Shipping ever safer, but fires are cause for concern
The number of shipping disasters involving the complete loss of a ship fell to its lowest level ever last year. On the other hand, the growing number of serious fires on container ships is giving...Read more
Alcohol and fatigue lead to vessel grounding
Taking the watch alone at night while being tired is always a very bad idea. Adding alcohol into the mix is even worse. A recent Mars Report tells of a ship’s master who did just...Read more
Tug grounds after officer of the watch falls asleep
Even when you comply with the rules, fatigue can still jeopardise safe operations on board a ship. In a recent Mars Report, the officer of the watch fell asleep due to fatigue resulting in his...Read more
Videos – Stellar Banner becomes largest ship to be sunk deliberately
The ore carrier Stellar Banner has been sunk off the coast of Brazil. It is the largest ship ever to which this has been done on purpose. The South Korean owner, Polaris Shipping, decided not to...Read moreHave your anchors at the ready when navigating restricted waters
Anchors can do more than simply keep a ship in place. In a recent Mars Report a tanker used its anchors as an emergency brake and managed to prevent grounding. The Mars reports are compiled (anonymously)...Read more
Blindly following the pilot leads to vessel grounding
Dare to challenge the pilot if there is a divergence from the planned route and always use your electronic navigation. A recent Mars Report in which a container ship grounded shows just why. The Mars reports...Read more
Officer of the watch alone at night results in grounding
Sailing in restricted waters in darkness requires close attention to navigation, even if visibility is good. A recent Mars Report describes a small tug grounding and subsequently sinking because the officer of the watch was...Read more
Quick action helps avoid vessel grounding
Quick and effective action in an urgent situation is often possible when the crew are thoroughly familiar with their ship. This was the lesson learned from a recent Mars Report in which a crew managed...Read more
Unacceptable Practices Lead to Grounding
Performing other tasks than navigation during the watch, fatigue and alcohol all contributed to a car carrier grounding. To top it off, the Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm System was not functioning. The result: a total...Read more