Saudi Arabian Company Abandons Crew Across Multiple Vessels
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said it has received many reports about withheld pay from individual seafarers working on eight Bahrain-registered vessels owned by Saudi Arabian company Hadi H Al Hamman Establishment. The company, which lists Saudi Aramco among its customers and was buying brand new ships as recently as 2018, has not paid seafarers for more than five months in some cases, the ITF said. One seafarer reported dangerously low levels of food…
INTERCARGO Members Perform Well on Deficiencies
Despite a steady increase in port state control detention rates following the pandemic in all regions, INTERCARGO-entered vessels consistently outdid industry performance indicators in both deficiencies and detentions, as shown by the latest edition of its annual Benchmarking Report.Deficiencies per inspection (DPI) rates remain unchanged and in line with previous years’ Benchmarking Reports, the 11 leading Class Societies (IACS Members), which class over 95% of the bulk carrier market…
Case Against Swedes Accused of Disturbing Estonia Wreck to be Tried Again
A Swedish appeal court ordered on Tuesday that a district court try again a case against two film makers accused of disturbing the ferry Estonia that sank in the Baltic sea in 1994 with the loss of 852 lives.The lower court in 2021 dismissed charges of disturbing a marine grave against the two Swedes, saying the law that protects the site did not apply to foreign-registered vessels in international waters.The film team had in 2019 lowered a remotely operated vehicle to the Estonia from a German-flagged ship…
Racing for 30GW—and a Piece of the US Offshore Wind Pie
“30 by 30” is the rallying cry for all concerned with the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind business. In Spring 2021, the Secretaries of Energy, Interior and Commerce resolved to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of electricity generated from offshore turbines by 2030. Consultants McKinsey, in a recent article frame the value proposition for this clean fuel source, writing: “During the industry’s 30-year evolution, costs have fallen so sharply that offshore wind now compares favorably with competing energy sources.” For vessel owners, renewable energy brings opportunity.The thrust of near-term U.S.
Case Against Film Team Accused of Disturbing Wreck of Ferry Estonia Dismissed
The case against two film makers charged with disturbing the wreck of the ferry Estonia, which sank in 1994 with the loss of 852 lives, was dismissed on Monday by a Swedish court as their vessel was not covered by the law protecting the grave site.The men were part of a Discovery Network documentary team which sent a remote-operated vehicle to film the wreck in the Baltic Sea in 2019, discovering previously unknown damage to the hull and reviving speculation about the cause of…
UK Working on Roadmap to Decarbonize Offshore Wind Vessel Operations
The UK Government has tasked the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the Workboat Association (WA) with the development of a Technology Roadmap, outlining a route to the decarbonization of North Sea offshore wind operations and maintenance (O&M) vessels.The roadmap will consider key areas such as vessels, ports, and alternative fuels. As part of this engagement, ORE Catapult and the WA will undertake one-to-one interviews and focus groups with a wide range of stakeholders…
History and Overview of U.S. Cabotage Laws
The United States domestic maritime sector recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the passage by Congress of the Jones Act. It is considered the most significant of various US cabotage laws. Few mariners though appreciate the long history of cabotage laws in this country.Cabotage laws here are older than our nation. The British Navigation Acts and its predecessors were designed to develop, promote, and regulate British ships, shipping, trade, and commerce between other countries and with its colonies, including the restriction of foreign participation in its colonial trade.
Maritime History & the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a strategic crossroads for maritime traffic, and is arguably one of the most important maritime developments in the past century. Here we take a deeper dive into the history behind that famous strip of waterway.The present canal, which saw its first vessel transits in 1914, along with possible alternatives through Nicaragua and Mexico, had actually been on the minds of merchants, explorers and military/political strategists since the Age of Exploration in early 1500’s.
Shipping Firms Drop UK Flag as Brexit Looms
Companies are leaving Britain's shipping registry due to uncertainty over Britain's departure from the European Union and future commercial arrangements with the bloc, industry officials say.All commercial ships have to be registered, or flagged, with a particular country partly to comply with safety and environmental regulations. Shipping companies in many so-called "flag states" pay corporation tax based on vessel tonnage rather than profit.Britain's ship registry forms part…
Wärtsilä 34DF Engine Awarded EPA Tier III Certification
Wärtsilä marks another milestone for its Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engine.The 34DF engine has been awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Tier III certification for diesel mode operation when installed together with the Wärtsilä NOx Reducer (NOR) system, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that converts nitrogen oxides (NOx) with the aid of a catalyst into diatomic nitrogen (N2) and water.Wärtsilä said it is the first engine manufacturer to be awarded…
Panama Maritime Authority Authorises Verifavia
Verifavia, the world’s leading emissions verification company for the transport sector (aviation and shipping), announced that it has become the first independent verifier authorised by the Panama Maritime Authority to conduct the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Data Collection System (DCS) verification services for vessels registered in Panama. Through this authorisation granted by Panama, Verifavia will offer its IMO DCS and EU MRV verification services to the world’s largest ship registry – with over 8,000 registered vessels accounting for circa 222.1 million gross tonnes and representing 18% of the global fleet. With the Panama accreditation inked…
Panama Maritime Authority Authorizes Turk Loydu
Turk Loydu has been authorized by Panama Maritime Authority, the world’s leading maritime administration, to conduct survey and certification activities for Panama flagged ships. Worlds No.1 maritime administration Panama Maritime Authority and Turkish classification society Turk Loydu has signed an authorization transfer protocol in Istanbul on 7th November 2017. In accordance with the signed authorization Turk Loydu will be able to issue classification certificates and conduct statutory surveys and certification services for Panama flagged ships. Panama Maritime Authority Merchant Marine Directorate General Manager Fernando Solorzano…
ClassNK e-Certificate Approved for Use by Leading Flag States
Classification society ClassNK has expanded the scope of the world’s first comprehensive electronic certificate service for classification and statutory certificates to include the flag states of Panama, Singapore and the Marshall Islands from September 15, 2017. The service, ClassNK e-Certificate, currently available to Liberian-flagged vessels, will be available to ClassNK-registered vessels from a total of four flag states, accounting for approximately 60 percent of vessels on the ClassNK register. ClassNK e-Certificate is the result of an innovative project aimed at reducing the workload on board and at shore by minimizing potential clerical errors and time-loss associated with paper burden.
Verifavia to Provide IMO DCS Services for Liberian-flagged Ships
Emissions verification company for the transport sector Verifavia said it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Liberian Registry to conduct IMO DCS and EU MRV verification services for Liberian-flagged vessels. The Liberian Registry – the second largest in the world – includes more than 4,200 vessels aggregating 150+ million gross metric tons, representing 12 percent of the world’s ocean going fleet. As part of the cooperation – the company’s first major step as an IMO DCS (data collection system) verifier – Verifavia Shipping will leverage its existing knowledge and expertise as an independent EU Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) dual-accredited verifier to deliver streamlined and efficient verification services to Liberian-registered vessels.
Intermarine’s Grikitis to Receive AOTOS Award
Project, breakbulk and heavylift cargo transport company Intermarine, LLC announced that its President & CEO, Andre Grikitis, will be awarded with the Admiral of the Ocean Sea by the United Seaman’s Service (USS) at the organization’s 48th annual gala at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York City, on October 13, 2017. The Admiral of The Ocean Sea Award (AOTOS) has been presented annually by United Seamen's Service for the past 47 years. The AOTOS Award is given in…
Marshall Islands Extends Electronic Logbook Approval
The Maritime Administrator of the Marshall Islands has extended its approval of the K-Fleet Logbook system, enabling more than 4,000 flag state registered vessels to introduce digital reporting for oil record and garbage record logbooks. The approval states that K-Fleet Logbook may now be used to fulfill the requirements of the Marshall Islands Maritime Regulations (Marine Notice No. 7-041-5) to maintain a deck and navigation log, an engine room log, an oil record book, cargo record book, a garbage record book and a radio log.
UK Eyes Part-Privatisation of Ship Register
The Bulletin Panama reported that a report by KPMG, commissioned by the Department for Transport, recommends that the Ship Register become a “govco”, a privately held state-owned company that is subject to government oversight but has more commercial freedoms, including over employment terms. Britain used to have the biggest merchant fleet in the world, but the number of UK registered vessels has declined sharply since the 1970s, even though London remains the legal and financial hub for the global shipping industry, says a report in FT. The UK fleet has shrunk 18 per cent in the past five years and accounts for only 0.8 per cent of global tonnage. This is despite a 5 per cent increase in the total number of ships worldwide to 56,759 during the same period.
Liberia to Receive Preferential Flag Status with Respect to Chinese Tonnage Dues
Pursuant to the Maritime Transport Agreement signed between the Republic of Liberia and the People’s Republic of China on 3 November 2015, Liberia will be added to the preferential list of countries when determining the tonnage dues for vessels calling Chinese ports effective as from 14 February 2016. The Agreement serves to further develop friendly relations between the two governments and strengthen their cooperation in the field of maritime transport on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, freedom of navigation and the principle of non-discrimination. In view of the aforementioned, ship-owners of Liberian registered vessels will…
IRS Scores High with US Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has placed the International Register of Shipping (IRS) in the top bracket of those recognized organizations (RO) that consistently achieve zero detentions for its registered vessels for the third time in just six years. IRS notes its strong performance reported by the USCG in its Annual Report 2014 follows the completion of performance audits by the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding and the Panama government. IRS passed the Panama audit without any major non-conformances or the need for a follow-up audit, placing the classification society amongst leading industry ROs, including the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd’s Register and DNV GL.
EU Takes Tough Stance on Ship Scrapping in South Asia
The EU is set to ban owners from scrapping ships on South Asian beaches, according to news report in Reuters. The new rules will require that EU-registered ships are only recycled at sustainable facilities, lowering the environmental and human cost of the current process of dismantling vessels on SA beaches. New European Union rules are to be put into place to ensure that EU-registered vessels are only recycled in sustainable facilities. European, Turkish and Chinese recyclers are set to benefit from strict new EU rules on breaking up old ships, but the practice of dismantling them on beaches in South Asia - at great human and environmental cost - will still be hard to stop.
Two Singaporean Boats Detained by Indonesia
Two Singapore-registered vessels have been detained in Indonesia the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said. The sole Singaporean who was caught along with those ships is a marine surveyor and he returned to Singapore on March 16. MPA also said it was assisting Indonesia in the investigations of the two separate incidents. Recent media reports had quoted that four Singapore-registered vessels and four Singaporeans were detained. Indonesia said it had detained a total of four Singapore-registered ships in two incidents in early March, each of which involved boats that allegedly did not have proper papers. MPA clarified that only two vessels are Singapore-registered and only one person detained is a Singaporean marine surveyor.
Panama Accredits Maritime Security Firm
The Panama Maritime Authority has accredited ESC Global Security personnel to offer protection aboard Panamanian-registered vessels, in what is thought to mark the first Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) licence issued under the new Panama Administration. During December 2014, a new set of rules including a new licence fee for PMSCs was introduced whereby failure to comply would result in the revocation or suspension of a security company’s operating licence. The new…
Security Concerns Prevent Taiwan Firm's Use of Chinese Vessels
A Taiwanese company has withdrawn notice to use Chinese vessels on a renewable energy project off the island, the port authority said on Thursday, after opposition lawmakers cited security concerns about the joint operation. The last-minute decision to drop the vessels underscores the island's concerns about possible surveillance by Beijing, and comes a day after the Taiwan government said it was making security checks on a Chinese smartphone company. The "Huadian 1001", a Chinese platform vessel, and a towing vessel, departed China's Nantong in Jiangsu Province earlier this month for Taichung port, after getting the all-clear from Taiwan's Maritime and Port Bureau to ply Taiwan waters. The Chinese-registered vessels had been contracted to work on Taiwan's first offshore wind project.