SAR Traning for African Women
Training for African women working in search and rescue (SAR) operations underwent at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Rabat, Morocco (13-15 November).Thirteen officials from developing countries and Small Island Developing States took part in the first regional training course of this kind. The participating states were Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Seychelles and South Africa.The course included a practical exercise on a rescue boat and provided a platform to discuss how to improve and enhance the knowledge of African women working in SAR and to provide them with appropriate tools to manage SAR missions.International Maritime Organization (IMO)…
New Tool Enables Remote Retrieval of VDR Data
Danelec Marine today announced the introduction of VDR OnDemand, a PC software tool that facilitates remote selective data downloads from shipboard Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs). VDR OnDemand is a portal and dashboard that allows shore offices to log on and request data from the VDR by remotely connecting via an IP link to the Danelec VDRConnect module on the ship. For the mandatory VDR annual performance tests (APTs), Danelec Marine service technicians, service companies or ship…
Money Laundering: Not Just for Drug Cartels Anymore
The dirty money can and does wash ashore on the waterfront. Despite all the jokes about having a washing machine full of soapy hundred dollar bills, the U.S. Government takes money laundering very, very seriously. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws include substantial fines and possible prison time and places the onus for recognizing and reporting money laundering squarely on the shoulders of financial institutions. And yet, we don’t necessarily associate ‘dirty money’ with the mundane world of moving cargo or people from point ‘a’ to point ‘b.’ If so, that’s probably a mistake.
Piracy in the Indian Ocean
Somali based pirates continue to cause serious challenges to merchant vessels transiting the Indian Ocean. At the time of writing, EU NAVFOR statistics indicate that there are 26 vessels and 582 crew held captive off the coast of Somalia (not taking into account an unknown number of smaller dhows and fishing vessels that have been seized). Moreover, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported that Somali pirates hijacked 49 vessels in 2010, an increase from 47 in 2009. With the use of hijacked mother ships, Somali pirates proved that they are capable of operating for extended periods of time in areas further out to sea; a trend that has continued in the first months of 2011.
Piracy in the Indian Ocean
Somali based pirates continue to cause serious challenges to merchant vessels transiting the Indian Ocean.At the time of writing, EU NAVFOR statistics indicate that there are 26 vessels and 582 crew held captive off the coast of Somalia (not taking into account an unknown number of smaller dhows and fishing vessels that have been seized). Moreover, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported that Somali pirates hijacked 49 vessels in 2010, an increase from 47 in 2009. With the use of hijacked mother ships…
