1. Tanker from Japan under quarantine with 7 crew having corona-like symptoms
Chemical tanker AWASAN PIONEER with cargo of caustic soda has interrupted her voyage to Kendawangan, Ketapang Regency, southwest Kalimantan. The ship was ordered to stop at Pontianak anchorage, western Kalimantan. She was anchored off Pontianak on Feb 2, and remains at anchor, being put under quarantine. 7 out of 22 crew were reported to have coronavirus-like symptoms: fever, weakness, cough and sore throat. Tanker arrived from Shunan port, Japan. http://www.maritimebulletin.net/2020/02/05/tanker-from-japan-under-quarantine-with-7-crew-having-corona-like-symptoms/
2. Markets take a coronavirus battering
On a brutal morning at the markets, almost $370bn in market capitalisation was wiped off the benchmark Shanghai Composite index in the first day’s trading since the Lunar New Year holidays with investors feeling the effects of the rapidly spreading coronavirus. Commodity prices also slumped, while shipping stocks took a battering – Cosco’s main share price down by close to 10%. https://splash247.com/markets-take-a-coronavirus-battering/
3. Will The Golden Ray Salvage Threaten OPA 90?
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90) — one of the most successful disaster response and environmental protection laws in U.S. history. Enacted with unanimous support in Congress and incorporating lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, OPA-90 has dramatically reduced the number of oil spills and related hazardous materials releases across the United States. https://gcaptain.com/golden-ray-salvage-opa-90/
4. USS Fitzgerald Returns to Sea for First Time Since 2017 Deadly Collision
The USS Fitzgerald has returned to sea for the first time in more than two and half years since its deadly collision with a containership in 2017 off the coast of Japan. The U.S. Navy announced Tuesday that the guided missile destroyer has gotten underway from Huntington Ingalls Industries-Ingalls Shipbuilding’s shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi for a series of sea trials. https://gcaptain.com/uss-fitzgerald-returns-to-sea-for-first-time-since-2017-deadly-collision/
5. American Commercial Lines to File for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Indiana-based barge company American Commercial Lines announced Tuesday an agreement with its lenders to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a pre-packaged plan to raise new capital and reduce its debt.
The “Restructuring Support Agreement” will inject $200 million in new capital into the business and reduce debt by approximately $1 billion. https://gcaptain.com/american-commercial-lines-to-file-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy/
6. Natural Gas Won’t Decarbonize Shipping, but the Fuel Is Here to Stay
Shipping is going through its biggest change since switching from coal to heavy oil more than a century ago, as it looks for new fuels that will drastically cut the industry’s carbon footprint.
The effort is set to last until 2050, the deadline set by global marine regulator the International Maritime Organization to cut carbon emissions by half compared with 2008 levels. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/natural-gas-wont-decarbonize-shipping-but-the-fuel-is-here-to-stay/
7. Star International launches IMO 2020 marine fuel testing and treatment range
Star International, worldwide supplier to the offshore and marine industries, has launched a range of on-board fuel testing and treatment products that provide a turnkey fuel stewardship solution to the shipping sector.
The range has been developed to meet the requirements of shipping operators wanting to ensure compliance with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO’s) 0.5% sulphur cap and minimise the contamination risks associated with an increase of Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) based fuels in the marine supply chain. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/star-international-launches-imo-2020-marine-fuel-testing-and-treatment-range/
8. Why the coronavirus ‘poses a more significant threat’ to markets, economy than past epidemics
Investors who play down the impact of the coronavirus outbreak may do so at their own peril, one economist argued in a Monday note to clients.
Neal Shearing of Capital Economics said that while the ultimate impact of the virus is “impossible to predict,” market participants who are looking to the 2002-2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, as a guide to how the current situation will unfold should do so with caution. https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/why-the-coronavirus-poses-a-more-significant-threat-to-markets-economy-than-past-epidemics/
9. IMO SDC 7: Ship stability criteria to be finalized
Specifically, the safety recommendations will include guidelines on vulnerability criteria, direct stability failure assessment and operational measures.
IMO aims to produce a set of guidelines for trial use, while during the session in its headquarters, associated explanatory notes will be developed as well. https://safety4sea.com/imo-sdc-7-ship-stability-criteria-to-be-finalized/
10. INTERCARGO welcomes IMO’s intention to improve investigation reporting
Exactly one year ago, INTERCARGO reminded that cargo liquefaction continued to be a major risk for dry bulk shipping. Our Association would like to stress once again the importance of investigating an incident and the subsequent publication of a quality and in-depth casualty investigation report in a timely manner, in order for lessons to be learned. We urge all relevant administrations, that have not done so, to investigate incidents and publish the reports. The remarks come in light of another recent incident, namely the loss of bulk carrier ‘Nur Allya’, laden with Indonesian Nickel Ore, with 25 crew onboard, in August 2019. https://safety4sea.com/intercargo-welcomes-imos-intention-to-improve-investigation-reporting/
