Peruvian fishing company TASA has taken ownership of the fishing industry’s first unmanned surface vessel (USV) for fish finding and oceanographic and marine resource monitoring.

Following the final sea trials in June in Norway, the vehicle will enter Peruvian waters in September this year and will begin its mission to strengthen industry data acquisition capabilities to improve management of the available biomass.

The Sounder USV, from Kongsberg Maritime, will be equipped with acoustic technology including two echosounders, a low frequency sonar and a CTD sensor. Named Guardian del Mar, the vessel has a length of 8 metres and is capable of reaching a speed of 12 knots.

The USV does not require crew on board and can navigate autonomously for some 400 hours. Mission objectives will be carried out autonomously under human supervision in the beginning, to gradually be upgraded over time with improvements in situational awareness and collision avoidance.

During the initial phase of implementing this new technology in its daily operations TASA will supervise the USV from a nearby mothership. Guardian del Mar will join TASA’s fleet of 48 vessels with the purpose of gathering information on the state of marine resources, providing information on the location of schools to make fishing operations more efficient.

The USV will also be used between fishing seasons to acquire oceanographic and fish research data to develop a better understanding of the ocean.

“We are proud to bring this technological innovation to Peru, as the leading producer of fishmeal and fish oil,” said Gonzalo de Romaña, CEO of TASA.

“Although it has the purpose of improving the efficiency of our operations, it will also allow us to further strengthen the sustainability approach in the sector by being able to share valuable oceanographic data for scientific research and adequate fishing management in our country.”

Now, Posidonia 2022 exhibition curtain has fallen, one could or should give some time to consider and evaluate what he or she gained these four, full, busy Posidonia days and evenings, what was all about the recent Posidonia?

Posidonia, is an international institution which attracts people who actively participate in the shipping industry and its various supportive sectors, facilitating one way or the other, the transportation of goods by sea, that is, ocean going commercial ships, shipowners, ship managers and charterers.

Businessmen, professionals, companies’ executives, white collar employees, technical managers, naval architects, insurance Hull and P&I underwriters, brokers, bankers, lawyers, ship builders, ship brokers, ship agents, classification societies, crew manning agents, publishers, journalists and the list goes on, flew in Athens, Greece, from all over the world, from about 100 countries, why?

Personal contact, in shipping business, is considered by most people involved, directly or indirectly with the shipping industry, as a key element for professional success, as in any other service business, and what is, transportation of goods by sea, if not a service business?

This time, personal contact was felt as an imperative need, now more than ever before, since Posidonia 2020 exhibition was cancelled due to Covid-19 and thus personal contact was severely restricted and prohibited.

The 2022 Posidonia shipping forums, conferences, athletic events, such as the Posidonia Cup Yacht race, Posidonia Golf Tournament, Posidonia running event, etc and the parties or social events, which took place at some of the best venues of Athens and Piraeus, during these four days and nights, were second to none and Greek economy had it’s share from the famous international shipping exhibition, which brought once again, people of common interests together, to meet, to exchange ideas and their views for the future, to start new co operations, or to strengthen old ones, to put on the table for discussion shared problems about the new environmental technologies, green energy, new regulations, geopolitics, the international trade, the world economy and how shipping is affected by sanctions, ships’ seafarers well being and productivity, threats and opportunities, marine and cyber risks insurance, methods of ship finance and many other shipping related subjects, and last but not least, to have fun! to entertain, be entertained and play, away from the daily office stress, but most important, which is the bottom line, according to the opinion of the undersigned, to meet new people, to see personally each other, to feel and exchange good vibes and energy, to communicate in real life, to declare personally our presence to our peers, to our associates and competitors, we are here, we are robust, alive and kicking, that we are striving for betterment in our profession, through alliances, constant education, and that we value one another, because we care. After all, this is living a real life, by real people, in a real world and a real communication, in a people’s business, as shipping business is.

Marasco Marine’ s founder and President, Mr Anastasios Maraslis, had the opportunity to meet at his favorite seafood restaurant, Varoulko Seaside, with key executives from The American P&I Club, as seen in the photo from right to left : Mr Anastasios Maraslis, Mrs Elina Souli, Regional Business Development Director/V.P -FD&D Manager, Mr Richard Linacre, Senior Market Liaison and Mr Chris Lowe, Deputy Underwriter.
Source: By Mr Anastasios Maraslis, Founder and President of Marasco Marine Ltd.

The ship-breaking industry in Chattogram, which caters to 80 percent of domestic steel demand, remains extremely dirty and dangerous for workers and the environment.

On December 19 last year, The Daily Star and Finance Uncovered, a reporting organisation in London, jointly investigated and ran a report on how cash buyers use false documents in sending toxic ships for dismantling to the Chattogram coast.

Officials in the meeting observed that the lack of efficiency in assessing toxic waste in ships sent for scrapping exposes the country’s shores to pollution.

They decided to have an online database of ships being imported by domestic buyers for scrapping, for better coordination among various inspecting government bodies, read the meeting minutes obtained by The Daily Star recently.

At the meeting, Additional Secretary (ship recycling) of the Ministry of Industry Md Zafar Ullah stressed the need to enhance the efficiency of the Department of Environment (DoE) to inspect and detect dangerous waste.

He said IHM for ships could be implemented in various phases, adding that ships that are imported for dismantling should be verified as to whether they are on the Greenpeace list. Greenpeace enlists toxic ships worldwide in a bid to stop them from crossing international maritime borders to get dismantled.

The then director of DoE Chattogram Mohammad Moazzom Hossain informed the meeting of ships entering Bangladesh’s borders by changing names, and underscored the need to strengthen surveillance so that no toxic ships can enter hiding information.

Additional secretary of environment ministry, Md Moniruzzaman, told The Daily Star last month that the current practice is to inspect the ship when it arrives at the outer anchorage of the Bay of Bengal.

“But we are now thinking the importer will have to declare that the ship is free of toxic items [through an IHM]. When an importer self-declares that the ship has no hazardous materials, then the responsibility lies on him if any toxic substance is found later,” he said.

He said they gave their opinions and sent these to the Ministry of Industry.

Coordinator of YPSA (Young Power in Social Action), an NGO which works with shipbreaking yard workers, Mohammad Ali Sahin told The Daily Star that while preparing an IHM is a core principle of the Hong Kong Convention, importers rarely carry out one.

“IHM is very expensive, which is why the importers of scrap ships don’t want to do it. The leniency of authorities in enforcing the Hazardous Waste and Ship Breaking Waste Management Rules, 2011 is helping shipyard owners get away with pollution,” he said.

Contacted recently, Md Zafar Ullah of the Ministry of Industry told The Daily Star that the ministry currently doesn’t have the facilities to verify IHM for ships.

“We are trying to increase the efficiency of labs under DoE so that shipbreakers can have it done [preparing IHM] from here. As it is time-consuming, we want to implement it in phases.”

He added, “We have to implement it as per international legal obligations before 2023. So, we are trying to find ways to accelerate it.”

Source: thedailystar

Faced with increasing economic pressures, many shipowners are looking at downsizing fleets and disposing of older vessels. The challenge has been to address environmental concerns and increasing restrictions while retiring older or worn-out vessels. While in very different sectors of the shipping business, Carnival Cruise Line and Evergreen Marine Corporation each are highlighting their efforts to be more environmentally responsible while disposing of older tonnage.

For the first time in its nearly 50-year history, Carnival Cruise Line sold two of its cruise ships for what it is calling responsible recycling. Delivering the cruise ships the Carnival Fantasy and the Carnival Inspiration to be dismantled in Turkey, Carnival is highlighting the involvement of maritime reclamation and recycling specialists in the process.

According to Carnival’s announcement, it took efforts to ensure that a complete inventory of hazardous and regulated materials will be undertaken before the dismantling begins as well as determining the procedures planned for safely removing and processing the materials in an environmentally friendly way. The ships will be stripped of machinery, electronic equipment, glass, wood, and other materials that can be directly upcycled for reuse in new ships, used in ship repair, or repurposed for other applications. Steel and metal scraps will be salvaged and recycled for direct use or be sent to the mill for producing other products and goods.

As another example to create greater transparency in ship disposals, Evergreen Marine Corporation became a signatory to the Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI). Hosted by the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, it is an online platform where members report on their ship recycling policies and activities against a set of predefined disclosure criteria. Shippers and other stakeholders have access to the shipowners’ information and can use it to make judgments about an owner’s commitment to acting responsibly in disposing of vessels.

“When a vessel is decommissioned and recycling is planned, not only can valuable and reusable resources be recovered but potentially dangerous waste and pollutants must be processed properly,” Evergreen said in its statement. “Recycling operations with the highest standards of safety available must be utilized. We are therefore pleased to share our recycling policies by joining SRTI and helping lead a growing industry initiative to demand more responsible ship recycling in the future.”

According to Evergreen, its decision to join SRTI is part of its efforts to ensure responsible and sustainable operations wherever they touch the environment. Consideration of the environmental impact of a vessel’s operation throughout its life-cycle is part of Evergreen’s policy and will be reflected by its participation in SRTI. When planning its current fleet renewal strategy, Evergreen says that it will also incorporate strict recycling standards for the disposal of vessels.

Speaking about trends in ship recycling, Andrew Stephens, Executive Director of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative said, “Evergreen Marine joins a growing SRTI family that includes like-minded shipowners who are holding themselves to account before key stakeholders, including clients, investors, and the wider public. This includes an increasingly diverse range of stakeholders engaging on the topics of data and transparency, circularity, and the role of financial stakeholders in sustainable and responsible ship recycling in the absence of global regulation.”

Source: maritime-executive

Maritime careers have been hard hit by Covid-19, with many new recruits made redundant shortly after the pandemic started.

In addition, an estimated 400,000 seafarers were unable to return home during 2020 as a direct result of the pandemic. Many were forced to stay aboard their vessels for more than 11 months, the maximum period seafarers can serve without leave under the Maritime Labour Convention. This was hardly the best advertisement for a maritime career.

However, as bad as the situation has been, there is a view that it hasn’t been quite as dire as initially feared. And government support has thrown the industry a lifeline.

“Business is down overall. It would be bizarre if it wasn’t. But it’s not been the car crash that we feared,” says Phil Parry, co-founder of UK-based shipping recruitment specialists Spinnaker Global.

“When we were staring into the abyss at the end of March 2020, we were very concerned that we would run out of cash within a couple of months. But we, like a lot of our clients, have massively got on top of cash control; and have been massively helped by the CJRS furlough scheme.

“Without that, I think a lot of our clients would have probably either gone under or into loss-making territory.” Nevertheless, the maritime industry is likely to feel long-term repercussions from the pandemic.

Source: ship-technology

Hazardous materials are commonplace aboard vessels, potentially exposing seafarers, the vessel and the environment to risk. If these materials are not recorded correctly, ship owners can be exposed to significant liability. An Inventory of Hazardous Material ( IHM) helps ship owners maintain control of the situation by detailing the types, quantities and locations of these materials onboard each vessel.

Intertek Lintec have partnered with leading experts in the field of marine ship recycling services to offer IHM preparation services to marine companies. Offering a single point of contact for coordination, quality assurance and delivery of this service.

Complete the form to download a copy of the Flyer for more information. A Intertek Lintec team member will be in touch to follow-up with any questions regarding this new service.

Source: intertek

The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently selected 35 representatives, including two from the American Trucking Associations and one from the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, to become voting members of its newly created Surface Transportation Security Advisory Committee.

Voting members will serve two-year terms and report to TSA Administrator David Pekoske on surface transportation security matters.

“Trucking is the linchpin of the nation’s supply chain,” said John Kearney, CEO of Advanced Training Systems, which designs and manufactures virtual simulators for driver training and other applications. “The TSA clearly understands that drivers will be front and center in remaining on the alert for supply-related threats.”

Trucks transport a significant portion of the more than 3 billion tons of hazardous material shipped in the US every year. The most common cargoes are flammable liquids, in particular gasoline, which need to be transported on a frequent basis. The US Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration estimates there are more than 800,000 hazardous materials shipments every day.

A major obstacle to the unimpeded flow of these shipments, both from a safety and logistical standpoint, is a severe and growing shortage of long-haul truck drivers. Recent estimates put the shortage at 60,000 drivers—a number that could easily reach 100,000 in a few years. To close the gap, the National Association of Chemical Distributors, among others, has been lobbying for the passage of the 2018 DRIVE-Safe Act, which would lower the federal age requirement for interstate drivers from 21 to 18, thus opening a solid career path to millions of recent high-school graduates.

Source: bulktransporter

• Knowledge of propulsion plant onboard vessels.
• Knowledge of cargo containment system, cargo handling equipment and systems on board vessels.
• Good knowledge in International Maritime Regulations & statutory requirements.
• Knowledge of Nautical Systems (NS).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
• The ideal candidate will have sailed as a Fourth Engineer or Third Assistant Engineer.
• Analytical, problem solving, time management, project management and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrates teamwork, interpersonal and communication skills.

• Treat safety and environmental compliance as a top priority.
• Deliver an integrated digital IHM system linked to the vessel’s machinery, equipment, maintenance, purchasing, dry dock and management of change (MOC) modules for seamless IHM data, processes, and interconnected system for the life maintenance of vessels’ IHM, and upkeep of records for relevant suppliers’ Material Declaration (MD) and Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC).
• Assist in the development of the following processes.
• Creating the hazardous material location plan for each vessel.
• Creating the process for MDs and SDoC.
• Creating the IHM inventory report and equipment list.
• Build the repository for MDs and SDoC.
• Administer the IHM database for Gas vessels.
• Update vessels IHM records.
• Generate IHM Substance and Component Reports.
• Work with vendors to ensure timely receipt of MDs and SDoCs.
• Update repository for MDs and SDoC
• Support the Dry Dock process in the planned maintenance system.
• Support the Marine & Technical Services group in projects as required.
• Support the Planned Maintenance group in projects as required.

Source: totaljobs