Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 23/10/2018

Seacurus Daily: Top Ten Maritime News Stories 23/10/2018

1. IMO Working to Deliver
The work to deliver the IMO initial strategy on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships has moved forward with the approval of a program of follow-up actions during Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 73) this week. The program of follow-up actions is intended to be used as a planning tool in meeting the timelines identified in the initial IMO strategy, which was adopted in April 2018. The initial strategy refers to a range of candidate short-, mid- and long term measures that will be considered by IMO. Short-term measures could be finalized and agreed between 2018 and 2023.
http://bit.ly/2PlEwj2

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2. Joint MLC Guidance
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have jointly released new Guidelines for implementing the Welfare aspects of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). ICS and ITF emphasize that a number of countries with highly developed arrangements for providing seafarer welfare services and facilities are not yet signatories to the MLC, while many seafarer supply countries have also not yet developed welfare organizations to provide services or facilities for seafarers either at home or abroad.
http://bit.ly/2JelFAA

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3. Cable Firm Up for Sale
Offshore engineering company Global Marine Group (formally the submarine cable laying and repair arm of Cable & Wireless) looks to be changing hands after HC2 Holdings announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, for the subsidiary. Supported by Fugro, who have a 23.6% stake in Global Marine, Deutsche Bank and ABN AMRO have been appointed as joint advisors to explore strategic alternatives for the business.
http://bit.ly/2yS95Cu

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4. Colossal Regulatory Fail
Within the next year, the shipping industry will need to recognise IMO 2020 for what it is — a colossal regulatory fail — and to be willing to act. As expected, the Trump administration indicated its desire for a gradual IMO 2020 phase-in, given concerns about an oil price spike and recessionary risks. In response, the media and analysts have been dismissive of the US position, arguing that the 22-month IMO process to amend MARPOL and resistance from key IMO members would thwart any US attempt to delay implementation. This is absolutely true, but these commentators are not thinking outside of the IMO box.
http://bit.ly/2EFsaxN

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5. Calling Out the Flags
Scorpio Bulkers has described industry organisations and some large flag states apologists for small undercapitalized shipowners as they seek an experience building phase for the 2020 0.5% global sulphur cap. Bahamas, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Bimco, Intercargo and Intercargo have co-sponsored a paper to the IMO’s MEPC 73 meeting proposing an experience-building phase (EBP) The proposal has created controversy although the parties say it is intended as an institutionalized data gathering measure and does not delay the implementation or enforcement of the sulphur cap.
http://bit.ly/2PiRy0v

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6. Tackling Towage Fatigue
The American Waterways Operators has released a new safety resource: Developing a Fatigue Risk Management Plan: A Guide for Towing Vessel Operators. Designed to help towing companies take a proactive approach to fatigue prevention by incorporating fatigue risk management plans into their safety management systems, the guide was recently endorsed by the Coast Guard-AWO Safety Partnership’s National Quality Steering Committee. The guide is the latest milestone in AWO’s two-decade effort to reduce the risk of fatigue-related accidents in the towing industry.
http://bit.ly/2yX9kwh

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7. Digital Platforms Converge
Three digital freight platforms are coming together to offer bookings for bulk, tanker, container, MPP and even air freight shipments. ShipNext, which focuses on dry bulk and tanker bookings, is teaming with container specialist SeaRates and air freight platform AirRates to create what they describe as a supply chain ecosystem. The new grouping has yet to be given a name but in a release the three parties say it will create a unique real-time solution to ship any cargo regardless of type, size or packing. SeaRates and ShipNext are now looking to create a smart contract using IBM’s Hyperledger Fabric.
http://bit.ly/2q6wYCt

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8. Hearing From Seafarers
Testimony from working seafarers, crewing experts and shipping customers will bring a completely fresh, evidence-based perspective to a special discussion on ship-to-shore connectivity during Seatrade Maritime Middle East week at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The ‘Navigating Connectivity While at Sea’ session, will cover the critical role connectivity plays in enhancing ship efficiency, safety and environmental standards, and key findings of a new Royal Holloway University London study commissioned by Inmarsat and the Sailors’ Society. The research digs into the testimony of working seafarers.
http://bit.ly/2AnBxy4

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9. Saudi to Keep Taps Open
Saudi Arabia has no intention of unleashing a 1973-style oil embargo on Western consumers and will isolate oil from politics, the Saudi energy minister said on Monday amid a worsening crisis over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “There is no intention,” Khalid al-Falih told Russia’s TASS news agency when asked whether there could be a repeat of the oil embargo. Top U.S. lawmakers turned their ire on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and said they believed he ordered the killing of Khashoggi, although the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump maintained a more cautious stance.
http://bit.ly/2AmlmAX

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10. Cruise Ship Dumps Water
The cruise vessel Pacific Explorer, operated by UK-based P&O Cruises, has spilled waste water in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, an Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) spokesperson confirmed. After reviewing the report, AMSA detained the ship on its return to Australia in Sydney on September 8 to gather evidence of the reported discharge. Discharge of pollutants in the GBRMP is a serious offence under the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act and AMSA required that Carnival provide an AUD 2.1 million undertaking, equal to the maximum fine available,.
http://bit.ly/2ytIR9Q

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Daily news feed from Seacurus Ltd – providers of MLC crew insurance solutions www.seacurus.com

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