880 - 04/13 - Asian Gypsy Moth - US/Canada
12/04/2013
A joint Canada/US Bulletin to the Maritime Industry on Asian Gypsy Moth Control and Inspection Measures. The bulletin outlines control and mitigation measures for vessels calling in specific ports with high risk of Asian Gypsy Moth infestation.
The Club has been advised of recent security incidents in South Arica, where off signing crew members have been detained following inappropriate and improper declarations relating to the contents of their luggage.
The Club has been advised that from the 1st August 2013, the Dutch part of the North Sea will undergo extensive changes to the current routeing system. Among the changes, a number of Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) will be revised, a new TSS will be put in place on the approaches to IJmuiden, new anchoring areas will be established and existing anchorages will be changed.
Members who have vessels that call in the San Francisco/Oakland bay area should take note that with immediate effect, all large vessels will be restricted from sailing northbound under the bay bridge when visibility is less than a half mile.
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has issued a warning regarding counterfeit charts and other UKHO publications it has seen in circulation.
Following a recent serious infestation of Asian Gypsy Moth egg masses being found by US Authorities in Tacoma, USA it is probably a good time to remind Members that it is approaching the time of year where the issue Asian Gypsy Moths is becoming prevalent again. This bulletin is intended to be a reminder of the current issues, regulations and best practices to take to avoid claims and issues involving the Asian Gypsy Moth.
MLC Compliance Guidelines
13/02/2013
The UK Club is providing a package of the International Shipping Federation's (ISF) guide publication "Guidelines on the Application of the ILO Maritime Labour Conventions (2nd edition)" and the Lloyds Register/UK Club "ILO MLC pocket checklist" free to all its members
869 - 02/13 - Entry into Enclosed Spaces
08/02/2013
The country of Egypt is currently experiencing political unrest and a state of emergency has been declared in the three Suez Canal cities. Most port operations are currently continuing and canal convoys have not been interrupted.
We have been advised by the Club's correspondents of the following continuing issues with oil pollution at several berths at Pointe Noire, Congo
Closing devices on battery room ventilators should be left in an open position and should
The Association has seen a number of recent cases in which ship owner Members have responded to emergency calls whilst transiting the Indian Ocean, requesting them to provide assistance to distressed fishing vessels in the area. In each example the rescued individuals were migrants heading for Australia from Sri Lanka.
The Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) have issued a Letter to all oil spill response plan holders advising that unannounced drills are to be conducted to test plan holders' notification process and the initial response actions by their Spill Management Team (In-house or contracted).
LP Initiatives 2013
14/01/2013
The UK P&I Club is committed to safety. Its high-level loss prevention programme - the most extensive in the industry - aims to offset rising claims and maintain quality amongst Members.
The Club ship inspectors/risk assessors have noted an increasing lack of awareness regarding marking and certification of lifting equipment
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) have released a new alert concerning the location of pressure switches for vessel fixed fire suppression systems. US regulations require this pressure switch to be located outside the area it protects and have reported an increased number of fires where this has not been the case.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued a Marine Notice concerning the carriage, compliance and usage of ECDIS onboard ships calling in Australian ports.