Loss Prevention Advice
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Over the past week, 5-11 August, one CAT 4 incident of piracy or armed robbery against ships in Asia.
The incident occurred onboard a tug boat towing a barge while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Strait (SS). The crew members were not injured but some scrap metals were stolen from the barge.
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Actions to take when loading different bulk cargoes to meet the requirements of the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code.
The shipper is responsible for providing the master (or their representative) with sufficient information in advance to allow safe preparation for loading, stowage, and carriage of the nominated cargo.
Britannia highlights that one of the most critical pieces of information is the Bulk Cargo Shipping Name (BCSN). Once the BCSN is known, the corresponding schedule in Appendix 1 of the IMSBC Code can typically be identified, allowing the ship to confirm compliance with safety requirements.
Ships regularly carrying bulk cargoes often hold a Statement of Compliance or equivalent from their Classification Society, listing BCSNs they are approved to carry, along with any conditions.
Challenges arise when the cargo name provided does not match any BCSN listed in the IMSBC Code. In such cases, the standard schedules cannot be used directly, and alternative steps must be taken to verify the cargo’s safety for carriage.
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The latest instalment of their Good Catch series informing about the importance of ensuring full compliance with all safety management system related Lockout/Tagout procedures.
Two engineers on a bulk cargo vessel were conducting routine maintenance on the main engine lube oil plate cooler. They had closed the lube oil and the saltwater valves for both the inflow and discharge piping of the plate cooler. However, they failed to follow Lock Out/Tag Out procedures, which require tagging the valves they closed and securing power to the controllers for both pumps.
Meanwhile, cargo operations had finished well ahead of schedule, and the facility asked the vessel to get underway early. In the engine control room, the Third Assistant Engineer began engine starting procedures using the pre-departure checklist. He was just about to remotely start the saltwater pump but decided to double-check the maintenance work first. He remembered that maintenance had been discussed at the morning’s engineering meeting. He quickly discovered that the plate cooler maintenance was not finished. He was glad he checked. If he had started the saltwater pump, the flow of saltwater into the engine room could have created major problems.
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The United Kingdom Maritime Pilots’ Association has launched a new interactive educational tool designed to improve understanding and compliance with the newly revised SOLAS Regulation V/23 for pilot transfers.
The new tool, accessible online as an interactive poster, delivers a visual practical guidance to stakeholders involved in Pilot Transfer Arrangements (PTAs), aiming to support safer boarding operations across the global fleet.
The launch of the interactive poster follows the IMO Maritime Safety Committee’s adoption of updated performance standards for PTAs (MSC 110, June 2025), which now require that non-compliant arrangements must be reported and not used until rectified—a critical shift in accountability for both pilots and ship crew.
A critical issue at scale
As stated, every year, approximately 100,000 trading vessels call at UK ports – the equivalent to nearly 300 vessels every single day, or one every five minutes. These vessels arrive 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, requiring safe, efficient pilot transfer arrangements at all hours and in all weather conditions.