IIMS News

US West Coast ports at gridlock says Pacific Maritime Association

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Pacific Maritime Association says US West Coast ports are in a state of gridlock
Pacific Maritime Association says US West Coast ports are in a state of gridlock

Eight months since contract talks began, and after more than two months of ILWU-staged slowdowns that have methodically reduced terminal productivity at the five largest ports on the West Coast, operations are approaching complete gridlock Pacific Maritime Association reports.

Since late October 2014, the ILWU has crippled what were fully productive terminals in the Pacific Northwest and Oakland, and exacerbated a difficult congestion issue at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach by intentionally withholding dozens of essential skilled workers each shift for the past 10 weeks.

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British Marine Federation says growth continues in the UK leisure marine sector

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British Marine Federation says leisure marine industry growth is set to continue
British Marine Federation says leisure marine industry growth is set to continue

According to new statistics published by the British Marine Federation at the 2015 CWM FX London Boat Show, the UK leisure marine industry sector continues to grow.

For the third consecutive year, the industry posted growth in 2013/14, with total revenue in the UK leisure, superyacht and small commercial marine industry totalling £2.93bn (a 1% increase on 2012/13).

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MCA issues M-Notices

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The following M-Notices are now available electronically on the MCA website:

MGN 473 (M+F) Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work)(Employment of young persons) Regulations 1998: Implementation of EC Directive 94/33/EC

MSN 1819 (M+F) Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) and Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (2014 No. 3076)

MGN 510 (M+F) Use of exhaust gas cleaning systems. (Prevention of air pollution from ships)

Port of Dover hits record level of freight vehicles

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The Port of Dover has recorded record levels of freight traffic in 2014. Image courtesy of Port of Dover
The Port of Dover has recorded record levels of freight traffic in 2014. Image courtesy of Port of Dover

The Port of Dover recorded its highest levels of freight traffic since 2007 with throughput in 2014 reaching 2,368,182 vehicles as of Wednesday 16 December 2014. As the Port handles £89bn worth of trade each year, traffic is expected to maintain the present rate of increase between now and the end of the year, meaning 2014 will be a record breaking 12 months for the Port with a total in excess of 2.4 million freight vehicles.

In 2007, the Port of Dover recorded record freight traffic volumes with 2,363,583 vehicles using Europe’s busiest 24/7 roll-on-roll-off ferry port. This year has already seen more freight than 2007, is predicted to see at least 2% more traffic than the previous record and on any one day the Port of Dover now handles up to 160km of freight.

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MCA publishes revised M Notices

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The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) has announced that the following M Notices are available electronically.

MSN 1734 (M) Approval of Marine Equipment (EC Notified Bodies) Amendment 8

MSN 1735 (M) Type – Approval of Marine Equipment (UK Nominated Bodies) Amendment 8

MSN 1819 (M+F) Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) and Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (2014 No. 3076)

MIN 497 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC): Proposed amendments

MIN 498 (M) Seafarer Training and Certification: Using Yacht Sea Service towards Unlimited Merchant Navy Certificates of Competency Applications

Ships face lower sulphur fuel requirements

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Ships trading in designated emission control areas will have to use on board fuel oil with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10% from 1 January 2015, against the limit of 1.00% in effect up until 31 December 2014.

The stricter rules come into effect under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution form ships (MARPOL) Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships), specifically under regulation 14, which covers emissions of Sulphur Oxides (SOx) and particulate matter from ships. These requirements were adopted in October 2008 by consensus and entered into force in July 2010.

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Alang shipbreaking workers operate in poor conditions

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A new study says that Alang shipbreaking workers continue to work in appalling conditions. Photo courtesy of The Hindu Business Line
A new study says that Alang shipbreaking workers continue to work in appalling conditions. Photo courtesy of The Hindu Business Line

The working and living conditions at the Alang shipbreaking yards in India, remain alarmingly poor, argues a new study published in the Economic & Political Weekly, a well known Indian Social Science journal. The research was commissioned and financed by the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) and was coordinated by Dr Geetanjoy Sahu from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). TISS’ findings are based on intensive field work in Alang from April 2013 to May 2014 including interviews with 300 shipbreaking workers as well as stakeholders from the industry, trade unions and authorities.

The study finds that the “costs to workers’ health and the environment are alarming” while the profit margins for both the yard owners and the contractors providing the labour force are extremely high. Dr Sahu reports that the approximately 35,000 unorganised migrant workers at the Alang shipbreaking yards continue to live in shanty dwellings without adequate facilities for drinking water, sanitation and electricity. The authorities have set up only 12 showers and six toilets. As a result, “workers are forced to defecate in the open”.

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AMSA announces Domestic Surveyor Accreditation Scheme workshop dates

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The Australia Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) will be running a series of Domestic Surveyor Accreditation Scheme (DSAS) workshops in Queensland during early February 2015.

The DSAS is a scheme being implemented by AMSA, as the National Regulator, to ensure surveyors are competent to conduct and provide survey reports for domestic commercial vessels under the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012.

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Panama Canal expansion now 84% complete as gate installation begins

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The Panama Canal expansion program is gathering pace with the arrival of the massive new lock gates. Photo courtesy ACP
The Panama Canal expansion program is gathering pace with the arrival of the massive new lock gates. Photo courtesy ACP

The last gate to arrive has now completed the transfer of the eight gates to the Pacific construction side as the Panama Canal expansion gathers momentum. The transits began on October 22 to move all eight gates through the waterway aboard a barge from the Atlantic temporary dock to the Pacific, assisted by Panama Canal tugs.

Once finished, the Panama Canal expansion program will have added new locks that in total have 16 rolling gates, eight in the Pacific and eight in the Atlantic. Since August 2013, the gates have been arriving in staggered shipments from Italy on a Post-Panamax vessel to a temporary dock in the Atlantic side. The last shipment arrived in November 2014.

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Palma Superyacht Show looks forward to its third edition

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The Palma Superyacht Show returns for its third edition alongside the Palma Boat Show
The Palma Superyacht Show returns for its third edition alongside the Palma Boat Show

Having made its debut in 2013, the Palma Superyacht Show, in partnership with MYBA, is now a firm fixture on the yachting calendar. Running concurrently with the 32nd Boat Show Palma, this Mediterranean season opener takes place from 30 April to 4 May 2015.

Jane Thompson, Coordinator of the Palma Superyacht Show, says, “Avoiding comparisons with Cannes or Monaco, the Palma Superyacht Show has established its own clear identity as a brokerage and charter show of excellence, perfectly timed before the summer season. Designed to coincide with 1 May, a public holiday in most European countries, as well as the UK’s Monday ‘May Day’, we hope visitors will take a long weekend break in hospitable Palma, enjoy the sunshine and see a great selection of top quality yachts.”

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ClassNK register passes the 230 million gross tons mark

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ClassNK has announced that its register has surpassed the 230 million gross tons mark in 2014 for the first time
ClassNK has announced that its register has surpassed the 230 million gross tons mark in 2014 for the first time

Leading classification society ClassNK has announced that its register topped 230 million gross tons for the first time. The announcement was made following a meeting of the Society’s Classification Committee, which certified that the NK Register listed 8,826 vessels totaling 231.34 million gross tons at the end of November 2014.

As ClassNK finished 2013 with some 220.9 million gross tons on its register, the achievement means that ClassNK has added a net total of more than 10 million gross tons to its register in the first 11 months of the year, continuing the leading classification society’s stunning growth over recent years. Continuing recent trends for the Society, transfers of vessels from other classification societies accounted for more than one third of the vessels joining the ClassNK Register, setting a new record for the Society.

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Royal Huisman to build 56 metre classic ketch

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An impression of what the new 56 metre classic ketch to be built by Royal Huisman will look like
An impression of what the new 56 metre classic ketch to be built by Royal Huisman will look like

A classic ketch for family oriented Caribbean cruising and more is being built for an American couple, Royal Huisman has announced. The 183’7” (56-metre) megayacht, to be christened Aquarius, is set for delivery in late 2017.

Aquarius bears styling and naval architecture by Dykstra Naval Architects. The wood clad deckhouse, teak decks, long overhangs, rich-blue hull, and oval ports give her the profile the owners wanted. Royal Huisman has yet to release full specifications on her sailplan and structural dimensions, though the yacht is intended for good performance in light airs. Aquarius may further participate in some bucket regattas.

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