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The world’s largest international maritime exercise concluded Aug. 4 following more than a month of realistic, relevant combined operations training conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, three submarines, nine national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft and over 25,000 personnel participated in the 28th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).

RIMPAC 2022 Combined Task Force Commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Michael Boyle expressed that returning to a full-scale exercise, with multiple exercise firsts, has been a success across all domains.

“By coming together as Capable, Adaptive Partners, and in the scale that we are, we are making a statement about our commitment to work together, to foster and sustain those relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of the sea lanes and the security of the world’s interconnected oceans,” Vice Adm. Boyle said.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Rear Admiral Toshiyuki Hirata filled the role of Vice Commander, and commanded the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) portion of the exercise that operated with local hospital personnel. This year’s RIMPAC included two Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ships and the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Western Army.

Rear Adm. Hirata said that in the current security environment, it is important for the international community to work together. “It is of great significance to deepen and strengthen the relationship of trust.”

For the first time, Republic of Korea Rear Adm. Sangmin An served as the Commander of the exercise’s combined amphibious task force, with the Republic of Singapore Navy Col. Kwan Hon Chuong serving as the amphibious force’s Sea Combat Commander, and Royal Australian Navy Capt. Michael Osborn serving as the Sea Logistics Commander.

RIMPAC’s Deputy Commander, Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Christopher Robinson, said the collaboration and cohesiveness between partner nations enhanced their operations.

“This exercise provides tremendous training value, enabling partners to build skills and refine procedures through working together. Part of this comes from seeing how other partners approach similar scenarios, offering new perspectives”, Robinson said.

“The value of this collaboration goes further, in that it also enables us to build and foster those relationships and networks that are so incredibly valuable as we operate together in future operations throughout the region.”

A few of the first-time achievements included:

Two U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft embarked in Australian amphibious ship HMAS Canberra for the whole duration of the exercise.
While participating in RIMPAC for the first time, HMNZS Aotearoa conducted numerous Replenishment at Sea operations with partner nations including France, Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the U.S.
Royal Malaysian Ship KD Leskir (F26) conducted their first live missile firing outside Malaysian waters.
First embedded use of the MQ-9A and MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles, and the unmanned surface vessels Nomad, Ranger, Sea Hawk and Sea Hunter; with data and knowledge sharing amongst 13 countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Peru, India, France, Chile, Mexico, Singapore and Indonesia.
Nine nations participated in the RIMPAC Amphibious Assault (Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Tonga and U.S.).

This year’s exercise included units and personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/rimpac-2022-worlds-largest-maritime-exercise-concludes/

Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70 conducted flag talks with their counterparts from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Fleet Escort Force, aboard the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 5.

During the talks, the staff discussed maritime strategy and best practices for force operations and bi-lateral integration at sea.

“CTF-70 staff’s close relationship with Vice Admiral Fukuda and his team ensures our ability to demonstrate integrated capabilities across multiple domains, strengthens both maritime forces, and enhances our collective defense,” said Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, commander, Task Force 70.

“This visit allowed us to continue to focus on confronting shared challenges and solidifying a relationship that underpins our close alliance–an alliance built on shared interests, shared values, and a commitment to freedom.”

Discussions focused towards potential future exercises, operations, and engagements the 7th Fleet task force will conduct with the JMSDF.

“The unprecedented strong relationship between the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy has contributed to improving the deterrence and coping power of the Japan-U.S. Alliance and strengthening its resilience. It contributes to not only defense of Japan but also to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and world,” said Vice Adm. FUKUDA Tatsuya, commander, Fleet Escort Force.

This was the second flag talks conducted by these two staffs this calendar year, and the third held since November.

CTF 70 has also worked with their JMSDF counterparts from within the Information Warfare (IW) community as well. Over the past year, CTF 70 and JMSDF IW teams have made progress in expanding collective warfighting capabilities through routine exercises and exchanges. In April, CTF 70 and JMSDF IW teams conducted a conference aboard Ronald Reagan where they spoke face to face on topics of information warfare.

“These engagements have been fantastic for both teams, not only in building an improved baseline of knowledge, but also building trust in each other,” said Capt. Kurt Mole, Information Warfare Commander, Task Force 70.

“This is my third tour of duty in Japan, and the IW relationship is stronger today than ever before. I’m confident that we’ll continue to achieve even greater heights in the future.”

In May of this year, units from Carrier Strike Group 5 and JMSDF conducted group sail exercises as well as a cross-deck helicopter exercise involving a JMSDF helicopter.

Also in May, a group of JMSDF Sailors embarked aboard Ronald Reagan where they observed U.S. Navy operations including firefighting and damage control during general quarters, flight operations, watch-standing and navigation events.

The U.S. and Japan Maritime Self-Defense have been partnered in the Indo-Pacific for more than 60 years.

U.S. 7th Fleet exercises operational control of its units through designated Task Forces or Task Groups. These groups are organized along domain and functional lines. CTF 70 is theater strike warfare commander and theater air and missile defense commander.

CTF 70 is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet in the world, and with the help of and network of alliances and partners from 35 other maritime nations, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than 70 years; providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict.

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The Port of Long Beach reported July throughput numbers on Tuesday, showing its most active July on record despite a “cooldown” in consumer spending.

Dockworkers and terminal operators at the port moved 785,843 TEU in July, a slim 0.13% increase from the previous record set in July 2021.

Total throughput was boosted by rising empty export containers, offsetting a year-over-year imports decline. Imports fell 1.8% to 376,175 TEUs, while empty containers moved through the port rose 2.8% to 300,257 TEUs. Exports were down 0.5% to 109,411 TEUs.

Looking by month, July’s numbers came in about 6% below June, which capped the port’s strongest quarter on record in Q2 2022, marking two consecutive quarters of record setting cargo volumes despite headwinds from inflation and fears of a looming recession.

“We are continuing to seek solutions to improve efficiency as a record-breaking number of containers move through the Port,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “We hope to relieve some of the stress points by continuing to support a transition of the entire supply chain to 24/7 operations and ensuring our industry partners can track containers with our new Supply Chain Information Highway data solution.”

With July’s final numbers in, the Port of Long Beach has now broken monthly records in six out of the last seven months. Year-to-date, cargo volumes are up 4.6% compared to the same period in 2021, when the Port of Long Beach handled record cargo volumes of more than 9.3 million TEU.

“Our waterfront workforce continues to ensure trade moves through the Port at a record-setting pace,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Sharon L. Weissman. “We continue to strengthen our partnerships with labor and industry to ensure our spot as a leader in trans-Pacific trade.”

The National Retail Federation said Monday it expects 2022 container imports into United States to surpass 2021 despite a “significant” slowdown over the remainder of the year.

Many retailers this year have brought in cargo early and shifted to East and Gulf Coast ports to avoid any potential disruptions related to ongoing contract negotiations between dockworkers and employers at West Coast ports. The NRF is predicting the slowdown to start in August and continue through the remainder of the year before deepening in 2023.

This West to East cargo shift has knocked the Port of Long Beach out of second place in the rankings of top U.S. container ports as Long Beach’s volumes now trail behind the Port of New York and New Jersey, which has not yet reported July numbers. The Port of Savannah has also been a benificiary of this shift, with the port reporting an 18% surge in cargo volumes in July compared to 2021.

Unfortunately, the shift has also contributed to growing backups on the East Coast, with most ships now arriving late. On the other hand, Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles backups have eased considerably from January’s peak, but with 25 ships still waiting in the queue as of Monday, they aren’t out of the woods yet.

Source: https://gcaptain.com/empties-lift-port-of-long-beach-to-new-july-record-as-imports-fall/

Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar, the manning affiliate of the Bourbon Group, has agreed a deal to implement MarTrust’s E-Wallet system to digitally manage its crew payments.

Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar is responsible for managing over 1,000 seafarers on more than 100 vessels. The E-Wallet and pre-paid cards provided by Marcura subsidiary MarTrust will be used to optimise payment processes, enabling crews to receive and manage their funds using a mobile app or any web browser.

Cash can be accessed at any Mastercard-supported ATM around the world, and the card can be topped up in different currencies. Users also have the ability to transfer money to family and friends as they wish using the system.

“Our key goal is to attract and retain the very best seafarers and to actively contribute to their personal growth within our organisation. This means ensuring that all areas that impact their lives while at sea are at the highest level, from communication and sourcing of stores, health and safety, as well as how they are remunerated and receive their hard-earned salaries,” said Suraj Maharaj, Managing Director, Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar.

“We recently introduced an attractive pension scheme for our seafarers, as well as a digital signature platform for employment agreements, and now the E-Wallet is the latest digital development to ensure that they receive their wages safely and securely, and with the freedom and ability to do with it what they choose.”

Source: https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2022/08/10/bourbon-implements-digital-crew-payments-system/

Lloyd’s underwriting syndicate has signed an agreement to gain access to the Risk Intelligence System, backed by operational intelligence support services, for use in managing risk in its insurance portfolio.

The Risk Intelligence System offers an overview of immediate, short-, and medium-term security risks for coastal areas, ocean, port, and landside threats. The analysis is focused on insurgency, piracy, organised crime, activism, terrorism, military conflicts, and any interplay between these parameters.

The deal includes Risk Intelligence’s MaRisk and PortRisk systems, which will assist in writing cover for war risks and other challenging areas. Risk Intelligence will also provide bespoke reports and monthly security risk briefs to the underwriting team.

“This is a great addition to our strong book of insurance clients,” said Jim Pascoe, CCO of Risk Intelligence.

“In welcoming our new client on board, we will be providing our maritime intelligence right into the heart of marine underwriting. It’s particularly pleasing as this was a very competitive process, and our previous delivery to this client secured Risk Intelligence the ongoing contract – once again proving the quality of our analysts and advisory teams.”

“I am very much looking forward to working with our new client, assisting them as they challenge the traditional ways of dealing with war risk cover and books of business.”

Source: https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2022/08/09/lloyds-adopts-risk-intelligence-system/

The cruise vessel, NORWEGIAN PRIMA, was delivered by the Italian Shipyard Fincantieri to the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) at Marghera, Venice. This 143,500 gross-ton cruise ship is the first of the six new ships in NCL’s Prima class delivered through 2027. The vessel will be christened and start its inaugural voyage from Reykjavik, Iceland, on 27th August 2022.

The vessel uses two 16.5 MW pod propulsion units and has a unique hull design that has seen a rise in recent cruise ship implementations over the past few years. Fincantieri has reported that the vessel exceeded the contract speed during its sea trials, reaching a maximum speed of 21.9 knots. It can accommodate 3,215 passengers in its 1,646 passenger cabins (double occupancy). And can go up to a maximum of 5,400 passengers, which includes 1,388 crew. The vessel features many tourist attractions, including the first and largest three-level racetrack for electric race cars, a ten-story high dry slide, and an outdoor sculpture garden.

Its sister ship, the NORWEGIAN VIVA, will be delivered in the summer of 2023. NCL has recently announced that the last of the 4 vessels in the series will see a revision in their design and they are to become a part of the Prima Plus Class. The revisions include increasing the passenger capacity to 3,550 passengers in double occupancy.

Brittany Ferries has chosen Wärtsilä Voyage’s Smart Panoramic Edge Camera System (SPECS) to improve the safety and efficiency of its passenger ferry operations.

SPECS will be first installed onboard the Salamanca – the 214.5 metre, 1015 passenger ferry which started operations between Portsmouth and Bilbao in March 2022.

Navigating busy ports and berthing are two of the most challenging aspects of ferry operations. Increased vessel size, introduced in line with ‘safe return to port’ regulations, and challenging weather conditions mean the margin for error during these manoeuvres is tiny. The SPECS super-wide cameras will give the crew a 360° view, from the edge of the hull to the horizon, streamed directly to the bridge in real-time. Live distance indications to objects around the vessel reduce risks of a collision, protecting passengers, crew and the ferry, while improved visibility helps captains navigate rough seas.

With busy schedules to keep, minutes used manoeuvring on each side of a voyage can also quickly increase costs. The efficiencies achieved thanks to the assistance of the SPECS system can maximise trading time and minimise fuel consumption. By saving fuel, Brittany Ferries will also reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Arnaud Le Poulichet, director of engineering and maintenance, Brittany Ferries said: “When the captain is confident in manoeuvring it improves safety, saves time and fuel. This clear and strong return on investment makes adopting SPECS an obvious decision. But there is more to embracing digitalisation. Using the latest technology also plays an important role in attracting high-quality crew. By having innovative technology onboard, we make seafaring attractive to a new generation of seafarers – who we must engage in the industry.”

Sasha Heriot, head of product, assistance systems, Wärtsilä Voyage commented: “SPECS will help the crew of the Salamanca augment their situational awareness whilst also enabling Brittany Ferries to improve operational safety and efficiency. The company’s proactivity in adopting cutting-edge technology is impressive and will ensure it remains one of the leading cross-channel ferry operators.

It is also encouraging that Brittany Ferries shares our vision of a high-tech future for bridge systems and is excited about, not only the benefits SPECS can bring today, but also how technology will advance and develop into the future. SPECS provides the core situational data that will make this vision a reality and we are delighted to be partners with Brittany Ferries on this digital journey.”

SPECS also enables processed data to be exported for use in simulation and training. Brittany Ferries plans to use the data to show other crew how manoeuvring can be performed in specific conditions and ports. Export to simulation facilities can also allow for close investigation into any vessel incidents and thus reduce the risk of similar occurrences.

Source: https://thedigitalship.com/news/electronics-navigation/item/7985-brittany-ferries-chooses-waertsilae-s-360-vision-camera-system-to-enhance-safety

On 22 July 2022, Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations signed the Initiative on the safe export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from Ukrainian ports. The purpose of this Initiative is to facilitate the safe navigation for the export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia from the Ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk (Chornomorsk) and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi) (the Ukrainian ports).

Since the 24 February escalation of the war in Ukraine, the export of foodstuffs and fertilizers from Ukraine has been negatively impacted, something which in turn has threatened supplies to several developing countries desperately reliant on import of food stocks from Ukraine.

However, on 22 Jul 2022, Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine together with the United Nations signed the Initiative on the safe export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from Ukrainian ports. The purpose of this Initiative is to facilitate the safe navigation for the export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia from the Ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk (Chornomorsk) and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi) (the Ukrainian ports).

International coordination

The operational execution of the initiative will be coordinated by a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul where representatives of Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations will oversee and coordinate the operation. The warring parties have agreed not to attack any of the merchant ships taking part in this initiative.

A set of procedures for merchant vessels taking part in the initiative have been developed, a copy of which can be found via the link below. The procedures must be followed by all ships taking part in the initiative.

A high-risk operation

The initiation of exports from Ukraine-controlled ports is a welcome development but there is no question that the resumption of shipping operations is a high-risk endeavour. While both Russia and Ukraine have publicly promised not to attack ships involved in the initiative, there have been several sightings of mine-like objects in the area, and the risk of a rogue mine detonating against a ship is still present. Add to this that the perceived mine threat provides for plausible deniability for any malign actor with a motive to disrupt global food supplies, especially by means of underwater weapons such as limpet mines or torpedoes. The resultant security situation amounts to something which by any measure will be a high-risk operation.

Ship protection measures

Ships getting involved in this initiative are encouraged to perform a voyage-specific risk assessment and consider the relevant self-protection measures described in chapter 4 incl. annexes in the NATO publication Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) – Guide to Owners, Operators, Masters and Officers.

It should be noted that the NATO procedures for passage coordination etc. described in this NATO publication DO NOT apply to this scenario. Instead, the procedures outlined in the specific guidance developed by Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine together with the United Nations should be applied. However, the section in the NATO publication about how to mitigate against underwater threats (mines, submarines, underwater sabotage) would seem particularly relevant to the scenario ships are faced with when participating in the described initiative.

Source: https://www.bimco.org/insights-and-information/ukraine/20220809-ukraine-grain-security

BMT has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Plymouth to jointly research ship design and cybersecurity in the maritime sector.

The new agreement will look at harnessing the capabilities of the University’s recently opened £3.2 million Cyber-SHIP Lab. This facility is dedicated to simulating and understanding maritime cyber threats and facilitating future secure maritime operations through cyber resilience research, tools, and training. The facility forms part of the University’s Marine Navigation Centre, which includes a physical ship’s bridge used to simulate attacks and test equipment.

BMT was a founding industry supporter of the Cyber-SHIP Lab when it was launched in 2019, based on the firm belief that through the development of these new tools and lab, the UK can become a leading power in maritime cybersecurity.

Jake Rigby, research and development lead, BMT, said: “BMT is delighted to be working with the University of Plymouth in helping the UK drive the highest possible standards in maritime security. With this knowledge and experience in place, the UK can then offer the benefits of the insights, operational practices and training to the global shipping and marine community. Through combining our expertise and our knowledge, we are confident great strides will be made in enhancing security and cyber protection across maritime.”

Professor Kevin Jones, executive dean of science and engineering at the University and principal investigator on the Cyber-SHIP Lab project, added: “With our ever-increasing dependence on the global maritime sector, ensuring ships and port operations are cyber secure has never been more critical. Advances in cyber technology, and the emergence of new threats, mean this is a constantly evolving area that needs an innovative and joined-up approach. The partnership between the University and BMT is a perfect example of that, uniting our collective expertise in both identifying potential issues and solutions and finding the means for them to be applied in maritime engineering and design.”

The MoU was signed by professor Judith Petts CBE, vice-chancellor of the University of Plymouth, and Sarah Kenny, CEO of BMT, and will kick-start a range of collaboration opportunities from student engagement and employee development to collaborative research and joint consultancy.

Source: https://thedigitalship.com/news/maritime-satellite-communications/item/7977-university-of-plymouth-and-bmt-team-up-on-maritime-cyber-security

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is organising the 9th run of the International Safety@Sea Week from 29th of August to the 2nd of September 2022. This is an annual platform for MPA to engage members of the international maritime community and top practitioners to raise awareness and exchange views on maritime safety. As part of MPA’s commitment to promoting safety at sea, registration for this event is free.

Winners for the annual International Safety@Sea Awards, which recognizes outstanding efforts of organizations and individuals who have played a significant part in ensuring safety at sea, will also receive their awards then.

This year’s International Safety@Sea Conference will adopt a hybrid format with option for either online or in-person participation to cater to the event’s growing international audience. The opening session on 30 August 2022 focuses on this year’s theme “Riding the Waves for Maritime Safety”.

Two plenary sessions on 31 August 2022 will discuss:
·Dovetailing Seafarers’ Health & Wellbeing with a Good Safety Culture
·Proactive Use of Data for Maritime Safety

Source: https://www.xindemarinenews.com/m/view.php?aid=40833

Newer Posts

Older Posts

RIMPAC 2022: World’s Largest Maritime Exercise Concludes

Japan, U.S. Navies Conduct Flag Talks

Empties Lift Port of Long Beach to New July Record as Imports Fall

Bourbon implements digital crew payments system

Lloyd’s adopts Risk Intelligence system

World debuts for Sanlorenzo, Prestige and Beneteau Sail

Brittany Ferries chooses Wärtsilä’s 360° vision camera system to enhance safety

Procedures for safe export of foodstuffs etc. from Ukrainian ports

International coordination

A high-risk operation

Ship protection measures

University of Plymouth and BMT team up on maritime cybersecurity

The 9th International Safety@Sea Week 2022

Advisory on GPS Jamming and Alternative Navigation Measures Near the Strait of Hormuz

Iran Votes to Close Strait of Hormuz: Global Shipping on Alert

Iran Parliament Votes to Close Strait of Hormuz – Global Shockwaves

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