Scott N Roberts Law’s Post

Case Study: Inadequate Preload Procedure Caused Vessel To Overturn Check out this article 👉 #PreloadProcedure #Vessel #Ships #Overturn #MarineAccidents #Shipping #Maritime #MarineInsight #Merchantnavy #Merchantmarine #MerchantnavyShips

A floating dry dock sank as a tugboat was being prepared for maintenance at the Port of Zeebrugge, a spokesman has told Maritime Journal. Dry docks are obviously supposed to sink so that vessels can enter and exit them for repair work, but in this instance it sank within minutes while the vessel was preparing to dock. The dock, the largest of its kind in Belgium, says local news agency Belga, is 135 metres long and 35 metres wide. It is owned by Flanders Shipyard, who refused to comment. “What we know is that the floating dock was preparing to take in a tugboat for maintenance,” said the port’s spokesman. “What went wrong is not clear yet, but the dock sank quite fast. Divers have inspected it but have not yet been able to point to a possible cause.” Zeebrugge is one of the most important ports in Europe, having merged with Antwerp to become part of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in 2021. The merged port is the most important container port, one of the largest break bulk ports and the largest port for the throughput of vehicles in Europe. Eight elements of the Scheldt Tunnel, an immersed tunnel that will connect the left and right banks of the River Scheldt, are being built at the Port of Zeebrugge as part of the Oosterweel Link, a major western European infrastructure project with a total value of €3.35 billion. The project involves several tunnels and project engineering and is due to be completed by 2030. Keep up to date with the latest industry news on Maritime Journal; https://lnkd.in/eUDmkRH6

Doubling Up... Train Crews The final rule codifies train crew staffing rules at a federal level, ensuring that freight and passenger rail operations are governed by consistent safety rules in all states. This is an on-going issue as Ohio, Virginia, and Colorado, among others, have recently considered legislation to require two-person rail crews. In addition, the final rule contains some differences from the initial notice of proposed rulemaking in how it treats freight railroads, especially Class II and III freight railroads. In limited cases, the rule permits exceptions for smaller railroads to continue or initiate certain one-person train crew operations by notifying FRA and complying with new federal safety standards.

2024 saw growing concerns over crane safety in Canada, with Gregory Teslia of Crane Safety & Inspections Inc. warning that many aging cranes, often imported from the U.S., are failing safety inspections due to poor upkeep. READ MORE: https://hubs.la/Q030xJY-0

Exhaustive three-year study exposes the lie about work/rest hours at sea A three-year exhaustive study has shown the structures supporting the implementation of work/rest regulations at sea are being broken with close to two-thirds of seafarers adjusting their work/rest records. https://lnkd.in/eFhVAiEP via Splash Maritime and Offshore News (splash247.com)

MARINE FIRE SAFETY LIMITED announce the latest Workboat 1.2.3. agreement with Associated British Ports in Wales, & Southampton. Read The Full Article:- https://lnkd.in/gG5F2BdW Mark Bresnahan, Managing Director at Marine Fire Safety, comments: "Working with ABP and getting their equipment and liferaft exchanges in-line with their fixed fire system will make a positive difference to the day to day running of their vessels." Dan Brown Marine Asset Manager (South) at Associated British Ports comments:"I am pleased we are enhancing an already proactive relationship we have with Marine Fire and Safety." More News At Workboat365.com Subscribe To The Workboat365 LinkedIn Weekly News https://lnkd.in/eMY2JUnT #safetyatsea #commercialmarine #maritimeindustry #maritime #marine #marineindustry

Seafarers know best how complex the two simple words of “loading” & “unloading” vessels actually are. This includes,  Safety and precautionary measures  Specialised equipment Backbreaking, physical labour Tight deadlines, and the ever-pressing notion of “time is money” And in dry cargo operations, it is to the point where a bulldozer is involved! Shipping operations are some of the most complex across all industries. There is no room for mistakes, oversights or delays - an ever-challenging trifecta of circumstances to work under. #shipsandshipping #cargo

VESSEL REVIEW: Danish shipbuilder Vestværftet recently handed over a new longliner/gillnetter to Nordsten, a company owned by brothers Jack-Allan and Hans-Michael Arntsen of Lofoten in northern Norway. Named 'Ingeborg Arntsen' after their mother, the newbuild replaces the brothers' current boat 'Tommy Junior', which was built in 1991 and had been in operation with Nordsten since 2007 until recently being sold to a sister company also owned by the family. The Arntsens decided to purchase a new boat upon realising the earlier 'Tommy Junior' had reached its limits in terms of providing safe living and working conditions for crews. With a new boat offering improvements in such conditions, the brothers believed it would be possible to land catches of even higher quality. The fish hold can store up to 56 containers weighing up to 500 kg each while a slush ice system can produce up to 11,000 litres of ice per day for use by the hold and the washing tubs. The accommodation spaces for the crew include five cabins, a galley, and a mess. During normal operations, only six crewmembers will be embarked. Full article link in comments.

VESSEL REVIEW: Danish shipbuilder Vestværftet recently handed over a new longliner/gillnetter to Nordsten, a company owned by brothers Jack-Allan and Hans-Michael Arntsen of Lofoten in northern Norway. Named 'Ingeborg Arntsen' after their mother, the newbuild replaces the brothers' current boat 'Tommy Junior', which was built in 1991 and had been in operation with Nordsten since 2007 until recently being sold to a sister company also owned by the family. The Arntsens decided to purchase a new boat upon realising the earlier 'Tommy Junior' had reached its limits in terms of providing safe living and working conditions for crews. With a new boat offering improvements in such conditions, the brothers believed it would be possible to land catches of even higher quality. The fish hold can store up to 56 containers weighing up to 500 kg each while a slush ice system can produce up to 11,000 litres of ice per day for use by the hold and the washing tubs. The accommodation spaces for the crew include five cabins, a galley, and a mess. During normal operations, only six crewmembers will be embarked. Full article link in comments.

As the year ends, I reflect on the challenges seafarers face, particularly Masters. Their role has evolved significantly since my time at sea, and they seem to have heavier responsibilities than ever. One aspect I’ve been focusing on is Section 5.2 of the ISM Code, that came into force in 1997, which states: “The DoC holder should ensure that the SMS operating on board the ship contains a clear statement emphasizing the Master's authority. The Company should establish in the SMS that the Master has the overriding authority and the responsibility to make decisions concerning safety and pollution prevention and to request the Company’s assistance as may be necessary.” Communication to and from ships was much simpler when this section was drafted—radio officers, telex machines, and INMARSAT C were our tools. Phone calls to and from the vessel were expensive, making instant communication rare. Masters made critical decisions independently, with notifications to the office typically coming after the fact. The concept of “overriding authority” was both implied and inviolable. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has changed dramatically. Modern Masters face a barrage of correspondence and input from charterers, owners, port authorities, and managers—far beyond what we experienced. The level of connectivity, while a boon in many ways, has introduced unprecedented levels of commercial and time pressure and external interference to the Master's role. This leaves me questioning whether Masters can still assert their “overriding authority and responsibility...” as intended by the ISM Code. If Section 5.2 were drafted today, it might look very different from its early 1990s version. As we enter 2025, I urge everyone ashore to reflect on their interactions with Masters. Are we—intentionally or unintentionally—exerting undue pressure? Are we usurping the Master's inviolable overriding authority? Let’s commit to upholding their authority, supporting them in making critical decisions, and respecting the timeless principle of a Master’s overriding authority. To all seafarers at sea during this festive season, my best wishes for a fabulous 2025! Stay safe, and may you have fair winds and following seas.