DANISH shipping giant Maersk Line has been seeking the assistance of the classification society ABS to increase safety in relation to the stowage of dangerous cargoes following the fatal fire of the Maersk Honam, which left five dead from a crew of 27.
ABS led a workshop to identify hazards associated with dangerous goods stowage on a range of containership designs, many of which are not fully addressed by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, reports Seatrade Maritime News of Colchester, UK.
'The risks associated with cargo carried on ships can have serious impacts on the safety of the crew and the ship itself if not properly identified and managed,' said Bret Montaruli, ABS vice president and chief engineer.
The outcome of the workshop will include recommendations to improve stowage planning and hazard mitigation, leading to better management of risks.
As suggested by the lead columnist of Singapore's Splash 247, Andrew Craig-Bennett, one way to avoid future fires caused by dangerous goods that merits further consideration is to urge liners to stop charging higher freight and THC on dangerous goods.
'The incentive for shippers to lie disappears as soon as this is done. Yes, the shippers of harmless cargo will be subsiding the shippers of dangerous goods. But their own cargo will be more likely to arrive,' Mr Craig-Bennett wrote earlier.
Meanwhile, Singapore's Splash 247 also reported that Danish shipping line intends to repair, not scrap, the badly burned, 18-month old, 15,000 TEU Maersk Honam.
The ship, which caught fire in the Arabian Sea around three months ago, is now at Jebel Ali port in Dubai after a long towing mission. Discharge operations of the unharmed boxes are ongoing and are likely to be finished soon, although shippers have been warned they will be charged extra to get their much delayed cargoes.
'The condition of the vessel will be further evaluated. As things stand it is our intention to repair the vessel,' a spokesperson for Maersk Line said in a statement. Nearby Jebel Ali port are a range of repair yards where the giant boxship could head. A full investigation in collaboration with relevant authorities is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.
ABS led a workshop to identify hazards associated with dangerous goods stowage on a range of containership designs, many of which are not fully addressed by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, reports Seatrade Maritime News of Colchester, UK.
'The risks associated with cargo carried on ships can have serious impacts on the safety of the crew and the ship itself if not properly identified and managed,' said Bret Montaruli, ABS vice president and chief engineer.
The outcome of the workshop will include recommendations to improve stowage planning and hazard mitigation, leading to better management of risks.
As suggested by the lead columnist of Singapore's Splash 247, Andrew Craig-Bennett, one way to avoid future fires caused by dangerous goods that merits further consideration is to urge liners to stop charging higher freight and THC on dangerous goods.
'The incentive for shippers to lie disappears as soon as this is done. Yes, the shippers of harmless cargo will be subsiding the shippers of dangerous goods. But their own cargo will be more likely to arrive,' Mr Craig-Bennett wrote earlier.
Meanwhile, Singapore's Splash 247 also reported that Danish shipping line intends to repair, not scrap, the badly burned, 18-month old, 15,000 TEU Maersk Honam.
The ship, which caught fire in the Arabian Sea around three months ago, is now at Jebel Ali port in Dubai after a long towing mission. Discharge operations of the unharmed boxes are ongoing and are likely to be finished soon, although shippers have been warned they will be charged extra to get their much delayed cargoes.
'The condition of the vessel will be further evaluated. As things stand it is our intention to repair the vessel,' a spokesperson for Maersk Line said in a statement. Nearby Jebel Ali port are a range of repair yards where the giant boxship could head. A full investigation in collaboration with relevant authorities is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.