Feature Articles

Article by Luc Verley MIIMS

During the Singapore Bunkering Symposium held on 8 of April 2014 the Singapore Minister of Transport Mr. Lui Tuck Yew announced that the use of a (Mass Flow Metering) system will become mandatory for marine fuel deliveries from 1 of January 2017. Therefore all existing bunker tankers operating with a Singapore harbour craft license must be equipped before 31 of December 2016 with an MPA (Maritime Port Authority of Singapore) approved Mass Flow Metering system. All new bunker tankers applying for a harbour craft licence after 31 of December 2014 must be equipped with an approved Mass Flow Metering system.

Singapore being the world’s leading bunker port in terms of volume, with over 40 million tonnes of marine fuels sold annually, takes a key step forward towards improving transparency, accuracy and efficiency of bunker supplies and will become the first port in the world to mandate the use of Mass Flow Metering for marine bunkering. The first commercial transaction with the use of a Mass Flow Metering took place in Singapore in June 2012. Currently, 17 Singapore bunker tankers are equipped with Mass Flow Metering systems and are part of a test program of MPA.

Continue reading “Mass flow metering in bunkering”

Stevedore Article by Capt Kahlil U Khan, Regional Director, IIMS Pakistan

Capt Khalil U Khan is a Senior Master Mariner. He is L.L.M (Master of Laws) position holder and has been the Dean of Law at the DIHE Karachi, Chartered by Govt. of Sindh. He is a Nautical & Insurance Consultant and Authorized Surveying Officer, Licensed by Govternment of Pakistan. He is the Chairman of Oceanic Group of Companies.

WHAT IS STEVEDORING?

It is an occupation which involves the cargo operations i.e. loading and unloading of cargoes on ships. It also includes the other various dockside functions. The people engaged in this occupation are known as stevedores in UK & Europe. However, in the United States and other areas are referred to as longshoremen. At present, in countries such as Dubai, Singapore etc. where stevedoring is a commonplace and where all the cargo passes through domestic and international ports is usually handled is known as Freight Station or Freight Terminal. In this scenario, the stevedores do need heavy machinery, such as tractor, trailers, cranes and forklifters, etc. If on the other hand the some other related work is performed manually where use of machinery is not required such as labour or clerical work. The businesses which specialize in loading and unloading vessels are referred to as stevedoring companies.

Continue reading “The role of the stevedore in shipping”

Article written by Capt Andrew Korek

Capt Andrew Frank Korek, President of Phoenix Marine Services Inc. is a Master Mariner, a member of the Company of Master Mariners, the Nautical Institute and the International Association of Maritime Security Professionals (where he is a board member). He is also an established member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying.

Over 90 per cent of the world’s global trade is carried by commercial deepsea vessels. On any given day there are over 300 commercial, ocean-going vessels in B.C. waters loading and unloading a wide range of cargoes. Whether it be for a tanker, container, bulk or break bulk ship, deepsea vessel surveyors perform a number of services that require a complex skill set based on training, experience and practical problem-solving abilities. Before tackling the issue of qualifications, however, it’s worthwhile to look at the many aspects of deepsea vessel surveying — and with the help of Capt Andrew Korek, Phoenix Marine Services — an added perspective of the even more specialized work of underwater surveying.

Continue reading “Deepsea and underwater surveys”

If you’re planning your next vacation, you probably won’t find Alang in any travel guides. You may not even find it on the map. This desolate six-mile stretch of land was once one of the most impoverished areas in India. But, in recent years, this piece of the Indian coastline in Gurajat state has become the world’s largest shipbreaking yard.

Alang, 185 miles (298 kilometers) northwest of Bombay, serves as the final stop for about half of the world’s maritime vessels. Alang is literally a graveyard for ships — the world’s once most powerful ships come here to die. Shipbreaking is just what it sounds like. Piece by piece, workers use basic tools to dismantle ships that are too old or too costly to maintain.

But why choose this remote spot to serve as the final destination for so many of the world’s obsolete ships? For one, Alang’s beachfront location is ideal for shipbreaking. Tides are heavy there, and the natural slope of the beach makes it easy for a ship to be run on shore.

Continue reading “Alang – the Indian graveyard of ships”

Fraser Noble is the IIMS Certifying Authority Chairman. In conjunction with his fellow committee members Fraser plays a key role in ensuring the Institute delivers its commitments to and contract with the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully. The Certifying Authority is an important revenue stream for the IIMS, but in recent times, the processes and procedures have been subject to scrutiny and much change.

Q1.
Fraser, by way of introduction, can I ask about your background as a marine surveyor, the type of work you generally undertake and how long you have been Chairman of the CA?

I have been a full member of the IIMS since March 2002 and was appointed as a Certifying Authority Surveyor, including stability testing in December 2002. I have been on the CA Committee more or less continuously since that time in a supporting role. I was appointed Chairman in November 2011, taking over from Tony McGrail.

Continue reading “An interview with the Certifying Authority Chairman”

Artcle written by Luc Verley MIIMS

Competition for the Panama Canal is coming from the Latin American country of Nicaragua, but the project funding is actually coming from China.

The Inter-Oceanic Nicaragua Canal is an ambitious mega-project to create a waterway through Nicaragua to connect the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, just like the Panama Canal.

The Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Group (HKND-group) a Chinese investment company has received from the Nicaragua government a 50 year concession for building and operating the canal. This concession can be extended with another period of 50 years. During this concession period HKND will compensate Nicaragua with 10 million USD annually during the first 10 years and in the following years Nicaragua will receive a percentage of the canal revenues. At the end of concession period HKND will return the canal and its entire infrastructure to Nicaragua. The investment required to build this canal is estimated at 40 billion USD (an equivalent to twice the country’s GDP) and construction of the canal would take 6 to 10 years according to HKND-group. It is estimated to create 40,000 jobs for construction workers. HKND will lead a consortium that might include international partners and will operate its business fairly, impartially and openly.

Continue reading “The Nicaragua Canal”

About the author
Guy Canovan arrived in the world of naval architecture following gaining a degree from Southampton Institute as a mature student in 2000. Initially he worked for BMT Defence Services in Bath where he supported the Royal Navy by carrying out inclining experiments, stability analyses and structural capability tasks. After gaining his CEng status in 2004, he moved to Fleet Support in Portsmouth naval base where he became head of the design office. In June 2011, he received an offer from the Shemara project to lead the design team on the rescue of a 65m superyacht. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse and shortly afterwards, armed with a lot of enthusiasm but little else, he arrived on the Shemara project. This is his story about rescuing a superyacht, MV Shemara.

This article is a personal account of my role in the refit of Shemara, a 65m motoryacht. In the course of writing it, it has morphed into my experience of designing a 65m ship without the usual infrastructure associated with designing a 65m ship and doesn’t conform to the more common, but no less worthy, technical account.

Continue reading “The trials and tribulations of rescuing a superyacht”

Article written by Aditya Tambe

It was a dream come true when I got the opportunity to join the Clipper 68 boats as a Delivery Crew member from Cape Town to Albany (Western Australia). While undergoing my Ocean Graduates Course to qualify as a Yacht Master Coastal at the Isle of Wight, we were told about the Clipper yachts and the thrills and adventures associated with them. I was always fascinated with stories that those sailors told about racing on Clipper boats. In the past I wondered if I would ever be able to experience all those thrills and adventures.

It was a God sent opportunity when I communicated with two gentlemen who assisted me in joining a Clipper yacht for a delivery voyage. They were none other than Mr John Lawrence and Mr Peter Lambert, both from the International Institute of Marine Surveying. It was a start of a great on-the-job learning experience I’d never thought about. Yes there were many questions in my mind regarding the yacht and the delivery trip; the main being: “Will I be able to accomplish it?” It was the first time I was going to sail with such a professional and experienced crew and it being my first ever Ocean Crossing, which is termed as one of the harshest legs of the Clipper round the world race.

It was a long journey from Mumbai. The day came when I was in the City of Good Hope – none other than Cape Town. The moment I saw the yachts, CV5 and CV10, at the V&A Waterfront Marina, it was a sight that I can never forget. Finally I was going to step on to Clipper yachts, one of the elite and prestigious names in the yachting industry.

The first three days at Cape Town were pretty much routine with the basic introduction of the boat by the Skipper and Mate along with one other crew members who were already on board. It was the time to familiarize myself with the yacht, CV5. Other crew members (including two elderly ladies) joined the boat from their luxurious hotel rooms, which they had taken up after their long trip from the UK to Cape Town. Two of the crew members were previous year’s Clipper race winning boat crew on the Gold Coast. It felt like there is really a lot more to learn other than just the academics that I did in the UK. Continue reading “My exciting voyage with Clipper”

Article written by Capt. Abdelfattah Bouzoubaa, MIIMS

Can Morocco do without a national merchant fleet? Knowing that 98% of the country’s foreign trade is carried by sea, the answer to this question may seem obvious: No. However seeing the continuous decrease of this fleet and the lack of a governmental policy to reverse this trend, one can be led to think that the answer is: Yes.

A LITTLE RECENT HISTORY
The Moroccan citrus fruits and vegetables export board (OCE) had suffered during the 1960’s from the upward pressure on freight rates exerted by foreign reefer ships owners. To escape the grip of these owners, OCE which was then responsible for all exports of citrus fruits and vegetables, had for some years paid a freight bonus of 10% to Moroccan ship owners to encourage the build up of a national reefer vessels fleet. In the early 1980’s, this fleet consisted of 19 vessels and carried up to 85% of OCE exports. The freight rates charged by the Moroccan owners were 20% to 30% lower than the market.

In 1973 the world’s first exporter of phosphates and fertilizers (OCP), engaged with the help of the national shipping line, Comanav, in an acquisition program of chemical tankers to allow the sale of phosphoric acid to south east Asia countries on a C&F basis. A decade later, Marphocean, the ship owning arm of OCP, was among the world’s top players in the chemicals transportation market. The now defunct Marphocean carried about 40% of phosphoric acid exports of the country and participated in other trades, such as the carriage of palm oil from south east Asia to Europe.

Unlike many developing countries, Morocco has not enacted legislation on liner traffic sharing on the model of the Unctad Code of Conduct of Liner Conferences. Thus, the Moroccan ship owners won their fair share in the liner trade with European countries after fighting expensive but experience-rich ‘freight wars’. Market shares won – 30% on average – had allowed keeping freight rates for the liner trades under control, especially in Morocco-Europe trades which absorb two-thirds of Morocco’s foreign trade. Incidentally, the exporters of low value commodities were able to benefit from promotional freight rates. Continue reading “Is it the end for the Moroccan merchant fleet?”

Singapore is a city-state located in South East Asia. Singapore is strategically located at one of the most important shipping lines in the world located between the Indian Ocean on one end and the South Chinese Sea and Pacific Ocean on the other end. Vessels passing through the Singapore Strait sea channel are carrying about a quarter of the world traded goods, linking China, Japan and South Korea with the West, but also a quarter of all the oil carried by sea passes through the Singapore Strait mainly from the Middle East to the Asian markets. Singapore has a long history dating back to more than a thousand years: Arab, Chinese and Portuguese seafarers used the Malacca Strait to connect to South Chinese Sea.

Why is Singapore a maritime hub?
At any given time there are about 600 to 1,000 vessels in Singapore ports or anchorage locations. Annually around 120,000 vessels are calling at Singapore. This means every 5 minutes a ship is leaving or arriving in Singapore waters. Singapore is among the busiest ports in the world in terms of tonnage. Singapore is a world leading container transit port for transshipment within the South East Asian region. Every day more than 50,000 containers are loaded or offloaded from more than 50 container vessels. Singapore is well known for its efficiency of port operations and quick turnarounds. Continue reading “Singapore: A Maritime Hub”

I was interested to read the correspondence on the above subject and think that some clarification is required. Both registration and tonnage are often misunderstood even, I am sorry to say, by some marine surveyors. Registration is a legal requirement for merchant ships over 15 tons gross. It does not apply to warships or vessels of ‘primitive build’. It is written, like tonnage, into International, European and British law and cannot be changed at the whim of an owner or marine surveyor. Tonnage has nothing whatever to do with the vessel’s mass, weight or displacement but both gross and nett figures are a measure of the vessel’s internal volume. Nor has it anything to do, these days, with how much cargo (grain, bananas, wine tuns) that a vessel can carry but everything to do with harbour and light dues and taxation. The use of the word tonnage is merely an historical hangover and has been dropped for some time.

A Guide to the Registration of Ships

There are three classifications of registration in British law known from the divisions of the relevant Act of Parliament (the 1894 Merchant Shipping Act and subsequent revisions) as Parts I, II, and III. Part I applies, in general to big ships but may be used for ships under 24 metres load line length, Part II applies to fishing vessels and Part III to small craft under the 24 m load line length divisor. The vessel has to be measured for tonnage by an MCA authorised marine surveyor and the vessel’s registered Official Number and Registered Tonnage has to be ‘carved into the main beam’. The latter point is often circumvented by the material from which the vessel is built and the required data may be Continue reading “Registration and Tonnage explained”

The Northern Sea Route is a shipping lane connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the Northern Russian Arctic Coast Line. As a result of climate change the ice in the Arctic Sea has been melting considerably over recent years, resulting in the shipping lane being partly free of ice during the summer months. Ice free however means the absence of a frozen ice sheet, there will still be broken off ice sheets in various sizes in the Arctic Sea during the ice free periods. Therefore ships using the Northern Sea Route require ice strengthened hulls or in some case ice breaker support.

For ship owners and charterers there would be a huge economic benefit for using the Northern Sea Route. For example a container vessel sailing from Tokyo to Hamburg via the Southern route through the Suez Canal would cover 13.949 nautical miles, depending on the ship roughly 48 days of sailing. The same vessel on the Northern Sea Route would cover only 8.077 nautical miles or roughly requiring 35 days of sailing. It is obvious that the Northern Sea Route would be fuel and time efficient and this cost saving will be the main drive for commercial shipping via this shipping lane. However, currently the number of transits made by commercial ships and the cargo volume passing via the Northern Sea Route is still rather limited, but it is slowly increasing over the past years.

Continue reading “The Northern Sea Route”