As Safety Digest, it was a fine mid-summer’s day with light airs when a bulk carrier picked up its pilot to negotiate the lock gates and berth at a tidally constrained harbour.
The incident
The ship was running behind schedule and the pilot and the master discussed the pilotage plan before settling on a direct course towards the lock entrance. Having just missed high water, the ebb stream was already flowing across the approaches to the lock, pushing the ship to starboard of its approach track. The bulk carrier grounded on a shoal near the port entrance.
The recently investigated a fire on board an inspected towing vessel which resulted in the vessel suffering a loss of propulsion. The source of the fire was determined to be heat cables (also referred to as heat tracing cable or heat tape), which were improperly installed to prevent condensate from forming and freezing within hoses used to transmit compressed air for the vessel’s air-operated engine throttle control system.
The Liberia Ship Registry has issued Marine Advisory to provide guidance on the Safety Construction Intermediate and Renewal Survey Windows. Safety Construction Intermediate Survey may be carried out and completed anytime within the second or third annual survey or between these surveys, effectively providing an 18-month window to complete this survey.
The regulation also allows for Safety Construction Renewal Survey to be commenced at the fourth annual survey and progressed during the succeeding year with a view to completion by the fifth anniversary date, effectively providing a 15-month window to complete this survey. In particular, the amendment regulation ‘Regulation 2-1 – Harmonization of Survey Periods of Cargo Ships Not Subject to the ESP Code ‘reads:
For cargo ships not subject to enhanced surveys under regulation XI-1/2, notwithstanding any other provisions, the intermediate and renewal surveys included in regulation I/10 may be carried out and completed over the corresponding periods as specified in the 2011 ESP Code, as may be amended, and the guidelines developed by the Organization, as appropriate
One CAT 4 incident of armed robbery against ships in Asia between 4 – 10 April.
The incident occurred on board a bulk carrier while underway south of Nipa Transit Anchorage in the Singapore Strait. The master sighted the perpetrators on the starboard poop deck, raised the alarm and flashed light at them. Upon being spotted, the perpetrators escaped in a speedboat. The crew was not injured, and some engine spares were reported missing.
Area of concern
The continued occurrence of incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). With this incident, a total of 22 incidents were reported in the SOMS since January 2023. The Centre advises ships to continue to exercise enhanced vigilance when transiting SOMS; and the littoral States to increase patrols and enforcement in the area.