The ONE Aquila maiden call at the Port of Long Beach and ITS Terminal (Source POLB)
BY STAS MARGARONIS
Covid-19 prompted Allianz, a global risk consulting group, to produce a report highlighting problems facing ocean-going vessels and crews that can adversely impact the reliable delivery of imports and exports around the world.
In an interview, Captain Andrew Kinsey, an Allianz risk consultant and a former Master with Maersk Line Limited says the report, Safety of Maritime Assets – Tugged By A Pandemic, details problems facing maritime operations during Covid-19.
Kinsey discussed issues raised in the Allianz report:
CREW RELIEF. Kinsey explained: “there have been serious problems with stranded crew members on cargo vessels and cruise ships. You also have mariners on the beach waiting to go back to sea.”
He urged: “shipowners to think outside the box and work together to find hotels in key locations, quarantine the crews for 14 days to make sure they’re clean and then charter flights to change the entire crew and fly the entire disembarking crew back home.” International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations are unevenly enforced with the result that many mariners have been stranded on ships for periods way beyond their regular rotation.
The Allianz report notes: “Travel-restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic (have) made it very difficult to effect crew-change on vessels. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has written to all Member States, urging them to recognize all seafarers as “key workers” and facilitate their travel to and from the vessel. However, due to closed international borders there are limited workable options for crew repatriation and in many cases crews have continued working on board months after their normal tour of duty is completed. These long tours of duty coupled with worry for their families at home is causing physical and mental fatigue among seafarers. It is estimated that 75% to 96% of marine incidents can involve human error and fatigue is one of the major underlying causes. Adjustments in work and rest hours offers effective fatigue management. Incentives in cash or kind will also have a positive impact on the crew wellbeing. Hiring from the pool of locally available seafarers may be an option in some cases that can be further facilitated by cooperation among the crew management companies. “
Kinsey believes that the Covid threats have underscored problems manning vessels that have been made worse by the pandemic. As a result, shipowners may give more serious consideration to ordering autonomous vessels that do not require crew members on board. However, “the technology is not there yet to operate these vessels safely. There is also the security threat. Ships are even now being hijacked by pirates. It may soon be possible for pirates to use drones to attack ships.”
SPARES AND CONSUMABLE REPLACEMENTS “This is also a challenge and complicated by just-in-time inventories that may no longer work when disruptions to the supply chain argue for having more warehousing and relying on more than one vendor,” Kinsey says.
The Allianz report notes: “Disrupted supply chains can cause delays in the forwarding of essential consumables and spares, like lubricating oils, filters and hydraulic oils, necessitating the use of alternative grades/brands in some cases. Incorrect use of such consumables can cause performance issues and even damage to machinery in worst case scenarios. Lack of spares on board can affect maintenance programs for machinery. Replenishment of critical spares can take longer than planned. Every effort should be made to source the designated grade of lubricating oil. Planned maintenance programs should continue unabated as much as possible.”
DELAYS IN SURVEYS, INSPECTIONS AND SERVICING OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. Kinsey says travel disruptions and quarantines are making onboard inspections by organizations, such as the American Bureau of Shipping, more difficult: “We are seeing a move to virtual inspections but such a system will place more of a workload on crew members to open up machinery so that it can be virtually inspected. On the other hand, there was already a problem with hiring enough qualified ship inspectors. The Covid situation makes this situation tougher.”
The Allianz report notes “Classification societies are facing difficulties in arranging attendance for scheduled surveys, which is affecting the validity of classification and statutory certification. The servicing of critical equipment may not take place at the scheduled interval as service engineers and technicians are unable to attend onboard. Shortage of work force and implementation of social distancing measures in the yards is causing operational delays. The risk of infection may lead to reduced inspections by Port State Control Inspectors, which, in turn, may lead to unsafe practices and substandard conditions on board going undetected. The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has acknowledged the issues faced by ship-owners and permitted “force-majeure” extensions provisioned under their procedural requirements. IACS procedural requirements allow sharing of survey resources in exceptional and duly justified cases and is subject to the discretion of flag administration. If the timeline for periodic surveys or dry-dock is extended, related communications with flag-state, class and shipyards, needs to be well documented. Risks arising from delays in the statutory servicing of emergency equipment (e.g. fire-fighting appliances) will require implementation of additional control measures.”
BUNKER ANALYSIS. Kinsey says that disruptions with courier services have caused problems getting fuel analysis from bunker fuel providers. The disruption poses a serious problem, because fuels need to be tested. Impurities can damage engines, require more maintenance and raise the risk of engines losing power at sea. On board testing kits are useful for carrying out preliminary checks.
PILOTAGE SRVICES. The report notes: “There have been reports that port authorities are adopting remote pilotage services to protect the pilots from the risk of infection. Some ship masters have also voiced similar concerns for the protection of their crew when in certain cases the pilot refused to don personal protective equipment. Safe navigation within pilotage waters depends heavily on a good master-pilot relationship and its failure has been the cause of several maritime accidents in the past.”
Kinsey says reducing the risk of infection can be addressed by “keeping pilots outside and have them operate from the bridge wings of vessels. Modern GPS systems can be carried onboard by the pilot so as to direct the ship without going inside the vessel and risking infection to the crew. I think remote piloting is risky. You need a pilot onboard. There are just things that you feel and see when you are underway that you will not catch from remote piloting.”