The MBI concluded that the primary cause of the casualty was the decision to navigate El Faro too close to the path of Hurricane Joaquin. As the MBI expanded the investigation to explore other contributing factors, it uncovered evidence of an ineffective safety management system within the operating company, and failures by both the Coast Guard delegated representative and the Coast Guard itself to provide effective oversight of the vessel’s compliance with safety regulations.
9/26/2017: Marine Safety Alert 09-17 Leaky Lifejacket Lights
The Coast Guard recently received a safety bulletin from Cruise Lines International Association that reported problems with lifejacket lights. The bulletin relates to Alcares water activated flashing lifejacket light, models Jack A1-ALK and Jack ARH-ALK.
9/22/2017: What happens to Coast Guard Type Approval when a manufacturer goes out of business?
All equipment manufactured during the validity of the type approval certificate remains “Approved” as long as it is manufactured, installed, and operated according to the terms of the type approval certificate. This post provides information about how the transfer of ownership or system alteration impacts the certificate’s validity.
9/5/2017: Rear Adm. John Nadeau, assistant commandant for prevention, gives keynote at International Safety @ Sea Conference
Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy Rear Adm. John Nadeau recently spoke at the International Safety @ Sea Conference in Singapore, organized by the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore. The conference was convened to share best practices for safety at sea and included over 250 international maritime professionals. Nadeau’s keynote address August 22 kicked off a week of activity that included the inaugural ‘Community of Practice’ Forum, where 23 different maritime administrations, classification societies and NGOs focused on the topic of ferry safety.
7/6/2017: New IMO Life Safety Performance Criteria Guidelines
The International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee recently approved the Guidelines for the Selection of Life Safety Performance Criteria for use in Alternative Design and Arrangements for Fire Safety.
6/6/2017: Safety alert 06-17 Fuel Spray Fire – Déjà Vu
The Office of Investigations and Analysis issued Safety Alert 06-17 to warn mariners of the risks associated with fuel spray. This safety alert addresses yet another fuel spray fire onboard a commercial […]
6/5/2017: How are we doing?
We want to hear from you if Maritime Commons is meeting your expectations and bringing you all the relevant Coast Guard information you need. Use the ‘submit ideas’ tab on the right or post in comment section.
5/2/2017: US-Canadian personal flotation device task group meeting recap
This post provides a brief recap of a UL Standards Technical Panel task group meeting held in April at Coast Guard Headquarters to address safety standards for personal flotation devices aboard commercial vessels.
3/28/17: Safety alert – Failure to follow stove/oven installation instructions
The Coast Guard issued Marine Safety Alert 02-17 to inform those that may lease and occupy portable accommodation modules on board fixed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) platforms. A recent Coast Guard investigation into a fire onboard one of these platforms revealed the manufacturer of the module (a combination galley and mess deck) had improperly installed a commercial grade electric stove. As a result, the Coast Guard strongly recommends that owners and operators having similar portable accommodations ensure that all commercial grade stoves and ovens are installed with the proper clearances to prevent ignition of combustible materials.
