(Past editions can be viewed on http://www.asiaconference.biz)
JOB OF THE MONTH
Technical Director for major shipmanagement company in Hong Kong
The appointee will be a member of the Board of Directors, reporting only to the Managing Director.
Responsible for the technical function for all Group companies (Hong Kong, UK, Germany, China).
Will have aproximately 60 people answering directly to him/her.
Must be experienced as Superintendent, technical manager as a very minimum and more senior experience in shipmanagement would be highly beneficial.
Must have experience in shorebased management of oil tankers and bulk carriers as an absolute minimum and wider experience would aslo be beneficial.
Package would include a generous salary (to be decided upon depending upon experience), housing allowance, pension contribution, private medical coverage, annual holiday flights to home, childrens school fees, annual bonus dependant upon performance etc etc.
Interested persons should contact the editor at the email address below.
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CONTENTS (for full stories, select a headline)
- At the bow - Registration is free! New members this month.
- Spindrift - Too many companies poaching. massive fine for MSC boxship. News in brief. Talks rais hopes of an agreement on compulsory insurance for seafarers. Enemy within warning from IMO leader.
- Contributions - 'Missing the point - the failure of regulation by Simon Groves, Inserve Ltd.
- Midships - None this month.
- Scuttlebutt - ISPS. CHIRP raises concern that security threatens safety.
- Insurance News - Hidden dangers.
- Wig & Gown - None this month.
- Education & Training - IIMS modules.
- Epistles - Alcohol consumption.
- People - Nicoll Black adds former USCG Attorney. Obituary – Phillip Mo.
- Books & Videos - 'Death in the Doldrums: U-cruiser actions off West Africa'. 'The Wapping Group of Artists'. 'If the Gods are Good'. Additional reading ......
- Conference reports - 2005 Asian Marine Insuranc & Surveying Forum, 24/25 November 2005, Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
- IMO Conventions - Convention updates.
- Future events - Some upcoming events which might be of interest to marine surveyors.
- Useful web sites for marine surveyors.
- From the Poop Deck - How to stay young. Another really bad joke!
FLASHLIGHT is a free monthly emailed newsletter circulated to more than 5,000 people involved in marine surveying around the world. It is circulated to anybody who wishes to receive a copy, eg, Marine Surveyors, P&I Clubs, their correspondents, Underwriters, Professional Institutes, Admiralty Lawyers, etc. It is a collation of articles relevant to our profession taken from various publications together with contributions from readers. Please pass it on to any of your contacts who you feel might be interested in receiving it. If you do not wish to be included in the circulation list, please contact the Editor at the email address below. Letters, opinions and articles relating to our profession are welcomed for the newsletter.
New readers this month:
Alex Chow, Nippon Kaiji Kentei Kyokai, Singapore.
Capt Irawan Alwi, PT Carsurin, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Capt Nasrudin Abdul Matalib.
Capt T Rajkumar, J B Boda Surveyors (Pvt) Ltd, Chennai, India.
Capt. A Rashid Abro, Transport Service International (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi, Pakistan.
Capt. B H Khoo, Maphilindo-Insight Sdn Bhd, Port Kalang, Malaysia.
Capt. Baharudin Ishak, Insight Marine Services Pte Ltd, Singapore.
Capt. D K Verma, Metcalfe & Hodgkinson (Pvt) Ltd, New Delhi, India.
Capt. Huang Davy Quxing, Falconer Bryan, Shanghai.
Capt. I H Chang, Kosac, Korea.
Capt. Irawan Alwi, Carsurin, Singapore.
Capt. Jimmy Chow, Concord Marine Surveyors & Consultants, Taipei, Taiwan.
Capt. K Sugumaran, NortSea Inspection & Survey Sdn Bhd, Johor, Malaysia.
Capt. M Zia Alam, Henderson International Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan.
Capt. Mohammed bin Abdullah, AXA, Singapore.
Capt. Ravinder Ghai, IMCS, Bangkok, Thailand.
Capt. Satish P Anand, Henderson International, New Delhi, India.
Capt. Shaik Esmail Rahiman, Matthews Daniel, Singapore.
Capt. Zhivko Zhekov, Henderson International, Varna, Bulgaria.
Chris Wielders, Regional Marine Loss Control Manager, AIG Europe S. A.
Frazer Hunt, Partner, Piper Aldman, Sydney, Australia.
Giang Le Van, Pacific Inspection J S Co, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
James David, Shaikh David Raj, Kuala Lumpur.
Jimmy Watt, Siam Surveyors, Phuket, Thailand.
Keith Swain, Henderson International, Dubai, UAE.
Lau Chin Kok, Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi, Malaysia.
Maqsood Imtiaz, Top Logistics Sea & Air Company, Karachi, Pakistan.
Mark McGurran, Noble Denton, Singapore.
Mitsue Kimura, Navrex Corporation, Japan.
Mr Homayoon Hezar-Dastan, Henderson International, Iran.
Nicolas J A White, Noble Denton, Singapore.
Osami Ibayashi, Seasia, Japan.
Paul Sansom, W K Webster, Singapore.
Raffi Sharwan, Seasia, Singapore.
Raymond W K Yeung, Delta Marine Services Ltd, Hong Kong.
Simon Groves, Inserve, London.
Stefan Smeds, Star Cruises, Malaysia.
Sunil Jaitly, Gleghorn Wilton & Associates Ltd, Dubai, UAE.
Tsuchiyama Kazuaki, NKKK, Japan.
Wong Soo Khwan, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Kuala Lumpur.
Zillur Bhuiyan, Henderson International (Bangladesh).
Too many companies 'poaching'
FLAG states should push for legislation requiring all ships to carry out cadet training as a long-term solution to the anticipated shortage of officers, a senior ship manager has suggested. The proposal was put forward because ?there are far too many companies that do not train any officers and only resort to poaching,? said Pradeep Chawla, training director at Anglo Eastern Ship Management. Chawla told delegates at the 6th LSM Asia-Pacific Manning & Training Conference in Manila this week that governments must also take responsibility for training seafarers, stressing that crew supply countries would need to work more closely with countries benefiting from cheaper crews to ensure training cost is shared. He said the revised STCW Convention has not yet been successful in achieving uniform standards worldwide as the selection rate in some countries is extremely low, especially in the tanker/gas sector. Chawla noted that with every new ship added to the world fleet, at least 40 new seafarers are required.
Massive fine for MSC boxship
A COURT in Brest this week ordered a euro350,000 ($412,000) fine against the master and owner of the Panama-flagged container vessel MSC Rhone for deliberate pollution off the French Atlantic coast in September 2004. Some 90% of the fine will be paid by the vessel's owner, Technomar Shipping of Athens, the balance being borne by the Russian master, Girman Shirokov. On 21 September 2004, the 29,200-dwt, 1,830-TEU MSC Rhone was seen by a French Navy aircraft with a 30km-long oil slick in its wake as the ship was sailing about 250km off Brittany?s Penmarc?h point, on a voyage from Antwerp to Istanbul. The ship was detained at Brest by the French authorities and was released against the payment of bail. This pollution incident is one of the largest recorded off Brittany in recent months, together with that of the container vessel Maersk Barcelona. The MSC Rhone is on time charter to Mediterranean Shipping Co and is currently deployed on a regular liner service between North and South America.
(With thanks to Fairplay Daily News: news@fairplay.co.uk)
News in Brief
Security deal: the Intentional Maritime Organisation has agreed new measures for dealing with terrorist attacks against ships and offshore installations. Amendments to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts convention introduce new provisions for the boarding of ships on the high seas _ with flag state permission _ and procedures for dealing with the arrest, detention, extradition and punishment of terrorists acting against ships or fixed platforms.
Loss figures: the number of ship losses has halved between 2000 and 2004, according to new Intentional Maritime Organisation figures. A total of 101 ships of 100 gt were lost last year, compared with 144 in 2003 and 206 in 2000. But the number of lives lost at sea during 2004 was 589 _ the sixth highest total in the last 15 years and up from just 197 in 2003.
Grave matter: members of the Merchant Navy Association staged a demonstration outside the High Court in London last month in support of a campaign to have MN vessels lost in action treated as war graves. They want the Human Remains Act changed to give MN wrecks the same protection from divers as Royal Navy vessels and their crew.
Baltic call. Danish maritime safety authorities are urging shipowners to use pilots on vessels transiting the Baltic. The call follows a study which showed that none of the 46 ships involved in groundings in the Great Belt between 1997 and mid_ 2005 had a pilot onboard.
Erika trial: a leading Paris examining judge has committed 10 defendants _ including the oil company Total, the classification society RINA, and the Italian owner of the tanker Erika _ to trial for maritime pollution. Expected to he held before summer 2006, the case follows the December 1999 shipwreck of the Erika off Brittany, leading to massive oil pollution. Sixty associations and individuals are involved in the trial in a claim for civil damages.
HK expansion: the Hong Kong shipping register ended 2004 with 1,111 vessels of a total 63.9m tonnes _ a 10% increase over the past year. The vessels are owned by about 150 ordinary and associate members of the Hong Kong Shipowners' Association, which is seeking to restrict membership of the register as a flag for Hong Kong owners.
African link: Spain's Buquebus group has taken delivery of a new high_speed vessel for services on the route between Algeciras and Spain's north African enclave of Ceuta. The new_generation catamaran was built at the Austal yard in Australia, with a capacity for 900 passengers and 180 vehicles. It replaces a conventional mixed passenger and freight ferry
Pension worries: the French federation of retired merchant navy pensioners' associations has expressed concern at the falling purchase power of pensions. Meeting in Dunkirk, the federation also backed a motion expressing concern at the future of national health provisions.
Silja cuts: Sea Containers cruise_ferry subsidiary Silja Line has unveiled a cost_cutting plan involving as many as 150 job losses and significant changes to its fleet. The Finnish operator announced a US$20.4 m operating loss for the first six months of this year.
Malaysians suffer: Malaysian maritime unions have complained that the country's seafarers are suffering as a result of' Islam phobia'_ with thousands being denied jobs because of the word 'bin' in their names.
Indian shortage: Indian shipowners have hinted that they will use Chinese officers in a bid to combat a shortage of Indian nationals to serve in the country's domestic trades.
Short support: the French Atlantic port of Nantes Saint Nazaire is examining a plan to launch a new shortsea shipping route to Bilbao, in northern Spain.
Suez deepening: Egypt is to deepen the Suez canal to 20m to accommodate the latest generation of large vessels. Canal Authority president Ahmed Ali Fadhei said $ 200m has been set aside for the project, due to begin next year. The improvement will enable fully_loaded 360,000 dwt oil tankers to use the canal, compared with the present maximum of 200,000 tonnes. The Suez Canal is Egypt's second biggest source of income after tourism.
Waste rapping: seven EU member states have been rebuked by the European Commission for failing to implement a key directive on ships' waste. Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Slovenia are accused of failing to fully comply with the 2000 directive requiring the development and implementation of waste handling plans for all ports to enable ships to dispose of their waste without delay.
Boxship boom: the world containership fleet stands at 3,504 ships, totalling 7.8m TEU capacity, 48 % of which are chartered out, maritime consultant BRS Alphaliner reveals. The world containership order book stands at 1,214 vessels of a total 4.49m TEU, almost 58% of present capacity. Fleet capacity grew by 10 % in 2004 with another 13.2 % increase due this year, 15.2 % next year and 14.1% in 2007.
Singapore skills: Thomas Tay, leader of the Singapore Maritime Officers' Union, has called for local investment in seafaring skills to ensure that Singapore has well trained personnel to manage and operate its ships. The Maritime Manpower Singapore Conference heard last month that almost all of the 13,800 officers working onboard Singapore flagged ships are foreign nationals.
Liberian growth: the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry now hosts 2,136 vessels of almost 63m gt _a 10% increase so far this year. Scott Bergeron, chief operating officer of the register, the world's second biggest, said the growth owed much to the widescale adoption of tonnage tax regimes in Europe and elsewhere, which encourages open registers.
Tanker boost: Japanese shipping firm MOL has announced a major expansion plan for its product tanker fleet _ with the goal of operating 32 ships by the middle of next year and some 50 vessels by the end of the decade. The company says the decision has been taken in the light of projected growth in demand for petroleum product transport.
Talks raise hopes of an agreement on compulsory insurance
A move towards a new international agreement to provide safeguards for injured and abandoned seafarers has been welcomed by various parties, including moves towards mandatory arrangements, which will be considered ILO in February next year.
Under the proposals, shipowners would be responsible for cover, with flag and port states enforcing the system. The Intentional Group of P&I Clubs has opposed mandatory provisions to provide protection for abandoned seafarers, but a presentation to the meeting by the company Seacurus put forward detailed proposals for an insurance scheme giving cover for such circumstances.
MD, Captain Thomas Brown, said Seacurus had spent six years developing the 'commercial insurance solution' to cope with cases of crew abandonment.
We've analysed that, in terms of nonpayment of wages, at least $110 m has been withheld from seafarers on a yearly basis over the past 10 years; he added. 'On average, we are probably looking at 90 vessels being affected annually _ however, this figure does not take into account those cases which remain unreported * '
Capt Brown said he believed compulsory insurance could help good quality operators if a price matrix based on risk assessments is developed.
For personal injury claims, the working group has proposed a scheme that would pay out 'promptly and without prejudice' and giving seafarers the right to take direct action against insurers if provisions are not met.
Crews would have the right to know whether they are protected at all times, with a certificate of financial security to enable enforcement by flag and port states.
Enemy within warning from IMO leader
THE SHIPPING industry needs to deal with 'the enemy within if it is to succeed in improving its pub_lic image, the head of the International Maritime Organisation warned last month.
Speaking at the Seatrade London International Maritime Convention, secretary general Efthimios Mitropoiflos said parts of the industry who sought to cut corners were thwarting shipping's attempts to rebuild its public reputation.
'The media and the television will highlight accidents and collisions and they have every right to do so; he added.
'However, we need to combat those who operate substandard vessels and seek to cut corners on safety to generate profit _ the enemy within, if you like; the IMO leader added. 'They need to be identified and told they have no place in our industry.'
Mr Mitropoulos said shipping needs two lists _ 'one of steps needed to improve our image and one of steps needed to put our industry in order'.
And he added: 'We need to open people's eyes to all that is good in shipping and not just accidents. Ifs the minority that grab the headlines and affect the public image.
'We also need to think about how to communicate good news and shout about shipping's green credentials, 'the IMO leader said. 'Go out and spread the word. We have a good story to tell so why not tell it?'
His comments were made as he chaired a debate examining the image of shipping and what could be done to improve it. The debate featured panel members including writer and broadcaster Libby Purves, Port of London Authority chief executive Richard Everitt, Lloyd's List editor Julian Bray, Conservative MP James Gray, Eurasia managing director Rajaish Bajpaee, ClayMaitland, of International Registries, and Philippa Wright, PR director of shipowning company Foresight and chair of the Women in Shipping and Trade Association.
Mr Everitt said there should be a worldwide ban on single hull oil tankers _ ships that just beg trouble for the industry and its image'.
Mr Gray, MP for Wiltshire North, said shipping was now an invisible industry despite its substantial contribution to the global economy.
(With thanks to the NUMAST Shipping Telegraph)
'Missing the point - the failure of regulation' So back to basics? Simon Groves, Inserve Ltd, London
(This paper was presented at the 2005 Asian Marine Insurance & Surveying Forum, Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, 24/25 November 2005)
Introduction.
ISM has stagnated. ISPS is a dangerous knee jerk reaction. Class has lost its way. Flags are more interested in revenue. Increased multi-cultured / national crews. IMO toothless. Charterers a lost cause.
No job security. Inconsistent & inappropriate manning levels. Increased paperwork, advanced fatigue. Criminalisation of the Master.
There is an increasing widening gap between what is fact on board and what is necessary.
Perhaps risk based loss prevention is the answer?
Inserve has carried out hundreds of risk assessment surveys in the past two years and have found worrying holes - with potentially far reaching consequences.
This paper shows the problem areas and suggests that the practical risk assessment approach should be the way forward for all.
Where are we now?
While the statements above may offend some, while there may be many who would dispute some or all of what is said, I believe that all these statements are true and are having a significant effect on the industry? a detrimental effect.
The regulators and those with the power and / or ability to deal with the situation are increasing the amount of prescriptive legislation, saying that it is risk based, but we see little evidence that it is having an effect.
We know that more than 80% of failures are due to human error and some organisations are looking at high tech methods and complex ways to deal with human issues on board. While these may be appropriate to some of the blue chip operators, the basic issues of lack of experienced officers and ratings, multi-national and multi-cultural crews, insufficient manning, inadequate training, language difficulties and lack of appropriate maintenance are problem areas that seem to have been ignored.
It is easy to blame the industry for the conditions that we see but we continue to be astonished at the lack of basic care that some crewmembers and company managers appear to have; they seem to have no consideration for their own lives, their families or their workmates.
It is true to say that the number of insuance claims has reduced slightly but this is mainly due to higher deductibles and changing insurance conditions. From the perspective of hull and machinery insurers, the spectres of fire, catastrophic machinery failure and total loss are still there.
What is the evidence?
Fire
Fire is still the largest category of loss in terms of cost. All fires can be prevented. Fire is the seafarer?s worst nightmare and yet we still find that little thought is given to fire prevention other than the typical no smoking regulations - and even these are not always adhered to.
Older ships often have combustible material in the bulkheads, cabins or deckhead linings in the accommodation and there may be open stairwells. Even where the stairwells are enclosed, fire doors are removed or lashed back. Consequently, any fire in the lower part of the accommodation will quickly spread and so will the smoke, which may well be toxic.
Simple battery operated smoke detectors fitted at various locations in the accommodation are a cheap method of giving early warning. Carry out a weekly check and change the batteries annually and the risk of the crew being caught by fire is greatly reduced. Keeping the fire doors closed or even fitting vertical subdivision to some of the stairwells will reduce the spread.
Galleys are still areas of concern with oil soaked filters on exhaust trunking. We have seen passenger ships where the oil in the trunking from the main galley is oozing out through the vents to the decks some metres away. Fire doors to galleys, usually fitted with remotely operated elecro-magnets, are wedged open or do not close fully as the deck tiling is so uneven.
Laundries on passenger ships are another area of concern with build up of lint in the vent trunking or lint leaking from the trunking into the deckhead space. Often the trunking will pass through various accommodation decks with no fire damper between the laundry itself and the open deck.
Regular cleaning and inspection of galley and laundry trunking, fitting of fixed cleaning systems or removable filters in the hard to access areas of the trunking will help. Consideration of fitting additional dampers to long runs of trunking will reduce any spread of fire. Regular testing of thermostats and breakers on deep fat fryers and other cooking equipment will provide added confidence.
Wiring on older ships is usually a collection of new and old with cropped sections where redundant equipment has been removed. The insulation may be breaking down, often in unseen areas such as where it passes through bulkheads or in deckhead spaces. The result may be a hot spot and a resultant fire.
Regular checking of wiring and checks inside deckhead spaces can be built into the on board maintenance system.
If fire in the accommodation is a worry, fire in the machinery spaces is worse. The machinery spaces are cited as the area most likely to have a fire yet we still find that little attention has been given to the hazards. Oily bilges are still found although this must have been a primary target for regulators in recent years.
However, of more concern are the various hot surfaces in the machinery spaces. SOLAS has gone some way to address the subject. Any surface above 220 C is a hazard. Any flammable liquid, and this includes hydraulic or lubricating oil, at above atmospheric pressure can ignite when sprayed onto a hot surface. SOLAS also addresses high pressure fuel injection pipes but in reality more fires are caused from low pressure leaks and from other means.
We continually find exhaust systems with exposed hot surfaces which can act as ignition points in the event of an escape of fuel or oil. Sometimes fuel filter units and other equipment prone to leakage is fitted adjacent to a hot exhaust pipe. The amount of heat emitted from an unlagged exhaust pipe is considerable. In some cases the engine room becomes so hot that fire doors and skylights are gagged open to improve ventilation rather than deal with the problem at source. This just makes matters worse.
Fuel and oil lines for gauge panels, pressure switches and other fittings are often loose, vibrating or chafing and a prime source of a leak.
Hydraulic packs for waterjets, stabilisers and even passenger deck lifts, continue to be fitted in close proximity to engine exhaust systems, and with flexible hydraulic hoses where these are not necessary.
Diesel engines continue to be installed with flexible piping for fuel and oil. The on/off engine pipework for fuel and oil does not have to comply with any standards and can be a mix of flexible hoses which are poorly designed/fitted and prone to failure.
Perspex or plastic sight glasses are often used on fuel and oil storage tanks. These should be fitted with self closing valves so that in the event of a fire, the sightglass might melt but the self closing valves prevent the entire contents of the tank spilling out and feeding the fire. We continuously find the self closing valves gagged open and the staff are seemingly unaware of the reason why they are fitted in the first place. Sometimes the ship?s staff have gone to great lengths to gag open the spring loaded valves including making beautifully polished brass gags or strapping together as many as three broomsticks to push against a valve in a remote location. If it wasn?t so serious it would be laughable.
Deadweight closers on sounding pipes is another issue. Apart from contributing to flooding and pollution in case of impact damage to a tank, any spills from overfilling will also fuel a fire. Again we find the closers lashed open or the sounding tapes or funnels left inside when not in use. Sometimes a fuel or oil double bottom sounding pipe is seen gagged open directly beneath the main engine turbocharger or in some other high risk situation. We regularly raise queries over the fire doors in engine rooms. While we understand that ventilation can be a problem, lashing open the fire door between the steering flat (where the emergency fire pump and sometimes the foam system is located) and the engine room is not a sensible approach. Any fire in the machinery spaces could spread to the steering flat, disabling the fire pump and making access to fight the fire more difficult. If there are ventilation problems, we have found that ventilation can be improved by changing the way the fans are operating but most commonly, it is better to remove the source of the heat rather than try to improve ventilation or gag open fire doors.
The emphasis should be on prevention and not cure. Should a fire get out of control, the crew know that, in the machinery space in particular, they can use the fixed fire extinguishing system. However we have always had little confidence in CO2 systems. There are always too many aspects to consider when using it; checking crew are clear, shutting ventilation off, closing dampers, boundary cooling. It is also necessary not to wait too long to set it off or to go back in too early.
Despite the less than perfect system, CO2 still seems to be the system most seen, but numerous crews do not know how to operate it - even the instructions are illegible or indecipherable. Sometimes the system cannot be operated because the wires have been disconnected or the activating weights have been wedged to prevent them moving. We have found that the door to the CO2 room cannot be opened without levering with steel bars ? a clear indication that no one has been in to check the system.
Hi Fog or water spray is the best solution and should be the system for the future. It has so many advantages over CO2. The system can be set off without any worries of people in the area or shutting off ventilation; the system directs the water over the source of the fire while other machinery can still be running; it has cooling effect; the supply of water is endless. We hoped that more shipowners would fit water based systems but it seems that most have chosen the cheaper option without considering the risk reduction opportunities.
With respect to shutting fire flaps and dampers they are often poorly maintained so that it may be difficult or impossible to shut them in an emergency. Engine room skylights also may be held open with rusted chain blocks, or jammed open with timber.
Security is a subject that has been commented upon, particularly in connection with possible conflicts with safety. We have seen various emergency escapes secured from the outside, as has been highlighted in the press. We have also seen the normal access doors in the engine room locked with keys from the inside, with only the chief engineer with the key. It is clear that no one has given much thought to the situation.
Watertight integrity
One of the areas where we are most concerned with respect to watertight integrity is the use of watertight doors. While we have been concerned to see watertight doors continually left open on dredgers working close to obstructions and in busy shipping lanes, we are even more concerned with the use of watertight doors on passenger carrying ships.
Some Flags have provisions for leaving certain doors open in particular situations but it is clear that many companies and masters are more likely to have all the doors open rather than any closed.
Unfortunately to support our view, we have been involved with a number of passenger ships and ferries which have had severe losses due to watertight doors being open when in hazardous situations. The casualties have included a ship passing through a narrow channel. The stabilizers were in use and one of them hit the mooring chain of a buoy in the channel. The stabilizer was pushed back into the hull, piercing it in way of the generator room and consequently progressive flooding affected the main engines in the next space. The ship managed to reach a nearby port with the assistance of tugs but was severely damaged. There was a similar situation with the ferry Express Samina when it hit a rock, with resultant loss of life.
Adopting the risk based approach, there are a number of influencing factors. The comment most often made by the crew is that if the doors in machinery spaces are closed it takes more time to pass through when carrying out normal duties. There is a risk that someone passing through the door could become caught if the door closes. Our view is that, provided the crewmembers are correctly trained and the doors Appropriately maintained, the risks are tolerable, particularly when they are balanced against the risks of a major casualty caused by flooding. The closed doors may be considered an inconvenience but it will only take a short time before they become normal operational practice.
There is also the view that where the doors are designed to be closed remotely, should there be an incident they will all close within a short period. However, should the ship have impact damage, it is likely that door frames will be buckled, hydraulic pipework damaged or foreign objects will block the doors, all perhaps preventing the doors from closing correctly.
The other thing that crews often forget is to close watertight doors in case of fire to reduce the spread. In a lot of cases, watertight doors are also fire doors.
Our view is that watertight doors should normally be closed when sailing/ arriving, in restricted visibility, in restricted waters, when there is a limitation of the depth of water compared to the draft, or in any other hazardous situation. Some doors should be closed at all times and some should be closed unless work is being carried out in the adjacent space.
We were impressed to note that, when travelling on a short sea ferry in northern Europe, the watertight doors in the passenger areas were closed prior to sailing and then opened one hour after. It may have inconvenienced the passengers but no one seemed to mind.
In addition to risks of flooding from outside damage, there are always risks of internal flooding. While seachests and sea valves are included in class surveys, we have been surprised, on some occasions, at the poor condition of these and in particular doublers and glassfibre patches on a seachest on a passenger ship. We were also surprised to find that the condition of internal pipework does not seem to come under Class requirements; the Class surveyor that we spoke to was concerned at the condition of the various temporary clamps and patches on large bore cooling water and other lines in a passenger ship engine room but was unable to require owners to deal with them. The ship sailed from drydock with the pipework in the same condition. While any flooding from failed cooling water lines would have been reduced by closing the sea suctions, the loss of cooling water could have risked damage to the machinery or, by shutting down the engine(s), to loss of manoeuvrability.
Machinery
The most common type of failure is machinery, and particularly crankshaft bearings on four stroke diesel engines. While a prudent ship operator, supported by a good Class society, will have implemented a maintenance system that addresses all critical components, we come across many where the maintenance system is totally inadequate. In addition, we often find that the engineers are not fully familiar with the types of failures that can occur with the types of engines that they are operating and the specific precautions that are necessary. Again, it is often lack of training or experience, or perhaps insufficient interest.
The greatest area of failure with medium speed four stroke engines is to crankshaft bearings. Crankpin and connecting rod ovality have often been overlooked and resulted in bottom end bearing failures, with serious results. Apart from the damage to machinery, there can be injury to the crew.
Connecting rod bolts often have a fatigue limit and should be renewed according to running hours, but this is also sometimes overlooked. In addition, crankshaft counter-balance weights are known to have caused damage when the securing bolts have failed.
These risks are particularly related to older medium speed engines but can all be reduced if suitable checks are built into the maintenance system.
A number of engineers and companies do not seem to consider these factors.
One of the best ways to identify potential problems is by the analysis of lubricating oil. We have found this to be a weak area with only the minority of operators carrying out regular detailed analysis and reviews of results. Those who do carry out the analysis often do not study the results to establish the meaning of the figures; the applicability of these will often vary with each type of engine.
We are surprised that greater use is not made of the services provided by oil suppliers, particularly as they are often free of charge. Failures of bearings and contamination of lube oil can be identified early on. We suggest that analysis is carried out of the oil from the main engines and generator engines, and of the stern tube oil, at three monthly intervals. If the engineers also take weekly lube oil checks for viscosity and water using simple on board test kits, there will be further early warning of problems. Relying on the oil mist detector is not enough, by the time that it alarms it is generally too late to prevent damage. Bearing temperature monitoring would be far better and while this is sometimes seen on main bearings it is rarely found on connection rod bearings ? those at greatest risk. A lot more can be done by engine manufacturer?s in this regard.
I mentioned the importance of checking the tailshaft lube oil. The other significant item for the tailshaft is the temperature. This is particularly important for single shaft ships - failure of a bearing could be catastrophic. However again we see that, although the watchkeepers may be checking the tailshaft temperatures regularly, often no one is noting that the temperature is slowly increasing day by day. We always suggest recording the temperature in the log book to assist with this.
There are numerous protective devices on the machinery ? low lube oil pressure, high temperature, overspeed, low tank levels - and the crew will rely on these to give early warning of problems and to reduce the risk of major failure. However, to be confident that they will alarm off or slow the engine down at the right time, they need to be regularly checked. We find that most engineers do check them but they often only check that the electrical connections work or look at the gauges as the engine is stopped to see that the alarms go off at approximately the right level. However this does not test that the probe itself or verify the set point properly. To us this rough check is not really enough for protective devices which are designed to prevent serious damage. We always suggest that there is a system for taking out the probes as necessary, testing high temperature probes in an oil bath, physically checking tank level alarms and therefore having real confidence that the devices will work when they are needed.
Overspeed trips are always a difficult subject and they have to be tested with care. Of equal importance is that the crew know how to reset them when needed. There is at least one case where a major casualty occurred to a ship in heavy weather with the engine room flooding and the main engine overspeed trip operated. The crew did not know or were unable to reset it, making the situation worse.
Again we would expect the ship?s SMS to address these types of critical devices as well as the fire detectors and bilge alarms but this is rarely the case.
We often carry out surveys shortly after a ship has been taken over by the new owners. We are surprised by the apparent casual attitude shown by some. There may have been no pre-purchase survey, particularly where there is the lure of an imminent lucrative charter, and consequently the new owners find all sorts of problems resulting in an extended repair period before the ship can sail and, in some cases, insurers unwilling to cover the ship until it is brought up to a good standard. Accepting the previous owners? Class and statutory survey certificates is, unfortunately, no guarantee of anything.
Often the newly purchased ship will not have any maintenance records on board and the new crew will describe how they found the previous crew burning them in an old drum on the poop. While we are disappointed that any professional crew would act in this manner, it would seem simple for the new owners to have stipulated in the conditions of sale that maintenance records must be included.
The standard of maintenance records and of the maintenance systems themselves is very variable. While we do not suggest the type of maintenance system that there is or how the records should be kept, in many cases, it seems hard for the engineers to see when the last work was carried out, what it was and when the next is due. Consequently, overhaul of key items such as the crankshaft bearings mentioned earlier, may be missed.
We suggest that the system should show for each component, the time last done (either calendar or hours based), the time between overhaul (TBO) and the time when next due.
Navigation
We hoped that navigation and bridge watchkeeping standards would have improved in the past few years but it seems to us that, perhaps related to the apparent reduced standards of training and the increased use of electronic systems, there continue to be weak areas.
Over-reliance on electronic charts and electronic position fixing has caused at least one casualty where we have been involved as well as various near misses. We have had a situation where the electronic chart system has failed and while the officer tries to re-boot the computer, a course alteration is missed and the ship goes aground. The fact that it was a hazardous inshore route at night, with only the officer on the bridge compounded the situation. Other incidents seen have involved errors on the GPS systems that fed the radar and a difference of more than half a mile between the two bridge GPS units. No one noticed while the ship navigated half a mile off the coast.
We have been concerned to witness totally autocratic masters working on ferries navigating around islands and through narrow channels ? no one on the bridge carried out any monitoring of the position, the helm or engine movements and the master continued to operate at high speed within seven cables of the berth. We found the situation frightening. When we suggested that bridge team management could be improved, the company superintendents did not comprehend the term and considered it outrageous that any officer would monitor the master?s actions. The situation when a pilot is on the bridge is similar; often the bridge?team? heaves a collective sigh of relief and pass the time of day while the pilot navigates ? on a passenger ship too.
Generally the passage planning that we see could be much improved. It is extremely rare to see a useful and comprehensive passage plan and particularly rare for a passage plan to build in ?abort points? Or contingency plans or otherwise consider the hazards involved.
It is worth remembering that this may be happening on the bridges of the ships that have the watertight doors open, the machinery maintenance inadequate, the protective devices untested and the CO2 system inoperable.
Class and Flag
While everyone may think that all these problems were found on ships classed with non IACS members and registered with disreputable flags, we find that really there is not much difference between them. It is only the out and out ?rust buckets? that are with non IACS class societies or not classed at all, and are flagged perhaps in a country with no experience of ships. It seems that the confidence that was previously given to insurers by IACS class and reputable flags is no longer there.
With respect to the condition of ships, we know that, despite what efforts some Class societies and some Flags have expended, there is still inconsistency in the way surveys are carried out. We still do not understand how standards can be maintained if perhaps three renewal surveys are carried out by one surveyor in one day. Perhaps the class societies have been put in the unenviable position of feeling that they must please too many parties; certainly they seem far more commercially minded than before.
Risk assessment
All the items that I have referred to above have been idenified by our surveyors using basic risk assessment techniques. Rather than just look at the condition, they have asked what are the risks involved. This will involve the crew and the management system, as well as the physical condition of the hull and machinery. To them, all these have been readily apparent and often, when we point them out to the crew, they become clear to them too. What we do not understand is why the crew, the superintendents, the safety officer, the Designated Person, the class surveyor, or the flag inspector did not see what we saw or asked the questions that we asked.
We see no reason why the simple risk assessment approach cannot be used more in the industry. It may not be perfect but it is simple and far removed from the complex solutions that are suggested elsewhere.
Back to basics ? keep it simple (and safe).
Simon Groves, Inserve Ltd.
[Top]
None this month.
ISPS (affectionately referred to by many as the ISSPISS Code!)
Conflicts continue to develop with respect to the implementation of the ISPS Code. Each month, we will be listing some of the ways that the code interferes with normal ship operations which in some cases could be considered as hazardous together with transgressions of interest.
******
CHIRP raises concern that security threatens safety
Concerns that security pre_cautions could be putting sea_farers at risk have been raised with the Confidential Human Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP).
The organisation has taken up the issue _ which has also been discussed at NUMAST Council _ with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. This followed a report from a seafarer stating that his company had fitted a padlock system to the Class A machinery escape trunks. The padlocks mean that the trunk hatch doors can only be opened in the way of escape _ something that appears to be in conflict with SOLAS requirements.
The report to CHIRP complains: 'The idiocy of locking emergency escape/access in the name of security should be stopped before someone is injured as a result.'
In response _ extracts of which are published in the latest CHIRP Bulletin _ the MCA said that the practice of padlocking escape hatches shut from the outside would be unacceptable on UK ships or on ships in UK ports.
The MCA said it had discussed solutions to the potential conflict between safety and security with UK companies during the process of ISPS Code implementation. These included: digital locks with one_way and fail open operation; fixed locks or bolts; micro_switches; closed_circuit TV; alarms; seals; and dedicated guarding.
- The Bulletin also includes a report on communication problems among a multinational crew, filed by a British master who devised a 'pantomime' to explain safety issues to his crew.
CHIRP said his 'attempts to accommodate the various langages spoken onboard are understandable, but could cause confusion it stressed the importance of having a common working language, adequate for routine opera_tions, training delivery and emergency response. 'Communications failings in the first two areas are often emphasised in the last; it pointed out.
- Other issues covered in the latest Bulletin include passage planning and traffic management, collision regulations, garbage disposal practices, and crankshaft bearing failures, as well as concerns over engine integration.
- Members can now send reports to CHIRP via the website. www.chirp.co.uk
Ed: We would be pleased to hear from our readers similar incidents.
Hidden dangers
P&I club and classification society link up to warn of 'the hidden dangers' posed to crew by defective ship pipes
Growing concern over the number of accidents involving ships' pipes has prompted the launch of a new guide for seafarers.
Produced by the Standard P&I Club and the classification society RINA, the Master's Guide to Ships' Piping aims to highlight 'the hidden dangers caused by defective piping.
The 30_page book urges seafarers to take a proactive approach to inspection, maintenance and repair of the pipes onboard their ships _ warning that the absence of preventative measures can lead to loss of life, pollution and damage to property
Former MN officer Erie Murdoch, now head of risk management with the Standard Club, co_authored the guide with Francesco Sciacca, deputy head of RINM machinery department.
'Pipes pose a hidden danger and one that is often forgotten about until something goes wrong,' Mr Murdoch said. 'However, no other system onboard a ship has such an enormous potential to cause harm _ and we want everybody onboard to know this.
'Pipes penetrate almost every enclosed space; he stressed. 'They carry dangerous chemicals, oils, steam and flammable fluids, often under high_pressure!
Losses caused by piping include fire, engine failure, steering failure, damage to cargo, pollution and flooding _ and even small defects can lead to major claims, he pointed out. Examples included a chemical tanker that sank in the Channel after the ballast tanks flooded because of _ corroded pipes and a containership that was lost off Iceland after it lost power when a fresh water cooling pipe failed. These two claims cost more than US$22 m.
Andy Alderson, head of RINA UK, said he hoped the guide would raise awareness about piping which is 'often out of sight and therefore sometimes out of mind'. The way in which ships are con_structed often makes maintenance diffi_cult, he added, particularly when pipes are in inaccessible areas.
'We fear that because of the large number of pipes on a ship, their complex arrangement, you cannot see or hear them working, they are uninteresting, Mr Murdoch added. 'We fear pipes do not always receive sufficient attention during routine maintenance or surveys. Few engineers have a passion for piping, but it c_an be too late when one fails.'
The guide explains the role and design of the different piping systems installed on ships. It examines the most common causes of pipe failure, including corrosion, water hammer, alignment, low temperatures and expansion.
It also gives advice on potential design weaknesses, the scope and extent of surveys, dealing with pipe failure, and carrying out maintenance and repairs.
The RINA and Standard Club officials reckon their guide is the first that has been written for seafarers _ as opposed to being written by engineers for engineers.
Presented in an easy format and written in simple English, the guide is intended to be of particular use to seafarers who have 'never been taught proper seamanship, never mind about piping' and whose first language is not English.
The guide is the fourth in a series of similar publications by the Standard Club, addressing issues including hatch cover maintenance and berthing risks.
Six thousand copies have been printed and the guide is being distributed to all ships covered by the Standard Club and classed by RINA. It can also be downloaded from the website: www.standardclub.com
None this month.
Why not attend a conference? It could be beneficial!
******
We hear that the IIMS is now marketing the separate parts of their diploma modules. Each of these modules is a stand alone manual on a particular aspect of marine surveying. It is hoped that eventually, users could study at their own speed by buying each of the modules. Once the requisite number of credits have been obtained, the diploma could then be awarded.
Further to last month's article on abstinence from alcohol consumption:
Editor Mike,
Does Mr. Kraft D'Souza realize that one serious effect of complete abstinence from alcohol is to become thoroughly boring?
J. Arthur Waddington (Ex-distillery engineer, now moderate part time partaker of the product)
Nicoll Black Adds Former USCG Attorney
Attorney Chris Reilly has left after 20 years of duty with the US Coast Guard to join the Seattle office of maritime attorneys Nicoll Black Misenti & Feig (www.nicollblack.com). Chris is also a civil engineer, member of the Patent Bar, and former litigator for the Admiralty Claims Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to joining Nicoll Black, Chris' last posting was as Staff Judge Advocate for the CoastGuard's District in Alaska. Chris can be reached at: CReilly@nicollblack.com
******
Obituary
Philip Mo Wan Yiu of Holman Fenwick & Willan passed away on 28 November 2005, aged 56. Philip, who will be sadly missed, had been with HFW for 25 years, being a highly regarded shipping lawyer, and, before his recent retirement, head of the Hong Kong office.
A memorial service will take place at the Hong Kong Funeral Home at 1300 hrs in Saturday 10 December 2005.
'Death in the Doldrums: U-cruiser actions off West Africa' by Bernard Edwards (SIBN 1 84415 261 8) Cost GBP19.99. Published by Pen & Sward Books, 47 Churc Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS, UK.
The author turns the spotlight o to the somewhat neglected area of the battlefront off West Africa and the operations of the U-cruisers. Illustrated with excellent photographs. Rivetting read.
******
'The Wapping Group of Artists: Sixty years of painting by the Thames' (ISBN 0 954706 2 5 0) Cost GBP19.95. Published by Seafarer Books, 102 Redwald Road, Rendlesham, Suffolk, UK IP12 2TE.
The book shows how the river continues to be a working waterway and one upon which many livlihoods depend.
******
'If the Gods are Good' by Gerald L Duskin and Ralph Segman. Published by the Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. Availabel from Amazon.com at GBP14.99 plus p&p.
Additional reading:
'The Jervis Bay' by George Pollock.
'Armed Merchant Cruiser' by Kennneth Poolman.
'The Saga of the San Demetrio' by F Tennyson Jesse.
'The sinking of the Kneban head' by Sam Mcaughtry.
2005 Asian Marine Insurance & Surveying Forum
The Future for the Marine Loss Prevention Industry in Asia.
ED: The conference was well attended with delegates from 28 countries attending. The spontaneous contributions from the delegates during discussion periods was most encouraging, indicating a high level of interest in the development of our profession. Much credit should be given to the chairmen of the various sessions for managing the timing and contributions in a professional manner.
The conference was opened and delegates welcomed by Ferdi Stolzenberg, Director, Asia Conferences Ltd., Hong Kong.
The keynote Speech was given by Y B Dato? Sri Chan Kong Choy, Minister of Transport, Malaysia, in which he outlined the Malaysian Government's support for development of the ports and shipping industries, together with the need for qualified marine surveyors, without which neither could function. The marine surveying fraternity is made up of approximately 1,000 surveyors, 40% of which are expats, most being ex-seafarers. Many of the younger surveyors are engineering graduates, their training being complemented by the IIMS diploma and short courses.
Country Report - Capt. B.H. Khoo, Master Maritime Services (M) Sdn. Bhd. Port Klang, Malaysia.
We learned about Malaysia's ports, trades, vessels and surveyors, together with the different types of surveys carried out around the country. Educational and training standards were also covered.
'Malaysian Palm Oil and its Myriad uses' Mr. Wong Soo Khwan, Malaysia Palm Oil Board.
The board is a quasi Government organisation overseeing palm oil production and trade in Malaysia.
We learned about the many uses of the product, there being 14 million tonnes of crude palm oil and 2 million tonnes of crude palm kernal oil exported each year. Malaysia is also making a contribution to the environment by making diesel from palm oil. 'Missing the point - the failure of regulation' So back to basics? Simon Groves, Inserve Ltd, London We heard a breakdown of the various conventions affecting ships today with an analysis of whether these are having any effect. This paper is reported above in 'Contributions'.
'Bugs, Beasties and Fouling' by Peter Morgan, Lithgow Associates, UK. We heard about what eats away your boat, rots your hull and melts your decks. Peter also covered the different technologies used to protect from these freeloaders. Particularly frightening was learning that SRBs produce sulphuric acid as a byproduct of its orgasm. Hope my missus never hears about this one as it could give her ideas!
'New developments in electronic equipment used by Marine Surveyors' by Ken Hawes of Class Instrumentation, UK. Ken and Paul Fahy explained the technology behind the hatchcover ultrasound testing and ultrasonic thickness gauging equipment.
Running a Marine Surveying company
Mike Wall, Kiwi Marine Consultants Ltd, Hong Kong
We heard about some systems which may assist in efficient and effective management for companies considering implementing the ISO 9000 standard. Surprise, surprise, many present stated that they have already implemented these systems!
Developments in training of marine surveyors
John Lawrence, CEO, International Institute of Marine Surveyors.
A higly scored paper on the feedback forms. John outlined the various training courses and systems in place to assist the surveyor in obtaining relevant qualifications. It would appear that according to our delegates IIMS is getting it right.
Chris Spencer, President, Society of Consulting Marine Engineers and Ship Surveyors.
Where does the expert witness fit into litigation proceedings? We heard about some of the pitfalls, training and some suggestions on how to prepare, with recommendations for training courses.
Mark Borkett, West of England Shipowner?s Insurance Services Ltd, Hong Kong.
Mark gave the P&I view of marine surveying activities in Malaysia and Asia with coverage and requirements for their surveyors.
Benny Johansson, The Swedish Club, Hong Kong.
Benny outlined what the major Underwriters expect from Marine Surveyors during the various activities carried out on their behalf, including protocols, documentation, confidentiality, bedside manner and aims of the survey. Benny stressed the need to reach agreement on the cause of damage while the evidence is fresh and available. The paper left no doubt as to how surveyors should behave when acting on behalf of the Club.
'Professional Indemnity Insurance problems' by Robert Gordon, Seasia, Singapore.
When, why, how do surveyors need PI insurance? Where is PI insurance going?
Scored as the No 2 paper on feedback forms, Roberts paper was outstanding in explaing fully everything the marine surveyor should know about PI insurance. He outlined the legal issues, risk avoidance, risk management and the scope of PI cover. We were also introduced to the role of the broker, cost and other frequently asked questions. Robert also asked the question as to whether marine surveyors should have their own PI mutual. The paper could be summed up by "If you think PI insurance is expensive, consider the cost of losing your business!"
Day Two
Day two started with a case study of a marine accident, focusing on the reporting, surveying, investigation and collection of evidence and work carried out by surveyors involved in a collision between two vessels. The role of the Captain, the damage surveyors, the lawyer, hull insurance, P+I insurance, the ship manager, the ship owner and the expert marine surveyor were covered by various representatives from each sector, discussing their individual role in a real situation. Inter-active participation from delegates was encouraged with questions and suggestions readily forthcoming.
Presenters:
H&M Underwriter - Benny Johansson, The Swedish Club, Hong Kong.
P&I Club Claims Manager - Mark Borkett, West of England Shipowner?s Insurance Services Ltd, Hong Kong.
Lawyer - James David, Shaikh David Raj, Kuala Lumpur
Master - Capt. Shaik Esmail, Matthews Daniel International Pte Ltd, Singapore.
Salvage Aspects - Nicolas J A White, Noble Denton, Singapore.
Damage Surveyor & Speed and Angle of Blow Assessment - Mike Wall, Kiwi Marine Consultants Ltd, Hong Kong.
The afternoon session started with a paper on the internet:
" Making friends and influencing people in the internet age" by Sam Ignarski of After Office Hours and Bow Wave.
This was follwed by a 90 minute open panel discussion, again with participation from delegates, questions and suggestions readily forthcoming.
NOTE: Delegates are supplied with a feedback form in which they score the conference, speakers, papers, chairmen and facilities. Feedback from the delegates indicated that they would like next year's conference to be held in Mumbai.
(ED: If you intend to attend a conference which you believe would be of interest to our readers, we would be grateful to receive a short synopsis.)
IMO regularly updates its web page with new and amended conventions: http://www.imo.org/
Here you can browse through the various publications that are available and buy those which interest you. To navigate the publications you can either select one of the categories or use the advanced search.
For those of you who might also be interested, UK M Notices are available at: www.mcagency.org.uk
If you have a marine related conference coming up, let us know so that we can mention it below:
SCMS holds a series of Buffet Lectures each year. The lectures cover a wide range of subjects that are of interest to Members and their guests. They are held in London usually starting at 18:00 hrs. The winter programme will be published on the SCMS website http://www.scmshq.org Those interested should send an email to sec@scmshq.org to be included on the announcement list. CPD certificates are available for those attending.
China Maritime, Exhibition and Conference, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, 28 Feb - 2 March 2006. Info: Baird Publications, marinfo@baird.com.au
9-11 April 2006, 44th Annual NAMS National Marine Conference East, Loews Annapolis Hotel, 126 West Street, Annapolis, MD, USA.
6-10 March 2006, World Maritime Technology Conference, IMarEST, London.
More info: www.imarest.org/events/
15th/16th May - IIMS European Surveying Conference 2006 (Antwerp)
15th May 2006 - IIMS Annual Dinner (Antwerp)
16th May 2006 - IIMS Annual General Meeting (Antwerp)
15-16 May 2006. IIMS European Conference, AGM & Dinner, Antwerp, Belgium.
16 - 18 May 2006. Roro 2006. Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium.
Info: www.roroex.com or email: melissa.skinner@informa.com
24, 25 and 26 September 2006. NAMS Annual Conference, Radisson Hotel Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco. For additional information go to nams-cms.org.
24-26 April 2007, Cruise & Ferry 2007, ExCeL London, London, UK
Info: www.cruiseferryex.com
******
Some maritime conference web sites for you to keep up to date:
http://www.cconnection.org/
http://www.reedexpo.com/
http://www.grc.uri.edu/
http://www.wholelife.com/
http://www.ship-technology.com/exhibitions/
http://www.apmaritime.com/
http://www.lloydslistevents.com/
http://www.marineexpo.com/
http://www.seaworkexhibition.com
http://www.toc-events.com/
If your (marine surveying) company has a web site, let us know and we will try to mention it. Below are some web pages we believe might be useful to marine surveyors:
www.iomou.org
Information on vessels trading in Indian Ocean Region. Useful for surveyors in South East Asia Region.
www.npl.co.uk/ncs/
National Physics Laboratory - National Corrosion Service
AIS information:
www.AISlive.com (does not include SE Asian waters)
Canadian Coastguard:
http://www.cgc.gc.ca
International Bunker Industry Association
www.ibia.net
Good information and a good newsletter.
Admiralty and Maritime Law Guide
www.admiraltylawguide.com
Focus on US law, but still interesting
International Bunker Industry Association
www.ibia.net
Good information and a good newsletter.
Admiralty and Maritime Law Guide
www.admiraltylawguide.com
Focus on US law, but still interesting
Houston Marine Insurance Seminars
www.houstonmarineseminar.com
Lots of papers and presentations to download
- IMO Country/Port/Terminal info and contact numbers:
http://www.tdconcepts.com/
Tactical Defense Concepts (TDC) - a good section on security alerts and analysis:
Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
http://www.ds-osac.org/
(OSAC was established in 1985 by the US Department of State to foster the exchange of security related i nformation between the US Government and the Amercian private sector operating abroad. Administered by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture for effective security cooperation. Through OSAC, the American private sector, including colleges and universities, is provided timely information on which to make informed corporate decisions on how best to protect their investment, facilities,personnel and intellectual property abroad.)
Those of you who use Equasis may also be interested to hear of three other web pages with similar information:
www.parismou.org/
www.tokyo-mou.org/
www.uscg.com
www.shiptalk.com/
- Designed by seafarers for seafarers. Deck, engine, catering, hotel or concession, seafarers past and present, all are welcome. Seafaring is a global profession and we extend the hand of friendship to seafarers of all nationalities.
www.shippingfacts.com
- Provides basic information about the structure of the shipping industry, its contribution to the world economy and its safety/environmental performance. The site also contains links with more detailed sourcdes of information about the industry.
www.imarest.org
- Website of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology.
www.nepia.com
- A fully searchable, and provides full details of the club and its ships. It also features a new service from the club's risk management department, called , which summarises shipping industry developments and offers links to primary sources, including the Maritime Advocate. Newsnet is updated weekly, or sometimes more frequently.
www.numast.org
- Web site for the National Union of Marine Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers who publish the monthly NUMAST Telegraph.
www.aimsurveyors.com.au
- Web site for the Australian Institute of Marine Surveyors. www.friendsreunited.co.uk/).
- Here you can register some personal information, together with your school/college and the year you left to go on to greater things. You can also enter your nickname in school, which class you were in, your mates' names and what you've done since leaving. You may be one day surprised to receive a message out of the blue from an old school chum.
www.marine-society.org
- The Marine Society is a worthy marine charity offering many services to mariners.
www.imo.org/
- International Maritime Organisation web page. Keep up to date with new conventions.
www.lrfairplay.com
- Scroll down the home page until you see the heading 'Free Access' appear on the left hand side. Clicking on the words 'shipping sites' takes you to a search function. You can then search either by company name or by category (there is a 'consultants and surveyors' category, for example) or by country. Or by a combination - so you could search for consultants/surveyors in Australia beginning with the letter 'D', for example. That pulls up a list; if you then click on the word 'free' in the right hand column you are linked through to the relevant website.
If your readers know of any companies with sites that we do not list (or that we have an out-of-date address for) we would like to have details to update the database.
http://www.acms-usa.com/
- The Association of Certified Marine Surveyors
www.equasis.org/
- Database containing safety-related information on the worlds merchant fleet from both public and private sources. Gives ship's particulars, Class Soc, P&I Club and PSC inspection record. Very useful for surveyors looking for vessel particulars before carrying out a survey.
http://www.femas.org
- The Federation of European Maritime Associations of Surveyors and Consultants
www.iims.org.uk/
- International Institute of Marine Surveyors
http://www.lloydsagency.com
- General access to the directory of the world network of Lloyd's Agents.
www.mariners-l.freeserve.co.uk
- Merchant Navy records on UK MN vessels and information merchant seamen, logs, agreements and crew lists, MN apprentices and deaths at sea
www.marinesupportonline.com
- Marine Support On Line
www.marinesurvey.org/
- Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors
www.nams-cms.org/
- National Association of Marine Surveyors
www.sas-intl.com
- Safety at Sea International
www.scmshq.org/
- Society of Consulting Marine Engineers and Ship Surveyors
www.sname.org/
- Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age,weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them "
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOTto where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by
the moments that take our breath away.
******
Three men are sitting in a room smoking cannabis After a few spliffs they run out of gear.
One of the men stands up and says, 'Look, we've got loads more tobacco, I'll just nip into the kitchen and make one of my speciality spliffs.'
Off he goes into the kitchen where he takes some cumin, turmeric and a couple of other spices from the spice rack, grinds them up and rolls them into a spliff.
On his return he hands it to one of his smoking partners who lights it and takes a long drag.
Within seconds he passes out. Ten minutes go by and he's still out cold, so they decide to take him to hospital.
On arrival he is wheeled into intensive care.
The doctor returns to his friends and asks, 'So what was he doing then? Cannabis?'
'Well sort of', replies one of the guys, 'But we ran out of gear, so I made a home-made spliff.'
'Oh' replies the doctor, 'so what did you put in it?'
'Um, a bit of cumin, some turmeric and a couple of other spices.'
The doctor sighs, 'Well that explains it.'
'Why, what's wrong with him?' demands one of the men.
The doctor replies, 'He's in a korma.'
(With thanks to Fraser Hunt)
Disclaimer: Articles and reports reflect the views of the individuals who prepared them, and, unless indicated expressly in the text, do not necessarily represent the views of the editor. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate, the editor makes no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or correctness of such information. The editor accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any loss, damage or other liability arising from any use of this publication or the information which it contains. The contents of the publication are the responsibility of the editor alone.
News, views, enquiries, suggestions, articles and letters for inclusion in future editions of FLASHLIGHT may be sent to:
Mike Wall
Tel: +852 2259 3150
Fax: +852 2259 3151
Email: mikewall@pacific.net.hk
Do not print this page unless absolutely necessary.