Ship - navigation & operational

Slips, trips and falls represent nearly one in three of the large personal injury claims submitted to the UK P&I Club.   New Risk Focus publication aims to reduce the incidence of such accidents  Following the launch of its Bow Tie loss prevention initiative in January 2012, the UK P&I Club is now embarking on the publication of a series of ‘Risk Focus’ booklets which highlight specific areas of risk. This month (April) sees the publication of ‘Risk Focus: Slips, trips and falls’.

The safe carriage of refrigerated cargoes invariably depends on maintaining suitable storage conditions, not just temperature, throughout their transportation.  This complex and various field of cargo transport is the subject of the latest in the Club’s series of Cargo Matters publications.    ‘Reefer matters’ focuses on the many issues surrounding the carriage of refrigerated cargoes, in both containerised and breakbulk modes.

The 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)...

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.  Although sixty per cent of the Club’s claims are caused by ‘human error’, human error is often only the last event in a chain of causal events  - ‘the straw that breaks the camel’s back’.

The Club’s approach offers strategic guidance to owners and operators on tackling the root cause of expensive claims.  Using quantified real-life case examples owners/operators are able to invest proportionately in risk management and loss prevention activity.  The detailed reports and reviews enable information to be shared across the fleet and operational departments enhancing credibility, co-operation and effectiveness.   The result will be a consistent and inclusive approach that encourages sustained and measured loss prevention activity over the longer term.

A new publication from the UK P&I Club “How to prevent tanker cargo shortage claims” and subtitled “The cause of claims and how to avoid them during pre-loading, loading and unloading” focuses on one of the major sources of cargo-related claims in the tanker sector. It follows on and complements the recently published UK Club “Tanker Contamination Claims Checklist”.  

This brief article gives some guidance as to what may constitute incompetence in contrast to negligence as derived from the existing case law.  Konstantinos Bachxevanis of Reed Smith LLP's Shipping Group uses a practical example of an on-board incident to develop understanding of these concepts.

This pdf document "Interim guidance to UK flagged shipping on the use of armed guards to defend against the threat of piracy in exceptional circumstances"  sets out the UK government’s policy on the use of armed guards onboard UK ships and the exceptional circumstances under which their use may be considered.

The Club has received reports that reefer containers that have been recently repaired and/or maintained in Vietnam have suffered catastrophic failure. Three incidents so far have resulted in fatalities.

This aide-memoire deals with how to prevent tanker cargo contamination claims and also highlights the cause of claims and how to avoid them.This pamphlet covers important aspect of a tanker vessel operations such as;...