National Government News

Philippine authorities believe they have found the location of a tanker that sank off a central province last week, the environment ministry said on Monday, amid a race to assess the extent of an oil spill and contain further environmental damage.The tanker, the MT Princess Empress, is thought to be lying at about 1,200 feet (366 meters) below sea level, off Oriental Mindoro province, though the information still needed to be verified, the ministry said in a statement.A remotely operated vehicle would be deployed to help determine the exact location of the tanker…

The region of Tuscany has asked for hundreds of millions of euros in investments in exchange for allowing a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Tuscan port of Piombino, the Italian region said.In a statement on Monday, the region's administration said it had approved the new terminal, adding it was sending a list of requests to the national government.In June Italian state-controlled gas grid operator Snam bought a new floating storage and regasification unit (FRSU) in an effort to boost the country's energy security in the face of dwindling Russian gas supplies.Tuscany President E

At least seven crew from a Spanish trawler have died and three were plucked from a life raft after their ship sank off the Canadian coast on Tuesday, an official said, as rescuers searched for more survivors in the bitterly cold Atlantic waters.The vessel, the Villa de Pitanxo, with a crew of 24 comprising 16 Spaniards, five Peruvians and three Ghanaians, launched a distress beacon at 0424 GMT, Spain's fisheries ministry said.It sank around 450 km (280 miles) east-southeast of Newfoundland, the ministry said."Seven people have been found dead," said Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of Spain's Galicia region where the vessel and several of its crew were from."There were two Galician fishing boats in the area…

The government of Argentina on Monday declared a 180-day “water emergency” for the Parana River, which is suffering a historic bout of shallowness that has affected the amount of grains that can be shipped from the country’s key ports hub of Rosario.The country is a major international food supplier. The Parana, which originates in a drought-hit part of Brazil, carries about 80% of Argentina’s agricultural shipments, which are the country’s main source of export dollars.The river is at its lowest level in 77 years.

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…

Indonesian authorities are considering two companies’ requests to dispose mining waste into the ocean, a senior government official said on Sunday, at a time of heightened sensitivity about the environmental impact of mining.The requests come as mining waste management is increasingly scrutinized after a nickel plant in neighboring Papua New Guinea spilled red mud into the sea last year due to an operational failure.Indonesia was a major nickel ore exporter until last year, before…

The city council of Rotterdam has adopted the revised Port Vision. The creation of economic and societal value and realizing sustainable growth form the core of the revised Port Vision.The revised Port Vision was approved by the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s Supervisory Board earlier this year. Now that the city council of Rotterdam has also adopted the revised Port Vision, this finally replaces Port Vision 2030, which dates from 2011.Allard Castelein, Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO said: "An intensive process has resulted in a fantastic and widely supported vision that focuses on further increasing the Port of Rotterdam’s leading position…

On September 24, 2019, the Board of Directors of PAO Sovcomflot elected Sergey Frank as its new Chairman. Igor Tonkovidov was appointed as the company's new Chief Executive Officer. Both appointments are with immediate effect.The meeting was attended by Maxim Akimov, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, who noted in his address: "Through consistent implementation of Sovcomflot's Strategies 2005-2011 and 2012-2018, the company has transformed itself into a global leader in energy shipping and offshore services. Over the past 15 years, Sovcomflot fleet has grown more than threefold.

Current research and technical developments in oil spill preparedness and response were in the spotlight at a major seminar in Tianjin, China (20-21 September). The International Oil Spill Response Technical Seminar brought together over 150 representatives of national government, oil industry and oil spill response companies. International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Colleen O’Haghan presented on the Organization’s International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) – the treaty covering measures for dealing with pollution incidents, either nationally or in cooperation with other countries. The seminar was organized by Yantai MSA and CNOOC Energy Technology and Service Safety and Environmental Protection Co. under the GI China Project.

US authorities have abandoned plans to tighten Jones Act coastal shipping rules – and it’s all thanks to the coordinated efforts of international government administrations, US energy firms and shipping bodies, in which the UK Chamber played its part. A statement from UK Chamber of Shipping said that America’s Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) on January 18 announced a plan to revoke past US CBP rulings that allow non-US flagged offshore vessels to carry out specialised services in specific circumstances for US offshore energy projects. Under the Jones Act, vessels carrying cargo between American ports must be US-built, owned by US citizens and crewed by US seafarers.

Participating States in a highly successful International Maritime Organization (IMO)-Norad environmental project have wrapped up the project in a final meeting, during which they pledged to continue to forge ahead with the implementation of key IMO marine environmental conventions. During the meeting in Bali, Indonesia (9-11 November), the six east Asian beneficiary countries highlighted the major goals reached during the project, including the development of national legislation for the ratification of key treaties. The countries expressed an interest in developing a follow-up project concept which would cover the entire ASEAN region and focus on the effective implementation of the IMO conventions that the countries have recently acceded to.

The Panamanian Maritime Administration is running important market strategies to expand the fleet, the Bulletin Panama quoted Jorge Barakat Pitty, the Administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) as saying. "Thanks to these efforts for the period 2016-2020, we expect about 665 new-buildings to join the Panamanian registry, which will generate valuable income for the State," Jorge said. He said that all actions have been developed in strict compliance within the parameters established by law, so the AMP maintains its firm purpose for Panama to continue as leader in ship flagging, always with the highest standards of care and safety required by international organizations and all with the support of an excellent and professional human capital.

The newly established Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO) has been formed to provide the world’s bulk terminals with a united front at governmental level to ensure the sector can better face the environmental and commercial challenges ahead. Open to bulk terminal operators, suppliers of equipment and services to those terminals and relevant associations and institutions, the trade association seeks to provide a voice at a national and international level, providing a forum for its members to discuss the issues impacting seaborne trade and the global transportation of bulk commodities. “The Association of Bulk Terminal Operators was born out of an underrepresentation of the sector at national government and international regulatory level…

The Port Logistics seminar was officially opened on Wednesday this week by Alexander De Croo, Belgian deputy prime minister and minister of Development Cooperation, Digital Agenda, Telecom and Postal Services. The seminar is organised by APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center, the training institute of the port of Antwerp. It is being attended by 33 participants from 21 different countries including Indonesia, Ukraine and Vietnam. Such seminars and courses enable the port of Antwerp to make its know-how, expertise and other advantages known around the world. However they would not be possible without input from port companies and the financial support of the Flemish government and the development aid provided by the Belgian national government.

With its coastline of 7,800 km, Italy is expediently nestled in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea with the surrounding waters creating a tremendous resource for Italian economy. Businesses linked to the sea, including ocean technology firms, contribute significantly to Italy’s gross domestic product totaling more than $40 billion and representing 2.6% of total GDP. The Italian shipyard industry ranks among the top 20 in the world with ship building and boat-building accounting for 64% of the industry turnover, totaling 6.3 billion Euro in 2012, and Technological Equipment placed at 2.2 billion Euro. Italy is also a world leader in yacht production with more than 49% of the market share.

A former minister in President Nicolas Maduro's government denied in an interview published on Friday accusations of corruption during the purchase of three ferries from Spain and said he was being hounded for denouncing currency crimes. Local media said an arrest warrant was issued earlier this month for Hebert Garcia, a general who served as transportation and food minister for Maduro, on charges of embezzlement in the 50 million euro ($54 million) purchase in 2013. Maduro, elected to replace the late Hugo Chavez two years ago, has vowed this week to step up a crackdown on corruption, be it from opponents or within his ruling Socialist Party. But foes accuse him of protecting the worst offenders.

Chris Koch, current president and CEO of the World Shipping Council (WSC), will retire from his position on July 31, 2015, and WSC Senior Vice-President and General Counsel, John Butler, will assume that position on August 1 of next year. Following his retirement as president, Koch will continue to support the council in a senior advisory capacity. In announcing the personnel changes, Chairman of the WSC Board of Directors, Ron Widdows, said, “During [Koch’s] 15 years of leadership…

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have arrived in Bougainville to address a potentially deadly legacy posed by unexploded ordnance from past conflicts as part of Operation RENDER SAFE 2014. HMAS Choules is in the vicinity of Torokina carrying approximately 500 personnel and is equipped with an MRH90 Helicopter and an LCM-8 Landing craft. The Operation RENDER SAFE 2014 Commander, Captain (CAPT) Jay Bannister, says his team is looking forward to the task. “The operation has been months in the planning, involving both Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,” CAPT Bannister said. “The people of Bougainville have been most welcoming and we have been working very closely with them to identify explosive remnants of war which pose a threat to local communities.

BMT WBM (BMT), a subsidiary of the BMT Group, a leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has partnered with Buckley Vann town planners and the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland to develop a comprehensive climate change adaptation plan for the provincial capital of Choiseul in the Solomon Islands. The capital is located on Taro Island, a small coral atoll within Choiseul Bay, mostly less than two metres above mean sea level. Coastal hazards such as tsunami and ocean storms present a significant risk to the Taro Island community, and these hazards will be compounded in the future with climate change and sea level rise in particular.

The Ningbo Nottingham International Academy for Marine Economy and Technology (IAMET) has been officially launched at a ceremony at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC). A partnership between The University of Nottingham, Wanli Education Group and Ningbo Municipal Government, the Academy will build on Ningbo’s marine-related activities and support the city’s 12-year plan, a focus of which is the marine economy. The marine economy is one of China’s key strategic development areas.

Brent crude oil steadied around $110 a barrel on Monday, resisting sharp declines in some other risk assets on news of further supply losses in Africa and expectations of revived oil demand growth. Libyan oil output plunged further over the weekend, falling to 230,000 barrels per day (bpd) on Sunday after a new protest shut the El Sharara field. Before nationwide protests started in the middle of last year, Libyan oil production was closer to 1.4 million bpd. "As long as the Libyan security situation is unstable, global oil prices will be buoyed," said Michael Poulsen, analyst at Danish consultancy Global Risk Management. Brent crude was up 15 cents at $110.00 a barrel by 1440 GMT, after settling higher for a second straight week. U.S.

Susan Gibbs is the Executive Director of the SS United States Conservancy and granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, designer of America’s Flagship. Here Ms. Gibbs shares her opinions on the intersection of U.S. politics and America’s historical flagship, SS United States, while addressing the American condition, past and future. With the government shutdown having sent Washington into a tailspin, validating Americans’ disdain for beltway politics, you can’t help but think about a time in our history when people believed government actually worked.

With the ocean moving more than 90% of world commerce, keeping it secure is of vital importance – yet our ability to monitor activity at sea is somewhat more challenging than on land given the vastness of the oceans. Also many maritime monitoring systems rely on ships to ‘opt-in’, that can leave potentially risky blind spots in our picture of maritime traffic. This article, derived from a presentation that David Beard of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory gave at the recent DMC and NovaSAR International Conference…