UK/Central Scotland
Welcome to the Central Scotland Branch of The Nautical Institute!
"Central Scotland Branch" [email protected]
With a sizeable membership around Glasgow and Edinburgh plus numerous outliers, our principal aim is to promote member interests by hosting activities including meetings with speakers, interactive events such as casualty investigation workshops, visits and socials throughout the year. We aim to provide networking opportunities including with collaboration with fellow maritime organisations (e.g. IMarEST, RINA, etc.) whilst growing membership of The Nautical Institute.
We continue to work hard for all our members and very much look forward to seeing you at our next event. To learn more please browse this Nautical Institute Branch page and follow us on LinkedIn.
Forthcoming Events:
On Wednesday 30th October a NI Central Scotland branch event will be held at the Falkirk Wheel.
In the afternoon there will be a canal boat ride on the Falkirk Wheel and canal skippered by our own Gareth Mathias. This will be dependant on their winter works.
From 5pm, there will be two guest speakers. Firstly, historian Chris O’Connel will give a walkthrough of the history of Scottish canals and their significance to mercantile shipping. Secondly, the Scottish Canals Chief Operations Officer will expand adding more about their present and future.
There will be limited numbers available for this event. Invitations will also be made to local heads of fellow maritime organsiations so networking may be available! If you want to attend the event please request a place by emailing the branch at "Central Scotland Branch" [email protected]
There is free parking, easy access and bathrooms are available. Hot drinks and biscuits will be served. There should be IT enabling the presentation to be available as a hybrid meeting for those unable to attend, further details will follow.
Recent Events:
26th September at 
The Council on Geostrategy and the Royal Navy, in partnership with the City of Glasgow College, hosted ‘Future sailor: Maritime skills and infrastructure by 2050’.
This event looked at the maritime environment in 2050, examining the skills and infrastructure that will be necessary to navigate the evolving landscape. This half-day conference featured two dynamic panels: one with senior leaders in maritime strategy and the other showcasing the fresh perspectives of a junior panel of young mariners.
Welcoming remarks by Dr Paul Little, Principal and CEO, City of Glasgow College;
Panel 1: ‘Strategic leadership in developing maritime skills and infrastructure by 2050’;
Panel 2: Skills and infrastructure for the next generation of mariners;
Tour of the College Ship Simulator and Engine room;
Chaired by Roy Gardner, Vice Principal Corporate Development and Innovation, City of Glasgow College, there will be contributions from:
Guy Barker, Maritime Services Director, Serco;
Andy Bower, Programme Director, Capita; Philip Fullerton, Managing Director, Northern Marine;
Dr Paul Little, CEO and Principal, City of Glasgow College;
Shajan Lukose, Head of Examiners, Maritime and Coastguard Agency;
Kathryn Neilsen, Director, Merchant Navy Training Board.
Central Scotland Branch hosted Capt Adrian Scales, CMMar FNI (Director of Europe, Brookes Bell), on Monday 22nd April for a workshop on the dangers posed to ships when carrying Electric Vehicles (EVs).
The Felicity Ace, carrying 4000 vehicles, some EV, was a total loss following a fire in February 2022. The Freemantle Highway was manifested with over 3500 vehicles, including nearly 500 EVs and hybrids when a fire started on 25th July 2023. The ship was saved after being towed to the port of Eemshaven but there was one crew fatality and all remaining crew and 7 salvors required hospitalization. This workshop explored the dangers of EV fires with focus on danger to ships and the recommended shipboard responses when dealing with EV incidents.
EVs are a relatively young technology and battery development has resulted in different manufacturers creating different chemical compositions giving differing likelihoods of dangers. Fires within these batteries and possible gas vapour cloud emissions and explosions are the largest concern during shipment. Examples with photos of incidents involving buses, cars, scooters and smaller Li-Ion batteries were shown.
Batteries pose a threat after either sustaining mechanical, electrical or thermal damage. Mechanical damage could be due to impact, movement or water ingress. Electrical damage could result from a fault or during charge or discharge. Thermal damage could be exposure to heat. Ultimately, a battery can produce a vapour cloud with toxic gases and cause a fire with a self-sustaining thermal runaway chemical chain reaction.
Variables include battery composition (manufacturer), battery state of charge (%) and additionally, Li-Ion batteries are the one battery type that become less stable with age. On a ship, the density of parked vehicles will greatly affect any possible firefighter response. A water vapour / drencher system is arguably the best response. A vehicle fire blanket and water hose / lance under the vehicle is arguably good but unrealistic on a densely parked vehicle deck. A blanket or hose response will necessitate crew approaching a dangerous vehicle. This is strongly undesirable once the fire is established, something that progresses faster with EV fires than with combustion engine vehicle fires. Additionally, a fire blanket could be displaced from a battery vehicle due to the gas release during vapour expansion. Then consider the venting of the resultant expanding vapour cloud when a 1 kWh battery can produce up to 6000 litres of toxic, potentially explosive vapour. A single vehicle battery may be 100+ kWh so potential gas volumes are huge.
Ultimately, the Freemantle Highway top deck was deformed, rising 2.5 metres due to the vapour cloud explosion. Due to this, the fire main was breached. Access to lifeboats was lost. Means of exit from the vessel accommodation on the uppermost deck was lost, crew became trapped. Crew and salvor injury was due to exposure to the chemical cloud and resultant chemical deposits.
This workshop presentation led to a question-and-answer discussion regarding dangers and perceived necessary changes to future legislation and ship design. Ultimately, the IMO and Flag States will adopt standards. The evolution of new battery technologies with rival manufacturers will add to the challenges in formulating these standards. Please watch the recorded workshop presentation to add to this summary:
Venue: Seapeak, 144 Eliot Street, Glasgow G3 8E