Dispatches No. 376

Joint-Industry Alert on Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

Two tankers have been hijacked in the last 4 weeks in the Gulf of Guinea. This, coupled with the number of attacks and kidnappings of seafarers in this region has alarmed the international shipping industry. The Round Table of Shipping Associations and OCIMF are working with the International Coordination Centre (ICC) and navies to address the security considerations. However, in response to this increased threat of hijack and kidnap in the Gulf of Guinea the international shipping industry reminds all ship owners and managers, and the seafarers operating in the area that they have a responsibility to ensure that their ships are adequately protected.

Regional Guidance produced by industry organisations is available and should be read.

Ships operating in the area are also strongly urged to report to the FR/UK operated, Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) which is a secure and trusted agency. The MDAT-GoG will liaise directly with the navies in the region in the event of an attack. If a ship does not report to the centre then there is likely to be a delay in the response from the regional navy. The reporting details are shown on Admiralty Maritime Security Chart Q6114.  Alerts and warnings will issued by MDAT-GoG to those that have reported on entering the VRA and they will also contact vessels in the immediate vicinity of an incident. CSO’s/Masters can contact the MDAT-GoG 24/7 at:

[email protected]

Emergency Tel: +33(0) 298 22 88 88

As a minimum CSOs and, Masters of ships operating in the area should plan according to the following:

• Arrive at the Pilot Station, Port, Anchorage or STS Area “Just in Time.” Time transit with consideration to safe speed and maintaining distance offshore or use an offshore waiting area.  Consider higher transit speeds where risk/threat assessment is high.
• Rendezvous – Where possible, avoid waiting and slow steaming. Consider offering several alternative rendezvous points and advise rendezvous points at the last minute. If waiting, keep well off the coast (up to 200nm). Do not give away waiting positions. Do not drift and keep engines ready for immediate maneuvers.
• Vessels should proceed within the 200’nm range at Full Speed.
• Anchoring – Where practicable, a prolonged stay at anchorage is to be avoided.
• Minimize use of VHF and use e-mail or secure satellite telephone instead. Where possible only answer known or legitimate callers on the VHF, bearing in mind that imposters are likely and may even appear in uniform.
• The greatest risks of piracy are at night and these need to be factored into all planning. Where possible, operations should start and end during daylight hours.
• The use of Privately Contracted Armed Guards on board is banned in Nigerian waters.
• If using an armed escort, due diligence on the company providing this service must be conducted to ensure strict adherence to the MOU issued by the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA.
• Ship owners and managers must have a means of verification that hardening measures are available and in place on vessels prior to entering the GoG area.
• Spot checks for verification at ports within the GoG area is an additional option to consider.
• Nigerian Naval armed guards can protect merchant ships utilising patrol boats to escort ships in the region.
• Maintain all-round visual lookouts & good radar watch.
• Report to MDAT-GoG:
  • [email protected]
  • Emergency Tel: +33(0) 298 22 88 88

 

The international shipping community remains alert to the insecurity and will continue to work with regional partners to achieve safe and secure shipping.

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Last Week:

5^th February London – InterManager Conference and Executive Committee Meeting

5-9 February, IMO Sub-Committee on Pollution, Prevention and Response; Capt. Paddy McKnight representing InterManager – full report available from: https://www.intermanager.org/2018/02/imo-sub-committee-on-pollution-prevention-and-response-5-9-february-2018/

6^th February London – Superintendents Forum meeting – President Bjorn Jebsen and Kuba Szymanski representing InterManager

8^th February – NI Technical Committee – Capt. Kuba Szymanski Representing InterManager.

 

 

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This Week:

Closing InterManager Interactive Forum

Acting on resolutions from ExCom meeting on the 5^th of February in London

Join Industry Alert – Gulf of Guinea

Administration work

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Looking forward:

19-23 February, IMO Sub Committee on Navigation, Communications, Search & Rescue; Capt. Paddy McKnight representing InterManager

28 Feb – 1 Mar 2018 (NGOs) – US – Tenth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole on the Regular Process – Vice President George Hoyt representing InterManager

16^th March Sailors’ Society’s Wellness at Sea Conference (WASC) on 16 March 2018, London

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Project updates:

Adopt a Ship

InterManager has joined the Cyprus Chamber of Shipping initiated campaign Adopt A Ship.

As of this week we have:
30 classes and 6 School Libraries in Poland, 2 Universities in Poland, 1 kindergarten in Poland; 3 orphanages in India  – 31 ships

Anyone interested to learn more about Adopt A Ship project please get in touch with Capt. Kuba Szymanski [email protected]

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ACI’s 12th Arctic Shipping Summit will be taking place 21-22 February, 2018 in Montreal, Canada.

The two day conference will consist of a number of informative presentations followed by interactive Q&A sessions, panel discussions and an open discussion to further involve the delegates. These talks will give a deep insight on the views shared from the different aspects of Arctic Shipping. We will explore and discuss current regulations and requirements from the IMO & the Coast Guard. Deeply examine commercial aspects, infrastructure and promising changes in cruise operations as well as the insurance challenges that are increasing ongoing. As well as this looking into training requirements and ship design options to help aid in the future of Arctic operations. The conference will bring together various key industry stake-holders including Ship-owners, Ship-mangers & associated solution providers, fuel solutions, IT & data associations, consultants & technology providers.

Telephone:                 +44 (0) 203 141 0606
E-mail:                         [email protected]
Contact Name:            Mohammad Ahsan

Conference Fee:         Full Price £1595 (£240 Discount Code – MASn7MKT)

Link to the Website: http://www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/arctic-shipping-summit/

 

Link to the Agenda:  http://www.wplgroup.com/aci/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/MASn7-Agenda_MKT.pdf

 

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Sailors’ Society’s Wellness at Sea Conference (WASC) on 16 March 2018, London.

Following the success of the inaugural Wellness at Sea Conference in Singapore earlier this year, the 2018 agenda will address crew wellness and how this impacts on the health of the ship – and ultimately the health of the ship owner’s balance sheet.

 

A must-attend event for ship owners and all those concerned with the recruitment and retention of crews, WASC 2018 will:

 

• feature presentations from industry and academic experts
• explore all aspects of crew wellness
• highlight how ship operations impact on crew morale and retention (including digital communications, ship safety and cyber awareness).
• feature live polls, breakout discussions and a panel debate
• offer networking opportunities with other industry leaders

Speakers include: Paddy Rodgers (Euronav), Stuart Edmonston (UKP&I Club), Drew Brandy (Inmarsat) and Dr. Rafael Lefkowitz (Yale University)

Date: 16 March 2018

Timings: 9:00-17:30, followed by a drinks reception

Venue: 99 City Road Conference Centre, London

Cost: early bird £75 plus VAT to 31/12/17 (£99 plus VAT thereafter)

Delegate passes include: pre-conference pastries, coffee breaks, buffet lunch, drinks reception and canapés

For more on the conference and to book your place visit: www.sailorssocietywasc.org

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ACI’s 20^th Ballast Water Management Conference will be taking place in Vallejo, CA, USA on the 18^th & 19^th of April 2018. Please see the agenda hyperlinked here >> here-AGENDA

Below the standard MP agreement we would like to secure, the partnership that we generally have is a no cost, equal exposure opportunity. We would be willing to:

• Give conference discounted rates to your members/subscribers
• Hand out literature (magazines, journals, flyers, etc.) regarding your organisation at the conference
• Put your logo on our website with a direct link to you site
• Put your logo on the conference documentation (conference books, priority invitations, adverts, flyers, e-flyers, brochure that we send out to thousands of pre-qualified executives in our target audience)

 

All we ask in return is, please let us know which items are doable at your end:

• A calendar mention on your website + banner
• A newsletter listing
• An email broadcast to your database with conference information and details on the discount they are entitled
• Anything else you feel your organisation feel it can reasonably do to promote our conference as advert on magazine, list of people to invite on your behalf…

 

Already Confirmed Speakers Include:

• California State Lands Commission – Jonathan Thomson, Senior Environmental Scientist
• California State Lands Commission – Nicole Dobroski, Assistant Chief of the Marine Environmental Protection Division
• Crowley – J.K. Roy Choudhury – Director, Strategic Engineering
• DNV GL – Martin Olofsson – Senior Principal Engineer, Environmental Proteciotn
• FedNav Limited – Jereme Daoust – Manager, Owned Fleet
• Golden Bear Research Center – Christopher Brown, Scientific Program Manager
• Green Marine – Eleanor Kirtley – West Coast Program Manager
• INTERTANKO – Joseph J. Angelo, Deputy Managing Director
• Lake Carriers Association – Tom Rayburn, Director of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs
• Lake Superior Research Institute – Allegra Cangelosi, Senior Scientist Policy Analyst
• Lloyd’s Register Marine and Offshore – Ginger Carter, Americas Environmental & Sustainability Director
• Matson Navigation Company – Lisa Swanson, Director, Environmental Affairs
• Moss Landing Marine Laboratories – Nick Welschmeyer, Faculty Member
• Mouawad Consulting – Jad Mouawad, Owner
• NAMEPA – Carleen Lyden-Kluss, Co-Founder/Executive Director, IMO Ambassador

 

If you are interested please contact Rafael Krupa  [email protected]

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16^th -17^th May in Antwerp, Belgium.

The European Environmental Ports Conference 2018. The event will bring together senior representatives from the global port community and shipping companies, as well as environmental policy-makers, academic experts, consultants, and technology providers.

The two-day event features informative presentations on the very latest challenges, solutions and developments in reducing emissions, pollution and energy consumption, as well as engaging discussion around the exciting potential of co-operation and symbiosis.

InterManager members are entitled to a 15% discount on registration. To claim contact Cheryl Williams on + 44 (0)203 141 0623 / [email protected] and quote MEPe2MKT

Event Website: http://www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/environmental-ports-conference/

 

Brgds Kuba

Capt. Kuba Szymanski

Secretary General

Mob: +44 7624 498 266