Issue No. 338 23 November 2007

Voluntary Disclosure Policy
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has adopted a Voluntary Disclosure Policy with respect to environmental crimes. This policy was adapted from the US Sentencing Guidelines and is consistent with similar policies adopted by the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If an organisation, such as the shipowner or operator, adopts a qualifying Compliance Management System to prevent, detect and correct violations and then promptly and voluntarily reports a violation discovered through such a system, the Coast Guard will not normally recommend to the Department of Justice that criminal charges be brought against the disclosing company. A copy of the Voluntary Disclosure Policy document can be found at; www.uscg.mil/foia/docs/CH-4%20Appendix%20V.pdf

North Sea SECA
IMO Briefing 44/2007 notes that the North Sea SECA takes effect from 22 November 2007. From that date ships operating in the North Sea must demonstrate compliance with the North Sea SOX Emission Control Area (SECA). In a SECA, the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships must not exceed 1.5% m/m. Alternatively, ships must fit an exhaust gas cleaning system. The Baltic Sea area has been designated a SECA under the regulations and has been implemented and operational since 19 May 2006.

Protection of North Atlantic right whales
INTERTANKO Weekly News reports that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a news release reminding mariners that the reporting requirements and recommended ship routes for the protection of North Atlantic right whales in the waters off the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida are in effect from 15 November to 15 April (during the right whales’ calving season). (See also BNS Issue No. 331 17 August 2007).

New Life Boat Campaign
Tradewinds recently reported that amid heightened concern over lifeboat safety, the main port state control (PSC) authorities are ready to intensify the inspection of lifeboat appliances and launching procedures. The Paris and Tokyo MOUs plan to team up in a concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on lifeboats in 2009. A similar CIC was undertaken in 2006 by the Indian Ocean MOU which looked in particular at lifeboat launching appliances. The Paris and Tokyo authorities have already agreed to work on a CIC during 2008 focusing on the safety of navigation and compliance with the Safety of Life at Sea (Solas Chapter V) Convention.

Code of good practice for PSC Officers
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has recently issued a circular (MSC/MEPC No. 4 Circular No. 2) – dated 1 November 2007 – providing a code of good practice for port state control officers. It is suggested that this document is brought to the attention of your seagoing staff and appropriate office staff. The circular can be viewed at; www.imo.org/includes/blastData.asp/doc_id=8739/2.pdf

Boiler blast causes injuries
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau issued an advisory earlier this month calling on all vessel owners and operators to urgently notify their ships crews on the dangers associated with servicing the Osaka OEVC 2 boiler. This follows an investigation into two explosions on board a Panama flagged bulk carrier that badly burned the vessel’s three engineers, who had to be flown ashore by helicopter for urgent treatment in hospital. The investigation by the ATSB found that both explosions resulted from flashback from the furnace caused by the ignition of fuel vapour by the residual heat in the boilers refractory material and furnace walls. The investigation also revealed that there have been previous incidents on ships fitted with the same type of boiler / burner combination including a similar flashback explosion on the ship subject to this latest investigation itself in September 2002. Since the latest incident the boiler manufacturer has told the ATSB it is redistributing the safety bulletin and caution plates with the assistance of classification societies to ensure its mailing lists are comprehensive. A full copy of the ATSB report can be found at;
www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2007/MAIR/pdf/mair238_001.pdf