CREW WATCH SEPTEMBER 2021

HOW TO PREPARE PORT STATE CONTROL INSPECTION

SUPPORTING OUR SEAFARERS CHARITY DONATIONS
REPORT INCIDENTS IMPROVE SAFETY WITH CHIRP
FISHING BEWARE OF WHAT YOU CATCH!
CREW WATCH | SEPTEMBER 2021

THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF CREW ARE ALWAYS

IMPORTANT, AND NEVER MORE SO THAN IN THESE
DIFFICULT TIMES. AT BRITANNIA WE CONTINUE TO WORK
TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF ALL ON BOARD AND IN THIS
EDITION WE HIGHLIGHT THE DANGERS OF WORKING AT
HEIGHT AND ENCLOSE A POSTER TO DISPLAY ON BOARD.
WE ARE ALSO PLEASED TO HIGHLIGHT THE VALUABLE
CONTRIBUTION OF CHARITIES WHO ARE WORKING HARD
TO SUPPORT SEAFARERS AROUND THE WORLD.

CLAIRE MYATT
Editor

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS ISSUE OF CREW WATCH. We are looking for ways
to maintain and increase the usefulness, relevance and general interest of the
articles. If you have any ideas or comments please send them to:
britanniacommunications@tindallriley.com
 |1

READY FOR
INSPECTION?
Jacob Damgaard
Associate Director,
Loss Prevention
TR(B) Singapore
jdamgaard@tindallriley.com

HOW TO PREPARE FOR AND DEAL WITH A

PORT STATE CONTROL INSPECTION

SINCE THE FIRST PORT STATE CONTROL (PSC) MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WAS SIGNED IN 1982, PSC INSPECTIONS HAVE
BEEN AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR DEALING WITH SUBSTANDARD SHIPS.
THEY ALLOW LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO INVESTIGATE AND CHECK THE
SAFETY STANDARDS AND SEAWORTHINESS OF ANY FOREIGN SHIPS
ARRIVING WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION.
Detention by the PSC authorities can be expensive and can ACCOMPANY Do not let the PSCO walk around the ship
result in delays and loss of hire, so it is important that a ship is alone. Make sure that they are escorted by a senior
ready and prepared for these inspections at all times – and crewmember who can readily assist with any questions the
each member of the crew plays a vital role. PSCO may have.

REPORTING Do not try to hide deficiencies. SOLAS states
that defects must be reported to the local PSC authorities as
well as to the flag state. This is important in order for the ship
to obtain the necessary approvals to operate with a defective
piece of equipment until it can be rectified.
When the inspection is finished, the PSCO presents their
findings to the master. If the master believes that any of the
deficiencies raised by the PSCO are unjustified, they should
tell the PSCO straight away and, if necessary, contact the
owners’ office for support.

HOUSEKEEPING First impressions are important. When

the PSC Officer (PSCO) walks up the gangway they are forming
their first impressions – make sure the ship appears well-
maintained and managed by a competent crew.
PROFESSIONAL The gangway watch should greet the
PSCO and complete boarding formalities efficiently before
escorting them to the master. Everyone should be polite and
never argue with the PSCO during the inspection.
DOCUMENTATION Make sure that all certificates and
records are kept in an organised manner so that they can
easily be retrieved for review during the PSC inspection.
WHEN THE PSCO HAS DISEMBARKED, THE PSC
INSPECTION REPORT SHOULD BE FILED ON
BOARD AND A COPY SUBMITTED TO THE
OWNERS’ OFFICE. FOR EACH DEFICIENCY
IDENTIFIED, A CORRECTIVE ACTION REPORT
SHOULD SET OUT THE ROOT CAUSES IDENTIFIED
AND THE PREVENTIVE ACTIONS IMPLEMENTED
TO AVOID ANY REPEAT OF THE DEFICIENCY.
2 | CREW WATCH | SEPTEMBER 2021

SUPPORTING
OUR
SEAFARERS
 |3

IN RECOGNITION OF THE ExTRA DEmANDS AND WEllNESS AT SEA

Sailors’ Society has been a
PRESSURES FACING THE CREW WHO WORk ON BOARD pioneer in providing a training
OUR mEmBERS’ SHIPS, AND THE CRUCIAl ROlE and support programme that
is recognised as the most
PlAYED BY SEAFARER CHARITIES IN SUPPORTING comprehensive and long-
CREW WElFARE DURING THE PANDEmIC, WE HAVE running in the maritime
industry, combining their 200
RECENTlY mADE DONATIONS TO FOUR CHARITIES: years of maritime welfare
experience with psychological
• INTERNATIONAl SEAFARERS’ WElFARE AND expertise to empower
ASSISTANCE NETWORk (ISWAN) seafarers at all ranks to look
• SAIlORS’ SOCIETY after their own and others’
• STEllA mARIS wellbeing.
• THE mISSION TO SEAFARERS.
The initial programme has
Seafarer health and wellbeing is one of the key pillars of the been running since 2015, is
Britannia BSafe online safety campaign, which aims to support constantly evolving to meet
seafarers through a dedicated website providing best practice the needs of seafarers and is
information and the latest thinking on onboard safety and crew available in different formats,
wellbeing. some for individuals and some
for organisations that want to
THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN BRITANNIA ALSO provide better support for the
SUPPORTS OTHER SPECIFIC SEAFARER CHARITY wellbeing of their crews and
INITIATIVES AS SARA BAADE, CEO, SAILORS’ SOCIETY their families, as well as shore-
EXPLAINED: based staff.
‘Seafaring is one of the most challenging jobs in the world but the
pandemic and resulting crew change crisis have intensified the The Society also offers
stress and mental pressures seafarers face and calls for our help companies a free introduction
have increased. So we’re doubly grateful to Britannia P&I for to seafarer wellbeing through
investing in seafarer mental health and crew care, not only by the Wellness at Sea
signing up to our Wellness at Sea Awareness Campaign but through Awareness Campaign, which
its generous donation towards our wider Wellness at Sea can be rolled out to crews over
programme’. 27 weeks. It has recently
expanded this programme to
ANDREW WRIGHT, GENERAL SECRETARY, THE include seafarers’ families and
MISSION TO SEAFARERS, OUTLINED: shore staff, extending support
‘The Mission to Seafarers is hugely grateful for this donation from to them and helping them to
long-term supporters Britannia P&I. This donation will deliver understand each other better.
measurable impact on the mental wellbeing of seafarers who
continue to face enormous challenges at sea whilst keeping global Britannia has been supporting
supply chains open’. the work of Sailors’ Society for
many years and has been
MARTIN FOLEY, CEO, STELLA MARIS ADDED: supporting its Wellness at Sea
‘Stella Maris’ global seafarer support network of 1,000 ship-visiting awareness campaign by
volunteers and chaplains visits hundreds of Britannia Members’ promoting it to our Members
vessels annually to assist and support their crews. Britannia’s as part of our BSafe campaign.
consistent support over the years enables our support for seafarers For more information visit the
to grow as the demands and pressures on them increase’. Sailors’ Society website.

SIMON GRAINGE, CEO, ISWAN: www.sailors-

‘We are incredibly grateful to Britannia for their support at this society.org/wellness-at-sea-
critical time for seafarers. This donation will enable us to provide home
further help and support to seafarers and their families in need
around the world’.
4 | CREW WATCH | SEPTEMBER 2021

REPORT INCIDENTS –
ImPROVE SAFETY
HOW CHIRP CAN HELP RAISE
AWARENESS OF SAFETY ISSUES

THE CONFIDENTIAl HAzARDOUS INCIDENT REPORTING PROGRAmmE (CHIRP)

REVIEWS AND INVESTIGATES REPORTS OF HAzARDOUS INCIDENTS AND NEAR
mISSES BY PROVIDING AN INDEPENDENT AND CONFIDENTIAl REPORTING SYSTEm.
IT IS UNIqUE AS CHIRP RECEIVES REPORTS DIRECTlY FROm THE mARINER –
WITH COmPlETE CONFIDENTIAlITY GUARANTEED.
ONCE A REPORT IS RECEIVED, IT IS CHECKED FOR ACCURACY AND ANY MALICIOUS
REPORTS ARE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED. CHIRP THEN ENGAGES WITH THE RELEVANT
PARTIES TO IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE INCIDENT AND HIGHLIGHT THEIR
FINDINGS IN THEIR PUBLICATIONS. BRITANNIA SPONSORS THE
MARITIME

TRANSLATION OF THEIR MAGAZINE MARITIME FEEDBACK INTO Issue 63

June 2021

An independen

SUBMIT A
TAGALOG FOR DISTRIBUTION TO FILIPINO SEAFARERS.
REPORT
t and confid

s protects the
ential repor

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ting system

ONLINE
Reports can
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our
be submitted
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me industry

easily
ted online
form
ubmit-a-rep
BY EMAIL
You can send

ort/ your
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us a report
by emailing
, we will alway
s protect
CHIRP direct reports@chirp.co.uk

CHIRP alway personal aritime.org/s

ers. We only keep to www.chirpm iation
our report need nce Assoc
long as we Ship Insura g Filipino.
details for as The Britannia Steam sa wikan
amat sa FEED BACK
na nagpapasal ng Maritime
Kami ay lubos sa pagsasalin
ng suporta
Ltd sa kanila

…
The CHIRP

It took on
Capt. Jeff
editorial

Parfitt
e)
ly Minutes sa engine
panahon na
patungkol
ulat patung
barko, at isang sa masamang
issues
kumukwestiy
sa pamum
komunikasyo kumpanya.
spare parts
ng
uno,
n at polisiy
kol

on

a sa
CONTACT CHIRP IF YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY SAFETY BREACHES,
Director (Maritim
ang
din namin
Tinalakay patungkol

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, BULLYING OR

na paksa
sa aming mahihirap vessels na
ng tampok sa recreational sa fishing
Ang larawa tic
ay isang drama may kinalam
an
g ng
Cover page na saalang-alan
motor yacht gear, pagsa
shot ng isang operation
kapag
Bagama’t walang unmooring on
nasusunog. , lagay ng panah
ong pinsala masama ang
naging seryos san ship-to-ship
tikong karana kasunod ng huli ay
naging trauma taong sa mga ulat nitong
dalawang atulong ito transfer. Ang mahahalagang
ito para sa on na iyon. at makak ang
nakasakay
sa panah kung saan na malaman naglalaman
ng

HEALTH CONCERNS.
estado na sa
insidente ay
hindi
o sa isang
imbestigador patungkol
Ang ulat ng sa CHIRP te ay nangyari. Ito ong nangy
ari.
a ay impormasyon ibang uri ng
eksakt iba’t
pangkaraniw
an para ang insiden ment na ang an ng sistem elasticity at
base Ang kahina
kadahilanang ay isang require report ay requirement mooring ropes. namin
Maritime sa gation gation ito, hindi naging din
ito sa accide
nt investi mga investi matuto investigation Natutuhan na
na sa ulat mula IMO upang
mailagak sa ganitong ulat ay na ang mga o, kol sa crew
report imbes wal. Ang ulat ay mai-sapublik ang patung
magpanatili
ng
sa isang indibidng maraming mula dito. Ang na gamitin upang report sa administrasyon sinubukang at
hindi nilalay
on at ilan as ito. Sa log sa dagat
ay naglalaman lesson subalit, ang mga taong s isang speed
parusahan ay hindi nilalab isa itong ha sa isang
valuable safety ito’y tumatayo kungdi bagku
n, nauwi sa pagba aming pilot’s
aming opinyo
dagdag pa
dito, nasasangkot; g paraan ng . Hinihimok cofferdam.
Ang
o kung papaa
no pagkakamali na on sa engine
bilang model ay upang magin s. lahat ng partido nt corner ay nakatu at
igahan ang ng safety lesson na namin ang g may arrival
nararapat imbest te. Ang mga pagkatuto
ay kadalasan ang lahat ng accide issues haban Ito
Ang mga ulat ilathala
report upang manoeuvres.
ganitong insiden publiko hangg
a’t departure
dahil sa mga investigation mga safety anteng
crew ay pinuri , samantalang hindi isinasa court cases han ang ng ay iba-iba at interes mat kami
mga matutu pasala
wastong aksyon pagkakamali ang lahat ng ito magkaroon edisyon. Nagpa reporters sa
ay natapos
upang hindi lesson at upang na ang mga
ang kanilan
g mga madawit ang ng tiyansa sa lahat ng sumikap na
upang matuto magamit upang kot, na mas malaki nte
ay tinukoy has na akside kanilang pagsu kaligtasan ng
dito. Ang mga taong
kasang mga kapare hinaharap. usay ang
tayo mula paraan upang san sa mapah
ng ay maiwa
a nito ay dapat siyang matino mga saksi dako ng barko.
bawat isa sa sa muli, mag-

All NOTIFICATIONS ARE HANDlED IN TOTAl CONFIDENCE.

nangangasiw pagsa- ang Sa iba pang
sa matiyak na ay mayroon Hanggang
purihin dahil s sa a ng buong edisyong ito maihatid kayo
ng safety lesson ay makapagsalit at hindi abahalang ingat at nawa’y mula sa lahat
sapubliko kaming nakak
ing panahon. katapatan,
malaya
isang barko
na
ng ligtas pauwi ayag.
lalong madal ong sa kaparusahan.ong account ng ang
Ang mga seryos sang mahaharap pagtakpan ng inyong
paglal
paraan, mayro sinubukang sa
kadala Sa ganitong na ang ng Covid-19
insidente ay ng tiyansa pagkakaroon
n ng mga mas malaki ng totoo
iniimbestigaha nangangasiwa ay magsabi
sablen g mga saksi
respon g nasasangkot,
para sa barkon

WWW.CHIRPmARITImE.ORG
 |5

EATING FISH CAUGHT OVER THE SIDE

CAN BE DANGEROUS

CREW EATING FISH THAT THEY HAVE

CAUGHT THEMSELVES CAN HAVE VERY
SERIOUS HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.
IT CAN ALSO LEAD TO DELAYS AND
COSTLY CLAIMS FOR THE SHIPOWNER.
Recently, 16 crew (including the master) fell ill Luckily, this time the symptoms were less severe,
after eating barracuda caught over the side. They although the crew still needed to be treated in
had ciguatera, a type of poisoning common in hospital. They were fortunate that they were in
large reef fish like barracuda, caused by toxins in port and were quickly taken to the local hospital
plankton that they eat. emergency room. Afterwards local authorities
came on board to carry out a full investigation.
It cannot be detected by smell or taste and is not
destroyed by cooking.

In a previous case, affected crew were very

seriously ill and were treated in intensive care –
ow.ly/PoK030rRn2F

FISHING OFF THE SIDE MAY SEEM HARMLESS BUT THESE INCIDENTS REMIND US THAT EATING
SUCH FISH CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
YOU MAY THINK YOU KNOW THE TYPE OF FISH YOU ARE CATCHING BUT LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS
CAN PRESENT PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WHICH CAN MAKE THE FISH POISONOUS TO EAT.
WE ARE
CONTINUING WITH
OUR SERIES OF PRACTICAL SAFETY
BSAFE POSTERS
AND IN THIS ALWAYS WEAR A SUITABLE
EDITION OF CREW
WATCH WE
ENCLOSE A
LIFELINE. IT COULD SAVE
POSTER WARNING
OF THE DANGERS
YOUR LIFE.
OF WORKING AT
HEIGHT WITHOUT
USING THE
APPROPRIATE PPE.

GUIDANCE ON WORKING FROM HEIGHTS

britanniapandi.com/topic/heights BRITANNIA P&I

WE HAVE RECENTLY PUBLISHED TWO BSAFE CASE STUDIES IN WHICH CREW MEMBERS HAVE
SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND, IN ONE TRAGIC CASE, THE CREW MEMBER LOST HIS LIFE.
In one case an AB made a decision to carry out some repairs to a lifeboat. He used a portable ladder to climb
the 4.8m from the deck. The ladder was held by a bosun who was unable to steady the ladder when it slipped
and the AB fell to the deck. The AB was not wearing a harness or a helmet and tragically lost his life.
ow.ly/YFr830rRn2Q
The second case involved two crew members who were working on a temporary scaffolding tower while
carrying out maintenance on a hold. The scaffolding tower was moved while the crew members remained on it.
Neither of them was wearing a safety harness or using safety lines. The tower fell over and both crew
members fell to the deck, sustaining serious injuries that required many weeks of hospital treatment.
ow.ly/fk5z30rRn3f

MANAGERS: THE BRITANNIA STEAM SHIP INSURANCE ASSOCIATION EUROPE UK BRANCH

TINDALL RILEY EUROPE SÀRL
Registered Office:
42 – 44 avenue de la Gare, L-1610 Luxembourg.
AGENTS FOR THE MANAGERS:
TINDALL RILEY (BRITANNIA) LIMITED
Regis House, 45 King William Street, London EC4R 9AN.
T: +44 (0) 20 7407 3588 | F: +44 (0) 20 7403 3942
Deemed authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Subject to regulation by the
Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority.
The Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Europe is incorporated in Luxembourg and
registered as a mutual association (No.B230379). Authorised by the Luxembourg Minister of
Finance and regulated by the Commissariat aux Assurances.
britanniapandi.com