Things you Should Know to Start a Maritime Business

If you are planning to start a business that involves seaports and shipping, you are mandated to know some maritime laws. Such a law deals with the behavior of a government or regulatory body on the open water. For instance, the government of the United States has control of sea areas around the country. The authority implements certain rules and policies so that people will follow guidelines when performing their personal or commercial activities. When you are ready to initiate your new venture, get a copy of the Code of Federal Regulations from maritime goods suppliers.

Understanding ship management

Big maritime companies employ professionals from different sectors to run their business operations. Such companies need to arrange their equipment and resource in proper places. To get their job done, they need to hire another service that deals with managing ships. These companies use ships of other companies or independent owners to operate their tasks. They will handle the transaction process of import and export activities. Usually, involving two parties sign a contract for a specified period of time. This may depend on the business seasons that are classified by the condition of the sea. The management company manages and pays the owner of the ship as a part of the deal.

How do ship management companies work?

Most of the ship management companies cover the ship’s services of their clients. This depends on the lease terms between the two parties. The agreement will decide whether the company should provide full management or partial services. 

If you decide to process your maritime business using a ship management company, get used to the Code of Federal Regulations and other federal laws. Your business is obligated to comply with the US code of federal regulations if you sail in the US waters. 

5 Oil Tanker Ship Related Hazards Every Sailor Should Know

It is not a new fact to tell that oil is a major source on which the world runs. Mainly, the oil is transported on ships, which is known as oil tankers, around the world. As these oil tankers carry liquefied cargo in bulk, that has hazardous nature, seafarers have to be extra careful with safety training. Considering the risk involved with oil transportation, ISGOTT (The International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals) is recommended. 

The purpose of the ISGOTT guide is to offer operational advice to seafarers involved in tanker operations directly. In all ISGOTT editions, it is emphasized that the oil tanker’s operator must be ever ready to give information, support, and guidance to the ship in-charge master. Also, terminal management must make sure safe operation practices.

Here we have shared some oil tanker ship related hazards that reflects the importance of ISGOTT:

• Flammable - Cargos that mostly oil tanker ships carry are flammable in nature. Some of them even release gases that may create a combustible mixture made of hydrocarbons. In a flammable mixture, 1-10% is hydrocarbon gas while the rest is air.

• Smoking- Smoking is extremely prohibited in the air as several cases of fire have been recorded in the past. It is essnetial for workers to seafarers to follow all set of instructions and only to smoke at designated or permitted areas.

• Steam - Injected steam into a piping system or compartment that contains a flammable mixture is a strict no. the reason is high-velocity water droplets get charged when passing through the nozzle and produce a charged mist.

• CO2 - The CO2 firefighting system suppresses ignition when you spray CO2 at high velocity over the fire. Due to rapid evaporation, the particles cool down and form solid carbon dioxide, that may get electrostatically charged.

• Mobile Phones - Personal GSM mobile phone or other similar equipment are not allowed as they may cause sparks and give rise to ignition.