WHITE PAPER BY NATIONAL CARGO BUREAU CALLS FOR A NEW APPROACH TO ADDRESS CONTAINER FIRES
A white paper published by the National Cargo Bureau calls for urgent reform to stem the increasing number of container related incidents caused by poorly stowed, undeclared or misdeclared dangerous cargoes. This follows a recent inspection initiative that revealed an alarming number of containers with misdeclared dangerous cargoes that represent a serious safety risk.
Consequently, the National Cargo Bureau, the US inspection body for Dangerous Goods regulations, is calling for industry to adopt a comprehensive, holistic and coordinated approach to address this worrying trend. The inspection initiative also showed that 55% of containers were non-compliant with 43% failing to secure dangerous goods correctly within the container itself. Approximately 6.5% of containers carrying dangerous cargoes had been misdeclared.
It has been reported that, on average, a containership suffers a major fire every 60 days. However, in 2019, there were nine major containership fires, suggesting that the frequency of incidents is increasing. With more containers being carried and containerships getting bigger, risks are increasing in number, value and concentration.
Reasons may include: – the difficulty of supply chain stakeholders complying with a myriad of regulations; – a poor understanding of what constitutes a dangerous cargo and what is required to transport it; – the increasing complexity of multi-modal supply chains; carriers and ports restricting or refusing to move or receive certain dangerous cargoes;
– varied internal company challenges; and – the continuing threat of bad actors.
Hence, the National Cargo Bureau white paper specifically details 12 recommendations to ensure a safety culture for dangerous goods. These can be read in full in the white paper pdf at
https://bit.ly/3faUpm2.
GEO THERM LTD PICKS UP LR AND ABS ACCREDITATION
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown the team behind Geo Therm Ltd has actively sought to gain the coveted Lloyds Register (LR) and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) approved service supplier status, bolstering its existing ISO 9001:2015, FPAL and Safe Contractor accreditations.
With the team was in lockdown, audit allocation and rechecking was undertaken online, ensuring all systems documents were current, fit for purpose and error free, while the actual LR and ABS audits being undertaken at Geo Therm Ltd’s premises in Reydon, Suffolk and the external auditors assessing equipment, certification, ISO quality document, procedures, training documentation, including equipment demonstrations much to the delight of their host company MD Tony Dale, (an IIMS Full member), extolling the virtues of each system albeit at a two metre distance.
With the successful LR service approval occurring in late February and the ABS recognised specialist accreditation occurring in late June, Geo Therm Ltd is now able to employ its latest raft of non-invasive inspection technologies to identify vessel deficiencies that, if left unchecked, can lead to electrical breakdowns, engine room fires and watertight integrity loss at hatch and door enclosures.
With LR and ABS approval, Geo Therm Ltd management confirms its continual professional service commitment in supporting its clients offshore drilling rigs, service operation vessels (SOV) and wind turbine jack-up barges, whenever and wherever commissioning, warranty or preventative maintenance needs are required, including Class approval.
14 | The Report • September 2020 • Issue 93
Marine News
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