Bulk Carrier Safety
Nickel Ore Cargoes
In response to the sinking of four bulk carriers in very short succession carrying Nickel Ore and the tragic loss of 66 seafarers lives in those accidents, Intercargo, has produced the ‘Intercargo Guide for the Safe Loading of Nickel Ore’.
The Guide primarily aims to explain through use of an easy-to-follow flow-chart how Nickel Ore can continue to be safely shipped, within limitations, whilst raising awareness of the serious issue of cargo liquefaction, and is targeted at the widest possible distribution within industry including shippers, shipowners and ship’s masters’.
A pdf copy of the guide can be downloaded from the right hand column
Bulk Carrier Flooding
IMO has issued two circulars from the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) on the subject of flooding of bulk carriers. They are MSC/Circ. 995 – concerned with forward flooding, issued in 2001 and MSC/Circ.1143 – referring to early assessment of damage on bulk carriers and appropriate action to take and issued in January 2004. Circ. 995 was reproduced in UK as MGN 210(M). Both circulars are aimed primarily at masters of bulk carriers and deserve careful attention.
Additionally, BIMCO has published specific guidance on what to do in the event of activation of the Water Ingress Detection or Monitoring system (WIDS).
The documents in the right hand column are available for download in PDF format.
Bulk Carrier Downloads
Advice on the Dangers of Flooding of Forward Compartments [MGN 210(M)]
Early Assessment of Hull Damage and Possible Need for Abandonment of Bulk Carriers MSC Circ 1143
The Nautical Institute Bulk Carrier Safety Poster
Water Ingress Monitoring - A Guide for Masters of Bulk Carriers
Staff spotlight
Captain James Robinson DSM FNI Irish Navy (Retired)
President
Prior to his retirement in August 2009 Captain Robinson had been a mariner for 42 years, having spent 36 years in the Irish Navy and six years in Irish Shipping where he served as cadet, Third and Second Officer. He was commissioned into the Irish Navy in 1973.
His naval career was made up of many appointments afloat and ashore and included nine years in command at sea. He served for two years in the Lebanon, the Sinai Desert and Egypt as a UN Military Observer and as a staff officer. He also served for a year in Vienna as a military planner for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He is a graduate of the Command and Staff School of the Irish Military College.
In 1985 while in command of LE Aisling he was On-Scene Commander for the first 18 hours of the search and recovery operation in the aftermath of the crash of Air India Flight 182. For this service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal together with three members of his ship's company. He retired as Officer Commanding, Naval Operations Command and Second in Command Naval Service, where his duties included command of the Irish naval fleet.
He has been a Vice-President of The Nautical Institute since 2002 and was elected Senior Vice-President at the 2008 AGM. He has served on the Council and the Finance and General Purposes Committee. He gained a Harbour Master Certificate and a Management Diploma through the Institute's Distance Learning Programme.
Captain Robinson is a past Chairman of the Ireland Branch and was among a small group of people who re-activated the branch with its core based in Cork around the Nautical College and the navy.
