Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 01/06/2016
1. Court Upholds Concordia Sentence
An Italian appeals court has upheld the 16-year sentence given to the captain of the Costa Concordia which capsized in 2012 killing 32 people. Francesco Schettino was sentenced last year after a court found him guilty of manslaughter; causing a maritime accident and abandoning ship. He was seeking to overturn the conviction, while the prosecution wanted a longer prison term. The cruise ship capsized after hitting rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio. Schettino has not yet begun his sentence and has one final appeal to Italy’s highest court. He was not in the Florence court when the verdict was read out by the presiding judge.
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2. Galley Mayhem Attempted Murder
Newspapers in Italy are reporting that the local police in Salerno, Italy arrested a 31 year-old Jamaican, man employed as a cook in the galley of the Celebrity cruise ship, the Constellation, for "attempted murder aggravated by petty reasons." The cook, identified only as "OG," attacked a 38 year-old Indian, head chef, with what is described as a "big knife," according to the L’Unione Sarda newspaper. The cook stabbed the chef in the stomach, seriously injuring him and requiring emergency medical treatment at the Salerno hospital where the chef was admitted in critical condition.
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3. Security at Tipping Point
The security situation in the Western Indian Ocean may be at a tipping point, MAST, the international maritime security company, has said today, marking six months since the High Risk Area (HRA) was reduced (1 December 2015). The culmination of the smaller HRA, merchant vessels (MVs) sailing closer to the Somali coast, a reduced naval presence and fewer security teams has resulted in pirate activity in recent months, with some MVs coming under fire in the Gulf of Aden. There is also evidence of reduced application of Best Management Practice (BMP) measures by vessels and shipping companies.
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4. Dry Bulk Market Hopes
The dry bulk market could become profitable again in 2019 â but only if a series of extremely tough and sustained measures year on year. This is the message from Bimco president, Philippe Louis-Dreyfus. Bimco has developed a new analysis model designed to highlight the actions needed for struggling shipping markets to recover â and to be able to track the progress of the recovery. Using this model, Bimco has developed a âzero supply side growthâ scenario for recovery of the dry bulk market. This scenario requires shipowners to neutralise the delivery of new ships every year by scrapping an equal amount.
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5. Dry Bulk Reality
Dry bulkers are being snapped up left and right in the S&P market these days. In its latest report, Allied Shipbroking noted that âon the dry bulk side, we witnessed a good level of activity, though not much in terms of further shifts in prices. For the moment we have seen a considerable improvement compared to were price levels where a month ago. The momentum in terms of buying interest has stalled as the freight market lost its upward momentum and many fear now of a weaker market to be noted during the biggest course of the summer period which is quickly approaching.
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6. Bluepoint for Business
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigerian Shippersâ Council (NSC) as the economic regulator of ports to produce a viable blueprint for maximum exploitation of the economic potentials of the maritime industry. Buhari gave the directive in a message to the 14th Maritime Seminar for Judges in Abuja. According to the President, having an economic regulator at this critical time of economic downturn is imperative to encourage transparency in economic activities, enhance revenue generation and boost patronage of our seaports. He called on both the judiciary and the legislature to lend support to the reform.
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7. Grounded Ship Inspected
Salvage crews are inspecting a freighter that has run aground in Whitefish Bay on the eastern end of Lake Superior. The 833-foot "MV Roger Blough" was carrying a load of iron ore out of Duluth when it became grounded near the mouth of the St. Mary’s River. Coast Guard officials are investigating the cause of the incident. "There is ample sea room in the area for vessels to transit," said U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Officer Creighton Chong. "So the fact that the lake ‘bottlenecks,’ there’s still plenty of sea room for the vessel to maneuver."
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8. Dublin Invests for Seafarers
Dublin Port Company has opened a new state-of-the-art Seafarersâ Centre at Dublin Port following a âŹ500,000 investment in the facility. The new Seafarersâ Centre was unveiled today at an official opening attended by guest of honour, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Mayor CrĂona NĂ DhĂĄlaigh, who is also Honorary Admiral of Dublin Port. The Seafarersâ Centre breathes new life into the site of the old Odlums flour mill. Housed in the former Odlums workersâ canteen, which had been in use up to the millâs closure in 2012, the Centre now provides a base for vital services to seafarers docking in the port.
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9. Myanmar Signs MLC
The rights of Myanmarâs sizeable merchant seaman population will be better protected after the country last week ratified the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006, the International Labour Organisation said. Myanmar became the 75th ILO member to ratify the convention, in a document signed by Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and formally submitted at the UN organisationâs Geneva headquarters on May 25. The convention, that will take effect in Myanmar on May 26, 2017, will help to ensure protection for the rights of seafarers working on ships flying its flag.
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10. China Embraces P&I
China P&I Management Company, Chinaâs first International mutual insurance management company, has been established in Shanghai. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Shipowners Mutual Assurance Association. It will comply with international standards and provide various insurance services to the marine industry. âThe new company is a milestone in Chinaâs marine insurance industry, and it will promote the development of Shanghai International Shipping Center,â said Jiang Zhuoqing, vice mayor of Shanghai and president of China P&I Club.
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Daily news feed from Seacurus Ltd â providers of MLC crew insurance solutions www.seacurus.com
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S Jones
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