Marine Safety News

"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…

A tugboat crew was recently called upon to tow in a fire-stricken trawler that had been abandoned in the Gulf of Maine.The 81-foot fishing vessel Three Girls had been adrift since August 11 when an onboard fire forced its crew to evacuate about 105 nautical miles east of Portsmouth, N.H. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the six people that had been on board—including a captain, a NOAA observer and four crew members—but the trawler itself was left ablaze and adrift out at sea.The team at McAllister Towing's Portland Tugboat was called in to tow the burning vessel back to shore.Capt.

The pilot of a towboat that struck an industrial cargo pier near Saint Rose, La., last year had fallen asleep, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday.The pilot of the Marquette Transportation owned and operated towing vessel John 3:16 was experiencing the effects of fatigue during his watch on September 12, 2023, while navigating the Lower Mississippi River. NTSB investigators concluded the pilot had less than two hours of continuous sleep before taking the watch…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.