OOW FOCUS – Officer of the Watch

Assessment of Regulated Slow Steaming in the Maritime Industry

November 6, 2012 by Officer of the Watch 1 Comment

On February 2012 the Clean Shipping Coalition (CSC) released a report on the impacts of vessel speed on emissions, technical constraints and other experiences with slow steaming and current speed regulations, analyzing at the same time the legal feasibility of regulated slow steaming. Currently, fleet average ship speeds vary as the shipping sector adapts to changing market circumstances. In recent years, speeds have been reduced in a response to an increasing supply of ships, a slower increase in demand for maritime transport and rising fuel prices.

Canada Iron Fertilization Incident

November 5, 2012 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

IMO released today a press briefing on concerns expressed by the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (London Convention) and to the 1996 Protocol thereto (London Protocol). The concerns expressed during the meeting in London from 29 October to 2 November 2012 are related to activities conducted by the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation which involved the deliberate introduction into surface waters of 100 metric tonnes of iron sulfate during July 2012 in waters off the west coast of Canada.

Study on Banana Fibre Oil Spill Absorbency

November 2, 2012 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

Fibre from the stem of the banana plant can efficiently absorb oil spills that pollute coasts and threaten marine life says a new study by Indian researchers published during September. Banana fibre, when treated with certain chemicals, can absorb up to 18 times their weight of oil, Carbohydrate Polymers.

Revised Pilot Transfer Arrangements Requirements

November 1, 2012 by Officer of the Watch 3 Comments

Revised requirements covering some safety aspects of pilot transfer arrangements have been introduced through changes to SOLAS Regulation V/23 and apply to “equipment and arrangements for pilot transfer which are installed on or after 1 July 2012”. Although the revised requirements affect primarily new ships, i.e. ships constructed on or after 1 July 2012, or for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 July 2012, some of the requirements also apply to existing ships constructed before 1 July 2012.

Oil Tanker Runs Aground due to Cyclone

November 1, 2012 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

MT Pratibha Cauvery, an oil tanker with a 37-member crew on board ran aground off Chenai coast as a result of strong winds and heavy weather due to cyclone Nilam. Operations were launched by local authorities to rescue some crew members because the life boat carrying them capsized. One sailor died and three others are said to be in a serious condition.The local authorities are searching for the remaining 5 crew members.

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Filed Under: OOW FOCUS Tagged With: accident, capsize, Chenai coast, cyclone Nilam, grounding, heavy weather, MT Pratibha Cauvery

Cargo Ship Sinks off Sri Lanka

October 31, 2012 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

On October 30, the Vietnamese vessel Saigon Queen, with a crew of 22 on board, sank off Sri Lanka. MV Saigon Queen was a 102 m cargo ship loaded with a cargo of timber destined for India. The accident took place under heavy weather and the Vietnam MRCC was not able to establish communication with the vessel under distress.

Chemical Tanker Washed Up by Hurricane Sandy

October 30, 2012 by Officer of the Watch 1 Comment

A 170 foot long vessel was washed aground on Staten Island by Hurricane Sandy. The MT John B. Caddell is a Liquid Oil/Chemical Tanker built in 1941. The tanker was moored about a mile from where she ran aground on Front Street, Staten Island. Fortunately nobody was hurt during the incident.

Eniram Hull Fouling Study

October 30, 2012 by Officer of the Watch 1 Comment

This month Eniram released a study regarding hull fouling. Increased regulations and fuel prices are forcing operators of all vessel types to tackle inefficiencies in their operations. Hull fouling is a key contributor to higher fuel consumption. According to the study depending on the coating applied to a vessel, the financial impact of operating in areas with a high risk of developing fouling can be up to $500,000 a year for a single cruise vessel.

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Filed Under: OOW FOCUS Tagged With: Biofouling, Eniram, fuel consumption, hull, Technical

MV Amurskaya Disappeared Carrying 700 tons of Gold Ore

October 29, 2012 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

A Russian cargo vessel, the MV Amurskaya, went missing on Sunday in the Sea of Okhotsk. Vessel’s cargo was 700 tons of gold ore. The vessel was en route from the port Kiran to the port of Okhotsk and the number of onboard vessel is supposed to be 9 crew member although in other media reports there were 11 crew members.

Photo by Savitskiy Igor

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Filed Under: OOW FOCUS Tagged With: accident, disappearance, gold ore, heavy weather, MT Novik, MV Amurskaya, Okhotsk

Superintendent Dies Onboard Sage Sagittarius

October 29, 2012 by Officer of the Watch Leave a Comment

A Japanese superintendent who was put onto a Newcastle coal ship after two suspicious deaths, has become the third person to die on the ship in the last six weeks. Kosaku Monji, 37, was on the Sage Sagittarius on October 6 when it was unloading a cargo of Newcastle coal in the Japanese port of Kudamatsu.