Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 03/08/2016
1. Seafarers Supply Threatened
Indian seafarers could well start to price themselves out of the market with shock news that the income tax department will now tax them up to 30% of their salaries whether working on local or foreign flagged ships. Until this month, Indian crew who spent more than six months at sea had enjoyed similar benefits to non-resident Indians, but now following an income tax tribunal could all change. Tax authorities are also looking at taking tax income from the previous six years. India is one of the worldâs largest suppliers of crews to the worldâs merchant fleet.
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2. Second Wage Ship Detained
A second Indian ship was among foreign flagged vessels under detention in UK ports after failing a Port State Control (PSC) inspection in July. ‘Malaviya Twenty’ was detained at Great Yarmouth over "five deficiencies with four ground for detention". The ship’s medical certificate had expired as well as record of wages to its employees was missing. The ship joins ‘Malaviya Seven’, both owned by Mumbai’s GOL Offshore Ltd, which was held at the coast of Aberdeen in Scotland over similarly "missing" wages for its staff members and a lack of "calculation and payment of wages" record in June.
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3. False Alarm Causes Concern
Ships transiting the Red Sea have been cautioned to remain vigilant despite a reported piracy attack north of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait recently turning out to be false alarm. A cable laying vessel reported being fired upon by 16 assailants armed with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and AK47 assault rifles west of Yemenâs Jazirat al Hanish al Kabir islands on July 22. Armed security on board the merchant vessel returned warning shots, however the incident, near position 13â 37â N – 042â 35â E, proved to be an encounter with local Yemeni Security Forces according to United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO).
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4. New Piracy Guidance
In the light of three incidents where the crew of tug boats were abducted in the waters off Eastern Sabah and Southern Philippines, the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) published a special report on the âAbducting of Crew from Tug Boats in Waters off Eastern Sabah and Southern Philippinesâ in April 2016. A follow up report has now been published, entitled âSpecial Report on Abducting of Crew from Ships in Waters off Eastern Sabah and Southern Philippines (Part II)â, providing an update of the situation.
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5. Hanjin Struggling to Hang In
Hanjin Shippingâs efforts to settle the rescheduling deadlines for financing ships and reducing charter fees before the end of July has not yet be resolved, raising concerns over the possibility that the nationâs top shipping line may go into court receivership. The shipperâs struggles to normalize management is in stark contrast to its smaller local rival, Hyundai Merchant Marine, which has reported âsignificantâ progresses. Hanjin Shipping has failed to conclude negotiations with foreign ship owners and creditors in a bid to lower charter fees and prolong looming deadlines for financing its shipping. .
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6. Fears of Lay-Offs
Questions are being asked as to whether there will be a lay-offs after United Arab Shipping Co (UASC) merging with the German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd. Middle Eastern enterprise UASC expects most of the tie-upâs US$400 million cost savings to come from operations rather than lay-offs. UASC’s initial hypothesis is there will be fewer lay-offs than many people would normally expect in a merger. The largest portion of this amount [$400m] comes from deploying the optimal size ship for each of the trades where the combined company will operate.
http://goo.gl/eHS7nl
http://goo.gl/eHS7nl
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7. Stiff Drugs Sentences
The Felony Appeals Court of Piraeus sentenced Giorgos Bourdouvalis to life imprisonment plus nine years as the broker of âNoor 1â ship that carried two tons of heroin. Bourdouvalis â or Captain George as he was known in testimonies â was the captain of the ship that carried two tons of heroin from the United Arab Emirates to Elefsina, Greece in June 2014. The ship broker from Dubai also has to pay a fine of 600,000 euros. The 42-year-old ship owner Makis Giannousakis was also found guilty of the crime of transporting two tons of heroin and was sentenced to life imprisonment plus eight years and is required to pay a fine.
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8. Lawyers Discuss Brexit Effect
The global shipping market is experiencing challenging times, mainly due to factors which were set in train long before the brexit vote. However, the shipping industry is used to market cycles and draws resilience from the fact that global trade cannot function without international shipping. Regional issues like the Brexit vote certainly have the power to impact the market, but if ultimately they are not significant enough to affect global supply and demand for physical goods and commodities, they are unlikely to prove more than a drop in the ocean in terms of their individual impact on the global shipping market.
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9. US Signs Class Deal
The U.S. Coast Guard and DNV GL have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) authorizing DNV GL to participate in the Alternate Compliance Program (ACP) and delegated certain survey and certification services for U.S. flagged vessels. This delegation and MOA, signed by Rear Adm. Paul Thomas, assistant commandant for prevention policy, and Captain Blaine Collins, DNV GL vice president of group government and public affairs for the U.S., supersedes the agreements previously executed by DNV and the Coast Guard on August 4, 2006, and GL and the Coast Guard on September 7, 2011.
http://goo.gl/T7KhoJ
http://goo.gl/T7KhoJ
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10. Getting Ready for Drones
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or âdronesâ in common parlance, are not a part of the historical maritime vocabulary. At least not yet. While the term âdronesâ may conjure images from science fiction, the reality is that companies are designing commercial UAS for the private sector, and they are gradually permeating our daily life. Henry Ford is rumored to have opined on his invention of the automobile that if he had asked people what they wanted, they would have said âfaster horses.â In the case of UAS, they are quickly evolving into a useful maritime business tool due to the innovative opportunities they provide.
http://goo.gl/Ds1KDv
http://goo.gl/Ds1KDv
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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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