We take an active role in supporting safe marine operations and engage regularly with stakeholders across the shipping value chain, either independently or through active participation in industry bodies such as the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, among others.
We host annual workshops for LNG carrier owners and operators to convey our expectations regarding safety, security, environmental and operational standards, and we receive feedback from participants on subjects such as maritime security, environmental monitoring and compliance and technological advancements.
In 2020, we identified a safety risk associated with some “sunken mooring bitts,” the attachment points for mooring ropes that connect tugboats to LNG carriers during terminal maneuvering and docking. Our assessment found that sunken bitts with sharp edges could chafe and lead to degradation of the ropes, which could in turn result in severe injuries, fatalities or asset damage. We engaged with industry stakeholders globally to raise awareness of our findings and to help ensure that the risk could be mitigated. As a result, shipyards and ship owners implemented an alternative arrangement and committed to changing the design for new build vessels to provide a “smooth finish” sunken bitt that will not degrade mooring ropes.
