IIMS News

Expansion begins at Holland Jachtbouw’s yard

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holland logoThe next stage in the history of Holland Jachtbouw started when the foundations for its new site were laid, which will comprise three halls and offices. The occasion was officially marked by the Lord Mayor of Zaandam.

The first phase, which is due for completion by the end of 2014, will see the completion of a 60 metre x 26 metre x 18 metre shed and extension of the main construction hall to 55 metres.

This first stage of the project will allow for the arrival of two upcoming projects for Holland Jachtbouw, a 46 metre sailing yacht and the 51 metre Rainbow II.

Holland Jachtbouw’s Managing Director, Roeland Franssens said about the project: “This new construction in the shipyard is in part due to our new build projects coming into the shipyard later this year. We need more space to accommodate further refits and additional new build projects in 2015 and this also provides a ‘bird’s eye view’ for the managing project teams.”

Port of Dover plans unveiled

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Port of Dover plans umveiled
Port of Dover plans umveiled

UK Shipping and Ports Minister, Stephen Hammond, has set out a plan for the future of the Port of Dover that he believes will strengthen community involvement, boosting commercial development and unlocking the potential for regeneration.

Discussions facilitated by the minister over how the port should best be run have resulted in a major step forward, with Mr Hammond setting out a plan that will enable the community and port to work together effectively, providing a catalyst for regeneration which will benefit the port, the people who use it, and the town of Dover.

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Panama Canal to train pilots and tug captains

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAhead of the offical opening of the new third set of locks, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced it will charter a Post-Panamax vessel to be used for training purposes in the locks.

The Executive Vice President of Operations Esteban Saenz reported that the Panama Canal will charter a Post-Panamax ship to train pilots and tugboat captains that will assist in transits through the new lane. Saenz went on to add that the vessel will be used several months before the opening of the expanded Canal to test the new locks.

“This is one of the best ways to train our pilots and tug captains in the joint effort required to transit through the two new lock complexes of the expanded Canal,” said Saenz. He added that since 2011 the Panama Canal has promoted workforce training for the operation of the expanded waterway.

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SOHAR Port reaches milestone

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SOHAR Port reaches milestone
SOHAR Port reaches milestone

SOHAR Port and Freezone, a deep sea port in the Middle East have reached a milestone with the arrival of the first 10,000 TEU ship at the newly expanded Oman International Container Terminal (OICT).

Under the watchful eye of His Excellency Dr Ahmed Mohammed Salem Al-Futaisi, Minister for Transport and Communication, SOHAR, the first 10,000 (TEU) ship, APL shipping line’s Savannah, to dock in the Port was welcomed.

OICT signed the development agreement early last year for expansion of a 70-hectare container terminal at SOHAR. The development will increase capacity from 800,000 TEU to 1,500,000 TEU and will also see yard space more than double from 28 hectares, installation of seven post-panamax quay cranes and 14 rubber-tyred gantry cranes.

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Human error the cause of Singapore accidents

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The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) conducted investigations to determine the causes of the three collisions resulting in oil spills in the Singapore Port waters and Singapore Strait earlier this year.

MPA also formed a Safety Review Committee (SRC) to review the overall system of navigational safety in Singapore Port waters and Singapore Strait. SRC was comprised of experts from MPA, Ministry of Transport, the local academia and shipping industry. The findings of the investigations showed that human error and poor judgment of the situation were the main causes of the three collisions. There was a lack of situational awareness of the bridge teams, including the pilots, although MPA’s Port Operations Control Centre (POCC) had provided advisories and warnings of the traffic situation to the bridge teams. The bridge teams also did not make use of all available means at their disposal, such as the Automatic Identification System (AIS), Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA), Radar, and Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) in order to to avoid the collisions.

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Suez Canal development plan to be presented

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The Egyptian government will present its Suez Canal development plan in January 2015 to both local and international financial institutions and a number of companies, Mahmoud Rizq, director of the department of planning at the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), said.

The plan will be presented at an international conference organised to attract funding for the implementation of the project. The government will begin receiving and screening offers as early as February 2015, according to Rizq. Fourteen consortia competed to prepare the plan for the development of the Suez Canal and an independent local committee was formed comprising international expertise in order to evaluate the bids and choose the winning consortium.

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US water resources development legislation edges forward

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The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has welcomed news that the US House Senate conference committee has completed negotiations and has issued its report on the long awaited and much needed water resources development legislation.

The basis of the proposed legislation is that it:
• Establishes a pathway to full use of the Harbour Maintenance Tax (HMT)
• Addresses HMT donor equity
• Modernises the maintenance dredging cost share threshold
• Authorises new navigation channel improvements
• Expedites the US Army Corps of Engineers’ navigation channel study completion process
• Quickens the pace of project completions by enhancing partnerships

“Having waited seven long years since passage of the last water resources authorisation bill, our US member ports are extremely pleased to see a final reauthorisation bill,” said AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle. “Our nation desperately needs this water resources legislation to fortify our infrastructure, create and maintain good paying US jobs, grow our economy and enhance America’s international competitiveness.”

Summarising, Mr. Nagle said, “America’s public ports, which create jobs for more than 13 million people and handle 99.4% of the tonnage of our nation’s overseas trade, together with their private sector partners are investing over $9 billion annually in marine terminal infrastructure. We look forward to Congressional passage and President Obama signing this legislation, which will make important policy reforms and authorise badly needed maintenance and improvements to waterside connections with seaports.”

UK Government launches National Strategy for Maritime Security

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The UK’s first ever National Strategy for Maritime Security has been published by the Shipping and Armed Forces Minister.

The maritime sector is vital to the UK and it is said that the publication is a “a major step forward for the shipping industry and demonstrates the UK’s commitment to seafarer safety and securing world trade.” Click to read the National Strategy for Maritime Security in full.

The UK maritime sector accounts for over 2% of the entire economy and supports one in every 50 jobs. It is a simple fact that as an island nation, most of the UK’s connections to the wider world are provided by sea with and over 90% of our trade is carried by ship.
“The safety of our seafarers is therefore a priority of international importance, and work is also needed in the promotion of regional growth and the stability of international trade.” the UK Chamber of Shipping press release states.

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Small Craft Working Group meets at Grafham Water

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IIMS members at the Grafham Water SCWG meeting
IIMS members at the Grafham Water SCWG meeting

The IIMS UK Small Craft Working Group (SCWG) met for one of its regular meetings in early May at Grafham Water Sailing Club near Huntingdon.

The theme of the day was Metals in the Marine Environment. Although attendance was smaller than normal, those who did come to the meeting found the day both absorbing and highly informative too.

Three speakers spoke in detail and at length about their specialist subjects.

Carol Powell has been a consultant metallurgist to the Copper Development Association and Nickel Institute in the UK for over 20 years with particular specialisation in marine applications for copper-nickels, stainless steels and high nickel alloys. Furthermore, she has been a member of the Marine Corrosion Forum and Copper-Nickel Task Force since their inception and is currently deputy chair of the European Federation of Corrosion Marine Working Party.

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IIMS Certifying Authority training day

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Marine surveyors at the IIMS Certifying Authority training day
Marine surveyors at the IIMS Certifying Authority training day

Twenty plus marine surveyors who are IIMS Certifying Authority examiners met for their twice yearly training day at Portchester Sailing Club in mid May.

With the many changes now in place as a result of the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) legislation, it was an opportunity to review the procedures and to learn more about the convention.

Mark Towl from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) was the key presenter in the morning session. During his presentation he stressed that the MCA is still reviewing many aspects of MLC 2006 and further changes were inevitable. He also stressed that, in his view, the MCA have taken the most liberal view to how MLC 2006 is being interpreted.

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Classic refitted superyacht Shemara launched

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Shemara just launched. Photo copyright © 2014 Jake Sugden
Shemara just launched. Photo copyright © 2014 Jake Sugden

Britain’s largest independent ship repairer, Burgess Marine, has successfully launched the 65m (212 feet) classic 1930’s superyacht Shemara from its ship lift facility at the top of Portsmouth Harbour. Shemara Refit LLP completed the refit in just over three years at the ex Vosper-Thornycroft yard in Portchester.

Burgess Marine provided specialist support and personnel to Shemara Refit LLP for structural and fabrication works, mechanical works and pipefitting. Mr Peter Morton, the owner of Shemara Refit LLP, said, “Burgess Marine has been an important partner in this project from the moment we took ownership of the vessel in Lowestoft in 2010.”

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IIMS India very active

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The IIMS India Branch lead by its Chairman Mr AWJ (Tony) Fernandez designed and delivered seminars on Managing Risks for Shipowners (through H & M and P I covers).

Following on the success of the first two seminars, another one was conducted for Reliance Industries (a Petrochem Giant in India) at their Jamnagar Refinery premises on the 17 January 2014. This seminar was more of a informal Question and Answer session moderated by Mr Tony Fernandez. This seminar too received a very good response with a demand to have more of such sessions conducted for Reliance. Plans are now afoot with the training directors of Reliance to see how the Institute could be of assistance to them here too!

The branch now has plans to conduct a Seminar on “Recent Developments in P&I Insurance in India” and feelers are now being sent to the industry to see how this could be customized and/or delivered (via a public seminar or customised in-house sessions).

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