• 2016 May 21 18:18

    LRQA receives Center for Offshore Safety (COS) accreditation

    Leading provider of professional assurance services LRQA recently received accreditation by the Center for Offshore Safety (COS) to conduct safety and environmental management systems (SEMS) audits.  

    This full accreditation enables LRQA to evaluate the effectiveness of SEMS implementation for offshore oil and gas operators, contractors, service providers, manufacturers and suppliers. As an Audit Service Provider (ASP), LRQA is one of only five fully accredited companies that currently meets these COS standards and is the first to achieve this accreditation under the SEMS II requirements.

    The purpose of the SEMS program is to enhance the safety and environmental protection of offshore oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). SEMS was revised in June 2011 to add additional safety requirements to include requiring an audit be led by an independent ASP. The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Information To Lessees on 8 June 2015 requires SEMS audits be performed by a COS accredited ASP.

    LRQA received SEMS accreditation by COS on 3 May 2016, enabling LRQA to become a leading third-party ASP. LRQA had received provisional accreditation on 9 October 2015. To become accredited, LRQA’s first audit of an independent offshore operator was observed by the COS. Accreditation is renewed every three years with annual assessments by COS to ensure all ASP audit programs continue to meet program requirements and expectations.  

    To support the COS mission of promoting continual safety improvement in offshore operations, the COS developed the key requirement of using third-party auditing of companies’ SEMS. The COS was recognized by BSEE in June 2015 to serve as the oil and gas industry Accreditation Body for purposes of qualifying independent, third-party ASPs to perform credible, objective and comprehensive evaluations of operators’ SEMS programs. An effective SEMS program requires a ‘risk management’ approach to managing all aspects of offshore operations. From planning and design to decommissioning, SEMS audits should focus on the implementation and effectiveness of the system all the way down to the task level.

    The information gained from COS member company SEMS audits is shared within the oil and gas industry to continually improve safety and environmental practices and reduce potential incidents in US waters. The company specific information is scrubbed prior to sending to the COS, whom then develops industry metrics to help drive continual improvement.

    Since 1985, LRQA specialises in management systems compliance and expert advice across a broad spectrum of standards, schemes and customised assurance programmes with recognition from more than 50 accreditation bodies around the world. In addition to the energy industry, LRQA operates in all of the world’s main sectors.  

    As a separate business stream, LR Energy will continue to provide its expertise in offshore safety and regulations to help companies with their training and consultation services for SEMS. Additional information about those courses and training are available on this website under LR Energy.   

    BSEE requires SEMS audits for OCS operators or lessees every three years by a certified ASP. In addition, many operators and OCS lessees are now starting to request their contractors have certified SEMS audits.


2024 March 29

18:00 SLB announces agreement to acquire majority ownership in Aker Carbon Capture
17:14 “K” Line and Nippon Gas Line establish a marketing company to provide liquefied CO2 transportation services for carbon capture and storage projects
16:47 VTTI and IKAV enter agreement to purchase majority ownership of Adriatic LNG, Italy
16:25 Mitsubishi Shipbuilding receives order from the University of Tokyo for "MiPoLin" power prediction and lines selection system
15:41 Wan Hai Lines holds naming ceremony for 13,100TEU newbuilding “WAN HAI A15”
15:10 MOL announces restructuring measures
14:45 Drewry predicts impact on container calls at US East Coast ports after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
14:25 Chevron’s first hybrid electric fueling barge arrives in Singapore
13:40 HD KSOE and Infineon sign MoU to develop ship electrification technology
13:29 NYK and JMU formulate method for evaluating ship performance in actual seas
12:59 HD Hyundai wins US$463 mln warship order in Peru
12:09 COSCO SHIPPING Ports throughput up by 4.4% YoY to 135,808,554 TEU in 2023
11:46 The "Ane Maersk" calls at the Eurogate container terminal in Hamburg for the first time on its maiden voyage from Asia to Europe
11:20 Sallaum Lines and Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding commence construction of Ocean Class vessels
10:43 Oasis Marine develops solutions for offshore hydrogen bunkering
10:03 Petrofac secures contract extension with ONEgas West in the UK market

2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels