1. Italian ro-ro collided with Greek ferry in Cagliari. Ro-ro cargo ship MASSIMO MURA allided with berthed passenger roro ferry ARIADNE at Cagliari in the afternoon Oct 23, while proceeding to berth with assistance of two tugs. One of towlines broke up in strong sirocco wind gusts. Reportedly, both ships sustained superficial damages, but as of 1700 UTC Oct 23, both were still in port. http://maritimebulletin.net/2019/10/23/italian-ro-ro-collided-with-greek-ferry-in-cagliari/
2. Safety Concerns for Hybrid & Electric Ships. On October 11, 2019, an explosion rocked passenger ferry Ytterøyningen while dockside at Sydnes, Norway. The vessel, recently refit with a lithium-ion battery hybrid drive, is part of the new fleet of low and zero emission vessels being deployed across Norway and other parts of the world. The vessel was at dock having been pulled from service the night before due to a fire in the lithium propulsion batteries; a condition known as thermal runaway. The root cause of the fire is still to be announced, but the secondary explosion caused significant structural damage to the vessel; likely a result of a buildup of flammable gasses below deck. Thankfully none of the 15 people admitted to the hospital were badly injured and all were soon released. https://gcaptain.com/safety-concerns-for-hybrid-electric-ships/
3. French Floating Wind Firm Eolfi in Talks With Investors to Fund Expansion. French floating wind farm developer Eolfi SA is seeking new investors to fund the next stage of its expansion, people familiar with the matter said. Alain Delsupexhe, the founder and main shareholder of Eolfi, is seeking bids for the business and the process is at an advanced stage, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussion are private. https://gcaptain.com/french-floating-wind-firm-eolfi-in-talks-with-investors-to-fund-expansion/
4. A Flag Under Siege: Security or Loyalty? Ever since their inception back in the 1920s, Flags of Convenience (FoC) have been a subject of no small amount of controversy. The practice originally began during prohibition, when American cruise ships would fly under the Panamanian flag in order to be able to serve alcohol to passengers and thus escape the stringent US regulations at the time. https://gcaptain.com/a-flag-under-siege-security-or-loyalty/
5 Global Container Ports Facing Greatest Threats Yet – Report. Container terminal operators are facing higher risks than at any time in the industry’s history, according to a new report. And Container Terminals: Paths to Profitability suggests future investment by operators and investors will need to be more carefully considered than ever before. https://gcaptain.com/global-container-ports-facing-greatest-threats-yet-report/
6 . North Korean Vessel Wise Honest Forfeited to U.S. Government. A federal judge in Southern District of New York has issued a judgement for the forfeiture of a North Korean cargo vessel held by the U.S. since May over illicit shipments in violation of U.S. and United Nations sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced. https://gcaptain.com/north-korean-vessel-wise-honest-forfeited-to-us-government/
7. Shippers Shine Torch in Every Corner as Pressure to Cut Carbon Grows. From higher-quality paint to state-of-the-art propellers: shipping companies are looking in every corner to reduce their carbon footprint as investor and activist pressure increases.
The move comes as aviation and shipping firms face demands to slash emissions due to their reliance on oil. The two sectors are expected to account for 40% of global CO2 output by 2050 unless action is taken, the European Environment Agency says. https://gcaptain.com/shippers-shine-torch-in-every-corner-as-pressure-to-cut-carbon-grows/
8. A Fresh Look At Bridge Resource Management. Shortly after graduating SUNY Maritime College in 2000 I was required to enroll in a Bridge Resource Management before I could sail on my new US Coast Guard Third Officers license. BRM training came from the aviation industry’s Crew Resource Management (CRM). This training focuses on group dynamics, leadership, interpersonal communications and decision making. One of the most important concepts in CRM is that it is a process (not just a checklist) to identify existing and potential threats and then develop, communicate and implement plans and actions to avoid or mitigate threats. https://gcaptain.com/new-brm-bridge-resource-management/
9. Shippers Shine Torch In Every Corner As Pressure To Cut CO2 Grows. From higher-quality paint to state-of-the-art propellers: shipping companies are looking in every corner to reduce their carbon footprint as investor and activist pressure increases. The move comes as aviation and shipping firms face demands to slash emissions due to their reliance on oil. The two sectors are expected to account for 40% of global CO2 output by 2050 unless action is taken, the European Environment Agency says. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Shippers+shine+torch+in+every+corner+as+pressure+to+cut+CO2+grows
10. Australia’s Hopes To Expand Coal Exports In South-East Asia ‘Delusional’, Experts Say. The number of new coal-fired power plants starting construction across south-east Asia has fallen markedly over the past two years as Australia has increasingly looked to the region to expand its thermal coal exports. Analysis by US-based climate research and advocacy group Global Energy Monitor found work on only 1.5 gigawatts of new coal generation – equivalent to one large Australian plant – began in the region in the six months to June, all of it in Indonesia https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Australia%E2%80%99s+hopes+to+expand+coal+exports+in+south-east+Asia+%E2%80%98delusional%E2%80%99%2C+experts+say
