Tag: Lloyds Register

Amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 Amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 will enter into force on January 1, 2012 and introduce new requirements for portable oxygen measuring instruments, as follows:IMO Resolution MSC.291(87) introduces a requirement for all 'tankers' to be equipped with at least one portable instrument for measuring oxygen, together with a sufficient set of spares and suitable means for the calibrationof such instruments.'Tanker' in this instance means any ship carrying bulk liquid cargoes of a flammable nature. SOLAS already contains requirements for carriage of portable oxygen meters but this new amendment adds therequirement for spares and calibration equipment. A second portable instrument for measuring oxygen is generally regarded as meeting the requirement for a sufficient set of spares.What should owners and operators do now?Owners and operators of new and existing tankers should ensure they have portable oxygen meter(s), spares and means of calibration in place by January 1, 2012.Surveyors have been instructed to confirm this equipment is in place at the first attendance on board after thisdate.Source: Lloyd's Register

New pocket guide includes guidance for inspecting deck cranes, derricks and life-saving davits Lloyd's Register has published a new pocket guide to help ship owners and operators understand the importance of professional maintenance and survey preparation for marine lifting appliances.The new guide -- Survey and Examination of Ships' Lifting Appliances -- is the latest in Lloyd's Register's acclaimed and popular series of pocket guides that have been produced in conjunction with the UK P&I Club and, in this case, with the crane manufacturers, MacGregor and Liebherr."Lifting appliances need to be thoroughly examined and it is important that operators understand the seriousness and consequences of failure, as well as what they need to do to support the safety framework," Joanna Townsend, Fleet Services Manager for Lloyd's Register, said. "Poor preparation before surveys is a common problem among operators. Other issues include a lack of knowledge about rocking tests, difficulties in obtaining maintenance records and problems accessing the key areas that need to be surveyed.""These are key safety issues," said Townsend. "This pocket guide has been designed so that it is handy to use, inexpensive to produce and will be free to the industry. We highly recommend its use."The rocking test is ...

Recommendations for recharging LR issues safety alert regarding Explosion of refrigerated container compression units and recommendations for recharging applicable to Container ship operators and crew, container terminals and stevedores, road haulage firms, maintenance fitters and end users/leasers of refrigerated containers, as follows:There have recently been a number of incidents, some fatal, involving explosion of the compressor units fitted to refrigerated (reefer) containers. The cause of the explosions is still under investigation but it appears that the servicing of the refrigeration system is a common factor in each case. It has been reported to Lloyd's Register that refrigerant gas in refrigeration and air conditioning plants is being recharged or 'topped up' with different types of gas. This may have been a contributing factor to the explosions.The international community is phasing-out the use of HCFC R-22 refrigerant. This refrigerant is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to obtain. As a result, it has been reported that some service contractors are mixing dissimilar refrigerants in air conditioning and/or refrigeration systems. This practice carries the following significant risks:1. It may violate several European and national standards, and may be illegal in some countries.2. The unknown composition of the resultant refrigerant mixture may change system performance ...

Including 12 pages on the dangers - and rising death toll - of high-seas hijacks among others This edition offers informative articles on the perils of global piracy, vibrancy in Vancouver - a bustling group of Canadian shipping companies that just keeps on growing -- and six pages of news and views featuring the UK's biggest aircraft carrier project and the industry's number one talking-point, LNG as fuel.This bumper 44-page issue of Horizons includes 12 pages on the dangers - and rising death toll - of high-seas hijacks, the measures owners and masters can take to combat this modern scourge of the merchant fleet and in-depth analyses by leading commentators and experts.Other highlights include:The latest news from Lloyd's Register global marine networkHow Canadian enterprise is winning over AsiaExclusive figures on the rising costs of piracy, including a pullout on what operators can do to avoid hijacksWhat industry leaders think of LNGAnd the regulatory roundupArticles from Horizons can be reproduced provided they are clearly credited to the Lloyd's Register Group.Download Horizons September 2011Source: Lloyd's Register

From January 1, 2012, all ships should exchange ballast water With effect from January 1, 2012, all ships should exchange ballast water before entering the Mediterranean Sea or after leaving the Mediterranean Sea to meet the regulation D-1 standard of the Ballast Water Convention. Exchange should be carried out at least 200 nautical miles from land and in waters at least 200 metres deep. The sequential, flow through or dilution methods of ballast water exchange are accepted as meeting the D-1 standard.In situations where this is not possible (because the ship will have to deviate from its intended voyage; because exchange will delay the ship; or for safety reasons) exchange should be undertaken before entering the Mediterranean Sea area, or after leaving the Mediterranean Sea area, as far from the nearest land as possible, and in all cases in waters at least 50 nautical miles from the nearest land and at least 200 metres deep.When engaged in traffic between the ports and areas listed below, ships should undertake ballast water exchange in waters at least 50 nautical miles from the nearest land and at least 200 metres deep or in an area designated by a port State:1. ports located within ...

Basic Principles of Materials, Welding and NDE for Existing Ships Lloyd's Register has started to offer training courses in the properties of marine materials, welding techniques and non destructive examination (NDE).These are used predominantly in the ship construction, repair and maintenance sectors of the shipping industry.The course, Basic Principles of Materials, Welding and NDE for Existing Ships, has been designed for superintendents, shipmanagers and the technical staff who are responsible for keeping their ships safe and operating efficiently."Most materials and welding courses do not cover the specific problems encountered by marine superintendents and engineers. This course has been developed and tested with marine clients who have faced real difficulties and is ideal for developing the knowledge of superintendents and engineers," said Steve Robson, LRs senior technical training specialist."It demystifies an area of engineering that is so often overcomplicated. Participants will enhance their knowledge and be able to get to grips with what is required to ensure correct materials are used, that the correct procedures and techniques are selected for joining the materials and ensure that repairs are tested and examined properly," he said.The course will examine the properties of marine materials such as rolled steel, alloys, castings, forgings and newer ...

Courses focus on current challenges facing personnel responsible for maintaining the commercial flee Lloyd's Register is offering training courses in the properties of marine materials, welding techniques and non destructive examination (NDE), some of the cornerstones of ship construction, repair and maintenance.The course, Basic Principles of Materials, Welding and NDE for Existing Ships, has been designed for superintendents, ship-managers and the technical staff who are responsible for keeping their ships safe and operating efficiently."Most materials and welding courses do not cover the specific problems encountered by marine superintendents and engineers. This course has been developed and tested with marine clients who have faced real difficulties and is ideal for developing the knowledge of superintendents and engineers," said Steve Robson, Lloyd's Register's Senior Technical Training Specialist. "It demystifies an area of engineering that is so often overcomplicated. Participants will enhance their knowledge and be able to get to grips with what is required to ensure correct materials are used, that the correct procedures and techniques are selected for joining the materials and ensure that repairs are tested and examined properly."The course will examine the properties of marine materials such as rolled steel, alloys, castings, forgings and newer composite materials. It also ...

University of Southampton-based initiative combined students, faculty and the private sector A collegium funded by the Lloyd's Register Educational Trust (The LRET) has produced four technical papers that the authors hope will spur discussion and further innovation as industry strives to find solutions to the challenges of carbon capture and storage (CCS).A group of 19 young PhD or post-doctoral researchers were brought to the University of Southampton from countries as far afield as China, Australia, Korea and the US to collaborate on finding potential solutions to the technical and socio-political challenges currently slowing the global expansion of CCS activities."There is a growing industry consensus that CCS is part of the solution to global warming. What we also have come to realise is that the challenges facing its development are as much political and social as they are technical, if not more so," said Richard Sadler, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyd's Register. "In sponsoring the collegium, the LRET created an environment where the engineers of the future could begin addressing the socio-technical challenges of today. The results were impressive and, as our mandate is to benefit the public, I can think of no better use for LRET funds."The scholars presented their findings ...

BOP Monitor is a new offshore application Lloyd's Register is working with leading owners and operators from the oil and gas sector to improve current methods of monitoring the performance of blow-out preventers (BOP) and reduce the risks for one of the industry's most safety-critical pieces of equipment.ModuSpec BV and Scandpower AS, members of the Lloyd's Register Group and global leaders in risk management, have combined resources with industry to develop a 'BOP Monitor' that is expected to significantly improve the current processes that assess risk during operations.The monitor will be a new application for Scandpower's proprietary software, RiskSpectrum, the value of which has already been proven in 50% of the world's nuclear power plants."The BOP is a critical component in any hydrocarbon drilling operation and is often the final line of defence for protecting life and the environment. So there is high demand for a transparent and well-structured risk assessment approach that helps owners and operators to monitor the BOP's performance," said Duco de Haan, ModuSpec's Chief Executive Officer. "Because ModuSpec has been a global leader in helping to ensure the reliability of drilling assets for more than 25 years, we recognise the importance of industry participation in developing ...

LR updates its staff working in 260 offices worldwide about the implications of UK Bribery Act 2010 Specialist maritime e-learning company, Marlins, has provided 6,000 licences for its new Business Principles course to Lloyd's Register.The course will be used by LR to update its staff working in 260 offices worldwide about the implications of the newly implemented UK Bribery Act 2010.The Act, which came into force on 1st July this year, has been described as the toughest anti-corruption legislation in the world, demonstrating that it has significantly more impact than the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.It repeals all previous UK laws relating to bribery, replacing them with individual crimes of: promising or offering a bribe; requesting or accepting a bribe; and bribery of foreign public officials.Furthermore, the Act also includes an offence that applies specifically to companies: the failure of a commercial organisation to prevent bribery on its behalf. For the purposes of the Act, this means any person who performs services for or on behalf of the company - quite simply, any employees, agents, or subsidiaries.Another key element of the Act is that, while only a part of UK law, it has international reach, allowing for the prosecution of ...