Shipping Industry Launches New Security Resources for World Fleet

28th June 2018Debra Massey

International shipping industry organisations, with military support, have launched a new website dedicated to providing comprehensive maritime security guidance to companies and mariners. Launched today, the new website www.maritimeglobalsecurity.org provides security-related guidance produced by the industry as well as links to other useful maritime and military security resources.

“In a world of increasingly complex security risks, it is essential that mariners and ships are protected. The new website will be a freely available facility where companies and mariners can access essential guidance and information to help them comprehensively prepare for voyages through areas of security risk,” the authors said.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race to Lower Operating Costs, says The Swedish Club

28th June 2018Debra Massey

The Swedish Club warns that vessel operators should always look to the long term, when specifying the type of engines to be installed across the fleet. Latest statistics from the Club show that vessels propelled by medium/high speed engines have a claims frequency 2.5 times higher than slow speed engines, with an average claims cost of close to USD 650,000.

Main Engine Damage, the latest loss prevention report from The Swedish Club, sheds light on an expensive category of damage that is all too frequent. Statistically a vessel will suffer between one and two incidences of main engine damage during its life time. Considering the costly consequences for ship owners and their hull insurers, it is important to identify the main causes of this damage and examine how these can be prevented.

The publication also includes loss prevention advice from the major engine manufacturers, MAN Engines and Wärtsilä.

Norsafe Launches New Fast Rescue and Patrol Boat at Seawork International

28th June 201828th June 2018Phil Page

Norsafe has carried out extensive research and development in the last few years to develop a new range of robust and safe boats for the Military and Professional market.

Using the experience gained from the closed cabin 1200 and S1200 in the Munin range, an open version is now ready for sea trials and will be launched at Seawork International on 3-5

July in Southampton, UK.

The latest boat has already been tested by Norsafe’s engineers together with user groups representing the coast guard, maritime police, customs and special forces. The overall feedback has been very positive.

The first open S1200 comes with a triple Mercury Verado 400 outboard installation and the same platform can be delivered with sterndrives, surface drives or a waterjet installation.

With the rigid bulwarks and D-fender configuration, the available deck space boasts an impressive flexibility and space for various on-deck operations. All main components can be reconfigured to user specific needs with the console positioned aft, midship or forward. Mission specific equipment placed on deck is safely secured to cargo rails.

Ergonomics and safety in extreme conditions have been key factors in the design and development of the console and dashboard arrangement. All main controls and switches are within direct reach of the pilot position.

The console has been designed with large flat surfaces making it easy to install additional mission specific equipment and the large dashboard can be delivered with a 2- or a 3-crew layout, depending on user needs and specifications.

Thome Wins MPA Singapore Award

27th June 2018Phil Page

The Thome Group has won the “Innovation in Technology and Systems” award during the MPA Singapore Safety@Sea awards ceremony held at the Marina Mandarin hotel on 21^st June 2018.

The awards ceremony was the culmination of MPA Singapore’s annual Safety@Sea week designed to raise awareness and exchange views on safety within the international maritime community.

The judging panel was made up of members from the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council (NMSSC) who were impressed with Thome Group’s investment in a new Operations Hub at its head office.

The Day of the Seafarer – 365 Days a Year

25th June 201825th June 2018Debra Massey

Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI), the centre spearheading international research on the seafarer and maritime law, joined the shipping community today in offering a message of support for IMO’s Day of the Seafarer.

“We are extremely pleased that the theme of the 2018 Day of the Seafarer is the important issue of seafarers’ wellbeing,” said Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of SRI. “SRI was set up to advance the rights of seafarers through engagement with the international maritime industry, and advocacy within the international legal framework. Through this work, we are continually reminded of the importance of the seafarer at the heart of our industry, and that efforts to represent the needs of the seafarer have to continue.

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.

UMAR|WSR Expands Its Operations Into New European, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern Markets

5th June 201811th June 2018Catherine Varney

The UMAR|WSR Group of companies is to expand its operations into Singapore, the Middle East and Russia following the signing of cooperation agreements with two of its main principals, Lagersmit of The Netherlands and the Detyens Shipyard in Charleston, US.

Under the agreement, UMAR|WSR will represent the interests of Lagersmit in Dubai, Oman and Qatar while it will look after the interests of Detyens in Singapore, the UAE and Russia. It already acts for both companies in Cyprus and Greece.

Welcoming the development, Thrasos Tsangarides, Group CEO, said the news was proof that UMAR|WSR’s way of serving the market was working. “It is an important day for us today and we are very excited about representing the interests of these two companies in these new markets.

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.