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Port state to focus on stability issues

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01 JUL 2021

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Updated 17 August 2021

Originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19, this year’s joint inspection campaign by the Paris and Tokyo MoUs starts on 1 September 2021 and focuses on stability in general.
Wellbeing and happiness – a sum of many things

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25 JUN 2021

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The wellbeing and happiness of seafarers depend on a variety of factors and there is no single approach that can succeed on its own. Once on board, seafarers live in an ever present operational environment during their tour of duty. The operational nature of this environment makes it difficult to change it to better suit the individual. At the same time the environment makes it challenging for the shipowners to accommodate all factors supporting the wellbeing of their crew.
Ensuring we will have more fish than plastic in the ocean

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17 JUN 2021

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International conventions expressly prohibit the discharge of plastic into the sea, but plastic can still find its way into our oceans from careless handling on the vessel or mismanagement downstream and onshore.
Bauxite liquefaction risk in Guyana

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16 JUN 2021

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A vessel loading a cargo of “cement grade bauxite” at Linden in Guyana, arrived at the discharge port in the US with parts of the cargo consisting of fine particles showing significant signs of high moisture content.
Failure or accidental release of the lifeboat hooks can be fatal

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10 JUN 2021

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The first step to prevent an accidental release of the lifeboat hooks is to identify the potential failure points of the mechanism.
Mind the oil transfer procedures in Ghana

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09 JUN 2021

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One of Gard’s African correspondents, BUDD Group, warns ship operators of the consequences of not complying with Ghana’s procedures for the transfer of oil and other substances.
Soybean claims again on the rise

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03 JUN 2021

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Gard’s correspondent, Proinde, reported in March that despite a slow start, the Brazilian soybean production this season is set for another record at 135.5 mmt accounting for more than 37% of the world production. The main destination for Brazilian soya beans is China accounting for over 65% of the shipments.
Do not depart port without knowing the final cargo weight distribution

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03 JUN 2021

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In the past there have been serious incidents where the car carriers have capsized as a result of inadequate stability. More concerning was the fact that the crew were also caught unaware. It has more to do with the way the shore side does the cargo planning and execution than the role of the crew, who play little or no part in this.
Fumigant gasses leaking from cargo holds can have fatal consequences

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28 MAY 2021

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Fumigation is done to target infestations in bulk cargoes like grain and timber. The most widely used fumigant is aluminium phosphide which produces phosphine gas that is poisonous to humans. There have been numerous fatalities onboard ships as a result of the crew having been exposed to the gas.
“It’s not polite to point” – U.S. bans the use of laser pointers at sea

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25 MAY 2021

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New U.S. Coast Guard regulations banning the use of laser pointers or devices by vessel crews when the laser beam is used to strike a vessel operating in US navigable waters, have no exception for distress situations.
A delayed response to a fire can be fatal for the fire team

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20 MAY 2021

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Preventing a fire in the first place is always better than fighting it. However, in the unfortunate event of a fire, the aim is to extinguish it while it is in its “local” state, i.e. it should not have spread to other compartments or machinery/equipment. At the same time it is a very important consideration that the fire fighters must not be exposed to an unacceptable degree of risk. Response time is therefore critical.
Take your own bunker samples - they are a vital piece of evidence

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13 MAY 2021

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Bunker quality disputes are not uncommon. The parties often agree to jointly test a sample to determine if the fuel supplied was on-specification or not, and the result is binding on the parties. Even in the absence of an agreement, bunker samples will be relevant evidence that may help to resolve a dispute one way or another. The question then arises: which samples will be used for testing – the one taken on the bunker barge or the one from the receiving ship’s manifold?
Reminder - Anchoring in Malaysian Waters off East Johor

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27 APR 2021

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Updated 26 August 2021

Over the years, several vessels entered with Gard have been detained and fined by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency for anchoring in East Johor waters without the requisite permissions from the authorities. The trend has been on the increase this year.
Prepare for tougher at-berth emissions reductions in California

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15 APR 2021

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California’s new regulation designed to further reduce pollution from vessels berthed at its ports is now in force. While compliance by visiting vessels is not required until 2023, the practices, procedures and equipment needed for compliance could be quite extensive and costly, and the preparatory work to ensure timely compliance should not be postponed.
China’s Yangtze River Protection Law is now in force

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08 APR 2021

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A new Chinese environmental law that bans the carriage of a range of highly toxic and dangerous chemicals in the Yangtze River Basin took effect on 1 March 2021. Violation of the law may lead to substantial fines and ship operators trading in this area should carry out appropriate due diligence to check whether any cargoes carried are on the lists of banned chemicals.
Beware of Indonesia's immigration law

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17 MAR 2021

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Seafarers entering or leaving the Indonesian Territory without valid entry and exit stamps in their travel documents may face substantial fines, and even imprisonment.
There is never a wrong time to revisit your enclosed space entry procedures

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02 MAR 2021

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Aspects of this article have been updated to take into account lessons learned from recent enclosed space incidents involving shore personnel. The updated version of the article can be found here.

Recurring enclosed space incidents serve as a stark reminder that entry into such spaces without following proper procedures can result in seafarers being killed or seriously injured, warns a major flag state.
‘Bridge Cards’ for use in high-risk areas

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10 FEB 2021

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Updated 27 July 2022

A set of quick reference 'Bridge Cards’ can be a useful safety aide memoire for masters and crews on vessel transiting a high-risk area - particularly during times of tension caused by piracy attacks or other security threats.
Maritime security recommendations for operations in the Persian Gulf

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07 JAN 2021

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Industry organizations remind ship operators and seafarers operating in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea to remain vigilant and listen for military warnings at all times.
Loading soya beans in Brazil – practical guidance

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16 DEC 2020

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Our local correspondent Representacoes Proinde Ltda. has published a comprehensive guide on the soya bean trade in Brazil and we recommend it as a useful source of reference and practical information.