1. Fantasy Island
2. UK transport initiatives
3. LR decarbonisation projects
4. Seafarer guidance
5. Dangerous goods MOU
6. Stowaways and LOIs
7. IMRF awards
8. Golden Ray report published
9. Making waves
10. Award winners
11. FMC guidance on detention and demurrage
12. Abandoned cargo
13. Fuel cells
14. Jason clause
15. Chinese maritime safety law
16. Future is ESG
Notices & Miscellany
Readersâ responses to our articles are very welcome and, where suitable, will be reproduced:
Write to: contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
1. Fantasy Island
By Michael Grey
One of my happiest assignments was during the 1970s when I found myself the part-time âMaritime Editorâ of the new childrenâs weekly âSpeed and Powerâ. It was a wonderful role, with a readership that could be relied on to respond vigorously to just about everything the journalists said in their pages. And one of the very best treats was serving as a judge in the annual competition in which our readers were asked to imagine what transport would be like in the 21st Century. There were prizes, and the brilliant team of Speed & Power artists would work the finalistsâ entries into illustrations which showed off their designs to their best advantage.
I can recall that in the imagination of our readers, there would be nuclear-powered 20,000 tonne hovercraft roaring across the Atlantic at sixty knots or more, ships built of segments that could swiftly detach themselves when they arrived off a port, leaving the rest of the ship to proceed. With a nod to the environment, (although the religion of environmentalism had yet to be invented) one entry saw a ship dragged along by a series of enormous kites flying in the Jetstream. There was at least one proposed submarine freight carrier â nuclear powered, of course.
I thought back to these innocent times the other day and wondered whether the UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps might have been one of our readers, all those years ago, after reading his confident predictions of autonomous hydrogen-powered freight carrying submarines soon to be available around these shores. It really should have been the Prime Minister, author of extravagant capital schemes like the Irish Sea Bridge, who would have achieved the maximum attention for this spectacular proposal, but maybe he was busy.
There were few politically astute buttons that the freight-carrying submarines did not push. They were to be âpoweredâ â perhaps he really meant fuelled – by âgreenâ hydrogen, there would be no drivers aboard â neatly addressing the HGV driver shortage â while their environmental credentials would be further burnished, as they would collect microplastics as they patrolled our seas. All that was really missing was a pledge that they would be constructed with foreparts of soft rubber, in case of collisions with whales and dolphins. Maybe that will be in the final specification.
We are living in some very strange times and as we gird up our loins for the Great Green Glaswegian Enviro-spectacular in a couple of monthsâ time, there will be plenty more of this stuff. One must hope that the lights all donât go out during the proceedings, should the wind fail as it did the other day and they have to flash up the poor old coal-fired power stations. If you think about it, it was why the first long range steamships were all fitted with a full set of sails. The Victorians, unlike their 21st century successors, who prefer to listen to activists rather than engineers, werenât stupid.
You probably donât look to Transport Secretaries for sensible words on shipping as they are always far more comfortable talking about trains, buses and aeroplanes than anything that floats on water. But you have to hope that people who are making serious efforts to address the realities of decarbonisation are not put off by this sort of nonsense. Before anything is spent on autonomous submarines it might be worth looking at what the people who do carry freight around these shores are doing to make their ships more sustainable.
Maybe Shapps ought to take a trip on one of the new âE-Flexerâ ferries that Stena is putting on the Irish Sea, or examine the actual environmental performance of Cobelfretâs latest big ships. He also ought to see what the industry is actually doing in assessing new green fuels such as bio-methanol or green ammonia. But reality sadly doesnât resonate with the activists among us like something really spectacular, as the pre-Glasgow hype is ramped up and small children tell their teachers they are really frightened of âclimate changeâ. Somebody might tell this politician that there is a bit of a difference between a ship that can carry about seven miles of freight on its decks and some proposal straight out of the Speed & Power playbook.
It was a great magazine, while it lasted. Fuel was still cheap, emissions thought to be harmless and the accent was on speed, in an era of 33 knot Sea-Land SL7s and containerships with multiple engines and a colossal thirst. Happy days.
Michael Grey is former editor of Lloydâs List.
2. UK transport initiatives
On September 13, at the start of London International Shipping Week, the UK Department for Transport announced plans to push for international shipping emissions to reach absolute zero by 2050. The plan is to go ahead under the aegis of the International Maritime Organization.
For details see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-calls-for-zero-global-shipping-emissions-by-2050-as-greenest-ever-london-international-shipping-week-begins.
The UKâs Department for Transport has also announced that the government has established a so-called concierge service for shipping and related sectors to provide a one-stop shop for businesses wishing to interact with various government departments.
See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-shipping-concierge
3. LR decarbonisation projects
Lloydâs Register has secured funding from the UK Department of Transport to take forward a number of research projects into maritime decarbonisation. The funding comes from the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CDMC) which aims to accelerate the development, design and manufacture of zero-emission vessels and the port infrastructure needed to support them.
The five winning projects involving LR and the Maritime Decarbonisaton Hub are: eFoiler CTV â This project brings together partners to investigate the feasibility of the Artemis eFoiler electric propulsion system as a transformative solution to decarbonise global crew transfer vessels which are often used in offshore wind farm operations; avoiding the hard cell â fuel cell integration into a large ship’s power architecture; Zero Carbon Base Load Power for Large Ships; Shipping, Hydrogen & Port Ecosystems UK (SHAPE UK); and National Clean Maritime Demonstration Hub. Following an independent assessment, 55 projects won the competition, supported by private consortia comprising 208 partners from around the UK. The competition allocated more than ÂŁ23million of match-funding to UK innovators.
LR recently produced a report How To Make Shippingâs âDecade of Actionâ a Reality warning of the dangers to world trade if action was not taken as a matter of urgency on the issue of decarbonisation.
4. Seafarer guidance
At the start of London International Shipping Week, the International Chamber of Shipping published new and updated guidance to protect seafarers and shipowners against the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. The free resources include guidance on vaccinations, manning agents, mental health issues, and shore leave.
Despite noted improvements in rates of vaccination for seafarers, only 25% are fully vaccinated, and most are not in line to receive a vaccine through their national programmes until at least 2022. Meanwhile, severe travel restrictions across the world have led to seafarers being stranded on board, some for more than 18 months. This deterrent to existing workers and potential new recruits has stretched global supply chains to breaking point, with shortages of key goods reported, and shipping costs approaching all-time highs.
The guides were produced in association with International Maritime Health Association, INTERTANKO, International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), European Community Shipownersâ Associations (ECSA), Intercargo, InterManager, International Association of Ports and Harbors, International Christian Maritime Association, International Marine Contractors Association, International Maritime Employersâ Council Ltd., Asian Shipownersâ Association (ASA), and the International Maritime Employersâ Council (IMEC).
The new seafarer guides address acute issues faced by seafarers during the pandemic. Seafarers are required by the nature of their job to travel across the world to locations which have different levels of COVID-19 infections. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccination for Seafarers and Shipping Companies: A Practical Guide answers pressing frequently asked questions in an approachable and informed way.
A reality of the pandemic is that shore leave has been heavily impacted and crews have been forced to remain on board their ships for extended periods without relief. Coronavirus (COVID-19): Seafarer Shore-Leave Principles sets out principles for providing shore leave while navigating draconian travel restrictions across the globe.
Recruiting for non-existent jobs at sea is on the rise, as dubious manning agents take advantage of the current environment. Losing seafarers to poor manning experiences is something that must therefore be stamped out. Manning Agency Guidelines was produced to help shipping companies choose reputable manning agencies and to ensure that seafarers are recruited in line with the requirements of the ILO.
The pandemic has also increased job stress that can impact seafarersâ mental health, including family pressures and limited shore leave. Handling a Mental Health Crisis or Emergency and Spotting Suicidal Behaviour in Seafarers lays tools out for companies to create a caring on-board culture to address mental health matters.
5. Dangerous goods MOU
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by ICHCA International, representative of global cargo handling operators and the International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA), whose membership consists of the worldâs ocean carriers.
The collaboration of these two expert bodies will facilitate producing clearly defined guidelines to best practice based on years of practical experience in handling dangerous goods. They will work closely on joint projects to improve standards across numerous common safety issues affecting the transport of dangerous goods.
Richard Steele, chief executive of ICHCA International notes, âThe extraordinary disaster in Beirut last August was an all too unwelcome wake-up call to everyone involved in the transport, storage and distribution of dangerous materials. However, similar incidents, smaller in proportion, yet damaging to life and limb as well as property happen across the supply chain on a frequent basis. The mutual cooperation of IVODGA and ICHCA will be aimed at the universal understanding and application of measures for the safe handling and storage of a range of goods with potential to cause explosions, fires and noxious gas emissions etc.â
Uffe Ernst Frederiksen, of A.P. Moller – Maersk and vice chairman of IVODGA comments, âThe mutual goals and the shared respect of our two organisations will quickly result in a positive contribution to a clear and efficient communication between not just our respective members but crucially across all stakeholders in the supply chain whose interests touch any and all hazardous materials.â
6. Stowaways and LOIs
P&I Club Skuld provides new advice on its website relating both to stowaways and letters of indemnity. As far as stowaways are concerned, numbers have been increasing this year after a drop in 2020 with considerable difficulties for operators because of restrictions imposed on landing stowaways in some jurisdictions as a result of the pandemic (see https://www.skuld.com/topics/legal/pi-and-defence/stowaways_rise-in-numbers/. The club has also highlighted the issues of LOIs and considers the risks and benefits of exchanging them when involved in standard or extraordinary vessel operations.
See https://www.skuld.com/topics/legal/pi-and-defence/lois–worth-more-than-the-paper-theyre-printed-on/.
7. IMRF awards
This yearâs winners of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Awards have been announced in an online Awards Ceremony held on 14th September. Established to recognise search and rescue (SAR) professionals around the world for their outstanding actions, skills, expertise and commitment or an innovation/technology that transforms SAR activities, the awards are widely recognised and highly valued across the SAR community. The winners of the IMRF Awards 2021 are:
The IMRF Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to Maritime SAR Operations
The winner is Captain Chen Jian, master of the Donghai Jiu 101 with China Rescue and Salvage who was nominated for his search and rescue missions undertaken in the Yangtze River estuary, most notably a rescue mission conducted on 13 December 2020, in appalling conditions to rescue 16 crew members after the sinking of their container ship.
The IMRF Award for Outstanding Team Contribution to Maritime SAR Operations
The winner is Coastguard Nelson, which was nominated for a rescue mission which took place in the Cook Strait Channel, New Zealand. The team responded to a mayday call from a 12-tonne sailing yacht which had lost its steering and autopilot while sailing in treacherous conditions.
The runner up in this category was the KNRM (The Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution) Lifeboat Station Scheveningen, nominated for its role in an extreme incident that occurred near the breakwaters of the Scheveningen harbour on 11 May 2020. Two lifeboat crews worked tirelessly to save and then retrieve the bodies of five surfers and swimmers who found themselves engulfed in three to four metres of suffocating sea foam (caused by algae and high seas).
The #WomenInSAR Award
This year there are two joint winners, Anna Bertrandsson Littke from the Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS) and Krista Lynn Elvidge from the Canadian Coast Guard. Anna Bertrandsson Littke is the National Volunteer Coordinator for the SSRS covering 73 stations and 2300 volunteers.   Krista Lynn Elvidge, is currently the Regional Supervisor, Maritime SAR at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, Halifax covering an enormous SAR region.
Commander Maritime Dr Suzanna Razali Chan, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency was the runner up in this category. Cmdr.Chan is the Principal Assistant Director in the Search and Rescue & Disaster Relief Division at the Malaysia Coast Guard Headquarters. .
The IMRF Award for Innovation & Technology in Maritime SAR
The winner is the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in South Africa, for their new JetRIB which is a combination of a four stroke Yamaha VX1050 Jet Ski with an extension hull and Hypalon pontoons for rescues in the surf.
The runner up in this category is the LARUS Project run by TU Dortmund University, which has developed and extensively tested an unmanned aerial system, specifically adapted to the needs of the maritime SAR services.
The Vladimir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement
This has been awarded to Patrick van Eyssen. He joined the NSRI aged 19 and this year celebrates 50 years as a volunteer, 48 of those years heâs been a coxswain, and twice station commander of the Cape Town Station 3 Sea Rescue base. Over his SAR career, heâs clocked up 2569.25 hrs as a volunteer and taken part in 167 rescue operations most of which he has led as the Class 1 on scene commander.
8. Golden Ray report published
Inaccurate stability calculations caused vehicle carrier Golden Ray to capsize resulting in $200 million worth of damages, the US National Transportation Safety Board said recently.
The Marine Accident Report details the NTSBâs investigation of the September 8, 2019, capsize of the ro-ro vehicle carrier Golden Ray as it transited outbound through St. Simons Sound near Brunswick, Georgia. All 23 crewmembers and one pilot on board were rescued, including four engineering crew who were trapped in the vessel for nearly 40 hours. Two crewmembers sustained serious injuries. The Golden Ray sustained significant damage due to fire, flooding and saltwater corrosion and was declared a total loss estimated at $62.5 million. An estimated $142 million worth of cargo, including more than 4,100 vehicles, was also lost.
Less than 40 minutes after leaving port, the 656-foot-long Golden Ray began to heel rapidly to port during a 68 degree turn to starboard. Despite attempts by the pilot and crew to counter the heel, the rate of turn to starboard increased, and the vessel reached a heel of 60 degrees to port in under a minute before it grounded outside of the channel.
The NTSB determined the probable cause of the capsizing of the Golden Ray was the chief officerâs error entering ballast quantities into the stability calculation program, which led to his incorrect determination of the vesselâs stability, the report suggests. Contributing to the accident was operator G-Marine Serviceâs lack of effective procedures in their safety management system for verifying stability calculations.
The NTSB concluded the Golden Ray did not meet international stability standards at departure and possessed less stability than the chief officer calculated.
According to the NTSB, after the vessel capsized, open watertight doors allowed flooding into the vessel, which blocked the primary egress from the engine room, where four crewmembers were trapped. Two watertight doors had been left open for almost two hours before the accident. No one on the bridge ensured that the doors were closed before departing the port.
âThe circumstances of this accident show that even when transiting in protected waters, watertight integrity is critical to the safety of the vessel and its crew,â the report said. âIt is essential that the operator ensures that crews verify that all watertight doors are closed in accordance with safety management system procedures.â
As a result of its investigation, the NTSB issued two safety recommendations to G-Marine Service.
â˘Â   Revise its safety management system to establish procedures for verifying stability calculations and implement audit procedures to ensure their vessels meet stability requirements before leaving the port; and
â˘Â   Revise its safety management system audit process to verify crew adherence to the Arrival/Departure Checklist regarding the closure of watertight doors.
For further details see the NTSB website: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/
9. Making Waves
Making Waves: The Future of Shipping, a news-style video was launched at IMO Headquarters as part of London International Shipping Week.
“The IMO community is highly committed to tackling climate change,” IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim says, in an interview for the video. The programme showcases the collaborative efforts already in place across the maritime industry to decarbonise. The IMO segment outlines the latest mandatory energy efficiency measures for ships, including the ship carbon intensity indicator rating system. The video explains how IMO is supporting efforts to look at alternative fuels and the application of new technologies, highlighting the global projects which aim to ensure no one is left behind in shippingâs transition.
The Future of Shipping sends a clear message about the need for action in tackling climate change to reduce the international shipping industryâs footprint on the environment. The programme was produced in collaboration with the UK Chamber of Shipping, the British Ports Association and Content With Purpose.
Watch the Interview with IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim here: https://youtu.be/CreVXPycBpc
Watch the IMO segment, Cutting shipping’s GHG emissions – IMO’s role, here: https://youtu.be/hOexcriuPxI
Watch the full programme, The Future of Shipping here: https://youtu.be/DATlzcPNmc8
10. Award winners
The British Ports Association (BPA) has  welcomed the announcement of the winners of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. At least fourteen ports and terminals were among fifty-five successful projects for a share of a £23 million pot to support the development of innovative technologies aimed at encouraging zero emissions.
Among the winners were a cloud-based industrial microgrid from Teesport and Teeside University, an analytical tool for the implementation of zero-carbon energy systems from Shetland Islands Council, and a net-positive hydrogen powered submarine fleet between Glasgow and Belfast.
A green maritime fund has been a key policy position of the BPA for several years. The association believes that certain technologies such as shore power require public support to make rollout and usage viable. More widely, there is a need for public funding to unlock private sector capital for a wide range of other technologies and innovative projects.
The ceremony comes two days after BPA launched a new programme showcasing the ports industry and the vital contribution it plays. The programme, called âGateways to Growthâ, highlights the intrinsic relationship between ports, their communities, and the environment that surrounds them.
More details, including a spreadsheet of the winning bids, can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/worlds-first-green-submarine-among-winners-of-the-uks-biggest-clean-maritime-competition
11. FMC guidance on detention and demurrage
The Federal Maritime Commission has voted to move forward with two demurrage-and-detention related initiatives proposed by Commissioner Rebecca Dye.
The first initiative is to issue a policy statement on issues that affect the ability of shippers, truckers, and others to obtain reparations for conduct that violates the Shipping Act, including conduct related to demurrage and detention. The policy statement will provide guidance on the scope of the prohibition against carrier retaliation, when attorney fees may be imposed on a non-prevailing party, and who may file a complaint with the Commission alleging unreasonable conduct.
Additionally, the Commission  will issue an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will solicit public comments on two questions: first, whether the Commission should require ocean common carriers and marine terminal operators  to include certain minimum information on or with demurrage and detention billings; and second, whether the Commission should require carriers and marine terminal operators to adhere to certain practices regarding the timing of demurrage and detention billings.
12. Abandoned cargo
With supply chain congestion and widespread delays in the international container trades set to continue, the vexatious challenges of abandoned cargo will remain and probably increase. In its role as risk prevention advisor to the industry, TT Club has issued a StopLoss document to provide practical guidance on the issue to stakeholders across the supply chain.
The potentially catastrophic impact arising from the deterioration of abandoned cargo cannot be disregarded as a remote risk. However, the considerable costs accruing from container demurrage, detention, storage and disposal regularly result from cargo that, for a variety of reasons, is no longer required by the original receiver or consignee, and is simply abandoned at a port terminal or cargo facility. Increased risks of safety and regulatory infraction are inevitably consequent, as well as significant demand on management and operational resources to resolve individual cases.
âLevels of cargo abandonment have always been problematic to forwarders, NVOCs, logistics operators and, of course container terminals,â comments Peregrine Storrs-Fox, TTâs risk management director. âThe surge in container demand over recent months has however compounded container ship capacity issues, port congestion and consequent severe transit delays. These factors will do little to alleviate the practice of cargo interests, in circumstances of loss of market for goods or bankruptcy, simply relinquishing ownership of consignments.
âAbove all the value of our guidance lies in mitigating the risks associated with abandonment and recommended actions outlined in methodical steps and a ten-point checklist,â concludes Storrs-Fox. âThere needs to be a greater understanding of why cargo is abandoned and how it is handled in order to restrict the growth of a serious trend leading to increased safety and cost ramifications.â
Abandonment of cargo: Avoiding the pitfalls is available for download HERE
On 30 September 2021, Transport Events will be hosting a webinar sponsored by TT Club on the abandonment of cargo. Those wishing to learn more about this pertinent topic from a selection of industry experts are invited to register to attend here.
13. Fuel cells
Draft interim guidelines aimed at providing international standard provisions for ships using fuel cell power installations have been agreed by IMO’s Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 7).
The draft interim guidelines cover issues including fire systems and gas/vapour detection. The guidelines are intended to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of electrical and/or thermal energy through the use of fuel cell technology.
The development of these interim guidelines for safety of ships using fuel cells is part of the important work being carried out by the Sub-Committee in the context of shipping’s need for new fuels and propulsion systems to meet decarbonisation ambitions set out in the Initial IMO GHG Strategy.
Read more about the Sub-Committee’s work on low-flashpoint fuels and other matters in the summary here: CCC 7.
14. Jason clause
The âNew Jason Clauseâ has been recommended for many years for inclusion in contracts for the private or common carriage of goods, particularly if the trade involves US law or cargo shipped to or from the US. The practice of including the clause is so common that most bills of lading and charter parties include the clause in one form or another.
While rare, chartering or cargo interests may attempt to remove the clause during contract negotiations whether due to intent or confusion as to the need for the clause. The Standard Clubâs alert is a reminder to shipowners of the importance of including the clause in their contracts particularly if there is a US dimension to the trade.
See https://www.standard-club.com/knowledge-news/remember-the-importance-of-the-new-jason-clause-3827/
15. Chinese maritime safety law
By Peter Townsend
The Maritime Safety Law of the Peopleâs Republic of China was enacted, without fanfare, on the 1st September 2021. The law purports to ensure greater maritime safety and protection of the environment by requiring vessels, both military and commercial, to submit to Chinese Supervision in âChinese watersâ.
And thatâs where the problem starts, – as Chinaâs view of its territorial waters differs from the rest of the Worldâs view. The internationally agreed definition of territorial waters is that of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and is accepted as a belt of coastal waters, at most, 12 nautical miles from the baseline (usually the mean low water mark) of a coastal state. China claims most of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory that extends far beyond that 12 mile limit, and so there is a large area of âdisputedâ territory.
Is this legislation hot air, or the chill wind of political posturing? Ultimate sanction following application of this Law could be detention or confiscation of a merchant vessel. This could apply to vessels innocently transiting the South China Sea that had not obtained Chinese approval to be in what the World (ex China) believes to be International waters.
There will no doubt be a lot of debate on the interpretation and application of this legislation but, suffice it to say, that at this stage there is material uncertainty on the impact to the merchant fleet and world trade.
Peter Townsend, Ensign Consultancy Ltd. Email ahoy@ensign.london
16. Future is ESG
Renowned futurist K D Adamson joined lawyers from across Hill Dickinson to explore how environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) will shape maritime business.
Adamson argued that ESG is raising profound questions for shipping that decarbonisation and digitalisation alone will not answer. âWeâre on the brink of a metashift to complex ecosystems, radical transparency and collaborative responsibility,â she said, advising that the challenge for shipping is how to use these to âreframe and reclaim the futureâ.
Hill Dickinsonâs virtual event, which ran in two sessions, was held on the opening day of this yearâs London International Shipping Week. Watch the highlights here
Notices & Miscellany
Baltic Expert Witness Association appointments
The Council of the Baltic Expert Witness Association (BEWA) has recently appointed Jagmeet Makkar, based in Hong Kong and Dr Julian Brown, based in Singapore and London as ambassadors for Asia to cover the Middle East to Japan.
The Council has also appointed Captain Brendon Hawley, based in Cape Town, as ambassador for Southern Africa. These three newly appointed ambassadors will work closely with the BEWA Secretariat and the Council to promote the association through raising awareness of BEWA amongst lawyers, P&I Clubs and arbitration associations. The ambassadors will also contact local maritime experts who may be interested in joining BEWA as aspiring or experienced expert witnesses.
For more details see bewa@balticexchange.com, +44 (0)20 7369 1633. www.balticexpertwitness.com
Container conference
The Australia and New Zealand Branch of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS-ANZ) holds frequent online webinars and tutorials on topical issues of concern to the maritime industry. On 29 September 2021 the issue will be Making a Splash â Legal and Regulatory Consequences of Containers Overboard. Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtduGqqz0uHdArxuwXFc8zoTDLvuea-oHI
Please send any queries or questions to icsanz@icsanz.com
Wellness conference
Maritime charity Sailorsâ Society is to hold an online Wellness conference for maritime colleges in India and their current students, next Thursday 30 September. Designed especially for maritime schools, the Wellness at Sea: Positive wellbeing for a rewarding seafaring career conference will explore wellbeing and mental health, helping to prepare cadets for a long and fulfilling career at sea. To find out more about the event go to: https://sailors-society.org/maritime-schools-conference
For more on Sailorsâ Societyâs pioneering Wellness at Sea programme and on the mental health and wellbeing support services available visit: https://sailors-society.org/wellness
Maritime Cyprus
The biennial October shipping conference, Maritime Cyprus, has been postponed. The event will now take place from 9th â 12th October 2022.
Alternative fuels conference
DNV will be holding its alternative fuels conference virtually on 20th October 2021 from 1.00 to 4.00pm CEST.
NAMEPA conference
Registration is open for the North American Marine Environment Protection Associationâs (NAMEPA) 15th Annual Marine Environment Protection Conference and Awards Events Program being held virtually on October 28th, 2021.
The conference will be followed by NAMEPAâs Annual Marine Environment Protection Awards (MEP Awards) Program, which recognizes the achievements of industry leaders, companies, organizations and government agencies in their efforts to âSave Our Seas.â
To register for the event, go to Register Now!
Svitzer appointment
Svitzer has announced the appointment of Gareth Prowse as its new global head of decarbonisation.
With an academic background in marine ecology, centring on environmental risk, pollution prevention and ecotoxicology, Gareth joins Svitzer from marine coatings manufacturer Hempel.
Please notify the Editor of your appointments, promotions, new office openings and other important happenings: contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
And finally,
(With thanks to Paul Dixon)
A defence attorney was cross-examining a Chicago police officer during a felony trial – it went like this:
Q. Officer, did you see my client fleeing the scene?
A. No sir, but I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender running several blocks away.
Q. Officer, who provided this description?
A. The officer who responded to the scene.
Q. A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers?
A. Yes sir, with my life.
Q. With your life? Let me ask you this then officer – do you have a locker room in the police station – a room where you change your clothes in preparation for your daily duties?
A. Yes sir, we do.
Q. And do you have a locker in that room?
A. Yes sir, I do.
Q. And do you have a lock on your locker?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, that you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with those same officers?
A. You see sir, we share the building with a court complex, and sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room.
With that, the courtroom erupted in laughter, and a prompt recess was called.
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