Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 23/05/2016
1. IMO Recognises Cyber Threat
At a meeting of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), it was recognised that ships may also be exposed to so-called cyber-attacks. Now, the IMO wants to prevent hostile attempts to interfere with electronic systems in the maritime industry and it has therefore drawn up interim Guidelines on risk management.
An important point of the guidelines is that potential attacks will not be aimed merely at traditional computer systems, but will also to a high degree focus on control and steering systems for, for example, navigation, machinery, communication, etc. The IMO advice is about taking action.
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2. Summer Box Marriage Beckons
Merger talks between German container-shipping operator Hapag-Lloyd AG and Dubai-based rival United Arab Shipping Co. are progressing well, and the companies will likely combine by the end of the summer, two people involved in the matter said. “It’s a win-win situation and talks are ticking along quite well,” one of the people said. “Unless there is a last-minute snag, we will have a marriage by August.” Hapag-Lloyd and UASC said in April they were in preliminary talks based on valuations that would give Hapag shareholders 72% ownership of any combined firm, and holders of UASC the rest.
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3. Tanker Arrested in Canaries
A tanker vessel owned by Turkey’s Furtrans Denizcilik group and managed by Italian company Furtrans Tanker & Ship Management has been arrested in the port of Salinetas, Canary Islands. Spanish media report that the local coast guard seized the 2013-built FT Portoria acting on a court order for unpaid debts from the shipowner. The vessel is currently moored in the port of Las Palmas where the local port authority will not permit the vessel to leave until the legal dispute is solved. Some other vessels operated by Furtrans have been involved in legal disputes over the last few years.
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4. Green Pressure Ramps Up
Though the shipping sector accounts for 3 percent of global CO2 emissions, the Paris climate deal left it untouched. Now the pressure is on for industry regulators to develop their own plan of action. Regulating the global shipping industry, it seems, is about as easy as getting a 180,000-ton container ship to slow down by tugging on one of its mooring ropes. But that hasn’t kept people from trying. The absence of the shipping sector in a final deal was an elephant in the room, climate advocates said. Some even went so far as to don elephant masks while protesting close to where the talks were being held.
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5. The Death of The Noon Report
Virtually every shipping company today uses noon reports to understand and monitor what is happening on their ships. These reports are traditionally sent by the captain every day, based on data gathered manually by the crew. The noon report has grown over the years to give a snapshot of what has happened on board the ship since the previous noon i.e., in the last 24 hours. However, what started and evolved as an innocent position report has slowly but steadily become a monster with so many modern changes shaping shipping, some are expected to ditch it – but who will be brave enough to go first?
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6. IMO Head Talks Sustainability
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has highlighted IMO’s work to promote green and sustainable shipping at the ITF Green and Inclusive Transport Summit 2016 in Leipzig, Germany. Mr Lim highlighted mandatory energy efficiency measures already adopted and approved, as well as two major technology programmes to help improve energy efficiency in shipping and help the industry move towards a low-carbon future. During a side event on “Reducing CO2 from shipping” Edmund Hughes, Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency at IMO provided information on the work of the Organization to address GHG emissions from ships.
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7. Running Out of Steam
Indonesia is the world’s leading steam coal exporter, accounting for over 40% of global seaborne steam coal exports since 2010. However in 2015, the country’s steam coal shipments dropped 10%, due to sliding Asian thermal coal import demand, slumping coal spot prices and a series of domestic disruptions. While steps are being taken to try to weather the storm this year, the outlook remains challenging. Easing Chinese power generation growth and measures to reduce air pollution saw Indonesian steam coal exports to China fall 30% to 36mt in 2015. Indonesian steam coal exports have also been hit by piracy.
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8. CHIRP on Traffic Separation
The latest issue of U.K. charitable trust CHIRP’s Maritime Broadcast discusses an incident in a traffic separation scheme, an exhaust gas heater fire suppression system engineering fault and possible entry into enclosed spaces without full precautions. The CHIRP report describes a traffic separation scheme (TSS) incident on the video and in their latest newsletter: A VLCC heading north-east in the Sandettie TSS was overtaken at very close quarters (one to two cables) by a container ship. The container ship did not comply with guidance on the relevant chart and did not keep clear…why?
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9. APL Slashes CO2 Emissions
APL, the container shipping unit of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines, says it has reduced its fleet’s carbon dioxide emissions by 45.5% in 2015 compared to 2009 levels. APL says the achievement marks the company’s highest carbon dioxide emissions reduction in the last six years, attributing the reducting to improvements in operational efficiency, fleet and voyage optimization, technical improvements, and more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly fleet of vessels. “APL has steadily reduced its year-on-year carbon emissions" said Kenneth Glenn, APL President.
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10. Skuld on Purchase Trail
Skuld today announces it has signed a letter of intent to purchase SMA/Gerling Norway. The acquisition would give Skuld renewal rights on SMA/Gerling Norway’s hull & machinery book of business, which today covers 6,000 vessels paying around US$40m in premium. Any successful renewals would be insured with Skuld’s own corporate paper and operate separately from Skuld’s syndicate 1897 at Lloyd’s. Skuld 1897 will continue its strategy as before and will not be affected by the acquisition of SMA/Gerling Norway.
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Daily news feed from Seacurus Ltd – providers of MLC crew insurance solutions www.seacurus.com
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Daily news feed from Seacurus Ltd – providers of MLC crew insurance solutions www.seacurus.com
Best regards,
S Jones
Seacurus Ltd
Registered in England No. 5201529
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
A Barbican Group company
Telephone: +44 191 4690859
Facsimile: +44 191 4067577
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.seacurus.com
Registered Office: Suite 3, Level 3,
Baltic Place West, Baltic Place,
South Shore Road,
Gateshead,
NE8 3BA,
United Kingdom
This message, and any associated files, are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it was addresses and may contain information that is confidential, subject to copyright or constitutes a trade secret. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any dissemination, copying or distribution of this message, or files associated with this message, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately.
Daily news feed from Seacurus Ltd – providers of MLC crew insurance solutions www.seacurus.com
Best regards,
S Jones
Seacurus Ltd
Registered in England No. 5201529
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
A Barbican Group company
Telephone: +44 191 4690859
Facsimile: +44 191 4067577
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.seacurus.com
Registered Office: Suite 3, Level 3,
Baltic Place West, Baltic Place,
South Shore Road,
Gateshead,
NE8 3BA,
United Kingdom
This message, and any associated files, are intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it was addresses and may contain information that is confidential, subject to copyright or constitutes a trade secret. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any dissemination, copying or distribution of this message, or files associated with this message, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately.
