Tag: safety measures

Voyage Data Recorder Regulations for marine safety The Honourable DenisLebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced that under new regulations, certain large passenger and cargo vessels will be required to have voyage data recorders. Similar to an airplane's black box, the equipment captures critical information to help investigations into accidents at sea."The safety of vessels is a priority for our government and we are committed to making continuous enhancements in marine safety," said MinisterLebel. "Should an accident occur, information from a vessel's voyage data recorder can be used to help investigators learn more quickly and more thoroughly the cause and what can be done to help prevent a reoccurrence."The Voyage Data Recorder Regulations will require, as of January1,2012, that new passenger vessels of 500gross tonnage or more and new cargo vessels of 3,000gross tonnage or more not engaged on an international voyage be fitted with voyage data recorders. Owners of existing passenger vessels have until July1,2015, to install the equipment, depending on their inspection schedule. The new safety measure addresses a Transportation Safety Board recommendation highlighted in its Watchlist earlier this year.The regulations also implement the voyage data recorder requirements under the International Convention for the Safety of ...

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - for maritime security and safety in the East Sea Delegates attending an international workshop in Ha Noi have underlined the role of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in curbing and managing threats to maritime security and safety in the East Sea.They shared the same view that disputes related to the East Sea were becoming more complicated as concerned parties had yet to find a common voice in efforts to settle differences.Tensions had escalated over the East Sea, the location of important shipping routes and large fisheries resources, as countries involved in territorial disputes had increased military spending to modernise their force, speakers at the workshop noted.They said UNCLOS could be applied to clarify sovereignty claims, thus restricting the seizure and construction of buildings in disputed areas and creating a legal basis for claims over territorial waters.The Law of the Sea should be considered an effective tool to protect interests among relevant sides and the most important basis for discussions. The relevant parties needed to strictly implement the UNCLOS in internal and external affairs related to the East Sea, the delegates said.Delegates and scholars ...

Insights on the effects of water depth on oil and gas operations The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's (BSEE) yesterday concluded a two-day workshop that brought together experts from the oil and gas industry, and drilling and supply contractors to share information and insights on the effects of water depth on oil and gas operations. This type of information sharing was recommended by the Interior Department's Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Safety Oversight Board in its September 2010 Report."It is critical that we obtain input from industry experts about the range of unique challenges presented by operating in deep water," said BSEE Director Michael R. Bromwich. "We will continue to follow-up on the insights and recommendations raised at this week's discussion so that we can better meet the special challenges of deepwater, and ensure that oil and gas in deep water is explored and developed in the most safe and environmentally responsible manner."The workshop drew approximately 140 people including oil and gas operators, drilling contractors, service and supply contractors, and BSEE personnel. Attendees focused on six areas of deepwater operations: well control with surface blowout preventers; well control with subsea blowout preventers; well drilling and completion design and barriers; pre-incident ...

y Viking Life-Saving Equipment is launching a 153-person liferaft and mini slide system Marine safety equipment company Viking Life-Saving Equipment is launching a 153-person liferaft and mini slide system, packed in a single aluminum stowage box and launched by a single push-button actuator.Named the VAS (Viking automatic slide), the system is designed and certified for vessels on domestic voyages such as ferries sailing in protected waters. The VAS is designed for evacuation heights of 1.5m to 3.65m, with inflation started automatically by pushing a button on the stowage box or on the bridge. Automatic bowsing keeps the slide and raft close alongside the ship to assist ease of disembarking, and the system requires no external power supply for deploymentThe VAS is contained in a box that is placed flush with the ship side, and bolted to the deck, so can be easily installed or retrofitted. The system is then ready to go, with no bowsing lines or welded connection points on the side of the ship's side being necessary.The system gained approval on sea trial with significant wave height of 1.5m with DNV as notified body. The liferaft is EC type-approved (EC Directive 96/98/EC with DNV as the notified body) ...

The safe and correct carraige of seedcake cargo The Standard P&I Club issues the Standard Cargo Carriage of Seedcake.This edition of Standard Cargo addresses the safe and correct carraige of seedcake cargo. Due to their oil and moisture content, this cargo can present a significant fire risk due to self-heating and spontaneous combustion therefore: the procedures described here should be followed in order to prevent such casualties.For more information, click here.Source: The Standard P&I Club

Designed to reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries and spills in oil and gas exploration The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)issued a Notice to Lessees (NTL) that provides further guidance on the previously issued Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS) rule. The SEMS rule, also referred to as the Workplace Safety Rule, is designed to reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries and spills that occur in connection with offshore oil and gas exploration and development activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The NTL consolidates guidance and information to help operators comply with the requirements of the rule. Operators are required to implement a SEMS program by November 15, 2011.In October 2010, BSEE's predecessor agency, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), issued the Workplace Safety Rule requiring offshore oil and gas operators to develop and maintain a SEMS program (http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Announces-Regulations-to-Strengthen-Drilling-Safety-Reduce-Risk-of-Human-Error-on-Offshore-Oil-and-Gas-Operations.cfm). NTL 2011-N09 provides additional information on SEMS, which is a comprehensive safety and environmental impact program designed to reduce the human and organizational errors that are the causes of many work-related accidents and offshore oil spills. The requirements apply to all OCS oil and gas operations and the facilities under BSEE jurisdiction, including drilling, ...

The Club has analysed the claims it has received in respect of mooring incidents The UK P&I Club has applauded the European Harbour Masters' Committee (EHMC) for its release of a new DVD entitled "The Missing Link - Improving the mooring process".The UK Club has for a long time been very concerned about the number and severity of accidents which occur when ships are under tow or are engaged in mooring alongside. Even fatalities to crew and to shoreside mooring gangs are not rare occurrences while far too many incidents result in injuries that will end a seafarer's or stevedore's career. Despite much publicity regarding the risks, the 'do's and do not's' when working as part of a mooring party, the Club says the claims still keep coming in, often accompanied by horrific photographs.Over recent years, the Club has analysed the claims it has received in respect of mooring incidents.This new DVD has been produced by the EHMC in partnership with, amongst others, the Nautical Institute and the UK Club, which the EHMC says "delivered valuable input and know how". The Nautical Institute will launch the Missing Link in its November issue of Seaways and will dedicate this issue to ...

To prevent accidents like the Gulf oil spill Questions surround the safety technology used by the deepwater drilling industry, such as blowout preventers, that is supposed to prevent accidents like the Gulf oil spill from happening. Clean Skies Dan Goldstein takes a look at just how these devices may have failed, and what it means for the future of the industry.

Ships should be aware of this danger and ensure that the arc flash hazard is managed Electrical systems have been used successfully for over 150 years in ships and typically the main hazard from electricity is believed to arise from electrocution. However, with the rising demand for power on ships leading to the subsequent installation of electrical power systems with high fault current levels, there is an increased potential for arc flash accidents to occur.Arc flash is an electrical discharge or a short circuit through ionised air (plasma) caused by isolation or insulation integrity failure - and also the subject of 'Marine Arc Flash', a new conference being organised by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) to be held in central London on Tuesday 8 November 2011."The aim of this new conference is simple," explains IMarEST's Interim Chief Executive, Fiona Morris. "We want to raise awareness of electric arc flash within the maritime community and uncover best practice to ameliorate the risk of arc flash in ships. The arc flash hazard is beginning to be addressed in land-based industries and considerable research has gone into developing standards, which allow the calculation of heat flux and advises on ...

An effort to reduce toxic threats to public health and safety The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) will test the ability of two industry-sponsored companies to respond to oil spills during an exercise on the Columbia River near Cathlamet on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011.As part of the spill preparedness drill, Clean Rivers Cooperative and Marine Spill Response Corp. will deploy boats, oil-skimming equipment and oil-containment boom in the river Tuesday morning.Ecology will observe and evaluate the exercise. No oil will be released."Being prepared to respond to oil spills is a critical part of Ecology's effort to reduce toxic threats to public health and safety, and our environment," said Ecology Spill Preparedness Manager Linda Pilkey-Jarvis. "The drill helps ensure that companies operating commercial vessels on the Columbia River can mount a rapid, aggressive and well coordinated response to a spill and help minimize harm to our shorelines."Clean Rivers Cooperative is a member-based, non-profit organization dedicated to responding to and preventing maritime oil spills. The Maritime Safety & Fire Association, one of its member companies based in Portland is helping sponsor the Oct. 11 drill.The association maintains an umbrella oil-spill contingency plan covering more than 600 commercial vessels calling in the Columbia ...