water.
