Top Ten Maritime News Stories 21/01/2015

Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 21/01/2015

 

1. Danes Call for Emissions Detentions

Ships caught violating Emission Control Area (ECA) sulphur regulations should be taken to the nearest port and detained for 15 days, recommends Kare Press-Kristensen, senior adviser of air quality to the Danish Ecological Council. In a presentation Press-Kristensen stressed that efficient enforcement would be the only way to ensure that the field was even for all players, especially as current lax enforcement measures mean that ships stand to gain from deliberate non-compliance. A more rigorous enforcement scheme could also include initiatives such as mandatory sealed sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide measuring devices aboard all ships with scrubbers, said Press-Kristensen.

http://goo.gl/T6Hw9v

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2. Stowaways Found on Ebola Navy Vessel

The Royal Netherlands Navy has discovered three stowaways on board a ship that delivered aid to Ebola-hit nations in West Africa, it confirmed on Tuesday. According to media reports, the men climbed up ropes to get on board the joint logistic support ship, HNLMS Karel Doorman, while it was moored in Dakar, Senegal, then hid in a life boat and other parts of the ship. The vessel reportedly moored at a secure dock in Dakar which was guarded by local authorities. The Dutch crew guarded access to the ship itself, so it was unclear how the men managed to get aboard the military vessel. Once discovered, the men were immediately given medical checks and showed no symptoms of Ebola or any other acute illness.

http://goo.gl/qnY4yn

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3. Rotterdam Dockers in Dispute

Dockers at the Port of Rotterdam’s ECT terminal refused to unload a vessel on Sunday as a sign of protest amid job loss fears, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said. The vessel "Alsvin" was loaded at the newly opened Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) in what was believed to be a test operation and forwarded to the ECT terminal for discharging. The dockers had voiced concerns about the impacts of automation and overcapacity on all existing terminals in the port and its workforce. The opening of the new automated terminals APMT Maasvlakte 2 and Rotterdam Gateway (RGW) could cut as many as 1,000 jobs if shipping lines move their business to the new terminals in the coming years.

 http://goo.gl/NIubqj

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4. Captain Craves Piracy Closure

Four years ago, Seok Hae-kyun, the captain of the Samho Jewelry, was nearly killed when his ship was hijacked by Somali pirates.  The Norwegian-owned, Korean-operated Samho Jewelry was seized by the nefarious seamen on Jan. 15, 2011, in the Arabian Sea en route to Sri Lanka.  The ship’s crew was rescued six days later by the Korean Navy.  During the operation, Seok was seriously wounded by gunfire from pirates.  But the proceedings provided little closure for Seok, now 62, so on Jan. 14 – just ahead of the fourth anniversary of the mission – he decided to visit the Daejeon Correctional Institution to meet with the man who once tried to take his life. The pirate apologised to the Captain.

http://goo.gl/I8kyYs

 

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5. Iranian Oil Risks P&I Warning

Shipowners face considerable risks in ship-to-ship (STS) oil transfers from an operation to smuggle Iranian oil, warns a Gard alert. "There is evidence of a sophisticated smuggling operation and those responsible may go to considerable lengths to disguise the true origin of the cargo," said Gard. Cargo documentation is likely to appear credible, added the P&I club. Such STS transfers of Iranian oil generally take place at Khor Fakkan, in the UAE, said Gard. It added that shippers describe the oil as Iraqi and typically claim it was loaded in Basra two days earlier. Since 2011, Iran has been subject to strict US and European Union sanctions.

http://goo.gl/M2KcAj

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6. Thailand Makes Container Security Strides

Thailand has joined the global Container Control Program, a United Nations initiative aimed at minimizing the exploitation of maritime containers for the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons and other illegal goods. The program was launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) in 2004. "The cooperation between the Thai Customs Department and the UNODC will considerably improve the control of the containerized trade supply chain by enhancing detection of illicit activities and seizure of illegal goods," Paisal Chuenjit, deputy director general of the Thai Customs Department, said at the agreement- signing ceremony, reports Xinhua.

http://goo.gl/BVjiA7

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7. Critical Safety Knowledge for Bulk Crews

With bulk carrier safety once more a focus, bulk Carrier Safety regulation has recently focused on the strengthening of the International Maritime Solid Bulk Code (IMSBC) covering the loading and transport of bulk cargoes, with new guidelines mandatory from January 1, 2015. The new guidelines offer the regulatory response to concerns over continuing incidents of cargo liquefaction, and specifically the dangers identified in transporting nickel ore. The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (Intercargo) has described nickel ore as the world’s most dangerous cargo and attributed the loss of 66 lives in South East Asia from 2009 to 2011 alone to cargo liquefaction.

http://goo.gl/q5SV1N

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8. Ghana Needs to Act on Piracy Law

Maritime law and security expert, Dr.Kamal Deen Ali is calling for a review of Ghana’s maritime law to deal with the complexities associated with piracy and other related crimes. This he said is because Ghana’s laws on piracy is outdated, saying, “It hasn’t kept out with the pace of the modern definition of piracy.” “Generally in the sub region a number of countries do have very outdated legislation so we should be working to update our legislation so that we can deal with the complex issues of piracy and other piratical related violence,” he stated. Dr Deen made the suggestion when commenting on the arrest of Nigerian pirates alleged to have hijacked a tanker in the area.

http://goo.gl/qWSWmN

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9. Latest Emission Guide Published

Maritime publisher Fathom has announced the launch of its latest guide, Operating in Emission Control Areas [ECAs]: The Guide & On-Board Manual labelling it a "new industry resource." Fathom said its guide offers practical guidance tools to help shipowners deal with a wide range operational issues that may arise. "Whilst many ship owners and operators and their crews are somewhat aware that there may be issues, they do not realise the full range of these and the impact they can have on vessels," said Fathom Director, Alison Jarabo. The guide has been produced by Fathom as a response to shipowner concerns highlighted in a recent survey.
http://goo.gl/5jsaN7

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10. Panama Canal Makes Construction Landmark

Another significant milestone in the construction of the expanded Panama Canal this week: the installation of the first new lock gate on the Pacific side. The Panama Canal Authority reports that the first gate for the Pacific side locks was carried to its destination on 400-wheel self-propelled motorized wheel transporters (SPMTs) and installed on Monday. Overall, the Canal expansion project is currently 85 percent complete. The gate, located in what is known as lock head one, is the first of eight gates that will be installed in the new locks at the Pacific side of the waterway. The steel rolling gate measures 8 meters wide, 57.6 meters long and 22.28 meters in height, weighing 2,300 tons.

http://goo.gl/vsjnCZ

 

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