Technical Articles

Jul 20 2005

DRI BY ANY OTHER NAME

Operators of bulk fleets will be aware of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) and of the appropriate precautions that must be taken to ensure its safe carriage by sea. However, we are aware of a number of shippers who are offering a material for bulk shipment that is clearly a DRI product, but is claimed to be safe for bulk carriage by sea without the usual precautions. However, we are also aware of two explosions, and a potential explosion, in the past year that have occurred on vessels that were carrying this cargo.

Jul 20 2005

MARINE COLLISIONS AND THE FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF PAINT SAMPLES

There are instances where a vessel is alleged to have collided with a fixed or moving object and where the witness evidence, or lack of it, requires support by an examination of the physical evidence. In such cases the physical evidence most often relied upon is that provided by a comparison of paint samples taken from the vessel and the object with which it is alleged to have collided. As forensic chemists many of our consultants have a detailed knowledge of paint comparisons including their chemical analysis, largely through dealing with vehicle accident work for the police, such as in pedestrian hit-and-run cases.

The experts in forensic investigation