Loss Prevention Advice
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Keeping the crew safe is the highest priority. This guidance provides valuable advice as to how security measures can be implemented to increase the onboard safety and takes into account industry best practices
SECURING THE SHIP – KEEP THE CREW SAFE
Security threats arising from geopolitical instability, local conflicts and social struggles are some of the modern-day challenges of the maritime industry, which may impose an increased risk to a ship and its seafarers in certain areas of the world. Enhanced security measures may have to be implemented on board when operating in these “high-risk” areas to make sure that the seafarers stay safe and feel safe.
The physical security threats include terrorism, piracy, robbery and the illegal trafficking of goods and people. Security on board is not only the job of the ship’s security officer, but the job of the entire crew, therefore it is essential to provide the crew with training and appropriate security procedures together with the necessary resources to implement them. Various industry guidance has been introduced to assist owners and crew improve security on board. Much of this information deals with specific threats but can be helpful in improving on board safety in general.
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Most collisions occur as a result of an inadequate lookout or unsatisfactory radar watch. The main cause in several of these events is fatigue. The handing over of watch is also a risk factor. Close quarter situations often occur due to late, unsatisfactory or improper alterations of course and speed.
Facts and Findings
- Most collisions occur whilst ship is full away on passage and in fair weather and in calm or slight seas.
- Many instances occur where VHF contact was made, but where information was exchanged with incorrect vessel.
- Overtaking in narrow passages and not following rules of separation zones have an high occurrence rate.
GUIDANCE ON THE CARRIAGE OF GRAIN AND SEED CARGOES (COURTESY SWEDISH P&I CLUB AND BRITANNIA P&I CUB)
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Fuel consumed on board a ship requires heating to pump it from its storage to its settling or service tanks. However, some cargoes are extremely heat sensitive and therefore heating of tanks adjacent to cargo holds should be done with caution.
The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC) identifies the following as heated ship structures: steam pipes, heating coils, top or side walls of heated fuel and cargo tanks, and bulkheads of machinery spaces. A heated ship structure is where the surface temperature is liable to exceed 55°C.
That said, certain types of agricultural cargo suffer heat damage even at lower temperatures of around 40°C to 55°C. When steam is supplied to fuel oil tanks, the temperature within the tank rises and heat is either transferred by a conduction process or radiated from the tank to the adjacent cargo holds.
A significant number of claims have been linked to heat-sensitive agriculture products such as soya bean, wheat, maize, corn, barley, sunflower pellets, canola, bananas, flower bulbs, soybean meal and fish meal. Processed cargoes have an even higher moisture and oil content, making them more susceptible to microbiological activity and self-heating, which can lead to severe heat damage with the feed cargoes.
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The latest maritime intelligence brief highlighted the growing influence of non-state actors and the persistent weaknesses in key maritime routes.
According to Dryad Global, the global maritime security environment continues to shift rapidly, with recent incidents underscoring both the expanding reach of non-state actors and the enduring vulnerabilities in strategic waterways.
Missile attack on M/T Scarlet Ray in the upper Red Sea
On 31 August 2025, the Liberia-flagged tanker Scarlet Ray was targeted by a missile off Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. The vessel, managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping and linked to Israeli interests, escaped damage, but the incident represents the first confirmed Houthi attack in the Upper Red Sea.
Until now, this northern section of the Red Sea was considered a lower-risk transit route compared to Bab el-Mandeb and the southern corridor. However, the attack, claimed by Houthi leadership in direct response to Israeli airstrikes in Yemen, confirms that the group’s operational reach has expanded, likely supported by Iranian-supplied ballistic missiles and drones.