Tag: Shipowners Club

The Shipowners P&I Club warns that the unsafe carriage of oil cargo has been noticed recently especially on tugs and crew boats and advises that such activities are highly unsafe and that non-designated spaces are not equipped, or certified, for the safe carriage of oil. The carriage of oil in these spaces would greatly endanger the safety of the crew, the vessel itself as well as the environment.

IMO has adopted ‘Revised guidelines for the onboard operational use of shipborne Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)’ as per Resolution A.1106(29). These guidelines have been developed to promote the safe and effective use of the shipborne AIS, in particular to inform the mariner about it’s operational use, limits and potential uses

The Shipowners' P&I Club advises operators to draw their attention to the use of poorly constructed heaving lines with particular focus on the weights being used on the end. These can cause severe injury to crew or damage to the vessel on impact. The same can be said for heavy objects enclosed within monkeys fists which can result in similar injuries.

The Shipowners' P&I Club issued a case study regarding a supply vessel that lost of GPS signal resulting in contact with rig leg

A certified crew member is not necessarily a competent one The Shipowners' P&I Club has issued several case studiesregarding incidents that call into question the competencyof the vessels crew.These cases highlighted a number ofcauses that contributed to the incidents with particularemphasis on failings of the bridge team management,watch keeping schedules and arrangement, maintaining aproper lookout (Rule 5 of the COLREGS), passage planning,execution and monitoring.Case studiesVessel ran out its anchor chain, approached the platformVessel collision with a drilling rig offshore in BrazilError in judgement whilst towing in a channelAHTSV comes into contact with an oil wellLoss of GPS signal results in contact with rig legCrew Competence is an industry wide concern. Ascertainingthat a crew member is efficiently able to carry out his role(competence) is harder than checking that they are dulyqualified (certification) to the requirements of flag state.A certified crew member need not necessarily be a competentone. It is envisaged that a competent crew member is moreefficient and hence operates at a reduced risk with shorterdowntime and injuries.To assist the development of such aculture on board, competence schemes or frameworks canbe implemented. These systems not only enable operatorsto assess the skill, experience and knowledge of their crewbut also make provision for ...

Preventing a loss is always better than handling a claim The Shipowners' P&I Club has issued bulletin to give advice to surveyors as to when steel pre-shipment surveys are to be undertaken.Vessel owners have an obligation to cargo owners to deliver cargo in the same condition as when it was loaded. However, finished steel products are susceptible to physical damage and rusting which can occur prior to shipment.Even relatively minor damage to steel products can lead to extensive claims being pursued against a vessel owner which may well have occured prior to loading. In order to defend claims, and for the Club to be able to best protect Members' interests, the importance of accurately claused bills of lading is therefore essential.Preventing a loss is always better than handling a claim and the steel pre-shipment inspection is one of the best loss prevention measures that Members can take with regard to cargo care. Experienced surveyors know what to look for and where to look for it.Products (hot rolled) that should be subjected to a preshipment survey include:Structural sections Beams and columns Bearing piles Channels Angles/Bulbs Plates Hot rolled steel in coils or bundles Cold rolled steel in coils, packs or bundles ...

The Shipowners P&I Club have produced an Armed Guard Checklist The Shipowenrs' P&I Club has recently witnessed an increase in pirate activity in certain areas of the world. New cases of cargo theft and crew kidnapping have been reported in the Malacca Straits and West Africa Aligned with this new trend, The Club has seen a renewed interest from some operators in placing armed guards onboard their vessels. The common position of all International Group Clubs, in respect of piracy and the use of armed guards onboard entered vessels, was set out in thePiracy FAQs in 2013.This advice remains accurate, therefore operators are advised to refer to this in the first instance, when considering the deployment of private security personnel as part of their business.To supplement the Piracy FAQs, The Club has now produced a checklist for Members to use, specifically in relation to the use of armed guardsSource: The Shipowners' P&I Club

In response to the increasing numbers of claims and incidents from towage operations The Shipowners P&I Club has issued a practical safety and operational guide on tug and tow in response to the increasing numbers of claims and incidents arising from towage operations which have resulted in injuries, groundings, collisions, pollution, property damage and loss of cargo.From 20th February 2011 to 20th February 2013 all claims incidents notified to the Club were analysed for primary cause. Throughout the booklet we have included cases that were highlighted in this study with the aim to share the Clubs experiences so that other Members may prevent a similar event from occurring.Most tug and barge safety regulations focus on hardware and yet experience shows that a good safety record depends upon the safety culture of the entire company. The hardware issues are important, including the proper maintenance and inspection of equipment, but managing the human factor successfully would also lessen the number of accidents.This guide is drawn from the accumulation of experience within the Club and from industry sources including IMO MSC/Circ 8841 (Guidelines for Safe Ocean Towage). It highlights good towing practices and illustrates learning points from reported incidents. It is general in ...

The Shipowners' P&I Club issued a case study regarding an AHTSV coming into contact with an oil well whilst transiting between two rigs

Advice for vessels below 500GT The Shipowners P&I Club has analyzed the benefits for the vessels below 500GT of adopting ship-specific procedural systems.Even if it is not a regulatory requirement for operators to adopt these systems on their vessels, it is advisable to adopt, as a measure of good practice, a specific procedural system to ensure an adequate level of on board safety and quality. Practically this may not be to the extent required by the ISM Code, which may be disproportional to the vessel size, but one which places procedures and record systems on board that concentrate on identifying any significant risks that may possibly arise.To ensure operators have in place systems to manage risks, periodical assessments should be made and any procedures expanded/amended as appropriate.Adopting a practical procedural system on board may assist with:improving safety culture, safety performance, operational reliability and the safe operation of the ship: it is understood that many of our smaller vessels operate within the local harbour limits and/or coastal areas but basic procedures on applicable areas such as navigation, maintenance checks, cargo operations, bunkering and towing should be made available on board. Basic safety procedures concerning daily duties such as company/Master's standing orders ...