Marine Safety News

The Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) has welcomed Mustang Survival as a presenting sponsor.This partnership, solidified through a Memorandum of Understanding, spans a three-year term and spotlights a shared commitment to promoting safe and responsible boating in Canada.In 2024, Mustang Survival will be a Platinum-level sponsor of the CSBC’s annual symposium “Many Partners, One Goal,” to be held in Whistler, BC, from October 1-3. Additionally, Mustang Survival will support…

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, today announced its annual member safety awards for the 2023 calendar year. This year, 18 shipyards are receiving awards for their achievements in safety. “Safety isn't just a priority; it's a fundamental pillar of our industrial base. These awards not only recognize excellence in safety practices but also show our industry's dedication to ensuring every worker returns home safely each day.

Hurricane Beryl barreled toward Jamaica as a powerful Category 4 storm on Tuesday after battering smaller islands in the eastern Caribbean, and scientists cited human-caused climate change as the likely culprit for the storm's rapid strengthening.The unusually early hurricane felled power lines and unleashed flash floods. It has so far claimed at least three lives.Beryl, the 2024 Atlantic season's first hurricane and the earliest storm on record to reach the highest category on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, hit St.

Sanctions on shipping companies are undermining safety at sea and pose dangers for trade as ship standards are impacted, the chief executive of sanctioned Russian shipping group Sovcomflot said.The European Union imposed sanctions on Russia's state-owned and top tanker company Sovcomflot (SCF) and its CEO Igor Tonkovidov, according to the measures published in the EU's Official Journal on Monday.Earlier this year, the U.S.

Saving migrants from one of the shipwrecks that have left dozens dead or missing off Italy's shores involved walking through bodies to find barely alive survivors, the NGO captain involved in one of the rescues said on Tuesday.One boat with 51 survivors and 10 bodies was intercepted about 90 kilometres (56 miles) south of the island of Lampedusa, while another was spotted about 200 kilometres east of the southern Italian region of Calabria.Eleven survivors from the second shipwreck and the body of a woman were taken ashore on Monday…

A Panamanian registered bulk carrier came to the aid of a sailboat that was stranded in heavy seas 250 nautical miles off the U.S. East Coast.On April 24, 2024, the crew of CSL's self-unloader Sheila Ann received a mayday call from a sailboat stranded 16 nautical miles away in rough seas and strong winds. The ship's master and crew relayed the distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard, which said it could not immediately assist due to the adverse weather conditions and long distance from land.When Sheila Ann arrived on scene…

The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking public input on the training and experience requirements necessary for mariners working aboard vessels using alternative fuels, including methyl/ethyl alcohols, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), fuel cells, batteries and ammonia. Recent newbuild statistics show that owners of commercial vessels are embracing alternative fuels as a means to reduce emissions of nearly all types from their operations.As new ships using alternative fuels come into service…

A new ship safety center in Athens will help prepare seafarers to handle a dynamic, multi-dimensional shipping industry as alternative fuels and emerging technologies present new challenges for the sector.Plans to open the Hellenic Ship Safety Center were announced by classification society ABS at the Posidonia trade fair in Athens.“There is a lot of focus on technology readiness timelines, but what we need to focus on is people readiness timelines,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki…

Voluntary near-miss reporting scheme CHIRP Maritime has released its 75 edition of Feedback which covers three different types of fire, two hand injuries and a variety of other unfortunate events.There are some common threads running through them, says Adam Parnell, Director (Maritime) for CHIRP. “Perhaps the most obvious is the need for better communication, whether it is between crew members or with shore personnel or the vessel’s management. This is a theme we see very often in our reports…

Australia has banned a Cypriot-flagged bulk carrier from entering its ports after inspectors found the vessel to be unseaworthy.The vessel, Peace, is operated by Danaos Shipping, a company which also operates the containership Suez Canal, which was the subject of a prolonged detention by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) in January 2024.AMSA Acting Executive Director Operations Greg Witherall said Danaos Shipping’s failures with the Suez Canal gave the authority…

In the ever-evolving landscape of workplace safety, a paradigm shift is underway. Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) represents a natural progression of the safety management system model and its emphasis on continuous improvement. At its core, HOP acknowledges that errors will happen, and when they do, the reaction of management is vitally important: Managers can either seek to assign blame for the error or learn from the mistake, but not both. HOP transforms workplace safety by acknowledging that humans make mistakes.

An at-sea training mishap off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla. caused injuries to 30 Sailors and Marines, the U.S. Navy said.The incident, which occurred on the evening of May 1, involved two landing craft, air cushions (LCAC) from USS Wasp (LHD 1) and USS New York (LPD 21).Five Sailors were medically evacuated for further care at Savannah Memorial University Medical Center, officials said. Four of the five Sailors have been released from the hospital after treatment, while one…

Survival technology solutions provider Survitec reports it has become one of the first maritime safety companies to achieve ISO 23678:2022 1-4 certification.The standard was introduced in 2022 to establish the uniform and consistent training of personnel involved in lifeboat inspection, taking into account the mandatory requirements of resolution MSC.402(96).Achieving ISO 23678 certification was also a key factor in Survitec receiving renewed approval for the maintenance, inspection…

A towboat captain’s complacency led to barges striking the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge last year in the Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.The SCF Towing-operated vessel Susan K was transiting with 25 barges downbound on the Mississippi River toward the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge on April 23, 2023. The captain intended to maneuver the tow through the western channel under the bridge, but was inattentive during the approach. The tow was out of position…

China's coastguard said it had taken measures against Philippine vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, while the Philippines decried the moves, including the use of water cannons, as "irresponsible and provocative".China's actions led to "significant damage" and injury to personnel on a civilian boat hired to resupply troops, the Philippine task force on the South China Sea said in a statement.The incident occurred in the Second Thomas Shoal and Spratly Islands waters, according to the Chinese coastguard.

The U.S. Coast Guard published an interim rule on December 27, 2021, to implement Congressionally-mandated requirements for fire safety on “covered small passenger vessels” (CSPVs), as defined by 46 U.S.C. 3306(n). Congress adopted the statutory mandate in response to the fire and loss of 34 lives onboard the dive boat CONCEPTION off the California coast on 02 September 2019.The USCG has identified a need to clarify the reference in 46 CFR 175.110(c) with respect to fire detection…

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Coast Guard says it “will not enforce” a new California Air Resources Board regulation, citing “safety concerns.”The Coast Guard and business organizations oppose CARB's requirement that commercial harbor craft install diesel particulate filters (DPF) linked to a number of fires. Seventeen states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency for giving an exemption to California alone to enact its own air standards that, by power of its market size…

A tugboat maneuvering near a transiting tanker in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel was drawn in toward the tanker, leading to a collision, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The tugboat Mark E Kuebler and the tanker Nisalah collided in the channel near Ingleside, Texas, on January 22, 2023. The tugboat’s hull was breached by the tanker’s propeller, which was also damaged in the collision. The collision resulted in nearly $7 million in damages. There were…

The Australian government said on Monday it had refused a request by a livestock exporter to send a ship carrying around 14,000 sheep and 1,500 cattle on a month-long voyage around Africa to Israel.The animals have been on board the vessel for a month, prompting outcry from animal rights advocates who have likened their treatment to torture.The MV Bahijah sailed from Australia for Israel on Jan. 5 but abandoned a passage through the Red Sea due to threat of attack by Yemen's Houthi…

Disruptions to Red Sea shipping caused by Houthi attacks will push up prices of consumer goods, an executive from port and freight operator DP World said on Tuesday as a missile struck another vessel in the region.The Iran-allied Houthi militia has threatened to expand its attacks to include U.S. ships in response to American and British strikes on its sites in Yemen.Attacks by the Houthis on ships in the region since November have impacted companies and alarmed major powers - an escalation of Israel's more than three-month-old war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.

A new safety alert issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) urges vessel owners and operators to provide each crewmember with a personal locator device. These devices improve a mariner’s chance of rescue during an emergency.During an emergency at sea, a mariner’s chance of survival decreases if search and rescue cannot quickly and accurately identify their location. Personal locator devices, such as personal locator beacons (PLB) or satellite emergency notification devices (SEND), can accurately pinpoint a person’s location.

The maritime industry accounts for more than 90% of global trade and employs over 3 million people in the United States, and like other modes of transportation, our industry encounters unique risks. Waterfront workers are exposed to various hazards such as heavy machinery, hazardous substances, extreme weather and long hours. If not properly managed, these hazards can result in serious injuries, illnesses and even fatalities. That is why ensuring the safety of waterfront workers is a top priority for all of us who work in the maritime industry.

The Philippines' coast guard (PCG) on Sunday accused China of "dangerous and blocking" manoeuvres while its vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month.Manila's coast guard said in a statement that on a nine-day patrol near the shoal by its 97-meter (318-foot) vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, four Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels had shadowed the boat more than 40 times.Four Chinese maritime militia vessels were also present near the shoal, the PCG said.Located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ)…