Marine Safety News

Zelim, an Edinburgh-based maritime safety innovator, has signed an agreement with Ambassador Cruise Lines for the installation of its ZOE man overboard (MOB) detection system on Ambition cruise ship, marking its entry into the global cruise ship sector.Zelim is fitting out the 1,200-passenger capacity cruise ship with a full ZOE installation to deliver instantaneous detection and tracking of persons in the water following MOB incidents.The installation – comprising multiple infrared and daylight cameras…

China's maritime authority has issued a warning of falling rocket debris in the South China Sea, according to a notice dated March 26.The warning covers a period between 1600 and 1700 GMT on March 29, the Maritime Safety Administration said.The debris is expected to land in the sea in an area west of the Bashi Channel, a waterway between the Philippines and Taiwan, according to the coordinates provided.(Reuters)

The Coast Guard recently investigated an engine room fire on board an inspected towing vessel which led to the discovery of issues with the  maintenance and installation of fire detection systems on board multiple towing vessels. During the investigation, several towing vessels were discovered to have defective heat detectors installed in their engine rooms. These detectors had been recalled by the manufacturer in 2019 for failure to activate within their listed temperature range.

AST Networks announced it is an official re-seller of the SAL SPU-200, an anti-jamming and anti-spoofing solution designed to safeguard vessel operations. The SAL SPU-200 system, designed by SAL Navigation, delivers resilience, precision, and security, enhancing operational performance for commercial and government maritime stakeholder worldwide.Key benefits of the SAL SPU-200 include signal protection, navigational accuracy, operational reliability, integration, real-time threat detection and response, and backup power and connectivity.

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, supported by Maritime London, have established SEA-CARE as a new industry working group whose goal is to scrutinize maritime safety and how pooling information can improve it.The new working group, comprised of stakeholders from industry, regulators, and the UK government, establishes Maritime London as an impartial broker to ensure that the right organizations are represented in SEA-CARE discussions between Inmarsat and industry stakeholders.Jos Standerwick…

RAK Ports, a group of five ports located in the United Arab Emirates, has become the first in the region to achieve compliance with the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC), the UK standard for port marine safety.Although RAK Ports operates outside of the UK, the principles of the PMSC draw on internationally recognized legislation and best practice for port marine safety management.The port operations undertaken variously across the group of five ports are extensive, supporting tens of millions of tonnes of bulk export and import…

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System as amended a Planned Outage at Lock 7.Mariners are advised of a revision to the preplanned closure at Lock 7 for the replacement of Gates 1 and 2. Due to environmental conditions, the closure will begin one day later. The details are as follows:Dates: January 6, 7, 8 and 9, 2025Time: 08:00 to 18:00 each day (10-hour window)During these periods, the lock will be unavailable for transit.Any deviation from the above schedule will be communicated via major delay communication.

2024 was another busy and eventful year for the Irish Coast Guard. The year in figures:The 44 Coast Guard Units were mobilised on 1,154 separate occasions this year;Coast Guard Helicopters conducted 752 missions;Critical assistance was provided to 537 persons (preventing loss of life, and/or delivery to appropriate medical care);Coast Guard helicopters conducted 134 air ambulance flights in support of the offshore island communities;Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats were launched on 699 occasions; andCommunity inshore rescue service was launched  for 73 taskings in 2024.Throughout the year, the Coast Guard coordinated 2,554 incidents which included search and rescue, maritime casualty responses and pollution and preparedness responses.

Alvin Brown, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board and former mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, was designated Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, by President Biden to serve as vice chairman of the independent safety agency. “I am honored to be named in this new role of vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board,” Brown said. “The NTSB is the gold standard for public safety, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues at this federal agency to save lives and make transportation safer.”The Senate confirmed Brown as the 47th board member last March.

Vessels of Russia's so-called shadow tanker fleet will be boarded or put on a sanctions list if they do not provide proof of insurance, Estonia's prime minister said on Tuesday.'Shadow fleet' refers to vessels used by Russia to move oil, arms and grains around in violation of international sanctions imposed on it over the Ukraine war. The vessels are not regulated or insured by conventional Western providers.A dozen Western countries - Britain, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, five Nordic nations and the three Baltic states - agreed on Monday to "disrupt and deter" Russia's shadow fleet.Six of them - Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Poland…

"Safety is more than just compliance. It is now synonymous with security, reliability, collective relationships and people. Safety is also becoming systems based rather than rooted in prescriptive rules or specific component procedures. Only by embracing a proactive, systems-oriented approach to safety, can the maritime industry navigate the path to a decarbonized future while ensuring the well-being of its seafarers and the protection of the marine environment.” That was the message from Christopher J.

TBS Safety, with Wombat Safety Software this week announced new safety and compliance management technology to industrial and maritime businesses.Through this partnership, TBS Safety will serve as an official reseller of Wombat, delivering a digital solution that complies with OSHA standards and regulations, streamlines safety operations, and ultimately enhances workplace safety. The new software combines to offer a simple to use digital platform where companies can access compliance training…

The UK’s Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) has retrofitted Zelim’s SWIFT man-overboard recovery conveyor to a 19-meter pilot vessel as part of a three-month trial to assess the system’s capability in high sea states.The Port of Milford Haven, located in Pembrokeshire in Wales, frequently endures high sea states due to its geographical location and exposure to Atlantic swells.Installation of SWiFT to the 2009-built Picton follows a technology demonstration carried out last year on the River Forth…

Aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) has been used to extinguish fires aboard maritime vessels since its introduction in the 1960s. For decades, AFFF was the foam of choice due to its effectiveness and affordability. However, over the last 15 years, its use has come under increased scrutiny due to health concerns related to its fluorinated materials.In 2009, international restrictions were introduced when perfluorooctanoic sulfonic acid (PFOS), a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)…

Summer is easily the busiest season for the U.S. Coast Guard. New England is no exception, people flock to the beaches to swim, and recreational boating is at its peak. Many destinations along the coasts are hot spots for tourism and increased safety checks by local Coast Guard units. However, sometimes people of coastal states forget that the Coast Guard's presence extends inward to our inland lakes and waterways.One of those inland bodies of water is Lake Champlain, and not only is it shared by New York State and Vermont, but it's also part of Canada.

A barge that broke free on the Tennessee River near Loudon, Tenn. has been recovered and secured, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.The breakaway was caused by high water stemming from Hurricane Helene.The Coast Guard said it is cautioning mariners to monitor river levels and proceed with caution when transiting the Tennessee River as the high water situation persists.Helene slammed into the Florida Panhandle as a major hurricane on September. 26, and its winds, rain and storm surge killed over 100 people across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest.

For years, operators of high-speed boats have silently endured the physical toll of their profession. Repeated slamming impacts from rough seas caused serious injuries—many of them life-altering. However, one Navy doctor saw these challenges not as an unavoidable consequence but as a problem that could be solved. His solution? A seat that would change the course of high-speed boat safety.The hidden cost of high-speed operationsRecent research shows that professional high-speed boat operators suffer more severe injuries than seen in almost any other peacetime profession.

A tugboat captain's error caused an articulated tug and barge (ATB) to strike and damage the fending system protecting the Hylebos Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., last October, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The tugboat Olympic Scout, operated by Olympic Tug & Barge, was assisting the ATB Montlake/Sodo, also operated by Olympic Tug & Barge, as it transited outbound on the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, on October 12, 2023. The Montlake/Sodo’s captain requested the Hylebos Bridge operator open the bridge.

A marine services company was cited for 15 serious violations and fined $164,000 for exposing workers to fire and asphyxiation hazards while making repairs to a Canadian-registered bulk carrier moored at the Port of Ashtabula, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said.The 81-year-old vessel Cuyahoga was in winter lay-up when a fire broke out on March 15, 2024 while maintenance and repair work was being performed. All crew members working on board managed to escape without injury.Acting on a referral from the U.S.

Am ailing mariner was medevaced from an oil tanker 9 miles off Freeport, Texas, Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The agency said its watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston received a medevac request at 3:50 p.m. from a crew member aboard the tanker stating a 21-year-old male reportedly sustained injuries. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended the medevac.The Coast Guard coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter air crew to conduct the medevac.The helicopter crew arrived on scene…

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is once again calling for safety management systems (SMS) to be required for all U.S.-flagged passenger vessels.On the fifth anniversary of the 2019 Conception dive boat fire that killed 34 people, Jennifer Homendy, chair of the federal safety watchdog, held a media availability with the families of the victims and again called on the U.S. Coast Guard to mandate SMS on passenger vessels such as ferries, tour and sightseeing vessels…

A U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) cadet was airlifted to safety after suffering an injury on board a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Mexico.The U.S. Coast Guard said it medevaced the a 20-year-old female cadet who sustained an arm injury aboard the U.S. registered Maersk Ohio. USMMA cadets sail aboard commercial vessels as part of their training to gain practical, hands-on experience in the maritime industry.The ship captain requested the medevac to Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston at 5 p.m.

Zelim’s SWIFT man overboard recovery device has received full type approval from classification society Lloyd’s Register, paving the way for the maritime industry’s widespread use of the sea survival safety system.Did You Know? It is estimated that only 17% to 25% of passengers that fall from cruiseships voyages survive. And of all the 308 man overboard incidents reported to the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) between 2015 and 2023, 40% lost their lives.A Certificate…