1. Crucial role of the EU Member States to ensure that crew changes are able to take place without further delays and seafarers are prioritised for vaccination
Seafarers to be considered as one of the priority categories for vaccination
As recommended by the European Commission in its communication of 15 October on preparedness for COVID-19 vaccination strategies and vaccine deployment, we strongly urge Member States to designate seafarers as a category of persons to be prioritized within their national vaccination strategies. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2020/12/04/crucial-role-of-the-eu-member-states-to-ensure-that-crew-changes-are-able-to-take-place-without-further-delays-and-seafarers-are-prioritised-for-vaccination/
2. Energy infrastructure legislation review should consider the role of ports in Europe’s new energy systems
The European Seaports Organisation ESPO has published a paperwith recommendations for the upcoming revision of the Trans European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) legislation. The Port of Rotterdam supports this call to better recognize the important role of ports in Europe’s new energy systems, specifically with regard to hydrogen, and stresses that the European Commission must support the necessary facilities and infrastructure in ports needed to accelerate the import, production, supply and transport of green hydrogen into Europe. https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2020/12/04/energy-infrastructure-legislation-review-should-consider-the-role-of-ports-in-europes-new-energy-systems/
3. Traffic dues for Kiel Canal will be suspended until the end of 2021
With the extension of the suspension of the traffic dues until December 31, 2021, an important step has been taken to ensure the competitiveness of the Kiel Canal in the coming year”, said the chairman of the Kiel-Canal Initiative Jens B. Knudsen. At the beginning of the second quarter of 2020, the Kiel Canal experienced a drop in traffic figures of up to 40% as a result of the corona pandemic.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2020/12/04/traffic-dues-for-kiel-canal-will-be-suspended-until-the-end-of-2021/
4. ADNOC orders VLCC trio at DSME
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has won a KRW282bn ($257m) order to build three VLCCs for Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC). The vessels will be delivered by the first quarter of 2023 with the contract also coming with options for three more VLCCs. The latest contract win brings DSME’s total orders for the year to $4.6bn, still 44% shy of its 2020 sales target. https://splash247.com/adnoc-orders-vlcc-trio-at-dsme/
5. MSC launches Christmas competition and unveils festive knitwear
The Danish division of Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has unveiled a Christmas competition, promising a unique gift for the winner.
MSC, where Dane Soren Toft took the reins this week as CEO, also revealed a natty festive knitwear (pictured) in unveiling the competition on social media.
https://splash247.com/msc-launches-christmas-competition-and-unveils-festive-knitwear/
6. Captain Of Chaos – Masters Of Luck And Rule Tyrants
Over the past few years a few of my fellow captains and I have been working on new ways to teach Bridge Resource Management(BRM). We have developed a few new and effective ways to communicate and lead bridge teams but we also have learned what NOT to do on the bridge of a ship. https://gcaptain.com/captain-of-chaos-brm-rule-tyrants/
7. Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Targeted in U.S. Defense Bill
The annual U.S. defense policy bill unveiled by lawmakers late on Thursday contains sanctions that backers say will halt one of Russia’s biggest projects in Europe: the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 project, led by Russian state energy company Gazprom and aimed at doubling the existing pipeline’s capacity, is more than 90% complete. Russia says the project to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea to Europe via Germany will begin operating next year. https://gcaptain.com/nord-stream-2-pipeline-targeted-in-u-s-defense-bill/
8. Baltic Index Posts First Weekly Fall In Three As Capesize Rates Decline
The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index gained on Friday, but booked its first weekly loss in three as capesize vessel rates dropped. The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, climbed by 8 points or 0.7%, to 1,197. The index weakened 2.7% this week. The capesize index was up 40 points, or 2.7%, at 1,520, but declined by 0.8% for the week. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Baltic+index+posts+first+weekly+fall+in+three+as+capesize+rates+decline
9. Lloyd’s Register To Acquire C-MAP Commercial From Navico Group
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has reached an agreement to acquire Navico Group’s C-MAP commercial marine business, a leading provider of commercial marine cartography and digital publications, shore-side and shipside voyage optimization, cloud-based fleet management and fleet analytics software. https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Lloyd’s+Register+to+acquire+C-MAP+Commercial+from+Navico+Group
10. Amendments To California’s Marine Invasive Species Program Will Come Into Force Soon
California has amended regulation in section 2298.5 in Article 4.8 of Title 2, Division 3 of Chapter 1 of the California Code of Regulations. The regulatory changes become effective on 1 January 2021. It changes the way ships should submit information through the Marine Invasive Species Program Annual Vessel Reporting Form.
https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Amendments+to+California’s+Marine+Invasive+Species+Program+will+come+into+force+soon
