IMO Member States Must Progress on Key Sulphur Cap Issues at Critical Meeting in July

18th June 201818th June 2018Debra Massey

The shipping industry – as represented by its international trade associations (BIMCO, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and WSC) – calls on the Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to make progress on key challenges around the global sulphur cap to avoid compromising safety or unfairly penalising individual ships.

The trade associations have co-sponsored a number of submissions to IMO to help smooth the implementation of the global 0.5 percent sulphur in fuel cap, in advance of the critical meeting that will be held in London during the second week of July.

These submissions include papers on:

a standard format for a ship specific implementation plan with many actions ships may need to consider for achieving compliance but also a call for a practical and pragmatic approach from IMO Member States when verifying compliance with the 0.50% global sulphur cap;
safety implications associated with 2020 fuels and their respective challenges;
a draft standard for reporting on fuel oil non-availability;
proposals for amendments to MARPOL Annex VI to require sampling points for fuel oil; and
verification issues and control mechanism and actions.

Shipping Industry Very Concerned About Italian Policy on Migrants Rescued at Sea

12th June 2018Debra Massey

ICS is deeply concerned about the apparent new policy of the Italian Government to close its ports to migrants rescued by vessels operated by humanitarian NGOs. The refusal by Italy to allow rescued persons to be disembarked could have serious implications for the safety and welfare of these distressed people, including children and pregnant women.

To its great credit, the government of Italy has consistently permitted prompt and predictable disembarkation of people rescued by merchant ships as well as by vessels operated by humanitarian NGOs. But following the election of the new Italian Government, the crisis now seems to be taking an ever more political direction.

If NGO vessels are prevented from disembarking rescued persons in Italy, this would also have significant implications for merchant ships and the movement of trade throughout the Mediterranean, as merchant ships would again have to become involved in a greater number of rescues.

The global shipping industry, as represented by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), is committed to meeting its obligations under the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) to come to the rescue of any person in distress at sea. Since the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean escalated three years ago, over 50,000 people have already been rescued by merchant ships, with many more rescued by military vessels and boats operated by humanitarian NGOs.

Cargo Care’s New Cargo Pump Service Programme Provides Peace of Mind for Vessel Operators

5th June 2018Debra Massey

Responding to the needs of shipowners and operators, Cargo Care Solutions has developed an integrated, total service programme for cargo pumps, providing cost-effective peace of mind for vessel operators.

Engineers working for the company, which already services and repairs cargo and hatch equipment, devised the new service after recognising the need for more third-party support in the planned maintenance of cargo pumps.

The new service will be officially launched this week during Posidonia and experts from Cargo Care Solutions will be available on the company’s trade stand to discuss clients’ requirements.

Peter Peltenburg, CEO, said: “As an independent and all‐round supplier for all types and brands of maritime cargo access equipment, we are ideally placed to extend our first-class service to cargo and ballast pumps. In addition, our engineers have an extensive experience in cargo and ballast pump servicing and maintenance.

ICS Applauds ‘Paris Agreement for Shipping’

18th April 2018Debra Massey

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has welcomed the high level strategy for the further reduction of shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, adopted on 13 April by the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO).

ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe said: “This is a ground breaking agreement – a Paris Agreement for shipping – that sets a very high level of ambition for the future reduction of CO2 emissions. We are confident this will give the shipping industry the clear signal it needs to get on with the job of developing zero CO2 fuels, so that the entire sector will be in a position to decarbonise completely, consistent with the 1.5 degree climate change goal.”

He added: “The agreed IMO objective of cutting the sector’s total GHG emissions by at least 50% before 2050, as part of a continuing pathway for further reduction, is very ambitious indeed, especially when account is taken of current projections for trade growth as the world’s population and levels of prosperity continue to increase.” Read more →

Stena Line Joins with The Swedish Club to Test Emergency Plans

15th March 2018Debra Massey

The Swedish Club and Stena Line have completed a major Emergency Response Training Exercise, designed test how Stena’s own comprehensive emergency procedures integrate with those of the authorities and support services in the event of a major incident.

The round table exercise took place last week at the Swedish Sea Rescue Society headquarters, with over sixty expert contributors taking part. The drill, jointly planned and conducted by the Club and the Swedish Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), tested the levels of cooperation required between the resources and authorities that would be at the centre of a mass evacuation from a passenger ferry in the Gothenburg area.

The Stena Line team was headed by Bjarne Koitrand, Technical Operations Director, Jörgen Lorén, Director and Senior Master, and Jesper Waltersson, Press and Media Relations Manager. Read more →

ICS Publishes Latest Flag State Performance Table with New Criteria Included

15th March 2018Debra Massey

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has published the latest version of its Flag State Performance Table, which can be downloaded free of charge via the ICS website. http://www.ics-shipping.org/free-resources/flag-state-performance-table.

The Table provides a helpful indication of the performance of individual flag states worldwide, which analyses how the administrations included deliver against a number of criteria such as port state control records, ratification of international maritime Conventions and attendance at IMO meetings. This year, a new criteria on participation in the ‘IMO Member State Audit Scheme’ has been included.

ICS Deputy Secretary General, Simon Bennett, remarked: “Following the entry into force of amendments to the relevant IMO Conventions, the IMO Member State Audit Scheme has become mandatory. This is a significant development that should make further contributions to improving maritime safety and the prevention of pollution.”

He added, “ICS also recently released a new interactive version of the Table, which contains a search facility and allows users to compare and contrast the performance of up to four flag states at a time”.

The 2017/2018 Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table is currently being distributed among ICS national shipowners’ associations and their member companies, which cover over 80% of the world merchant fleet.

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KVH Media Advisory: How HTS Technology and Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) are Changing Maritime SATCOM

15th March 2018Debra Massey

Speakers from KVH and Intelsat present the advantages of HTS technology and Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) at the CMA conference in Stamford, CT

Ryan Smith from KVH and Dan Lesmez from Intelsat teamed up at CMA Shipping 2018, the annual conference of the Connecticut Maritime Association, yesterday to explain how ship owners, operators, and managers can take advantage of the commercial benefits gained from switching to High Throughput Satellite (HTS) technology by using Connectivity as a Service (CaaS).

Mr. Smith described a subscription-based plan for Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) called AgilePlans, which KVH pioneered. “The benefits of connectivity enable ships to operate more efficiently and provide a higher level of crew welfare, said Mr. Smith. “KVH’s all-inclusive CaaS offering for the maritime industry provides an advanced satellite communications solution without a costly capital expenditure or long-term commitment,” he continued. “Vessel owners and operators can enjoy a complete package including hardware, connectivity, installation at selected ports, entertainment and training content, and global support.” Read more →

ICS Appoints Guy Platten as New Secretary General

13th February 2018Debra Massey

Following an extensive and rigorous selection procedure, the Board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is delighted to announce the appointment of Guy Platten to the role of Secretary General.

Esben Poulsson, ICS Chairman said: “This proved a difficult decision for us, as we interviewed several strong candidates. However, the decision to appoint Guy was taken unanimously by the Board. He will bring with him a broad range of skills including time at sea, demonstrable commercial success, and association work illustrated by his current successful tenure at the U.K. Chamber of Shipping.

“In a fast changing world, ICS, like any successful association, needs to be more aware than ever of the needs and demands of its members and to truly add value, be it on the regulatory front or in respect of the numerous other challenges facing the industry. ICS is the industry’s leading voice, with the important remit of highlighting the great improvements the industry has made and will continue to make as a key contributor to world trade.”

Yemen Conflict Forces New Security Recommendations

26th January 2018Debra Massey

In response to the threats arising from the conflict in Yemen, BIMCO, ICS and INTERTANKO have published interim guidance on maritime security in the southern Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb. Shipowners and operators should be aware of new threat patterns in the area.

The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have advised that a range of threats other than piracy, such as sea mines and water-borne improvised explosive devices (WBIEDs), are potential risks in the area.

“We’ve been advised that these threats are real, and therefore decided to provide guidance for ships operating in the area. We have seen two incidents in January, and we want to make sure owners and operators are aware and advise their crews accordingly,” says Angus Frew, BIMCO Secretary General and CEO. Read more →

Majority of Auxiliary Engine Damage Occurs Due to Human Error Warns The Swedish Club

8th January 2018Debra Massey

An investigation by The Swedish Club into auxiliary engine damage has revealed that the majority of all damage takes place immediately after maintenance work. A key finding is that 55% of casualties occur within only 10% of the time between overhaul (TBO), corresponding to the first 1,000 hours or so of operation after overhaul. In most cases the damage occurs only a few hours after start up.

The report, Auxiliary Engine Damage, also finds that container vessels have a significantly higher claims frequency due to the larger number of installed engines on these vessels. In addition these engines have considerable output, leading to higher repair costs compared with other vessels.

Auxiliary Engine Damage, the latest report from The Swedish Club, has been created in response to the Club’s members’ concerns over damage to auxiliary engines – a significant segment of machinery claims, both in number and in cost.

ICS Chairman Commends China’s Positive Engagement with IMO

5th December 2017Debra Massey

In his keynote speech to the Marintec conference in Shanghai today, Mr Poulsson welcomed China’s close adherence to the implementation of national maritime regulations, applicable to visiting foreign-flag ships, in a manner consistent with the international maritime safety and pollution prevention Conventions adopted by IMO.

He said that China generally avoided the tendency – unfortunately displayed by some other IMO Member States – towards adopting unilateral shipping regulations at variance to rules agreed internationally.

EU Member States, for example, despite what were understood to be undertakings to the contrary, appear to be pressing ahead with the implementation of a regional CO2 data collection system for ships (including visiting non-EU flag ships) which is very different to that agreed by IMO for global application.

The Swedish Club Celebrates 35 Years in Hong Kong

17th November 2017Debra Massey

The Swedish Club has celebrated the 35th Anniversary of its office in Hong Kong. Since the office was established, the Club has seen steady and consistent growth in its business in the area – both in terms of its full service product offerings and the tonnage insured.

The Swedish Club is also pleased to announce that Brian Png has been promoted to Deputy Managing Director for The Swedish Club in Hong Kong, as of 1 January 2018. Brian is well known to the Asian shipping community and joined The Swedish Club in 2009.

Lars Rhodin, Managing Director of The Swedish Club said: “When we established The Swedish Club in Hong Kong in 1982 we saw a great opportunity to establish a foothold in Asia. At that time Hong Kong had one of the busiest container ports in the world with sophisticated communications and an advanced banking infrastructure.

ICS encouraged by EU faith in UN IMO to further reduce shipping’s carbon emissions

9th November 2017Debra Massey

Speaking from the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, ICS Director of Policy, Simon Bennett, has commented on the provisional decision by the European Union not to include shipping within the full scope of the regional EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

“We think that this demonstrates confidence within the EU institutions in the current progress being made at the UN IMO to develop an ambitious strategy that will deliver additional CO2 reduction measures, consistent with the shipping industry’s own vision of zero emissions, as soon as possible.”

Mr Bennett added: “We understand that the date which the EU has agreed for when the European Commission will next closely examine the progress that has been made globally is consistent with those time lines agreed by all IMO Member States.”

ICS – the global trade association for shipowners – believes the decision also shows a welcome recognition within the EU, including the European Commission, that ETS, is an inappropriate tool for application to an industry like shipping. This is because of the huge risk of creating serious market distortions and the administrative challenge of incorporating tens of thousands of ships operated by thousands of SMEs into a discredited system which the EU is already struggling to reform.

New Collision Recovery Insurance from The Swedish Club Assists Shipowners’ Cash Flow

24th October 2017Debra Massey

‘Cash is King’, and all too frequently shipowners can find themselves struggling to maintain cash flow following a serious incident, despite having a sound business and a comprehensive set of insurances. The Swedish Club has now designed an insurance solution, Collision Recovery Insurance (CRI), which provides upfront cover for the uninsured losses that are expected to be recovered from a third party following a collision.

“Collisions between vessels can prove to be costly and time consuming, leaving owners out of pocket for substantial amounts over a long period of time,” explains Lars A Malm, The Swedish Club’s Director, Strategic Business Development & Client Relations. “These losses consist mainly of deductibles and loss of earnings, and can have significant cash flow implications.”

CRI is available to any member entered for H&M Lead with the Club, and the Club’s expert team of claims handlers will manage and adjust the claim in-house. Under CRI, the cover is designed to pay the owner the amount expected to be recovered, and this then becomes subrogated to the recovery which will normally be finalised a considerable time after the collision.

KVH Videotel Introduces ‘Cyber Security at Sea’ Training Programme for Seafarers

24th October 2017Debra Massey

MEDIA ADVISORY

Produced with BIMCO, the new programme is designed to help seafarers recognise and respond to cyber threats

KVH Videotel^TM has launched a cyber security training programme, produced in association with global shipping association BIMCO, to address the threat of ransomware and other computer system breaches that could severely affect the safety of ships’ crew, systems, and operations.

The maritime industry is in the midst of a focus on cyber security, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently announced that it will soon be mandatory for companies to ensure that cyber security procedures are properly addressed in their ship’s Safety Management System (SMS). To create the training programme, KVH Videotel partnered with BIMCO, which has been active in recent years in researching maritime cyber security; BIMCO published guidelines in 2016 that have become an industry reference on the subject, and released an updated version in July of this year.

ICS ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Canadian Legislation that will Interfere with International Maritime Trade

18th October 201718th October 2017Debra Massey

The Canadian Parliament is giving consideration to legislation that would have the effect of establishing a moratorium on the shipment of crude oil in the waters of Northern British Columbia (Bill C-48: An Act respecting the regulation of vessels that transport crude oil or persistent oil to or from ports or marine installations located along British Columbia’s north coast). The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), representing the world’s national shipowners’ associations and 80% of the world merchant fleet, has voiced deep concern about this proposed legislation which it says will interfere with international maritime trade.

“Such a draconian step could lead to serious concerns being raised by Canada’s international trading partners” said ICS Director of Policy and External Relations, Simon Bennett.

ICS asserts that the proposals have not been developed through an evidence-based process, and believes that it would establish an unwelcome precedent that might be emulated elsewhere, including by individual U.S. States, with the potential to impact greatly on the efficiency of world trade, as well as that of Canada.

Take Your Seat for the ICS International Shipping Conference

18th October 201718th October 2017Debra Massey

Emissions, green shipping, manpower – the debate at the International Chamber of Shipping’s (ICS) conference last month was fast paced and at times controversial. With a capacity crowd, and a full LISW schedule there were some who were disappointed when they found this annual highlight clashing with other commitments.

Those who couldn’t make the event can now experience what they missed at this year’s International Shipping Conference. ICS has produced a video of the conference, and today the shipping community can share in the debate first hand.

For many years members and supporters have requested that ICS record the Conference, and this LISW year, with such a strong line up of participants, provided the ideal opportunity.

During the Conference ICS had many positive comments from visitors to the event, who enjoyed watching the high quality moderators challenge the expert panel members. Shipowners and NGOs grappled with the practical steps needed to reduce carbon emissions, panel members pondered whether zero emission vessels were in the realm of fantasy, and there was much debate over the role of crewless ships in our future.

This is all now delivered online through four videos, produced in conjunction with KVH Videotel. Each covers one of the four panel sessions:

• CO2 Reduction: Developing the IMO Road Map
• New Environmental Regulation: Costs of Compliance
• Maintaining Free Trade: Dusk or New Dawn?
• Decent Work for Seafarers: Are We Delivering

For your seat at this year’s ICS Conference click here and choose your debate.

The Swedish Club: Don’t overlook the risk of cargo fires

5th October 20175th October 2017Debra Massey

Cargo fires occur so infrequently that awareness of the risk can slip under the radar. Yet such an incident on board a vessel can have disastrous consequences including loss of life or catastrophic loss of the vessel involved. With the average cost of a cargo fire at several million USD, cargo fires are not a risk to be overlooked.The Swedish Club, working in conjunction with Burgoynes, experts specialising in the investigation of fires, explosions and other major incidents, has produced a handbook, ‘Fire! A guide to the causes and prevention of cargo fires’, which can be used alongside the regulations to assist seafarers in their daily loss prevention efforts.

‘Fire!’ offers loss prevention advice on a number of incidents – focusing specifically on self-heating cargoes, but also examining those vessel fires caused by other sources such as cargo hold lights, fumigation, movement of cargo and of course smoking and hot work. It also highlights how different vessel types fare when the frequency of cargo fires is compared. Tanker figures are found to be relatively low, a testament to the tight regulation and safety culture that exists in this industry. On the other hand ro-ro figures are surprisingly high due to the non-homogeneous nature of the cargo they carry.

ICS Appoints New Marine Committee Chairman

21st September 2017Debra Massey

The Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has appointed Mr Martin Cresswell, Technical Director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, as the new Chairman of the ICS Marine Committee.

He succeeds Peter Bond (Cyprus Shipping Chamber) who recently stood down following four years of service as Chairman of ICS’s principal technical committee.

“The Marine Committee is very much the engine room of ICS, overseeing the work of the many ICS technical committees and the development of policy positions which we represent at IMO meetings, on behalf of the global industry as represented by our member national shipowner associations” said ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe. “We are very fortunate to have signed up Martin as Marine Committee Chairman with his tremendous experience of commercial ship operations and his understanding of the great importance of ensuring that regulators make sensible and practical decisions, as part of our collective effort to further improve maritime safety and the industry’s environmental performance.”

Shaping the Future of Shipping: ICS Launches New Brand

13th September 2017Debra Massey

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has used London International Shipping Week to launch a new brand identity, to better serve its important role as the global trade association for shipowners, representing national shipowners’ associations from 37 countries and over 80% of the world merchant fleet.

Speaking from the British Library in London at the brand launch today, ICS Chairman, Esben Poulsson explained:

“Over the next 30 years, new technologies and environmental challenges will completely transform shipping: a vital industry that moves the essentials of life and around 90% of global trade.

“Together with our member national associations, we are working to help shape a vision for the future, in which shipping will become ever more efficient and environmentally sustainable. Our contemporary new brand seeks to reflect what we do with a refreshed and vibrant colour palette, appropriate to a modern global trade association that represents one of the world’s most dynamic industries.”