Working with heavy engineering equipment, high-value vessels and unpredictable weather conditions, organisations across the marine industry are particularly familiar with the dangers of injury, property damage and even death. It might not be the most exciting task, but pre-empting potential disasters by carrying out regular risk assessments – and adapting your insurance to cover everything found during the review –  is crucial to ensuring the safety of your employees, crew, customers and anybody else your business comes into contact with. Following a recent spate of preventable Health and Safety incidents hitting the headlines, across multiple industries, Safeguard looks at how prioritising Risk Assessments and insurance could save your business – and even a life.

1. Volvo Ocean Race yachtsman lost at sea Crewmember John Fisher fell overboard from Team Sun Hung Kai’s yacht during March 2018’s Volvo Ocean Race, a round-the-world yacht race in the Southern Ocean. During the team’s debrief they explained how just before sunrise yacht SHK/Scallywag surfed down a large wave which lead to an accidental crash gybe.Southampton-born Mr Fisher was in the cockpit, and had unclipped his tether to move forward to tidy up a sheet. Although he was wearing a survival suit and appropriate safety gear, he was knocked off the boat by the mainsheet system. A search and rescue operation was carried out to no avail, and Mr Fisher is presumed lost at sea.

Though tragic, it is clear that human error contributed to this incident. Insurers would consider this ‘contributory negligence’ when settling a claim.

2. Mother killed by pallet of bricks falling from building site A building site accident in March 2018 left a young mother critically injured at the scene, before dying in hospital two days later. Michaela Boor, 29, had been walking down a street in Mile End, east London when a palette of bricks fell 70ft from a crane above the street. It has been reported that no staff were present.

Higgins Homes, which is constructing the luxury flat development, said they were working with the Health and Safety Executive as they carry out a probe. A HSE spokesman said, “Inspectors have attended the site and are making ongoing enquiries in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police to investigate the circumstances of the incident.” The construction firm will likely stand accused of negligence if its workers failed to appropriately secure the palette and check apparatus.

3. Oyster Yachts go into administration after 2015 sinking Hoveton boat builder Oyster Yachts went into administration in February 2018 after the company announced it had insufficient funding to continue trading - despite an £80m order book. Administrators will now sell off Oyster’s brand name, technical designs, build manuals and moulds plus IT hardware, plant and machinery.

The company’s troubles stem from the financial impact of the Polina Star III, an Oyster yacht which lost her keel and sank off the coast of Spain in 2015. Structural problems were identified, leaving the company at fault. However, a failure of insurance – caused by incorrect insurance placement – left the business exposed to cover legal and compensation costs themselves. The total cost of the claim, administration and knock-on disruption to production resulted in expenses of £5.882m. As well as the terrible devastation caused by an accidental loss of life, major incidents at sea and on work-sites can also leave your business liable, with huge financial implications. Alongside helping you to develop incident-reducing processes, meticulous Risk Assessments can also be used to identify potential problem areas of your business or project, and ensure any issues found are specifically catered for in your tailored Marine Insurance package. A Silent Review of your current insurance arrangements can help your business avoid these incidents. Contact Safeguard Insurance to arrange your Silent Review. Specialists in all aspects of Marine Insurance since 1970, Safeguard’s expert brokers use their extensive experience to recommend an insurance solution which understands the exact risks your business faces and provides corresponding support. Get in touch on 01322 337557.

We already see examples of automated technology throughout society – from manufacturing assembly lines to Amazon Alexa adding items to our shopping lists. But new advances in autonomous port technology and commercial ship design have the potential to impact supply chains, operating costs and employee safety around the world. Automated port systems What are they? Robotic technology is used to automate certain port business processes, such as loading and unloading ships, inspecting and stacking containers and operating gates, reducing or eliminating the need for human intervention. Are they operational yet? Yes, in part - the introduction of autonomous tech is likely to be incremental, as new functions are developed and equipment is replaced. The container cranes at Maasvlakte 2 in the Port of Rotterdam are unmanned and practically fully automated – almost every part of the process of unloading containers is handled by software. What are the benefits? Automating the flow of goods through ports will speed up the process - and in turn the entire shipping supply chain. There will also be a cost benefit, as more goods can be processed. What are the drawbacks? Computerisation should reduce or remove human error, but sceptics suggest it might make way for other problems – such as digital errors which could cause physical harm. Increasing reliance on tech could also open ports up to cyber criminals, hacking for data, ransom or control of ports. There may also be less need for staff, although a substantial amount of employees will need to be retrained to maintain new equipment and processes. Autonomous ships What are they? Autonomous vessels are entirely unmanned, or launch with a small crew before becoming self-piloting. Computer software takes care of navigation, while onboard systems monitor and manage systems. Are they operational yet? Plenty of companies are developing models, but the first ships are expected to set sail very soon. 2018 will see the launch of the Yara Birkeland, a crewless 100-150 container capacity ship, which will initially deliver fertiliser along a 37-mile route in Southern Norway. Japan’s largest shipping container company NYK Line is planning to test a remote control vessel across the Pacific Ocean in 2019, while Rolls Royce has presented a vision of land-based control centres from which it would remotely monitor and control a fleet of unmanned cargo ships. What are the benefits? Automating on-board operations saves time and money, while reducing off-shore crew will naturally result in fewer injuries and accidents. Crew would still be able to monitor systems and control ships from shore using communications technology, while Artificial Intelligence (AI) also allows computer systems to learn as they go. What happens if there’s a problem? On-board incidents, such as hull damage or a cargo fire, would either be managed by remote control units operated from shore, or crews could travel out to meet the vessel. What are the drawbacks? Loaded with technology, they are expensive to build – the Yara Birkeland will cost approximately $25 million, or three times as much as a conventional ship of a similar size. Increased costs will undoubtedly make autonomous vessels more expensive to insure, especially until their effectiveness, emergency procedures and cargo safety are proven. Regulatory and legal developments will also be necessary to make unmanned ships a reality. For more information on dedicated marine technology insurance, speak to Safeguard’s experts on 08456 888 284.

Here at Safeguard we feel the issue of Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a very important message that needs to be shared to avoid future incidents.  It is important in the event you smell exhaust fumes in the cabin that you evacuate the cabin immediately as this could possibly be a sign of CO poisoning. The early symptoms of CO poisoning are very similar to that of the flu for example, headaches, dizziness, nausea. You can take a few simple steps to avoid CO poisoning such as:

• Properly install and maintain all fuel-burning engines and appliances
• Educating all people on board about the signs and symptoms of CO poisoning
• Never block exhaust outlets. Blocking outlets can cause CO to build up in the cabin and cockpit areas–even when hatches, windows, portholes, and doors are closed.
• Dock, at least 20 feet away from the nearest boat that is running a generator or engine. Exhaust from a nearby vessel can send CO into the cabin and cockpit of a boat.

The tiny yet decidedly glamorous state of Monaco has begun a major land reclamation project which will add 6 hectares, or 15 acres, of valuable land to its mass.

The new Portier Cove eco-neighborhood will be used for high rise apartments and a variety of public facilities. The foundations will take 40 months to complete, and the maritime infrastructure could total €2 billion.

A series of 18 large concrete caissons reinforced with rock armour on the seaward side will enclose the new area, which will then be in-filled to create new land. Initially, any valuable species in the area must be removed and preserved, before the seabed is dredged and prepared to receive the caissons.

The concrete caissons will be precast in a 10,000 square metre workspace the Marseille-Fos Port, as well as a 32,000 square metre area of water where a floating dock will be worked from. A first in France, this 56-metre-long floating dock will make it possible to prefabricate the vital caissons.

The construction will also require substantial deliveries of rock to the site at Monaco, which will be used for the backfill, embankment and ballasting. Approximately 1,560,000 tonnes of materials will be extracted from a quarry at Chateauneuf-les-Martigues.

Playground of the rich and famous, the principality of Monaco currently has a surface area of 485 acres, of which nearly 100 were previously recovered from the sea over the past few decade.