A tanker was at anchor waiting for a berth. During the anchor period routine maintenance was to be done on the auxiliary boiler fuel oil pump. According to the vessel’s records, a job hazard analysis had been carried out and a cold work permit and a pressure pipeline work permit had been issued before the work began. The senior person of the group undertook the work while the three junior members of the team watched. The senior engine room crewmember switched the pump to manual control and put it in the stop position. He isolated the pump from the system by closing the inlet and outlet valves ..read more

Image Credits: Navsea On 25 April, HII confirmed that its Newport News Shipbuilding branch had successfully delivered a fast-attack submarine dubbed the New Jersey to the US Navy. SSN 796 is the 11th Virginia-class submarine delivered by HII-NNS and the 23rd co-produced by General Dynamics Electric Boat. Jason Ward, NNS VP of Virginia-class submarine construction, gladly mentioned that it is a proud day for the team as they deliver a leading submarine, such as the New Jersey, to the top-notch US fleet and added that the mission ahead for New Jersey and the crew is clear. He applauded the ship ..read more

Representation Image China is providing moorage to a US-sanctioned Russian cargo vessel implicated in the North Korean arms transfers to Russia, per satellite images obtained by Reuters, as the US concerns regarding Beijing’s support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine grow. Britain’s Royal United Services Institute (abbreviated as RUSI) think tank declared that Russia’s vessel, Angara — which since August last year has moved to Russia’s ports with thousands of containers believed to comprise North Korean munitions — has been anchored at one of China’s shipyard in eastern Zhejiang province from this ..read more

Image Credits: U.S. Department of Defense U.S. troops have begun building a maritime pier off the Gaza coast that will start operating in May and aim to expedite the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave. Israel’s six-month-long military assault against Hamas has ravaged the tiny Gaza Strip, plunging its 2.3 million civilians into a humanitarian crisis. A senior official associated with the Biden administration, speaking to reporters, said that humanitarian aid coming off the pier would have to pass via Israeli checkpoints on land despite the aid having been examined by Israel earlier in ..read more

Image Credits: US Navy/Twitter The U.S. Navy reportedly embarked on the first Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (abbreviated as MCM MP) on the USS Canberra on 18 April. The MCM MP is currently on LCS 30, and the Navy is excited about the first deployment of the MCM Mission Package in FY 2025. As part of the embarking process, the Navy installed unmanned vehicles, sensors, support containers, and software that helps Sailors execute MCM operations via an Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship. The embarkation commemorates the turnover of the MCM mission package to the vessel, symbolizing ..read more

A loaded LNG carrier was underway at about 18 knots in open seas with low swell and waves near 1.5 m. Visibility was very good at approximately 15nm. The only traffic in the vicinity was a single fishing vessel. The bridge watch consisted of the OOW and one AB. The OOW had assigned the AB duties other than lookout due to the good visibility. The AB had seen the fishing boat earlier and had reported it to the OOW. Some time later, the Master was on deck when he noticed the fishing boat abeam of ship’s port manifold at a distance of about 50 metres. The Master went to the bridge to inquire abou ..read more

A general cargo vessel was proceeding in a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) at reduced power due to engine problems, making 4.5 knots at dead slow ahead. It was dark, but visibility was good. On the bridge the OOW was accompanied by a lookout. The Closest Point of Approach (CPA) alarm was triggered on the ECDIS, and the OOW observed that a vessel was approaching them from astern, with a CPA of 0.2nm. After acquiring the vessel on the ECDIS, the OOW recognised the target was a fishing vessel. The CPA was now 0.1nm and the vessel was doing about 9 knots. The fishing vessel was in sight from the ..read more

A tanker was approaching a jetty for berthing. While still some distance from the jetty the first heaving line was thrown. The crewmember used a strong throw as he was aware that the distance to the jetty was at the limit. His throw was so successful that it sailed even further than the edge of the jetty and struck the office window further behind. The investigation following the incident found that the monkey’s fist was made to proper specifications without any extra weight added. Lessons learned This incident shows that even an unweighted monkey’s fist that conforms to accepted specificat ..read more

A vessel was undergoing a Class inspection. During the inspection, the crew were surprised to find that the lower compartment of a crane pedestal contained many sealed paint cans. The Master was immediately notified and the paint was transferred to the paint locker. The company was also informed and the Designated Person Ashore (DPA) initiated an investigation. The company investigation found that the paint stored in the crane pedestal was not listed in the vessel inventory, despite a recent update. The paint was transferred to the pedestal during the last dry dock because of a lack of space ..read more

A general cargo vessel under pilotage was up-bound in a canal waterway under reduced speed in anticipation of meeting several down-bound vessels. The first down-bound vessel to make the meeting had a bridge team that consisted of the Master (who had the con), a helmsman, and the OOW. A company piloting Master was also on the bridge, training the Master in the canal system. Approximately 40 minutes before the vessels were expected to meet, the pilot on the up-bound vessel and the Master of the down-bound vessel began to communicate using instant messaging to coordinate the meeting. The pilot o ..read more