Sunday, September 15, 2024

MAIB: Cook Had 18 Shots of Whiskey Before Fatal Gangway Accident

Pelican of London's gangway arrangement (MAIB)

Heavy drinking and a poorly-rigged gangway led to the death of a crewmember aboard the tall ship Pelican of London last year, according to a new after-accident report from the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

In late September 2023, the Pelican of London pulled into Bristol's Sharpness shipyard for a drydocking period. The ship's cook departed for training and shore leave, and on September 28, a volunteer joined the ship to provide relief coverage. The relief cook - a 64-year-old professional seafarer - joined his shipmates at a local bar after hours several times. Other crewmembers observed that he drank several double whiskies per night on Sept. 30 and October 1.

On October 2, his fifth night aboard, the relief cook joined shipmates at the bar again. MAIB determined that he had at least nine double whiskies (18 shots) in less than three hours, and he was the last person to leave the bar at about 2250 hours that night.

The relief cook walked back to the ship alone, arriving at 2307. CCTV footage showed him coming up the gangway and then stepping over onto the bulwark ladder to descend onto the main deck. Before he could board, however, he toppled off the top of the aft side of the gangway and into the flooded dock. The chief engineer heard the noise and ran up on deck, arriving within seven seconds. He heard a noise under the gangway but saw nothing, so he went back to bed, unaware that the relief cook had gone over the side. The cook's absence was only noticed at breakfast the next morning, and after a review of the port's CCTV footage, the police were called to search the dock.

The body was retrieved from the water at about 1400 hours, and postmortem testing found a blood alcohol content of 0.19% - roughly equivalent to eight beers for an average male. MAIB concluded that he likely experienced cold water shock and swim failure, and rapidly drowned after entering the water.

Inspectors found that the guard rope between the gangway stanchion and the main deck was weighed down by an electrical cable, leaving a large gap. The safety net below was rigged to slope away from the gangway, creating a "chute" towards the water. There was no gangway watch posted, nor were there any written procedures for rigging the gangway. (When asked, many crewmembers said that the net was there to catch any parcels dropped while using the gangway - not to save personnel.)

"The inadequate fencing and inappropriately rigged safety net exposed all gangway users to serious hazard as they traversed the gangway," concluded MAIB. "Having rigged the gangway as it was normally rigged, poor practice was passed on over time without question and without a true understanding of the purpose of either the guard ropes or the safety net."

Pelican of London had an SMS manual, and it advised crewmembers that alcohol "should be enjoyed in moderation" and recommended "not to drink for several hours prior to a duty period." The relief cook had had so much to drink that he would probably have been at nearly twice the legal blood-alcohol limit by 0730 the next morning, when he was expected to start duty.

"The policies did not provide crew and trainees with clear guidance on drug and alcohol consumption while ashore nor how others might intervene effectively," found MAIB. "There were early indications of a problem with the relief cook’s alcohol consumption, but this did not result in an effective intervention."

On MAIB's recommendation, the vessel operator undertook extensive changes to its drug and alcohol policy, briefing materials, rigging standards and emergency-response protocols.

Ireland Partners With EIB for Development of Offshore Wind Ports

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has teamed up with the Irish government to support development of port infrastructure for offshore wind projects. Through a cooperation agreement signed last week, EIB will partner with the Irish Department of Transport to assess capacity and demand for wind port infrastructure.

Ireland is opening up its vast coastline for offshore wind projects, and the Irish government wants to install around 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030. The long-term goal is reaching 37 GW by 2050, which would require $33 billion in investment for offshore renewable energy projects in Irish waters.

However, Ireland currently do not have port facilities with the capacity required to support large-scale offshore wind projects. Under the EIB agreement, the goal is to provide project-level advisory to five ports, which could be upgraded into energy hubs. When developed, these ports will facilitate the development, construction and long-term operation and maintenance of offshore wind projects. In addition, EIB and the Department of Transport will assess both the expected costs for the infrastructure upgrade and the most viable financing strategies.

“Ireland’s offshore wind potential is immense, and we are addressing the critical infrastructure needs at our ports. This cooperation with EIB is a vital step towards ensuring that our ports can support the ambitious offshore wind projects for our sustainable energy future,” said Eamon Ryan, the Irish Minister for the Environment, Climate and Transport.

In 2023, Ireland held its first offshore wind auction (ORESS 1), and four projects were selected with a combined capacity around 3.1 GW. These include the 1.3 GW Codling Wind Park, the 824 MW Dublin Array, the 500 GW North Irish Sea Array and the 450 MW Sceirde Rocks project.

The first round of the phase two auction (ORESS 2.1) is scheduled for later this year. It will deliver around 900 MW capacity, primarily for projects focusing on the south coast of Ireland.

India Launches Its Own Center for Maritime Arbitration

In the ongoing revamp of its shipping sector, India has established its first maritime arbitration center. Last week, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) with the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC) to launch the new India International Maritime Dispute Resolution Centre (IIMDRC) in Mumbai.

This marks a major milestone in promoting India as a global destination for maritime dispute resolution, especially through arbitration and mediation. Currently, London, Singapore and Hong Kong dominate in the maritime dispute resolution market.

While MoPSW said that IIMDRC is designed to handle global cases, it primarily seeks to align with the government’s “Resolve in India” initiative. Essentially, Indian maritime companies will be obligated to work with IIMDRC instead of other foreign centers.

“This is a monumental step in strengthening India’s dispute resolution infrastructure in the maritime sector,” said Retired Justice Hemant Gupta, the Chairperson of IIAC.

The center is part of a broad revamp of India’s maritime sector under the flagship Sagarmala initiative. Launched in 2015, Sagarmala seeks to enhance the performance of the Indian logistics sector, which includes ports expansion and development of the domestic shipbuilding sector. The Sargamala program targets to complete a total of 839 projects by 2035, with an estimated investment cost of $70 billion. The ports ministry says that it is on course in the implementation plan, with 262 projects already complete.

At the same meeting last week, the ports ministry floated a proposal to create a mega shipbuilding park. The ambitious initiative aims to consolidate shipbuilding capabilities across India, fostering efficiency. MoPSW said that by integrating shipbuilding resources and expertise from various states, India would reinforce its position on the global shipbuilding stage. No details were provided on where the mega shipbuilding park would be located.

India Strengthens its Hand With New Ballistic-Missile Sub

The elusive first-in-class INS Arihant, 2014 (Indian Navy)

India’s second Arihant-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Arighaat, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29 August. The new submarine brings India one step closer to a nuclear second-strike capability while also entrenching nuclear competition in the Indo-Pacific.

SSBNs are a potent and highly specialized military asset. Operated by only the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and India, these boats are armed with submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missiles. Due to their inherent stealth and ability to evade detection and survive a first strike, these submarines are designed to provide a reliable second-strike capability and underpin strategic nuclear deterrence via the principle of mutual assured destruction.

Upon commissioning the new SSBN, India’s defense minister Rajnath Singh noted that INS Arighaat “will further strengthen India’s nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country.”

India’s first Arihant-class SSBN, INS Arihant, was commissioned in August 2016. Arihant is a Sanskrit term meaning “destroyer of the enemy”, which the Indian Ministry of Defence selected due to its “subtlety and appropriateness”. Although details are scarce, the ministry noted that the newer INS Arighaat is “significantly more advanced”, and has benefited from various indigenous systems and equipment developed by Indian science, naval and industry specialists.

Like its predecessor, INS Arighaat has four launch tubes, and can carry either 12 K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles (750km range) or four K-4s (3,500km range). Submarine specifics are tightly held, and photos are hard to come by. India’s third SSBN, named INS Aridhaman, is expected to be commissioned in 2025, and a fourth is currently under construction.

India’s nuclear weapons program made various advances in 2024. In March, India successfully tested its Agni-V land-based intercontinental ballistic missile with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles – further closing the technological gap between India and China.

Despite commissioning its second SSBN, India’s submarines alone will not achieve the coveted “Continuous At Sea Deterrence” status – whereby at least one nuclear-armed submarine is on deterrence patrol at any one time, enabling a retaliatory strike and thereby deterring adversaries. A fleet of at absolute minimum three SSBNs is required to ensure one submarine is on deterrence patrol at any one time – the United Kingdom and France achieve continuous deterrence with four submarines each.

INS Arighaat’s commissioning will impact Indo-Pacific strategic dynamics in several key ways. First, in practical terms, it will bolster India’s second-strike capability. A second SSBN will provide a more regular deterrence presence for India, as well as greater patrol pattern flexibility. Two SSBNs can synch and rotate, enabling patrols while also affording time for maintenance and training.

Second, India’s growing nuclear deterrence capability will bolster its ability to partner and act as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean. By possessing such an advanced and potent nuclear arsenal, India will be increasingly seen as a stabilizer by extra-regional partners such as the United States and Japan. With a growing second-strike capability, India is better able to maintain a favorable balance of power and deter aggressors.

Third, however, INS Arighaat will hasten nuclear competition between India and its two adversaries: China and Pakistan. China possesses a growing fleet of modern SSBNs, and Pakistan is continuing to modernize and expand its nuclear arsenal and is interested in attaining a second-strike capability. India’s newest SSBN will further entrench nuclear competition in the Indo-Pacific.

Fourth, time will tell the toll India’s growing SSBN fleet will take on the Indian Navy’s ability to undertake conventional routine operations. While SSBNs are designed to operate in secret, a range of naval assets are required to maintain a secure patrol area and deter adversary anti-submarine warfare assets. Protecting SSBNs comes at a high financial and opportunity cost, which may limit the Indian Navy’s ability to undertake less pressing, but nevertheless important missions in the Indian Ocean.

INS Arighaat represents a notable advance in the nation’s strategic capabilities, enhancing its deterrent posture and regional influence. However, its ultimate effect on security dynamics and regional stability will depend on how the capability is perceived and countered by fellow states, most notably China and Pakistan, and whether the growing SSBN fleet expands or constrains India’s strategic choices.

Samuel Bashfield is a research fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Australia India Institute. This article appears courtesy of The Interpreter and may be found in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 11 Migrants From the Cliffs of Monito Island

On Saturday, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued 11 migrants from the rocky cliffs of Monito Island, an inhospitable nature reserve halfway between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

On Saturday, the fishing vessel Likeo contacted Sector San Juan to report that a group of people in orange shirts appeared to be stranded on the rocky cliffs of Monito Island. The command center dispatched a Jayhawk helicopter to survey the situation and diverted the cutter USCGC Richard Dixon to assist. The aircrew soon spotted the group on Monito and directed the Dixon to the location.

Surface conditions were calm - a requirement for approaching the rocky cliffs - so the crew of the Dixon launched their pursuit boat to carry out a rescue. They found six men and five women, all Haitian nationals, who were stranded on shore.

After countless interdictions at Monito Island, the Coast Guard has worked out a practical system for rescuing migrants from the cliffs. After passing out lifejackets to the group, the rescue boat's coxswain will approach, stand off about 10-15 feet from the rocks, and then have a crewmember toss a life ring on a line to one individual. When ready, the survivor jumps into the water, and the crew pulls him or her aboard with the line. The process is repeated until the whole group is safely aboard.

All 11 migrants were delivered safely to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where the U.S. Border Patrol took them into custody.

Monito Island is an uninhabited outcropping of American territory in the Mona Passage, and it has become a regular destination for migrant smugglers. Unscrupulous human traffickers regularly abandon their passengers on the island, leaving them some 40 nm short of an actual crossing to Puerto Rico.

"The dangers of illegal voyages in the Mona Passage are exponentially increased when smugglers leave their passengers abandoned for days in austere and dangerous environments like Monito Island," said Capt. José E. Díaz, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander, in a statement last year. "Most do not realize the danger they are in until it is too late, as these voyages often take place aboard makeshift and grossly overloaded vessels with no lifesaving equipment."

THE RED MEANCE AND THE YELLOW PERIL REDUX

House Committee: Chinese Cranes Could be a "Trojan Horse" in U.S. Ports

ZPMC's cranes were once seen as a symbol of progress, and new deliveries would be highly publicized (Port of Oakland file image)

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has completed its review of cybersecurity risks arising from the dominance of one Chinese crane manufacturer, and has released a comprehensive report on its findings (including a classified annex of findings that cannot be shared with the public).

State-owned Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) is by far the world's most popular supplier of ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes, and its products can be found in seaports in every time zone. It is also the leading supplier in the American market: about 80 percent of all STS cranes at U.S. ports were built and shipped by ZPMC.

Cyber and maritime security experts have warned that the electronic equipment fitted to ZPMC's cranes could be used for surveillance, or even for remote manipulation or shutdown. Some of the firm's cranes in the U.S. have been found to have their own onboard cellular modems, giving them an independent connection that bypasses the port's own local area network.

According to the committee, ZPMC has repeatedly requested remote access to its STS cranes around the U.S., especially those on the West Coast, where the busiest container terminals in the U.S. are located. The FBI also retrieved what it believed to be "intelligence collection devices" from a shipment of ZPMC cranes at the Port of Baltimore in 2021.

"ZPMC could, if desired, serve as a Trojan horse capable of helping the CCP and the PRC military exploit and manipulate U.S. maritime equipment and technology at their request," said Representatives John Moolenaar (R-MI), Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) and Carlos Gimenez (R-FL). "By potentially sacrificing long-term economic security for short-term financial gain, we have given the CCP the ability to track the movement of goods through our ports or even halt port activity at the drop of a hat."

The committees found a range of potential vulnerabilities in their study:

- When ZPMC signs deals with U.S. ports to supply STS cranes and other equipment, its contracts contain no restrictions on installation or access to the technology package on the machinery. This makes it contractually possible for ZPMC to install unauthorized equipment or software without breaching its sales agreements.

- Like all leading Chinese state-owned enterprises, ZPMC has senior party members and defense executives on its board, and it has connections to the PLA. It has made business deals with U.S.-sanctioned entities involved in human rights abuses, according to the committee.

The committees said that while the Biden administration's executive orders on port cybersecurity have helped - the Coast Guard now has cyber infrastructure enforcement powers - more will need to be done. "The Committees remain concerned that the port authorities have often structured their legal agreements with terminal operators in such a way as to pass off risk and are unable or unwilling to address the cybersecurity challenges," the investigators concluded. "[Expert cyber testing] can significantly reduce the vulnerabilities posed by the PRC, but some ports do not engage in any of these actions."

In a statement, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) thanked the committees for their work and emphasized that America's ports have never had a known cyber breach affecting equipment. (Unrelated cyber incidents have affected cargo handling systems and internal IT business networks in years past, but not cranes.)

"We are eager to continue collaborating with Federal Government leaders to respond to evolving threat landscapes with forward looking policy solutions like waivers to burdensome procurement requirements and incentives for the domestic manufacture of critical port equipment," said AAPA CEO Cary S. Davis in a statement.

Study: Cold-Ironing Could Significantly Reduce Port Emissions

PNYNJ — File image courtesy Port of New York and New Jersey

U.S. ports could reduce health-related emissions by meaningful amounts by installing shore power connections, according to a new study from the International Council on Clean Transportation. The organization believes that its new paper is the first comprehensive emissions screening for at-berth vessels at all major American ports.

The study looked at AIS data to identify all vessels berthed within five miles of each port area over the span of a year. Using industry data on vessel equipment and capacity, ICCT calculated out how much each ship's auxiliary engines (not including main engines or boilers) emitted over the span of each port stay. Based on 2019 data, vessels at berth in American seaports released about 27,000 tonnes of NOx, SOx, and PM, plus 1.4 million tonnes of CO2. NOx, SOx and particulate matter have adverse effects on health in communities with high air pollution, and some ports - particularly in Southern California - have worked for years to reduce this impact.

Based on proximity to low-income communities, and regional levels of total air pollution, the ICCT identified seven priority port cities that would benefit most from cold-ironing: New York and Los Angeles (priority one); and New Orleans, Seattle, Galveston, Houston and Oakland (priority two). Many of these seaports already have some degree of shore power installed, like LA and Long Beach, which have equipped nearly 100 berths between them.

Taken together, ships at these seven top-priority ports emitted nearly 10,000 tonnes of health-related pollutants while at berth in 2019, according to ICCT - and that figure could be reduced with more cold-ironing.

"Any of the seven priority 1 and 2 ports could consider investing in port electrification, such as shore power, that specifically targets the highest emitting ship types," concluded ICCT. "Federal funding available through legislation like the BIL or the IRA can help ports make investments to meet their decarbonization goals and assist the transition to port electrification.

First LNG Carrier to be Fitted with Wind Propulsion by MOL and Chevron

sails on gas carrier — Rendering of the installation of the rigid sails on the first LNG carrier (MOL)

Wind-assisted propulsion which has been emerging on bulkers and tankers will be extended to LNG gas carriers under a new agreement between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Chevron Shipping Company. The companies report it will be added to an under-construction vessel and requires no significant changes to the standard LNG carrier.

MOL and Oshima Shipbuilding completed the development of a rigid sail made of a composite material of fiber-reinforced plastic. It was first introduced on a bulker in 2022 with MOL reporting plans to expand deployment to additional vessels. Currently, it is installed on two of the company’s bulkers, and in August 2024 MOL reported it had obtained design approval to incorporate the sail onto gas carriers.

Chevron has agreed to deploy the first gas carrier with the sail, which is being built by Hanwha Ocean for delivery in 2026. The vessel will be the standard size 174,000 cbm ship with a length of 938 feet (286 meters).

It will be fitted with two Wind Challenger sails. Each will have three sections that telescope to a maximum height of approximately 161 feet (49 meters). Each is about 49 feet (15 meters) wide.

According to MOL, the installation position of the Wind Challenger will minimize the impact on the existing design of the LNG carriers. It will enable the retention of the existing mooring arrangement. It will also have a limited impact on the vessel’s windage area.

After 18 months of operation on the first vessel, a 100,000-dwt bulker transporting coal, MOL reported it had reduced daily fuel consumption by up to 17 percent. On average the fuel saving has been between five and eight percent per voyage.

The company has reported plans to expand the first installations with seven new construction bulkers. In addition, in 2025, they are planning the first retrofit of the Wind Challenger to an in-service bulker. The group plans to launch 25 vessels equipped with the Wind Challenger by 2030, increasing to 80 by 2035.

MOL and US DOJ Reach Settlement for $8M Pier Damages Caused by Cruise Ship

hull damage — Gash in the hull of Nippon Maru after the allision with the dock in Gaum (NTSB)

More than five years after Mitsui O.S.K. Line’s cruise ship Nippon Maru caused significant damage to a U.S. fueling berth in Apra Harbor, Gaum, a settlement has been reached. The U.S. had brought a lawsuit in 2023 seeking to arrest and sell the cruise ship to satisfy the claim for damages.

The case was complicated by the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard which reported the master of the cruise ship was “under the influence of alcohol.” The legal case reported a confirmatory positive breath alcohol test over the statutory limit.

The 22,500 gross ton cruise ship registered in Japan was maneuvering away from the berth on December 20, 2018, with 524 passengers and 244 crew aboard. The lawsuit filed in March 2023 contended that the master of the cruise ship failed to “exercise such care and skill in navigation” resulting in the ship striking the dock. They said the master failed to conduct a formal master/pilot exchange, failed to keep radio contact with the assisting tugs, and to maintain situational awareness during his navigation.

The ship suffered a 5-foot-by 7-foot gash in the stern quarter above the waterline exposing the interior of the ship. It took till January 11, 2019, to complete repairs so that the ship could depart. The pier suffered extensive damage which the U.S. Navy said amounted to at least $8 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of the incident was alcohol impairment of the master while he conned the vessel, resulting in an errant astern engine input. They also noted that all the communication between the master and his officers was in Japanese despite the fact the pilot from Guam spoke no Japanese. After the allision, the pilot said he had not been close enough to the master before the incident but afterward smelled alcohol. The master admitted that he had consumed alcohol but based on the blood testing the NTSB concluded, that it was “likely that the master consumed more alcoholic beverages than he reported.”

The U.S. had conducted several rounds of settlement talks before filing suit. The judge conducted a final attempt on September 5 before a planned trial. The U.S. Attorney’s office later filed a motion to delay the trial reporting a tentative settlement has been reached. No details or dollar amount was reported. They said it would take approximately 30 days to obtain final approval from Washington D.C. for the settlement.

Cargo Ship Lost in WWI Found During UK Wind Farm Survey

WWI era cargo ship — Vessel's distinctive "turret deck" helped historians to identify the wreck lost 107 years ago in the North Sea (courtesy of Marram Wind)

Teams working on the geological surveys for a planned floating offshore wind farm to be located off the northeast coast of Scotland are reporting an “added bonus” from their work. They believe they located the wreck of a WWI-era cargo ship in remarkably good condition 107 years after it was torpedoed in the “Great War.”

The first of several offshore surveys commenced in 2023 for a geotechnical investigation to gather soil and geotechnical data for developing an engineering ground model for the wind farm which will be located approximately 50 miles off the Scottish coast floating in the North Sea. Known as Marram Wind, the project is being developed in a partnership between ScottishPower and Shell. It has a proposed generating capacity of 3GW.

“We always expect to come across wrecks when carrying out works like this, but these tend to be smaller vessels and known to the authorities,” said Colin Anderson, Development Manager for MarramWind. “This really is an extraordinary find, given that our seabed surveys – which give us vital information about seabed conditions and what that means for the development of MarramWind – covered a distance of around 6,000 miles.”

Among the several discoveries during the survey work, they located a wreck which has been identified as the Tobol, a Russan-flagged merchant ship that was torpedoed by a German U-boat on September 11, 1917.

Built in 1901 by a shipyard in Sunderland near Newcastle upon Type, a famous shipbuilding district, she was first known as the Cheltenham. She was 3,700 tons and measured 100 meters (328 feet) in length. Helping the teams to identify the ship, she had a distinctive look with a “turret deck” design.

Historians report the vessel had an unusual career, as she was captured by the Russian Navy in 1904 and transferred into the Russian Imperial Navy which renamed her Tobol. In 1916, she was passed to the Russian Volunteer Fleet and records show she was sailing from Blyth, a port in the north of England, bound for Arkhangelsk, Russia.

“This discovery of a small – but important – piece of a collective national jigsaw puzzle of marine heritage, speaks not only to the global nature of international commerce and alliances in the early 20th century, but also to the interconnectedness and competitiveness of national interests at the time, something still relevant today,” said Toby Gane, Marine and Coastal Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Lead for WSP. “It’s incredible that – more than a century on – we finally have a sense of where the SS Tobol likely went down thanks to MarramWind.”

The company reports an exclusion zone was established around the wreck and relevant authorities including the UK Hydrographic Office and Historic Environment Scotland have been notified of the find. Discussions are ongoing to establish a long-term archaeological exclusion zone to ensure the wreck of the SS Tobol is protected and preserved.

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