International News

South Asia still the preferred end of life location says NGO Shipbreaking Platform

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South Asia still the preferred end of life location says NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Photo: NGO Shipbreaking Platform
South Asia still the preferred end of life location says NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Photo: NGO Shipbreaking Platform

The NGO Shipbreaking Platform has released a complete list of all ship owners and their ships sold for breaking last year.

The Statistics

Out of a total of 1026 ships dismantled globally in 2014, 641 – representing 74% of the total gross tonnage (GT) scrapped – were sold to substandard facilities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh where ships are dismantled directly on tidal beaches. None of the South Asian yards comply with international standards for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling.

End-of-life ships contain toxic materials such as asbestos, heavy metals, PCBs, oil residues and organic waste within their structures – these pollutants can not be contained or safely removed on a tidal beach. The demolition of the largest movable man-made structures is hazardous and must be conducted in a controlled manner using adequate infrastructure such as cranes as well as necessary health and safety provisions – in 2014 the Platform reported 23 deaths and 66 severe injuries due to accidents such as explosions, workers crushed under steel plates and falling from heights on the South Asian beaches.

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World Shipping Council advises to prepare for Container Weight Verification

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The World Shipping Council warns to prepare for Container Weight Verification changes and legislation coming in July 2016
The World Shipping Council warns to prepare for Container Weight Verification legislation coming in July 2016

At the end of 2014, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) that will require every packed export container to have a verified container weight as a condition for loading aboard a vessel.

This requirement will become legally binding on July 1, 2016. Continue reading “World Shipping Council advises to prepare for Container Weight Verification”

Fincantieri lays keel for the Seven Seas Explorer

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Fincantieri has laid the keel for the luxurious Seven Seas Explorer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Fincantieri has laid the keel for the luxurious Seven Seas Explorer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The first building block for Seven Seas Explorer was placed on 21 January 2015 during a special keel laying ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy. The keel laying signals a significant milestone in the construction for what will be the most luxurious ship ever built, and brings the vessel one step closer to its July 2016 maiden voyage.

In a ceremony befitting of the world’s most luxurious ship, a sleek black Rolls Royce Phantom transported the three symbolic coins to the keel laying event. Upon arrival, a dapper butler emerged with a red velvet pillow carrying the coins to be welded into the keel, including a rare 1921 U.S. silver coin known as the Peace Dollar symbolizing the safe passage of Seven Seas Explorer; a 1959 silver Italian Lire representing the year the Fincantieri shipyard was established; and a commemorative coin specially minted for this occasion.

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Blohm+Voss appoints new Chief Executive

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Fred van Beers who has been appointed as the new CEO of shipbuilder Blohm+Voss
Fred van Beers who has been appointed as the new CEO of shipbuilder Blohm+Voss

Blohm+Voss has appointed Fred van Beers as its Chief Executive Officer Management Board (CEO). As of 1 March 2015, Fred van Beers will take over from Dr Herbert Aly as CEO to lead Blohm+Voss’ growth strategy. His focus will be on developing the luxury yacht business. He will also work to strengthen the leading position of Blohm+Voss in general repairs and conversions with a specific focus for cruise ships and vessels for the off-shore industry.

Fred van Beers (52) has held senior leadership positions in the maritime industry for more than 15 years. He joins Blohm+Voss from his current position as Vice President Services Northern Europe at Wärtsilä, the global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the maritime industry and energy markets with a presence in more than 70 countries.

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SE Asia tanker hijacks rose in 2014 despite global drop in sea piracy

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Tanker hijacks rose in 2014 despite global drop in sea piracy. Photo: German Navy
Tanker hijacks rose in 2014 despite global drop in sea piracy. Photo: German Navy

Tanker hijacks off South East Asia’s coasts caused a rise in global ship hijackings, up to 21 in 2014 from 12 in 2013, despite piracy at sea falling to its lowest level in eight years, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has revealed. Pirates took 442 crewmembers hostage, compared with 304 in 2013.

IMB’s annual piracy report shows 245 incidents were recorded worldwide in 2014 – a 44% drop since Somali piracy peaked in 2011. Somali pirates were responsible for 11 attacks, all of which were thwarted. However, IMB warns shipmasters to follow the industry’s Best Management Practices, as the threat of Somali piracy has not been eliminated.

Worldwide, 21 vessels were hijacked last year, 183 were boarded, and 13 fired upon. Pirates killed four crew members, injured 13 and kidnapped nine from their vessels.

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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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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.

Continue reading “Panama Canal expansion now 84% complete as gate installation begins”

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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Fincantieri Yachts delivers one of the tenth largest mega yachts in the world

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Fincanteiri Yachts has delivered one of the tenth largest mega yachts in the world and the largest to be built in Italy
Fincanteiri Yachts has delivered one of the tenth largest mega yachts in the world and the largest to be built in Italy

At 140 metres long, the “Ocean Victory” is the largest yacht ever built in Italy and, according to the sector rankings, one of the tenth largest ever built in the world. The new mega yacht is positioned on the top market segment in terms of quality and performance and is characterized by complexity, high technology content, innovation, extreme care to details in the interior and exterior design.

The new ship has been acquired also thanks to the commitment of Alex Lees Buckley, broker with more than 30 years of experience in the most prestigious projects of the internationally renowned brokerage company Camper & Nicholsons. “Ocean Victory” has been designed on the basis of a new, unique concept, brainchild of the Monaco based naval designer Espen Oeino and the Paris based interior designer Cabinet Alberto Pinto. The new unit has been developed by the team of Fincantieri Yachts – business unit of Fincantieri specifically focused on this area.

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USMRC and ClassNK sign MOU for future technical cooperation

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USMRC and ClassNK have signed an MOU to work together for future technical cooperation
USMRC and ClassNK have signed an MOU to work together for future technical cooperation

The United States Maritime Resource Center (USMRC) based in Middletown, Rhode Island and ClassNK, a leading ship classification society located in Tokyo, Japan, are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) laying out a framework for future technical cooperation to carry out joint research and development activities for the maritime industry.

This will mark the first time a major ship classification society has teamed with a prominent marine operations simulation center engaged in specialized training and research in North America.

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Transport & Environment says new EU climate emissions law is weak

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The new EU climate emissions law is weak says Transport & Environment
The new EU climate emissions law is weak says Transport & Environment

For the first time, all shipping companies calling at EU ports will have to measure and publicly report carbon emissions under a law approved by an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee. Sustainable transport group Transport & Environment says that the law is weak – it only monitors fuel consumption instead of directly reducing it, and only covers CO2 and not air pollutants like SO2 or NOx – but it can still trigger fuel savings indirectly.

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Maritime Cook Islands seeks more tonnage

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Glenn Armstrong of Maritime Cook Islands is seeking more tonnage for the Flag.
Glenn Armstrong of Maritime Cook Islands is seeking more tonnage for the Flag.

“Cook Islands aims to be a flag of choice for quality classed tonnage and superyachts,” says Glenn Armstrong of Maritime Cook Islands. He goes on to say that “We are young, ambitious and energetic and we hope to grow significantly over the coming years.”

The Flag is based in the Cook Islands in Rarotonga and is the only Small Island Developing State with a serious open register that is actually based in their home country. The advantage of this is that Maritime Cook Islands is very close to their government and has an ability to get quick and sensible answers to difficult questions that take other Flags weeks and months.

Maritime Cook Islands is the administrator of the Cook Islands Ship Register. Under an agreement with the Ministry of Transport they have delegated to them responsibility for all Flag State responsibilities under the various IMO conventions and instruments. Given this responsibility, Maritime Cook Islands has recently employed Duncan Findlay as technical director, to assist their Deputy Registrars to provide timely, sensible, technical solutions to the problems that shipowners confront on a daily basis.

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