Substandard Vessels News

The German animal welfare organization Animal Welfare Foundation and the French environmental organization Robin des Bois have published a report on the safety risks associated with livestock carriers trading from the European Union. This snapshot of the fleet follows one produced by the organizations three years ago.Currently, 64 livestock carriers are permitted to load European animals on EU-ports to then export them to third countries. The report states that nearly half of…

The U.S. Coast Guard detained the 600-foot bulk carrier vessel Ikan Sudip, after discovering significant environmental and safety violations during an inspection in Astoria, Ore. Saturday. Vessel inspectors from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Portland discovered the discrepancies during an inspection of the Panamanian-flagged motor vessel, which was built in 2004. “The Ikan Sudip’s safety and environmental conditions posed an unacceptable threat to our waterways," said Capt. Dan Travers, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Commanding Officer and captain of the port for Oregon and Southern Washington. While inbound to U.S. waters, Monday, the vessel experienced two separate fuel related propulsion losses within 24 hours, which completely disabled the vessel at sea.

The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon, announced that the Vessel Master of the Adfines East plead guilty to operating a commercial vessel under the influence of alcohol in the Port of Portland. Valeriy Sharykin, 62, a Russian citizen, and captain of a Maltese freighter plead guilty before U.S. Magistrate John V. Acosta. Defendant Sharykin was charged by information with negligent operation of a commercial vessel, a class A misdemeanor. Sharykin was the licensed Vessel Master on the Adfines East, a 602 foot commercial vessel, weighing over 24,000 gross tons and sailing under the flag of Malta. While conducting an official inspection of the vessel on April 8…

Manuel Grimaldi confided to some close friends last December that not only had he decided to set up a new line from Italy to Spain but also to purchase Superfast 1 now called Eurostar Roma for about $49.3 million. The specification of the vessel will mean a greater presence in Mediterranean RoRo and in fact there are now three of this type of vessel under the name of Grimaldi Ferry Prestige. The new purchase Eurostar Roma (pictured opposite page) was presented by the Naples shipping group in Rome on January 23, 2004. The vessel is 24,000 tons, 570.8 ft. (174 m) long, with a beam of 78.7 ft. (24 m) and a cruising speed of 27 knots. Eurostar Rome can carry 1,400 passengers with 100 cars as well as 110 trailers.

Shares in Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. surged five percent on Wednesday as a positive newspaper report on the shipping sector highlighted better prospects for the firm. The stock was buoyed by a front page article in the Financial Times saying shipping rates had hit 30-year highs on the back of expanding world trade, rising oil demand and the withdrawal of substandard vessels because of safety fears.

American Bureau of Shipping, Det Norske Veritas and Lloyd's Register have developed a series of initiatives to further improve the safety of international shipping. The three leading classification societies have agreed on ten actions that will strengthen the classification profession and make poor quality vessels easier to identify and act upon. The past 12 months have highlighted an apparent weakness in the ability of Classification Societies to respond to critical issues facing the shipping industry. While continuing to support IACS, the three societies will refocus much of their considerable resources on the important quality issues facing the profession and the wider shipping community.

the charterer of the vessel. requirement takes effect September 18. State Control program. requirements, the identity of the individual or organization that contracts for the majority of the vessel's cargo carrying capacity must be listed in the NOA report. The Coast Guard initiated this change to 33 CFR Part 160 in August 2000. However, the change was suspended by the October 2001 temporary final rule on NOA requirements put in place after the September 11 terrorist attacks. CFR Part 160. charterer information.

As the USCG heads into the 21st century, all the surface and air assets which perform missions in the Deepwater environment (beyond 50 nautical miles from U.S. shores) are approaching the end of their respective service lives. These missions typically require either extended on-scene presence, long transit distance to reach the operating area, forward deployment of forces, or a combination of these factors. In addition, the USCG is faced with a constrained budget. The USCG must therefore concentrate its scarce resources on an integrated system of surface, air, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) and logistics assets to maximize operational effectiveness while minimizing life-cycle costs.

International shipowners said the maritime industry is being choked by legislation and that they are unfairly targeted as the culprits for all ills in the sector. Addressing some 1,000 delegates from 35 countries who attended the bi-annual Maritime Cyprus Conference in the port town of Limassol, shipowners outlined the problems the industry faces entering the new millennium. There was a heated discussion on Flags of Convenience (FoC), under which approximately 50 percent of all global tonnage is registered. An ITF official announced to delegates that within the next two years national flag states would also be assessed for operating substandard vessels.

International shipowners said the maritime industry is being choked by legislation and that they are unfairly targeted as the culprits for all ills in the sector. Addressing some 1,000 delegates from 35 countries who attended the bi-annual Maritime Cyprus Conference in the port town of Limassol, shipowners outlined the problems the industry faces entering the new millennium. There was a heated discussion on Flags of Convenience (FoC), under which approximately 50 percent of all global tonnage is registered. Mark Dickinson, Assistant General Secretary of The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) announced to delegates that within the next two years national flag states would also be assessed for operating substandard vessels. Criteria is due to be ready next month.