Category: Local News

Leading Classification Society ClassNK has released “Guidelines for Remote Surveys Ver. 2.0” including a class notation requirement for the ship with advance preparation for remote surveys.

ClassNK has been working on the advancement of surveys using digital technology in line with its R&D roadmap and Digital Grand Design 2030, and published the guide. Incorporating outcomes of investigation and examination for providing the standards in the application of remote surveys to ensure reliability equivalent to conventional witness surveys with transparency, the guidelines have described the types of surveys that can be applied, the types and amounts of information required for remote surveys, and the requirements for the use of ICT.

In the Ver. 2.0, ClassNK has made revision for the clarification of selection of equipment and communication infrastructure, and the class Continue reading “ClassNK updates its Guidelines for Remote Surveys”

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has published the latest flag state performance table (2020/2021) which finds that many of the largest flag states, including the Marshall Islands, Hong Kong (China), Singapore as well as the Bahamas and Cyprus, continue to perform to an exceptionally high standard, with traditional flags and open registers performing equally well.

ICS Secretary General, Guy Platten, says: “The flag state performance table clearly indicates that distinctions between ‘traditional’ flags and open registers are no longer meaningful. Alongside several European registers, and flags such as Japan, we have seen many open registers amongst the very top performers”. Continue reading “Latest flag state performance table published by International Chamber of Shipping”

RightShip and INTERCARGO have announced the launch of an important new quality standard for the dry bulk sector, DryBMS. The standard will be governed by a new NGO to be established later this year and will support the improvement of safety in the dry bulk segment.

Both organisations have strongly and consistently advocated the need for significant improvements to dry bulk safety standards. In August 2020 both organisations combined their expertise to create a single framework for the whole industry. Supported by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and BIMCO, DryBMS now exists as a simple set of best practices and key performance indicators and raises the bar on safety, environmental and operational excellence.

Continue reading “New quality standard DryBMS to be launched for the dry bulk sector”

After a highly volatile 2020, leading shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) looks at the next 12 months and highlights areas of particular interest in their 2021 Outlook Report. The report looks at various drivers of the shipping markets, including how the developing emissions regulations may affect commercial fleets and shipping investments.

Contributions come from a range of senior research and broking experts and cover dry bulk, tanker and gas freight markets; shipping investments, CO2 emissions, FFAs, metals and energy derivatives. Together, they give a taste of what to look out for in 2021. Continue reading “Simpson Spence Young publishes its 2021 Outlook Report”

In the midst of digital technology continuously changing the landscape of the international shipping industry and how ships are operated, market leading developers of smart water quality monitoring technology, Rivertrace Limited, has published a new white paper on digitalisation. If offers expert insight into the evolution of smart water quality monitoring technology and electronic reporting methods.

Entitled ‘Maritime Industry 2.0: The Future is Digital’, the white paper explores key milestones passed in the shipping industry’s digital transformation journey to-date and examines how traditional, manual methods for monitoring and record keeping are evolving towards the greater use of electronic documentation, supported by digital monitoring equipment. Continue reading “New digitalisation white paper published by Rivertrace”

ICOMIA has produced a Ceramic Coating Yacht Industry Guideline as a result of their work with leading ceramic coating manufacturers, paint manufacturers, independent coating inspectors, coating supervisors and surveyors. The aim is to provide objective industry guidance on ceramic use on large yachts.

The yacht market has identified the need for an industry guidance document detailing key areas of information and considerations when using ceramic coatings or treatments on large yachts.

Continue reading “ICOMIA publishes a yacht industry guideline for ceramic coatings”

The International Institute of Marine Surveying has published edition 95 of The Report Magazine, March 2021. The 108 page publication has placed an editorial emphasis on two topical and concerning issues:
1) shipping container incidents at sea and;
2) the unintended consequences of Brexit affecting the marine surveying profession in certain parts of the EU.

The highlights and main feature articles of this edition of The Report Magazine are:

– The CTU code – why we need it
– VAT on boats post Brexit explained
– Container stack collapses (causes and solutions)
– New insights into MSC ZOE in shallow water that require further action to prevent future container loss
– Tackling the scourge of container ship fires
– The Estonia disaster continues to be a bottomless source of learning
– Costly claims for crane failures caused by human errors
– From composite evolution to vessel construction revolution
Continue reading “IIMS publishes the March 2021 Report Magazine edition 95”

I would urge all surveyors to read and take note of an open letter from IIMS President, Geoff Waddington. It concerns a lack of attention to professional procedures, which is concerning and, having now come to light, is getting some members into hot water. On a lighter note, Geoff came to Portchester to cut the ribbon to officially open Murrills House as our new HQ in a socially distanced ceremony.

The September Report Magazine, edition 93, has been published today. It is another Continue reading “News Bulletin September 2020”

The Report Magazine is the official publication of the International Institute of Marine Surveying.

The Institute publishes the Report Magazine four times per year in March, June, September and December. Members are invited to (and do) submit articles regularly for publication, which entitles them to CPD points too. If you wish to send an article for publication please email us.

Each issue will appeal to big ship and small craft surveyors alike. Its content is also highly relevant to P&I Clubs, vessel operators, marine insurers and others involved in the maritime sector. Each issue will be a mix of technical articles and more general features related to the profession of marine surveying. Some of this editorial content is supplied by members and the rest is specially commissioned by the editor.

To view, please select here

Many things have changed in the past few months and not all of them good as we have learned to cope with tragedy and a new way of living courtesy of the pandemic. COVID-19 certainly has a lot to answer for, but out of the situation that was forced upon the profession, a new way of surveying is fast emerging, particularly in the area of commercial ships and offshore assets. I refer to remote surveying, actually not new, but probably unimaginable to most of us just a few years ago; and a shock to the system of more traditional surveyors and those sceptics amongst us too undoubtedly. They are suddenly fashionable – the talk of the town it appears – and the pandemic has fuelled the latent demand for remote surveys.

Can a vessel really be successfully surveyed remotely? The answer is, of course, yes, but how detailed are remote surveys and what depth of Continue reading “The elephant in the room: What do remote surveys mean for the marine surveying profession?”