August 11, 2022 Maritime Safety News
Colloquially called drone ships, multiple unmanned platforms participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, in concert with manned platforms. Unmanned and remotely operated vessels extend the capability of interconnected manned platform sensors to enhance capacity across the multinational forces.
Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One (USVDIV-1) Commanding Officer U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jeremiah Daley said RIMPAC 2022 was an excellent opportunity to train his team on common naval cultures between partner nations.
“It was rewarding to host discussions with senior leaders from participating countries on unmanned operations for RIMPAC 2022 and future concepts, as we move our partnerships forward with manned and unmanned teaming,” said Daley. “The opportunity to sail in such a large formation of ships was not lost on me as an operationally and tactically minded surface warfare officer.
“I appreciate the presence of such a large, interconnected, capable coalition of like-minded partner nations here and what it represents for our shared values moving forward.”
Known as the ghost fleet, the unmanned surface vessels Seahawk, Sea Hunter, Ranger and Nomad participated in RIMPAC 2022.
Seahawk and Sea Hunter are each 130 feet long with a central hull and two outriggers. Ranger and Nomad are 200 feet long, 35 feet wide and have a huge cargo deck on the back.
Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
Wan Hai Lines Ltd. held ship naming ceremonies for WAN HAI 351, WAN HAI 352 and WAN HAI 353 accompanied by a charity donation today (5TH . August). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a physical ceremony was replaced by an online one.
WAN HAI 351、WAN HAI 352 and WAN HAI 353 are the first three vessels in the series of 3,013 teu containerships built by Japan Marine United Corporation Tsu Shipyard. Mrs. Yoshiko ISHII, wife of Director Executive Vice President; Manager, Tokyo Branch of Tosoh Logistics Corporation, Mrs. Keiko SAKAMOTO , wife of Director General, Marine and Aviation Finance Department, Industry finance Group, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Mrs. Yasuyo NAGANO, wife of General Manager, Supply Chain Management Division, Motorcycle and Power Products Operations of Honda Motor Company Limited, named these three vessels respectively during the ceremony.
The design of 3,013 teu series takes energy efficiency and environmentally-friendly aspect into account. Moreover, all the ships delivered are certified with “Smart Ship” notations and installs Ballast Water Treatment System and Alternative Maritime Power which can make our shipping service even greener. The 1st vessel – WAN HAI 351 will be delivered in end of August, 2022 and deployed in ASIA AMERICA SERVICE. These new vessels are part of Wan Hai Lines efforts to ensure their continuous pursuit of fleet upgrade in order to provide the best quality service to customers.
In addition to naming the newbuildings, Wan Hai also made a charity donation of necessities to three charitable units; they are two private orphanages & organization for handicapped people named Nanairo and Seimatteya in Tsu City, and a charitable orphanage named Jiyugakuen in Nagoya. We hope this small token could benefit the local community. The charity donation represents part of Wan Hai Lines motto, “We carry, we care.”, as the company is committed to fulfill its corporate social responsibility, providing quality service to customers and bringing love to the society.
Reference: Wan Hai Lines
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will evaluate relevance of the Shippers’ Protection Office (SPO), whether its operations will be extended once the COVID-19 state of calamity expires in September, according to a DOTr official.
Undersecretary for Maritime Elmer Francisco Sarmiento, in text messages to PortCalls, said DOTr will evaluate the situation first “before we decide to lift the SPO or not,” noting that shipping costs, especially destination charges, “are still high.”
The SPO was created in 2020 through DOTr Department Order No. 2020-008 as part of temporary measures to protect the public during the state of national calamity “from the impact and effects of exorbitant and unreasonable shipping fees resulting in increased prices for domestic consumers.”
The state of calamity under Proclamation No. 1281 will expire on September 12, unless it is lifted before that date or extended. Health Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has ordered a review of the state of calamity proclamation.
Sarmiento said he will evaluate how effective the SPO has been, noting: “I’ll have to hear from complainants their side if the SPO is effective.”
He said he has no definite date yet on when the evaluation would start, but noted it is a priority.
Under DO 2020-008, the SPO is mandated to protect domestic and international shippers “against unreasonable fees and charges imposed by domestic and international shipping lines.” The SPO should look into “all complaints and issues related to the rates, charges, practices and operations of international and domestic shipping lines in the country.”
The SPO is headed by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) general manager as chair and administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as vice chair. The SPO Secretariat is headed by PPA’s Port Operations and Services Department.
Port users and stakeholders have long asked government to oversee operations of and charges levied by international shipping lines. No government agency has direct jurisdiction over these carriers, although liners’ agents/local offices are required to register with MARINA and to comply with Customs and tax rules.
There had been attempts in recent years to regulate local shipping charges, but all efforts have fallen through.
PPA earlier told PortCalls that as of June 9, 2022 the SPO received 88 complaints and inquiries since its establishment in 2020. Four of the 88 complaints had been addressed. Of these, 18 were resolved/closed, 10 referred to other government agencies, three awaiting comments from subjects of complaints, two for issuance of special orders, and 51 returned for non-compliance with the prescribed format.
Of the total, 68 were complaints against international shipping lines for unreturned container deposit, uncollected container refund, detention charges, demurrage and storage charges, cleaning fees, destination charges, container imbalance charges, empty return location, and unreleased delivery order/container release order.
Other complaints were against terminal operators, a domestic shipping line, a freight forwarder, a trucker, a container yard operator, and a bunkering service provider, according to a 2021 presentation by PPA.
There were also complaints on the increase in sea/air freight charges, change of port of discharge, and wrong gross weight. – Roumina Pablo
Source: https://www.portcalls.com/dotr-to-evaluate-relevance-of-shippers-protection-office/
August 11, 2022 Maritime Safety News
The acquisition of Tomini Kaimai and the other vessels from Interlink will bring Tomini’s fleet to 26 ships with an average age of five years.
Numair Shaikh, CEO of Tomini Group, said: “We see a very positive supply side picture on the handies, with relatively few new builds on order, and an ageing profile of the existing fleet. This leads to greater recycling numbers due to incoming environmental regulations, meaning the fundamentals are very much in favour of a positive handysize segment.”
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings today announced revisions to its SailSAFE health and safety protocols for its Norwegian, Oceania and Regent brands.
Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols and unvaccinated guests may embark with a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, subject to local regulations.
According to a press release, this policy will go into effect across Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises for all sailings that commence on or after September 3, 2022.
Requirements may differ for guests traveling on voyages departing from or visiting destinations with specific local regulations, including but not limited to Canada, Greece and Bermuda.
The company said it continues to strongly recommend all guests be up to date on vaccination protocols and test at their convenience prior to travel.
“Our long-awaited revisions to our testing and vaccination requirements bring us closer in line with the rest of society, which has learned to adapt and live with COVID-19, and makes it simpler and easier for our loyal guests to cruise on our three best-in-class brands. Health and safety is our top priority and we will continue to modify our robust SailSAFE program as the public health environment evolves,” said Frank Del Rio, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “The relaxation of protocols coupled with continued easing of travel restrictions and the reopening to cruise in more ports around the globe are meaningfully positive for our business as it reduces friction, expands the addressable cruise market, brings variety to itineraries and provides additional catalysts on the road to recovery.”
Key fleetwide protocols changes, subject to local regulations, effective September 3, 2022 include:
Source: https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/27996-norwegian-cruise-line-drops-pre-voyage-covid-19-testing.html
China’s military exercises in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Bay would not disrupt flight services in the Taipei Flight Information Region, but container ships would have to bypass the areas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday.
China’s Lianyungang Maritime Safety Administration on Friday announced that it was banning the entry of ships into certain areas south of the Yellow Sea from Saturday last week to Monday next week due to live-fire drills by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
China’s Dalian Maritime Affairs Bureau announced that entry to certain areas of Bohai Bay would be prohibited from yesterday to Sept. 8 due to military exercises.
Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei Times
China’s military exercises in Bohai Bay and areas south of the Yellow Sea would not disrupt international flight routes to and from Taiwan as they would not fall within the Taipei Flight Information Region, the ministry said.
However, the Maritime and Port Bureau has warned Yang Ming Marine Transport, Evergreen Marine Corp and Wan Hai Lines to avoid sending their container ships through these areas for safety reasons, it said.
The nation’s flight and shipping services have gradually resumed normal operations after all seven temporary danger zones China unilaterally declared last week expired yesterday.
Six of the zones expired at 12pm on Sunday, while the last danger zone expired at 10am yesterday, the ministry said.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and Maritime and Port Bureau would continue to guide aircraft and sea vessels to bypass the temporary danger zones to ensure their safety, the ministry said, adding that inbound, outbound and transit flights must avoid the seven temporary danger areas and operate on alternative routes.
On Sunday, the nation had 138 outbound flights, 145 inbound flights and 147 transit flights, CAA data showed.
From Thursday to Sunday, Taiwan had about 150 inbound flights and the same number of outbound flights daily, the ministry said, adding that China’s military drills did not lead to a drastic reduction in arriving or departing flights.
Transit flights gradually resumed after six of the seven temporary danger zones expired, it said, adding that air traffic control offices across the nation would carefully monitor the situation to ensure flight safety.
In terms of shipping services, China’s military drills mainly affected the vessels accessing the Port of Keelung, the Port of Taipei and the Port of Kaohsiung, the ministry said.
Vessels entering and leaving these ports must avoid entering the temporary danger zones, it said.
Maritime and Port Bureau data showed that seven international commercial ports around Taiwan on Sunday recorded 118 inbound and 120 outbound ships, which was not much different from the previous three days, the ministry said.
Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/08/09/2003783229
A group of Japanese technology stakeholders, comprising NYK Group (MTI), Japan Marine United Corporation, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Furuno, JRC, BEMAC, ClassNK and NAPA, are to collaborate on a new Maritime and Ocean Digital Engineering (MODE) programme at the University of Tokyo, commencing from the 1st of October.
The initiative aims to enhance digital engineering skills in the maritime sector through the construction of cooperative simulation platforms using model-based development (MBD) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE), technologies already more commonly used in the automobile industry.
MBD and MBSE approach problems by examining the functions of products and components as computer models, and then checking their behaviour during operation through simulations. This can assist in optimising complex system designs early in their creation, and also allows for a more collaborative development process to take place involving different stakeholders.
The programme for research on MBD and MBSE for the maritime field will be established by forming a network between the Graduate Schools of Frontier Sciences and Engineering at the University of Tokyo and other universities and research institutes around the world that are involved in advanced engineering, working with relevant experts from other sectors such as automobiles, aerospace and aviation.
An inaugural symposium is scheduled for the 4th of October at Ito Hall in the University of Tokyo.
Source: https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2022/08/08/japanese-tech-stakeholders-to-begin-model-based-systems-design-programme/
August 11, 2022 GENERAL
Greece has installed its new LNG Floating Storage Unit (FSU) near the Revithoussa land based terminal and says the FSU will be ready to receive LNG shipments by the end of August
During a visit to the site, Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, Kostas Skrekas was quoted by Greek media outlet Kathimerini as saying “The new tank is ready to receive the first shipments of LNG by the end of August. This will make it possible to ensure our country’s supply of natural gas, a large percentage of which is used for electricity generation, and thus to shield our country in the coming days.”
Mr Skrekas visited the LNG carrier-turned-FSU Methane Lydon Volney accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Environment, Giorgos Amiras and the Secretary General for Energy & Mineral Resources, Alexandra Sdoukou and Greek gas grid operator DESFA’s CEO Maria Rita Galli.
Ms Galli also addressed the vessel’s capabilities and the impacts Russia’s war in Ukraine is having on energy markets.
“During this critical time, DESFA was on the frontline of current developments, implementing a series of investments to strengthen its infrastructures and further diversify Greece’s sources of [energy] supply, and significantly reduce the country’s dependence on natural gas coming from Russia.”
She added “With the addition of the FSU, we increase the total storage capacity of Revithoussa to 360,000 m3 and contribute decisively to ensuring alternative sources of supply via LNG unloadings and overall to the country’s security of supply, through our technical experience and infrastructure.”
The FSU is a GasLog-owned steam turbine 145,000m3 LNG carrier installed as a floating storage unit. The FSU is moored near the Revithoussa LNG Terminal – currently the only LNG terminal in Greece.
GasLog’s LNG carrier is one of two vessels in the LNG operator’s fleet chartered to DESFA for 12 months.
Source: https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/greece-welcomes-gaslogs-lng-carrier-installed-as-a-fsu-72331
The managing authority has announced the ship named ZEN-HUA 35 arrived in Lagos on 5 August.
The ship conveyed the second batch shipment, comprising two Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes with 115 packages of accessories and five Rubber-Tyred-Gantry (RTG) cranes with 270 packages of accessories from Shanghai.
The news follows the delivery of three Super Post Panamax Ship-to-Shore cranes and 10 RTGs a month ago. The number of cranes has now totalled five STS cranes and 15 RTG cranes.
The management added that yard equipment for the port is expected to be shipped shortly.
Lekki port is nearing completion as construction works are slated to be concluded by September.
Dredging and reclamation work is 98.43 per cent done, while work on the quay wall is 96.07 per cent finished.
The company’s net profit came at Rs 1,072 crore ($134 million) for the first quarter of FY22-23, against the Rs 1,278 Cr ($160 million) from the same period a year ago.
Consolidated EBITDA (excluding Gangavaram) grew by 11 per cent to Rs 3,005 Cr ($377 million), while revenue stood almost flat year-on-year at Rs 4,638 Cr ($582 million) – given the Rs 725 Cr ($9 million) decline in revenue from the SEZ business segment.
APSEZ reported that this decline was in line with its expectations.
Adani added that the overall strong performance was delivered by both its businesses – ports and logistics.
During Q1 FY23, the company handled 90.89 MMT of cargo, which is an approximately 8 per cent year-on-year growth. The growth was primarily led by dry cargo (11.2 per cent increase), followed by containers (3.2 per cent), and liquids including crude (5.6 per cent).
Mundra port continues to be the largest container handling port with 1.65 million TEU versus 1.48 million TEU managed by JNPT port during the quarter. Mundra crossed 50 MMT of cargo volumes in the initial 111 days of FY23.
Ports EBITDA grew 18 per cent to Rs 2,885 Cr ($362 million).
Revenue from the logistics business stood at Rs 360 Cr ($45 million), a growth of 34 per cent on account of improving container and terminal traffic, and the bulk segment with overall increase in the rolling stock.
Logistics business EBIDTA grew by 56 per cent to Rs 96 Cr ($12 million). According to the company, this was aided by increase in cargo volumes, cargo diversification, elimination of loss- making routes and operational efficiency measures.
Gangavaram Port reported revenue of Rs 414 Cr ($52 million) and EBIDTA of Rs 280 Cr ($35 million) in Q1 FY23, although these numbers are currently not consolidated in APSEZ results.
“Q1 FY23 has been the strongest quarter in APSEZ’s history, with a record cargo volume and highest ever quarterly EBITDA. This is a 11 per cent jump on a robust performance in the corresponding quarter last year that witnessed the post-Covid demand surge,” commented Karan Adani, CEO and Whole Time Director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone.
“The company continued this strong performance in July and recorded 100 MMT of cargo through-put in the initial 99 days of FY23, a feat never achieved before.”
As Adani is set to commission two new terminals in the coming months, this growth will gain more momentum according to the company. The container terminal at Gangavaram Port will become operational next month, while the 5 MMT LNG terminal at Dhamra will be ready by the end of the year.
“Our strategy of connecting port gate to customer gate through an integrated utility model is starting to yield results,” added Adani.
“We are confident of achieving our full year guidance of 350-360 MMT cargo volumes and EBITDA of Rs 12,200-12,600 Cr ($1,5 billion). APSEZ remains committed to its philosophy of ensuring sustainable growth in partnership with our key stakeholders.”
Most recently, Adani Ports and Israeli firm Gadot and won the tender for the sale of Haifa port.
The group will buy the port for a sum of $1.18 billion. Adani Ports will have a 70 per cent stake and Gadot will hold the remaining 30 per cent.
Source: https://www.porttechnology.org/news/adani-ports-profit-dips-16-per-cent-amid-rise-in-volumes/
