Tag: UK Club

Risk Focus: Slips, trips and falls Following the launch of its Bow Tie loss prevention initiative in January 2012, the UK P&I Club is now publishing a series of 'Risk Focus' booklets.These highlight specific areas of risk. This month (April) sees the publication of 'Risk Focus: Slips, trips and falls'.The Bow Tie loss prevention initiative involves surveyors visiting ships and, together with the managers and crew, producing Bow Tie charts specific to individual vessels that identify areas of risk and suggest how such risks might be mitigated.Extensive analysis of previous incidents over a period of 23 years has enabled the Club to identify 'threats', 'consequences' and 'controls', the foundations of developing reports on specific vessels.In total, the Club's risk prevention director Karl Lumbers estimates that it has identified seven primary risk hazards, 76 common threats, which if not contained could cause an incident and 450 controls which need to be in place and effective if the threats are to be contained.'Risk Focus: Slips, trips and falls' is in effect the first in a series of new Risk Focus publications although in October 2010, the Club published 'Risk Focus: Moorings' as a one-off publication that reflected concerns about the increasing numbers ...

UK P&I Club warns The UK P&I Club has become aware that several containers imported to the United States have been placed on hold at their discharge ports due to unacceptable levels of radiation. The radiation is caused by scrap metal containing Cobalt-60 which could have inadvertently been incorporated into the product during manufacturing. The containers placed on hold were booked as bath products and originated in China and India.US Customs & Border Protection has processes in place to detect and prevent these products from entering the United States. If CBP orders the container to be returned to origin, the Club offers the below advice to lines:Container must be isolated until it is placed on the ship Labelled "Marked" with the United Nations (UN) transportation index required by marking the container with Yellow Radiation Level III signs on all sides The manifest should list the cargo as IMDG / IMO radioactive materials section 7 Do not open signs should be placed on the container doors along with the radioactive signs Transport Radiation Level shall not exceed two (2) milliSieverts (2 mSv = 2 mRems) at any point of the external surface. The container should be placed within the ship so ...

Mooring incidents result in substantial claims for damage to ship and shore equipment Ropes and wires cause the great majority of personal injuries. Most of these injuries occur during mooring operations. Mooring incidents also result in substantial claims for damage to ship and shore equipment."The Missing Link" shows how to make mooring safer and how to prevent damage, step by step.

Experience Feedback In a recent case an entered vessel pressed up its ballast tanks in order to optimise trim and to satisfy mandatory stability criteria. The operation resulted in the unexpected flooding of a cargo hold causing extensive damage to cargo. An entered containership was carrying out ballast exchange operations mid voyage and pressed up one set of double bottom ballast tanks. On arrival it was observed that one of her holds had significant water inside and considerable damage to bottom stow cargo.The vessel had recently opened up several manhole covers for routine inspection of her ballast tanks.After the incident it was noted that the high level bilge alarms in the hold were not functioning.Whilst investigations are still continuing into this particular case it maybe timely to remind Members that poorly secured manhole covers are still a frequent cause of water ingress into holds, many, but not all, arising after drydocking where shore staff have not secured covers properly.If double bottom manhole covers are removed for whatever purpose it is recommended a note be made of where and when, this not only acts as an aide memoire but also helps in defending claims should water ingress occur Good maintenance should ...

The UK P&I Club has recently dealt with a case of attempted cargo theft in Suez, Egupt The UK P&I Club has recently dealt with a case of attempted cargo theft from containers whilst a Member's vessel was lying in wait in Suez anchorage prior to her North bound canal transit.Fortunately this case saw the suspects leave empty handed as they were disturbed during the attempted theft and escaped down the anchor cable. At least eight containers were opened and cargo tampered with but nothing was stolen.Further enquiry by the Club's investigative arm Signum Services has shown that this is not an isolated incident. The circumstances are that while ships are held at anchor at Suez a number of suspects approach the vessel in small boats. The suspects then climb the anchor chain and gain entry to the deck via the hawsepipe. The seals are removed from a number of containers which are opened and their cargo stolen. The intruders systematically open a number of containers until they find suitable cargo to steal closing the container doors before they leave.In this recent case the small boats that were seen leaving from the bow of the ship displayed red and white ...

From 27 Feb to 2 Mar, 2012 UK Club debuts innovative maritime risk management scheme in Asia at Shipping Hong Kong Week.Marine mutuals like the UK P&I Club are committed to reducing the number and size of insurance claims they receive. After all, in the P&I world, members own their respective clubs and through pool arrangements within individual clubs, they in effect pay their own claims. The lower the level of claims, the higher the probability that the cost of insuring through the club will reduce.After much study and only after in-depth trials with certain shipowners, the UK P&I Club is now launching an innovative risk management scheme utilising a 'BowTie' approach to identifying areas of risk and minimising the occurrence of incidents.The initial public announcement was made in London in front of members of the UK trade press and now it will be presented publicly for the first time in Asia during the Shipping Hong Kong Week (27 Feb 2 Mar, 2012). At the Business of Shipping conference on 1 March, the UK Club's Loss Prevention Director, Karl Lumbers will explain the concept in detail and be available afterwards to answer any questions the audience asks.He explains: "Working with ...

UK P&I Club - Loss prevention information The UK P&I Club has been advised of changes in mooring practices with regard to double banking at Torrevaldaliga Nord quay in the Port of Civitavecchia. It is now provided that the Local Association of Moorers (Gruppo Ormeggiatori) is in charge of checking the safety of mooring ropes of double banked vessels every 4 hours. The details of these changes are given as follows:New text of article 10 of order n. 29/10 of Port Authority of Civitavecchia - Quay Torrevaldaliga NordArt. 10 - Double Banking. Further to assessment and forecast of weather conditions, Port Authority may authorize the contemporary double banking of one multipurpose vessel and one panamax vessel.In order to guarantee safety of mooring/unmooring manoeuvres, contemporary mooring of several multipurpose and post-panamax is not allowed.In case of double banking as per previous paragraph one, if not provided to the contrary by the Port Authority of Civitavecchia, the Gruppo Ormeggiatori shall control the mooring conditions of the two units by the means of regular inspections (every 4 hours); these inspections shall regard, in particular, the crossing of the panamax vessel's stern mooring ropes with the multipurpose vessel's bow mooring ropes; the outcome of ...

Pirates are motivated by the increasing costs of petroleum in Nigeria The UK P&I Club issues bulleting regaring Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea- West Africa as follows:A recent case saw one of our Member vessels hijacked twice within a ten week period. On both occasions the ship was loaded with a cargo of petroleum and was drifting off Lagos waiting her turn to lighter.Acts of piracy and armed robbery off West African states contrast greatly with piracy of the kind seen in the Somali basin. The pirates' modus operandi in the Gulf of Guinea is likely motivated by the increasing costs of petroleum in Nigeria. West African pirates, not patient enough for prolonged ransom negotiations, are more eager to hijack a vessel, strip it of its cargo and opportunistically strip the crew of their possessions. The only similarities between the two varieties of African pirates is that like their East African neighbours Nigerian pirates are acting with increased confidence and attacks are now common over 100NM offshore.In the first attack no cargo was taken since the pirates who boarded were unable to secure a vessel to perform an STS at the time. Frustrated, the pirates then ransacked the ship, ...

The Philippine Government has finally signed the ILO 185 agreement The Philippine Government has enacted ILO convention 185 finally settling the issue of crew shore leave / crew change in Brazil. The UK P&I Club's Contact in Brazil informs that the Philippine Government has finally signed the ILO 185 agreement. Philippine seafarers on vessels calling Brazilian ports will be free to sign on, sign off vessels, and attend shore leave within the prescription of local immigration restrictions.This also applies to other seafarers from countries who have also signed the agreement, details of which can be found at the ILO's website at the following address.For more details, click here.Source: UK P&I Club

UK P&I Club - information The UK P&I Club's Egyptian correspondent has advised us of changes to the domestic law in Egypt concerning regulations governing the carriage weapons and armed guards on foreign flagged vessels transiting Egyptian waters as follows:Please be advised that on 28/11/2011, we have received from the Ministry of Defence their letter dated 21/11/2011 and also the Naval Operations Department's letter dated 3/12/2011 instructing with the following:The Egyptian Government forbids the presence of any Weapons / Armed Guards on board of commercial vessels as per the rules and regulations of the International Maritime Organization.In case of the presence of weapons on board commercial vessels calling at Egyptian ports, the Masters shall lock the weapons in a safe compartment on board and issue a certificate stating these weapons and delivering it to the pilot in waiting area, the certificate shall include a confirmation from the Master that weapons will be delivered to Port Police Forces once berthed to be locked after being inspected by the police forces and to be returned back to vessel before departing the port. In case of not adopting the above regulations, the vessel will not be permitted to enter the port. In case ...