The storm damaged City of Rotterdam is now in Tyneside for repairs
A&P Group has welcomed the City of Rotterdam, one of the biggest ships to be affected by Storm Desmond, to its Tyneside yard for repair.
The 5,000-tonne dwt Ro-Ro Cargo ship collided with another vessel on the Humber Estuary when Storm Desmond hit the north of England earlier this month.
A&P Group’s 100 strong Tyneside team will now undertake a 5-week programme of structural steel repairs before the City of Rotterdam returns to service at the end of January.
A small yellow boat in the water Photo credit BG Group
An innovative project to optimise LNG ship hull forms is set to reduce emissions and save significant amounts of fuel for LNG vessel operators.
On the shores of the Amazônia Azul – or Blue Amazon, the part of the Atlantic off the coast of Brazil – the LNG ship of the future is being designed. The shape of an LNG ship’s hull and cargo tanks are critical for the vessel to sail with minimal resistance through water. This is important as fuel use is the biggest cost for ship operators, and reducing fuel use significantly lowers emissions.
The Marshall Islands Registry has issued a directive on the use of accredited security companies only
The Marshall Islands Registry has released a directive to companies with vessels under its flag, stating that with effect from 1 January 2016 companies shall engage only those Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) that are certified to the ISO PAS 28007:2012 standard by a UK Accreditation Service authorised (UKAS) certification body.
The Marshall Islands, the world’s third largest registry, has a fleet of more than 3,500 ships. It is the first flag to implement the new rules following a revised interim recommendation, as published in June’s Maritime Safety Committee circular MSC.1/Circ.1406/Rev.
The MV Al Muraykh in London. Photo taken by Andrew McAlpine
DP World London Gateway Port has welcomed one of the world’s largest container ships carrying a record 18,601 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units). The UASC owned Al Muraykh chose to call at DP World London Gateway to unload 3,800 containers.
The ship is one of the largest in the world measuring 400 metres in length. The containers are loaded 11 storeys high above deck and 23 containers across the ship. With thousands more stowed below deck, the ship can carry up to 18,800 containers. The ship left Malaysia’s Port Klang carrying the most ever shipping containers on board a vessel and arrived at DP World London Gateway Port as its first port of call in Europe.
Amendments for steel ships survey and construction have been released by ClassNK
ClassNK has released amendments to its rules and guidance for the survey and construction of steel ships, including structural strength requirements of container carriers.
In response to a large container ship casualty in June 2013, ClassNK established The Investigative Panel on Large Container Ship Safety, which comprised of shipbuilders, shipping companies, and people with relevant knowledge and experience, to investigate the possibility of casualty occurrence and the structural safety of large container carriers. The results from the investigation and ClassNK’s action plan were released in the Investigation Report on Structural Safety of Large Container Ships in September 2014.
We have all heard stories of import cargo arriving with water or moisture damage and the Insured/Consignee complaining bitterly when their claim is denied, believing that they have paid a lot of money for insurance that is worthless. It is even more frustrating when we come across these claims with Insureds/Consignees that are regularly importing (or exporting) goods via containerised cargo.
Insured peril
So when is water moisture damage on containerised cargo covered by Insurance? Firstly, let’s make a few assumptions to keep this simple: we will consider the cargo as being a Full Container Load (FCL) and that the Policy coverage is Institute Cargo Clauses (A) [ICC (A)], which is All Risks.
Shipping coal can be a hazardous and dangerous process
There are various hazards associated with the trade of shipping coal. UK P&I Club’s Loss Prevention Team highlights the risks involved, and advises on the relevant actions to take in order to reduce accidents.
Self-heating incidents involving coal cargoes loaded at Indonesian ports have become increasingly frequent in recent years. The problem appears to be primarily related to the nature of the coals, and may be exacerbated by the way they are handled prior to and during loading.
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has issued a Marine Guidance Note providing stakeholders with guidance on the five titles of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 and the regulations applying to UK ships.
The purpose of this Marine Guidance Notice is to explain the UK’s understanding of key terms used in the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC).The UK intends to implement it fully and without departing from the intention of those who drafted the Convention.
GTT, the world leader in the design of membrane containment systems for the maritime transportation and storage of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), announces that it has received a second Approval in Principle (AIP) for its 4,000 m3 Bunkering Ship concept, using Mark III Flex Cargo Containment system and operating with a vapour pressure of up to 2 barg. Following one delivered by Lloyd’s Register, this new AIP was received from the classification society, Bureau Veritas, after several months of a joint research and innovation program.
Revolutionary new multigas carrier design launched by DeltaMarin and Brevik Technology
Deltamarin Ltd and Brevik Technology AS, a VARD affiliate, have joined forces by developing a novel multigas carrier design, which is expected to change the nature of the gas carrying industry. The concept combines in unprecedented way the successful design of Deltamarin’s B.Delta and the new-generation patented cylindrical gas tanks by Brevik Technology.
By combining the readily available and proven B.Delta design and separate cylindrical gas containment tanks, a cost-efficient and easy-to-build solution is now available to the gas carrier market. The design can be utilised for LNG, LPG, LEG and ethane carriers.
The latest research by Moore Stephens reveals shipping confidence levels are rising. Busan New Port, South Korea (Reuters)
Overall shipping confidence levels rose in the three months ended August 2015 to their highest level this year, according to Moore Stephen’s latest Shipping Confidence Survey. Respondents to the survey were concerned predominantly about low freight rates and overtonnaging, with continuing doubts also expressed about private equity funding. In August 2015, the average confidence level expressed by respondents in the markets in which they operate was 5.9 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high). This compares to the 5.3 recorded in May 2015, which equalled the lowest figure recorded in the life of the survey, launched in May 2008 with a confidence rating of 6.8. All main categories of respondent recorded an increase in confidence this time, most notably charterers (up from 4.2 to 6.5) and owners (up from 5.1 to 5.8). The confidence of brokers, meanwhile, was up from 4.8 to 5.2, and that of managers from 6.1 to 6.4. Geographically, confidence was up in Asia from 4.9 to 5.8, in Europe from 5.3 to 5.9, and in North America from 6.0 to 6.3.
The Bulk Jupiter which sank carrying a caro of bauxite with the loss of 18 lives
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has taken action to warn ship Masters of the possible dangers of liquefaction associated with carriage of bauxite, following consideration of findings from the investigation into the loss of the 10-year-old Bahamas flag bulk carrier Bulk Jupiter, which was carrying 46,400 tonnes of bauxite when it sank rapidly with 18 fatalities in January 2015.
A circular approved by IMO’s Sub-Committee on Carriage of Containers and Cargoes (CCC), meeting this week at IMO Headquarters, warns ship Masters not to accept bauxite for carriage unless:
