The vast majority of Ukraine’s stored grain is awaiting export from its large Black Sea terminals, which have been shuttered by a Russian naval blockade. A small amount is trickling out of the country via its land borders to the west, and a bit more is being carried out via its Danube River ports on the Romanian border. Unfortunately, according to the Ukrainian government, hundreds of thousands of tonnes are also being taken by Russian occupying forces, with little to no compensation for farmers.

Several independent investigations have documented an abnormal surge in grain shipments out of the Russian-occupied port of Sevastopol, which has historically handled little outbound grain. According to an investigation by the Financial Times, an estimated 140,000 tonnes of grain were loaded on bulkers and exported from Sevastopol in May alone. In a separate investigation, Russian truckers interviewed by the Wall Street Journal explained how they have been contracted to carry grain from newly-occupied areas of Ukraine to Sevastopol.

According to Windward, there has been a 160 percent increase in AIS-dark activity in the Black Sea for Russian- and Syrian-flagged vessels over the past year, the majority since the start of the invasion. In recent months, most of the “dark” voyages that started in the Sea of Azov have ended in Turkey or Bulgaria, with a small number headed to Syria.

In addition to the traffic in and out of Sevastopol, Russian-flagged and open-registry bulkers appear to be meeting with one to four other vessels in clusters in the Kerch Port anchorage, and satellite imagery shows clear evidence of STS transfers in progress.

The company’s proprietary AIS- and satellite-based tracking intelligence has identified a pattern of suspicious ship-to-ship grain transfers in the Russian-controlled Kerch Strait, where small bulkers are meeting up with larger vessels to hand off cargo for export.

“Dark” STS transfers are a familiar sanctions-evasion strategy used in the tanker industry. There are legitimate reasons for STS transfers of grain in the Sea of Azov, like moving cargo from the region’s ubiquitous river-sea class barges onto seagoing bulkers – but when conducted in combination with “dark” activity it could suggest handling of illegitimate cargoes.

In an example from June 10, Windward identified a cluster of five vessels – two small bulkers, one midsize bulker and two service vessels – all rafted up in the Kerch Strait. The two small bulkers spent an extended period of time operating dark in the Sea of Azov, turning on their AIS transcievers on the Don River. Based on their reported drafts, they appear to have loaded grain at the Russian port of Azov.

The large vessel increased its AIS reported draft from 6.2 to 9.9 meters after the meeting (a sign of laden condition), then headed to Metalurji, Turkey, where it updated its draft back down to 6.2 meters (a sign it had offloaded cargo). This ship has since made similar trips, but ending in Libya.

One of the smaller vessels has since made a trip to Ukraine, according to Windward.

“In addition to a proliferation of dark activities in the Black Sea area since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are now witnessing coordinated cargo ship-to-ship meetings involving multiple ships in what looks like a clear attempt to evade restrictions and sanctions via smuggling,” warned Windward. “It is now clear to every shipping stakeholder dealing with trade that deceptive shipping practices and risk mitigation are relevant to all vessels and types of commodities – oil is no longer the main driver of the maritime economy.”
Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/sts-transfers-may-be-used-to-launder-stolen-grain-from-ukraine

While globally the incidents of piracy against commercial shipping continue to decline, Asia and specifically the Singapore Strait continues to be one of the areas of greater concern. The ReCAAP Information Sharing Center (ISC) released its mid-year report for 2022 highlighting an 11 percent increase in incidents in Asia while also conducting a dialogue session with the shipping industry to discuss steps required to reduce the regional risks.

ReCAAP’s mid-year report reflects the same issues identified by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) which recently said that it received the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of any year since 1994. While saying that incidents were nearing a 30-year low, they also pointed to the increase of low-level crimes in the Singapore Strait.

ReCAAP’s data shows that there was a total of 40 incidents of robbery against ships in Asia in the first half of 2022, which is up by 11 compared to the 38 reported incidents in 2021. More than half of those incidents were reported for ships transiting the Singapore Strait with a total of 27 reports up from 20 last year. “The Singapore Strait,” ReCAAP says, “remains an area of concern.”

A closer analysis of the data shows that the activity is heavily concentrated at the eastern side of the Singapore Strait. Further, 19 of the incidents were in the eastbound traffic lane. Yet, while activity is high, it remains mostly low-level crime with boarders seeking to steal spare parts or other materials most often from open store lockers. Most often the perpetrators leave the vessels when they are discovered and often there is no direct confrontation and interaction between the crew and the boarders.

Across Asia, ReCAAP says three-quarters of the incidents are classified at the lowest level meaning that the perpetrators are not armed and the crew was not harmed. However, nearly three-quarters of the incidents reported were on board ships while they were underway versus anchored or at berth. Only in two of the reports did the vessel report that the attempt at boarding was unsuccessful, but ReCAAP emphasized that reporting is critical to ensure an accurate understanding of the activity in the region.

The only other area that saw an increase in reports was the Chattigram anchorages in Bangladesh, where there were three reports versus none in 2021. There were no reports both in Malaysia and Vietnam and incidents declined by half to just three in the Philippines. Further, it is more than two years since there was a reported abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah. While the last abduction was in January 2020, ReCAAP advises that the threat remains potentially high recommending that vessels continue to re-route where possible.

During the discussion with the shipping industry, they highlighted the need to focus on the conduct of the crew while transiting these areas. The participants agreed on the need for the shipping industry to continually review the Risk Assessment Plan, implement the Ship Security Plan among other time-tested best management measures required to suppress the acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships, according to ReCAAP. They recommended that vigilance and lookouts be maximized and that an alarm should be sounded when sighting unauthorized persons on board ships or suspicious boats in the vicinity.

Over the past 15 years, ReCAAP has focused on data analytics on the number of perpetrators, weapons carried, treatment of crew, stolen items, type of ships boarded, and time of the incidents. Phase II of the data analytics is underway and ReCAAP hopes to be able to provide more analytical information that will enable the ship crew to be better prepared for any potential piracy and armed robbery incidents by adopting the relevant safety measures, especially when navigating through the areas of concerns.
Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/singapore-strait-is-an-area-of-concern-while-global-piracy-declines

[Brief] A marine pilot at the port of Yalova, Turkey died Monday after falling from a pilot ladder into the water.

At about 1300 hours Monday, pilot Cafer Kiribrahim was out at the Ciftlikkoy anchorage area off Yalova in order to rendezvous with the tanker Alhena. His pilot boat came alongside the tanker and he transferred over to the pilot ladder. However, after reaching the ladder he fell into the water, according to local media.

A police response boat recovered Kiribrahim unconscious and brought him to shore, where he was treated by paramedics and transferred to Yalova State Hospital. Despite doctors’ attempts to revive him, he passed away.

According to CNN Turkey, Kiribrahim may have suffered a heart attack while he was on the ladder, then fell into the sea.

Alhena is a 2012-built product tanker flagged in the Bahamas. A port state control inspection at Rotterdam in June found issues with her pilot ladder arrangements, according to her Equasis record (though the PSC inspection’s finding may not have had a causal relationship with the accident).

The climb from a moving pilot boat up the side of a moving ship involves risk, and pilot ladder accidents are not uncommon. In an attempt to address pilot transfer safety issues, SOLAS V Regulation 23 provides specific measures for pilot ladder arrangements and equipment.

source: https://maritime-executive.com/article/boarding-accident-claims-marine-pilot-s-life-off-yalova-turkey

Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school? 

I grew up in Tacoma, Washington, in and around the water, sailing and boating. I played sports from a young age through high school. I attended the University of San Diego, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Tell us about your career, your current position, and what led you to it. 

My career started on a bit of a different path, as I graduated college during the Great Recession and many entry-level positions in my engineering field were nonexistent. I worked as a bank teller for a few years while the economy sorted itself out. The position honed my communication skills, as I interacted with many people in both a customer service capacity and as a co-worker at all levels of the organization. An opportunity eventually arose to pursue a job in my major field, for a small boat builder as an Engineering Designer. I worked for this boat builder for seven years, moving from the Designer position to Large Boat Engineering Manager to Technical Sales Engineer for Business Development. As this was a small company, my continued growth opportunities were limited. I saw this position at Foss for a Project Manager. Many of my skills from my previous company prepared me for this role, as boat design and construction are all individual projects. I was excited to experience a company within a different maritime field, with growth opportunities within Foss and the Saltchuk family of companies.

A pandemic is a difficult time to launch a project like the Kitty Hawk. Tell us about your thought process in designing a safe journey and why approachability and communication matter when it comes to safety.

Planning for the Kitty Hawk project had many different variables. We had to plan vessel preparations and supplies for this long journey, crew changes in foreign countries with COVID restrictions, agent support for port calls, fuel tankers along the route, and other possible contingencies for emergencies. Planning had to take into account information and input from many different groups within Foss—Project Management, Operations, Engineering, HSQE, Procurement—and all these groups had direct impact on the success of this project. The open level of communication allowed brainstorming and discussion to ensure that we planned accordingly for every scenario, even if it was considered low risk.

Is there something in your life that drove your understanding of and commitment to safety? 

I have always been active in the outdoors, skiing, hiking, sailing, rowing, and climbing. All of these things have inherent risks. You need to understand the risks and plan for safety because if you don’t, it could end in death.

What was your first impression of Foss? Tell us your favorite story about your time with the company. 

I had been familiar with Foss long before I joined the family. My best friend growing up, her father was a Chief Engineer for Foss and served in the ocean fleet. A favorite of my time at Foss has been my experience getting to know the mariners who have served on the vessels during the projects I have managed.

Think about a time in your career when you felt like what you were doing might not be completely safe. What did you learn from that experience? 

Foss operates in environments and operations that are inherently dangerous, and we do our best to mitigate the risk in each scenario through our safety procedures and equipment. One instance that I did not feel completely safe was boarding and de-boarding the Kitty Hawk during a port call from a foreign launch in a rough seaway. I learned that not all maritime operators have the same focus on safety, and you must always be vigilant when working in these environments.

Speaking up for safety can be difficult for some people. What advice would you give to someone within our family of companies who’s convinced their feedback won’t matter—or worse, that they’ll somehow be punished for taking action? 

We have cultivated a culture within our companies where everyone has stop-work authority, regardless of position or the work we are doing. It’s important to realize that each individual’s perspective is insight that is valuable.

Source: https://peopleofsaltchuk.com/safety-qa-with-michael-loomis-project-manager-foss-maritime/

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), which operates the San Francisco Bay Ferry Service, has won a $14.9 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). It will be used to develop a high-frequency network connecting some of San Francisco’s fastest growing neighborhoods with battery-electric zero-emission ferries.

The grant will fund the construction of ferries and shoreside charging infrastructure to support the San Francisco Clean Ferry Network, which will use zero-emission ferries to connect waterfront San Francisco neighborhoods including Downtown, Treasure Island and Mission Bay.

This grant, awarded through CalSTA’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), is the latest in a series of grant awards that have been secured to support the new service. In 2020, WETA was awarded $9 million from CalSTA to design and build its first zero-emission ferry along with shoreside infrastructure. In early 2022, WETA won a $3.4 million Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant to add an additional battery-electric vessel to the network.

This $14.9 million award funds construction of a third vessel for what will eventually be a four-vessel network. The grant also includes funds for the charging infrastructure needed to operate the service.

“San Francisco’s waterfront is home to some of the region’s fastest-growing new neighborhoods and this grant will help reduce traffic and improve air quality by connecting workers and residents with the country’s first high-speed, zero-emission ferry service,” said WETA Board of Directors Chair Jim Wunderman. “We owe thanks to Governor Gavin Newsom, CalSTA Secretary Toks Omishakin, our tireless Bay Area Legislative Caucus, and our strong support coalition for sharing our vision for a world class clean ferry network for the region.”

Wunderman will be keynoting Marine Log’s FERRIES 2022 conference in San Francisco on November 1-2.

The S.F. Clean Ferry Network will be a major milestone in WETA’s transition to zero-emission ferry service. The agency is currently completing a two-pronged study, investigating both clean marine propulsion technology and shoreside infrastructure needs, that will inform policy decisions going forward. Ferries aging out of San Francisco Bay Ferry service will be replaced with new zero-emission vessels. WETA may also convert some current ferries to zero-emission propulsion systems over the next decade.

• More than 3 million passengers rode WETA’s San Francisco Bay Ferry service in 2019. WETA has delivered eight new ferries with a combined 3,255 seats since 2017, with three more vessels under construction. Under WETA’s Pandemic Recovery Program, San Francisco Bay Ferry’s ridership in June 2022 reached 63% of pre-pandemic levels.

Source: https://www.marinelog.com/news/weta-awarded-14-9-million-to-develop-san-francisco-zero-emission-ferry-network/

New York City headquartered Foremost Group yesterday signed an order with Namura Shipbuilding for two new 185,000 dwt capesize dry bulk carriers that will be among the most eco-friendly in the world. Foremost also signed a charter party agreement with NYK for each ship to be time chartered to NYK for seven years

The newbuilding order and the charter agreements were signed in a ceremony at the Harvard Club in New York that was attended by the Foremost Group’s founder, maritime industry icon Dr. James Chao. Others in attendance included top officials from both Foremost and Namura, the Japanese Consul General to the U.S., Ambassador Mikio Mori, and senior management from NYK (the charterers), and the president and CEO of Sumitomo Corp. of Americas Group, Tomonori Wada.

“We are pleased to sign this agreement with Namura Shipyards, which will build on our track-record of having a fleet of state-of-the-art dry bulk carriers built to our specifications,” said Foremost Group Chair and CEO Angela Chao. “We welcome this partnership and look forward to working with Namura for many years to come.”

“Today indeed marks a wonderful day in the U.S,-Japan relationship – between our two countries, among our three companies, and the multilateral cooperation we have to deliver the world’s goods in the most environmentally friendly way possible – and that is shipping,” she continued. “Today also marks our first newbuilding orders with Namura Shipbuildpng. As you all know, Namura shipyard has an impeccable reputation and builds some of the finest capesize bulk carriers in the world. With a strong family tradition, now being led by its fifth generation under the strong leadership of Kensuke Namura san, Namura continues to innovate and develop, building the world’s most eco-friendly, lowest carbon footprint, lowest NOx emitter capesize bulk carrier in the world. We are proud to add these beautiful new ships to our fleet, ensuring that Foremost remains on the forefront of environmental friendliness. Thanks to Sumitomo, led by President Wada here in the U.S., for acting as a bridge between Namura and Foremost, and for facilitating trade and cooperation between our two companies, as well as between our two countries.

“Today marks a deepening and strengthening of a decades long relationship with NYK, one of the leading and largest shipping companies of the world. We have a number of ships chartered to NYK, now and in the past, but this new project marks a joint commitment to their new “Green Policy”, and these two ships will be built to environmental standards on NOx emissions and carbon emissions, 2 or more years in advance of what is regulatory required. This is a strong demonstration of our value alignment and mutual commitment to our environment and the generations that will come after us. Hamazaki san and your team, we look forward to working together with you for many years to come.

“We are also delighted and proud to have the opportunity to receive a first shipbuilding contract from the Foremost Group and with these vessels having long time charter agreement with NYK, we are confident that this new partnership will definitely lead the project to a successful conclusion,” said Mr. Kensuke Namura, President of Namura Shipbuilding.

“We are very pleased to conclude a long-term charter contract for the new Capesize bulk carriers built by Namura Shipbuilding with the leading shipowner Foremost,” said Mr. Koichi Hamazaki, General Manager of Tramper Group of NYK. “We believe that these two vessels will symbolize the long-term good relationship between Foremost and NYK.”

ALREADY IN COMPLIANCE WITH EEDI PHASE III

The ships will be delivered in 2024. The freight will be major dry bulk commodities like iron ore and bauxite. As their long term time charterer, NYK will determine what each ship carries and where and also plans to also engage the ships on the spot freight market.

These will be some of the first ships that are in compliance with IMO’s EEDI phase three requirements. The engines will be the latest state of the art electronically controlled MAN B&W engines, built by Mitsui E&S and complying with the latest Tier III NOx emission reduction standards.

There are many other energy saving devices and design elements incorporated into hull optimization and the design of the ship. Namura has trademarked some of the technologies such as the Namura Flow Control Fin, Flat-FIN, Rudder Fin, as well as adding a Pre-swirl Stator Fin to greatly improve the Vessel’s propelling efficiency by more than 10%. The vessels are upgraded to the latest energy-saving paint and the design has been upgraded to safely consume bio-fuels. Burning biofuel can further reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 20% compared to conventional heavy marine fuel oil on the life-cycle, well-to-wake basis.

“In terms of IMO’s technical energy efficiency measure EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index), the vessels are ahead of compliance with EEDI phase III requirement, which would only apply to newbuildings ordered from year 2025 and onwards. Thus these Vessels are 3 years ahead of the EEDI requirement. In terms of IMO’s operational energy efficiency measure CII (Carbon Intensity Index), these vessels’ CII rating is expected to stay at the highest level for many years after delivery, although this will also depend on how the charterer, NYK, trades the vessel. “But given NYK’s commitment to carbon neutrality and eco-friendly ships, we believe NYK will work with us to keep the vessels at that the highest CII rating possible,” says Foremost.

Foremost enjoys a decades long relationship with NYK, one of the leading shipping companies in the world. It has a number of vessels on time charter to NYK, which seeks reliable owners who deliver superior performance for the medium and long-term, not just the short-term. Foremost says these latest newbuildings signify a deepening and strengthening of the mutual cooperation between the two companies, adding that “a seven year contract is longer than the average, again demonstrating the trust and confidence NYK has in Foremost, its management and its ships.”

Source: https://www.marinelog.com/legal-safety/shipping/foremost-group-orders-two-eco-friendly-capesizes-at-namura/