Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 09/05/2017
1. Incredible Crane Collapse Video
Ten port workers were injured when a CMA CGM container vessel collided with a quay crane at Jebel Ali Port, causing it to collapse. Terminal operator DP World confirmed in statement on Monday that on Thursday 4 May a CMA CGM container vessel had collided with the harbour wall striking the leg of a quay crane causing it to fall. It added that a second crane had shifted off its rails but remained upright. DP World said the accident led to one person with âmoderateâ injuries with a fractured arm and leg and nine with âminorâ injuries who were treated at the DP World Medical Clinic. The man with a fractured arm and leg is in hospital and reported to be in a stable condition. A video of the incident shows the collapsed crane narrowly missing an administration building.
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2. Is MLC Making Life Better?
Four years on from MLC 2006 coming into effect Carolyn Graham, a PhD Student from the Seafarersâ International Research Centre at Cardiff University, questions whether life at sea is any better. The seafarersâ âBill of Rightsâ, promised improved employment and working conditions for the global seafaring labour force. However, there seems to be a gap in what is given attention. While there are established health and safety management strategies on ships, these are heavily focussed on safety and are heavily behaviour-based. Seafarers are expected to behave according to the company policy and apply the technical and procedural standards to prevent accidents and casualties. While these are important, a behaviour-based approach to safety management has long been proven inadequate. MLC is treating the symptoms not the disease.
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3. Rush for VLCCs
John Fredriksenâs Frontline is being linked with an order at Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for two firm VLCCs. The deal comes with two options and each unit is priced at $80m. Deliveries are scheduled for mid-2019. Orders for VLCCs have piled in this year on the back of low prices not seen since late 2013. VLCC newbuild contracts are close to being triple the number reported for the whole of last year with Greeks leading the way. Local Korean rival to HHI, Samsung Heavy Industries is expected to announce shortly that it has accepted an order from Evangelos Marinakisâ Capital Maritime & Trading Corp for four firm plus four options of 320,000 dwt VLCCs. The ships are priced at $81.3m and will also deliver in 2019.
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4. Day of the Seafarer
On June 25, the Day of the Seafarer 2017 will be celebrated across the globe with a special focus on ports and seafarer centers. IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has released his video message in anticipation. Under this yearâs theme #Seafarers Matter, the campaign aims to engage the people working in ports and seafarer centers to demonstrate how much seafarers matter to them. IMO is also launching a new Day of the Seafarer logo. The Day of the Seafarer logo seeks to celebrate those people working in the industry, making it clear that seafaring is inclusive and a career at sea is suitable for both men and women. To encourage people to participate, IMO will launch an interactive world map which will feature the best port and seafarer centers from around the world.
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5. New Port State Declaration
29 countries from the Paris MoU and the Tokyo Mou have signed a new Ministerial Declaration on port State control. The declaration, which has been under preparation for three years, stipulates new goals for port State control and for cooperation on port State control. The agreements focused on sulphur regulations and the Polar Code, but the declaration also focuses on a number of other areas, such as the acceptance of electronic certificates, more transparency and reductions of the burdens imposed on the industry in connection with PSC inspections. Furthermore, the inspection regime must continuously be developed in order to optimise the use of the resources available. The message remains that port State Control secures a level playing field for the benefit of safety, the environment and the seafarers.
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6. Seafarer Stabbing Investigated
Dutch police are investigating a suspected stabbing on a container ship off the Western Isles. A merchant seaman was allegedly knifed on the chest and arm and required an urgent airlift by a rescue helicopter. The unnamed sailor â who is believed to be Russian â was winched off the MV Leah which was 82 miles off the north coast of Lewis in the Atlantic Ocean. The 6,000 deadweight tonne freighter was on voyage between Rotterdam and Iceland when the alleged incident occurred. The 32-year-old casualty arrive by helicopter at the helipad by the Western isles Hospital in Stornoway in the early hours of Saturday at round 3.10am. He subsequently received treatment in the accident and emergency department. The incident is now being investigated by police in the Netherlands
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7. Factoring in Salvage Costs
In the recent insurance coverage litigation involving RENOS (Connect Shipping Inc. and another v Swedish Club and others [2016] EWHC 1580 (Comm)), the English High Court clarified that when assessing a constructive total loss (CTL), the value of salvage services incurred prior to the issuance of a Notice of bandonment (NOA) should be taken into account. In the RENOS case, the assured brought a claim under a policy on the Institute Time Clauses for a CTL of the insured vessel following an engine room fire. Salvage services were rendered on Lloydâs Open Form and SCOPIC was invoked. Salvage and General Average costs incurred prior to the issuance of an NOA may be included in the calculation of a CTL; and SCOPIC expenses paid to salvors are an integral part of necessary salvage operations that insurers accept as a cost of repair.
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8. Reefer Suffers Flooding
On Friday, the refrigerated cargo ship Uruguay Reefer suffered a "massive intake of water" in her number two hold, and 48 hours later her crew abandoned ship due to worsening flooding. At the time the Uruguay reported the flooding, she was at a position about 100 nm off Elephant Island, an isolated outcropping in the Southern Ocean near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The vessel still had propulsion, and her master planned to seek assistance from two company-owned vessels in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands. He told authorities that he suspected that she had struck floating ice. Uruguay’s crew was unable to halt the ingress of water and that flooding was worsening in persistent rough weather. At 0500 hours on May 7, the vessel’s master ordered abandon ship, and all 42 of the Uruguay’s crew safely transferred to another ship.
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9. Mental Health of Seafarers
The U.K.-based charity Human Rights at Sea has published a new mental health welfare leaflet Remaining Resilient after Traumatic Events for the benefit of seafarers, fishermen and their family and friends. The new resource has been produced in time for the U.K. Mental Health awareness week. Authored by Professor Neil Greenberg, on behalf of Human Rights at Sea, the leaflet follows on from the Managing Traumatic Stress guidance that was published through The Nautical Institute in 2016. Most people who are exposed to traumatic incidents cope well, though many will experience short-term distress. A minority, though, will develop persistent mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Until recently, there was no specific guidance showing how maritime organisations can help their staff.
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10. Towing Iceberg to UAE
A company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to tow an iceberg from Antarctica to relieve the nation’s water shortage. A private firm based in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, claims the National Advisor Bureau plans to send a ship south to haul the iceberg nearly 12,600 kilometers (7,800 miles) to Fujairah. An iceberg could provide enough water for one million people over five years, the firm claims. It could also be good for tourism and the weather, says the company. In a promotional video, the company depicts polar bears and penguins being towed on the iceberg, even though there are no polar bears in Antarctica. Technical and financial plans have been formulated for the tow that could take 12 months. The UAE is predicted to run out of ground water in the next 15 years, reports The Guardian.
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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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