The Club has recently been notified by New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) of a cargo hold fire caused by the lighting system in a vessel hold. Members are advised that alternative LED lighting should be considered, to reduce the potential risk to ship safety posed by lights that radiate high levels of heat.
The UK Club have received the following circular from the UAE Federal Transport Authority, regarding the conditions on oil and products cargoes operations in UAE ports, territorial waters and in the exclusive economic zones with immediate effect.
Members will be aware of the tragic sinking last week of the M/V Emerald Star in the Philippine Sea, with the loss of 10 crewmembers. The ship is believed to have been carrying a cargo of lateritic nickel ore at the time, although it is too early to say whether the cargo played any role in the ship's sinking.
The crew were instructed to clean the vessel's cargo holds in preparation for the next cargo. The vessel was underway with sea conditions recorded as slight with no ship movement. In order to gain better access to the upper areas of the hold, the crew arranged to position the high pressure washing equipment on top of portable staging erected on the tank top.
The UK P&I Club have received the following update from correspondents Pandi Liquidadores SRL regarding customs regulation on weighting methods of solid bulk cargoes.
As discharge of a cargo of coal progressed, the level in one of the cargo holds had lowered to the point where stevedores needed to enter for cargo trimming operations using bulldozers.
The vessel was scheduled to call at two West African ports for cargo operations. At the first port of call, all operations took place without any untoward incident. However, shortly after berthing alongside at the second port of call as preparations were underway to commence cargo discharge, the crew found two stowaways who had been hiding inside the deck crane pedestals.
This was a very poorly planned bunkering operation from the outset with an almost complete neglect of the company SMS procedures. The bunkering checklist was ticked off but not in fact implemented.
The subject vessel was berthed on a NNE heading, port side to an exposed quay for cargo discharge operations. In the early morning, the wind was observed to increase in strength from the NW. The Master ordered the crew to deploy additional mooring ropes, with the final arrangement reported to be 4 head/stern lines, 2 breast lines and 2 spring lines forward and aft.
The China Maritime Safety Administration (China MSA) announced the launch of a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) focusing on large bulk carriers of more than 10,000 gross tonnage (GT).
