‘Anatomy of an Accident’ from The Swedish Club Dissects Major Casualty Response

31st May 2017Debra Massey

Anatomy of an Accident, a new publication from The Swedish Club, provides a unique insight into the huge coordinated exercise that surrounds a serious vessel casualty. Illustrating just how easily an incident can escalate; the guide explores the various parties and processes involved in dealing with an emergency situation, and the complicated interplay between the cast of professionals involved in bringing an incident to a resolution.

Developed out of The Swedish Club’s Emergency Response Training programme, Anatomy of an Accident focuses on a realistic incident scenario run by the Club with participants from important maritime services and support sectors. This approach has been designed to test how operations are affected when dealing with an incident, reinforce who is responsible for which action during an emergency, and ensure that a shipowner’s emergency response plan works with the individual elements interacting and supporting one another should a real life crisis occur. Read more →

KVH Announces CHARTlink for ChartCo, Delivering Charts and Publications to Vessels at Sea Seamlessly

31st May 2017Elaborate Communications

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), announced today that it is launching a new service called CHARTlink^TM for ChartCo, in association with leading digital chart distributor ChartCo, to transmit charts and a library of navigators’ publications to vessels at sea in a timely and affordable manner. The two companies will be unveiling the new solution at Nor-Shipping 2017 in Lillestrom, Norway, this week, in KVH booth B04-20 and ChartCo booth C03-02F.

For ship managers and officers who need to know that their vessels are ready for the next voyage, CHARTlink for ChartCo is designed to ensure fast, affordable delivery of the updates needed to conduct safe voyages and comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s regulations requiring the carriage of navigational data using an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).

KVH Announces YOURlink for Delivering Corporate Videos to Vessels at Sea

30th May 2017Elaborate Communications

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), announced today that it is introducing KVH YOURlink^TM, a content delivery service that fleet managers and owners can use to distribute company-produced videos to all vessels in their fleet. The company will be presenting the new service at Nor-Shipping in Lillestrom, Norway, this week, in the KVH booth, B04-20.

A new addition to KVH’s IP-MobileCast^TM content delivery service, YOURlink takes a process that once required weeks or months of shipping time and the cost of distributing DVDs or flash drives, and makes it nearly instantaneous. For crew onboard, YOURlink provides immediacy and impact, with videos easily viewed on the ship’s common-area TV and from the seafarers’ own tablets, smartphones, and PCs.

KVH Videotel Launches Extensive Training Suite to Address Gaps in Seafarer Engineering Knowledge

30th May 2017Elaborate Communications

KVH Videotel, part of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), announced today that it has launched an eLearning suite for marine engineers, covering 12 critical subject areas and containing 100 modules. Practical Engineering Suite delivers training to a level of competence required by the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW), with a practical, stimulating mixture of training styles, and accessible on a variety of platforms, including mobile devices, an industry first. KVH Videotel will be presenting the Practical Engineering Suite at Nor-Shipping in Lillestrom, Norway, this week, in the KVH Videotel booth, B04-20.

The need for this series emerged from analyzing seafarer training data in KVH Videotel’s extensive database of more than 14 million training interactions with more than 350,000 seafarers worldwide.

“Analysis of the training data we record clearly shows a weakness in performance in engineering-related test assessment,” says Mark Woodhead, KVH senior vice president, EMEA. “Discussion with our customers further suggests that the gaps in marine engineers’ knowledge is often tied to the core underlying principles, so the Practical Engineering Suite strips everything back to basics, and covers the underpinning knowledge that all engineers should possess. It also provides accompanying assessments to check the learners’ knowledge and provide evidence for record-keeping purposes. Practical Engineering Suite helps shipping companies address weaknesses in engineering skills at sea with confidence that the modules have been devised by a team of IMarEST Chartered Engineers.”

Videotel Develops First Mobile Platform for Maritime eLearning Programmes

22nd May 201722nd May 2017Phil Page

Videotel^TM, a KVH company, has launched a new eLearning content delivery platform that will allow users to view its comprehensive range of maritime training programmes on a wide variety of devices, including tablets and mobile phones. This development is a leap forward in maritime training delivery and not only provides a superior user experience for the learner, but also paves the way for seafarers to acquire and test knowledge on any device wherever they are on land and sea.

Videotel is the first maritime training company to develop mobile viewing that harnesses HTML5 responsive-design capabilities, where content can rescale dynamically to any screen size or aspect ratio. Additional features that Videotel has incorporated in its mobile platform include touch navigation, a multi-language capability allowing users to easily switch between languages, and an-ECDIS inspired ‘night mode’ that allows the user to select a darker theme that is easier on the eyes in low-light conditions.

“Over the years, we have continually modified our approach to developing training materials to meet the changing needs of our clients and capitalise on improvements in technology,” says Mark Woodhead, KVH senior vice president for training and content. “This new-generation platform has been created to give users maximum flexibility to view content using whatever device suits them. In today’s busy working environment, having an application with such a responsive design will improve and enhance the user experience.”

Thome Sponsors Singapore Nite at Nor-Shipping

22nd May 2017Phil Page

The Thome Group has agreed to sponsor the bi-annual “Singapore Nite” during Nor-Shipping (May 30-June 2).

The invitation only event will take place at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Oslo on Wednesday 31^st May and is organised by The Singapore Maritime Foundation in conjunction with Nor-Shipping.

“We are immensely proud to be sponsoring this special evening which will celebrate the very best in authentic Singaporean cuisine,” said Claes Eek Thorstensen, President and CCO of the Thome Group.

“Thome Group is offering a unique blend of Scandinavian shipping tradition combined with the modern drive of Singaporean business enterprise. Thome Group has had its headquarters in Singapore since 1963 and is proud to be part of the Maritime Singapore. The Maritime Singapore supports a drive towards modern shipping with innovation and productivity drives which explains why Singapore was named the top maritime capital again this year” he added.

This event has been taking place at Nor-Shipping since 2007 and provides excellent networking opportunities in a friendly relaxed atmosphere while sampling beautifully prepared dishes prepared by some of Singapore’s most talented chefs.

ICS Commits Shipping to Ambitious CO2 Reduction Objectives

15th May 201715th May 2017Debra Massey

In a submission to IMO Member States, being made in conjunction with other shipping organisations, ICS will propose that IMO should adopt three Aspirational Objectives:

To maintain international shipping’s annual total CO2 emissions below 2008 levels
To reduce CO2 emissions per tonne-km, as an average across international shipping, by at least 50% by 2050, compared to 2008
To reduce international shipping’s total annual CO2 emissions by an agreed percentage by 2050, compared to 2008, as a point on a continuing trajectory of CO2 emissions reduction

Less cash on board isn’t just a saving, it’s necessary for sustainability, says ShipMoney

9th May 2017Elaborate Communications

Speaking at CrewConnect Europe earlier today, global maritime financial services company ShipMoney has advised maritime leaders that reducing the amount of cash on board can help in the industry’s drive towards sustainability.

Addressing delegates in Copenhagen, ShipMoney President Stuart Ostrow said: “As the industry continues to look for sustainable initiatives, why are seafarers incurring extra costs just from receiving their wages in cash? Sending money back home and exchanging money at port all add up to unnecessary costs for seafarers, in an age when wire-transfers and card payments are as regular as clockwork.

Major Upgrade to ISF Watchkeeper Simplifies Work Hour Record Keeping

9th May 2017Debra Massey

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and IT Energy have announced the launch of the latest release of their acclaimed ISF Watchkeeper software – ISF Watchkeeper 3.5 – developed for maintaining records of individual seafarers’ work hour records, as required by IMO and ILO regulations, and to help prevent crew fatigue and to avoid issues with Port State Control.

This major upgrade, which is available free of charge to existing ISF Watchkeeper users on over 8, 000 ships worldwide, has been designed to reflect the evolving needs of those at sea and managers ashore.

Norsafe to deliver new lifeboat systems to Statoil’s Njord A platform

8th May 2017Phil Page

Norsafe has received orders from Kværner relating to the delivery of new lifeboat systems to Statoil’s Njord A platform.

Norsafe will supply three lifeboat systems of its largest freefall lifeboat, the GES 52, with compatible davits. The lifeboat systems are built according to SOLAS and DNV-OS-E406, and although the products were developed just a few years ago, they have already been delivered to many installations worldwide. The contract is worth over 35 million Norwegian kroner and will be delivered in 2018 and 2019.

InterManager expands global membership, including first ship registry member

4th May 20174th May 2017Elaborate Communications

The international ship managers’ body, InterManager, has extended its global membership by welcoming three new members, the Republic of the Marshall Islands Ship Registry, ARC and SC Innovation.

Welcoming the three new members, Capt Kuba Szymanski, Secretary-General of InterManager said: “Our mandate to our members is clear and it is this support and collaboration that has caused our membership to grow. As we welcome our first ship registry member it is a reminder that by working as a multi-sector Association, together we can ensure a rich sustainable industry for generations to come. We look forward to working closely with our three new members.”

All You Need to Know About Shipping But Were Afraid to Ask: ICS Launches 2017 Annual Review

3rd May 2017Debra Massey

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has launched its latest Annual Review, ahead of the ICS Annual General Meeting in Istanbul next week. The ICS Annual Review 2017 can be accessed free of charge via the ICS website.

Providing an insider’s view of the key issues affecting shipping, the ICS Annual Review provides a unique insight into the global shipping industry and the complex legislative and economic landscape currently faced by ship operators.

The ICS Annual Review explores the challenges presented by the need to reduce CO₂emissions in line with the ambition set by the Paris Agreement on climate change; the worldwide entry into force of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention in September 2017; and the implementation in 2020 of the global 0.5% sulphur in fuel cap, each which will have profound implications for the economics of shipping.

The Review also covers developments with respect to the wide range of other issues in which ICS is involved on behalf of the global industry, ranging from legal and insurance developments, seafarers’ employment standards and the maintenance of free trade principles, to the resurgence of Somali piracy and the continuing migrant rescue crisis in the Mediterranean.

“While much of our work is about preparing for the future, the Annual Review reflects the sheer volume and diversity of issues being addressed by ICS”, said ICS Chairman, Esben Poulsson.

The 2017 ICS AGM will be held in Istanbul from 9-11 May and hosted by the Turkish Chamber of Shipping. It will be Esben Poulsson’s first AGM as ICS Chairman, following his election at the previous AGM in Tokyo last year.

To download the ICS Annual Review please visit www.ics-shipping.org/ics-annual-review-2017

Thome Opens Modern Training Facility in The Philippines

2nd May 2017Phil Page

Thome Ship Management Pte. Ltd., has opened a modern training facility in Makati city in the heart of the Philippines, so that its seafarers and cadets can practise using the latest equipment which will be the same as the machinery they encounter once onboard.

All guests were welcomed by Capt Ivar Thomasli, Managing Director of Thome Ship Management – ROHQ, followed by the ribbon – cutting ceremony led by Thome Group Executive Chairman, Olav Eek Thorstensen, President and Chief Commercial Officer (COO), Claes Eek Thorstensen, Deputy Managing Director Sartaj Gill and Regional Training Manager Capt. Dante Bo.

The Thome Training Workshop and Dormitory can accommodate up to 50 seafarers/cadets and comes complete with Wi-Fi, 10 standalone CBT computers, and various state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that meets the key vessel requirements of Thome’s principals.