National Maritime Authority News

An activated but faulty missile launcher on a Danish navy vessel triggered a closure of airspace and shipping traffic in the Great Belt strait on Thursday, the Danish armed forces said.Denmark's National Maritime Authority had earlier warned ships not to sail through the Great Belt strait, one of the world's busiest sea lanes and the main maritime access to the Baltic Sea, due to the risk of "falling missile fragments"."The problem occurred during a mandatory test where the missile launcher is activated and cannot be deactivated…

A live security drill at a cruise ship terminal in Mexico has given participants the opportunity to hone their skills and assess where any improvements can be made, said a press release from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).The exercise, including a simulated bomb threat, was part of a workshop on Maritime Security Drills and Exercises, delivered by the Mexican National Maritime Authority (SEMAR) and the organizers of XIII International Forum on Maritime and Port Security (PBIP Forum), in cooperation with IMO, in Cozumel, Mexico (27-30 May) at the Cozumel Cruise terminal.Participants in the drills and workshop included the cruise terminal port facility security officers…

Drills and exercises to test maritime security knowledge and update skills are under way during a national workshop in Montevideo, Uruguay (5 to 8 June). The National Workshop on International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS Code) Drills and Exercises has been designed to strengthen the technical capability of Designated Authority officials, port security officials and managers with respect to enhancing maritime security through the process of conducting drills and exercises in accordance with the ISPS Code and the relevant IMO guidance, by using the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Drills and Exercises Manual. The workshop was organized by International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the Global programme for the enhancement of maritime security…

Mexico has hosted a five-day workshop on International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), which sets out preventive security measures in case of threats to ships and port facilities. Designated authority and port facility security officers had the chance to improve their knowledge and understanding through practical exercises as well as class-based training in how to implement the relevant provisions of the ISPS Code, SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and related guidance. The participants will now be equipped with the necessary skills to train others with similar responsibilities. The national workshop…

Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) and the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) signed a common agreement on safety standards for the carriage of passengers in the Flensborg Fjord. This agreement clearly defines the scope of safety standards to be met by passenger vessels and ferries. For instance, vessels must be equipped with lifejackets, life rafts and the necessary fire safety. If these requirements are met, Germany inland water way vessels will be allowed to carry passengers, use Danish ports and offer services on both the Danish and German part of the Flensborg Fjord. Brian Mikkelsen, Minister for Industry…

An all new workboat, produced by the Portuguese company SWB, Seismic Workboats, Lda headquartered in Peniche, has been designed and developed by engineering teams from Portugal, England, the U.S. and Norway and built at Peniche Shipyard. The new vessel is the first workboat SWB has produced for oil spill response. In October, the National Maritime Authority in Portimão, Algarve (AMN) carried out a validation test consisting of an exercise for oil spill response in the marine environment, allowing testing and validation of the workboat in multiple scenarios.

A project to provide a single display maritime surveillance system for Mozambique has been commissioned and handed over to the country’s Government in Maputo (1 December). The International Maritime Organization (IMO) -supported project is set to boost maritime situational awareness for all concerned agencies in Mozambique and enhance operational decision making and increase cooperation in dealing with maritime security issues. The project, funded through contribution by the Government of Japan to the Djibouti Code of Conduct Trust Fund, provides maritime surveillance systems including the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS)…

An International Maritime Organization (IMO)-led workshop in Maputo, Mozambique is supporting countries in south-eastern Africa in implementing the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping ) Convention, which establishes international standards for training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers. The workshop (25-29 July) is familiarizing maritime administrations and maritime training institutes with all recent amendments to the STCW Convention and Code, including the 2010 Manila Amendments, and supports maritime training institutions in the region to improve teaching and assessment of seafarers in accordance with the Convention.

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) Chile is advising of an oil spill at Quintero Bay, Nr Valparaiso, Chile, following an incident on Thursday 24th September at the Monobuoy Terminal when the MT Mimosa cut off hoses and cargo connection, resulting in a spill of around three cubic metres at sea. Following the incident, ENAP (terminal owners) in coordination with the National Maritime Authority of Chile deployed a team of expert environmental personnel to mitigate the impact on the environment, by employing absorbent sleeves and installing barriers with an 800 metres extension. Concurrently, an investigation was established with the involved stakeholders to determine the causes of this incident.

An oil spill occurred at Quintero Bay, Nr Valparaiso, Chile, following an incident on Thursday, September 24 at the Monobuoy Terminal when the MT Mimosa cut off hoses and cargo connection, resulting in a spill of around three cubic meters at sea, Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) Chile reported. Following the incident, terminal owners ENAP, in coordination with the National Maritime Authority of Chile, deployed a team of expert environmental personnel to mitigate the impact on the environment, by employing absorbent sleeves and installing barriers with an 800 meters extension. Concurrently, an investigation was established with the involved stakeholders to determine the causes of this incident.

Following recent reports in the media regarding the use of Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport wishes to clarify the position regarding the approval and use of EPIRBs in Ireland. Fishing vessels in Ireland are subject to a comprehensive survey regime covering all safety equipment, including the EPIRB, and a safety certificate is only issued on foot of satisfactory completion of the survey. EPIRBs and other safety equipment are regulated in accordance with the EU Marine Equipment Directive. The GME EPIRBs, covered in media reporting and the subject of the manufacturer’s recent safety alert, hold certification issued by Bureau Veritas, the relevant international certifying authority, confirming compliance with the EU Directive.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter symbolically placed the Panama Canal into Panamanian hands last Tuesday with the simple words, "it's yours," granting the tiny Central American nation sovereignty over all its territory for the first time since its birth in 1903. "Today we are gathered in the spirit of mutual respect, acknowledging without question the full sovereignty of Panama," Carter told hundreds of Panamanian and foreign dignitaries gathered under a light rain at the Miraflores Locks at the Canal's Pacific entrance. In what Carter and Panama President Mireya Moscoso called a pivotal moment in the history of the hemisphere, the two leaders signed a symbolic accord marking the Canal's passage to Panama. Under the 1977 Panama Canal Treaties brokered by Carter, the U.S.

Panama's shipping registry grew 9.1 percent during 1999 to close the year with a fleet of 9,866 vessels, the National Maritime Authority (NMA) said. Of the 826 ships added to Panama's open register last year, 323 were newly constructed, including 176 cargo vessels and 81 tankers. The remainder included passenger ships, fishing vessels, dredgers and tugs, the NMA said in a press release. Registered gross tonnage rose by 15.9 million tons to 126.9 million tons in 1999, an increase of 14.3 percent over the year before.