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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
1
The Pulse
The MISSION of The Merchant Navy Association is to bring all serving and retired Seafarers together in a spirit of
companionship, consideration and commitment towards a united lobby for the Community of the Sea Hi Shipmates,
Please find below more snippets of information since circular #4 was published 20th February 2020. My thanks to MNA National Secretary, Pete Sinke’s daily publication “Maasmond Maritime - Shipping News
Clippings”, Lloyds List, gCaptain, Maritime London, Flashlight and many others from the T’internet, not
forgetting the items sent in by Readers and any other source I can access.
MNA National Contact Points
National Secretary, David Parsons = Email : [email protected] Tel: 01935 414 765
Welfare & Events, Tim Brant, - Tel: 01472 85 11 30, Email : [email protected]
National Membership Secretary, Roy Glencross - Mobile: 07738 425875
Email [email protected]
MNA Slop Chest, The Supply Officer:- Sandra Broom [email protected] 0121 244 0190
If you call her, it may go to an answerphone. Please leave a message and she will call you.
Change of Address???? If any member has changed any of their contact details (Postal, E-mail or
Telephone) it is important that you inform ROY GLENCROSS and copy to David Parsons, Tim Brant &
myself. If informing by e-mail send to:- [email protected] , [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected]
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The GO RIGEL ashore for maintenance at PT Batamec shipyard at Batam Island (Indonesia)
Photo : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
This photograph emphasises the size of her in comparison to the hut/shed.
Vessels size when afloat is deceptive _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Just Giving & The Merchant Navy Association We are pleased to say we are now able to offer our supporters the
facility to make donations via our
Just Giving page.
This is a secure means of making payments and enables us to
claim Gift Aid from the Treasury.
Go to www.justgiving.com Click on ‘Search' at the top right-
hand side and type in Merchant Navy Association.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
ITF and ETF call upon ship operators to return lashing to shore-based dock
workers The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation
(ETF) today call upon ship operators to return lashing to shore based dock workers. On February 11, the
Dutch registered container vessel OOCL Rauma spilled seven containers overboard during a stormy
passage from Kotka, Finland, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Shipping intelligence sources indicate that
the vessel is operated by Hong Kong-based Orient Overseas Container Lines and owned by JR Shipping
BV of the Netherlands. Containers onboard the 1425 TEU ship are often lashed or secured by the ship’s
crew in the North European feeder trade. On 1 January 2020, new rules contained in shipboard collective
agreements came into force in Europe requiring containers to be lashed by shoreside dock workers.
"Vessels that are not properly lashed pose a danger not only to the ship’s crew, but also to the marine
environment. Ships these days are already under-crewed and seafarers have enough work getting vessels
safely between ports. Fatigue is already a dangerous reality of life on ships.” said Niek Stam, vice-chair
of the ITF Dockers’ Section. The ITF and ETF are clear that lashing on container ships should be done by
dock workers. Ships trading along the European coast are not sufficiently crewed to levels to ensure that
the ships safety can be assured when burdened by lashing demands. The demands placed on seafarers by
ship operators is unreasonable and does not take into account the requirements for hours of rest. Fatigued
crew make mistakes and when containers are not sufficiently lashed accidents happen creating hazards to
navigation and to the marine environment and life. “So-called responsible shipowners need to reconsider
their actions that put us all to risk. Shipping already suffers from a poor reputation, and incidents like this
only harden public opinion. Lashing is dangerous work and should be undertaken by trained dockers.”
Stam added.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Brazil's Petrobras girds for headwinds after posting record profit _____________________________________________________________________________________
Port of Rotterdam increases sales of LNG and VLSFO _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Inmarsat launches connectivity services in Saudi Arabia across land, sea and
air Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has today announced that it will
bring its worldleading maritime, aviation and enterprise connectivity solutions to customers based in
Saudi Arabia through new partner agreements. The company additionally announced that it has secured
new spectrum licences to deliver both its narrowband (L-band) and high-capacity broadband (Ka-band),
Global Xpress (GX), services in Saudi Arabia, enabling Saudibased businesses to deploy these services
for the first time. Fixed and mobile satellite telecommunications distributor Sada Al Ammah and Global
Beam Telecom have been appointed as Inmarsat’s first distribution partners in Saudi Arabia and the
region and they will work closely with Inmarsat’s Maritime, Aviation and Enterprise businesses to roll-
out services in the region. Global Beam Telecom & Sada Al Ammah will work with Inmarsat’s Enterprise
business to bring the benefits of its awardwinning connectivity services to land-based users in the Middle
East. Inmarsat’s Maritime business will partner with Sada Al Ammah to distribute connectivity services
for merchant and offshore vessels operating in Saudi waters, providing full access to Inmarsat’s industry-
leading Fleet Xpress services. It has also signed a separate installation agreement with service company
Master Systems.
Combining the high data speeds of Inmarsat’s GX Ka-band technology with the proven reliability of
Inmarsat’s flagship FleetBroadband L-band service for unlimited backup, Fleet Xpress services will
enable the digital transformation of Saudi and foreign-flagged vessels operating in the region. Inmarsat’s
Aviation business will work with Sada Al Ammah to deliver cockpit safety services and passenger cabin
broadband Wi-Fi connectivity (GX Aviation for commercial airlines and Jet ConneX for business jets) to
companies based in Saudi-Arabia, enabling airline and business aviation passengers to browse the
internet, stream video and music, check and update social media and more during their flights. Inmarsat’s
L-band network provides best-in-class connectivity services for users on land, at sea and in the air. The
network enables a wide range of use cases such as fleet management, remote analytics, data transfer and
other IoT/M2M applications in areas with non-existent or unreliable connectivity. Focus areas for these
use cases will include oil and gas, transport and aid and non-governmental organisations (NGO) “We are
delighted to be working closely with Sada Al Ammah and Global Beam Telecom to offer our world-
leading services in Saudi Arabia and the region for the first time,” said Mike Carter, President of Inmarsat
Enterprise. “Our partners have a wealth of experience and understanding of the local markets, which
coupled with the strength and reliability of Inmarsat’s services, make a powerful combination that we feel
will provide a foundation for connectivity excellence and growth in the region.” “Saudi Arabian shipping
and offshore companies have shown an increasing appetite for the latest digital services to improve
operating efficiencies and Inmarsat is delighted to offer our Fleet Xpress service in Saudi and the region
in conjunction with our partners, Global Beam Telecom, Sada Al Ammah and Master Systems,” said
Ronald Spithout, President, Inmarsat Maritime. “Owners now see the need for an ecosystem of value-
added services to enable digitalisation, rather than just buying a Ku-band VSAT connectivity pipe. That’s
why we are seeing demand for Inmarsat’s Fleet Data IoT platform, our Fleet Secure suite of cyber
security services and our crew welfare and retention solution, Fleet Hotspot." ”Saudi Arabia is a fast-
growing and important market for aviation connectivity solutions,” said Philip Balaam, President of
Inmarsat Aviation. “Inmarsat looks forward to working with commercial airlines in Saudi Arabia to
enable them to upgrade to the world’s leading aviation connectivity solutions, covering high-speed
inflight passenger broadband in the aircraft cabin and gold standard operations and safety in the cockpit.”
Further capacity is set to benefit customers in Saudi Arabia and beyond soon, as the recently-launched
GX-5 satellite comes into commercial service in 2020, to meet the surging demand for high-capacity
broadband across the skies and seas of Europe and the Middle East.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Hapag-Lloyd Full-Year Earnings Leap $384 Million _____________________________________________________________________________________
Effects on Shipping from the Coronavirus Effect Far and Wide _____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Royal Mail to increase price of stamps - Feb 21st, 2020 7:21AM
Royal Mail has said it will increase the price of first class and second-class stamps.
The postal firm said the price of a first-class stamp will jump 6p to 76p and the price of a second-class
stamp will rise 4p to 65p from March 23.
The company said the price increases are "necessary" to ensure the sustainability of its universal service.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Dockman Historic Tug - Give a Little – Crowd Funder Campaign.
Dockman is a historic tugboat, built in 1949 at Hessle on the River Humber.
She remained in commercial service, until 2017, when I
bought her to save her from the scrap man with the
intention of refitting her and hopefully, either returning
her to service.
Or possibly, hopefully for use as a Sea Training Charity
specifically for Tug Boats.
Last year, her hull was shot blasted, welded and plating
replaced where necessary. Also repainted, at a cost of
£87 000, as the before and after photos show.
Unfortunately, work on her engine has gone seriously over budget, due to a firm of engineers failing to
complete work on time and at the agreed price. They requested a large 4 figure payment up front then
after failing to complete any work, they refused to refund anything.
A new engineer is due to commence work shortly. However, a new generator is still needed, which will
cost £2000 plus £300 for fitting.
It is my intention to sail Dockman again, this
year,
but this will cost money which I no longer have.
I have spent my life’s savings, and an
inheritance on her I have not done this for
profit but to retain an often under rated part of
our Maritime Heritage.
As such my main interest is in Dockman
herself, rather than in using her to make a
profit. There are other vessels, which I could
have bought, for far less than I spent on
Dockman, Boats belong at sea, not sitting idle
except for weekends and holidays.
However, I am equally happy to operate her as a preserved historic vessel.
Let's get her sailing again!
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bill-edwards?utm_term=MP9xGXzQq
Please Note that Dockman does NOT have Charitable Status and I do not claim such.
Dockman is on the National Register of Historic Ships, Registration number 3560.
For further information contact Bill Edwards - [email protected]
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
11 Coast Guard senior officials to stand trial for negligence of duty during
Sewol tragedy By Park Jun-yong, staff reporter
Eleven members of the leadership of
South Korea’s Coast Guard will
stand trial for disregarding their
responsibility to rescue the
passengers on the Sewol Ferry. Five
years and 10 months have passed
since the ferry sank in April 2014. A
special team of investigators into the
Sewol tragedy announced on Feb. 18
that it had indicted 11 Coast Guard
officials, including former Director
Kim Suk-kyoon, without detention
on a range of charges, including
neglecting their duty to carry out rescue operations. The indictments came 100 days after South Korea’s
public prosecutors organized the team of investigators in November 2019. At the time of the accident,
investigators believe, the Coast Guard leadership ought to have told passengers to immediately evacuate
the ferry and instructed the rescue team to enter the ship and rescue as many passengers as possible. Kim
Suk-kyoon is one of 10 senior officials at the Coast 10 Guard who are being charged with manslaughter
resulting from negligence on the job. Other officials facing charges include Kim Mun-hong, former head
of the Mokpo Coast Guard Office; Kim Su-hyeon, former head of the Yellow Sea Coast Guard Office;
and Choe Sanghwan, a former deputy department head at the Coast Guard. Investigators say that these
Coast Guard officials — along with Kim Gyeong-il, former captain of Coast Guard Vessel 123, which
was dispatched to the scene of the accident — were remiss in their duty to be alert on the job, leading to
the death of 303 passengers on the ferry and the injury of 142 others. Furthermore, Kim Mun-hong and a
senior superintendent surnamed Lee were also indicted for instructing employees to draft a false report
claiming that ferry passengers were instructed over the intercom to evacuate the ship at the time of the
accident. Investigators are charging these two with the crime of obstructing the exercise of individual
rights by overstepping their authority. Kim is also charged with submitting this false report to the Coast
Guard headquarters, which counts as the crime of composing and submitting a forged document. Last
month, investigators asked for arrest warrants against Kim Suk-kyoon and five other Coast Guard
officials on the charge of manslaughter resulting from negligence on the job, but the court rejected the
request, concluding that investigators hadn’t demonstrated “the necessity or significance of detention.”
After shoring up their evidence, the investigators handed the Coast Guard officials over for trial without
detaining them. The team plans to continue its investigation into the death of Lim Gyeong-bin, who was
not immediately moved to the hospital despite needing emergency medical care, and into allegations of
tampering with the Sewol’s digital video recorder source: english.hani.co.kr
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Red Sea Attack Foiled https://gcaptain.com/red-sea-attack-
foiled/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain
.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-037eccfc76-139894965&mc_cid=037eccfc76&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MSC Cruise Ship Heads to Mexico After Being Turned Away at Caribbean
Ports
https://gcaptain.com/msc-cruise-ship-heads-to-mexico-after-being-turned-away-at-caribbean-
ports/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.
com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-92a723f38d-139894965&mc_cid=92a723f38d&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Kim Suk-kyoon, former director of the South Korean Coast Guard,
testifies during an investigation of the Sewol ferry sinking in July
2014. (Lee Jung-woo, staff photographer)
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Case study: Manual handling causes back injury In February 2019, Skuld published Manual handling: an ever-present risk to remind our members of the
continued incidents in connection to musculoskeletal injuries. In addition, a simple assessment
methodology to mitigate risk of such injuries was included. To further remind our member’s of the
importance of maintaining good crew health and well-being and mitigating risk, the below is a case study
of an incident report to the club.
Event
Two crew members were told by an officer to move a main
engine spare from the engine room to the wet deck above. The
spare part weighted approximately 250 kg.
It was decided by the crew that as there was a swell it was not
possible to roll the part, so it was decided to pull and lift
instead. The component had to be moved from its initial
position along the deck through a doorway with a lip of
approximately 15 to 20 centimetres into the shaft tunnel and
then along the shaft tunnel to a hatch where the part could be
hoisted to the above deck. The two crew members first pulled
the component along the deck and then four crew attempted to
lift it through the door frame over the lip of the door. At this
point one of the crew members felt a ‘snap’ in his back
however continued to manoeuvre the part to the location
below the hatch and up to the next deck and completed the task. The crew member was unable to work
for the remainder of the passage.
Observations
There was no risk assessment or toolbox talk prior to starting the move performed by those who were
supposed to be supervising the task. The part itself was extremely heavy and should never have been
attempted to be moved by manual handling alone. It is a vital element of any task undertaken on board
that a full risk assessment is performed to ensure that risk is managed and to ensure it is as low as
reasonably practicable throughout the operation. In the case of a manual handling risk assessment it can
be very helpful to following a systematic assessment methodology such as the TILE method and we refer
to our article dated 5 February 2019 in this respect.
Mitigating actions
The following actions should be implemented to prevent further incidents:
• Review procedures to ensure the efficacy of risk assessments and toolbox talks. Risks and control
measures must be identified, put in place, discussed and understood by all, particularly by those
supervising the operations.
• Specifically, for manual handling tasks ensure that there is a systematic methodology and procedure for
risk assessment.
Financial cost
The cost of this claim was USD 583,000. Source: Skuld
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Ocean Liner Society Ship Show We are having another Ocean Liner Society Ship Show - Saturday, 7 November, from 10am until 4 pm in
the Masonic Hall, Albion Place, Southampton.
We anticipate having 25 tables offering a large variety of items for sale, as well two lectures being given.
Wonder if you could tell your members about this.
If you need further information, please do let me know.
Also, would you know of anyone who would like to have a table to sell memorabilia, or whatever?
Another option would be if any of your members like to donate items - we have a table which supports a
local children’s hospice near to where I live in Woodford, and items are always welcomed.
Desri Omer - Secretary - Ocean Liner Society
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
World’s first LPG-retrofit order exercises option for four additional engines MAN Energy Solutions says that Oslo-listed BW LPG, the first shipowner to place retrofit orders for the
MAN B&W ME-LGIP LPG-powered engine, has now exercised an option in the initial contract and
ordered a further four retrofits The initial contract covered the world’s first retrofitting of four MAN
B&W 6G60ME-C9.2 HFO-burning engines to 6G60ME-C9.5-LGIP LPG-propelled dual-fuel engines.
BW LPG has ordered the extra retrofits on the back of a successful TAT (Type Approval Test) for the
first ME-LGIP (Liquid Gas Injection Propane) retrofit engine, performed recently at the works of MAN
Energy Solutions’ two-stroke licensee, STX HI, in Korea. The original deal was signed in advance of the
official launch of the MAN B&W ME-LGIP engine in Copenhagen in September 2018 with the contract
exchanged publicly during the event. Through investments in pioneering propulsion technology, BW
LPG modernizes its exisiting fleet and reduces overall environmental impact. BW LPG is the operator of
LPG vessels and currently owns and operates 51 Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGC) and Large Gas
Carriers (LGC) including two VLGC newbuildings with a total carrying capacity of 4,159,213 CBM.
With four decades of operating experience in LPG shipping and experienced seafarers and staff, BW LPG
offers a flexible and reliable service to customers. With a global presence in nine countries, BW LPG
operates out of Singapore and is incorporated in Bermuda.MAN Energy Solutions enables its customers
to achieve sustainable value creation in the transition towards a carbon neutral future. Addressing
tomorrow’s challenges within the marine, energy and industrial sectors, we improve efficiency and
performance at a systemic level. Leading the way in advanced engineering for more than 250 years, we
provide a unique portfolio of technologies. Headquartered in Germany, MAN Energy Solutions employs
some 14,000 people at over 120 sites globally. Source : portnews
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Diamond Princess crew to fly home Seventy crew on board the DIAMOND PRINCESS cruise ship off the coast of Japan have been infected
with the COVID-19 virus, the International Transport Workers’ Federation report. All remaining crew, predominately Filipino and Indonesian, are to begin the process to be repatriated home in the coming days.
The breakthrough follows pressure from the ITF, FIT-CISL, the company and the Japanese government.
FIT-CISL, the ITF-affiliated Italian seafarers union, hold the collective agreement onboard the
DIAMOND PRINCESS. On 21 February, Princess Cruises gave approval for all 1004 crew from more
than 40 nations, to leave the vessel. Details surrounding repatriation procedures, as well as quarantine
requirements for crew who choose to remain on the ship will be confirmed. Minimum manning of the
ship will be guaranteed with a voluntary crew. “A voluntary team of new seafarers are ready to go on
board,” said Francesco di Fiore, ITF inspectorate co-ordinator Italy. “A new master is already in
Yokohama waiting in the hotel for instructions.” The move comes after concerns from experts that the
virus was spreading on board the vessel. “It was a mistake to insist on keeping all the crew on board
when it was only necessary to have a safe manning group onboard” said di Fiore. “But the crew remained
calm and were proud to stay, do their job and be part of the story.” ITF General Secretary Steve Cotton
wrote to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs this week on behalf of affiliated unions calling for
crew to be repatriated as more and more passengers were allowed to leave the ship. The ITF and its
affiliate the Seafarers’ Union of Russia (SUR) also sent requests to the International Labour Organization
to remind its member states and the company of their obligations under the ILO Maritime Labour
Convention 2006 for seafarers' health and safety.source : ITF
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Holland America Cancels Four More Cruise Ship Sailings Holland America Line has announced that four more sailings of the ms Westerdam have been canceled.
This comes on the heels of the ship’s last sailing becoming problematic after she was turned away from
numerous ports thanks to coronavirus-related fears “Due to the uncertainty of ports accepting cruise ships
in Asia, Holland America Line has decided to cancel Westerdam’s four March and April 2020 Asia
cruises,” reads a statement from the company. “Details and itineraries regarding Westerdam deployment
through early May will be provided in the coming days.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Ferguson shipyard 'forced into administration' by Scottish Government A troubled Clyde shipyard was "forced into administration" by the Scottish Government without giving
the private sector time to save it, a dossier compiled by its former owner has claimed. Fergusons, the last
yard in Scotland still handling non-defence orders, was nationalised by Holyrood ministers late last year
after a contract to build two new ferries was beset by massive delays and cost overruns.
Jim McColl, the Monaco-based billionaire who took charge of
the shipyard in 2014 through his Clyde Blowers company, has
been critical of how the Scottish Government has handled the
debacle. A dossier, compiled by a QC on McColl's behalf, has
now claimed Nicola Sturgeon's failure to mediate between
Fergusons bosses and government quango Caledonian
Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) led to the yard's collapse and
left taxpayers picking up the bill. The document suggests
ministers were wrong to reject a shared ownership rescue plan
on legal grounds. It said a proposal by Mr McColl to split
additional costs 50-50 with the Scottish Government could
have saved taxpayers £120m. "The Scottish Government did
not save this yard from administration, they forced it into administration by repeatedly refusing to instruct
CMAL to engage in reasonable requests for mediation," the document, seen by the Scottish Daily Mail,
said. Mr McColl appeared before a Holyrood committee earlier this month and called for a public inquiry
into the fiasco. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said ministers would soon be providing a detailed
response to Mr McColl’s committee evidence, which included a number of points it did not recognise.
“As we have stated having considered CBC’s alternative proposal over a number of weeks Minister found
it unviable, raising significant risks, requiring significant investment from Ministers and withdrawing the
remaining investment already committed by CBC. CBC’s proposal offered no further investments in the
business from them. “We have worked for more than two years to find a resolution to the difficulties at
Ferguson Marine and with the completion of the two CalMac ferries, protecting jobs, and securing a
future for the yard as our priorities and that remains our priority. “Three staff have left by mutual
agreement but no staff have been dismissed and in fact the workforce at Ferguson Marine has increased
by nearly 50 people, since it entered public ownership.” Source : the Scotsman
_____________________________________________________________________________________
British face higher EU prices when customs declarations costs added BRITISH consumers will face higher prices on goods coming from the European Union after Brexit,
according the British Retail Consortium (BRC) lobby, reports Bloomberg Products imported from the EU
next year will require customs declarations, which cost between GBP16 (US$21) and GBP56 per product
line. They will also need documents like rules of origin paperwork, new red tape that is automatically
triggered by Britain leaving the bloc's single market and customs union. "These things will have to
happen regardless of how good the deal is," said BRC adviser William Bain. "Any increase in cost in a
low margin industry is ultimately going to be faced by the consumer." Costs and delays for businesses
will rise further if the UK and EU fail to be pragmatic on other customs processes, the BRC said. The
most burdensome will be export health certificates, a form required to move products of animal origin
into the EU, which cost about GBP100 each and must be issued by a vet or other qualified professional.
Such products include meats, fish, cheeses and yogurts.Switzerland has been able to remove the need for
EHCs with the EU through a deal based on regulatory alignment, but the British government wants
regulatory autonomy. Source : Schednet
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Whale bubble-net feeding documented by UH researchers through
groundbreaking video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNhldKgPRg0
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The unfinished GLEN SANNOX was
launched in 2017 at Fergusons shipyard,
two years before the complex was
nationalised. Photo : Jim Prentice ©
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Captain Murdered on Tanker Off Venezuela - February 25, 2020 by Reuters
CARACAS, Feb 25 (Reuters) – Armed
assailants murdered the captain of an oil tanker
after boarding his ship while it was anchored
off the coast of eastern Venezuela, according to
a local union leader and a report from a
Venezuelan port authority.
Six armed individuals boarded the San Ramon
tanker early Monday morning in Pozuelos Bay
and shot the captain, Colombian national Jaime
Herrera Orozco, a report from the Puerto La
Cruz port authority seen by Reuters said.
A coast guard sergeant guarding the ship was also injured, the report added.
Crime has become a growing problem https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-oil-crime-
insight/pirates-and-hold-ups-crime-strikes-venezuelas-oil-industry-idUSKBN0P51G020150625 for
OPEC member Venezuela’s moribund oil industry during a six-year economic crisis, marked by
hyperinflation and shortages of basic goods. So-called pirates frequently rob equipment from oil wells in
Maracaibo Lake in western Venezuela.
Jose Bodas, an oil workers union leader in Puerto La Cruz, said the tanker had been waiting to enter the
Jose oil terminal to load with crude. He said it was the first time he could recall an attack of this type in
eastern Venezuela, and it was the first death at the hands of “pirates” he knew of.
“This is a demonstration of the insecurity we face, which is also present in the oil fields and undoubtedly
impacted production,” Bodas said in a telephone interview, adding that other members of the San
Ramon’s crew were missing.
Authorities have not provided official information about the incident.
Neither Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, nor the country’s oil or information ministries responded
to requests for comment. Neither the Puerto La Cruz port authority nor Venezuela’s INEA maritime
authority answered the phone on Tuesday, a national holiday.
The Mexican-flagged San Ramon has not transmitted its location since Dec. 10, when it was in the port of
Manzanillo in Mexico, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The owner of the tanker could not immediately
be established. (Reporting by Deisy Buitrago and Marianna Parraga Writing by Luc Cohen; Editing by
Tom Brown)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Gov't panel, responding to criticism, says cruise ship not designed to be
hospital By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Japanese health officials and experts on a government panel acknowledged Monday that the quarantine of
the virus-hit cruise ship DIAMOND PRINCESS was not perfect, but defended Japan's decision to release
about 1,000 passengers after 14 days. The officials said Japanese health authorities faced tough
challenges in dealing with a foreign-operated ship that required international negotiations in the absence
of established rules in such a crisis. “The ship was not designed to be a hospital. The ship was a ship,"
said Shigeru Omi, a former regional director for the World Health Organization. "Of course isolation was
not ideal as would be expected from a hospital, so in my view although the isolation was somehow
effective, to a large extent it was not perfect.” More than 690 people were sickened on the ship and three
died. ……………………………………………. Source : Japan Today
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Capt. Silverio Balbuena
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Family Sues Cruise Line After Child Dies - By Blue Virginia - February 22, 2020 0
A tragic accident occurred in July, 2019 when Chloe Wiegand, an 18-month toddler from Granger,
Indiana, fell from a window on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship after her grandfather unknowingly put her
by an open window. She fell 150 feet and died, with the story making headlines across the nation. Now,
six months after the tragic incident, the family is suing Royal Caribbean over the design of their windows
and railings.
The lawsuit claims that the ship they were on, the Freedom of the Seas, was not compliant with industry
standards or window fall prevention laws. To bolster their claim, the family have included photos of
other, similar cruise ships — such as the Carnival Cruise and Norwegian — who are more aligned with
industry standards.
Chloe’s mother, Kim Weigand, doesn’t want her daughter’s death to be in vain and hopes her this lawsuit
will bring awareness to risks on cruise ships for small children. She instead wants her daughter’s name to
be known for changing people’s lives, not for her tragic end, which they hope they can make a reality by
forcing cruise ships to be safer for children.
In an official statement, Weigand also said that there was no reason for the cruise ship they were on to
have walls of glass around the 11th floor, and for some of the windows to have partial openings. By filing
the lawsuit, she said she hopes it sends a direct message to the cruise line that their safety measures were
inadequate at best. She added that Royal Caribbean, not the child’s grandfather, was at fault for her
daughter’s death.
“When the tragic death of a child occurs, the emotionally-charged nature of the incident can make it
difficult to initially determine fault,” Attorney Larry Nussbaum of Nussbaum Law Group P.C. stated.
“However, it is still crucial for each side to be investigated, and for the facts to be considered without
bias.”
The man who was watching Chloe when she fell was Salvatore “Sam” Arnello, Chloe’s grandfather, who
was given a misdemeanor criminal charge for her death in Puerto Rico (where the incident occurred).
Arnello is colorblind, which some say could be the cause of his devastating mistake. Arnello said he
dropped her when he lifted her up to bang on the glass wall, not realizing the glass wasn’t there. The
family, however, has loudly supported Arnello, asking for the charges to be dropped.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Firm wants to recover the Titanic’s iconic telegraph machine
The salvage firm that has plucked silverware, china and
gold coins from the wreckage of the TITANIC now
wants to recover the Marconi Wireless Telegraph
Machine that transmitted the doomed ship’s
increasingly frantic distress calls. Lawyers for the
company, R.M.S. Titanic, Inc., called witnesses before
a federal judge on Thursday to explain why the
company should be allowed to possibly cut into the
rapidly deteriorating ship to recover the device before
it’s irretrievable. “It’s one of those iconic artifacts, like
the signal flares (that the sinking ship launched),” testified David Gallo, an oceanographer who retired
from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and is now a paid consultant for the firm.
Gallo, who testified in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, said that salvaging the device would not be
“grave robbery” but a way to connect people to the ship’s legacy and honor its passengers. U. S. District
Judge Rebecca Beach Smith, the maritime jurist who presides over Titanic salvage matters, said it was
too early for her to make any decisions on the proposal. She said she needed more details and proposed
Model of the TITANIC as seen in the museum
in Halifax (NS) Photo : Piet Sinke
www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
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scheduling another hearing sometime in the future. The TITANIC was traveling from England to New
York when it struck an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912. The large and luxurious ocean liner sent
out distress signals using the relatively new Marconi wireless radio system
The messages in Morse code were picked up by other ships and onshore receiving stations. They
included: “We require immediate assistance” … “Have struck iceberg and sinking” … “We are putting
women off in boats.” The ship sank in less than three hours, with the loss of all but 700 of the 2,208
passengers and crew. An international team led by oceanographer Robert Ballard located the wreckage in
1985 on the North Atlantic seabed, about 400 miles (645 kilometers) off Newfoundland, Canada. RMS
Titanic Inc., oversees a collection of thousands of items recovered from the site over the years as the
court-recognized salvor, or steward of the artifacts. The company has argued that time is running out to
retrieve the telegraph machine. It has been referred to as “the voice” of the TITANIC, which also
delivered the ship’s last words. The device is located in a room on the ship’s deck. A gymnasium on the
other side of the grand staircase has already collapsed. The roof above the telegraph machine has begun to
perforate. “I’m not sure if we go in 2020 that the roof won’t be collapsed on everything,” testified Paul
Henry Nargeolet, director of the company’s underwater research program. The company is already facing
resistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which represents the public’s
interest in the wreck site. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Virginia represents NOAA. Its attorneys argued
in court documents that the proposed retrieval runs contrary to prior court orders that prohibit the firm
from cutting holes or taking items from the wreck. The items that the firm has salvaged came from a
debris field outside the ship. “It seems clear that this is not simply a ‘one-off’ proposal for the Marconi
Wireless Telegraph, but a placeholder for future requests to take similar actions in order to recover other
artifacts from inside the wreck,” federal attorney Kent P. Porter wrote. Porter also wrote that the court
must consider international agreements involving the wreck as well as archaelogical standards to
determine whether the retrieval is justified. He cited the United Kingdom-based Joint Nautical
Archaeology Policy Committee, which said the company has failed to adequately justify its
proposal.Karen Kamuda, president of the Massachusetts-based Titanic Historical Society, Inc., told The
Associated Press in an email that the society “has been against disturbing the wreck since 1985 because it
is a gravesite.” “As usual, its all about money,” she wrote. Source : Southside Daily
Fairview Cemetery is a cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is perhaps best known as
the final resting place for over one hundred victims of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
Officially known as Fairview Lawn Cemetery, the non-denominational cemetery is
run by the Parks Department of the Halifax Regional Municipality,Fairview Lawn
Cemetery is located in the North End of Halifax at the Northern End of Windsor
Street. It is bordered by the Saint John Anglican cemetery on one side and the Baron
Recovered artifacts of the TITANIC on display in Halifax Photo: Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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de Hirsch Cemetery on another. One hundred and twenty-one victims of the RMS Titanic sinking are
interred at Fairview, more than any other cemetery in the world. Most of them are memorialized with
small gray granite markers with the name and date of death. Some families paid for larger markers with
more inscriptions. The occupants of a third of the graves, however, have never been identified and their
markers contain just the date of death and marker number. Surveyor E. W. Christie laid out three long
lines of graves in gentle curves following the contours of the sloping site. By co-incidence, the curved
shape suggests the outline of the bow of a ship.
Photo’s : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
One of the better-known TITANIC markers is for an
unidentified child victim, known for decades as The
Unknown Child. No one claimed the body, so he was buried
with funds provided by sailors of CS Mackay-Bennett, the
cable ship that recovered his body. The marker bears the
inscription 'Erected to the memory of an unknown child
whose remains were recovered after the disaster of the
"Titanic" April 15, 1912'. In November 2002, the child was
initially identified as 13-month-old Eino Viljami Panula of
Finland. Eino, his mother, and four brothers all died in the
Titanic disaster. After additional forensic testing, the
unknown child was reidentified as 19-month-old Sidney
Leslie Goodwin, an English child who perished with his
entire family.
A grave marked "J. Dawson" gained fame following the
release of the 1997 film TITANIC, since the name of
Leonardo DiCaprio's character in the film is Jack Dawson. Many filmgoers, moved by the story, left
flowers and ticket stubs at Dawson's grave when the film was first released, and flowers continue to be
left today. Film director James Cameron has said the character's name was not in fact inspired by the
grave. More recent research has revealed that the grave actually belongs to Joseph Dawson, an Irishman
who worked in Titanic's boiler room as a coal trimmer. The Fairview Titanic graves also include the
burial place and marker of William Denton Cox, a heroic steward who died while escorting third class
passengers to the lifeboats. Twenty-nine other Titanic victims are buried elsewhere in Halifax; nineteen in
the Roman Catholic Mount Olivet Cemetery and ten in the Jewish Baron de Hirsch Cemetery.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Grays Harbor Historical Seaport’s Hawaiian Chieftain Up For Sale “Hawaiian Chieftain has been an important part of our operations for nearly three decades, so this was a
difficult decision to make.
Grays Harbor Lady Washington & Hawaiian Chieftain: Columbia River Battle Sail http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2020/01/grays-harbor-lady-washington-hawaiian-chieftain-columbia-river-
battle-sail/
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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Major rescue operation called off after claims DFDS passenger went
overboard is confirmed a hoax A major rescue operation was called off after a passenger who reported a man-overboard incident
on the Amsterdam ferry withdrew his report. By Fiona Thompson
HM Coastguard confirmed the incident was being handled as a hoax
alert. Crew reported the incident on the North Shields-to-Ijmuiden
DFDS ship after the witness who raised the alert was interviewed by
a member of its top staff. The incident began to unfold during the
hours of darkness when the man claimed he saw a person fall
overboard from the KING SEAWAYS A helicopter was sent to the
area, about 55 miles east of Flamborough, while three commercial
vessels were called in to help and other resources including man
overboard boats were launched as part of the initial response. A
lifebuoy with lights was also thrown into the sea, and the captain made a so-called Williamson turn, a
manoeuvre that turns the ship around to follow the same course in the opposite direction towards the
location of the incident. Following the operation, rescue authorities reported the incident to the UK and
Danish police, as the ship sailed under Danish flag and the incident took place in international waters. The
ship's captain Flemming Langballe praised his staff for their swift response, including the officer on duty,
chief officer, commercial head who interviewed the man who made the report and “quickly
communicated it when it proved to be a false alarm.” “The crew acted in an extremely professional
manner,” Captain Flemming Langballe added. “Later on, however, the man who caused the alarm
withdrew his report. “We used the PA system to check if other passengers had seen anything and after
confirming that they had not, we agreed with Humber to call off the search. Due to good wind conditions,
the ship reached its destination just 45 minutes late after the alert, which was raised at 11.45pm on
Wednesday, February 19. Source : shieldsgazette
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Captain Schöber Named Sea Cloud Spirit Captain The 54-year old Captain from Germany has many years of
windjammer experience, according to a press release. "It is
very special to be the first Captain on such a unique ship,"
said Schöber. On August 29 he will set sail with guests for
the ship’s maiden voyage. Under his command, the SEA
CLOUD SPIRIT is also going to call in the United States for
the first time, in Miami in March 2021, wrapping up a
Central American sailing.
Capt. Schöber will continue the tradition of the company’s
open bridge policy, welcoming all guests on the bridge to
answer questions and participate in discussions. In the coming weeks, he will accompany the SEA
CLOUD and SEA CLOUD II on trips to learn everything about the ships and atmosphere onboard. "At a
time when everything seems to be over-the-top, faster and more digital, traditionally hand-sailed ships
stand for pure deceleration and relaxation. It is an awe-inspiring experience, when a ship is only moved
by wind power,” said Schöber. Schöber came to commercial shipping later in life. His father was a naval
officer, and he learned to sail in the Flensburg Fjord in Germany at a young age, and later served for four
years with the Navy. However, he decided to give the marine life a break, and studied business and then
later worked as an IT specialist. But he yearned for a new adventure, the seas were calling. Schöber took
off for a Baltic Sea trip for several months with his own boat, and finally let his passion become a
profession, and decided to pursue a seafaring career. Schöber studied nautical science, maritime transport,
and logistics at the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, and completed his training as a naval cadet,
and then sailed as an officer on merchant ships at a Hamburg-based shipping company. Source:
cruiseindustrynews
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The KING SEAWAYS moored in the
port of Tyne Photo : Capt Alex ©
Sea Cloud Cruises has announced the new
Captain for the SEA CLOUD SPIRIT,
Gerald Schöber.
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Crew Kidnapped from Oil Tanker by Andreas Exarheas
Reporting indicates that the ALPINE PENELOPE crude oil tanker has been attacked while in transit
towards Lagos, resulting in the kidnap of nine personnel, Dryad Global has revealed on its website. The
identities of the kidnapped crew remain unknown, although Dryad highlighted that the vessel is known to
have a crew of 24 personnel, consisting of Georgians, Filipino and Ukrainian nationals. Dryad, which
outlined that the “source
confidence level” of the
incident is “high”, said
the fate of the crew
remains unclear at this
stage. This is the
seventh incident to
occur in the waters off
Cotonou since January
19, according to Dryad. Of those, five have resulted in illegal boardings offshore, two of which resulted in
kidnappings of crew, Dryad pointed out. “Within 2019 the waters off Lome and Cotonou witnessed an
increase in both volume and severity of maritime crime incidents,” Dryad said in a company statement
posted on its website. “Dryad advise that all vessels transiting the area be subject to thorough transit risk
assessment prior to entry into the area and implement full mitigation measures,” Dryad added. Dryad
describes itself as an expert in maritime risk and global security. According to the company’s website,
there have been 544 attacks on commercial shipping in the last two years. In November last year, Marine
Services Provider Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO) revealed that the Pacific Warden Anchor Handling Tug
Supply Vessel was attacked offshore Equatorial Guinea. SPO noted that 15 crew members were on board
at the time of the attack. Eight were said to be “safely ashore and unharmed” while the remaining seven
were said to have been “taken by the attackers”. SPO revealed on Christmas day that these seven crew
members had been released. In December 2019, Bloomberg reported further kidnappings offshore Nigeria
and Cameroon.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Ship captain and chief officer fined $17k after crewman passed out in cargo
hold A captain and chief officer of a cargo ship which docked at the Port of Tauranga were fined $17,550 after
a crewman's safety was put at risk and providing false or misleading information. Court documents
released to the Bay of Plenty Times this week reveal the circumstances behind a safety breach which
resulted in Maritime New Zealand prosecuting two of the ship's officers.Documents show the crewman
was sent down to the cargo hold containing palm kernel, which was known to deplete oxygen in the air,
despite no atmospheric testing. The crewman fell unconscious and was rescued by Fire and Emergency
New Zealand. He was taken to Tauranga Hospital where he was placed in an induced coma. He was
discharged from hospital on September 10 and has made a full recovery. The Maritime NZ investigation
established that the vessel had been fumigated before departing Malaysia where the cargo was loaded. It
included using the chemicals aluminium phosphide and ammonium carbonate, which can produce toxic
gases phosphine, hydrogen phosphine, ammonia and carbon dioxide. When the ship arrived in Tauranga,
the holds were opened and tested by an approved testing agency to ensure there were no traces of
phosphine gas. But the agency failed to test for concentrations of oxygen in the holds.About 4.30pm on
September 6, the victim entered the cargo hold to undertake cleaning and blowing operations. A
crewmate was with him at the time. Source : NZHerald
_____________________________________________________________________________________
SNP man questions Scottish Government over future orders
for Ferguson Marine _____________________________________________________________________________________
File photo of the ALPINE PENELOPE moored in Rotterdam Europoort in 2013
Photo : Krijn Hamelink ©
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Collision: Master “Fixated” on Electronic Chart The U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its accident investigation report
into the ro-ro passenger ferry RED FALCON colliding with a moored yacht on October 21, 2018. At
0811, when navigating in severely reduced visibility in Cowes Harbour, the master of the RED FALCON
lost orientation when his vessel swung out of control, departed the navigable channel and was spun
around through 220°. In his confusion the master drove the ferry in the wrong direction resulting in a
collision with the moored yacht GREYLAG which was sunk on its mooring as a result. Visibility varied
between 0.2 and 0.5 nautical miles, but dropped to about 50 meters at the time of the collision. The MAIB
report states that the master became fixated upon the information displayed on his electronic chart and
operating engine controls, ignored information displayed on other electronic equipment and became
cognitively overloaded due to high stress. The bridge team became disengaged from the operation due to
a lack of clear communications and emergency scenario training.
The MAIB Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents Andrew Moll said: “Our investigation highlighted how
quickly restricted visibility can negatively affect individuals’ awareness and orientation, which increases
their stress and impacts on decision making. Crews on vessels of any size can be affected, but the
consequences can be mitigated by prior preparation and training, effective teamwork and a full
understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the available instrumentation.” Nobody was on board
yacht GREYLAG when it was struck and overrun by RED FALCON In this respect, the family on a
yacht on a nearby swinging mooring had a lucky escape, said Moll. “When Red Falcon swung around it
narrowly missed Cowes Yacht Haven marina wall, and had yachts been rafted there the consequences of
this accident could also have been much more severe.” Red Funnel’s operating procedures for navigation
stated that: “All Masters and Officers must practice blind pilotage in clear weather as a Bridge team in
order to establish confidence and familiarity with the Radar pictures of the district and the techniques
required to maneuver the vessels without visual references. Such blind pilotage exercises must be carried
out and recorded at intervals not exceeding one month.” Any blind pilotage training carried out was
recorded within the company’s computer-based training record system. The records showed that the crew
of Red Falcon had last undertaken blind pilotage training departing Cowes on the day before the accident.
The training records did not show who undertook the role of helmsman, and therefore who had practiced
steering by compass or steering within Cowes Harbour. Further investigation of the records revealed that
the helmsman on the day of the accident had not steered a Raptor class ferry into Cowes for over 10
months. The report is available at
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e4e4575d3bf7f393d5ab2ad/2020-6-RedFalcon-
Greylag.pdf
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Yantian Express fire Germany’s maritime casualty investigation bureau said coconut charcoal was the likely cause of the fire
that broke out on board Hapag-Lloyd’s 7,510teu Germany- agged Yantian Express box ship on 3 January
2019 while en route to Halifax, Canada. It identified three containers as the possible cause of the fire, one
of which was laden with coconut charcoal, erroneously declared as coconut pellets. The crew evacuated
by tug. Source:- Flashlight
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Crew rescued Thirteen Indian crew were rescued from the Panama- flagged bitumen tanker Reem 5 in the Arabian Sea
following a distress signal while en route from Basrah, Iran to Hazira, India. The Indian Coast Guard
diverted nearby cargo vessel Ganga to rescue seafarers from the vessel that had suffered engine room
flooding and started to sink in adverse weather. The 1,782 cu m Reem 5 is operated by UAE- based
Aurum Ship Management. Source:- Flashlight
_____________________________________________________________________________________
'There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking.
It's called marriage.' Sam Kinison _____________________________________________________________________________________
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Giant VLOC Listing Off Brazil - February 26, 2020 by Mike Schuler
A giant VLOC loaded with iron ore has run into
trouble off the coast of Brazil sparking fears that
the ship could sink.
The ship, Stellar Banner, began developing a
severe list to starboard Tuesday evening around
9:30 p.m. local time after departing the Vale-owned
Ponta da Madeira terminal in São Luís, Brazil.
AIS ship tracking data shows the ship departed
Madeira on February 24, bound for Qingdao,
China.
The Marshall Islands-flagged Stellar Banner, with
a deadweight of 300,000 tonnes, was built in 2016
and is owned and operated by Polaris Shipping of
South Korea. It is chartered by the Brazilian mining
company Vale.
All 20 crew members have been evacuated from
the ship as a precaution.
Reports indicate that the ship may have struck an object that caused the vessel to take on water.
Global salvage firm Ardent has been hired to draw up salvage plans.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Vertical integration a matter of survival for container shipping giants By : Linton Nightingale
VERTICAL integration was a necessity if the container
shipping elite were to survive, according to a regional
manager of French carrier CMA CGM. Speaking to Lloyd’s
List on the sidelines of the Qatar Maritime & Logistics
Summit, Doha,
Romain Martimort, based in the Middle East, said that
vertical integration became an inevitability following the
global financial crisis in 2008-2009. Indeed, he said the event
offered a wake-up call and exposed more than ever the
vulnerability of the sector, as the industry counted the
financial cost to the tune of billions of dollars. However, as
carriers faced up to huge losses, others stood to gain, notably
the major forwarders. “We made losses of about $800m, and Maersk $1bn plus, while Kuehne + Nagel
made around $1bn at the time,” said Mr Martimort. He went on to argue that, if anything, the crisis
showed that if carriers were to survive in the future, they could no longer rely solely on their core
business. “Understanding the volatility of the market is so important. You have to have capacity to take
some hits in one sector or one region or activity,” said Mr Martimort. “You need shipping, port
activity… but you also need to have land activity, like we have with Ceva Logistics, which is why we
made the acquisition last year. “We are talking about a $30bn business for the CMA CGM group and the
margins we are looking at by the end of the year are plus or minus close to zero, so it’s a very thin
margin. You have to have this scale of service for clients, but when shipping is in a tough moment, it
brings an opportunity maybe to the forwarding side and the other way around.”This vertical shift too has
also brought benefits to customers, he said. “When, for example, you’re trying to make your $50 and the
forwarder is trying to make their own $50, you can come to him and say look I’ll make $75 —you’ll
make more profit, the customer makes a saving and this is where you have the leverage. “It is a way of
offsetting your risk. It’s a way of survival. But it is also now the expectation of the market.” Source :
Lloydslist
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Photo shows the Stellar Banner with a severe
list off the coast of Brazil, February 26, 2020.
The CMA CGM ARKANSAS navigating
the Singapore Strait Photo : Piet Sinke
www.maasmondmaritime.com (c)
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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Theft and extortion common experiences, say seafarers Seafarers have spoken of the pressures caused by corrupt practices when they arrive at some ports.
Interviews gathered by academics at Cardiff University reveal those working at sea are often faced with
demands for cash and provisions when their vessels enter ports. One seafarer spoke of his crew being
forced to resort to food rationing between ports, while another described seeing a supervisor hand over
money from his own pocket, fearing a delay to their schedule might cause him to lose his job.
One seafarer said: “There are ports where cigarettes and alcohol are so important that sometimes the pilot
boat will refuse to come alongside unless you have a man on the deck waving the cartons for them to
take. So that’s a lot of pressure.
“It causes a lot of discomfort and it causes enough discomfort for grown men to shed tears. We feel
powerless. It’s very degrading.” Researchers have also been told of incidents where vital safety
equipment on board is compromised by thefts of brass fittings.
Another seafarer said: “There are certain ports we go to, where we’ve identified theft is quite high. So,
before we arrive, we go around the ship, we remove all those brass fittings so they can’t be taken away. It
makes you nervous and worried. We’re trained to deal with fires but we’re not firefighters, so having the
safety critical equipment taken away from you because of pilfering leads to that extra stress.”
These first-hand testimonies are a continuation of research led by Professor Helen Sampson of the
Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) and are included in a film to raise awareness of their
plight. More than 1.5 million people worldwide work at sea, in dangerous conditions and far from home.
Professor Sampson, who is based in the University’s School of Social Sciences said: “Our research
provides insights into the challenges frequently faced by seafarers. We have reports of port officials
engaging in a variety of corrupt practices which include demands for facilitation gifts, theft of provisions,
demands for cash payments, theft of brass fittings and equipment and fraud in relation to the supply of
fuel, known as bunkers.
“The amount of resistance they can mount in the face of such practices is limited and they are
increasingly constrained by relatively new company policies aligning with anti-corruption legislation.
This places them in an unenviable position when they arrive in ports and are met with demands for things,
which they cannot provide, from powerful individuals who can arrange for the delay and detention of a
ship at considerable cost to their employers. “In these circumstances, seafarers fear being blamed, and
potentially sacked, by their companies for any negative outcomes arising from their refusal to meet the
demands of port personnel. As a result, they may resort to disbursing their own personal cash or ‘raiding’
the welfare funds which are provided for recreational equipment on board. “It is important that port
officials start to appreciate that they are not engaged in a victimless crime when they make demands for
money and provisions from seafarers or when they steal from their vessels.” Professor Sampson will
present the findings and show the film to an industry audience at the CrewConnect European conference
in Amsterdam in May. It will also be distributed to stakeholders in shipping companies and ports across
the world.She added: “It is also important that employers understand the position of seafarers in these
situations and the desperate measures they resort to as a result of being placed in an impossible position. I
hope our research will help improve the lives of the many seafarers that are affected by these issues.”
Versions of the film are available in English with subtitles in Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese,
Spanish, Italian, and French. They have been produced with funding support from Lloyd’s Register
Foundation. SIRC was established in 1995 with the aim of conducting research on seafarers. The Centre
has a particular emphasis on issues of occupational health and safety. It is the only international research
facility of its kind and has built up unparalleled experience of research in this field. Source: Cardiff
University
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Recruitment scam NYK Group Europe has warned seafarers of a bogus ‘large-scale maritime o cer recruitment campaign’,
that asks maritime jobseekers to hand over passports, documents and money. The fraudsters are posing as
NYK Group Europe. The company has reported the scam to the authorities and issued a warning on its
website: www.nyksm.com.sg. Source:- Flashlight
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The Pulse
Seafarers denied sign-off as fears of coronovirus mount Seafarers who have visited Chinese ports are being denied off-signing by countries fearing the spread of
the deadly coronovirus, Nautilus has been told by a member who asked to remain anonymous.
Off-signing is when a seafarer comes to the end of his or her contract of employment on board a vessel
and prepares for crew transfer and transport home.
Seafarers refused off-signing by a disembarkation country could be stuck on board for many additional
weeks, or even months, depending on the vessel’s schedule and disembarkation port.
Crew could face an additional 14 days on board to Singapore from China, or an additional 30 days on
board to Qatar after leaving China, for example.
‘This is not good for crew reliefs,’ the source said.
Refusing crew relief would directly contradict advice fromthe International Maritime Health
Association (IMHA). IMHA updated its shipping-specific advice on reducing the risk of infection from
the new coronavirus on January 26 to include:
• Do not restrict embarkation / disembarkation of seafarers in non-affected ports
• Do not restrict necessary ship visits by port agents, chaplains, service personnel and others
IMHA also recommended that ship operators store facial protection for all crew, with a minimum of five
pieces per person. Source:- Flashlight
_____________________________________________________________________________________
BOOKS
The Second Officer’s Wife and Other Stories By Robert OgdenPaperback, £6.99(available in the
Nautilus Bookshop)
ISBN: 978 17887 67958
******
Anwei’s DiamondBy Robert OgdenPaperback, £9.99(available in the Nautilus Bookshop) ISBN:
978 10904 17398
Both titles are available as e-books on Amazon Kindle
Thrilling nautical stories from a seasoned seafarer.
******
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse: An Illustrated History By Michael StrachanAmberley, £14.99ISBN: 978
14456 82518
History of a much-loved lighthouse. Source:- Flashlight
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Update on MV Stellar Banner Vale S.A. (“Vale”) informs that it was made aware by the operator of the vessel MV Stellar Banner that
the vessel suffered damage in the bow after leaving the Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, on Monday
night (24), outside the port access channel. It was also reported to Vale that, as a precautionary measure,
the 20 crew members were safely evacuated and that the vessel’s captain agrounded the vessel about 100
kilometers off the coast of São Luís. The vessel, built in 2016, is owned and operated by the South Korean
company Polaris. As port operator, Vale is offering technical-operational support, sending tug boats, and
collaborating with maritime authorities. Port operations remains normal, with no impact on shipments.
Some new video shows the state of the wreck on Thursday:
https://gcaptain.com/giant-vloc-listing-off-
brazil/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain
.com%29&goal=0_f50174ef03-2375272667-139894965&mc_cid=2375272667&mc_eid=4c72dd3685
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Rotterdam to host ACI’s 24th Ballast Water Management Conference on 7-8 April 2020 According to the organizers, the two days event will give an essential insight into the potential ship-owner
and port solutions, and also the analysis of retrofitting and maintenance experience, through case studies,
interactive sessions and panel discussions led by industry experts. The conference will provide an in-
depth look at the latest developments in the Ballast Water Industry, focusing on technological and
regulatory advances. Source : portnews
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The Pulse
Incredible moment archaeologists discover 200 ancient Roman amphorae
‘used to store wine' in underwater cave off the the coast of Majorca The jugs were found in the Fuente de Ses Aiguades cave in the bay of Alcudia
The cave was discovered in 1998 but is now being mapped with the latest tech
Experts believe that the amphorae were left by sailors as a religious offering
Animal bones are also found in the cave, including some from an extinct goat
Around 200 Ancient Roman amphora have been discovered in an underwater cave off of the coast of
Majorca — in the first dive down there in 20 years.
Amphorae are ceramic pots — often used to store wine, other liquids, or grain — that have a two-handled
design that dates back to the Neolithic Period.
The artefacts were found in the Fuente de Ses Aiguades cave, which lies in the Bay of Alcudia on the
northeastern coast of Majorca, in the Spanish Balearic Islands.
Experts from the so-called 'Underwater Archaeological Research in the Caves of Mallorca' Project are re-
exploring the caves using the latest technology.
The team believe that the ceramicware was left in the cave by sailors as some form of ritual offering.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8019835/Around-200-ancient-Roman-amphora-used-
store-wine-discovered-underwater-cave.html
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EU irked UK won't impose barriers between Britain and Northern Ireland THE lame duck Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, Leo Varadkar, who stays on briefly as
caretaker PM, having lost a recent national election, is accusing the British government of "back sliding"
by not imposing customs checks on goods going between Britain and the British province of Northern
Ireland.Mr Varadkar said "there can be no backsliding" on the Northern Ireland protocol in the
Withdrawal Agreement, reported state-broadcaster Raidio Teilifis Eireann (RTE). He said the withdrawal
agreement is an international treaty and "we expect the British government to honour that in full". At
issue is the British government's failure to require ports to implement checks on goods, a failure that
would cast the Irish government, as EU agents, in the unpopular role as sole impediment to a trade that
has continued unimpeded even during the troubles of the 1960-90s. This British refusal to take an
unpopular step leaves the EU, and its agent, Irish Customs, left to create barriers to trade where none
existed before, and unlike the past, be unable to blame the British for the inconvenience. James Slack,
Downing Street spokesman, insisted businesses in Northern Ireland will have unfettered access to the
market of mainland Britain. And, he said, the government had not asked any ports to prepare for new
checks on goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland. That may raise fears among European
Union officials that the UK is trying to back away from promises made during the its divorce from the
EU, reports Bloomberg. "We will comply with our obligations," Mr Slack told reporters in London. Mr
Slack indicated that regaining Britain's political independence and freedom from the EU's legal system
will take priority over any trade. "The UK's primary objective in the negotiations is to ensure we restore
economic and political independence on January 1, 2021," he said. Source: Schednet
_____________________________________________________________________________________
MSC Meraviglia Cruise Ship Receives Clean Bill of Health from Mexico After
Being Turned Away From Cayman Islands MSC MERAVIGLIA received a clean bill of health from the Mexican authorities and was permitted to
dock in Cozumel today -- a day later than planned -- after being turned away from the Cayman Islands
over unfounded coronavirus fears. The day before, the 4,475-passenger ship had been delayed by
Jamaican officials in Ocho Rios by four hours, leading MSC Meraviglia to leave the port before approval
was granted.
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
70 coronavirus-infected Filipinos left behind in Japan By: Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Jovic
Yee - @inquirerdotnet
Seventy infected Filipino crew members of the cruise ship Diamond Princess were left behind in Japan on
Tuesday as the Philippine government evacuated more than 400 of its citizens from the coronavirus-
wracked vessel docked south of Tokyo. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that, as of
Tuesday, 80 of the Filipinos aboard the ship had tested positive for the new coronavirus that was
spreading from China. Ten of the Filipinos had recovered and been discharged, the DFA said. Health
Secretary Francisco Duque III told reporters that the Filipinos who were left behind were receiving
treatment in hospitals in and around Tokyo. Philippine Airlines sent two chartered planes to Tokyo on
Tuesday to pick up the Filipinos to be extracted from the cruise ship moored off Yokohama. The first
plane, carrying staff from the DFA, landed at Haneda airport in Tokyo at 4:27 p.m. and the second at 6
p.m. Japan time. Earlier on Tuesday, the Department of Health (DOH) could not give the exact number of
repatriates because anyone who would show symptoms of the flu-like disease would not be allowed to
board the plane and would instead be taken to the nearest hospital. A similar check would be done on
disembarkation at Clark International Airport in Angeles City, Pampanga province. Those who would
show no symptoms would be taken to Athletes’ Village at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac province, for
a two-week quarantine and those who woul show symptoms would be taken to area hospitals equipped to
handle the infection.
Later on Tuesday, the DFA said the first plane carried 311 repatriates and the second flew home 140.
Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan said 525 isolation rooms at Athletes’ Village were ready for the
repatriates. There were originally 538 Filipinos aboard the Dia-mond Princess Seven of them were
passengers and the rest members of the ship’s crew. The Filipinos began to disembark from the stricken
ship at around 3 p.m. Japan time. Photos provided by the DFA showed the Filipinos emerging from the
vessel wearing disposable masks, with some also wearing disposable gloves, and presenting themselves
for passport checking.
They were met by personnel from the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and the DOH wearing protective
suits, goggles and masks. From the Port of Yokohama, where the cruise ship has been moored since Feb.
5, the Filipinos traveled by bus to Haneda airport in Tokyo where they boarded the Philippine Airlines
planes. The first plane landed at Clark at 8:30 p.m. and the second at 10:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
The Diamond Princess, with more than 3,700 passengers and crew, was quarantined on Feb. 5 after
authori-ties learned that a former passenger who got off the ship in Hong Kong had tested positive for the
new coronavirus. Nearly 700 people on board the vessel have tested positive for the virus. Four who were
hospitalized after being taken off the ship have died.
South Korea travel ban
On Wednesday, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases will decide whether to
impose a ban on travel to and from South Korea, where there are now 893 confirmed cases of the new
coronavirus, the largest outside China, which now has 77,658 cases and 2,663 deaths. Duque said the task
force would listen to representatives from different sectors then decide whether to restrict travel to and
from South Korea.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Tuesday said he opposed a travel ban. “If we are asked, we will not
recommend a travel ban on South Korea Our labor office there is also not recommending a travel ban,”
Bello said. More than 13,000 Filipinos work in South Korea. Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
____________________________________________________________________________________
India orders crews to stay on board ships at risk of coronavirus _____________________________________________________________________________________
NYK Cruises to cancel cruises due to coronavirus _____________________________________________________________________________________
Coronavirus Covid-19: Oil prices set for steepest weekly drop Oil prices have declined to their lowest point since more than a year and are set for their biggest weekly
drop in more than four years as the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) raised fears of slowing demand
worldwide.
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Second cruise ship turned away from multiple ports over possible coronavirus BY JOHN BOWDEN –
A second cruise ship has been refused entry at multiple ports over fears of coronavirus among those on
board. The New York Times reported Wednesday that the MSC MERAVIGLIA was refused entry in
Jamaica and the Cayman Islands after a crew member reported flu-like symptoms, raising fears from
health officials in the two countries of a possible coronavirus transmission. “In an abundance of caution,
in order to provide protection to the health and safety of the residents of the Cayman Islands, the
government has denied permission for the cruise ship to call on Grand Cayman as previously scheduled,”
said Cayman Islands health minister Dwayne Seymour. “The crew member had a cough, fever and
associated muscle pains with a travel history to a country of interest relating to the Covid-19,” added
Jamaica's health ministry in a statement to the Times. In a statement issued on Tuesday, however, MSC
Cruises contended that the crew member had undergone proper health screenings in Miami and not
exhibited further symptoms indicating coronavirus was present. “The crew member had traveled to
Miami from Manila, via direct connection in Istanbul,” MSC said, according to the Times. “He developed
symptoms of common flu and tested positive to Type A influenza after he visited the ship’s 24/7 Medical
Center while already on board. He has no other symptoms.” The dispute comes just weeks after a cruise
ship operated by Holland America Line was refused entry by four east Asian countries over fears of
coronavirus, though cruise line officials maintained that no passengers or crew members on board tested
positive or showed signs of the disease. Source: The Hill
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Vale clarifies incident with contracted vessel Vale S.A. (“Vale”) informs that it was made aware by the
operator of the vessel MV STELLAR BANNER that the vessel
suffered damage in the bow after leaving the Ponta da Madeira
Maritime Terminal, on Monday night (24), outside the port access
channel. It was also reported to Vale that, as a precautionary
measure, the 20 crew members were safely evacuated and that the
vessel's captain agrounded the vessel about 100 kilometers off the
coast of São Luís. The vessel, built in 2016, is owned and operated by the South Korean company Polaris.
View the movie at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPpnEtH6ph0&feature=emb_logo ! As port
operator, Vale is offering technical-operational support, sending tug boats, and collaborating with
maritime authorities. Port operations remains normal, with no impact on shipments. Source : portnews
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Colombian Navy Seizes Cocaine from Bulker off Aruba In a joint interdiction operation conducted with the Dutch Coast Guard,
the Colombian Navy boarded a bulker off the coast of Aruba and seized
at least one tonne of cocaine. The operation was the culmination of a
long investigation involving Colombian, British, Dutch, Montenegrin
and Serbian authorities. The vessel, the ARESSA, was under way from
Puerto Guaranao, Venezuela to Thessaloniki, Greece. Authorities
believe that the cocaine's shipper intended to deliver it to the Europea
market through a Greek seaport. Cocaine retails for between $50-$100 per gram in the EU, according to
the latest numbers compiled by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and it wholesales for roughly $2 per
gram in Colombia - creating a significant business incentive for smuggling. In neighboring Venezuela,
where the ARESSA last called, the national economy is in free fall and corruption is commonplace; U.S.
drug enforcement authorities believe that high-ranking Venezuelan officials have discovered a lucrative
side business in facilitating the transshipment of Colombian cocaine. The ARESSA was crewed by
Montenegrin nationals, according to media in the Balkans. Serbian, Croatian and Montenegrin organized
crime groups are believed to control a significant fraction of the cocaine trade between South America
and Southern Europe, as shown by several recent sting operations in the EU. Source : MAREX
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Hydro wins key project for next generation coastal cruise ships “We are very pleased that we were able to use our innovative design and aluminium shipbuilding
knowledge to support what will be among the most environmentally friendly coastal cruise ships in
service,” says Chris Moyle, Sales Director Marine & Offshore in Hydro’s Extruded Solutions business.
The two Norwegian coastal cruise ships
(Kystruten) ships ‘HAVILLA CAPELLA’,
‘HAVILLA CASTOR’, will be identical:
124.1 meters long, 22 meters wide and able to
carry 640 passengers. The ships will be
powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas) and
batteries. The ships will be delivered to the
customer at the end of 2020. Hydro was
awarded the contract by Tersan Shipyard in
Turkey after reviewing light-weight
alternatives to steel for the upper sections of the ships. The advantage of aluminium is the possibility to
design extrusions with a very high strength-to-weight ratio compared to steel. By choosing aluminium
extrusions from Hydro, it was possible to reduce the overall weight of the vessels to improve
displacement and draught issues. When using aluminium instead of steel, the overall weight reduction of
the selected area was about 50%.
“We are pleased to be working with Hydro for the supply of their innovative aluminium products. Their
know-how brought additional value to the projects while reducing the weight. We trust we will have
opportunities to establish a good long-term cooperation,” says Turgut Özden, Deputy Shipyard Director
of Tersan in Yalova.
Hydro delivered an optimized aluminium design to meet the following criteria:
• Space restrictions such as ceiling heights and pillar locations
• Reduce the weight as much as possible
• Provide an innovative design to speed up the construction process
• Meet all the strength and deflection requirements
The concept design from Hydro was incorporated into the Havyard design and approved by DNV-GL.
When the concept from DNV-GL was approved, Hydro started working with Tersan to fine tune the
profiles and Friction Stir Welded (FSW) panel designs.
Industry trend
The coastal cruise ships from Havila Kystruten AS are equipped to the highest technological and
environmental standards with the objective to travel silently and emission free. “There is definitely a
trend in the ship building industry now with ship builders and designers looking for light-weight
alternatives. A key reason is due to shipping regulations related to environmental requirements,” says
Moyle. Hydro has already established a solid presence in a large part of the maritime industry, supplying
thousands of tonnes each year to cruise ships, ferries, yachts and for various other vessel types. Source:
Hydro
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Ocean Liner Society Ship Show - Saturday, 7 November, from 10am until 4 pm in the Masonic Hall, Albion Place, Southampton.
We anticipate having 25 tables offering a large variety of items for sale, as well two lectures being given.
Also, would you know of anyone who would like to have a table to sell memorabilia, or whatever?
Another option, would any of your members like to donate items - we have a table which supports a local
childrens' hospice near to where I live in Woodford, and items are always welcomed.
If you need further information, please do let me know.
Sincerely
Desri Omer, Secretary - Ocean Liner Society, [email protected]
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
IMO developed guidelines for taking onboard samples of fuel from ships IBIA says the IMO has developed guidelines for taking so-called “onboard” samples of fuel from ships, a
move that will enable relevant authorities to take samples to check if ships are complying with the high
sulphur fuel oil carriage ban that takes effect on 1 March. Ships are already prohibited from using fuel
with sulphur above 0.50% sulphur under MARPOL Annex VI as of 1 January 2020. The carriage ban
means they will not be allowed to carry it in their fuel tanks either. Only ships with approved exhaust gas
cleaning systems can use and carry HSFO in their fuel tanks.
The draft ‘2020 Guidelines for sampling of fuel oil intended to be used or carried for use on board a ship’
were agreed at the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 7) last week. The
objective was to ensure that such samples can be taken in a safe and consistent manner to allow
authorities to assess whether ships are complying with the carriage ban. The samples can be sent for
testing to varify compliance, applying the sulphur verification procedures agreed at the 74th session of the
Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 74). This means a test result up to and including
0.53% sulphur would be considered as having met the regulatory requirement because the 95%
confidence limit is applied to in-use and onboard samples taken from ships. Shipping organisations raised
concerns about whether samples collected in accordance with the new onboard sampling guidelines
would be representative of the actual sulphur content in the tank. PPR 7 nevertheless agreed on the
guidelines because they are needed to support enforcement efforts. The draft guidelines will be forwarded
to MEPC 75, which meets 30 March to 3 April 2020, with a view to adoption.source : portnews
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BP extends multi-million-pound vessel contract with Vroon Offshore Services Vroon’s fuel-efficient ERRVs align with BP’s net-zero ambitions Vroon Offshore Services (VOS) Ltd
has secured a three-year contract extension with BP, worth around £30million.
One of the largest providers of emergency response and rescue vessels (ERRV) in the North Sea, VOS
will continue its exclusive provision of four class-leading, high-performing vessels to support BP’s North
Sea and West of Shetland assets until 2023. These are VOS DISCOVERY, VOS FAIRNESS, VOS
INNOVATOR and VOS VIGILANT.
The extended contract will guarantee continuity in the
delivery of vital standby cover for BP’s offshore workers and
secure the jobs of around 100 Vroon seafarers. Left : The
VOS FAIRNESS Photo : Jim Plug © Craig Harvie, VOS
Aberdeen Managing Director said: “With BP’s commendable
and ambitious targets to become net-zero by 2050, we are
pleased to be able to support them with our extremely
fuelefficient vessels, many of which have diesel-electric
power generation that significantly reduces their carbon
footprint. “Sustainability and carbon reduction are key
considerations for our customers’ future needs and we are
proud to be able to meet these.” VOS Aberdeen operates a
fleet of 38 ERRVs out of Aberdeen. A major part of the fleet
has cargo-carrying capabilities, while some vessels have
towage and tanker-assist features. With its own rescue-craft
maintenance workshop in Montrose,the company employs 50 people onshore and 1,000 seafarers.
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Pearl Harbor Attacks - As It Happened - Radio Broadcasts (1941) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Buw4XYc8E&feature=youtu.be Compilation Of Mutual and CBS Radio Bulletins From December 7th, 1941. December 7th 1941. Pearl
Harbor attacks. Excerpts from the December 7, 1941 broadcast of the Jack Benny radio show AKA "The
JELL-O Show" The original radio broadcast from unidentified USA radio station and it's EMERGENCY
BROADCAST announcement from Washington DC. This is a CBS News Bulletin about the Pearl Harbor
attack on 12/7/1941.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The VOS VIGILANT outbound from
Aberdeen Photo : George Saunders ©
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
Philippine Officials Accuse Captain of Evading Quarantine Measures The Philippine Coast Guard has detained the bulker HARMONY SIX after the vessel's master allegedly
gave false information about the ship's last port call in China. Like many other nations, the Philippines
requires vessels arriving from China to wait for 14 days - during the transit voyage or at anchor off the
port - before entering and conducting cargo operations. The waiting period is intended to enable detection
of any possible novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on board. The master of the Harmony Six stands
accused of misrepresenting the date of the vessel's departure from China in order to enter the Philippines
after only six days under way. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the HARMONY SIX departed
Changzhou on February 18, and she allegedly turned off her AIS the following day. Her AIS signal
resumed on February 23, in Philippine waters. Philippine authorities noted the sudden reappearance and
investigated.
In questioning, Vietnamese national Captain Luu Van Loi allegedly told officials that the vessel departed
China on February 10, not February 18, in order to “fit into the 14-day quarantine period" at Philippine
seaports. On the order of Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Joel Garcia, the vessel was detained
at Poro Point, Luzon, and the Philippines Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) boarded to examine the crew.
Philippine authorities are considering criminal charges for the alleged infraction. "The agency continues
to exert all possible efforts to uphold maritime safety and maritime security at major ports of entry in the
country by ensuring the strict implementation of guidelines and preventive measures against COVID-19,"
said PCG chief of operations Rear Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan in a statement Thursday. Source : MAREX
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Royal Navy ship ready for sea after major upgrade A Royal Navy warship is ready to return to sea after being the first to
receive a major new upgrade at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth.
Aerospace and Defence Company Babcock International today
announced it has now completed the Power Generation and
Machinery Controls Update (PGMU) embodiment for HMS
RICHMOND. The frigate is the first Type 23 to receive such a work
package. The PGMU replaced the main generators and conversion
equipment and was accompanied by a fully modernised control and
surveillance system, making it easier to control and monitor the
engines. A spokesperson for Babcock said: "The design team at Babcock built a Virtual Reality (VR)
model which they used to support the design and production process. Each affected compartment was
laser scanned from 10 different positions to create a detailed digital image. Designers then removed
redundant systems from the model and overlaid the new systems in software. "Following the refit HMS
RICHMOND is now ready for sea trials. "The PGMU package is the biggest design change for the Type
23 platform since build and formed a large proportion of a total upkeep package which involved a team of
over 350 Babcock employees working a total of 1 million hours. The installation included 600 metres of
new pipework and over 8 km of new cable." Mark Varney, Babcock's Project Manager for Marine
Warships, said: “The use of virtual reality and 3D CAD technology allowed us to anticipate any issues
ahead of working on HMS RICHMOND. "In particular, the pipefitters working on the frigate were
enthused by it, as it provided an opportunity to manufacture accurate pipework by CNC rather than
traditional wire methods; resulting in a significant saving in production hours.” Will Erith, Babcock’s
Surface Ships Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to have worked with our Customer to complete
this rigorous work package and are excited to see her progress through sea trials in the final important
phase of the project." Following sea trials HMS RICHMOND will spend the rest of the year undergoing
extensive training. Source : plymouthherald
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The US Navy’s 7th Fleet Self-Quarantine — No Port Calls for 14 days Ships in the 7th Fleet has been ordered to spend at least 14 days at sea between port visits as nations in
the region battle outbreaks of the new coronavirus.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
HMS Richmond is the first Type 23
Frigate to receive new Power
Generation and Machinery Controls
Update
MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
HMS Erebus Artifacts Provide Glimpse into Franklin Expedition Sailors Lives Posted: 01 Mar 2020 09:17 AM PST
Artifacts recovered during 93 dives by Parks Canada on
the wreck of HMS Erebus over three weeks this fall
provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the officers
and sailors on the doomed Franklin Expedition of 1845.
More than 350 artefacts have been recovered, including
epaulets from a lieutenant’s uniform, ceramic dishes,
wine bottles, a hairbrush with strands of human hair, and
a pencil case. Sealing wax with the imprint of a
fingerprint believed to belong to Edmund Hoar, the
captain’s steward was also found.
“We have had the most successful season since the
discovery of the wreck,” Marc-André Bernier, manager
of Parks Canada’s underwater archeology team, told
reporters in a press conference. “The preservation of the
objects is quite phenomenal.”
Franklin’s lost expedition was a British voyage in search of the Northwest passage led by Captain Sir
John Franklin that departed from England in 1845 aboard two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. The
two ships became icebound in Victoria Strait near King William Island in the Canadian Arctic, in what is
today the territory of Nunavut. The entire expedition of 129 men, including Franklin, was lost. The
expedition is considered one of the worst disasters in the history of polar exploration. The wreck of HMS
Erebus was discovered in 2014. HMS Terror was located in 2016.
Watch video at Parks Canada explores the wreck of HMS Erebus and collects new artifacts
Thanks to Roberta Weisbrod for contributing to this post. Source :- Old Salt Blog.
P.S.
A book, recently read and recommended, is “Erebus” written by Michael Palin
(available at bookshops and Amazon etc) _____________________________________________________________________________________
B O O K REVIEW By : Frank NEYTS “DP Operator’s Handbook”
The Nautical Institute recently published the third edition of the book entitled “DP Operator’s
Handbook”, written by Captain David Bray FNI Dynamic positioning is a highly effective tool for
precision control of vessels, and its use has spread well beyond the offshore oil and gas sector.
Increasingly, DP capability is found on dredgers, cruise ships, superyachts and vessels involved in
renewable energy projects.
In this third edition the content has been revised to take account of advances in technology and its
application aboard DP-equipped vessels. It is a practical guide for serving and trainee DPOs and trainers,
so concentrates on operational functions, setting up and testing equipment, bridge management and
communications.
The handbook is the flagship text for the DP Training Scheme administered by The Nautical Institute and
is an indispensable reference for all seafarers who need to understand and use this sophisticated
technology. The Nautical Institute is the international professional body for qualified seafarers and others
with an interest in nautical matters. The NI provides a wide range of services to enhance the professional
standing and knowledge of members who are drawn from all sectors of the maritime world.
“DP Operator’s Handbook” (ISBN 978-1-906915-76-6), 142 pages, is issued as a softback. The book can
be bought from the better bookshop, or one can contact The Nautical Institute, 202 Lambeth Road,
London, SE1 7LQ, UK. Tel. +44.(0)20.7928.1351, Fax +44.(0)20.7401.2817, [email protected] ,
Web: www.nautinst.org .
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
COVID-19 advice to ships New guidelines to avoid or manage an outbreak of coronavirus on board ships are now available. They
include preboarding screenings, isolation cabins, outbreak management plans, contact tracing, quarantine,
daily cleaning and disinfection. The World Health Organization (WHO) Operational considerations for
managing COVID-19 cases/outbreak on board ships released on 24 February, is recommended for use in
conjunction with its Handbook for management of public health events on board ships.It calls on
shipowners to provide crew guidance so they can recognise signs and symptoms of the virus, such as
fever and coughing, recent travel to or residence in China or other world hotspots. If a suspect case is
identified, the ship should start an outbreak management plan on board, even before lab results confirm
an infection. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has advised crew to keep a distance
from sick people and keep interactions brief. If possible interactions should be limited to a single crew
member. Crew should wash their hands often and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. Ships
should ensure availability of conveniently located dispensers of an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Crew
should wear disposable gloves when in contact with sick people or contaminated areas. Seafarers
suspected of contracting the virus should immediately wear a mask and be isolated. The ships master
must inform the health authorities at the next port of call. Contact tracing should begin immediately.
Crew on board a suspected case are assessed as high risk or low risk. Anyone who has shared the same
cabin, had close contact with the infected person in a closed environment such cabin stewards, restaurant
staff, gym trainers, healthcare workers, people dining at the same table or crew working together, are high
risk. They should remain on board the ship in their cabins or preferably at an onshore facility. If a test
proves positive any people who were in close contact should go into onshore quarantine. Cabins and
quarters where patients and close contacts have stayed should be cleaned and disinfected daily. All
laundry, food service utensils and waste should be handled as infectious. For large ships carrying
seafarers from many countries, failure to do so, may have international ramifications. Once the ship is in
port authorities should conduct a risk assessment and decide in consultation with the ship owner whether
to end the cruise or voyage. Workers should wear eye protection, long sleeved gowns and gloves when
loading patients into an ambulance. WHO advises a ship should be sanitised and have a new crew before
sailing. All passengers and crew not considered high risk should still provide their details to be kept on
board for at least one month after disembarking in the event a case is confirmed after the voyage has
ended. For further information: WHO Web site for COVID-19
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
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Professionally Digitising Historic Editions of the Lloyd’s Register of Ships
(1760-2000) The Centre’s Digital Archivist Michael has been utilising optical character recognition (OCR) software as
well as colour correction to ensure each edition is of the highest quality. To be the first to hear about the
release of these editions, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The new editions will
replace the scans which can currently be found here. In the meantime, you can find the Register books up
to the year 1884 on archive.org. Source: - LR Foundation
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STEM Crew Module Launch The 1851 Trust are pleased to announce the launch of the first of three new HEC education resources on
STEM Crew. The free resource covers the curriculum topic of modern/composite materials and features a
short film and supporting teacher and student materials. You can watch the film here.
https://www.stemcrew.org/resources/modern-materials/
HEC archive materials illustrate the “past, present and future” context. The resource launch by 1851 Trust
incudes emails to 3,000+ teachers registered on STEM Crew (representing 28% of UK secondary
schools), together with a wider email campaign to over 10,000 STEM teachers. The next modules on
forces and mechanisms will follow later this year. Source: - LR Foundation
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MNA CIRCULAR 2020 - #05 6th March 2020
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The Pulse
30,000 New Uploads to Website Last month we uploaded around 30,000 newly digitised documents on to our website,
https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/ . This upload featured around 300 port locations and underscores the
truly global nature of Lloyd's Register (LR). One interesting collection stems from Basra, Iraq detailing
LR correspondence https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-library/documents/search/survey-
office:basrah#search-sec with the Mesopotamia Persia Corporation regarding the vessels British
Enterprise, St Athan and Zenobia. The Centre’s Digital Archivist Michael was delighted to find
documents closer to home in Lovell’s Wharf, Greenwich. Michael is certain that this is an area many
locals do not even know and therefore highlights how our vast archive can intrigue those simply willing
to learn more about their local area.
In some cases, the physical documents themselves are of interest. We had one document from 1833,
which was one year before the reconstitution of LR in 1834. The item was a list of expenses for the
barque Agnes, built in 1811 in Liverpool. We also added different forms of items to our online collection.
For example, we have more than a dozen photographs of the Swedish ship Lima dozen photographs being
repaired near the Azores. The vessel was later sunk by a U-boat during the Second World War with a
cargo of 2,500 tons of tea and 1,500 of tons tobacco. Source: - LR Foundation
_____________________________________________________________________________________
The Boat Parade for the 150th Anniversary of the establishment of an RNLI
Lifeboat Station at Weymouth Captain Gareth Peaston,
former first officer on the
QE2 and owner of a 35-foot
yacht locally was a member
of the organising team and
Gareth agreed that he and I
would organise this Boat
Parade between us.
Come the day, which
thankfully dawned bright and
sunny with only about a force
3 wind, we had well over 200
boats including HMS Pickle,
five former RNLI Lifeboats
and two Dunkirk Little Ships,
our own two RNLI Lifeboats,
and a brand new RNLI
Shannon Class lifeboat from
Poole. We also had eight gigs
from the Weymouth and
Portland Rowing Clubs taking
part.
Amazingly, given the number of boats, coupled with the fact that there were numerous boats arriving in
Weymouth that day from further afield who knew nothing about the Boat Parade, there were no
significant incidents; in fact the only problem was the congestion in the harbour for a while during the
periods between the opening times of the Town Bridge at 12.00, 13.00 and 14.00 to allow traffic to enter
into our out of the inner harbour. There were inevitably few “cowboys” in Tupperware sports boats and
cruisers who were not part of the Parade and ignored all the signals from the organisers and other boats
and generally behaved like complete idiots but there were no major issues on the day at all.
Source:- Clive Edwards
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CLAN LINE REUNION 2020 The annual Clan Line Steamers reunion will take place at The Liner Hotel in Liverpool on Wednesday 07
October 2020. The annual Clan Line reunion is one of the last remaining reunions to be held by a former
major United Kingdom shipping line. Sadly, a number of the other UK major shipping company’s
reunions have desisted in recent years.
The reunion is open to all former employees, spouses and partners, both sea-going and shore-staff of the
British and Commonwealth Shipping Company. If you sailed in any of the British and Commonwealth
Shipping Company lines vessels, or meet the above criteria, you are welcome to attend the reunion.
The reunion consists of a three-course lunch, bar refreshments and raffle and is generously supported by
the Cayzer family. In excess of a hundred former employees, spouses and partners attended last year’s
event.
We look forward to welcoming all attendees, especially new and first timers to this year’s reunion. No
walk-ups, you have to be registered on the invitation database in order to attend.
For further information regarding this year’s reunion and to be added to the invitation database please
contact Catharina Smith at Cayzer House. Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 7802 8453.
Dave Tyler
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British PM threatens to walk, giving EU four months to make a Brexit deal BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson has informed the European Union (EU) he'll walk away from the
negotiating table in June if it's not clear he's going to get a Canada-style free trade agreement for the UK.
The recently published UK's negotiating mandate for the next stage of Brexit was in many areas close to
what the EU published recently. The main differences were around how closely the UK has to stick to EU
regulations - the so-called level playing field, how the deal will be structured and governed, and fishing
rights in UK waters. "It is a vision of a relationship based on friendly cooperation between sovereign
equals," the government said. "With both parties respecting one another's legal autonomy. The
government will not negotiate any arrangement in which the UK does not have control over its own laws
and political life." The UK is setting a tough timetable for the negotiations, saying it wants the broad
outline of an agreement by June, so the deal can be finalised by September. Britain will assess in June
whether the talks are on course to succeed, and then decide whether to continue or to "focus solely" on
preparing to leave the EU's regulatory orbit without a deal on December 31. "We want the best possible
trading relationship with the EU, but in the pursuit of the deal, we will not trade away our sovereignty,"
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove told the House of Commons. While the EU sees June as a stock-
taking opportunity, it has said it will keep trying to get a deal until the last possible moment, reports
Bloomberg. In another potential sticking point, the UK said it won't agree to EU institutions, including
the bloc's Court of Justice, having jurisdiction in the UK. To the EU, that marks a shift from the
commitments Britain made in the Political Declaration, the non-binding part of its Withdrawal Agreement
with the bloc. The UK wants the right to have its own policy on subsidies and tax and to refuse any
European Court of Justice jurisdiction. This would make it impossible, under European law, for the EU to
enforce any deal in which the UK pledged to follow the bloc's state aid rules after Brexit. The details of
the UK mandate show that, on financial services, it's not looking for a closer relationship than a nonEU
country would expect. But Britain does want safeguards against the EU suddenly withdrawing the right
for UK financial services companies to trade in the bloc. Source : Schednet
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Normandy Memorial Trust – Update https://www.normandymemorialtrust.org/news-story/memorial-construction-update/
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Amsterdam’s Boats Go Electric Ahead of 2025 Diesel Ban _____________________________________________________________________________________
Q. What is a terminal illness? >>>>> A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)
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Zycraft introduces modified Dolphin USV By : Kelvin Wong, Singapore
Singapore-based unmanned maritime systems developer Zycraft has produced a logistics-optimised
variant of the Dolphin rescue unmanned surface vessel (USV), the company told Jane’s. According to
Zycraft president James Soon, the company has developed the BacPac sea transfer module to carry
payloads of up to 10 kg between ships that are unable to manoeuvre alongside each other due to sea
conditions or security concerns. The Dolphin USV seen with a prototype BacPac sea transfer module
during recent trials. (Zycraft) The baseline Dolphin rescue USV measures 1,150 mm long, 800 mm wide,
and 250 mm tall, an has a displacement of 13 kg. It can operate for up to 30 minutes between charges and
is powered by a pair of electric waterjets that propel it at speeds of up to 8 kt.
“The Dolphin is a product created by Ocean Alpha in January 2019 for man overboard or distress person
situations at sea,” said Soon, adding that the USV has been designed to be operated by one person – with
minimal training – via a handheld controller. The USV can be deployed off the stern or sides of a vessel
and recovered using a grapnel hook or line lift, although it can also be extracted from the water by hand if
conditions permit.
A weight transfer device enables the sea vehicle to be lifted out of the water without excessive induced
motion. “It can be radio controlled to 500 m range and is usable under most sea conditions and has been
proven in at least Sea State 3,” Soon added. “It can be dropped from a height of 20 m from the deck of a
merchant ship or a bridge over a river.” Soon highlighted that the BacPac module enhances the command
radius of the Dolphin USV beyond 500 m by exploiting commercially available communication 4G or
LTE networks, enabling the USV to be controlled from a shore-based control station. The sea vehicle can
also be configured as a perimeter surveillance platform with an onboard camera and additional lithium ion
batteries. “The BacPac unit will also carry additional battery packs to enhance the endurance of the
Dolphin and make use of the camera and AIS receiver to conduct surveillance in front of a protected
area,” Soon explained. “This would make it among the lowest cost USV for security purpose to at least
provide visual surveillance over a large frontage …endurance of well over 12 hours is expected.”
According to Soon, the baseline Dolphin USV is already being delivered to customers globally with the
BacPac module expected to be ready for orders by April. The company is also in discussions to
demonstrate the system for port logistics. Publication: Jane's International Defence Review
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Avoiding Bottom Damage When Falling Dry Afraid of falling dry? Do it the right way!
DNV GL’s new class notation NAABSA provides a clear framework for ships to
avoid damage when calling at ports with a high tidal range where they might fall
dry during loading and discharging.
Ports with a high tidal range, such as Bromborough, Greenwich and Glasgow in
the UK, or Rochefort and Les Sables-d’Olonne in France, along with several ports
in river estuaries in South America, pose a persistent challenge to cargo ships at
berth because they can fall dry at low tide, which can result in costly ship bottom
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deformation if the ground is uneven.
The safe way to fall dry
Bottom damage is avoidable by
designing the structure of a vessel
appropriately when it is likely that it will
call at such ports. From an economic
viewpoint this approach is preferable to
reducing the payload ‒ and sacrificing
income ‒ to avoid falling dry, or risking
costly repairs. Another key question is
whether the bottom of the port is level
enough to allow the ship to rest on it
evenly. To date, the BIMCO charter
clause "Not always afloat but safe
aground" (NAABSA) has confirmed that
a ship is allowed to moor at locations
where the bottom of the harbour basin is
safe (flat, homogenous and free of hard points) enough for the vessel to fall dry without suffering damage.
Aside from the BIMCO charter party contract, the requirements for NAABSA operations are mentioned
in many building specifications. But many operators would like to see more specific provisions, not least
because of insurance-related considerations: “Our customers whose ships call at NAABSA ports in
Argentina, England, Scotland, France and Russia have expressed this wish in many conversations with
us,” says Jan Rüde, Ship Type Expert MPV, Hull Structure and Outfitting at DNV GL.
To get a comprehensive picture of what the industry needed, DNV GL consulted with owners and
external ship designers before developing its new class notation called NAABSA, which accounts for the
practical experiences of these stakeholders. “Generally speaking, reinforcing the bottom structure of a
vessel is adding weight you cannot load as cargo, provided that all other parameters remain unchanged,”
explains Huib van der Pas, construction specialist at Groot Ship Design. The Dutch design firm
specializes in medium-sized and smaller vessels. “It is important to strike a balance between
reinforcements that provide a meaningful safety margin for NAABSA operation and adding unreasonable
extra weight.”
The new class notation (DNV GL-RUSHIP Pt. 6 Ch. 1 Sec. 13) went into effect on 1 July 2019. It spells
out technical requirements regarding the reinforcement and structural integrity of ship bottoms, in
particular the shell bottom, stiffeners, floors and longitudinal girders. Even ships not built according to
the DNV GL rules can be checked to determine their fitness for the new NAABSA notation. The pressure
a ship’s bottom structure must withstand depends on a number of factors. DNV GL’s experts based their
calculations for the NAABSA bottom pressure on conservative assumptions. In the scenario underlying
these rules, the ship falls completely dry while touching the ground only with the flat portion of its
bottom. The distance between longitudinal girders on the ship bottom must not exceed 4.5 metres, and
ship length is limited to 90 metres. However, these are only standard values; calculations can be adapted
to the individual ship as required. “When calculating the bottom pressure, we followed the client requests
and developed easy-to-use formulas and load assumptions. Experiences shared by customers have been
very helpful in this respect,” says DNV GL’s expert Rüde. A wide tidal range can cause ships to fall dry
while at berth and requires a reinforced hull. Implementing the new NAABSA rules in a newbuilding
project requires knowledge but is generally not too complicated, says van der Pas, a result of the close
cooperation between DNV GL and Groot Ship Design. “You apply the customary rules but substitute the
pressure you would use under the standard rules with the pressure to be taken into account for
NAABSA,” he explains. “This pressure value is easy to calculate, with only the displacement at full draft
and the area of the flat bottom of the vessel needed as input quantities. Divide one by the other, apply a
safety factor, and you are done. Compared to loads of other static and dynamic forces that have to be
taken into account during structural design, this is trivial. For the designer, the time needed for NAABSA
calculations hardly makes a difference when estimating the budget for basic structural design.” The
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technical requirements of the notation have now been incorporated into DNV GL’s calculation software
POSEIDON. “All the users of our software have to do is place ticks in the relevant boxes,” says Rüde.
The new rules exclusively specify structural integrity requirements for a ship’s hull. This allows owners
to obtain the NAABSA class notation without having to meet a costly and impractical docking
requirement after the first NAABSA operation. However, falling dry also can affect a vessel’s ability to
fight fires and cool engines. Equipment such as thrusters, propellers and rudder can be affected as well.
Such risks are addressed by a Guidance Note in the rules for the NAABSA class notation. “We
consciously avoided including any additional requirements that go beyond verification of the structural
integrity, leaving other aspects the responsibility of the owner,” explains Rüde. After all, keeping things
simple but relevant makes customers’ lives easier. Source: DNV GL
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HMS Prince of Wales to begin F-35 trials in January 2021 The Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, HMS PRINCE OF WALES, will begin fixed-wing trials with
the F-35 in January 2021, the ship’s commanding officer has told Naval Technology. Speaking on the
flight deck of the aircraft carrier while docked in Liverpool on Saturday, HMS Prince of Wales’
commanding officer Captain Darren Houston outlined the timeline for the ship’s future trials, including
when fixed-wing aircraft would begin trials on the ship. Rotary wing aircraft, like the Merlin helicopter,
will be trialled first before progressing to the F-35. Basic sea trials will continue with the ship through
autumn, clearing the way for further operations. Houston told Naval Technology: “This year is really
about generation of the ship itself, the internal aspects but also the external. The first part is really making
sure we are able to take helicopters and we build up the deck experience and also the pilots and the
aircrew as well. “So we’ll have the Merlin helicopters a bit later on, but later on this year we will do
some more work with them and then into the autumn we commence our basic sea training and that tests
every aspect of the ship.
That’s all about the fight,
the float, the move, the
self-protect and the
aviation parts of our
business.” Houston, who
was number two in
command during HMS
QUEEN ELIZABETH’s
flight trials last year and
served previously on HMS Illustrious, went on to say that these initial trials will progress the ship towards
embarking and trialling F-35 aircraft on board. He said: “That then leads us into fixed-wing trials which
are beginning in January 2021. That is when we will go out to the United States, to the East Coast, and we
will embark our F-35s.” He added that while they will be putting the F35s ‘through their paces’, the crew
would be doing the same with the ship to train for all weather conditions to build difficult datapoints for
operations in high sea states and heavy winds. Houston said the trials would take the aircraft and the ship
to the ‘highest end of its envelope’. The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are the only ships in the
world built and designed around F-35 operations, earning it the moniker of a ‘fifth-generation’ ship
among its crew. Operating two vessels makes the UK’s Royal Navy the premier European carrier force
within NATO. Asked if, as some critics have complained, the ships were a waste of money and if aircraft
carriers were obsolete, Houston said that if China is building its own carriers, they are still relevant. He
explained: “For those that say no, they are an outdated thing, I’d look very carefully why China has just
built a second one and has another in service. We need to be able to react, and be on the world stage.”
HMS Prince of Wales was in Liverpool for a visit named Operation Heartland, during which some 30,000
visitors are expected to be welcomed on board. The ship is affiliated to Liverpool and Bristol. The
second-in-class ship is seen by its crew as the ‘biggest and fastest’ in the Royal Navy, being four metres
longer and as much as three knots faster than its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth. Source: naval-
technology
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The HMS PRINCE OF WALES at anchor of Rosyth Scotland. Photo : Alex Gourlay ©
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Support wanted in Brighton & Hove to attend the Funeral of Late Peter
Clark Neal
If anyone could please attend the funeral of Peter Clark Neal at The Woodvale Crematorium South
Chaple, Leewes Road, Brighton, BN2 3QB on Thursday 19th March at 13:30hrs it would be
appreciated.
Peter was not a member of the MNA but he was MN. He died in Hospital without family so only
neighbours will be at the funeral to pay respects. The MNA is providing a Red Ensign funeral drape.
If you are in that area and are able to attend his funeral and pay respects to a ‘Shipmate’ his
neighbours would appreciate it.
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Draft Convention on International Organization for Marine Aids to
Navigation includes all proposals of Russia The Diplomatic Conference on the Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to
Navigation was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 25-28 February 2020. Yury Mikhoov, General
Director of Federal State Unitary Hydrographic Department, told IAA PortNews about the Conference
results. Among the Conference participants was the delegation of the Russian Federation including
representatives of the Defence Ministry, the Transport Ministry and State Corporation “Rosatom”.
Andrey Oleynikov, Deputy General Director of Hydrographic Department was also among the delegation
members.
All the proposals of the RF delegation related to the functioning of the new organization were included in
the Convention. Among them was the proposal to include the Russian language into the list of official
languages of the newly established organization. Upon completion of the Diplomatic Conference, the
member states signed the Final Act entitling the IALA member states sign and ratify the Convention.
“So, - said Yury Mikhov, - the work conducted by the Russian delegation will let Russian organizations
involved in ensuring safe navigation in waters under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation use the
global experience in servicing aids to navigation and develop the national system of navigational aids on
a technically sophisticated level complying with the global standards”.
Yury Mikhov reminded that Rosatom has been actively involved in IALA activities from October 2019.
The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), in its
Resolution of 27 May 2014 in A Coruña, Spain, believing that international intergovernmental
organization status would best facilitate IALA’s aims into the future, determined that IALA should strive
to achieve such status as soon as possible by supporting the development of an international convention.
Since then, three Preparatory Diplomatic Conferences have been held, where the participants prepared the
text of a draft Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation. IALA
(International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities) is a non profit,
international technical association. Established in 1957, it gathers together marine aids to navigation
authorities, manufacturers, consultants, and, scientific and training institutes from all parts of the world
and offers them the opportunity to exchange and compare their experiences and achievements. USSR
joined IALA on 1 January 1958. IALA is headquartered in St Germain en Laye, France. IALA
encourages its members to work together in a common effort to harmonise aids to navigation worldwide
and to ensure that the movements of vessels are safe, expeditious and cost effective while protecting the
environment.
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Allseas to Convert Drillship to Deep-Sea Metals Collection Vessel _____________________________________________________________________________________
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Port of Tyne First UK Port to Become A Connected Ports Partner Port of Tyne’s membership of global data and resource sharing initiative the ‘Connected Ports
Partnership’ has been welcomed by the new Maritime Minister, Kelly Tolhurst MP. The Port of Tyne has
announced it will be the first UK port to join the Connected Ports Partnership. The global data and
resource sharing initiative was welcomed by the new Maritime Minister, Kelly Tolhurst MP, as she
congratulated the Port of Tyne on being at the forefront of driving innovation across the North East’s
international logistics cluster. She commented: “The development of our world-leading maritime ports is
fundamental to our success as a global trading nation and I’m delighted to see the Port of Tyne become
the first in the UK to join this exciting partnership. “This announcement underlines our commitment to a
smarter, cleaner and more efficient maritime industry that supports 181,000 jobs and generates billions of
pounds for the economy.” Connected Ports is a collaboration between a network of global operators,
which include the ports of Rotterdam, Gdansk, Helsinki, Hamburg and Los Angeles.
In order to take major steps forward in the efficiency and
cost reduction of world trade lanes and reduce carbon
emissions, it is necessary to have a shared logistics system.
Through pooling data and resources, the Connected Ports
Partners aim to transform the way ports operate. The Port of
Tyne has been leading the way in innovation through the
UK's first Maritime 2050 Innovation Hub Matt Beeton, Chief
Executive Officer, Port of Tyne, said: “We are excited to join
this innovative, world-leading and collaborative initiative.
We look forward to learning from each other and being the
first in the UK to work towards co-creating a global hub of
connected ports by extending important maritime
developments such as data standardisation.” Since launching
the UK’s first Maritime 2050 Innovation Hub, the Port of
Tyne has been collaborating to develop solutions to technological challenges facing the maritime sector
and the wider logistics industry. Joyce Bliek, Director Digital Business Solution, Port of Rotterdam, said:
“The Connected Ports Partnership is about cocreating new models of data exchange, and collaboration is
vital for sustainable development across international gateways. Ports have a major role to play in using
smart technology that can improve global logistics.” The first step in joining the Connected Ports
Partnership will see the Port of Tyne advance the seamless trade in sharing data by adopting shared
technology to co-develop a mutual platform for monitoring shipping and environmental data. Source: Port
of Tyne
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Five Surgeons are Discussing Who Makes the Best Patients to Operate on.
The first surgeon, says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table because when you open them up,
everything inside is numbered."
The second, responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is colour coded."
The third surgeon, says, "No, I really think librarians are the best! Everything inside them is in
alphabetical order."
The fourth surgeon, chimes in: "You know, I like construction workers... Those guys always understand
when you have a few parts left over.'
But the fifth surgeon, shut them all up when he said: 'You're all wrong. Politicians are the easiest to
operate on.
There's no guts, no heart, no balls, no brains, and no spine...………………………………………,>.
The Tyne pilot tender COLLINGWOOD
between the breakwaters of the River
Tyne Photo : Jan van Vuuren ©
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Plus, the head and the arse are interchangeable!
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
Just Giving & The Merchant Navy Association We are pleased to say we are now able to offer our supporters the
facility to make donations via our
Just Giving page.
This is a secure means of making payments and enables us to
claim Gift Aid from the Treasury.
Go to www.justgiving.com Click on ‘Search' at the top right-
hand side and type in Merchant Navy Association.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
That’s all from me now folks.
Good Health, Fair Winds and Calm Seas. Take Care.
Yours Aye,
Malcolm
Malcolm Mathison
National Vice-Chairman
Merchant Navy Association
Tel: 01472 277 266 Mob: 07831 622 312 Email: [email protected]
www.mna.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1135661
