Topics Page CONTENTS Developments from the 3rd session of the HTW Sub-Committee: new model courses, training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation 1 Lookout information processing at sea 2 Comparative study of gaseous and particulate emissions when using LNG and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as fuel 4 Underwater noise from ships – interesting new clues 6 Marine Notice on asbestos onboard vessels by AMSA 7 Developments from the 3 Developments from the 3 Developments from the 3 Developments from the 3 rd rd rd rd Session of the HTW Session of the HTW Session of the HTW Session of the HTW Sub Sub Sub Sub-Committee: new model courses, Committee: new model courses, Committee: new model courses, Committee: new model courses, training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation The 3 rd Session of the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watch- keeping (HTW) took place at IMO’s Headquarters in London from 1 to 5 February 2016. The Sub-Committee validated the following three revised model courses, which are going to be published in their final version in due time, upon completion of the changes which were agreed on the drafts submitted: Advanced Training for Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations (revised model course 1.03) Radar Navigation at Operational Level (revised model course 1.07) Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (revised model course 1.21) On the contrary, the draft revised model course 2.07 (Engine Room Simulators) was not validated. It was decided instead to further process it and re-submit it for validation to the next Session of the Sub- Committee, together with 11 more, new or revised model courses, including the following: Assessment, Examination and Certification of Seafarers (revised model course 3.12) Training course for Instructors (revised model course 6.09) Onboard assessment (revised model course 1.30) Basic & Advanced training for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships subject to the IGF Code (new) Basic & Advanced training for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships operating in Polar Waters (new) In order to facilitate the various reporting and information communication obligations under the revised STCW and to reduce the associated administrative burden, the creation of a new relative GISIS module was agreed. FEBRUARY 2016 │ ISSUE 126 Cont. in page 2
Transcript
Topics Page
CONTENTS
Developments from the 3rd session of the HTW Sub-Committee: new model courses, training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation
1
Lookout information processing at sea
2
Comparative study of gaseous and particulate emissions when using LNG and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as fuel
4
Underwater noise from ships – interesting new clues
6
Marine Notice on asbestos onboard vessels by AMSA
7
Developments from the 3Developments from the 3Developments from the 3Developments from the 3rdrdrdrd Session of the HTW Session of the HTW Session of the HTW Session of the HTW SubSubSubSub----Committee: new model courses, Committee: new model courses, Committee: new model courses, Committee: new model courses,
training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation training for passenger ships and fatigue mitigation
The 3rd Session of the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watch-keeping (HTW) took place at IMO’s Headquarters in London from 1 to 5 February 2016. The Sub-Committee validated the following three revised model courses, which are going to be published in their final version in due time, upon completion of the changes which were agreed on the drafts submitted: � Advanced Training for Chemical
Tanker Cargo Operations (revised model course 1.03)
� Radar Navigation at Operational
Level (revised model course 1.07) � Personal Safety and Social
Responsibilities (revised model course 1.21)
On the contrary, the draft revised model course 2.07 (Engine Room Simulators) was not validated. It was decided instead to further process it and re-submit it for validation to the next Session of the Sub-
Committee, together with 11 more, new or revised model courses, including the following: � Assessment, Examination and
Certification of Seafarers (revised model course 3.12)
� Training course for Instructors
(revised model course 6.09) � Onboard assessment (revised model
course 1.30) � Basic & Advanced training for
masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships subject to the IGF Code (new)
� Basic & Advanced training for
masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on ships operating in Polar Waters (new)
In order to facilitate the various reporting and information communication obligations under the revised STCW and to reduce the associated administrative burden, the creation of a new relative GISIS module was agreed.
FEBRUARY 2016 │ ISSUE 126
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When it comes specifically to passenger ships: � New training requirements for personnel on
board such ships are under way (including inter alia emergency familiarization, effective communication with passengers, crisis management and crowd management training), through draft amendments of Regulation V/2 of STCW and Section A-V/2 of STCW Code, which are going to be submitted for approval to the next MSC Session (MSC 96) in May.
� The draft new Regulation 19.1 in SOLAS
Chapter II-1, which provides for (and describes) the mandatory performance of a damage control drill every three months has been completed and will be considered for approval by MSC 96 as well.
Last but not least, with regards to the issue of fatigue, there was no adoption of the proposal made by the Nautical Institute and InterManager to amend the annex 5 of Resolution A.1047(27) – Principles of Minimum Safe Manning and SOLAS Regulation V/14 accordingly, so as to exclude the master from regular watchkeeping duties.
The proposal aimed at the removal of the problematic, under the perspective of fatigue, Master/Chief Mate two-watch watchkeeping system, whereby the navigation of the ship is solely conducted by the master and one watch-keeping officer. On the other hand, the revision of the Guidance on fatigue mitigation and management (MSC/Circ.1014) is going to be continued intersessionally, with expected completion at the next Session of the Sub-Committee. The revised guidance will be based on a proposal submitted by Australia (document HTW 3/8) which takes into account modern fatigue and sleep research and adopts, inter alia, a risk-based approach for the management of fatigue on ships. The draft guidelines for PSC officers on the inspection of seafarer certification, vessel’s manning and seafarers' hours of rest are also going to be completed at the next Session of the Sub-Committee.
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Lookout information processing at seaLookout information processing at seaLookout information processing at seaLookout information processing at sea
A proper lookout is an essential and indispensable function for the safe navigation of ships. As a process, it is defined in Section Α-VIII/2, paragraph14 of the STCW Code and entails two equally important sub-functions which supplement each other for decision-making on the bridge:
a) information collecting, and
b) processing of the information collected.
The adequate processing of information – observations in particular is an inextricable aspect of lookout duties, since it is highly unlikely that information at sea is complete or absolutely accurate. The main principles that underlie proper lookout information processing at sea are highlighted by a very interesting information document submitted to the recent Session of the HTW Sub-Committee,
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which also presents appropriate methods for seafarers to assimilate these principles, by means of the training process. After a short overview of a series of serious maritime accidents (collisions and groundings), typical errors that arise during information processing are identified and analyzed. These errors usually originate from a wrong or problematic mental set, meaning by the term “mental set” a certain pre-existing and subconscious predisposition or tendency to perceive things or approach a problem in a particular way. Two usual forms of mental set which are often the reason for serious errors in information processing are the following: � The principle of least effort, which in the
case of an information-seeking person, such as a lookout on board, is interpreted as a subconscious tendency to use the most convenient search method, in the least exact and demanding mode available.
In other words, every information-seeking effort stops as soon as the person involved perceives the existing observations as the absolutely necessary for him/her to draw a minimally accepted and logical situational awareness.
� Confirmation bias, which is a tendency for
people to selectively gather evidence or recall information which confirms their precon-ception or hypothesis on a particular situation, irrespective of the actual facts.
This kind of bias may subconsciously mislead a person with lookout duties to only notice or look for information which confirms his own appraisal of the situation and not seek, ignore or undervalue the significance of other clues which contradict his/her picture.
These types of mental sets, inherently unfit for purpose, can lead to judgments and decisions based on absolutely unfounded assumptions, and, to make things worse, without any awareness at all of the error induced. A common feature of all the accidents analyzed in the study is that the officers involved thought that they had fully appraised the situations, hence finding no need to resort to collecting further information. In order to prevent these serious errors (to a certain degree inherent in human information processing), the following principles must be assimilated and applied by persons undertaking lookout duties at sea as part of a navigational watch: � In a possible collision situation, bridge officers
shall by all means avoid to make a decision based on assumptions regarding the intentions or reaction of the other vessel.
To put it otherwise, the assessment of the situation and therefore the intended mano-euvres of another vessel should never be assumed as granted, before carefully checking.
� Seafarers should always consider whether a
safety decision is based on information properly collected or “information” which, in reality, is the outcome of assumptions.
If the second case is true, then the decision made is probably unreliable and dangerous, and the collection of additional information is required.
� When information received from different
sources is inconsistent or contradictory to each other, it should be avoided to unilaterally accept information from one
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According to the Third IMO GHG Study 2014, international shipping was responsible for the emissions of 796 million tonnes of CO2 in 2012, approximately equal to 2.2% of global CO2 emissions for that year. It is estimated that shipping also accounts for up to 30% of total global nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions and 9% of sulphur oxide (SOX) emissions. The use of natural gas – which mainly consists of methane – as a propulsion fuel for shipping, might be one of the alternative methods for compliance with the new more stringent requirements of MARPOL Annex VI for SΟx and NOx emissions, and also for the improvement of a vessel’s energy efficiency.
Until now, only a small number of vessels globally are using LNG as propulsion fuel, for reasons mainly related to infrastructure, safety and regulatory framework issues. For the wider adoption of LNG as a marine fuel, the enrichment of real measurements and data regarding the combustion products when burning LNG in comparison to other conventional fuels which are widely used today, is as well necessary. In this direction, the research study “Particle and Gaseous Emissions from an LNG Powered Ship” which was recently published in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology, presents comparative measurements of gaseous and particulate emissions from a vessel running both on
Comparative study of gaseous and particulate emissions Comparative study of gaseous and particulate emissions Comparative study of gaseous and particulate emissions Comparative study of gaseous and particulate emissions when using LNG and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as fuelwhen using LNG and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as fuelwhen using LNG and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as fuelwhen using LNG and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as fuel
source and to reject that from the other source.
On the contrary, all the information should be carefully checked for its reliability, also by looking for more information, if possible.
� If, finally, additional information is not directly
available, and existing clues do not allow a full appraisal of the situation, the principle of “to err on the safe side” should be applied; i.e. watchkeeping officers understand the danger under such uncertain circumstances and take appropriate action.
Targeted training practices incorporated in Bridge Resource Management (BRM) courses may help officers undertaking navigational watches to as-similate and effectively apply the aforementioned
principles during information processing. Some examples of such specialized training practices are as follows: � Lectures including the relevant theory and
case studies, followed by extended discussion and analysis among the trainees.
� Preparation and running of several scenarios
on the bridge simulator with the involvement of fuzzy, conflicting information, uncertain situations etc. for the trainees to cope with.
For further details, you may refer to the full text of the information document HTW3/INF.6, available at the following link: http://www.helmepa.gr/pdf/HTW_3_INF.6.pdf
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LNG and marine gas oil (MGO) as a fuel. The measurements were made in December 2013 on board a cruise ferry running on LNG in the Baltic Sea. The ship was equipped with lean-burn dual fuel engines for LNG and MGO, using MGO as pilot fuel for the initial combustion of LNG. Emissions were measured under different engine loads, both when LNG or MGO were used for propulsion. The measurements revealed that emissions of particles (both in number and mass), NOx and CO2 were all considerably lower for LNG compared to MGO and other marine fuel oils, according to the existing data. However, emissions of carbon monoxide and total hydrocarbons were higher. Analysis of the exhaust gases showed that around 85% of hydrocarbon emissions from LNG were methane. Emissions of unburnt methane (known as the ‘methane slip’) were around 7 g per kg LNG at higher engine loads, rising to 23–36 g at lower loads. This increase could be due to slow combustion at lower temperatures, which allows small quantities of gas to avoid the combustion process. The escape of unburnt methane is a significant factor which should be taken into account since the amount of heat absorbed by methane per mass unit, is 28-100 times higher (depending on the time period under examination) than that for CO2. As it was mentioned before, alongside the gases, emissions from LNG burning contained also particles. Although overall particle emissions were significantly lower from LNG than from MGO burning, LNG particle emissions were dominated by very small
(ultrafine) and volatile particles, while combustion of MGO resulted in a smaller fraction of these particle types. Ultrafine particles can penetrate the respiratory system and be transported to other parts of the body via the blood, where they can cause widespread inflammation. Very small particles also play a significant role in atmospheric processes, as the amount and lifetime of clouds, which influence the climate. In conclusion, the data derived from the study shows that emissions of particles and gases are lower when using LNG as the primary energy source as compared to marine fuel oils. However, it also shows that there are issues with LNG requiring further investigation, most notably emissions of unburnt methane and the assessment of the overall impact on the climate compared to conventional fuels. For more information you may refer to the following link: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.5b02678?journalCode=esthag&
A study recently published in the scientific journal PeerJ under the title “Ship noise extends to frequencies used for echolocation by endangered killer whales” adds interesting new clues to the issue of underwater noise produced by the movement of large commercial vessels. Underwater ship noise is mainly generated by propeller cavitation and is for the most part low frequency noise (<1,000 Hz), with peak power usually at 20 – 200 Hz. In this frequency band, where sound is transmitted in a range of many kilometers in the open ocean, baleen whales (Mysticetes) such as blue whales, fin whales and humpback whales, emit their acoustic signals and most likely exhibit their highest hearing sensitivity. For this reason, these species of marine mammals are the most sensitive and vulnerable to underwater noise produced by maritime activities, and the overlap of this noise with the sound signals they use for communication and echolocation is a well-established potential cause of behavioral and even physiological disturbances. Ship-generated noise, though, is not exclusively restricted at low frequencies (< 1,000 Hz) but also spans at mid and high frequencies (1,000 – 100,000 Hz) used by another major group of marine mammals, namely the toothed whales (Odontocetes) such as dolphins, sperm whales, orcas, porpoises etc. This higher frequency ship noise has lower power and is much faster absorbed by sea water; therefore, its range is usually limited within 10 km or less in the open sea. Until now, there is not much evidence on the possible exposure of toothed whales to mid and high frequency ship noise, which might be the case less likely in open waters and much more likely in coastal
areas close to large urban centers, where important populations of toothed whales live nearby shipping lanes with dense traffic. Such a case exists in the enclosed Salish Sea and more specifically an area called the Haro Strait, which is the core of the summertime habitat of an endangered orca species (Southern Resident Killer Whale, SRKW) and at the same time is crossed by the shipping lanes leading to and coming from the port of Vancouver; this means that approximately 20 large vessels transit Haro Strait on average per day. In this area and at short distance from the shipping lanes, scientists recorded in detail the noise generated by transiting vessels for two days per month on average, for a period of 28 months in total. In this way, they collected a large data with measurements of underwater noise in frequencies 10 – 40,000 Hz, generated by more than 2,800 isolated ship transits, which included all the main classes of commercial vessels. According to the authors of the study, it is the first time that ship noise from different types of vessels and spanning such a wide band of frequencies, including those used by the threatened SRKW, is recorded in such a detail in a coastal environment.
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Underwater noise from ships Underwater noise from ships Underwater noise from ships Underwater noise from ships –––– interesting new clues interesting new clues interesting new clues interesting new clues
The study area (shipping lanes are marked in red and the
center of the grey circle – arrow base – shows the position
of the hydrophone used for sound recording).
Source: PeerJ 4:e1657
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The results show indeed that at close range from ships (1-5 Km), significantly elevated noise levels are observed, not only at low frequencies as expected, but also at mid and high frequencies, resulting in potential masking of the sound signals used by orcas and other toothed whales for communication, echolocation, foraging etc. According to the measurements, containerships are the most “noisy” type of vessels and military ships the most “quiet”, while the direct association of
underwater noise and speed is confirmed (each reduction in speed by 1 knot reduces broadband noise by approximately 1 dB). More details and the analytical data of the study are available in the full text of the relevant scientific paper, which may be accessed through the following link: https://peerj.com/articles/1657/
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Source: ΝΟΑΑ
Marine Notice on asbestos onboard vessels by AMSAMarine Notice on asbestos onboard vessels by AMSAMarine Notice on asbestos onboard vessels by AMSAMarine Notice on asbestos onboard vessels by AMSA
In a recent Marine Notice (2/2016), which supersedes a relevant notice issued in 2014, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) draws again the attention to the prohibition of asbestos on vessels. Although the prohibition of asbestos on vessels has been effective internationally since January 2011 (SOLAS Chapter II-1 Regulation 3-5.2), Australia had already proceed to its ban since 2003. Specifically, the national legislation of Australia (Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 and Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Regulations 2003) prohibits the use of asbestos on vessels, except in the case of ‘in situ’ asbestos. ‘In situ’ asbestos is defined as asbestos that has been installed on a vessel (or any other structure or place used for maritime work) before 31 December 2003, without constituting a risk by its presence, unless it is disturbed. The ‘in situ’ asbestos must be properly identified
onboard the vessels and its management should be done based on a asbestos management plan, with procedures for assessment, control and mitigation of risk in place as described in the abovementioned regulations as well as in the additional relevant guidance that has been issued. In any case though, complete removal of asbestos is considered as best practice and the desired final outcome.
Despite all efforts to eliminate asbestos from vessels, there are still several cases where asbestos is found not only on existing but also on newly built vessels. The survey data indicates that asbestos detection still occurs in the following areas: � Insulation or sealing materials in machinery � Sealing and insulation materials used in
construction (e.g. gaskets, door/window sealants, bulkhead insulations etc.)
� Electric and electronic components (e.g.
cables, fuses) Asbestos containing components may also end up on a vessel during operational maintenance, which makes constant vigilance and periodic re-inspections after such works necessary. It is also noted that for vessels entering or intending to enter in Australian waters, any import of asbestos and asbestos containing products is prohibited. The full text of the notice, containing all references to applicable legislation, is available at the following link: http://www.helmepa.gr/pdf/AMSA_MN2_2016.pdf
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