Hong Kong, Int’l Conference on Ship Recycling
A Diplomatic Conference to adopt an international convention on the recycling of ships was opened in Hong Kong, China, by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, on Monday, 11 May 2009. The convention, the first ever to address ship recycling issues, is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety or to the environment. In his opening remarks, Mitropoulos paid tribute to the contribution to the work of IMO made by Asia - “a region the leadership role of which in shipbuilding, shipowning, ship manning and ship recycling is recognized and duly appreciated worldwide”.
MARAD, China Ministry of Transport Talks
Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton led the U.S. Delegation in bilateral consultations with a delegation from China’s Ministry of Transport, led by Vice Minister Xu Zuyuan. The talks were held on December 15 and 16, 2008, in Memphis, Tennessee, a major maritime gateway on the Mississippi River and international shipping hub. The two governments discussed a wide range of topics covering important matters of concern to the maritime sectors of both countries. Both sides agreed that current economic conditions were having an adverse impact on the level of maritime trade between the two countries, but that the long-term outlook for the bilateral maritime trade and relations remains strong.
Maritime Exercise Held in China
China's largest ever maritime search-and-rescue exercise, involving 400 people, 28 fleets, two helicopters and an aircraft, was carried out on Thursday in the waters near Dalian Port, northeast China's Liaoning Province. The exercise started when a collision between a passenger ferry and a cargo boat was reported and the National Maritime Rescue Emergency Plan was enacted immediately. The main elements of the exercise, including the rescue of 368 passengers and dozens of sailors, fire-fighting and cleaning up an oil spill, were completed in 90 minutes. By involving 24 departments including the maritime department, the rescue department and the navy…
