The Swedish Club Improves Offering to Charterers

28th February 201728th February 2017Debra Massey

The Swedish Club has launched a new addition to its portfolio, Rules for Charterers’ Insurance, which has been written to recognise the specific needs of charterers and to ensure that cover can be more easily tailor made to meet their individual requirements.

Rules for Charterers’ Insurance is broken into easy to read topics, enabling brokers and charterers to see at a glance the rules that apply to an individual situation. Future rule amendments can be incorporated in a logical and transparent fashion and not only is it now easier for brokers to find the data they require, but they can also simply refer to the handbook when completing insurance slips.

Lars Malm, Director, Strategic Business Development & Client Relations who headed up the initiative says: “The Swedish Club recognises the importance of charterers to our business and we are delighted to be able to now offer them information specific to their own requirements in a way that improves the user experience for all involved in supporting them.”

-ends-

ICS Chairman Sets Out Plan for CO2 Reduction by Shipping Sector

24th February 201728th February 2017Phil Page

The Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, Esben Poulsson, has set out what the industry would like the International Maritime Organization to achieve as part of its CO₂ reduction strategy for the shipping sector.

Speaking in Indonesia today at The Economist magazine’s World Ocean Summit, Mr Poulsson feared that unless IMO makes significant progress the industry could be vulnerable to regional action, not only from the EU – which is considering incorporating shipping into the EU Emissions Trading System – but also from Canada or California, which have already introduced carbon pricing.

“We are confident IMO can adopt an ambitious strategy by 2018 matching the spirit of the Paris Agreement. However, IMO needs to agree a baseline year for peak CO₂ emissions from shipping, as well as setting out some serious long term aspirations for dramatically cutting the sector’s total CO₂ by the middle of the century” said Mr Poulsson. Read more →

The Swedish Club Delivers on a Firm Foundation

21st February 2017Debra Massey

At the closure of the renewal season The Swedish Club is pleased to report performance in line with expectations and consistent with its strategy of balanced growth on a firm foundation.

Gross tonnage is anticipated to post a 4 to 5 % increase in this policy year, which is coupled with the 8 % growth experienced in 2016. This is the second year in a row The Swedish Club will deliver a zero percent increase to its members.

Lars Rhodin, Managing Director of The Swedish Club says: “We have closed this renewals period on a sound footing, enabling us to continue to support the needs of our members and to deliver on our promise of focusing on quality growth”.

ICS Releases Latest Flag State Performance Table

21st February 201721st February 2017Debra Massey

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

The ICS Table provides an annual overview of the performance of the world’s flag states against a number of criteria such as port state control records, ratification of international maritime Conventions and attendance at IMO meetings. The Table is mainly intended to encourage shipowners and operators to maintain an open dialogue with their flag administrations with respect to any improvements that might be necessary.

ICS Director of Policy & External Relations, Simon Bennett, said:

“This year’s ICS Table continues to highlight the sound performance of all of the world’s major flag administrations, regardless of whether they are open registers or so called ‘traditional’ maritime flags. But in response to feedback from IMO Member States, our member national shipowner associations have agreed to some further refinements in order to make the Table as objective and useful as possible.”

EU Member States Must Reject Euro Parliament’s Proposal Ref Global Shipping into Regional CO2 System

15th February 2017Phil Page

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) – which represents over 80% of the world merchant fleet – says it is ‘disappointed but not surprised’ by today’s vote in the European Parliament to propose that international shipping (including non-EU flag ships) should be incorporated into the EU Emissions Trading System from 2023.

“This vote for a unilateral, regional measure simply risks polarising debate among IMO Member States which have already agreed to develop a strategy for reducing shipping’s CO₂ emissions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change”. said ICS Director of Policy & External Relations, Simon Bennett.

“The vote completely ignores the real progress that has already been made by IMO – which under the Kyoto Protocol, to which EU Member States are signatory, has a mandate to address CO₂ emissions from international shipping.”

The Armitt Group Appoints Finance Director

15th February 201715th February 2017Phil Page

Respected UK shipping agent and specialist logistics company the Armitt Group, has appointed Paul Holden as its new Finance Director.

Mr Holden has over 20 years’ experience in a series of senior financial management positions most notably as Finance Director at Dobson Crowther Ltd, a specialist print and packaging manufacturer, where he led an MBO of the business securing £3.5m acquisition funding from Royal Bank of Scotland.

Immediately prior to joining the Armitt Group, he was Financial Consultant to Inspirepac Ltd, a £50M manufacturer of high quality packaging products, where his responsibilities included business development as well as enhancing the company’s financial control and group reporting systems.

Charles Gray, Managing Director of the Armitt Group, said, “I am delighted to welcome Paul to the Armitt Group and am confident that his experience and skills will help to refine and improve the Group’s financial mechanisms.”

Norsafe offers “train the trainer” course in LSA

6th February 2017Elaborate Communications

Norsafe, global life-saving marine systems manufacturer, is offering a specialised “Train the Trainer” course in lifesaving appliances (LSA) aimed at instructors and trainers working in nautical schools and training centres.

The course covers operational and maintenance training on freefall lifeboat systems; conventional lifeboats covering davits, winches and hook systems; and rescue boat systems.

Jamaica Launches its Candidature For Election onto IMO Council

6th February 2017Catherine Varney

Left to right: Rear Admiral Peter Brady, Director General Maritime Authority of Jamaica; Senator, the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; the Hon L. Michael Henry, Minister of Transport and Mining.

Jamaica launched its bid to be elected to Category ‘C’ of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council last Thursday (2 February) – in a move to position Jamaica as a ‘viable maritime hub’.

Addressing specially invited guests, Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Mining The Honourable L. Michael Henry CD MP said: “I am very pleased to be associated with yet another event which is designed to showcase Jamaica in a positive light. We consider our bid to be elected to Category ‘C’ of the IMO as a strategic move in order to raise our maritime profile in this governing body.

“Jamaica when viewed through the lens of the international maritime community and especially by virtue of our signatory status of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – we are responsible for discharging three types of jurisdiction under the maritime treaties to which we are a party.

MCTC Signs Catering Training Contract With Exmar Ship Management

2nd February 2017Catherine Varney

Global training provider Marine Catering Training Consultancy (MCTC) has signed a two-year contract with EXMAR Ship Management, through its catering managers VAN HULLE Catering, to provide training to crew members on 34 of its ships.

MCTC, which specialises in the training of multi-national crew all over the world on all aspects of cuisine and galley safety, made the agreement through VAN HULLE Catering, global specialists in maritime provision and services, based in Antwerp.

Cyprus-based MCTC will focus on implementing its successful Catering Competency Development Programme, using an expert team of culinary consultants to guide the crew members through the training programme.

Mersey Maritime Announces Finalists in Industry Awards

2nd February 2017Catherine Varney

The finalists of the 2017 Mersey Maritime Industry Awards (MMIAs) have been announced.

The winners will be revealed at a prestigious black tie dinner that will have a Ministerial presence and promises to bring together the best of the maritime industry right across the Maritime, Logistics and Energy spectrum in the region.

The MMIAs are organised by sector representative body Mersey Maritime and the Awards recognise the excellence and diversity that exists across all sectors of the maritime industry in the North West.