1. The burning boxes
2. Distance learning
3. Hydrogen study
4. Safer supply chains
5. Mines in the Black Sea
6. FSA SAFER plan
7. Glencore settlement
8. Sustainable ports
9. Merchant marine awards
10. Maritime safety
11. General Average warning
12. Cyber threat
13. Sea skills
14. Head start
15. Fund raiser
Notices & Miscellany
Readersâ responses to our articles are very welcome and, where suitable, will be reproduced. Write to: contactus@themaritimeadvocate.com
1. The burning boxes
By Michael Grey
There has been no end of sincere concern expressed about the frequency of fires inside containers, which are still running at a rate of one serious event every six weeks on average. This statistic never seems to change from one year to the next, and that doesnât begin to do justice to the less serious events, which can be just as traumatic for those charged with extinguishing the fires, with the limited equipment and capability available aboard ship.
It had been hoped that rather greater attention paid to the identification and verification of dangerous goods might be making a difference, along with some more muscular intervention by carriers in fining those who have played fast and loose with declarations. Maybe there will be an improvement, in time, if the message gradually permeates to those who ship and stuff containers, and if the biggest carriers take a more robust position with careless and criminal shippers.
Meanwhile it was encouraging to read of an initiative in which the European Maritime Safety Agency is being joined by a number of partners to produce a Formal Safety Assessment study on containership fires. The work will be supported by the Research Institute of Sweden and the University of Southern Denmark and there will be a major role for the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology. The study should be completed by February next year and will hopefully produce some practical and cost-effective risk control measures in the fields of prevention, detection, containment and firefighting techniques. It is expected that the various workshops will bring in some prominent ship registers, sea carriers, equipment suppliers and interests down the logistics chain.
It sounds encouraging, but the fires are still occurring and there is increasing concern at the number which seem to be attributed to lithium batteries, which find their way into all sorts of products being shipped. While the main concern about these seems to be devoted to electric vehicles being carried on ferries, car carriers and such vessels, the risks attached to our âelectric futureâ are only slowly being grasped by regulators and others. Almost certainly because of the potentially deadly consequences of fires from devices and appliances, the aviation world, as always, seems to have woken up to the risks rather faster than shipping, but the maritime world needs to look more seriously at the potential danger of all sorts of cargo that appears, almost from nowhere, in a changing world.
Meanwhile, the container ships themselves get bigger, the heights of the stacks and the width of the stow making the successful intervention by the pathetically small crew ever less likely. It is sometimes difficult to avoid the conclusion that while there is no shortage of well-meaning regulatory debate about the fire safety issues, the people who could perhaps make a difference prefer to adopt a sort of percentage approach, where as long as they are seen to be doing their best, the insurers will pick up the pieces. Thatâs the whole point of insurance, they say, and as long as something like a Maersk Honan doesnât happen too often, they can cope. The insurers themselves try and keep the pressure on for more positive action, but while they are politely listened to, they are not part of the technology.
If there was some honesty about this problem, some might admit that it stems from a cavalier approach to the attitudes of carriers to shippers, which have traditionally worked on the assumption that âthe customer is always rightâ. And if one carrier wouldnât accept your horrible or potentially hazardous cargo, there would always be an alternative, possibly even, through slot chartering, aboard the same ship that initially rejected the frightful stuff.
As long as ships remained at a manageable size, and deck stows reasonably âget-attableâ, shipsâ crews could generally cope, but the sheer scale of the present problem with boxes up to ten high on deck and 25 across, means that you have to be very lucky and very brave to have a chance of controlling a DG fire in the stack, far from a well-equipped port. It might be considered heresy, but wouldnât a better idea be to carry the hazardous stuff under deck, where there might be a chance to suffocate a conflagration. Maybe the latest study will come up with some bright ideas for tackling fires aboard a 400m long monster, which donât immediately get canned by the carriers as impractical, or as has happened in the past â too pricy.
Michael Grey is former editor of Lloydâs List.
2. Distance learning
Readers will be familiar with those maritime experts involved in providing the distance learning course in international trade and maritime law being offered by Warsash Maritime School at Solent University. The course is due to start in October this year. As the course introduction explains âthe nature of this programme of studies is very much linked to commercial practice and the ability to see the law within the context of the expectations of the trade towards its application. â
The course is led by Susan Hawker and modules include carriage of goods by sea, Admiralty and marine insurance, dispute management, and international sales in addition to an introduction to maritime law.
For more details see https://www.solent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/international-trade-and-maritime-law-pgdip
3. Hydrogen study
British Steel is conducting a major study into the use of green hydrogen in the companyâs drive to decarbonise its operations and manufacture net zero steel. The steelmaker, which is collaborating with EDF UK, UCL (University College London) and the Materials Processing Institute, has pledged to deliver net zero steel by 2050 and significantly reduce its CO2 intensity by 2030 and 2035. To support its ambitious plans, it has secured funding from the UK Government for a feasibility study into switching from natural gas to green hydrogen as a fuel source for re-heating furnaces. If the study is successful, British Steel will undertake an industrial-scale demonstration which could see the technology developed and rolled out across all its operations including its main manufacturing base in Scunthorpe. It could also be adopted by other UK steelmakers.
British Steelâs Environment and Sustainability Director, Lee Adcock, said: âAs an energy intensive industry with hard to abate emissions, the steel industry offers the potential for large CO2 emission savings through fuel switching from natural gas to hydrogen. This study is, therefore, a vital and hugely exciting step on our journey to developing the technology needed to transform the way we, and other steel manufacturers, operate. âWeâre extremely grateful for the governmentâs support and look forward to working with our partners to reduce the carbon intensity of our operations, enabling us to manufacture the clean, green steel society needs.â
British Steel won funding for the research from the UK Governmentâs Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). The NZIP funding from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy provides funding for low-carbon technologies and systems. Decreasing the costs of decarbonisation, the Portfolio will help enable the UK to end its contribution to climate change. With its partners, British Steel is now undertaking a 6-month study based on operations at its Teesside Beam Mill.
4. Safer supply chains
Recent widespread disruption to global supply chains and the consequent pressures on freight transport capacity and cargo handling facilities require a corresponding focus on safety measures throughout the system. As the success of the TT Club Innovation in Safety Award programme, operated by ICHCA International, has proved, there have been numerous ground-breaking innovations with multiple applications aimed at reducing these safety risks. However, the two organisations are keen to raise the awareness of the need for continuous development of the ways that we manage safety
Featuring a meeting area and presentation facilities, the TT Club Safety Village will be the venue for workshops and panel sessions throughout the three days of the TOC Europe event this month. It will also provide opportunities for companies to showcase their innovative safety devices, processes and products. All aimed at championing safety in the supply chain and developing new solutions to managing risks.
Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director at the TT Club comments: âIt has been TTâs consistent mission to increase the levels of safety across the myriad of operational functions that constitute the global supply chain. We are keen to encourage every type of innovation from securing loads on all modes of transport to the correct handling of dangerous materials, and from safer working practices and equipment in cargo handling facilities to avoidance of vehicle collisions and fire prevention. Providing a focal point for discussion and promotion of such innovations at a leading industry forum such as TOC Europe will be a further benefit to the cause of safety that TT can provide.â
ICHCA International, the representative body for cargo handling operators across the globe, has run TT Clubâs Innovation in Safety Award since its inception and is passionate about sharing innovation and learning across the industry. CEO Richard Steele points out, âIn the recent past, our efforts together with TT Club have helped promulgate safety innovations including Hapag Lloydâs Cargo Patrol that detects suspected misdeclared dangerous goods; terminal automation advances from Kunz and Yardeye in cooperation with CSX Terminals; VIKING Life-Savingâs fire suppressant systems, as well as safety devices developed by PSA International and Cargotec. Yet these represent just the tip of the iceberg. We were thrilled to see so many innovative ideas put forward for this Award. A digest of these will be available at the Safety Village and we hope it will help to inspire many other projects in the future.â
5. Mines in the Black Sea
IMO has issued a new Circular Letter (No.4573) which contains information about and guidance for the maritime security threat posed by free floating sea mines in the Black Sea Region. The circular states the following:
The Secretariat has received reports of free floating sea mines in the Black Sea region, including off the coasts of Romania and Turkey, resulting from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine which presents a serious and immediate threat to the safety and security of crews and vessels operating in the region.
Ships should navigate with particular caution when operating in the Black Sea region, including off the coasts of littoral States.
The Secretariat continues to liaise closely with all key stakeholders in the region, and to contribute to attempts to address the safety and security of this situation.
Advice, updates and links to external resources for Member States, flag States, shipping and seafarers can be found at the following link: Maritime Security and Safety in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov (imo.org)
6. FSO SAFER plan
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has urged further financial support for a UN-coordinated operational plan to address the threat of a major oil spill from the FSO SAFER, moored off Yemen, after a pledging event in The Hague saw donors pledging US$33 million in new funding.
“In the face of an impending environmental disaster, we must do all we can to prevent it. We must act now,” Lim said. “The time is now. The risks are high. We must act to avert disaster.”
IMO has been supporting contingency planning efforts in the region to prepare for a possible spill from FSO SAFER and to limit the impacts should one occur. An oil spill from FSO SAFER would be a humanitarian and environmental disaster, with huge economic impacts for the shipping and maritime industry throughout the region.
The plan to mitigate the risk by transferring the oil to a safe temporary vessel needs financial resources, Lim said. There is now $40 million available for the operation, which includes previously committed funds. The decaying floating storage and offloading unit is moored off the coast of Yemen and holds around a million barrels of oil. It could break apart or explode at any time.
The pledging event, hosted by the Government of the Netherlands and the United Nations, marked the start in the effort to raise the US$144 million that the full plan requires, including US$80 million for the emergency operation to transfer the oil to a safe temporary vessel. Also critical to the plan’s success is the installation of a long-term replacement capacity.
Read more here: https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/Pages/FSO-SAFER-oil-spill-risk.aspx
7. Glencore settlement
Glencore has resolved the previously disclosed investigations by authorities in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil into past activities in certain group businesses related to bribery, and separate US investigations related to market manipulation. Glencore cooperated with these investigations, the company said in a statement. Under the terms of the US resolutions, Glencore will pay penalties of $700,706,965 to resolve bribery investigations and $485,638,885 to resolve market manipulation investigations by the Department of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Of this amount, up to $165,930,959 will be credited against other, parallel matters, including in the UK, so that the net amount payable to the US authorities is expected to be $1,020,414,891. Glencore has further agreed to pay $39,598,367 under a resolution signed with the Brazilian Federal Prosecutorâs Office in connection with its bribery investigation into the group.
Glencore Energy UK Limited has indicated that it will plead guilty to charges brought by the UK Serious Fraud Office in respect of its bribery investigation. The penalty to be paid will be determined following a sentencing hearing currently scheduled for 21 June 2022.
8. Sustainable ports
A meeting between the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) and global trade association Interferry has agreed a common work programme to promote an environmentally sustainable future for the European ferry business through the provision and use of onshore power supply (OPS).
Underlining the shared challenges and priorities of their Europe-wide memberships, ESPO and Interferry confirmed the following joint approach:
1. Ferries must be recognised as a sustainable passenger transport mode that link Europeâs cities and regions, as well as providing a green mode of urban transport. This should be better reflected in Europeâs transport policy, in particular in Flagship 3 of the European Commission (EC) Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (available here).
2. Ferry ports should act as soon as possible to deploy OPS, and ferry lines should commit to using OPS whenever it is available. The agreement notes that, increasingly, many ferries will use OPS not only for their energy consumption at berth, but also to recharge batteries for propulsion â prompting significantly higher power demand that will require corresponding upscaling of the grid network.
3. To optimise the effective deployment and use of OPS for the ferry industry, investments should initially be made where it makes most sense in terms of maximising emissions reductions per installation. Accordingly, first priority for OPS development should be given to ferry terminals with high frequency of operation, as opposed to those with only occasional ferry calls. The OPS obligations set out in the EC proposals for Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which refer to a specified minimum number of calls per port, should therefore be adapted to foresee a minimum number of calls per terminal.
4. The exemptions to the OPS requirements under FuelEU Maritime and AFIR should be aligned to ensure the effective deployment and use of OPS. Both ports and ferries call for a coherent and predictable framework that provides legal certainty for stakeholders.
5. Since greening the shipping sector and deploying OPS in ports will require huge investments, revenues from a maritime European Union (EU) Emissions Trading System, or any similar market-based measure, should go towards funding OPS deployment through a dedicated fund benefitting both the ports and shipping sectors.
6. New fuels and technologies for greening the shipping industry should be encouraged and promoted, alongside development of the relevant safety and operational standards. The accompanying financial and regulatory framework should be technology-agnostic to ensure due consideration for all viable options. With the exception of OPS, at this early stage it does not seem desirable to impose a requirement to deploy infrastructure for certain other technologies or fuels. Developments and investments should be based on bottom-up projects and bilateral commitments among different stakeholders.
7. An EU-wide permanent and total tax exemption for electricity provided to ships at berth should be introduced in the Energy Taxation Directive in order to provide stronger and clearer incentives that promote the uptake and use of OPS.Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan comments: âElectrification of ship propulsion is key to meeting massive regulatory challenges for reducing maritime greenhouse gas emissions – interim cuts of some 50% are due by 2030, leading to ânet zeroâ status by 2050. Ferries are already leading the shipping industryâs transition to hybrid and fully electric systems, but major expansion of the electricity grid network is absolutely crucial to supporting the ultimate objectives.
âTo this end, Interferry has embarked on a schedule of meetings with senior decision makers from governments, ports and energy companies to urge investment in OPS infrastructure. I very much value our collaboration with ESPO to work on mutual sustainability ambitions.â
ESPO secretary-general Isabelle Ryckbost concludes: âPorts in Europe are very eager to move forward in achieving the decarbonisation goals and progressing their green priorities. The greening of shipping is a priority for ports. The best way to go forward is to engage in dialogue with the different stakeholders. Each segment has its own priorities and solutions. I am very happy we started this dialogue a few months ago with Interferry and can now engage together on an efficient way to reduce emissions at berth. Moreover, the role ferry transport can play in greening passenger transport in Europe is severely underestimated. Ferries are connecting people, regions and economies. Iâm happy to continue the discussions with Interferry.â
9. Merchant marine awards
The Nautical Institute United States branches hosted Congressman John Garamendi at a ceremony to honour World War II Merchant Marine Veterans recently.
During a lunch ceremony at the Marinesâ Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco, several WWII Merchant Marine veterans were awarded individual replicas of the Congressional Merchant Mariners of World War II Gold Medal. The medals, struck by the US Mint, commemorate the service and contributions of these mariners. This ceremony was part of a two-day Nautical Institute conference exploring challenges and opportunities facing the US Merchant Marine.
On May 18th, Congressman Garamendi and several members of the Congressional Leadership, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, presented the Congressional Gold Medals at a ceremony at the Capitol. The ceremony in San Francisco was the first time local WWII Merchant Marine Veterans were similarly recognized.
âThe Nautical Instituteâs United States branches were proud to host this event honouring the veterans whose service and sacrifice were instrumental in our WWII victory,â said Captain Greg Tylawsky, the Nautical Instituteâs conference chairman.
According to a recent gCaptain article covering the award ceremony, âOutside of maritime circles, it is not widely known that the US Merchant Marine suffered the highest casualty rate of any branch of the US military during WWII. Of the 243,000 mariners that served in the war, 9,521 perished while serving, meaning roughly four percent of those who served were killed.â
10. Maritime safety
The shipping industry is so important that the entire world relies on its success. However, many overlook the workers who make international trade possible, according to Lanier Law Firm. Maritime workers face many safety and security risks. For this reason the firm wanted to make a maritime safety guide to shed some light on these issues and also to help educate others. See the firmâs Maritime Safety Guide at lanierlawfirm.com/maritime-safety-guide/
11. General Average warning
A warning that the shipping industry will soon face the potential impact on General Average recoveries of tighter rules on emission prevention has been delivered in the chairmanâs address to the Association of Average Adjusters.
Michiel Starmans called for heightened awareness of what planned new levies under green transition measures could mean for assessing allowances in ship casualties.
He devoted much of his address to the Associationâs annual conference in London last month to considering the consequences of what he called âthe biggest challenge for mankind in the next 25 years, which is combating climate change.â
High-level legal and insurance deliberations have yet to focus on whether air pollution and emissions from ships should be allowable in General Average, the principle that all stakeholders in a âmaritime adventureâ share damage or losses resulting from the voluntary sacrifice of part of a vessel or cargo to save the whole of such property and/or the expenditure incurred while deviating to a port of refuge for the common safety of ship and cargo. The need to account for air pollution and ship emissions was not foreseen by leading experts in 1994 who in a major review of GA allowed the costs of preventing environmental pollution, said Starmans, who is director of the legal department at Amsterdam-based Spliethoff Group.
The International Maritime Organization aims to reduce carbon intensity to 11% by 2026, followed by an overall reduction of 40% by 2030; while the European Commission more ambitiously has agreed to extend to the shipping sector the European Union Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) in support of an intermediate aim of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas by 2030.
The question arose, said Starmans: âCan the new carbon levies consequent on a General Average act be allowed in GA?â His answer was: âBased on cross references of existing and future maritime legislation, I believe carbon levies under ETS and IMO can be allowed in GA as a direct consequence of bunkers consumed and allowed in GA.â Starmans conceded that some might see that conclusion as an opportunistic attempt to increase GA allowances, but it might be considered too in the context of recent statements in court rulings by senior maritime judges.
Under proposed legislation, CO2 emissions in shipping will no longer be âfree of charge,â emphasised Starmans. The goal is to spur the maritime industry to invest in energy efficiency and switch to cleaner fuels with fewer emissions
The phased lowering of an emission cap on total greenhouse gas emissions by participants, combined with the rising costs of purchasing carbon levies means that climate costs will rise year on year, and the levies might eventually exceed the costs of bunkers for vessels which have not switched to low carbon fuels, he added.
The EU which wants to see zero emissions by 2050 has a package of measures which is subject to review by the European Parliament and requires approval by each member state. It includes an ETS, which would compel shipping companies as from 2023 to buy permits for ships of over 5,000 gross tons to cover each ton of CO2 emission. The cap on emissions, which would be converted into tradable carbon permits, would rise in annual stages from 20% in 2023, to 100% in 2026.
An owner or time charterer would need to buy permits covering 100% of the emissions from voyages inside the EU and 50% of the emissions from international voyages starting or ending in the EU. If the company does not surrender the right number of permits by April 30 of the following year, it would be fined 100 euros per ton of CO2 not accounted for. Ships can be denied entry to EU ports where the responsible shipping company has failed to surrender permits for two consecutive years.
The relevance for adjusters of these future carbon levies could arise when a vessel is removed for repairs or when GA allowances are made for fuel consumed during deviation to, or detention at a port of refuge until regaining course under the applicable York Antwerp Rules, which regulate GA and are nearly always incorporated in any charterparty or bill of lading.
At present, in a General Average deviation to a European port of refuge to carry out necessary repairs for the safe prosecution of the voyage, emission did not need to be compensated by the shipping company, but from January 2023 this âfree rideâ was about to change, said Starmans. The shipping company would have to settle the bill with the relevant EU member state, which posed the question whether the shipowner (or time charterer) could recover these additional costs in GA.
On the EU tax on fuel Starmans did not foresee any problems in allowing in GA the gross fuel price, including the EU tax, where at present the York Antwerp Rules allowed the net fuel price.He hoped that his scrutiny of whether additional costs might be recovered in GA would be a starting point for a formal Opinion to be delivered by the advisory committee of the Association âonce legislation has been finalised and adjusters will be faced for the first time with the implications of the emission levies.â Mr Starmans is succeeded as chairman for 2022-23 by Sir Nigel Teare
12. Cyber threat
New research from DNV reveals that energy professionals expect more extreme cyber-attacks in the next two years. More than 80% think an attack is likely to cause operational shutdowns and damage to assets. Three quarters (74%) expect harm to the environment. Over half (57%) anticipate an attack to cause loss of life.
As industrial systems become increasingly network connected, the energy industry is waking up to the emerging cyber threat. But the research finds defensive action to be lagging. This draws parallels to the industryâs physical safety practices 50 years ago, where it took tragic events for the sector to institutionalize safety protocols, standards, and regulation.
13. Sea skills
DNV has awarded the Swedish maritime training platform Seably a new DNV competence certification for its digital services.
The DNV SeaSkill standard ST-0595 is the first of its kind and addresses an emerging trend in the maritime training market: the emergence of training platform providers.
The standardâs certification framework aims to ensure the quality of the training platforms, as well as their learning products and operation. It was developed in co-operation with Seably as a pilot customer.
Rapid digitalization, a move to offer more learning experiences on board and two years of operating during a global pandemic have transformed the maritime training market. Greater digital portfolios and local providers seeking access to learners from around the world have led to the emergence of digital training platforms. They offer local providers the opportunity to elevate their courses beyond their regional market and gain access to customers worldwide.
Andrea Lodolo, CEO of Seably says: âI am delighted that we have been able to work with DNV on the ST-0595 standard, which is open and will be available for any organisation in the maritime sector to achieve. It was of great importance to us that we pioneered this for the benefit of the whole sector, and not just the select few. There has been tremendous progress in technology and learning skills, and Seably has been at the forefront, driving innovation through our unique marketplace. This standard recognises this progress while setting the bar to maintain the quality and robustness that seafarers rightly expect from their training and development. We look forward to seeing many more companies attain the standard in the future.â
âMaking learning experiences widely accessible to seafarers is a very positive development for an industry that is becoming increasingly demanding as it heads into a digitalized, decarbonized future. However, while we welcome this trend, it is equally important to ensure that training platform providers have a robust management system in place which accounts for the challenges of their unique operational environment,â says Ulrich Bernhardt, head of competence & aearning and SeaSkill at DNV.
He added: âThis is why we were so pleased to work with Seably as a pilot customer to develop the DNV SeaSkill certification standard ST-0595. It defines the necessary criteria for digital training platforms, for example, including requirements for how to ensure the quality of the training organisations which use the platform as well as their products and covers information security.â
14. Head Start
Survival Technology specialist Survitec has introduced a unique approach to ensure shipowners are fully equipped to protect crews and assets throughout the entire lifetime of their vessels, from concept stage to operations.
As part of its novel âHead Startâ programme, a complete through-life supply and service initiative, Survitec is working with shipowners, designers and ship builders from first designs, not only to ensure that vessels are protected with the most advanced safety solutions possible, but also to ensure they can be operated and maintained efficiently throughout the vesselâs lifetime.
Finn Lende-Harung, Commercial Director â Fire Solutions at Survitec, said: âBeing involved from the planning phase onwards, we can help to optimise safety system design, installation and commissioning as well as ensuring shipowners benefit from the most cost-effective means of managing their ongoing system training, servicing, and certification requirements.
âFrom the very beginning of a project, shipowners have immediate access to our global network of experts through a single point of contact. Weâre providing a complete one-stop safety shop from the design phase through to ongoing vessel operations. Weâre setting shipowners on course for a lifetime of safety at sea,â Lende-Harung said.
This is particularly important for fire safety, the initial focus for Head Start. Rafal Kolodziejski, Survitecâs head of product support and development â fire systems, cited the increasing number of newbuilds opting to run on alternative fuels as one of the main reasons why the initiative is becoming so appealing.
âThe industry is well advanced in fire extinguishing technologies and mediums for gas and methanol fuelled fires. However, li-ion batteries, ammonia, and hydrogen are relatively new marine fuel and powering options, presenting very different challenges for shipowners and operators.
âThe risk of fire from these alternative fuels can be substantial, requiring a higher focus on prevention and the monitoring of gas leakage and temperatures. When we are involved in a newbuild project from the beginning, we can better mitigate any risk further down the line through quick-response fire system solutions.â
Lende-Harung added that as the shipping industry moves towards digital technologies and the possibilities of autonomous shipping â accelerated perhaps by current operational and financial challenges â âremote monitoring, diagnostics and online maintenance will in the future become a major consideration at the design stage.â
As a result, Survitec has invested heavily in the development of remote and graphical monitoring solutions designed to provide a digital version of a shipâs safety plan with additional functionality such as real time status indication of all the fire protected zones onboard. Typically, only hard copies are available currently.
Survitecâs fire system experts can monitor system conditions, support ship crew with trouble shooting and adjustment of equipment shoreside without having to physically attend the ship,â said Lende-Harung.
âA remote VPN gateway connects to the fire safety system operator panel via an ethernet cable or Wi-Fi through a secure gateway. We can connect at short notice in case of issues threatening normal operation or to provide training to ship crews. For example, we can help a system operator tune-up their inert gas system to reduce fuel consumption, reduce maintenance and increase system stability. Remote diagnostics and the monitoring of fire safety equipment will become a major factor in the swing towards autonomous shipping,â he said.
15. Fund raiser
Veteran shipping and logistics journalist and podcaster Mike King is hoping to raise $15,000 for an international seafarersâ welfare charity by hiking 200 miles âSea-to-Seaâ in June.
The creator and host of The Loadstar Podcast, and contributor to multiple shipping and logistics publications over the last 20+ years, Mike will walk the historic âOffa’s Dykeâ, from the Severn Estuary in South Wales to the Irish Sea coast in north Wales
Starting this June, the trek will take over ten days to complete. He will be walking on behalf of UK-based charity the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), which has assisted almost 12,000 seafarers and their families and awarded direct grants totalling over $140,000.
Mike was motivated to raise money for seafarers after seeing them treated so poorly during the Covid-19 pandemic when so many were stuck on ships for so long.
âI thought the treatment of these crews was abhorrent to be absolutely honest,â he said. âSo many were stuck onboard ships for longer than a year and, really, hardly anybody outside the industry cared. Then they couldnât get vaccines so they still couldnât return home. Itâs a disgrace when these are the people who transport all the energy and food on which we all rely. And all the luxuries we donât really need but ordered anyway during lockdowns.
âAnd now weâve got the war in Ukraine which has trapped hundreds more seafarers in the Black Sea. Again, they are the forgotten victims,â he said. âIâm hoping some of the ship owners and managers or other people in the logistics world Iâve interviewed over the years might help support this fundraiser.â
Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/200milesseatosea
Notices & Miscellany
New Teare role
Former High Court judge Sir Nigel Teare has been elected to serve as chairman of the Association of Average Adjusters for the year 2022/2023.
He was nominated to succeed Michiel Starmans of Amsterdam-based Spliethoff Group as chairman at the annual general meeting in London of Fellows of the Association in May. Sir Nigel retired from the High Court of England and Wales in 2020 and is now an arbitrator.
PISR appointment
Palau International Ship Registry (PISR), the world’s leading digital Registry, has announced the appointment of Georgios Tsouris as its Chief Operating Officer.
In this newly created role, Tsouris joins as the senior executive of the company. He will operate from PISRâs headquarters in Greece and report to and work closely with CEO Panos Kirnidis to implement the strategic vision and values of the Palau Flag Administration. Tsouris will be responsible for the overall daily operations of the Palau International Ship Registry and will continue to enhance the range and scope of the Registryâs growth.
MEPC 78 in focus
EEXI, CII, SEEMP will be on the agenda at sessions organised by DNV on 16 June 2022 to be held at 9.00 CEST and 16.00 CEST. MEPC 78 will adopt the remaining guidelines on EEXI, CII and SEEMP Part III and start the discussion on future market-based measures and other technical requirements addressing the 2050 GHG ambitions.
Greek expansion
International legal and professional services firm Ince is expanding its Piraeus office with the addition of three shipping litigators, three ship finance experts, and an additional mariner to the admiralty team.
The expansion follows the appointment of partners Konstantinos (Dinos) Mexias and Aris Moschopoulos in 2021, which, coupled with the calibre of Inceâs clients in the region, has created the need to bolster the team and attract more talent to the firm.
Associates Ioanna Gavriiloglou and Henry Stockley, and trainee Christos Palimeris will join the shipping litigation team. Anthi Kekatou joins the ship finance team as a managing associate. Joining Anthi is associate Io Georgia Papadimitriou. Domniki Symeonoglou also joins the ship finance team as a paralegal. Michel Farach joins the firm as a marine manager.
Causes of fatigue
Causes of fatigue, how to spot the signs and advice for tackling tiredness at sea are all discussed in detail in the latest edition of The Navigator. The free magazine from The Nautical Institute, which is aimed at maritime navigators around the world, publishes its 30th edition in June.
Contents include articles about the causes and signs of fatigue, the effects of tiredness on health and ideas for tackling fatigue and tiredness at sea. There are contributions from the Seafarers Hospital Society and Royal Institute of Navigation, as well as an interview with a serving cruise ship officer.
The Nautical Institute launched its ‘Navigator Distributor‘ scheme in 2015, encouraging a wider, global distribution of the free, 12-page magazine to as many professional marine navigators as possible. Anyone interested in finding out how their organisation can take part in the scheme should visit www.nautinst.org/thenavigator, where there are also previous issues available to download.
Future of maritime safety
Inmarsat is holding an event to discuss the future of maritime safety on 8th June 2022. What does the future hold for safety at sea and what actions can the maritime industry take to prevent major incidents from occurring?
During Posidonia week, Inmarsat will be discussing its second Future of Safety report and analysis of the last four years of Inmarsat Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, and what trends have been uncovered that can help to steer shipping into a safer future.
What lessons can be learned from these data-driven insights and the significant challenges the industry continues to face, including COVID-19, climate change, and ongoing supply chain issues?
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And finally,
(With thanks to Paul Dixon)
After a trial had been going on for three days, Finley, the man accused of committing the crimes, stood up and approached the judge’s bench. “Your Honour, I would like to change my plea from ‘innocent’ to ‘guilty’ of the charges.”
The judge angrily banged his fist on the desk. “If you’re guilty, why didn’t you say so in the first place and save this court a lot of time and inconvenience?” he demanded.
Finley looked up wide-eyed and stated, “Well, when the trial started I thought I was innocent, but that was before I heard all the evidence against me.”
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