Maritime Safety News Archives - Page 22 of 259 - SHIP IP LTD

• Global chemical distributors belonging to International Chemical Trade Association have endorsed a safety guidance issued by organizations engaged in moving dangerous goods

• A white paper, “Safety Guidance for Dangerous Goods Storage and Handling Facilities,” along with “Warehouse Checklist,” was issued last December by four global trade groups

• ICTA promotes safe and sustainable chemical supply chains based on chemical distributors deep knowledge of chemicals and global markets

Global chemical traders have backed a safety guidance issued last December by a collective of organizations engaged in handling and moving dangerous goods.

Its latest endorser is International Chemical Trade Association (ICTA), which promotes safe and sustainable chemical supply chains. ICTA says it believes the chemical distribution industry has a key role in enabling chemistry to make a positive societal impact.

“Chemical supply chains rely on an interplay of different actors to deliver dangerous goods safely across the globe,” said Douglas Leech, chairman of the ICTA Transport & Security Committee.

Leech was quoted in a press release issued on August 18 by the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), one of four global trade groups that issued the white paper, entitled “Safety Guidance for Dangerous Goods Storage and Handling Facilities.”

A pivotal element of the white paper is a warehouse checklist. A practical management tool, the checklist format is a significant addition to the other elements of the white paper.

Broken down into eight key functional areas of operation, the warehouse checklist’s 14 pages are designed to be comprehensive yet easily digestible as an everyday device for maintaining safety management vigilance.

“Chemical distributors cooperate closely with [logistics] and warehousing companies to make this happen. These guidelines will help them to jointly prevent incidents in their warehouses – keeping workers, neighbors, and the environment safe,” said Leech.

ICTA said that, aside from taking responsibility for their own operations, chemical distributors interact with their customers and suppliers to help them to work more safely and securely.

ICTA considers the white paper and the safety efforts that it represents as a step forward in guiding operators to improve their already high standards.

The safety guidance issuers were ICHCA, International Vessel Owners Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA), National Cargo Bureau (NCB) and World Shipping Council (WSC). They are global trade organizations that drew on their combined expertise and experience in moving dangerous goods around the world to produce the guidance.

Richard Steele, ICHCA chief executive, welcomed the additional support from ICTA. “To make a real difference to the standards of safety in supply chains that feature hazardous materials, it is vital to reach all involved and create a critical mass of like-minded partners,” he said.

“The endorsement of our work by such an authoritative voice as ICTA is therefore decidedly welcome,” Steele said in the press release.

ICTA now joins a number of influential industry stakeholders that have endorsed the guidelines.

The early endorsers were Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), Bureau International des Containers (BIC), Container Owners Association (COA), Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA), Danish Shipping, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA), International Group of P&I Clubs (IGP&I) and Through Transport Mutual Insurance Association Ltd (TT Club).

Both the “Dangerous Goods Warehousing White Paper” and the “Warehouse Checklist” are downloadable at  https://ichca.com/warehousing-safety-guidance

Established in 1952, ICHCA International is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety, productivity and efficiency of cargo handling and movement worldwide. It provides a focal point for informing, educating, lobbying and networking to improve knowledge and best practice across the cargo handling chain.

Source: https://www.portcalls.com/chemical-traders-back-guidance-moving-dangerous-goods/

The maritime industry contributes nearly 940 million tons of CO2 emissions annually which accounts for nearly 2.5% of the world’s total CO2 emissions (Source: UK Research and Innovation)

But in less than 120 days from now, the IMO’s two new regulations – Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) – will apply to existing ships of 400 gt and above.

IMO’s intention is for these new regulations is to reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions from shipping operations by 50% by 2050 (against its 2008 emission levels) and carbon intensity of all ships by 40% by 2030.

The EEXI regulation is one of the most significant measures by the IMO to promote more environmentally friendly technologies and reduce the shipping industry’s carbon footprint. For CII, the annual rating ranging from A to E will be issued based on ratio of the total mass of CO2 emitted to the total transport work undertaken in each calendar year and if the rating is below ‘C’ corrective action must be taken immediately.

All of which raises interesting questions about the options available to ships of a certain age – let’s call them vintage assets. One engine manufacturer has warned that more than 80% of bulk carriers and container ships will be in the lowest C,D and E CII categories by 2030 if no action is taken, damaging their commercial viability.

Is scrapping the only commercially feasible option for vintage assets which fall foul of the new regulations? Taking a holistic approach, looking at the vessel’s full life cycle assessment, is there a case for extending the life of older vessels, rather than consigning them to the scrap heap?

If the purpose of EEXI and CII is to save the environment, phasing out vintage assets could be unintentionally counter-productive and lead to greater environmental damage.

How so?
Analysis clearly shows that newbuildings are responsible for significant energy consumption/GHG emissions when taking into account the transportation and handling of the raw materials used in steel production.

In their academic paper on “Assessing Environmental Impacts of Ships from a Life Cycle Perspective” joint authors Stefanos Chatzinkolaou and Nikolaos P. Ventikos state: “The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of building, operation and recycling is studied for a panamax tanker and impact on human health (climate change) and ecosystem quality is estimated. The results show that the “ship building has 40% impact and steel production process under the scope of ship building alone responsible for nearly 90% of the total CO2 emissions.”

For a universal approach – also now referred to as the Circular Economy – a life cycle assessment/material balance analysis of the ship’s operational life must also be evaluated.

Circular economies preserve value in the form of energy, labour, and materials with the maximum value extracted from resources before they become waste. It is a framework to tackle not only climate change but also biodiversity loss and pollution.

There are three simple ways shipping can become more Circular.

The first is to consume less – which ensures better use of resources. The second is to consume better. The third is to create systemic change.
And change is already happening. There are other methods to reduce EEXI including retrofitting clean technologies, waste heat recovery systems, air lubrication technology, wind-assisted propulsion, to name a few.

Clearly, questions remain over the commercial viability of retrofitting expensive energy-saving equipment on older vessels. It is clear from the evidence that repairing and extending the life of (mid-sized, vintage) ships is more environmentally friendly than building a new one. The sooner this ‘uncomfortable truth’ is accepted, the better.
Source: GMS https://www.gmsinc.net/article/extending-the-life-of-a-ship-bad-for-the-environment?utm_source=social-media&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=social-media-article-extending-life-of-ship

• At 0001 UTC on 1 January 2023 the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA) for piracy will be removed.
• The removal of the HRA reflects a significantly improved piracy situation in the region, but voyage preparation, threat and risk assessment is essential when following Best Management Practice 5 (BMP5).

22 August 2022. London, UK. After more than a decade of effective threat-reducing counter-piracy operations the shipping industry has removed the ‘Indian Ocean High Risk Area’ (HRA).

Notification of the removal of the HRA from 0001 UTC on 1 January 2023 by industry bodies was forwarded in a submission today, 22 August, to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the next meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee scheduled to start on 31 October 2022.

The removal of the HRA reflects a significantly improved piracy situation in the region, largely due to concerted counter-piracy efforts by many regional and international stakeholders. No piracy attacks against merchant ships have occurred off Somalia since 2018.

The IMO has been informed of the decision made by International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), BIMCO, International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF).

Measures enacted to secure the waters by military, political, civil society, and shipping industry, as well as Best Management Practices guidance, have reduced the threat of piracy in the Indian Ocean.

The removal of the HRA will come into effect at 0001 UTC on 1 January 2023, allowing charterers, shipowners and operators time to adapt to the changed threat from piracy. Best Management Practices 5 (BMP5) will continue to provide the necessary guidance for shipping to ensure threat and risk assessments are developed for every voyage to mitigate the risks presented by remaining security threats in the region. The shipping industry will continue to monitor and advise on maritime security threats to assist the safe transit of vessels and the seafarers who crew them. Pre-voyage threat and risk assessments should consider the latest maritime security information from organisations supporting the VRA.

The area being removed is the “High Risk Area” as shown on UKHO Chart Q6099. The Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) administered by UKMTO has not changed. Ships entering the VRA are encouraged to report to the UKMTO and register with the Maritime Security Centre for the Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) in accordance with industry BMP (Best Management Practices).

The HRA IMO submission co-sponsors commented:

“This announcement is a testament to nearly 15 years of dedicated collaboration to reduce the threat of piracy in the Indian Ocean. Through a combination of efforts by military, political, civil society, and the shipping industry over the years, operators and seafarers are now able to operate with increased confidence in these waters.

“Thanks and gratitude is given to all the seafarers and offshore workers who have served during this time in safely maintaining global trade and operations.

“Threat and risk assessments should still be carried out, and best management practices followed to continue to mitigate the risks presented in a changeable and often complex and potentially threatening environment.”

Source: https://www.ics-shipping.org/press-release/shipping-industry-to-remove-the-indian-ocean-high-risk-area/