In protection of the marine environment, many ports have already banned or limited the use of open loop scrubbers in their territorial waters; Thus, new countries emerged implementing new restrictions for vessels calling their ports.
The Gard recently informed that even if it may be impossible for crew to estimate the particle size of the cargo carried, the crew can watch out for signs of high moisture content with the aim to ensure safety.
Mental health is an important component of physical wellbeing aboard ship. Yet seafarers have often suffered mental distress alone and isolated due to the stigma attached to mental illness and the lack of understanding in how to react to a seafarer in crisis. In this third of Gard’s series of articles on mental health of seafarers, Sandra Guiguet shares her personal experience and training in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).
Mooring operations are challenging and sometimes lead to fatal accidents onboard; Therefore, Gard alerts that the first line ashore has the highest potential to snap given the level of load it can experience to steady a moving vessel.
Grad now informs that the number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Strait jumped nearly fourfold during 2019, and further advises ships transiting the Singapore Strait to remain vigilant and maintain an adequate anti-piracy watch.
Gard focuses on what can cause container stack collapsing, highlighting that the factors is the lack of attention to the metacentric height (GM) criteria, resulting to lashing which can be overloaded.
Gard alerts on the risk of briber, corruption, money laundering and financing of terrorism, highlighting the importance of using efficient systems to detect, prevent and deter crime, mostly focusing on financial crime.
Safely securing containers is a crucial procedure not to be missed, given that safely transmitting containers is important for stakeholders; Thus, Gard highlights the importance of container lashes being tightened, but not over-tightened.
DNV GL, together with marine insurers The Swedish Club, Norwegian Hull Club, Skuld and Gard have completed a study of the properties of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) for stern tube applications, in response to the growing number of stern tube bearing failures recently. In fact, DNV GL sponsored lab tests demonstrating that EALs behave differently than traditional mineral oils under transient pressure and temperature conditions.
Gard issued a statement alerting about the incidence of fraudulent bills of lading, adding that the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) is a believer of prompt dissemination of relevant information is key to successful prevention and control.
