Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) has raised concerns about the implications for masters of the recent reports of the launch of the new EU Frontex operation ‘Triton’ which will apparently have a reduced budget and focus on border control in place of the Italian ‘Mare Nostrum’ that is credited with saving more than 150,000 migrants in the Mediterranean. Read more
Month: November 2014
VIDEOTEL PREPARES SEAFARERS FOR MAN OVERBOARD RESPONSE
Falling overboard is a life-threatening emergency, not only for the person in question but also for those involved in their rescue. Every step in the rescue process has its own associated hazards and in such a fraught and potentially distressing situation a well-structured rescue plan is essential. Read more
HILL DICKINSON ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST GLOBAL HEAD OF SHIPPING
International law firm Hill Dickinson LLP is pleased to announce partner Patrick Hawkins as its first head of global shipping. Patrick, who also heads the firm’s Greek Office, will manage and co-ordinate their renowned and expanding international shipping practice. Read more
KVH OFFERING VIDEOTEL’S NEW EBOLA SAFTEY VIDEO FREE TO MARINERS
“Ebola – Staying Safe,” produced by maritime e-Learning leader VideotelTM, explains the dangers of Ebola and its impact on ships and seafarers
KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) is offering Videotel’s new video about Ebola safety free to all mariners worldwide in an effort to increase awareness of the vitally important prevention measures that can keep seafarers safe. Ebola, a severe and often fatal illness for which there is no vaccine or cure, has been ravaging parts of West Africa since March in the largest outbreak ever known. The World Health Organization has declared the current outbreak a public health emergency, and it is critically important that anyone working in the global maritime industry understand the steps they can take to prevent the further spread of the disease. Read more
NEW JOINT VENTURE: BIBBY-USM SHIPPING PTE LTD
Bibby Ship Management has formed a strategic alliance with Singapore-based United Ship Management to capitalise on business opportunities in the growing Chinese market.
The joint venture, to be known as Bibby-USM Shipping Pte Ltd, has been set up as an independent company by both companies to help diversify operations into the North Asia region, targeting China and Taiwan for specialist sectors such as offshore, oil and gas, LPG and LNG. Read more
GMS INVITES SHIPPING REGULATORS TO INDIA TO WITNESS IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP RECYLCING FIRST HAND
Global Marketing Systems, Inc (GMS), the world’s largest cash buyer of ships for recycling, has challenged the European Commission’s intention to ban ship recycling by beaching, by inviting the Commission and a major representative group of top level shipping industry stakeholders to India to witness the recycling process first hand at one of the country’s best yards.
Addressing a high-level industry conference in London, Dr Nikos Mikelis, non-executive Director of GMS, said ship recycling yards were improving in South East Asia and the best way to see this was to visit the yards in person.
GMS also used the conference to call on Panama and the Marshall Islands to accede to the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in order to satisfy calls by the International Chamber of Shipping and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) for a level playing field in global recycling. Ratification by these two large flags would speed up entry into force of the Convention.
GMS said it would be willing to invite officials from EU Member States; experts on hazardous materials; representatives of ship owners or ship owner associations; the IMO Secretariat and the European Commission to see the improvements that have taken place in Indian recycling yards.
The observers would then be requested to compile a report of their findings.
Dr Mikelis said that while progress was being made in Indian yards, it could “come to an abrupt end through the ill-advised efforts to ban ship recycling by beaching through the Unit of Waste Management of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment.
“We can only hope that the administrations of right-thinking European States will avert the tragic mistake that has been brewing in Brussels through the regulator’s lack of understanding on international shipping and ship recycling.”
He added: “Progress could also slowly come to a halt if yard owners who are investing in improvements do not realise any financial gain through the custom of responsible ship owners seeking safe and clean recycling in the period prior to the entry into force of international requirements. As entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention is practically subject to accession by India, we have a classic ‘chicken and egg’ situation if there is no financial motivation to the yards.”
Dr Mikelis said the CSR policy of a responsible ship owner who cares that ship recycling standards are sustainable across the industry and not only within his company “must encourage, through his custom, yards which have invested in safety and environmental protection, regardless of whether these yards are located in South Asia or elsewhere”.