Intercargo Calls for Bulk Carrier Safety
The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (Intercargo) issued a statement which again reminds stakeholders of the continued dangers associated with the carriage of bulk cargoes that may have a potential for liquefaction. The recent capsize and sinking of the Bahamas flag Bulk Jupiter in the opening days of January, with the loss of 18 of its 19 crew, may again prove to be yet another casualty statistic in the long list of bulk carrier losses caused by cargo liquefaction. The ship had reportedly loaded a cargo of Bauxite at Kuantan, Malaysia. In any such incident, our first thoughts will always be with the families of the crew members that have lost their lives and Intercargo welcomes a swift and thorough investigation into this tragic incident…
Intercargo Appoints New Secretary General
Intercargo has appointed David Tongue as its new Secretary General. Mr. Tongue, took up the role on 8 October, following confirmation of the appointment by Intercargo’s Executive Committee which met in London on 7 October. Mr. Tongue brings with him a wealth of maritime experience, having most recently held the position of Director of Regulatory Affairs at the International Chamber of Shipping – which he served for the past 12 years. Speaking of his appointment, Mr Tongue said: “I’m looking forward to the myriad of challenges that my new role at Intercargo will bring…
ICS Seeks Changes to Avoid BWTS “Chaos”
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world merchant fleet, has called on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to address some critical issues concerning the imminent implementation of the IMO Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention. Despite delays by governments with respect to ratification, the 2004 BWM Convention, which is intended to prevent damage to local ecosystems by invasive species of marine micro-organisms carried in ships’ ballast water, is expected to enter into force within the next 2 years.
Green Ship Technology Conference
The 6th Annual Green Ship Technology (GST) conference will provide insight into the progress of measuring, managing and mitigating shipping’s contribution to climate change. Coming shortly after the intercessional meeting of the IMO’s greenhouse gas working group and ahead of the 59th session of its Marine Environment Protection Committee in July, GST 2009 will hear the views of regulators in discussion and debate with industry organizations and shipping experts. IMO Marine Environment Division director Miguel Palomares and the European Commission’s Mark Major are among those set to take part in this two day conference. Proceedings will be guided by chairman of the IMO MEPC, Andreas Chrysostomou. The conference takes place this year in Hamburg on March 24-25.
