The six-day blockage of the Suez Canal and its welcomed refloating has shed new light on the critical job done by tug and towage workers. But unless industry arrests the current ‘race to the bottom’ and workers’ safety concerns are addressed, the world could be in store for another Even Given-type crisis sooner than we think.
In its latest Safety Digest, UK MAIB describes how a crew member onboard a bulk carrier felt unwell and had to be evacuated after using chemicals inside an enclosed space that was not properly ventilated.
Plastic persists in the ocean and causes damage to wildlife. Although legislation was first introduced in 1988 to prevent pollution by garbage from ships the issue of plastic waste in our oceans is unfortunately still very much with us.
From 12 April 2021, vessels that have visited certain ports in Asia Pacific between May and September in the previous 24 months must document that they have been inspected and “certified free of Asian Gypsy Moth” prior to arriving in Argentina.