Top Ten Maritime News Stories 11/11/2015

Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 11/11/2015

 

1. UN Keeps Piracy Fight Going

On November 10, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York reauthorized international naval action in fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, stressing that “while the threat from Somali pirates has declined, it still remains a matter of grave concern.” The UNSC highlighted the important role played by ships from the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, but noted that the primary responsibility lies with Somalia, a country torn apart by 25 years of strife. The resolution urged flag, port and coastal states to cooperate in prosecuting perpetrators, and proposed specialized anti-piracy courts.

 http://goo.gl/01hPrz

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2. Life for Seafarers Still Grim

In looking at how seafarers suffered through the ages it is possible to build a picture of how effective, or otherwise, our current regime is. How seafarers through the ages would have rejoiced at the contents of MLC…but is the perceived impact for seafarers good enough? When Roger Stone, Southampton port chaplain with the Apostleship of the Sea spoke recently he claimed the situation still seemed pretty depressing. There is "large-scale ignorance of MLC". Not one seafarer he spoke to had read it. Some said it was for officers only. And some officers commented it was actually an additional burden. There is much work to be done.

http://goo.gl/Pa0JKJ

 

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3. Shift of Shipowner to Gas

Ship owners have shifted their attention towards gas carriers during the course of the past week, as a number of deals in the newbuilding market arose. According to the latest weekly report from Allied Shipbroking, “gas carriers took center stage this week as the emergence of a number of VLGCs increased their orderbook tally while giving an essence of the bullish sentiment being noted in these large LPGs”. Allied noted that “we also witnessed two orders for MR tankers, one placed by Stena Bulk at China’s CSSC group while the other being options declared by Scorpio Tankers which seems to be shifting its focus once again on its MR fleet. http://goo.gl/JTNE5V

 

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4. Cypriots Raise Recycling Regs

The Department of Merchant Shipping has issued a circular to owners, managers and representatives of Cyprus-flagged ships advising them of procedures for implementing the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (1257/2013). The regulation applies to ships of 500 gross tonnes and above that fly the flag of an EU member state and are engaged in international voyages, as well as ships that fly the flag of other countries which call at a port or anchorage of an EU member state. The regulation entered into force on December 30 2013. The regulation’s practical application depends on the issuance of the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities.

http://goo.gl/TM7i1x

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5. New Security Working Group

In order to keep the European shipping industry abreast of recent developments, European ship owners have widened the scope of the former ECSA Piracy Working Group, which has been renamed “ECSA Maritime Security Working Group”. Topics under the remit of the new working group range from piracy and armed robbery at sea to cyber security, as well as the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean, where European ship owners have taken centre stage in the efforts to rescue migrants at sea. The first meeting was by the European External Action Service, the European Commission, Member States’ NATO delegations and Frontex.

http://goo.gl/u4TBRt

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6. Pirate Dies in Custody

One of the 120 alleged Somali pirates nabbed in four operations died of natural causes at JJ Hospital on Sunday. The 28-year-old undertrial, Abdi Chama, had tuberculosis and suffered from other lung-related ailments. A native of Mogadishu, Chama was arrested on March 16, 2011. He was lodged at Taloja jail. Official documents list his relative as his mother, Bargi. Officials said it was difficult to say who would receive the body as there was no contact with the next of kin. The Somalian embassy in Delhi was informed and it was learnt to be making arrangements for the body to be received from the JJ Hospital.

http://goo.gl/f9Y6HG

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7. Goal of Standardised Training

The goal of STCW has been to establish a common, international training standard for seafarers from various nations. What has been attained so far and what more needs to be done to accomplish the goals of STCW fully? The existence of various international flags under which ships can be registered has allowed seafarers originating from various countries to sail on ships that are not necessarily owned by local companies. Recognizing the international nature of the business, IMO has striven hard since 1978 to pursue safety of life at sea by having an internationally agreed minimum standard for training of seafarers.

http://goo.gl/VdygY2

 

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8. Liberia Launches Liability Certifcation

The Liberian Registry has launched a facility enabling shipowners to apply online for certification under the major international liability conventions. Liberia launched an online certification facility on its secure eMaritime website to expedite shipowners’ compliance with the requirements of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks 2007 (WRC). Following the success of that initiative, the website includes applications for certification under the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage 2001 (BCLC) and the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992 (CLC).

http://goo.gl/x3t24a

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9. Crane Hit by Ship Written Off

The ultra-large containership APL Temasek which allided with a gantry crane and navy barge at Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) in Port Said on October 27 hit the quay so hard that the crane is a total loss. The 13,900 teu vessel (pictured), a flagship of the Singaporean line’s fleet, has been allowed to leave but the losses from the crane collision will amount to millions of dollars. A spokesperson for the terminal stressed that despite the loss of the crane there had been no impact on terminal operations.

http://goo.gl/tuHTSb

 

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10. Yards Refusing Bulk Orders

Japanese shipyards, in the fortuitous position of having lengthy orderbooks, are increasingly refusing to take dry bulk orders. “They’re holding off, waiting for prices to pick up. They don’t have the worries that Koreans and Chinese yards do, in that most of them are full through at least most of 2017,” one broking source in Tokyo claims. Prices for handies, panamaxes and capesizes at Japanese yards have slid down consistently month by month since September 2014, according to data from Simpson Spence Young. The weak yen and extremely generous financing terms offered in Japan have boosted activity.

http://goo.gl/Q4qaVZ

 

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