The Maritime Industry Guide
SOx scrubbers are one of the compliance options for ships to meet the IMO global sulphur cap for 2020. But we are still on a learning curve for ship-based applications of this technology.
Hold-cleaning operations were being conducted during a ballast voyage in favourable weather. The crew member on the ladder was climbing down in order to reposition the ladder. When he was about one metre above the tank top he stopped and disconnected the safety line.
The radar had auto-acquired a target ahead and, with three nautical miles to go, a collision risk alarm was indicated on the screen. No audible alarm sounded, because these had been muted on the radar.
A tanker had finished a discharging operation and crew were carrying out pre-departure checks and preparations while awaiting the pilot.
A bulk carrier was in port. Following recommendations from a surveyor, the holds were to be painted to render them acceptable for grain transport.
The pilot arrived on the bridge and asked for ‘full ahead’. As the ship passed through the port entrance at seven knots the pilot ordered ‘slow ahead’ and a berthing tug was made fast forward.
The vessel while inbound to a port in darkness, responded to the port rudder, the deviation to the left of the planned track increased, activating the off-track alert on the ECDIS. The alarm was acknowledged but the information was not passed on to the other members of the bridge team.
When the OOW saw that he was abreast of the red marker, he moved the autopilot control stick a few ‘clicks’ to port. The AIS signals show that the vessel’s course changed by 6° to port during the final 31 seconds before the grounding.
Shortly after leaving port, the ship encountered strong winds and waves. Rolling heavily, the ship developed a list of about 25° to starboard. After about an hour the list increased to 30°.