Month: June 2015

InterManager Welcomes The Appointment Of Mr Ki-Tack Lim As The New IMO Secretary General

Elaborate Communications

InterManager, the international trade association for in-house and third party ship managers, has welcomed the appointment of Mr Ki-tack Lim of the Republic of Korea as the incoming Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation.

Speaking minutes after the announcement was made at a special vote at the UN body’s London headquarters, Kuba Szymanski, InterManager Secretary General,  said the role of the IMO was never more important as it is today and the appointment of a new IMO head with the experience and knowledge that Mr Ki-tack Lim has, was crucial to it continuing its important work.

“Today’s ship managers, whether in-house or third party, need to know that rules governing the safe operation and management of today’s ships are internationally binding and reflect the vagaries of this highly sophisticated and professional industry,” he said.

“InterManager has always been a strong supporter of the work of the IMO and has never shied away from working closely with fellow stakeholders to ensure that the right legislative framework is in place to allow shipping to grow in a safe and totally sustainable way.” Capt Szymanski added.

InterManager is an active Non-Governmental Organisation member of the IMO and its representative Captain Paddy McKnight is present at all important IMO meetings.

Global Shipping Industry Concerned By Protectionist US Approach To Energy Exports

Elaborate Communications

The United States Congress signalled last week its firm intention to approve major free trade deals with Asia and Europe.

But the global trade association for merchant ship operators, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), has voiced serious concern about the potentially protectionist approach being taken by the U.S. with respect to the future transport of energy exports.

U.S. energy exports by sea are predicted to expand massively as a consequence of the shale revolution.

International ship operators, represented by ICS, are particularly anxious that a regime currently being developed to promote the carriage of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports on U.S. flag ships may set an undesirable precedent should the U.S. decide to lift the current ban on crude oil exports (as is being considered by Congress at the moment).

In December 2014, President Obama signed some little noticed legislation requiring the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to implement a programme to promote the use of U.S. flag ships.  This is expected to prioritise the processing of licenses for new deep water LNG export facilities from those exporters that indicate they plan to use U.S. flag gas carriers, rather than ships operated by foreign shipping companies.

ICS believes that this approach is not in the spirit of the free trade commitments that the U.S. has already accepted with respect to maritime services at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has implications bilaterally, for example, with respect to the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

The European Commission (which represents the EU in trade negotiations) and governments of other countries with large LNG tanker fleets, such as Japan and Norway, are also concerned.

ICS says that any protectionist approach towards shipping being pursued by the U.S. might also be emulated by other energy exporters, such as Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia.  This could seriously undermine the framework of open market access and free trade principles in shipping that has facilitated the efficient transport of energy worldwide since the 1980s.

The United States is well known for restricting foreign carrier access to maritime trade between U.S. ports (under legislation known as the ‘Jones Act’ which has existed for almost 100 years).  But this new and potentially protectionist U.S. approach is different because it applies to the carriage of energy exports in international trades.

Gas carriers are highly sophisticated vessels that typically cost over US $100 million each to build.  In reality, the U.S. has virtually no LNG carriers capable of operating in global export markets and is likely to find them uneconomic to build.  Most gas carriers today are built in Japan, Korea and China.

In practice therefore, it is possible that the initial U.S. programme will lead to foreign LNG shipowners being discriminated against in other ways, such as being required to employ U.S. seafarers.  (These are far more expensive to employ than their non-U.S. counterparts, despite officers on LNG carriers being amongst the very highest paid category of seafarers, regardless of their nationality.)

However, the U.S. does possess a domestic oil tanker fleet.  Should a similar protectionist approach be applied to the carriage of crude oil exports, the global shipping industry fears it could be completely shut out of what is expected to be a major shipping trade worth billions of dollars a year.

Any requirement or pressure to use U.S. flag tankers would undoubtedly increase the costs of exporting U.S. energy.  But ICS says that unless the United States Trade Representative (USTR) or other supporters of free trade intervene, energy companies might see this as a price worth paying in order to be permitted to export U.S. crude.

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Notes To Editors:

  • In December 2014, President Obama approved the Howard Coble Maritime Transportation Act of 2014, Section 307 of which introduced amendments to the U.S. Deepwater Port Act of 1974 and the U.S. Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006.  The amendments tasked the Secretary of Transportation with the development of a general programme to promote the export of LNG on U.S. flag ships, and with the prioritisation of export licenses for facilities using U.S. flag vessels.
  • In May 2015, new legislation was introduced to the U.S. Senate which proposes to lift the 50 year old ban on crude oil exports. The proposed Energy Supply and Distribution Act of 2015 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for further discussion.
  • Last week, the U.S. Senate approved a Trade Promote Authority Bill which will allow Congress to vote only for or against finalised trade agreements negotiated by the Administration represented by the U.S Trade Representative (USTR), rather than allowing Congress to amend these agreements.  This important decision increases the likelihood of the U.S. ratifying both the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), once these ground breaking regional agreements have been fully negotiated, perhaps within the next 12 months.
  • The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for merchant shipowners.  ICS membership comprises 37 national shipowners’ associations in Asia, Europe and the Americas, whose member shipping companies operate over 80% of the world’s merchant tonnage.  ICS represents all shipping sectors and trades, including oil tanker and LNG carrier operators.

MAJ Celebrates Seafarers

Elaborate Communications

Seafarers will take centre stage today at the offices of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) as it hosts a Seafarers’ Appreciation Day in celebration of the International Day of the Seafarer.

Long-serving and experienced Jamaican crew members will join cadets and newly-qualified seafarers to share reflections from their life at sea and how their maritime training, with the Caribbean Maritime Institute, has served them.

A highlight of the day will be an address by the President of Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean (WiMAC), Claudia Grant (MAJ Deputy Director General), who will tell seafarers and invited guests about the important role women seafarers play in the maritime sector.

In addition to refreshments, the seafarer guests will each receive a token of appreciation from the MAJ and the Jamaica Ship Registry (JSR).

MAJ Director General, Admiral Peter Brady, said: “The Maritime Authority of Jamaica is honoured to join with the rest of the world in celebrating the ‘Day of the Seafarer’ 2015.  This year marks the fifth anniversary of the campaign to raise awareness about seafarers and the seafaring career.

“On this day, we salute seafarers all over the world and urge bright young students to ‘dip their feet’ in the grand opportunities presented by this noble profession.”

SSA Stresses The Importance Of Distinguishing Between Piracy And Armed Robbery When Reporting Incidents

Elaborate Communications

It is important to distinguish between armed robbery and piracy when reporting incidents in South East Asia waters says the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) which has commissioned a study to determine the scale of threat posed to seafarers in the area.

The findings reveal that in the first quarter of this year the vast majority of incidents in this region fall under the category of armed robbery (which is within the territorial waters and under the jurisdiction of the sovereign state) not piracy (which is on the high seas). The distinction determines whether a merchant vessel can seek protection from the navy/coast guard of the littoral state or from the navy/coastguard of the vessel’s flag of registry.

Seafarers should note that recent reports of pirate attacks are in fact more likely to have been armed robbery and targeted at specific vessel types, particularly when in port or at anchor. SSA stresses that, with an estimated 50,000 -90,000 vessels transiting SOMS (Straits of Malacca and Singapore) each year and further numbers sailing around the South East Asia and South China seas, it can be calculated that the likelihood of a merchant vessel, which exercises high vigilance and conducts anti-boarding watch, being attacked is between 0.012 and 0.07%.

The situation in the South China Sea is vastly different to the situation in the Gulf of Aden where heavily armed pirates board vessels in open seas with the intention of taking the ship and its crew hostage for ransom payments.

To fully understand the real scale of the problem the SSA commissioned a technical report to examine incidents of armed robbery and piracy in South East Asia waters and the South China Sea. The report undertook a detailed analysis of the quarterly reports of the International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC IMB) and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) for the first quarter of 2015 (1 Jan to 31 March). The findings revealed that only 14% of attacks on merchant vessels were classified as piracy. Of the remaining incidents, 85% were cases of armed robbery with almost half of these (46%) occurring while in port or at anchorage. The vast majority of incidents (68%) involved “petty theft” by unarmed perpetrators where crew members were unharmed and economic loss was low.

SSA is encouraging Captains and seafarers to ensure they comply with recognised methods to counter possible boarding when traversing South East Asian waters and advises that, if boarded, Captains should put the well-being of their crew first while, at the same time, fully complying with the standing instructions of their respective companies.

SSA has worked with ReCAAP to provide Guidelines for Tug Boats and Barges Against Piracy and Sea Robbery which can be found online at www.recaap.org It also points out that the Best Management Practices for Protection against Somalia Based Piracy (BMP4) can be successfully adapted for use in South East Asia.

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Notes to Editors:

  • The Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) represents a wide spectrum of shipping companies and other businesses allied to the shipping industry. It is a national trade association formed in 1985 to serve and promote the interests of its members and to enhance the competitiveness of Singapore as an International Maritime Centre. To achieve its objectives, the SSA plays an active role in promoting the interests of shipping in Singapore and internationally, and co-operates with other regional and international shipping organisations to protect the marine environment and promote freedom and safety at sea.
  • At present, SSA represents 475 member companies; comprising shipowners and operators, ship managers, ship agents and other ancillary companies such as shipbrokers, classification societies, marine insurers, bunker suppliers, maritime lawyers, and shipping bankers amongst others.

Elaborate gears up for London Shipping Week

Elaborate Communications

Elaborate Communications is gearing up for the hotly anticipated London International Shipping Week (LISW) by recruiting more staff to join its professional team of PR and marketing managers.

Our new recruits will join us at the tiller as we steer excitedly towards the London week from September 7 to 11.

More than 100 events are anticipated to take place during the week as the shipping industry converges on London, including the flagship LISW Conference and Gala Dinner on September 10.

Elaborate Communications Managing Director, Sean Moloney, said: “This is a very busy time for us. In addition to providing first class PR and marketing services to our high profile maritime clients we will be overseeing this important international event to showcase the UK’s market-leading shipping sector and highlight London’s central role as a maritime hub. So it’s great to be able to welcome new members to our team.”

For latest information follow us on twitter @LISW15

HILL DICKINSON HOLDS 7TH ANNUAL UK PORTS CONFERENCE

Lisa Jacobs

On Tuesday 23rd June international law firm Hill Dickinson LLP will be holding its UK Ports Conference focusing on ‘The Future of UK Ports: changing regulation, shipping trend updates and new opportunities in the supply chain’.

The 7th Annual UK Ports Conference will allow senior representatives from across the ports, shipping and maritime sector to network and discuss policy updates, shipping trends and the latest logistics and supply chain guidance.

The day will also look at how to approach port development and funding and hear from UK ports on how ports can support the economic development of the local area and the wider UK. Another discussion point will be on EU state aid and the key risk factors are for UK ports.

Speakers include:
• Paul Barker, Country Manager United Kingdom, Unifeeder
• David Balston, Director of Policy, UK Chamber of Shipping
• Simon Bird, Chief Executive, Bristol Port Company, Chairman UKMPG
• Theresa Crossley, Executive Director, UK Major Ports Group
• Neil Davidson, Senior Analyst – Ports & Terminals, Drewry Maritime Research
• Knut Fleckenstein, MEP & Rapporteur on the Port Regulation
• Mike Garratt, Director, MDS Transmodal
• Iven Krämer, Port Economy, Infrastructure & Shipping The Ministry for Economy, Labour & Ports of Bremen
• Alistair Lindsay, Group Commercial Supply Chain & Logistics Director, Tesco
• Jens Nielsen, Commercial Director, Associated British Ports
• Jeremy Robinson, Legal Director, Hill Dickinson
• Dimitrios Theologitis, Head of Unit, Ports & Inland Navigation, DG MOVE
• Peter Ward, Chief Executive, UK Warehousing Association
• Philip Wareham, Legal Director, Hill Dickinson
• Chris Welsh, Director of Global & European Policy, Freight Transport Association
• David Whitehead OBE, Director, British Ports Association
• Linda Willson, Head of Maritime Commerce & Infrastructure, Department for Transport

Maria Pittordis, Hill Dickinson’s Business Group Leader of Marine, Trade and Energy, said: “We have a strong panel of speakers who will be able to provide lots of insight into the industry so the Conference is set to be a very interesting day.”

For further information, please visit: http://www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/conferences/ports/events/7th-annual-uk-ports-conference

The conference will take place at Hill Dickinson’s London office: The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EW

Making Data a Priority is Key to the Future of the Maritime Industry

Elaborate Communications

During a conference in Oslo, KVH CEO Martin Kits van Heyningen urged maritime operators to utilize big data in order to remain competitive

MIDDLETOWN, RI – June 16, 2015 – The future competitiveness of the maritime industry will be affected by how rapidly shipping operators take advantage of big data, according to one of the world’s leading suppliers of satellite communications to the maritime industry.

Martin Kits van Heyningen, CEO of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), spoke at the Maritime CIO Forum at Nor-Shipping in Oslo, addressing technology issues faced by maritime leaders. “Probably the most important thing for maritime managers to do is make big data a priority,” Mr. Kits van Heyningen said. “It’s important to adopt a big data mindset, even if you don’t think of yourself as a data company. Data is becoming a resource in its own right, and offers incredible possibilities for understanding every aspect of your business better.”

During his presentation, entitled “Turning Big Data into Big Value,” Mr. Kits van Heyningen noted that the maritime industry has been slow to adopt big data even though the industry faces many challenges for which data capture and analysis can provide answers – from meeting an increasing number of maritime regulations to improving the fuel efficiency of vessels underway. “The maritime industry has spent the past 20 years trying to limit the amount of data going on and off vessels, while the rest of the world has been doing the exact opposite in adopting big data,” he said.

Computer analysis of big data goes far beyond human capacity in providing information that can make a maritime operation more efficient. For example, with real-time analysis of such data as engine monitoring, consumption rates for various fuel types, the fixed running costs of a ship, and weather data, a maritime operation can optimize a voyage for financial performance rather than just time or distance. “This is not a calculation that can be done by a human, no matter how much experience with a given route the people onboard may have,” said Mr. Kits van Heyningen. Utilizing experts for remote analysis of big data can also help with preventative maintenance to avoid costly repairs.

The business benefit of utilizing big data is widely known; a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that data-driven firms perform 5%-6% better each year. “There’s a growing divide between companies that use big data and those that don’t,” said Mr. Kits van Heyningen, who added that dramatic changes in the affordability of data analysis make this the right time for maritime operators to embrace big data. “You need to be creative about the questions you want big data to answer for you. It’s more important than ever to work with IT partners and satellite communications providers that can do more than just provide connectivity, but can also help you solve your real-world problems,” he said.

Note to Editors: The presentation, “Turning Big Data into Big Value,” may be viewed at KVH’s YouTube page. KVH’s maritime connectivity solutions include the TracPhone® V-IP series of satellite communications antennas, the mini-VSAT Broadband network, and the IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service. High-resolution images of KVH products are available at the KVH Press Room Image Library. Follow KVH on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and the KVH Blog.


About KVH Industries, Inc.

KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 175,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. VideotelTM, a KVH company, is a leading provider of maritime training. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL. The company’s global presence includes offices in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

KVH, TracPhone, IP-MobileCast, and Videotel are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc.

ICS Annual General Meeting In Rotterdam

Elaborate Communications

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the principal global trade association for merchant ship operators, held its Annual General Meeting in Rotterdam last week, at the kind invitation of the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners.

The membership of ICS, which comprises national associations from 37 countries (including the newly admitted Russian Chamber of Shipping), reviewed a great number of important regulatory and policy developments affecting global maritime trade.

These included many of the issues set out in the 2015 ICS Annual Review published in conjunction with the AGM, see – www.ics-shipping.org/docs/annualreview2015

In particular, ICS members focused on the following critical issues:

Migrant Rescue at Sea Crisis

ICS members welcomed recent efforts by EU Member States to increase Search and Rescue resources for migrants in distress in the Mediterranean, and the subsequent decrease in the numbers of lives lost. However, ICS members agreed that the current level of state-backed Search and Rescue resources available to address the on-going crisis is still woefully insufficient and urgently needs to be dramatically increased.

Speaking after the meeting, ICS Chairman, Masamichi Morooka, said: “It is simply not acceptable that merchant ships are still being routinely called upon by Rescue Co-ordination Centres to assist with the majority of rescue operations currently taking place, having already assisted with the rescue of more than 50,000 people since the crisis started to escalate last year.

“Apart from the fact that commercial ships are wholly unsuitable for rescuing hundreds of people at a time, the Search and Rescue obligations that exist under international law were never created with the current situation in mind.”

ICS members agreed that governments must urgently find a solution to the crisis. In the meantime, while it continues to be necessary for the international community to rescue tens of thousands of people, state-backed Search and Rescue resources must be increased immediately.

“It is unreasonable for governments to continue relying on merchant ships as a long term solution, placing civilian merchant seafarers at considerable risk. The current situation is neither sustainable nor tenable,” said Mr Morooka.

United States Ballast Water Problem

ICS members welcomed the recent progress made by the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee, in May 2015, towards solving many of the serious implementation problems associated with the IMO Ballast Water Convention. ICS members agreed that this will probably help to ensure that the Convention will now receive sufficient ratifications from governments to enter into force sooner rather than later.

However, ICS members also agreed that those flag states which have not yet ratified the IMO Convention may continue to be deterred from doing so because of the unilateral regime adopted by the United States with respect to the approval of the very expensive new treatment systems required. This currently means that shipowners who, in good faith, install equipment approved in accordance with IMO standards can have no confidence that they will be able to trade to the United States when the IMO Convention eventually enters into force, possibly by the end of 2016.

Masamichi Morooka commented: “ICS members are committed to the implementation of a ballast water treatment regime that will be fit for purpose worldwide. Frankly speaking, the United States is creating an impossible dilemma that can only be solved by the U.S. approving treatment systems immediately and finding a pragmatic approach to reconciling the conflicting timelines within the IMO regime and its own. Apart from the chaos that the United States is creating for international shipping, it is also holding back the ratification of an important IMO Convention that is intended to bring environmental benefits to the entire world, not just the needs of a single country.”

Elections

Masamichi Morooka (Japan) continues to serve as ICS Chairman having already been elected for a second two year term in 2014. The 2015 AGM re-elected the following Vice Chairmen: John C Lyras (Greece); Karin Orsel (Netherlands); Gerardo Borromeo (Philippines); and Esben Poulsson (Singapore).

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands

The members of ICS were very honoured by the presence of Her Highness, Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, patron of the Dutch Merchant Navy, at a gala dinner on board the cruise ship ‘Jules Verne’, held in conjunction with their AGM.

A photograph of Princess Margriet with ICS Chairman Masamichi Morooka and his wife is attached, as is a group photograph of the ICS AGM delegates.

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Notes To Editors:

· The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the global trade association for merchant shipowners. Its membership comprises national shipowners’ associations from 36 countries representing more than 80% of the world merchant fleet.

For Further Information, please contact:

ICS:  Debra Munford Elaborate Communications                           Tel +44 (0) 1296 682356

2015 AGM: The Swedish Club Appoints New CFO And New Member To Its Board

Elaborate Communications

The Swedish Club has announced the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer, Mikael Kromli, who will take up the position on June 15, 2015 and will be based in Gothenburg.

It has also used the occasion of the 2015 Annual General Meeting in Gothenburg to welcome the election of Mr Lim Sim Keat, Managing Director of the Dry Transport Logistics Division of the Singapore-based IMC Shipping Co. Pte, onto the Swedish Club board. IMC Shipping is part of the IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group – a privately-owned enterprise with a diverse range of business interests, including shipping, investments, and lifestyle/real estate.

Mr Kromli, a Swedish national, brings with him vast experience in the corporate finance field, especially in the areas of investor relations, treasury and risk management in the insurance sector.

A past CFO in Sweden’s Volvo Group and at TitanX, Mr Kromli has also worked as CFO at Nobel Biocare, at the time a listed company on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

Welcoming the two appointments, Lars Rhodin, The Swedish Club’s Managing Director, said they slotted perfectly in line with the Club’s growth strategy. “SK Lim is a key addition to the Club’s board and brings with him valuable experience of working at senior levels within major international companies. In turn, Mikael has the perfect experience and aptitude needed in the further development of the Club.

This year’s Swedish Club AGM has taken the importance of ‘Game Changers’ as the theme of its Members’ Day conference with Justin Gardner, Executive Vice President and Head of the North America Marine Reinsurance team at Willis Re Specialty, and Xavier Villers, Head of Marine at Miller Insurance Services in London giving the keynote speeches in the opening session entitled: “Random events and game changers in marine insurance”.

Dr Jonas Ridderstråle, PhD Business & Economics and Guest Professor at the Ashridge Business School in the UK, will then give his own perspective on the topic of “Game changers — Playing to win the future”.

Acknowledged as one of the world’s most influential and respected business thinkers and speakers, Dr Ridderstråle is the author of international bestsellers such as Funky Business, Karaoke Capitalism and Re-energizing the Corporation.

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For Further Information Please Contact:

Debra Massey, Elaborate Communications          +44 (0) 1296 682356

Notes to Editors:

•             The Swedish Club was founded in 1872 and is today a leading and diversified mutual marine insurance company, owned and controlled by its members. The Club writes Protection & Indemnity, Freight, Demurrage & Defence, Hull & Machinery, Hull Interests, Loss of Hire, War Risks, and any additional insurances required by shipowners or charterers. It also writes Hull & Machinery, War risks and Loss of Hire for Mobile Offshore Units and FPSOs.

•             Its head office is located in Gothenburg, Sweden, with branch offices in Piraeus, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Oslo.

•             More information about the Club is available at: www.swedishclub.com

InterManager Places Minimum Manning And The Paperless Ship High On Its List Of Priorities

Elaborate Communications

Following its meeting in Oslo, Norway during the international NorShipping event, InterManager, the international trade association for in-house and third party ship managers, has set its sights on examining two key areas which could have significant benefits for the shipping industry.

First in its list of priorities is an investigation of minimum manning levels for different types of vessels trading on different trade routes and carrying different cargo types to determine whether and how these need to be reviewed, better understood for their implications to safety and efficiency and then discussed at flag state level to take into account required rest hours as set under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

The rules currently in place stipulate the minimum number of personnel needed to move a ship safely from one port to another. InterManager is concerned, however, that these rules were not just meant to set a crew complement number but were intended to also serve as a mechanism to improve overall operational status. Given today’s operating realities, this may not actually be what is happening. InterManager’s Executive Committee agreed to engage with industry stakeholders to consider how best to ensure sustainable and safe manning levels, taking into account the current operating and legislative environment, onboard administrative burdens and fatigue issues.

A second important area that InterManager also intends to examine is the issue of “the paperless ship” and work to draw up guidelines aimed at reducing the amount of paperwork officers and their crew have to undertake while at sea. Executive members are keen to seek ways to reduce this burden and improve the flow of form filling between the ship and shore.

Gerardo Borromeo, InterManager President, said: “Managers are concerned that these previously agreed minimum manning levels may not be properly reflective of today’s marketplace. For example, a VLCC calling at seven ports a year may have a minimum manning level of 18 but a smaller chemical tanker, calling at over 100 ports in the same period may be required to operate with a much lower crew complement of say 12. This has concerning implications when you consider the number of ports such a vessel may be visiting in a very short period of time.”

“We want flag states to look at each vessel type, the cargo it is carrying and the voyages it is on and to set up and agree on legislation to ensure there are always sufficient people on board to operate that vessel safely while catering for the necessary rest hours. We, of course, need to be realistic in approaching this issue as it involves not only safety and efficiency, but economics as well. At the end of the day, InterManager is looking to drive sustainable solutions that benefit the entire industry and the general public.

He added: “The burden of administrative tasks falling on seafarers in today’s shipping industry is significant. Industry surveys have indicated that the volume of red tape is one of the factor’s adversely affecting recruitment. InterManager aims to improve this situation not just for today’s seafarers but also for tomorrow’s.”

These new projects follow confirmation this week that InterManager has achieved its pre-set aim of delivering a comparable set of operational KPIs to the shipping industry as a whole by passing over ownership of the scheme to BIMCO. Working on behalf of the entire shipping industry since 2003, InterManager, its members and its project partners – including the Norwegian Research Council, Marintek and SOFTimpact – have worked tirelessly to produce a unique and comprehensive monitoring system which has the potential to produce huge benefits for ship operators.

Captain Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager and part of the core development team for the system, said: “The KPI system was born out of a need for an international system to define, measure and report on operational performance in an effort to respond to society’s increasing demands. Our members have spent 13 years on developing and perfecting this system and we are deeply grateful to them for their tireless efforts. It is accredit to them and to the KP System that an organisation like Bimco now sees fit to take up the reins and roll out this invaluable system to the benefit of the entire shipping industry.”

ICS Launches Annual Review 2015

Elaborate Communications

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has published its latest Annual Review of maritime policy developments in advance of its Annual General Meeting and to coincide with this week’s meeting of the IMO Maritime Safety Committee.

Key issues covered in this year’s ICS Annual Review include the impact of the rescue at sea crisis in the Mediterranean on the shipping industry; the status of IMO environmental regulations on low sulphur fuel and ballast water management; the shipping industry’s efforts to deliver further CO2 emissions reductions; and an ongoing ICS initiative to encourage a new approach to the development of future IMO regulation.

The ICS Annual Review also provides updates on the wide-ranging scope of ICS’s activities as the principal global trade association for shipowners and operators, including safety and operations, labour affairs, manning and training, maritime law and insurance, and shipping and trade policy.

In the introduction to the Review, ICS Chairman, Masamichi Morooka, observes: “In December 2015, the attention of the world will be focused on the critical United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.  ICS will be representing the industry in order explain the impressive performance of international shipping, which reduced its total CO2 emissions by more than 10% between 2007 and 2012.”

The 2015 Review can now be downloaded free of charge from the ICS website (www.ics-shipping.org/docs/annualreview2015).  Printed copies are also being distributed via ICS’s member national shipowners’ associations, which collectively represent all sectors and trades and more than 80% of the world merchant fleet.

The 2015 ICS AGM is being hosted by the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners in Rotterdam from 9-11 June.

Videotel Produces 500th Computer-based Training Course

Elaborate Communications

With this milestone, Videotel extends its position as the number one provider in maritime e-Learning, with double the number of CBTs in its portfolio than its nearest competitor

MIDDLETOWN, RI, USA, and LONDON, UK – June 2, 2015 – VideotelTM, the leading international provider of e-Learning maritime training solutions and a company of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), has launched its 500th computer-based training (CBT) e-Learning course. This milestone confirms Videotel as the number one provider of e-Learning CBTs to the maritime, offshore, and ports & pilotage sectors, among others. Videotel’s maritime training solutions are on display in KVH Stand B04-16, Hall B, at the Nor-Shipping maritime event in Oslo, which opens today and continues through June 5.

Videotel’s latest course, entitled “The Work of the Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel (ERRV),” covers the crew’s key objectives and emergency procedures when operating these vessels in global offshore oil and gas fields. The CBT course also details the day-to-day operational function of the ERRV. As with all Videotel training titles, this CBT has been produced in accordance with the relevant Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) regulations.

“We deliver the highest quality e-Learning training material across the board in a wide range of formats,” says Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel. “CBT is an extremely popular and important method of training, and our commitment to this medium is clear to see with the launch of our 500th title in this format.”

CBT allows learners to follow easy on-screen instructions to progress through the courses at their own pace. The courses contain a mixture of text with optional English language voiceovers, still photographs, video clips, 3D animations, and interactive exercises. To verify the trainee’s understanding, there are multiple choice on-screen tests to complete at the end of each module, plus a longer final test, consisting of randomized, timed questions, at the end of the training course.

In addition to the CBT format, Videotel’s training solutions, which are currently in use on more than 12,000 vessels worldwide, include video, 3D animation, and interactive distance learning courses. Videotel has also announced plans to continually update its training programs via KVH’s IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service free of charge. This service utilizes multicasting technology to deliver content to subscribing vessels via their broadband connection.

Videotel commenced producing training courses for the maritime industry in 1973 when the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the forerunner to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), wanted to improve the quality of training materials available to seafarers and called on the company’s services. Since that time, Videotel has been at the forefront of developing world-class training material to help ship owners and ship managers comply with the STCW Convention, operational practices, and pertinent health and safety regulations.

The importance of quality training materials and Videotel’s long-standing relationship with the IMO are demonstrated by the fact that IMO, which is part of the United Nations, has chosen maritime education and training as the theme for this year’s World Maritime Day, scheduled for September 24, 2015.

Note to Editors: For more information about Videotel, please visit www.videotel.com. For more information about KVH Industries, please visit www.kvh.com.

About KVH Industries, Inc.

KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 175,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. Videotel, a KVH company, is the market-leading provider of training films, computer-based training and e-Learning. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL. The company’s global presence includes offices in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

KVH, Videotel, and IP-MobileCast are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc.