The following information have been gathered mainly from PSC MoUs sites and may serve only as reference for the inspections being carried out each month by each MoU. The consistency of the information may differ between MoU since there are slight differences on the way each organization presents the inspection info. For more information on the inspections carried out please refer to each organization’s site.
According to an AMSA media release, a cruise ship company has been fined $180,000 following the death of a crewman after he was trapped by a powered door while working on the vessel in 2009. The company was found to be non-compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 in Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday 30 October. It was also non-compliant with the Navigation Act 1912 and the Code of Safe Working Practice for Australian Seafarers.
During November the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement issued a latter notifying Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations, LLC (Black Elk) that the company must take immediate steps to improve its safety performance on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). According to BSEE the notification to Black Elk was the result of unacceptable safety performance following numerous incidents involving Black Elk facilities. BSEE gave specific instructions to Black Elk regarding corrective actions that the company should take in order to safety measures up to BSEE standards.
On December 8, 2004 the M/V Selendang Ayu, a Malaysian bulk carrier, ran aground off the coast of Unalaska Island in western Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. The grounding caused the ship to break in half and resulted in an oil spill of approximately 336,000 gallons of fuel oil and diesel fuel that led to an environmental cleanup lasting until June 2006. During the rescue operations a coast guard helicopter crashed and six of the vessel’s crew died just moments after being rescued, while the last persons onboard the ship, the master and a rescuer, watched a few minutes later the ship breaking in half.
When a bulk carrier was at sea, high exhaust gas temperatures were noted and several piston rings were found broken after investigation. The rings were renewed and engine restarted. After some hours of running the main engine it malfunctioned once again and more broken rings weer found. The broken rings were again replaced, but then the engine failed to start and the vessel had to be towed to port. A considerable number of piston rings were broken. Excessive wear of liners and piston crown grooves were also found. The fuel oil used was suspected to be a probable cause, although the quality of it was not found abnormal according to the test report.
It is known in the Maritime Security industry that Somali pirates use hijacked merchant ships, fishing vessels and dhows as ‘Motherships’ in order to operate at extreme range from Somalia, carrying attack craft (skiffs) and weapons. NATO has received reports of Somali pirates using common local ships in piracy attacks. They will board the ship and hold the original crew hostage. A local ship enables the pirates to blend in among the boating traffic and present itself as a fishing or trading vessel.
The Bahamas flagged car carrier Baltic Ace sunk after a collision at sea off the coast of Zeeland. The accident occurred about 65 kilometers off the coast of Zeeland. The ship had a crew of 24 seafarers. Baltic Ace collided with the Cyprus flagged containership Corvus J. The condition of the crewmembers from the Baltic Ace is unclear although according to Coast Guard reports eleven people have been rescued from the Dutch Coastguard.
The St Kitts and Nevis flagged vessel MV Volgo Balt 199, transporting coal from Russia to Turkey, sent a distress signal near Sile yesterday at 07:30 GMT before contact was lost. The vessel had a crew of 11 Ukrainians and a Russian on board. Turkey authorities have sent immediately to the scene a helicopter and salvage boats. Vessels in the area were asked to assist in Search and Rescue. Furthermore, another freighter located in the greater area of Bosporus, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged MV BBC Adriatic with 14 crew on board, is being tossed about in heavy seas after suffering mechanical failure.
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Officer of the Watch 