MARITIME NEWS

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

International maritime news for seafarers
IMO's MSC approves mandatory container
weight verification
The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime Organisation has
aro!ed long"awaited #hanges to the Safety of $ife at Sea #on!ention, whi#h re%&ires
!erifi#ation of #ontainer weight as a #ondition for loading a#'ed e(ort #ontainers a)oard
shis*
+s misde#lared #ontainer weights #an #a&se safety ha,ards for shis, their #rew, other
#argo on )oard, do#'wor'ers handling #ontainers and on roads, this has )een a long"
standing ro)lem for the transortation ind&stry and for go!ernments* Misde#laration of
#ontainer weights also triggers C&stoms #on#erns*
The aro!ed #hanges will #ome into effe#t from -&ly 201., gi!en final adotion )y the
MSC in /o!em)er 2014*
Meanwhile, the MSC has aro!ed new reg&lations for na!igation in +r#ti# waters, the
0anish Maritime +&thority (0M+) said*
The new 1olar Code reg&lations, whi#h #o&ld )e imlemented later this year, aim to
enhan#e the safety of na!igation in olar areas*
The entire alette of na!igation in olar areas, in#l&ding shi design and #onstr&#tion,
#rew training and na!igation, and imro!ed #o"ordination of sear#h and res#&e
oerations, is #o!ered )y the 1olar Code*
The 1olar Code reg&lations will aly to assenger shis and #argo shis with a gross
#aa#ity of o!er 200t*
0M+ 0e&ty 0ire#tor 3eneral 4ran#is 5a#hariae said6 70enmar' has )een a#ti!e in
la#ing the 1olar Code on the IMO agenda* Therefore, I am e(tremely leased that, with
the 1olar Code, we will now enhan#e the safety of shis na!igating +r#ti# and +ntar#ti#
waters* 0enmar' has ese#ially )een stri!ing to enhan#e the safety of ese#ially #r&ise
shis na!igating 3reenland waters*7
7The new internationally )inding reg&lations will also introd&#e a n&m)er of imortant
meas&res to )e ta'en when na!igating i#y waters, s&#h as re%&irements for life"sa!ing
alian#es and training of the #rew* This is in line with the national reg&lations on #r&ise
shis aro&nd 3reenland that the 0anish Maritime +&thority is wor'ing on,7 5a#hariae
added*
SAFETY STUDY
A HEAVY B!"E#
+n all"too familiar oeration, an eager CO and a si("tonne )&oy ma'e for a dangero&s
mi( a)oard*
#A!!A$IVE
0&ring a )riefing regarding the day8s tas' of )&oy maintenan#e, the master reminded his
!eteran #rew of the imortan#e of )eing safety #ons#io&s " )oth for themsel!es and for
ea#h other*
On #omletion of the first )o&y rela#ement, the #hief engineer went to the engine room,
lea!ing the remaining #rew to re#o!er the !essel8s an#hor and reare for the ne(t )&oy
oeration* This in!ol!ed lifting a si("tonne na!igation )&oy from the star)oard side to an
area )etween a ile of mooring #hain and an air !ent on the ort side*
9sing a #rane, the )&oy was mo!ed a#ross the de#'* The #hief offi#er followed the )&oy
at #lose range while an +: ga!e the o##asional instr&#tion to the #rane oerator* +s the
)&oy neared its intended osition, the lifting oeration was stoed to ena)le the #hief
offi#er and the +: to la#e wooden )earers on the de#' where the )&oy was to )e
landed*
+s the transfer res&med, the #hief offi#er mo!ed )etween the )&oy and the air !ent to &t
one of the wooden )earers &nder the o&t)oard side of the )&oy* The #hief offi#er was
instantly traed )etween the )&oy and the air !ent* +s the )&oy was mo!ed in)oard, the
CO #ollased on the de#' in ain* ;e was immediately )ro&ght to hosital* ;e had
s&ffered #r&sh in<&ries to his el!i# region and, after s&rgery, was hositalised for almost
a month*
%ESSO#S
" Time and time again a##idents o##&r d&ring de#' oerations )e#a&se no)ody is
o!erseeing or ta'ing #harge* S&er!ising a lifting oeration, rather than <oining in and
lending a hand, is not la,iness= it is a rere%&isite for the safety of all those in!ol!ed*
" $ifting and mo!ing hea!y weights not only re%&ires a degree of s'ill, )&t it also re%&ires
#o"ordination and #omm&ni#ation*
" S&sended hea!y weights are dangero&s, arti#&larly when they are )eing mo!ed in
tight areas* 0on8t stand or wor' near them if yo& don8t ha!e to*
" Tool)o( tal's #an either )e art of a ro#ed&re that we ay li ser!i#e to, )e#a&se we
ha!e to, or they #an )e &sed to try and enhan#e safety* So&r#e6 9> M+I:
SC& res'mes search for missing British
sai(ors
The 9S Coast 3&ard (9SC3) res&med a sear#h on T&esday for fo&r :ritish sailors
missing in the +tlanti# sin#e last wee' when #onta#t was lost with their sin'ing ya#ht*
+n online etition signed )y 200,000 eole in :ritain had imlored the Coast 3&ard to
'ee loo'ing for the #rew of the shi, who ha!e not )een heard from sin#e 4riday*
:ritish go!ernment minister -eremy ;&nt, the health se#retary, also had &rged the 9SC3
to #ontin&e the sear#h*
7We ha!e res&med sear#h efforts for the missing #rew of the Chee'i ?afi'i, I #an #onfirm
that,7 Coast 3&ard so'eswoman Meyonghi Clegg said, de#lining to say whether it was in
resonse to the :ritish aeals*
The 40"foot ya#ht first )egan ta'ing on water on Th&rsday, some 1,000'm east of Cae
Cod*
The ya#htsmen were ret&rning from +ntig&a Sailing Wee' in the Cari))ean* Conta#t was
lost on 4riday* (+41)
)ost*mortem 'nderway after Ca(ifornia fish
die*off
Marine )iologists wor'ed on Monday to determine whether a re#ent So&thern California
heat wa!e, la#' of o(ygen in the water or other fa#tors might ha!e #a&sed the death of
tho&sands of fish along the #oastal waters of Marina del ?ey*
California 4ish and Wildlife wor'ers #ontin&ed to remo!e the dead an#ho!ies and
stingrays that #reated a sil!ery )lan'et on the water8s s&rfa#e and a &ngent smell that
set off a feeding fren,y among har)o&r seals, eli#ans and seag&lls* +n o#to&s was also
fo&nd among the dead sea life*
The in#ident is li'ely the res&lt of a #onfl&en#e of fa#tors, said 0ana ?oe)er M&rray, a
marine and #oastal s#ientist with the en!ironmental gro& ;eal the :ay*
7They8re not &nheard of,7 she said* 7I wo&ld not tie it to a )ig indi#ator that )ad things are
haening in o&r en!ironment* It8s more li'e a m&ltit&de of #ir#&mstan#es haening at
on#e,7 she added*
+n#ho!ies tra!el in large s#hools and may ha!e )een &shed into the shallower, semi"
en#losed waters of the marina )y e(treme tides #a&sed )y a re#ent f&ll moon*
With so many fish in the water d&ring last wee'8s heat wa!e, it8s also ossi)le there was a
low amo&nt of dissol!ed o(ygen and in#reased temerat&res that h&rt their #han#es of
s&r!i!al, M&rray said* (+1)
"'tch po(ice sei+e ,-./g heroin in port of
!otterdam
0&t#h oli#e inter#eted a #ontainer, #arrying @.4'g of heroin worth A9? 1@ million, in
the ort of ?otterdam last Monday, the 0&t#h &)li# rose#&tor said in a statement* The
#ontainer, whi#h was loaded with 2,000 )o(es of raisins, #ame from Iran, read the
statement*
0&ring an inse#tion, the oli#e fo&nd @@1 a#'ets of heroin hidden in the )o(es of
raisins and arrested two men, who were engaged in &nloading the #argo raisins*
+##ording to the rose#&tor, the raisins were e(e#ted to )e transorted to 3ree#e and
:&lgaria*
ENVIRONMENT
Ec'ador dec(ares environmenta( emergency in
&a(apagos Is(ands
+n en!ironmental emergen#y has )een de#lared in the 3alaagos Islands after a
freighter #arrying 1B,000 gallons of #argo f&el ran agro&nd last wee' off the A#&adorean
Island of San Cristo)al*
The en!ironmental emergen#y was iss&ed )y A#&ador8s An!ironmental Minister $orena
Taia at the re%&est of 3alaagos a&thorities*
The 0ire#torate of the 3alaagos /ational 1ar' said that the meas&re wo&ld rote#t the
ar#hielago8s marine reser!e, arti#&larly the 7area affe#ted )y the stranding and ossi)le
sin'ing of the #argo shi*7
-orge Torres, 3o!ernor of 3alaagos said that desite remo!ing all the f&el, some
oll&tants li'e motor oil remained inside the shi*
7The shi is stranded and #ontin&es to resent an en!ironmental ris' for the 3alaagos
Marine ?eser!e and m&st lea!e the area,7 he said*
The 3alaagos Islands are #lassified as a 9/ASCO world heritage site*
C(imate change endangers historic S
(andmar/s
Climate #hange and sea le!el rise are threatening histori# 9S landmar's, from the Stat&e
of $i)erty to /+S+8s #oastal ro#'et la&n#h sites, and the nation needs to reare,
s#ientists said*
7The range and s#ale of ima#ts are alarming,7 said the reort )y the 9nion of Con#erned
S#ientists that listed more than two do,en landmar's endangered )y wildfires, #oastal
erosion and flooding " e!ents s#ientists say are )eing made worse )y glo)al warming*
They in#l&de the Stat&e of $i)erty and Allis Island in /ew Cor' ;ar)or, whi#h was the
entry oint for 14 million immigrants from 1DD. to 1B24*
Sea le!el has risen 12 in#hes (E0 #entimetres) aro&nd /ew Cor' City o!er the ast
#ent&ry, the reort said*
Then #ame ;&rri#ane Sandy in 2012, whi#h flooded most of $i)erty Island and all of Allis
Island, destroying most of their infrastr&#t&re and for#ing their #los&re for months*
/ew Cor' is now re)&ilding ele#tri#al systems on the islands 7as m&#h as 20 feet a)o!e
sea le!el and designing the heating and air #onditioning systems to withstand flooding,7
the reort said* (+41)
COMMERCE
)ort of Ham0'rg tota( thro'ghp't 'p 12-3 in
45
Total thro&gh&t in the 1ort of ;am)&rg rea#hed E2*. million tonnes, & D*.F in the first
%&arter of 2014* 3eneral #argo thro&gh&t totalled 22*2 million tonnes (G 10*DF) while
)&l' #argo thro&gh&t went & E*2F to a total of 10*4 million tonnes*
+(el Mattern, CAO of 1ort of ;am)&rg Mar'eting, said while resenting the 1ort of
;am)&rg8s %&arterly res&lts6 7In the first %&arter of 2014, we in the 1ort of ;am)&rg
s&##eeded in maintaining the re!io&s year8s ositi!e growth trend* O&r o&tstanding
growth rate of D*.F ena)led &s to f&rther e(tend o&r !ery so&nd #ometiti!e osition in
#omarison to /orthern A&roe8s other ma<or seaorts*7
7+gainst the )a#'gro&nd of the #&rrent sit&ation on )&ilding sites within the ort, in the
Al)e t&nnel and on the +@ a&to)ahn, whi#h ha!e ese#ially affe#ted tr&#' traffi# for
limited eriods, that is a stri'ing a#hie!ement on thro&gh&t* Temorary hindran#es
#a&sed )y ashalting o&tside the Al)e t&nnel and wor' on the >ohl)rand :ridge in the
ort will shortly )e ended,7 Mattern added*
HI-TECH
&AC EnvironH'(( e6pands its h'(( c(eaning
service
Si( months after its glo)al la&n#h, 3+C An!iron;&ll has e(anded its e#o"friendly, )r&sh"
and"di!er"free h&ll #leaning oeration to 4&<airah, the only 9+A ort o&tside of the Middle
Aast 3&lf, on the Indian O#ean #oast <&st )efore the Straits of ;orm&,*
The ;&llWier ?emotely Oerated Hehi#le (?OH), whi#h was la&n#hed in 0&)ai in
/o!em)er last year, is an &nmanned h&ll #leaning &nit, whi#h &ses ad<&sta)le ress&re
sea water <ets as the #leaning medi&m rather than )r&shes or a)rasi!es, res&lting in
minimal damage to the anti"fo&ling s&rfa#e*
?esid&es and harmf&l marine growths, #at&red d&ring #leaning, are disosed of in an
en!ironmentally"friendly manner and are not dis#harged into the sea &sing traditional
methods*
3+C An!iron;&ll esta)lished a ;&llWier ?OH &nit at the 1ort of 4&<airah, on )oard the
s&ort !essel 7Maggie 17 resonding to enth&siasti# mar'et interest and #onsistent
demand sin#e its la&n#h*
:esides offering 3+C An!iron;&ll8s #lean and green h&ll #leaning oeration, 4&<airah is a
)&stling h&) for a wide range of shi s&ort and ort a#ti!ities, in#l&ding 3+C8s shi
s&ly ser!i#e, sares deli!eries and #rew #hanges*
+t 4&<airah, the first ;&llWier oerations, in#l&ding one <o) erformed d&ring the ho&rs
of dar'ness, ha!e already )een #ond&#ted* This was something whi#h #o&ld not ha!e
)een done &sing traditional h&ll #leaning methods*
Sin#e its oeration does not re%&ire any di!ers, #leaning may )e erformed whilst shis
#alling at the ort are at )erth to load or dis#harge #argo* +s ;&llWier #an oerate on
!essels whether they are emty, f&lly loaded or at any oint )etween with no additional
#osts or time enalties, the laden #ondition of the !essel resents no iss&e*
Simon 0oran, Managing 0ire#tor of 3+C An!iron;&ll $td*, said6 7These days, shi
owners and oerators are see'ing sol&tions whi#h )oth deli!er tangi)le oerational
res&lts and also enhan#e their #ororate 8green8 image* That8s why we ha!e seen
#onsistent demand for o&r e#o"friendly h&ll #leaning ser!i#e sin#e its la&n#h, whi#h we
e(e#t to #ontin&e or e!en in#rease* :y )ringing the ;&llWier ser!i#e to 4&<airah, we are
ro!iding shi owners and oerators with greater #hoi#e and yet another otion for
effi#ient !essel #are*7
SHIPPING DATA
BA%$IC E7CHA#&E
Market snapshot: 11:00 GMT
Dry Index BDI 1010 -12
Capesize Index BCI 1431 -63
ana!ax Index BI 1061 "#
$%pra!ax Index B$I &'1 -(
)andysize Index B)$I 4&2 -1
E7CHA#&E !A$ES
*e+ ,ork -T%e C.s/
01n C%rren2y 3$D in 01n
in 3$D C%rren2y
Britain -o%nd/ 146&40 04('3&
Canada -Do..ar/ 04'1#' 140&'4
China -,%an/ 041603 6423&0
5%ro 1436'' 04#300
India -6%pee/ 0401#1 (&46300
Indonesia -6%piah/ 040000&# 114'0400
7apan -,en/ 0400'&#4 10142&00
*or+ay -8rone/ 0416&0 (4'(1#
hi.ippines -eso/ 04022' 434#(00
o.and -9.oty/ 0432#0 340600
6%ssia -6%:.e/ 0402&' 344(441
$in1apore -Do..ar/ 04#'&4 142(26
3kraine -)ry;nia/ 040&40 114'0(0