BIMCO launches maritime environmental and efficiency management guide

BIMCO has developed a maritime environmental and efficiency management guide
BIMCO has developed a maritime environmental and efficiency management guide

BIMCO has launched a new, multi-part guidance resource to support ship owners and operators in improving their environmental performance and the efficiency of their ships.

The BIMCO Guide to Maritime Environmental & Efficiency Management, developed in partnership with maritime efficiency specialists Fathom, and supported by ClassNK, provides a resource to facilitate compliance with environmental regulations and assist owners and operators in the development of an environmental and efficiency management system. This first-of-a-kind, comprehensive resource allows ship owners and operators to develop an all-encompassing environmental and efficiency management system.

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Munkebo Maersk becomes the biggest ship to sail the Thames

Munkebo Maersk becomes the biggest ship to sail the Thames
Munkebo Maersk becomes the biggest ship to sail the Thames

The 399 metre long Munkebo Maersk, which weighs in at 195,000 tonnes and is 60 metre wide became the largest vessel ever to sail up the Thames. The Munkebo Maersk is one of the largest container vessels in the world. She was helped into port by pilots from the Port of London Authority.

Munkebo Maersk can carry 18,300 x 20 foot containers.

Simon Moore, chief executive of DP World London Gateway, said: “This is yet another record and landmark moment for DP World London Gateway.

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Poor procedures means no let up in navigational claims reports The Swedish Club

The Swedish Club Logo
The Swedish Club Logo

According to The Swedish Club, half of the costs of hull and machinery claims handled by the Club have arisen due to navigational claims such as collisions, contacts or groundings – a figure that has remained steady over recent years despite improved technology and the widespread implementation of Safety Management Systems.

The Swedish Club, in its latest Loss Prevention publication, Navigational Claims, has revealed a number of interesting findings relating to claims made for hull and machinery damage between 2004–2013.

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Air pollution from marine vessels in the US High Arctic set to rise

logoMarine vessels are a significant source of greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, including CO2, NOX, SOX, particulate matter, and black carbon, which impact local air quality, human health, and the global climate. Since the record low Arctic sea ice extent recorded in September 2012, policy attention has increasingly focused on strategies for addressing shipping activity in the Arctic and the associated environmental impacts.

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Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme goes live

The Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme is live and open for business
The Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme is live and open for business

The Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme is the flagship programme delivered to the international and maritime communities by the Human Rights at Sea (“HRAS”) organisation. It is a privately funded programme delivered through the generosity of international donors having been conceived by the HRAS Founder in September 2013.

The vision is to primarily support seafarers, fishermen and their families by the registration of seafarers and fishermen missing at sea through a secure, independent and international on-line platform. That platform is known as the Missing Seafarers Register.

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Nautical Institute puts communications under the spotlight in issue 8 of The Navigator

Issue 8 of The Navigator magazine by the Nautical Institute is available to read now.
Issue 8 of The Navigator magazine by the Nautical Institute is available to read now.

Communicating effectively on the bridge, between ships or to the shore is the topic under discussion in the eighth issue of The Navigator – the free publication from The Nautical Institute. The 12-page magazine, aimed at marine navigational officers at all stages in their career, is now being distributed to SOLAS vessels around the world.

Editor of The Navigator, Emma Ward, said: “Miscommunication or the use of poor information is a leading cause of accidents at sea. In this issue of The Navigator, we aim to encourage readers to adopt effective communication techniques onboard ship. We also want to open a discussion about best practices across the industry.”

The new issue looks at the importance of different methods of communications at sea and examines the difference between data and information. There is an interview with a serving third officer and a brand new letters page offering insight into a number of maritime issues from members of the magazine’s readership.

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Dublin Port Company opens new Alexandra Quay Container Terminal

Dublin  Port Company has officially opened its newly completed Alexandra Quay Container Terminal
Dublin Port Company has officially opened its newly completed Alexandra Quay Container Terminal

The opening marks the completion of the third and final phase of the development of the new facility. This third phase will enable the terminal to cater for an additional 80,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) per annum bringing the terminal’s total capacity to over 400,000 TEU per annum.

The initial two phases of the project created new runways for three rows of rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), a type of large mobile crane used for stacking shipping containers. The third and final phase added a fourth runway for RTGs and deepened and strengthened the quay wall to allow bigger container ships to be loaded and discharged with modern high speed ship-to-shore gantry cranes.

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South Asia still the preferred end of life location says NGO Shipbreaking Platform

South Asia still the preferred end of life location says NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Photo: NGO Shipbreaking Platform
South Asia still the preferred end of life location says NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Photo: NGO Shipbreaking Platform

The NGO Shipbreaking Platform has released a complete list of all ship owners and their ships sold for breaking last year.

The Statistics

Out of a total of 1026 ships dismantled globally in 2014, 641 – representing 74% of the total gross tonnage (GT) scrapped – were sold to substandard facilities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh where ships are dismantled directly on tidal beaches. None of the South Asian yards comply with international standards for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling.

End-of-life ships contain toxic materials such as asbestos, heavy metals, PCBs, oil residues and organic waste within their structures – these pollutants can not be contained or safely removed on a tidal beach. The demolition of the largest movable man-made structures is hazardous and must be conducted in a controlled manner using adequate infrastructure such as cranes as well as necessary health and safety provisions – in 2014 the Platform reported 23 deaths and 66 severe injuries due to accidents such as explosions, workers crushed under steel plates and falling from heights on the South Asian beaches.

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World Shipping Council advice post SOLAS

The World Shipping Council warns to prepare for Container Weight Verification changes and legislation coming in July 2016
The World Shipping Council warns to prepare for Container Weight Verification legislation coming in July 2016

At the end of 2014, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) that will require every packed export container to have a verified container weight as a condition for loading aboard a vessel, as decided by The World Shipping Council.

This requirement will become legally binding on July 1, 2016. Continue reading “World Shipping Council advice post SOLAS”

Fincantieri lays keel for the Seven Seas Explorer

Fincantieri has laid the keel for the luxurious Seven Seas Explorer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Fincantieri has laid the keel for the luxurious Seven Seas Explorer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The first building block for Seven Seas Explorer was placed on 21 January 2015 during a special keel laying ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy. The keel laying signals a significant milestone in the construction for what will be the most luxurious ship ever built, and brings the vessel one step closer to its July 2016 maiden voyage.

In a ceremony befitting of the world’s most luxurious ship, a sleek black Rolls Royce Phantom transported the three symbolic coins to the keel laying event. Upon arrival, a dapper butler emerged with a red velvet pillow carrying the coins to be welded into the keel, including a rare 1921 U.S. silver coin known as the Peace Dollar symbolizing the safe passage of Seven Seas Explorer; a 1959 silver Italian Lire representing the year the Fincantieri shipyard was established; and a commemorative coin specially minted for this occasion.

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Blohm+Voss appoints new Chief Executive

Fred van Beers who has been appointed as the new CEO of shipbuilder Blohm+Voss
Fred van Beers who has been appointed as the new CEO of shipbuilder Blohm+Voss

Blohm+Voss has appointed Fred van Beers as its Chief Executive Officer Management Board (CEO). As of 1 March 2015, Fred van Beers will take over from Dr Herbert Aly as CEO to lead Blohm+Voss’ growth strategy. His focus will be on developing the luxury yacht business. He will also work to strengthen the leading position of Blohm+Voss in general repairs and conversions with a specific focus for cruise ships and vessels for the off-shore industry.

Fred van Beers (52) has held senior leadership positions in the maritime industry for more than 15 years. He joins Blohm+Voss from his current position as Vice President Services Northern Europe at Wärtsilä, the global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the maritime industry and energy markets with a presence in more than 70 countries.

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SE Asia tanker hijacks rose in 2014

Tanker hijacks rose in 2014 despite global drop in sea piracy. Photo: German Navy
Tanker hijacks rose in 2014 despite global drop in sea piracy. Photo: German Navy

Tanker hijacks off South East Asia’s coasts caused a rise in global ship hijackings, up to 21 in 2014 from 12 in 2013, despite piracy at sea falling to its lowest level in eight years, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has revealed. Pirates took 442 crewmembers hostage, compared with 304 in 2013.

IMB’s annual piracy report shows 245 incidents were recorded worldwide in 2014 – a 44% drop since Somali piracy peaked in 2011. Somali pirates were responsible for 11 attacks, all of which were thwarted. However, IMB warns shipmasters to follow the industry’s Best Management Practices, as the threat of Somali piracy has not been eliminated.

Worldwide, 21 vessels were hijacked last year, 183 were boarded, and 13 fired upon. Pirates killed four crew members, injured 13 and kidnapped nine from their vessels.

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