1. Uncontrollable monsters
2. Banking assistance
3. Lifeboat drill dangers
4. Fuel contamination
5. LNG bulkers report
6. Decarbonisation report
7. Vessel operating
8. Methane debate
9. On board training record
10. Blackout risks
11. Emissions handling
12. SHIPSALE 22
13. Collision claims
14. Fleet optimisation
Notices & Miscellany
Readersâ responses to our articles are very welcome and, where suitable, will be reproduced. Write to: contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
1. Uncontrollable monsters
By Michael Grey
âSheâs not answering her helm, Pilot!â It is not what anyone on the bridge of any ship wants to hear from the helmsman, particularly when the ship is very large, approaching a bend in the channel or some other nail-biting element of the passage from berth to sea. We donât yet know if this terse message was called out on the bridge of the Ever Forward, departing the port of Baltimore, just before she slid elegantly into the mud, a berth which she would not vacate for the next 35 days.
We will learn, in due course, because the United States, unlike too many shameful countries, conducts a proper examination of marine incidents and through its excellent agency the National Transportation Safety Board, publishes the findings, usually with commendable speed. After the embarrassment of the Suez Canal grounding, the well-publicised struggle to get the Forward to move backward was probably the last thing a quality carrier wanted at this stage, with the world agonising about its stuttering global supply lines.
It was one of those salvage jobs which, at first sight, did not seem to be that difficult. The ship was apparently undamaged, there was a decent tidal range in the channel and no shortage of towing power to haul the thing off. But with each successive attempt, the situation seemed to deteriorate, with a sort of suction effect of the glutinous silt holding the hull fast over much of her length. The fact that the ship had apparently plunged into the bank at a considerable speed, as she failed to make the bend, would also be responsible for her extended stay, the eventual declaration of General Average, the discharge of some 500 containers and a great deal of dredging around the ship. It would take six powerful tugs, a couple of pulling barges with powerful winches and the lift from the near-spring tide to get the ship moving, to everyoneâs considerable relief.
But it wonât be the last time that questions are asked about the low-speed manoeuvrability of these very big ships, which are brilliant at doing their designed tasks in the open sea, but decidedly difficult to handle in tight places. And as the ships have got bigger, the tight places have got tighter, the margins for error have become smaller and what would have been a routine port approach with smaller ships has become somewhat buttock clenching, as these hazards approach.
We now have whole classes of ship which need to operate at faster speeds just to keep sufficient water flowing over the rudder to provide an adequate turning moment. The faster speed in shallow water, brings with it problems of squat and bank effect, while the huge windage and the changing wind forces from gusts, or different aspects in a turn, require really quite unusual skill and anticipation. The situation may not be assisted by shallow water alarms sounding and even the engine management system deciding to act on its own initiative.
It’s not just monster container ships, or car carriers which seem to require super-dextrous handling in difficult places or unpredictable weather conditions. There are modern big bulk carriers with very slow turning propellers directly driven by their slow-speed engines which, when light ship, are almost un-steerable at the sort of speed a prudent pilot might prefer for a safe passage in a channel. I recall reading an account of a pilot from one well-known bulk port who wrote about having to run at what seemed to him to be a dangerous speed in a channel, crabbing along in a cross-wind and with a tight bend to negotiate before the berth, praying that the tugs would be connected and their skippers alert. You might reasonably argue that there should be tighter weather limits on such ports, or question whether they are legally âsafeâ, except that the lawyers seemed to be adept at squashing that suggestion, even after a couple of capesized ships were lost trying to leave port in an emergency.
Designers and ship operators focussed upon carrying capacity tend to attribute these occasional groundings to human error â âthatâs why we pay for expensive pilots etc.â avoiding any issues of greed and speed. The old saying âquarts into pint potsâ comes to mind, although it wouldnât hurt to look a bit more carefully at the ability of a rudder to actually change the direction of what appears to be an un-steerable modern monster.
Michael Grey is former editor of Lloydâs List.
2. Banking assistance
The Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry (SDM) has collaborated with financial institutions in Cyprus to facilitate the opening of bank accounts for seafarers affected by the war in Ukraine.
The Seafarer Workforce Report, published in 2021 by BIMCO and ICS, reports that combined, Ukrainian and Russian seafarers represent 14.5% of the global workforce. As more Russian banks are blocked from international transactions, crewing managers are increasingly unable to make payments. Ukrainian seafarers and their families seeking safety in other states are also unable to access wage payments. To address this, Cyprus SDM has facilitated two main payment schemes for seafarers following consultation with local banks and financial institutions in Cyprus.
One is provided by Cyprus Commercial Banks (Bank of Cyprus, Hellenic Bank, Eurobank) and the other is facilitated through the members of the Association of Electronic Money & Payment Institutions (ACEMPI) via ECOMMBX or SEPAGA. Seafarers will be able to contact the dedicated liaison officers at each institution for support.
The new process is already receiving and administering applications directly from seafarers who are now able to make applications themselves, or via the ship manager, to access wage payments. Commenting on the new arrangements, Vassilios Demetriades, Cyprus Shipping Deputy Minister, said: âWe hope that facilitating the opening of bank accounts for both Ukrainian and Russian seafarers will enable them, and their families, to easily access their wages. We also believe shipowners and crew managers require an effective solution from flag states to a challenge that many will be facing. We will continue to review and assess the situation to ensure that our system remains a viable and successful offering to the industry.
âSeafarers are at the heart of shipping operations and it is essential that the industry makes flexible arrangements to existing ship management structures. Seafarers have encountered extraordinary circumstances during the past few years and need to be supported as a priority. Cyprus prides itself on being a proactive and adaptable flag and we hope this new scheme makes a real difference.â
Cyprus has highlighted that this new offering is notwithstanding the arrangements recommended by the Government of Ukraine in relation to payments to Ukrainian seafarers.
For further details regarding Cyprusâ new arrangements for seafarer payment, and full terms of the arrangements and documentation required, please visit the following link: https://www.dms.gov.cy/dms/shipping.nsf/01A73017FC9B4349C22588240040C1EF/$file/Circular%2017-2022%20(2022-04-14).pdf
3. Lifeboat drill dangers
Seafarers are dying needlessly in lifeboat accidents when maritime legislation doesnât actually require lifeboats to be manned during drills, says InterManager.
The international trade association for ship and crew managers is raising awareness of this fact by highlighting a legislative change which means that it is not necessary for crew to be onboard when lifeboats are tested.
SOLAS regulation III/19.3.3.3 requires each lifeboat to be launched at least once every three months during an abandon ship drill, and manoeuvred in the water by its assigned operating crew. However, the regulation, whilst requiring each lifeboat to be manoeuvred in the water by its assigned operating crew, does not actually require that crew to be on board when the lifeboat is launched.
Many of the lifeboat fatalities have occurred during launch of the lifeboats, often due to problems with the hooks.
In 2009 the International Maritime Organizationâs Maritime Safety Committee, agreed that the assigned operating crew should not be required to be on board lifeboats during launching, unless the master, within the authority conferred to him/her by paragraph 5.5 of the ISM Code, considers it necessary, taking into account all safety aspects.
Captain Kuba Szymanski, InterManager Secretary General, said: âThis is an extremely important change which seems to have been missed by some ship operators and is still included in some shipboard / safety management systems. To prevent any further loss of life in this way we are raising awareness of the fact that seafarers are not required to be in the lifeboat when launching during drills.â
InterManager collates figures on lifeboat accidents on behalf of the maritime community and to assist in its role as a member of the International Lifeboat Group, which aims to reduce lifeboat accidents and deaths.Since 1981 there have been 419 deaths involving lifeboats, 346 serious injuries and 116 minor injuries.
Capt Szymanski commented: âItâs important that everyone involved, particularly Port State Control officers, understand and apply this regulation correctly. The maritime community must do all we can to ensure the safety of seafarers.â
4. Fuel contamination
There has been an update on the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Preliminary Findings on Reported Bunker Fuel Contamination in the port (see MA issue 801), the port authority has said.
The MPA was notified on 14 March 2022 that a number of ships had been supplied with High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO) containing high concentration levels of Chlorinated Organic Compounds (COC) (1,2-Dichloroethane, Tetrachloroethylene) in the Port of Singapore. MPA immediately contacted the relevant bunker suppliers to take necessary steps to stop supplying the affected fuel and to also inform all the ships that were supplied with the fuel to exercise caution when using it.
Preliminary investigations conducted by MPA revealed that the affected fuel â a blended product, was supplied by Glencore Singapore Pte Ltd (Glencore). Glencore informed MPA that on receiving reports of its fuel being contaminated, Glencore proceeded to test the fuels supplied by its sources used in its blended product, and discovered that one of them that was sourced from overseas had contained about 15000 ppm of COC. By the time of testing, Glencore had already sold part of the affected fuel to PetroChina International (Singapore), which in turn, had supplied to ships in the Port of Singapore.
To date, Glencore and PetroChina have supplied the affected fuel to about 200 ships in the Port of Singapore. Of these, about 80 ships have reported various issues with their fuel pumps and engines. MPA has conducted fuel sample tests for some of the affected ships and found elevated levels of COC in their fuel samples. This is the first case of fuel contamination due to high concentration levels of COC reported in Singapore in the past two decades.
Bunker fuel supplied in the Port of Singapore must meet the international standards of petroleum products of fuel â International Organization for Standardization 8217 (ISO 8217) [1]. The contaminated fuel purchased by Glencore was in compliance with ISO 8217. Glencore had also performed additional testing of the fuel based on the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D7845 [2]. Both ISO 8217 and ASTM D7845 do not test for COC.
MPA is currently in discussions with the industry on implementing additional fuel quality checks that would screen for unacceptable chemicals. MPA also intends to submit a paper on the fuel contamination with COC to the International Maritime Organization for the membersâ awareness.
[1] ISO 8217 – International Standards Petroleum products â Fuels (class F) â Specifications of marine fuels.
[2] ASTM D7845 â Standard Test Method for Determination of Chemical Species in Marine Fuel Oil by Multidimensional Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
5. LNG bulkers report
The recent run of newbuilding Capesize bulk carrier orders featuring dual-fuel LNG propulsion may have peaked, according to research and forecasting company Maritime Strategies International.
The fall-off in interest in LNG-fuelled ships represents concerns over their long term viability against tightening regulation and growth in availability of ammonia and methanol-ready dual fuel engines.
Concern over the shape of future low carbon regulations are partly to blame for muted dry bulk newbuilding orders during 2021, despite bulkers registering the highest average annual earnings since 2007/08. Contracts declined sharply over the second half of last year and have all but disappeared in 2022: for the year to March, just seven new dry bulk contracts have been reported, the report says.
One of the most notable trends from last year was a sharp uptick in LNGâs share of contracts â 31 of the 77 Capesize vessels ordered were dual-fuelled ships. Most of these were built on the back of long-term charter agreements between miners and shipowners, stretching over a period of between five and 10 years.
MSIâs Q1 Dry Bulk report* notes that there does now seem to be an emerging consensus on future fuels for shipping, converging on ammonia or methanol, which may have the effect of supressing contracting if a workable low carbon solution is deemed to be âjust around the cornerâ. It suggests that the ordering of ships with dual-fuel LNG engines may have already peaked, as a commercial solution for ammonia and methanol fuels looks to be edging closer.
âGiven the commitments by the major mining companies already in place, the recent spate of Capesize dual-fuel contracts may have already run its course,â says Alex-Stuart Grumbar, dry bulk analyst at MSI. âOwners ordering dual-fuelled ships with an economic life of over 15 years will also be mindful of the expected market conditions towards the end of the 2030s and the composition of the fleet. The question is how much will LNG-fuelled ships be penalised should a majority of the fleet by then be using non-fossil based zero-carbon fuels.â
*The MSI Dry Bulk Q1 2022 report, âDemand Destructionâ is available now â for more information visit www.msiltd.com.
6. Decarbonisation report
Blue Sky Maritime Coalition CEO, David Cummins, recently announced the publication of the Coalitionâs inaugural position paper, âFuels and Propulsion Systems,â the first in the series âPathways to Net-Zero 2050 in the North American Marine Shipping Industry.â The white paper was written by Blue Sky Founding Member Vanderbilt University Climate Change Initiative based on the work performed by the Coalition since its launch last June, as well as some of the work underway at other global organisations.
âThis position paper is a starting point for developing Blue Skyâs overall roadmap to 2050,â stated Cummins. âWhile this report is not meant to prescribe the exact solutions that we must execute, it does provide a summary of our Coalitionâs initial thoughts on how to best accelerate a transition of the maritime value chain in the U.S. and Canada towards net-zero emissions. From this starting point, we plan to leverage industry information and collaborative insights from across our diverse membership to pursue, challenge, and update this positional thinking as a critical approach to achieving our goals.â
The Coalition plans to build upon this work to look at the transition of other key areas beyond fuels and propulsion systems, including implications for supporting policies and regulations, financial and commercial contracting, and measurement, digitalization and industry-wide optimization practices that will collectively lead to a net-zero future by 2050.
For access to the position paper, go to Fuels and Propulsion Systems or for more information contact communications@bluesky-maritime.org
7. Vessel operating
Industry working group Impact Today has released its new Vessel Reporting and Data Quality white paper, which calls for the maritime sector to create a new data standard aimed at evolving noon reports into holistic vessel reports to support vessel and voyage optimisation, and therefore propel industry decarbonisation.
The white paper is the result of months of collaboration between members of the working group, which was formed by ZeroNorth in March 2021. The newly named Impact Today working group includes representatives from 14 organisations spanning ZeroNorth, EuroNav, FedNav, Cargill, Q88, Teekay Tankers, Maersk Tankers, Ultrabulk, and Siglar Carbon. These representatives met across several workshops to define the types of vessel data that should be gathered daily from vessels, as the first step in improving ship data quality. Representatives also discussed how the industry can ensure this data is fit for purpose and can be validated on board, effectively transitioning noon reports from a checklist exercise into holistic vessel information repositories.
Evolving noon reports in this way will enable the industry to unlock better voyage and vessel optimisation outcomes, generating emissions reductions in the near-term.
To support change, Impact Today has created a framework for further development, which includes a method of standardising data to ensure it is fit for purpose and a definition of terms. The framework also includes a method for onboard validation of vessel information spanning two levels; checks to ensure that data fits within reasonable minimums and maximums, and a method of verifying if that information makes sense within the scope of normal operations, such as power usage not exceeding power generation.
Noon reports are the most widely used form of data collection from vessels across the value chain today although sensor data is also utilised, and many companies such as Teekay Tankers are committed to digital flow meters. The call to action outlined by Impact Today as part of the whitepaper includes conclusions on how onboard validation could benefit both vessel reports and sensor data.
Impact Todayâs mission is to unlock immediate emissions reductions through partnerships and the creation of shared data standards. In the context of shippingâs decarbonisation pathway and the power of voyage optimisation to generate immediate change, improving data quality from vessel reporting is an obvious and relatively easy challenge for the sector to solve in the near term.
Noon reports have also historically been time-consuming for crews, and it is widely accepted that data quality improvements are needed. Improvements to noon reports as they currently exist, via a shared data standard, would generate time efficiencies across the supply chain, cutting down the requirement for crews to deliver multiple reports to different stakeholders. A shared data standard would also come as an important statement of intent in the maturity and development of shippingâs data landscape, particularly as it relates to multilateral collaboration and partnerships to achieve decarbonisation goals.
Speaking on the release of Impact Todayâs Vessel Reporting and Data Quality white paper, Søren Meyer, CEO of ZeroNorth, said: âData quality is a critical factor in underpinning voyage, vessel, bunker and emissions optimisations for vessels in the global fleet. To ensure reliable, useful output from digital platforms, it is critical that the data we collectively input is high-quality, standardised, and interoperable.
âWhat we have seen is that shipping currently faces a data challenge, with noon reports lacking the standardisation and sophistication needed to generate optimisation recommendations. The data landscape in our industry has changed, and reporting needs to as well. Increasing the quality of data so it is fit for purpose must, therefore, become a priority as we look ahead to decarbonisation.
âTogether, Impact Today has defined the types of data that we believe are critical to unlocking better optimisation outcomes. This white paper we are launching today calls for a new industry standard to be created for vessel reporting that will benefit the commercial performance of vessels, inform sustainability decisions, and generate better outcomes for the entire marine value chain. We welcome wider industry participation and look forward to sharing more results as this vital work continues.â
The white paper can be accessed here.
8. Methane debate
There has been some lively debate in recent times about methane being released into the atmosphere from LNG powered vessels. Environmental group Transport & Environment says that its recent investigation has uncovered significant amounts of methane being released into the environment from LNG powered ships see: https://transenv.eu/methane_uncovered.
Infrared images show unburned methane – a potent greenhouse gas – being released from supposedly âgreenâ LNG ships, a damning new investigation by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. European politicians are playing with fire in their support for LNG, says T&E, with methane over 80 times more climate warming than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
Delphine Gozillon, shipping officer at T&E, said: âEurope has a dirty secret at sea. In promoting LNG ships, European policymakers are locking us into a future of fossil gas.The ships may be painted green, but, beneath the surface, the truth is that most LNG ships on the market today are more damaging for the climate than the fossil ships theyâre supposed to replace.â
She added: âWe are in a climate crisis. We cannot afford to put more methane into the atmosphere. Our investigation is just a small sample, but it should act as a warning to policymakers. In promoting LNG, it is betting on the wrong horse. We should be focusing on genuinely green hydrogen-based solutions instead.â
Meanwhile SEA-LNG issued a statement in recent days saying:
âMethane slip from LNG-fuelled vessels is a recognised problem that the maritime industry has been actively addressing for well over a decade. SEA-LNG is disappointed to see the ongoing campaign of misinformation that misrepresents the progress the industry has made, and is continuing to make, to reduce slip. Sensationalist claims lacking scientific evidence are a transparent attempt to distract the industry from investing in LNG â a solution that can deliver immediate greenhouse gas emissions reductions and provide a low risk, incremental pathway for full decarbonisation of the maritime sector.
âAt SEA-LNG, we believe in and support transparent and professional studies and analyses using current data and peer-reviewed by academics. We are confident in the analysis published in 2021 by ESG lifecycle experts, Sphera, based on primary data from all major engine manufacturers and reviewed by independent academic experts. This study shows that LNG-fuelled engines have GHG benefits compared with current oil-based engines of between 20% to 30% for 2-stroke slow-speed engines, and 11% to 21% for 4-stroke medium speed engines, inclusive of methane slip. With the ongoing steady technological advancements, the GHG benefits will only improve in the future versions of LNG-fuelled engines as the technologies are more widely adopted by the shipping sector.
âIt is important to recognise that methane slip represents a waste of precious energy. Engine manufacturers are commercially incentivised to reduce slip to improve overall efficiency and performance. LNG-fuelled engines are available now which have minimal levels of slip: these engines represent at least half the LNG new build order book. For those technologies for which slip remains an issue, levels have fallen four-fold since the early 2000s and engine manufacturers continue to identify technological pathways that will mean all LNG-fuelled engines have minimal levels of methane slip by 2030, if not sooner.
In summary, LNG is a step in the right direction today. It is the only widely available marine fuel that immediately cuts GHG emissions compared with traditionally powered vessels. The LNG pathway that SEA-LNG supports also offers a route to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the shipping industry through the continual introduction of available bioLNG and ultimately renewable synthetic LNG”
9. On board training record
The International Chamber of Shipping has just launched the first edition of a new on board training record book. Designed to be a training resource and companion for ETO cadets and their employers, the On Board Training Record Book for Electro-Technical Officers (ETO Cadets) helps shipowners and managers ensure compliance with international regulations and helps ETO cadets understand the training required to develop their skills and competencies. It can also be used by training academies, administrations and insurers as a universal and standard approach to tracking ETO cadet training and career development.
This latest training record book from ICS features:
- Structured tasks and competencies to meet STCW assessment requirements;
- Additional tasks concerning safety at work and protection of the environment; and
- Examples of written projects cadets can undertake as part of their training.
The On Board Training Record Book for Electro-Technical Officers (ETO Cadets) is priced at ÂŁ35. Find out more and order your copy from the ICS bookshop.
10. Blackout risks
A newly published guidance paper from DNV seeks to support the prevention and mitigation of blackouts impacting passenger vessels. With blackout incidents on cruise ships on the rise, DNV has created a new guidance paper entitled âManaging the risk of blackoutsâ which addresses the main causes and associated risks, while offering recommendations and best practices on how to avoid them and reduce the likelihood of their occurrence.
In 2019 there were 12 reported power-loss events on cruise ships that resulted in full or partial blackout while in transit or manoeuvring â up from four events in 2018. Although the majority of incidents occur in open water with minimal consequences, they represent a major accident hazard and, in certain situations, result in loss of propulsion which may pose an imminent threat to the ship, its passengers and crew.
While in recent years there has been a lot of focus on sustainability factors and cost saving measures, DNV urges owners and operators not to lose sight of the safety element.
âFactors such as new fuels, change of speed and other measures to remain compliant with EEXI and CII regulations are high on ship ownersâ agendas. We also see a considerable focus on keeping opex and capex costs in check after two years with reduced revenue. While dealing with all these challenges we urge ship owners not to lose sight of safety. By increasing awareness of what to do to avoid and manage blackouts we want to contribute positively to building trust across the sector,â said Hans Eivind Siewers, Segment Director for passenger ships and ro-ro at DNV Maritime.
In the new paper, DNV outlines a stepwise approach that centres on a simplified barrier-risk model. A simplified âbow tieâ model is used to present the threats and technical/operational barriers that contribute to increasing/decreasing the likelihood of blackout, and the mitigating barriers for supporting recovery. The paperâs five-step structure makes the information and practical tools easy to access and implement.
In summary, the guidance paper is intended to support a step-change in safety for operators, from gaining an overall understanding of blackout causes, defining safety ambitions and prudently managing conflicting goals (such as decarbonisation and cost pressures), to identifying appropriate operational and technical measures to reduce risk based on cost-benefit evaluations.
The paper also describes the mandatory requirements for blackout prevention and recovery that provide a minimum technical standard for newbuildings, including Safe Return to Port (SRtP) regulations under SOLAS and additional measures such as DNVâs Operational Reliability (OR) class notation, which specifically targets resilience and availability of propulsion, steering, electrical power and manoeuvrability.
Download the full paper here: https://www.dnv.com/publications/managing-the-risk-of-blackouts-223447
11. Emissions handling
ClassNK has released “ClassNK ZETA (Zero Emission Transition Accelerator)”, a GHG emissions management tool to track accurate CO2 emissions and confirm and simulate CII ratings.
While the shift toward a zero-emission society has accelerated around the world, the time has come for the maritime industry to systematically plan, manage, and report the GHG emissions from shipping.
ClassNK has provided “ClassNK Zero Emission Transition Support Services” to support customers involved in the maritime transportation business make a smooth transition to zero emissions while planning and managing GHG emissions in their daily business operations.
ClassNK ZETA developed as part of the services is a tool for visualizing CO2 emissions from ships, which is linked with the “ClassNK MRV Portal” supporting compliance to MRV schemes such as IMO DCS and EU-MRV regulations. Users of MRV Portal can utilize the following four features without preparing additional data.
- Vessel Monitoring: Displays CO2 emissions, CII rating, etc. of individual ships without delay. Users can also check the estimated annual CO2 emissions and CII ratings based on the current operation status at any time and consider any necessary measures.
- Fleet Monitoring: Displays CO2 emissions and CII ratings of the entire fleet for each company or team in charge without delay. Makes it possible to check the CO2 emissions of the fleet and the progress of the company’s overall CO2 reduction targets at any time.
- Simulation: Simulates the changes in CO2 emissions and CII ratings for an individual ship or fleet that would be seen by slow steaming, installing energy-saving devices, or switching fuels. Various simulations enable users to consider measures for reducing CO2 emissions.
- Periodical Report: Outputs CO2 emissions by ship, fleet, voyage, etc. In the future, it will also allow users to meet the reporting needs of various stakeholders, such as financial institutions, cargo owners, and insurance companies.
Detailed information and application for use is available on the following page: https://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/en/info_service/ghg/nk-zeta.html
12. SHIPSALE 22
BIMCO released SHIPSALE 22, its new standard contract for sale/purchase of vessels, this week. Law firm Wikborg Rein says that âWhile SHIPSALE 22 is clearly based on the familiar and widely used Saleform 2012 and uses much of the same wording, there are two important differences in layout to note.
Firstly, BIMCO has implemented its well-known box format, with key contractual terms to be inserted in boxes (with clause references) on the first page of the contract rather than directly in the individual clauses.
Secondly, BIMCO has re-arranged the order of the clauses to follow the chronology of a typical sale/purchase transaction. In addition to the layout changes, some revisions have been made to the existing wording to improve clarity and some new clauses have been included reflecting developments in commercial practice since the adoption of Saleform 2012.â
For the law firmâs analysis of the changes see https://www.wr.no/en/news/shipsale-22a-familiar-salepurchase-form-in-a-new-guise/
13. Collision claims
Recent increases in hull and machinery (H&M) premiums are set to be repeated and some owners will face further significant insurance cost increases in 2022/23, as restructuring and re-pricing of the H&M market consolidates and syndicates continue to focus on raising their premium base. This comes on top of double-digit general increases announced by P&I Clubs.
14. Fleet optimisation
NAPA, the leading maritime software, services, and data analysis provider, will work with leading class society ClassNK and Japanese general trading company Marubeni to assess what fuel and carbon emission savings could be achieved through voyage optimization.
NAPA will use its Fleet Intelligence platform to retrospectively analyze the impact of EEXI (Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index) using the actual vessel performance across Marubeniâs fleet and compare it against similar fleets. ClassNK will provide its expertise in verification, analysis and accuracy. Based on this, NAPA will predict how well the Marubeni vessels will be able to perform in the future with reduced propulsion power and remain competitive in the market from 2023 onwards when new EEXI and CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) requirements enter into force.
The cloud-based NAPA Fleet Intelligence platform combines NAPAâs expertise in naval architecture with many years of data on actual sailed voyages and weather conditions, using NAPAâs unique performance model to generate insights. With no need for commissioning or hardware installation onboard vessels, the platform can easily analyze past performance and optimize fleet operations.
This will enable NAPA, ClassNK and Marubeni to analyze the effect of EEXI requirements on Marubeniâs fleet in terms of transportation capacity, CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. NAPA will also calculate CII for vessels using historical operation data and predict how much performance can be improved with the state-of-the-art weather routing system, NAPA Voyage Optimization
Notices & Miscellany
Steamship succession
Insurer Steamship has announced some changes at the top following the retirement of three members of the management team with effect from 20 February 2023.
Stephen Martin will be retiring from his role as Chief Executive Officer of Steamship Insurance Management Services Limited and Senior Partner of the Club Managers, Steamship P&I Management LLP (SPIM). He will be succeeded in both roles by Jonathan Andrews, the current Head of the Eastern Syndicate. Jonathanâs role will be taken by Rohan Bray, who is currently CEO of the Hong Kong branch.
Chris Adams will retire from his role of Chief Operating Officer, and that position will be taken by Graham Jones who is currently Head of Legal. Malcolm Shelmerdine, currently Head of Claims for the Eastern Syndicate and Head of FDD, will take on Chrisâs position as Head of the European Syndicate. Chris will be succeeded by Captain John Taylor, currently Director of Loss Prevention, as Head of Loss Prevention.
Charles Brown will retire from his role of Head of Claims and will be succeeded by Adrian Benham who is currently Head of Claims for the Americas Syndicate.
Denny Medal winner
Korean Register (KR) Senior Surveyor, Ha Seungman, has been awarded the prestigious Denny Medal from the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST). The renowned Denny Medal is awarded to the best paper published in the Journal of Marine Engineering and Technology (JMET) and the Journal of Operational Oceanography (JOO).
Ha won the award for his work on the research paper âRegulatory gaps between LNG carriers and LNG fueled shipsâ, which identified the need to improve international safety codes for LNG carriers and LNG fueled ships. The paper is expected to serve as a guide for shipbuilders and classification societies to implement the relevant regulations.
Tatham appointment
Chris Farmer, a leading Admiralty lawyer and Master Mariner is joining the specialist maritime and international trade law firm Tatham & Co after 16 years at Ince & Co, as a partner in its London-based office. Chris is one of the leading Admiralty practitioners in London and recognised as such by the industry. He has dealt with a number of high-profile maritime casualties around the world. He specialises in crisis response, with particular expertise in India.
Cargill grant
Cargill and NAMEPA have announced the award of a grant to NAMEPA from the Cargill Cares Community Fund. NAMEPA will use the funds to develop and deploy the Marine Environment Protectorsâ programme which increases ocean literacy among underrepresented youth, highlights workforce development in marine fields, allows for long-term scientific research, and creates a framework for similar projects to expand across North America.
Alternative fuels
DNV will be holding an event to discuss alternative ship fuels and their status and outlook on April 28, 2022. For details of timings click on the link below.
Choose session and sign up
Mare Forum
The 5th Mare Forum Geneva 2022 event will take place on Tuesday 3 May, 2022 at the Hotel Beau-Rivage in Geneva, Switzerland. Register at : https://www.mareforum.com/events/5th-mare-forum-geneva-2022
Spinnaker conference
The Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference will take place on 26th & 27th May 2022. For details see www.spinnakerconference.eventbrite.co.uk
Ballast water reporting
On the 24th March 2022, Transport Canada updated its instructions for submitting the Canadian Ballast Water Reporting Form (BWRF), replacing SSB No.: 07/2018. For a P&I club view see https://www.westpandi.com/publications/news/april-2022/updated-requirements-for-ballast-water-reporting-r/
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)
There were three men at a bar. One man got drunk and started a fight with the other two men. The police came and took the drunk guy to jail.
The next day the man went before the judge. The judge asked the man, ‘”Where do you work?’
The man said, ‘Here and there.’
The judge asked the man, ‘What do you do for a living?’
The man said, ‘This and that.’
The judge then said, ‘Take him away.’
The man said, ‘Wait, judge, when will I get out?’
The judge said to the man, ‘Sooner or later’
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Maritime Advocate Online is a fortnightly digest of news and views on the maritime industries, with particular reference to legal issues and dispute resolution. It is published to over 20,000 individual subscribers each week and republished within firms and organisations all over the maritime world. It is the largest publication of its kind. We estimate it goes to around 60,000 readers in over 120 countries.
