Tag: VDR

The world’s largest shipping associations, BIMCO and the German Shipowners Association, VDR, who represent the fourth-largest merchant fleet in the world, have confirmed chairmanship of Propulsion & Future Fuels 2019. Delegates will be able to learn, discuss and share the latest developments in power efficiency and propulsion technology, alternative low flashpoint and low carbon fuels with key industry figures.

In view of Germany’s announcement that it would no longer take part with naval vessels in the Mediterranean Sea mission 'Sophia' organised by the EU until further notice, the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) called upon the EU to find a solution to the protracted dispute on how merchant vessels will cope with boat refugees.

On 3 June 2016, the Malta-flag cruise ship 'Celebrity Infinity' allided with berth 3 in Ketchikan, Alaska, sustaining a 9-inch-diameter hole on the forward port side. The berth suffered extensive damage to the catwalks and pilings of an estimated cost about $1.15 million. The NTSB issued an investigation report on the accident.

MOL announced cooperation with Japan Radio Co., Ltd. and JSAT MOBILE Communications Inc. to build a network that shares data recorded in Voyage Data Recorder by using satellite telecommunication service Fleet Xpress, provided by Inmarsat.

In the latest edition of Signals, North P&I Club's Kostas Katsoulieris discusses the steps to take onboard where there is a serious incident requiring medical assistance from ashore. Firstly, basic first aid should be provided onboard under the guidance of the Ship’s Medical Officer and with reference to the Ship’s Medical Guide.

The US National Transportation Safety Board announced that it plans to meet on 12 December, in Washington, to determine the probable cause of the October 2015 sinking of the cargo ship El Faro in the Atlantic Ocean.

In its ongoing investigation of the sinking of the cargo ship El Faro, the NTSB informed that it is adding additional material to the accident docket. Two items related to the El Faro’s voyage data recorder transcript were added Wednesday, including an addendum and an errata sheet.

The NTSB has announced that a transcript from the El Faro’s voyage data recorder bridge audio is one of five factual reports added to the NTSB’s El Faro investigation docket as part of the agency’s ongoing investigation into the maritime tragedy.

On August 15, a voyage data recorder group was convened to audition the El Faro’s VDR and to develop a detailed transcript of the sounds and discernible words captured on the cargo ship’s bridge audio. A few months later, the NTSB announces its intent to open the docket for its investigation into the sinking of the ship.

The German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) once again warns that the threat to shipping posed by pirates has not yet been eliminated. While the number of piracy incidents world-wide has declined according to the piracy report of the International Maritime Bureau of the ICC, this year pirates have already taken temporarily command over 110 seafarers and boarded over 100 ships.