admin, Author at SHIP IP LTD

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said vessels should be easily accessible from docksides to prevent seafarers from injury or death after falling into the sea.

MAIB investigators also recommended tug operators conduct regular man-overboard drills to ensure crew work effectively to recover seafarers that have fallen. These warnings and recommendations come from the MAIB’s accident investigations involving tugs in the last three years which includes the death of a tug chief engineer who fell from a fender while attempting to return to a vessel following unmooring operations. In another accident, a seafarer fell between an aggregate barge and a quayside, but was recovered from the sea without major injury.

“In many similar incidents, including a number investigated by the MAIB, people have been killed or seriously injured,” said the MAIB. “When berthing or unberthing, shore-based linesmen should be employed,” it recommended. “Access to and from an unmoored vessel is a very dangerous activity, and should be avoided.”

However, if shore-based linesmen are not available and crew need to conduct line operations, there are procedures to follow – which do not include jumping over distances and taking unsafe risks.

“Jumping any distance to get ashore or onto another vessel is extremely dangerous, even more so when the landing surface is slippery,” said the MAIB. “Stepping across a small gap may be acceptable provided the vessel is stopped and held alongside securely, but the crossing should be level.”

In his safety digest introduction, MAIB chief inspector of marine accidents Andrew Moll said these are common accidents that can be avoided. “We have seen accidents many times before involving unsafe access,” he said. “As mariners we take pride in our ability to get the job done, but many of the accidents reported here could have been avoided had those involved taken a little more time to assess the risks before getting on with the job. Doing your job should not involve putting yourself in danger.”

Quayside infrastructure, such as ladders and gangways would make access to workboats, barges and tugs easier and safer to access.

Guidance on safe access ashore is given in MGN 591 (M+F) and the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP).

In addition, “all methods of access to vessels must be robustly risk assessed,” said the MAIB, “and it is the owners’ and masters’ responsibility to ensure that safe access is provided, and used correctly, every time.”

Accident investigators warned vessel operators not to allow unsafe access methods to become normal practice. “Just because something has become normal practice does not make it safe. If you think something is unsafe, speak up,” the MAIB said.

But if an accident does happen, having a well-drilled crew can be the difference between life and death.

Source: rivieramm

Iran released on Friday a South Korean ship and its captain detained since January after South Korea promised to try to secure the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions, a South Korean official said.

The Iranian foreign ministry said the chemical tanker, Hankuk Chemi, was released after an investigation into environmental pollution, and at the request of the South Korean government and its owner, state news agency IRNA reported.

The seizure of the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman in January had triggered a diplomatic dispute after Iran demanded that South Korea release $7 billion in funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions.

The IRNA report made no mention of the frozen funds, but other Iranian media quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying Korean officials had given assurances that “they are trying to solve the problem and to strengthen ties.”

The South Korean ministry said in a statement the ship had left Iran after completing administrative procedures. It made no mention of the demand for the release of funds.

“The captain and sailors are in good health,” the ministry said.

A South Korean foreign ministry official told reporters that both sides had agreed the ship and the funds were not related issues and South Korea promised to help get the money released.

“We have expressed our firm willingness to resolve the fund issue,” said the official, who declined to be identified.

Iranian authorities had accused the tanker of polluting the waters with chemicals, a charge denied by South Korea. The South Korean official said Iran dropped a plan to pursue seek criminal charges against the shipping company.

“Iran, with long coastlines in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, stresses full compliance with maritime regulations, including environmental protection, and monitors every violation in this respect,” said Saeed Khatibzadeh, a foreign ministry spokesman quoted by IRNA.

Iran agreed to free all of the ship’s 20 crew members except for the captain in February, after a South Korean vice foreign minister visited Tehran.

Iran has denied allegations that the seizure of the tanker and its crew constituted hostage-taking, saying it was South Korea that was holding Iranian funds hostage.

The freezing of the funds is linked to U.S. sanctions that Washington reimposed on Tehran in 2018 after then-President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Under the Biden administration, the United States and Iran have begun indirect talks over a return to the accord.

The United States has recently agreed to allow Iran to use the funds for non-military purposes and it has spent some on coronavirus vaccines secured via the global COVAX initiative, the ministry official said, without giving a precise amount.

Source: marinelink

SAFEVUE.ai provides assurance of safety and compliance by promoting positive crew behaviour change. The system’s near real-time safety operations monitoring capabilities, integrated permits to work management and crew wellbeing solution provides a more holistic approach to improving safety outcomes and “human reliability”. In addition, the standardisation of best practices can increase operational excellence fleetwide, saving approximately 4,600+^[1] man hours per vessel annually.

“We are pleased to be given the opportunity to partner with Eaglestar to meet the maritime industry’s ever-increasing demands for operational excellence, crew wellbeing, safety and compliance assurance. Today, 2 out of every 3 incidents and accidents in the maritime industry can be attributed to human factors. A paradigm shift is required to materially improve health and safety outcomes.”

“At SOL-X, we are pioneering Behavioural Based Safety 4.0. Our approach to enhancing the control of work with near real-time line-of-sight, improving crew situational awareness and wellbeing is unique to the market. As a result, our customers have experienced increased crew productivity, improved safety culture, and business competitiveness.” said Nigel Koh, SOL-X chief executive officer.

Managing director and CEO of Eaglestar, Captain Raja Sager, said: “We are proud to deploy SAFEVUE.ai across our managed fleet of over 67 vessels. Technology combined with the right expertise in the industry of ship management is pivotal in marking a new benchmark especially in the way we advance ourselves digitally. We are also confident that SAFEVUE.ai can further heighten crew operational excellence with an integrated solution centred around human factors.”

Number is approximate and may differ depending on customer’s current practices. Based on data collected from customer usage of SAFEVUE.ai.

Source: thedigitalship

LAUNCESTON, Australia, April 9 (Reuters) – China is paying a high price for its unofficial ban on coal imports from Australia, with the cost of domestic and alternative foreign supplies rising for both thermal and coking grades of the fuel.

China, the world’s biggest importer, producer and consumer of coal, has effectively ended imports from Australia, the biggest shipper of coking coal used to make steel and number two in thermal coal used to produce electricity, as part of an ongoing political dispute between the two nations.

The restrictions on imports from Australia came into effect in the second half of last year, resulting in China’s imports dropping to virtually zero in the first two months of this year from a 2020 high of 9.46 million tonnes in June, according to Refinitiv vessel-tracking and port data.

However, China’s consumers of imported coal have been facing higher costs, with prices for alternatives to supplies from Australia, both local and foreign, rising as the market adjusts to the unofficial ban.

In coking coal, the price of free-on-board Australian cargoes has been weakening since the ban was imposed, apart from the usual seasonal gain for the northern hemisphere winter.

The Singapore Exchange contract for Australian coking coal ended at $113.71 a tonne on Thursday, down 18.8% from the $140 that it reached at the start of October, just as the Chinese ban was coming into effect.

If a Chinese importer switched from Australian cargoes to those from the United States, the price difference has entirely reversed since the ban started to affect flows.

Coking coal free-on-board at the U.S. east coast port of Hampton Roads, as assessed by commodity price reporting agency Argus, has surged to $152.75 on Thursday from $114 a tonne at the start of October last year, a gain of 34%.

This means that U.S. coking coal is currently about $39 a tonne more expensive that supplies from Australia, and this doesn’t account for the higher shipping costs given the longer distance from the U.S. east coast to China.

China’s domestic coking coal price has also been gaining since the restrictions on imports from Australia, with Dalian Commodity Exchange futures rising 16% from 1,353 yuan ($206.56) a tonne at the start of October to end at 1,573 yuan on Thursday.

This price isn’t directly comparable to the free-on-board prices in Australia and the United States, as it includes freight and other costs as well as import taxes and duties.

However, it does show that Chinese domestic prices have been pushed higher, partially reflecting the higher cost of imports from sources other than Australia.

China’s neighbour Mongolia has become its biggest supplier of coking coal, meeting 61.7% of imports in the first two months of this year, up from just 17.7% in the same period in 2020, according to official data.

Australia’s share of imports came down to zero from 68.4% in January-February 2020, according to the data, while the United States boosted its share to 9.1% from under 2%, and Canada went to 12.1% from 6.1%.

While coking coal supplies from Mongolia are cheaper than those from seaborne alternatives, it’s believed that they tend to track Chinese domestic prices, meaning it’s likely that they have risen sharply as well, especially once transportation and washing costs are factored in.

Source: gcaptain

The Fijian shipping company that’s under investigation over the alleged mistreatment of foreign workers claims it has had to cancelled ferry routes because of new manning requirements.

Goundar Shipping announced on its Facebook page this week that it has cancelled two ferry routes because the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji had issued new manning rules.

But in its first public comments on the issues surrounding Goundar, MSAF said it “had not issued any new manning requirements as claimed by Goundar Shipping”.

“The Fijian maritime law is clear and it states that it is the ship owner and master’s responsibility to ensure that ships are properly manned at all times,” MSAF said in a statement.

“The Authority is only requiring the minimum safe manning requirements that needs to be met by operators”.

The cancellations come while Fijian police, immigration and human rights authorities investigate allegations Goundar sacked Filipino crew members and left them stranded in the country without the means to return home after they raised concerns over their pay and working conditions.

Source: abc

According to a report from Allied Market Research, the global autonomous ships market generated $85.84 billion in 2020 and is estimated to grow to $165.61 billion by 2030, registering a compond annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% from 2020 to 2030.

A surge in operational safety of ships and rise in demand for cargo transportation through marines have boosted the growth of the global autonomous ships market. The market across Europe is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 8.1% from 2020 to 2030. However, the pandemic and its impact on international trade have forced original equipment manufacturers and shipping companies to rely on artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.

A rise in operational safety of ships and an increase in demand for cargo transportation through marines drive the growth of the global autonomous ships market. However, complexity of the network and the risk of exploitation by hacking hinder the market growth. On the contrary, surge in marine safety norms and the anticipated trend of automation in marine transportation would open new opportunities for the market players in the future.

The Covid-19 outbreak and followed lockdown across various countries encouraged countries to implement remote working to continue the business operations and fleet observation.

However, the suspension of international trade has negatively impacted the demand for autonomous ships.

The pandemic and its impact on international trade have impelled original equipment manufacturers and shipping companies to rely on artificial intelligence, due to a lack of labor force.

However, as governments across various countries have declared relaxation of lockdown regulations and international trade, the market is expected to get back on track.

The global autonomous ships market is segmented on the basis of level of autonomy, ship type, component, fuel type, and geography. Based on level of autonomy, the market is divided into semi-autonomous and fully autonomous. The fully autonomous segment is projected to portray the highest CAGR of 27.5% during the forecast period. However, the semi-autonomous segment dominated the market in 2020, contributing to more than 90% of the total revenue of the market.

On the basis of component type, the market is classified into hardware and software. The software segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 7.9% from 2020 to 2030. However, the hardware segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for more than 3/5 of the market.

Based on geography, the global autonomous ships market is analyzed across various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The market across Europe is expected to register the highest CAGR of 8.1% from 2020 to 2030. However, the market across Asia-Pacific held the largest share in 2020, contributing to nearly half of the market.

Source: workboat

The shipping industry is in the spotlight Regardless of the Suez Canal blockade which has stolen the headlines during the past few days, the maritime industry’s importance in the supply chain and the flow of commodities and goods around the world has been highlighted, perhaps in the most prominent way, during the pandemic (27 March 2021). More…

Container and shipping shortage piles pressure on prices The rapid recovery of the global economy that started at the end of the first wave has come with a much faster rebound in global trade than initially expected. This has come with significant supply chain disruptions causing many different types of shortages (02 April 2021). More…

IMO-Singapore Maritime Single Window seeks pilot project; Aus governments and seaports must up their game The International Maritime Organization and the Government of Singapore are seeking expressions of interest from countries with a “medium sized port” for a pilot project to establish a system of electronic data exchange.(26 March 2021). More…

ITF wants Aswan Shipping vessels banned from Australian waters The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) has called for Australia to ban the ships of Aswan Shipping after two of its bulkers were detained over serious technical problems and labour rights issues. Detained over the past two months by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) are Aswan’s 97,000-dwt bulker Maryam (built 2004) and 91,800-dwt-dwt bulker Movers 3 (built 2002) (29 March 2021). More…

Shipping Australia: Interim supply chain study indicates Australia has limited vulnerability The supply of essential goods and services in Australia is not highly susceptible to a short-term disruption to the supply of imported goods, the Productivity Commission has found in its interim report. Vulnerability appears to be quite limited (26 March 2021). More…

Vulnerable supply chains in the spotlight The Productivity Commission’s interim report on Vulnerable Supply Chains suggests Australia is resilient to disruption through our ability to pivot but seeks confirmation from industry. HVIA’s Government Relations and Advocacy Manager Greg Forbes said the draft report predominantly focusses on disruptions to imported commodities, whereas the final report will also consider disruptions that can affect exports (30 March 2021).. More…

Australia detains two Qatari-owned vessels for labor violations Australian maritime authorities have detained two vessels owned by a Qatari shipping company for labor and safety violations. The International Transport Workers’ Federation has been working with the Australian authorities to provide relief for the crew trapped aboard the vessels while the owners address the deficiencies (25 March 2021). More…

NSW Ports welcomes the largest container ship (by length) at Port Botany NSW Ports was pleased to welcome the largest container ship (by length) at Port Botany this week, with the safe arrival of the Maersk Soroe at DP World Australia’s terminal. The empty sweeper is a welcome arrival, assisting in alleviating empty container build up caused by ‘pandemic buying’, as Australian consumers spend money on imported goods (01 April 2021). More…

Firefighters forced into COVID isolation after fire on cargo ship off WA coast Firefighters are told to self-isolate after battling a blaze aboard a cargo ship off Port Hedland — the ship’s crew had not been given clearance to disembark (25 March 2021). More…

Raising the bar! AAT continues to modernise its equipment to facilitate increased productivity and efficiency across stevedoring operations. AAT worked in collaboration with Liebherr and the Port of Brisbane to ensure that the design and assembly met the manufacturers exacting standards, and was in accordance with strict wharf specifications (01 April 2021). More…

Australian first: New report proves long-held belief that good vehicle maintenance improves road safety A new report from Australia’s largest trucking insurer and the industry regulator has confirmed operators who effectively maintain their vehicles are less likely to be involved in an incident. For the first time, the trucking industry regulator and leading insurer have shared de-identified critical road crash data, with the aim of improving road safety (31 March 2021). More…

Crash stats analysis sees maintenance and safety correlation While it may seem self-evident that good truck maintenance is linked to better safety outcomes, insurer NTI and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) have crunched the numbers to frank the assumption – with caveats (31 March 2021). More…

New heavy vehicle charge puts undue pressure on operators McKellar was responding to the decision by transport ministers last night to increase truck fuel and registration charges by substantially more than inflation from June 2021, by 2.5 per cent. The decision will increase the registration charge for a workhorse prime mover and semi-trailer by $144 a year, and the effective rate of fuel tax by 0.6 cents per litre (31 March 2021). More…

HV road charges must be revised Infrastructure and Transport Ministers recently indicated that, in their view, there was a growing gap between road expenditure and revenue from charges, and have decided to increase heavy vehicle charges by 2.5% (road user charge and registration costs).The NatRoad CEO has said the model used to estimate the heavy vehicle share of expenditure on roads is not reliable (01 April 2021). More…

ATA: Vehicle maintenance key to road safety Following the release of a joint roadworthiness report from National Transport Insurance (NTI) and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) said that keeping well maintained vehicles was key to trucking safety and productivity (02 April 2021). More…

Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy consultation The NHVR is seeking feedback on the draft Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy 2021-2025, which sets out the NHVR’s strategic ambitions to improve heavy vehicle safety outcomes and contribute to a reduction in the number of crashes, fatalities and serious injuries involving heavy vehicles (23 March 2021). More…

ATA demands dimension reform to enable modern trucks The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has taken aim at local truck dimension restrictions, saying the current rules prohibit the latest vehicle technology to enter Australian shores and must be overhauled (29 March 2021). More…

NHVR partners with peak engineering body on road access project The NHVR is partnering with the Queensland peak body for public works engineers to help deliver the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP). The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Queensland (IPWEAQ) is providing invaluable support to the project, including helping to develop the Asset Assessment Framework (23 March 2021). More…

ATA calls for fairer increases to truck charges The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) is calling on governments not to increase truck road user and registration charges by more than the expected inflation rate of 1.5 per cent in 2021-22 (19 March 2021). More…

NHVR welcomes Rod Hannifey’s appointment as NRFA president The NHVR has welcomed the appointment of well-known trucking safety advocate Rod Hannifey as president of the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA). NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said Mr Hannifey’s appointment would ensure smaller operators continue to have a strong voice when it comes to heavy vehicle safety reform (30 March 2021). More…

Published – articles, papers, reports

Are good trucks the sign of a great operator? National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC): March 2021 A special report into heavy vehicle roadworthiness, brings together for the first time de-identified data from NTI’s NTARC Major Accident Investigation Report (MAIR) and the NHVR’s National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey (NBRS). More…

ATSB Latest Investigations

Fire on board ‘BBC Rhonetal’ while berthed in Port Hedland on 25 March 2021 New Investigation – At 0330 WST, during cargo discharge operations from the ’tween deck of number 2 cargo hold, smoke was seen coming from the lower hold. Just prior to this, hot work had been undertaken to remove cargo securing points from around the cargo to be discharged. Efforts to extinguish the fire using ship’s fire fighting resources laid out for the hot work were unsuccessful. More…

NHVR: Newsletter Fortnightly newsletter providing important information on the heavy vehicle industry, including the latest NHVR news and events, relevant law and policy changes. More…

Australian Bureau of Statistics 01 April 2021 – International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia. More… 24 March 2021 – International Merchandise Trade, Preliminary, Australia, February 2021. More… 24 March 2021 International Merchandise Trade: Confidential Commodities List. More…

Practice and Regulation

IFAM Extension of the International Freight Assistance Mechanism to September 2021 Extension to the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) to ensure commercially viable access to market for Australian exporters of perishable commodities to the end of September 2021. For more information about the extension, please refer to the IFAM webpage and latest fact sheet.

Productivity Commission: Vulnerable supply chain review The Productivity Commission is undertaking a “Vulnerable Supply Chain Review” with an interim Report expected in Late March. The Commission will be taking written submissions on the interim report until April 2021, before producing its final report.

Productivity Commission review into supply chain vulnerabilities Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) evidence provided to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade ‘Inquiry into the Implications of the Covid-19 pandemic for Australia’s foreign affairs, defence and trade’ highlighted the needs for a paradigm shift in government priorities in favour of exporters, importers and logistics providers. In response, we are delighted to advise that the Productivity Commission has released its interim report on Vulnerable Supply Chains Submissions are due by 30 April 2021 (26 March 2021). More…

AMSA Current Marine Notice 2021/01 Focused inspection campaign—livestock ships – Port State control This marine notice provides information to ship owners, operators and masters about the Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) on livestock ships which will run from 1 March 2021 to 31 August 2021. More…

Focused inspection campaign—float-free EPIRBs We will undertake a focused inspection campaign (FIC) on float-free EPIRB requirements on domestic commercial vessels over the period 1 February to 30 April 2021. More…

Maritime Safety Awareness bulletin issue 13, March 2021—Preventing container loss In issue 13, read about how container loss affects the environment and what measures should be taken to prevent it from happening. Find out about the impact of container loss on safety and the environment and what measures should be considered to prevent it from happening. Read issue 13 of the Maritime Safety Awareness Bulletin.

AMSA: Domestic Commercial Vessel (DCV) safety alert If you are currently operating under an exemption that expires on the 30 June 2020, it has now been automatically extended for 5 years, until 30 June 2025.This Alert is to advise vessel owners, operators, masters, coxswains and crews that the AMSA has taken steps to extend the duration of all National Law certificates of competency. More…

Draft Future Fuels Strategy The Government’s draft strategy is built around three central principles: addressing barriers to the roll out of new vehicle technologies; investment in early-stage infrastructure to stimulate the market and private sector and improving access to information to help people make informed choices. Comments on the discussion paper are open until 2 April 2021. More…

Commonwealth modern slavery statement paper This would report on modern slavery risks in the Government’s procurement and investment activities and explain the steps taken to identify and respond to those risks, and link with Australia’s Modern Slavery Act 2018. The first Commonwealth Modern Slavery Statement will be published before 31 December 2020. The Commonwealth Modern Slavery Statement scoping paper is available on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Port of Melbourne Modern Slavery Statement FY 2020 March 29, 2021 – Port of Melbourne has published its first Modern Slavery Statement. This has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth), which is an important measure to help address combatting the occurrences of modern slavery and other harmful practices. You can read our statement here.

Source: lexology

We are pleased to announce that on 5^thAugost 2020 our Marshall Islands flagged STI Bronx, STI Gramercy, STI Seneca and STI Brooklyn

have obtained the E-ZERO QUALSHIP 21 certification by the United States Coast Guard.

In order to grant the certification the vessel has meet the below eligibility requirement:

1. Enrolled in QUALSHIP 21, maintain certification for the past three years and remain eligible for reenrollment.

2. Zero worldwide MARPOL detentions for the vessel in the past three (3) years.

3. Zero environmental deficiencies (MARPOL, 33 CFR Subchapter O, Ballast Water Management, Vessel General Permit, Antifouling) in the U.S. over the past three (3) years.

4. Zero Letters of Warning, Notices of Violation or Civil Penalties related to Right Whale Mandatory Ship Reporting or speed restriction violations over the past 5 (five) years.

5. Installed CG type-approved Ballast Water Management (BWM) system or operating without a BWM compliance date extension letter granted in accordance with 33 CFR 151.2036

This achievement resonates with our on-going tenacious efforts to maintain high standards in every aspect of Optimum Ship Services operations

and this qualification is considered as a milestone in establishing our company a reliable provider of worldwide seaborne

transportation and ship management services.

Source: optimumship

A ship engaged to carry bauxite from Rio Tinto’s operations on Cape York has been detained by Australian authorities for exposing its crew to “appalling conditions” including food and water shortages.

The Movers 3 is one of two Aswan Shipping carriers under detention in the country for multiple breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention.

The Panama-flagged bulk carrier was inspected last month by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and found to have a defective freezer.

“[That] was resulting in unsafe and insufficient food stores for crew, and dwindling fresh water supplies,” AMSA’s executive director of operations Allan Schwartz said.

He said Aswan Shipping had displayed “continued reluctance” to address food shortages and its health and safety obligations towards crew, prompting Rio Tinto to step in.

Ship’s cook quits

Movers 3 arrived in Weipa, North Queensland, with 22 crew, but the cook requested to be repatriated on arrival and a search is underway for a replacement.

In a statement, Rio Tinto said the ship had been chartered by one of its customers to transport bauxite to China.

Source: abc

The Liberian-registered bulk carrier Anna-Elisabeth has been detained by Australian authorities after the international crew on board complained of insufficient food, bullying aboard the vessel and denial of shore leave.

The complaints from crew were received by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) while the vessel was berthed at the Port Kembla Coal Terminal on Monday.

ITF national coordinator Dean Summers substantiated the crew’s concerns, finding inadequate stores on board and that the crew had not had shore leave since January 23 in South Africa.

“Meat and fish were freezer burnt, and fresh provisions were very low, certainly not enough to get 17 seafarers to Singapore… The master confirmed the food ration was $7 per day for all meals,” said Summers.

The ITF was also surprised to see that the company had a new crew category of “Deck Rider” on their crew list and requested that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) inspect the vessel, citing: shore leave, lack of provisions, bullying and concern about minimum safe manning and crew qualifications.

The 2008-built 55,700dwt vessel was officially detained by AMSA under the Maritime Labour Convention. The Liberian register is reportedly sending a representative to the ship to work with the master and owners to rectify the deficiencies.

The German owners are Johann M. K. Blumenthal. “We are asking the Australian Government to send an urgent alert around the shipping world to audit and detain Blumenthal ships wherever breaches to human rights and workers’ rights are found,” says Summers. “In recent weeks, ITF inspectors in Europe have uncovered other cases of food shortages on Blumenthal vessels. So right now, Blumenthal is a priority for the ITF, and we will continue to inspect their vessels in ports around the world to ensure that more than 700 seafarers across their fleet aren’t subjected to these exploitative practices.”

Source: maritime-executive

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Safety alert: improve quayside access, conduct man-overboard drills

Iran Frees South Korean Ship, Captain After Promise to Help With Frozen Funds

Eaglestar has selected SOL-X’s SAFEVUE.ai to improve the human factors approach to maritime safety.

China is Paying a High Price for Its Ban on Australian Coal

Fiji’s Maritime Safety Authority denies responsibility for Goundar ferry cancellations

Autonomous ship market value to $165 billion by 2030, report says

Inside track: Transport, Shipping & Logistics

E-ZERO QUALSHIP 21 Certification

Rio Tinto steps in after bauxite ship is detained by Australian Maritime Safety Authority for ‘appalling’ crew conditions

Ship’s cook quits

German Bulk Carrier Detained Over Lack of Food and Bullying

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New IMO Rules: Mandatory Reporting of Containers Lost at Sea – From 2026

2025 CIC on Ballast Water Management – What Ship Operators Need to Know

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