INTERTANKO Archives - Page 3 of 4 - SHIP IP LTD

The June 22 vote also adopted positions on a carbon border tax and social climate fund, making up three key pillars of the “Fit for 55” package.

The proposals will next be negotiated with member states, a process which may prove difficult as Europe faces rising energy prices, high inflation and war in Ukraine.

The European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) welcomed the European Parliament’s support for ETS, particularly the Ocean Fund and pass-through of ETS costs to vessel operators.

The parliament’s position would create a shipping industry fund to invest 75% of ETS revenues generated by shipping to support the sector’s transition to greener energy. The pass-through would make a vessel’s commercial operators contractually liable for ETS costs, the subject of some friction between owners and operators.

The EU ETS is set to come into force in January 2023 with a four-year adjustment period. For shipping, the ETS will cover 50% of emissions from voyages to and from third countries during the transition period, and 100% of those emissions from January 2027. Parliament also rewrote a phased transition for shipping companies over the four-year period, instead opting for payment of 100% of due allowances from January 2024.

“The Parliament’s vote is a strong signal that the European policy-makers listen to us and take into account the proposals of our sector. We need all hands on deck and the role of the commercial operators is key for reducing emissions,” said ECSA secretary general Sotiris Raptis.

“The earmarking of the revenues to shipping is a prerequisite for financing the uptake of cleaner fuels. It’s a make-or-break moment for the decarbonisation of shipping and the competitiveness of the sector” said Raptis.

The latest vote followed a tense vote on June 8, in which the ETS was rejected after attempts to water it down, and members jeered and booed in the chamber.

Globalization makes the Malaysian maritime industry an international business which requires all relevant individuals to meet global standards.  The provision of Maritime Education and Training (MET) has been providing a significant talent pool for the port and shipping sector over the past decades.

In recent years, artificial intelligence, automation and digitalization are dramatically transforming the maritime business. These technologies have precipitated a profound social and economic revolution in the maritime industry. The future of the Malaysian MET must be envisioned in terms of local context as well as with an eye on the global stage.

Thus, we must learn to stay up to date with technological innovation. Future generations must be molded by inter-disciplinary learning, individually tailored and oriented on human skills.

Most MET programs now provide students with the opportunity to begin with theoretical knowledge that has been abstracted from applicability in the profession.  However, there seems to be a disconnect between theory and the “real” working world, and this is one of the biggest problems MET is facing right now.

To mitigate this problem, one strategy to assure educational quality and better prepare students for future jobs is to continuously update and included the latest technology and innovation into the curriculum and also to engage actively with the industry.

For the maritime industry to be sustainable, there is a need to switch from knowledge-based to competency-based training, and for working professionals to regularly learn and recertify their skills.  Therefore, collaboration between MET and the industry is important.

To meet the challenge of learning in this age of technology advancement and innovation, it is suggested that transformative learning be used by MET providers. Transformative learning is one theory of learning, and particularly focuses on adult education and young adult learning.

Transformative learning is also sometimes called transformational learning, and focuses on the idea that learners can adjust their thinking based on new information.  Transformative learning has three stages of “perspective transformation”, i.e., psychological (changes in understanding of the self), convictional (revision of belief systems), and behavioral (changes in lifestyle).

Focusing on transformative learning will help a new generation of students become professionals who are strong, curious, and creative, and will encourage students to learn how to be lifelong learners.  They will have the ability to adapt, be flexible, be able to recognize the importance of each scenario, appreciate other people’s perspectives, deal with rejection and failure, and keep moving forward regardless of the circumstances.

However, education is a long process, and so the government, MET providers and maritime stakeholders must work together and prioritize long-term plans which address the root of the problems over quick fixes.

RETIRED Vice Admiral Rene Villena Medina tendered his resignation as executive director of the STCW Office of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Friday (June 17).

In a letter to President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Medina said he resigned to give way to the new administration, adding that he already completed his tasks for the STCW Office.

“With the feeling of having accomplished nearly all the goals that I have set to do for this organization and to give way to your incoming administration, I am now tendering my courtesy resignation at the Marina, as the executive director of the STCW Office,” he said.

He believes he is leaving the office with a legacy of dignity and integrity that is expected of a public servant. “I am confident that the next in line can expect a smooth turn-over of all documents and responsibilities. It has been my pleasure and honor to serve this government, especially to be of service to our Filipino seafarers who continuously sail the seven seas.”

“May this courtesy resignation take effect upon approval,” Medina said.

Medina was appointed as executive director of the STCW Office on March 30, 2021. At that time, he was tasked to ensure the Philippines’ full compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention, 1978, as amended.

Before his appointment, he served as the commander of the naval forces in Western Mindanao, the largest naval operating command in the country for two years.

In the earlier years of his career, Medina served the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in different capacities.

He was the port state control officer of South Harbor Manila, and the commander of the Sealift Amphibious Force and commander of Naval Education and Training Command.

Medina received the esteemed Order of the Lapu-Lapu, which was personally awarded to him by President Duterte. The Order of the Lapu-Lapu is a national order of merit granted to those who have exhibited an extraordinary standard of service in their respective positions.

In the latest twist for the international sanctions against Russian entities and their impact on the shipping industry, the recently relaunched expedition cruise line Swan Hellenic is finding itself forced to bid for its newest cruise ship just weeks before its scheduled entry into service. The 10,600 gross ton SH Vega, which Helsinki Shipyard is referring to simply as Hull No 517 is being sold “as is” and “where is” with bids due by this Friday, June 24.

The SH Vega is a sister ship to the SH Minerva which was delivered to the cruise line in late 2021 as part of an effort to restart the brand which dated back to the 1950s and is considered one of the pioneers in expedition and educational travel. The sister ships, along with a third large cruise ship still under construction, were financed by the new cruise line working with Russian leasing company GTLK. The contracts call for the vessels to operate under long-term charters to Swan Hellenic.

In April 2022, however, the EU and the United States extended their sanctions against Russian entities including GTLK and its subsidiaries. Swan Hellenic was one of several shipping companies including Havila Voyages that found itself caught in the sanctions. Last week, Havila reported it had turned to the UK courts attempting to resolve its ownership problems and was able to protect its cruise ships under construction from the shipyard acting without Havila’s permission. Swan Hellenic in the spring announced that it would exercise the purchase options in its contracts for the cruise ships but is still seeking court authorization to complete the acquisitions because like Havila they can not send money to a sanctioned company.

“As a consequence of the sanctions announced in April, the leasing company GTLK Europe defaulted on the payments as the per newbuilding contract of NB 517 SH Vega. Moreover, all assets belonging to GTLK should be frozen in EU,” said Swan Hellenic in a statement today reporting that GTLK will not be able to take the delivery of the ship.

Finnish shipbuilder Helsinki Shipyard a week ago released a tender notice inviting interested bidders to acquire the expedition cruise ship. “Helsinki Shipyard seeks to obtain the best fair market value for the vessel and reserves the right to reject any and all bids,” the company announced in the notice. The shipyard attests to having become the sole owner of the cruise ship reporting that it will select the winner and announce the new owner by July 1 with the delivery of the ship to be completed by July 19.

Explaining its current situation, Swan Hellenic reports that Helsinki Shipyard started the legal process of auctioning the newbuild under the terms of the shipbuilding contract. Swan Hellenic says that it is the “priority buyer” and has already submitted a bid for the ship it expects to place in service on July 20 with an Arctic cruise from Trömso, Norway.

Swan Hellenic said “it is at an advanced stage of preparing the documents for transfer of the title on SH Vega and is ready to take full control over the vessel at the completion of the tender. Therefore, we expect there will be no change of plans in the scheduled cruises.”

Hellenic Shipyard reports that hull 517 is ready for delivery and that “upon completion of the sale and purchase, possession of the vessel shall be automatic and immediately deemed to be passed to the purchaser.” Sea trials for the vessel were completed on May 20 with Jonas Packalén, project manager for the vessel reporting that they had completed about 800 tests. Final testing was proceeding at the shipyard.

Work is also continuing on the third cruise ship being built for Swan Hellenic. The shipyard reported that the last block for the vessel arrived in Helsinki on May 22. They plan to float out the ship named SH Diana later this summer. Delivery is expected by the end of 2022.

Swan Hellenic in May reported that they would be focusing their operation for the summer of 2022 on the SH Vega in the Arctic. The company had planned to reposition the SH Minerva after its first season in the Antarctic also to the Arctic. They however reported that renewed COVID-related restrictions required a change to itineraries and routes and that with a general softening in the travel market in part due to the situation in Ukraine they were leaving the vessel in Montevideo, Uruguay so that it would be ready for the Antarctic season in October.