The UK regards itself as a leader on the world stage as far as preventing climate change is concerned. The UK has set a high standard so far showing the way with an impressive roadmap to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. It was the first country in the world to set statutory carbon emissions reduction targets in its climate Change Act of 2008, and in 2019 passed a law on net-zero emissions.
In a new report, a group of NGOs – WWF UK, MarFishEco Fisheries Consultants, Marine Conservation Society and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – have reviewed the UK fishing industry’s response to climate change mitigation. Shipping companies are already working hard to reduce their emissions, and the orders for retrofitting and design for energy-efficient ship propulsion systems is at an all-time high. It is likely the fishing industry will be the next focus.
Continue reading “New Marine Conservation Society report: Decarbonising the UK fishing fleet”
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has started its formal consultation on a draft Port of London Authority (PLA) Harbour Revision Order (HRO). The consultation is open until 12 October 2021. HROs amend the existing legislative basis of a port and are consented under the Harbours Act 1964. The MMO has, since 2010, undertaken this process on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Department of Transport.
Following two collisions involving Bahamian ships resulting in 24 fatalities in 2018-2019 and in view of the summer fishing ban lifting on 16 August, the Bahamas Maritime Authority has published guidelines to be issued by the China Maritime Safety Administration on the prevention of collisions between merchant ships and fishing vessels in Chinese coastal waters.
The global superyacht industry started 2020 very well, with a high level of sales. However the Covid-19 pandemic hit the industry severely in the second quarter of the year. Afterwards, superyacht sales recovered rapidly, with the used yacht market in particular posting very impressive results in the third and fourth quarters of 2020. The positive momentum in the superyacht market has carried on into 2021 and we are expecting a very busy year in 2021 for superyacht sales, both new and used.
In the June edition of the Report Magazine, Jeffrey Casciani-Wood submitted a letter to the editor and invited Karen Brain to give a comment on the following, when he wrote: ‘Perhaps the most common of the errors that I have seen over the years is the use of so-called reported dimensions, not measured ones. I should point out that the marine surveyor’s report is a legal document and therefore requires content that he/she has measured, weighed, tested, or examined, whatever, not what he/she has been told by a third party who may, or may not, have given him/her valid and correct information. Reported dimensions are hearsay and, as such, are not admissible in Court, except under very special circumstances.
The P&I Club, Steamship Mutual, has received a number of enquiries concerning the carriage of containers on vessels not primarily designed to carry containers on deck and/or inside cargo holds, such as bulk carriers and general cargo vessels. The Club is aware of at least one instance where carriage of containers in this manner on a bulk carrier has resulted in a container stack collapse within the hold, necessitating a return to port in order to restow the containers.
The Merchant Shipping HSOSC Regulations 2021 and accompanying code of practice apply to HSOSC of less than 500gt, allowing no more than 60 persons to be on board subject to a vessel’s safety certification. This mirrors the International High Speed Craft Code (HSC) for vessels over 500gt.
At about 0800 on 31 May 2020, the 12m wooden-hulled recreational boat Globetrotter sank in 5m of water during a sea-angling trip off the coast of Fleetwood, England. Its owner made a Mayday call shortly before he, his son, and a friend all entered the water. None of the sea anglers were wearing lifejackets or buoyancy aids, but they were able to use Globetrotter’s two lifebuoys to help them remain afloat.