MARITIME NEWS Archives - Page 70 of 210

A repeat of the 2007 Pasha Bulker disaster was narrowly avoided with the swift action of skilled tugboat crew but one of the biggest players in the towage industry, SVITZER Tugs, is applying to the Fair Work Commission for the termination of their employees’ collective employment agreement and seeking cuts to the pay, conditions and job security of over 600 tug boat workers around Australia.

The cargo vessel Portland Bay lost engine power in heavy seas off the coast of New South Wales near the Royal National Park early yesterday morning. Tugs including the SL Diamantina and SL Martinique from Engage Marine and the Bullara from SVITZER Tugs worked through the day and night to tow the 170 metre long cargo ship to safety so that engine repairs could be undertaken.

The Maritime Union of Australia’s National Secretary, Paddy Crumlin, praised the skilful work of the maritime workers who prevented a potentially tragic disaster.

“For a vessel of its size, adrift within one nautical mile of shore, there was a strong likelihood it would have run aground if not for the skilful intervention of towage workers aboard the tugs which were despatched from Port Botany and Sydney Harbour,” Mr Crumlin said.

The cargo ship, which was unladen at the time it ran into trouble, nonetheless carries up to 1000 tonnes of fuel oil, which would cause an environmental catastrophe if the ship was damaged or ran aground.

“As tugboat workers employed by SVITZER are out in mountainous seas joining a flotilla of tugs saving a ship and its 21 crew from being smashed up on the rocks, SVITZER’s management are applying to the Fair Work Commission to strip these workers’ pay and conditions,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Incidents like today’s daring rescue of 21 seafarers in wild seas demonstrate the importance of skilled, professional and experienced workers in such a dangerous, essential industry. SVITZER should stop seeking to cut their workers’ pay and casualise their employment when it is these people we depend on in an emergency,” Crumlin cautioned.

“SVITZER workers and members of ITF affiliated unions throughout the globe remain dismayed by the aggressive anti-union management strategy at a time that their parent company has posted a $22 billion profit and foreshadowed ongoing returns in this ballpark,” Mr Crumlin added.

At the recent Maersk AGM, ITF representatives identified SVITZER’s anti-union position as being in complete breach of an existing ESG commitment between the parent company and Danish and ITF unions representing stevedoring, shipping, offshore and port services worldwide.

“The international seafarers and dockers meeting in London last week condemned SVITZER for their actions, calling on Maersk to bring them into line with their existing commitments to labour standards, particularly freedom of association and collective bargaining. SVITZER is an international embarrassment to the Maersk parent company,” Mr Crumlin said.

Source: https://www.mua.org.au/news/tug-company-seeks-cut-pay-workers-who-averted-disaster-stricken-cargo-ship

The global seaborne crude oil market trade “map” is being radically redesigned these days, which is expected to have a significant impact on the tanker market. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Gibson commented that “this year’s events have been dominated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the resulting international sanctions, and the far-reaching consequences for the global economy. For tankers, once the European oil embargo on Russian oil comes into effect, global seaborne flows will be completely redefined. For now, however, Russia still exports the vast majority of its crude in the West to Europe. Yet, it is already becoming apparent that more crude is heading East, primarily to India and China. The picture is different for Russian clean products, which continue to flow to Europe, with no apparent shift in trade patterns seen to date, except for the halt in shipments to the US. We are also seeing Europe increasing its intake of both crude and products from alternative sources. Considerably more North Sea barrels are being retained within the European market, whilst crude imports from the US, West Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East are also rising. Likewise, there is more intra-European clean products trade, while product imports from the US, the Middle East and India are similarly on the up”.

Source: Gibson Shipbrokers

According to Gibson, “so far, the impact of changing trade flows has been primarily focused on the product tanker rates. Freight rates and earnings across all tanker segments in different markets have firmed impressively since March, with levels on many routes reaching almost unprecedented highs. The most spectacular gains have been seen in the Handy segment, where spot earnings for both clean and dirty tankers climbed in recent months close to (and in some cases even above) $100,000/day on a non-scrubber, non-Eco basis. Gains in the crude tanker market have been considerably more muted. Whilst Aframax and Suezmax earnings have improved from the extremely depressed levels seen in 2021 and in early 2022, they still lag behind the level of returns seen in the clean tanker market. In contrast, VLCC earnings have deteriorated further, with TD3C spot earnings on a non-scrubber, non eco basis averaging minus $10,250/day since March, with increased crude trade into Europe eating into traditional long haul VLCC demand from the Atlantic Basin and the Middle East”.

The shipbroker added that “whilst tanker flows are reshaping, tanker supply is going through its own transformation. The fleet continues to grow, although slippage in delivery dates remains a feature of the market. During the 1st half of the year, 106 tankers were delivered, versus 51 reported demolition sales. Demolition prices peaked in April at around $685-695/ldt in the Indian Subcontinent but have started softening more recently due to a drop in demand from regional scrapyards, monsoon season disruptions, and low steel demand in China. The delivery profile remains robust over the next 9 to 12 months but should decline dramatically thereafter amid the modest ordering activity we have seen in recent years and scarce newbuilding slot availability all the way through to the 2nd half of 2025 following robust ordering in other shipping segments. This year, new tanker ordering activity has been minimal: just 28 confirmed tanker orders have been placed, almost entirely in the LR2 and MR segment, with investment in new tonnage discouraged by long lead time in terms of delivery, extremely high newbuilding prices, concerns about long term future for global oil demand and uncertainty about future vessel designs and propulsion types”.

Gibson added that “amid Russian developments and with Iranian/Venezuelan negotiations seemingly not progressing, oil and bunker prices surged to multiyear highs. Record spreads between low sulphur and high sulphur bunker prices, averaging at $488/tonne in Singapore in June, have been an unintended consequence of geopolitics, with scrubber equipped tankers enjoying substantial premiums over non-scrubber tonnage. On a macroeconomic level, however, the surge in prices for oil and many other commodities, coupled with rising inflation and increases in interest rates globally, will undoubtedly apply a considerable downward pressure on consumer demand, fuelling fears about the global economic slump in the months to come. This year has also seen several covid-driven lockdowns in major cities in China and if Beijing maintains its zero-Covid policy in the long run, this could have additional negative consequences for the global economy”.

The shipbroker concluded that “finally, there are also further regulatory changes coming. The European Parliament voted to include the maritime industry in the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme, targeting 100% of emissions on intra-European and 50% on extra-European voyages in 2024, with 100% of emissions on extraEuropean voyages also covered by 2027. The legislation is yet to be finalised as lawmakers are still to negotiate the final laws with EU countries; however, it seems inevitable that soon the shipping industry will have to consider the cost of carbon, amongst all other things…”
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Following a competitive selection process, Professor Norman A. Martínez Gutiérrez has been appointed to succeed Professor David Attard as the new Director of the IMO International Maritime Law Institute, based in Malta. Professor David Attard has served as IMLI Director for the past 30 years.

The announcement by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim was made during IMLI’s Graduation ceremony held on 1 July 2022.

It is expected that Professor Martínez will take the reins of the Institute on 1 August 2022.

IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI)

The IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta, was established in 1988, under the auspices of IMO. The mission of the Institute is to enhance capacity-building in all States, particularly developing States, to contribute to the fulfilment of the IMO objectives thereby promoting safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient and sustainable shipping through cooperation. This is accomplished by delivering expert legal training of the highest standards and the dissemination of knowledge conducive to the development of expertise in all aspects of international maritime law as well as in legislative drafting techniques aimed at incorporating international maritime instruments into national law. Through its work, the Institute is contributing to the effective implementation and enforcement of the vast body of rules and regulations developed under the aegis of IMO. IMLI was the first UN body to include in its Statute a requirement that 50% of its places be reserved for women.

To date, IMLI counts 1057 graduates from 151 countries/territories.

Website: http://www.imli.org/

Professor Norman A. Martínez Gutiérrez

Professor Martínez read law at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH) and has been lecturing in international law and maritime law more than 25 years. In 1997 he was engaged by the Honduran General Directorate of the Merchant Marine where he occupied different posts. In 1998 he obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M.) Degree with Distinction from IMLI, where his research on delimitation of maritime boundaries was awarded the IMO Secretary-General’s Prize for Best Dissertation.

In 1999 he joined the Faculty of IMLI, where he has been the most Senior Officer after the Director for over 10 years.

Source: https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2022/07/08/professor-norman-a-martinez-gutierrez-to-lead-the-imo-international-maritime-law-institute-based-in-malta/

Saronic Ferries has today announced their partnership with C-Job Naval Architects. For the Greek owner, C-Job will develop the design of the first fully-electric Ro-Pax ferry in Greece.

Saronic Ferries, the largest ferry operator for the Saronic islands, is realising its mission to operate a purely emissions-free fleet by 2040 to all destinations. George Papaioannides, Partner of Saronic Ferries, says: “We are taking a step towards a cleaner world and we envision our operation in the Saronic Islands to be the inspiration for others to initiate more green fleet renewal projects in Greece.”

“We lead the way encouraging potential stakeholders to embrace change and move things forward, both on the vessel design front and on the land-based infrastructure and supply. One can’t come without the other” said Joseph Lefakis, Partner of Saronic Ferries. “C-Job, at its core, is a key player in sustainable ship design, worldwide. Sharing the same values with them, naturally led to this cooperation.”

A picture containing sky, outdoor, water, boatDescription automatically generated

Source: C-Job Naval Architects

C-Job Naval Architects is an international independent ship design company with a mission to drive the maritime industry towards sustainability by dedication and ingenuity. The organization opened a branch office in Athens in 2020 as a response to increased demand and to be closer to its clients in Greece as it remains at the centre of the global maritime industry.

Nikos Papapanagiotou, Director of C-Job Athens, says “We’re proud to have been chosen as partner to Saronic Ferries to develop their zero-emission ferry and support their sustainable ambitions.

“We’ve been researching alternative fuels and energy sources for nearly a decade and have applied this knowledge and other innovations to our designs. Thanks to our experience and R&D team, we’re able to show how design choices will affect operations and create the optimal design for each situation.”

C-Job delivered an initial design to Saronic Ferries following an extensive sustainable fuel feasibility study. The zero-emission passenger Ro-Ro ferry has a capacity of 800 passengers and will feature a variety of sustainable aspects, including fully electric propulsion. The ferry will recharge in the port of Piraeus. The design will include state-of-the-art features in energy-saving solutions and top-in-its-class interior design, offering passengers utmost comfort at no expense to the environment. This is where the journey to zero harmful emissions in Greece begins.

The vessel is expected to join the fleet in 2026, sailing between Piraeus and the islands of Aegina and Agistri, provided the infrastructure required in the port of Piraeus is in place.
Source: C-Job Naval Architects

Despite rumors to the contrary, the United States is not interested in disengaging from the Middle East. The Indo-Pacific is the new focal point of U.S. foreign policy, but the Middle East remains essential for U.S. interests. However, current patterns of interaction between the United States and its Middle Eastern partners are tied to routines that were hardened during the Global War on Terror. While these routines have proven difficult to escape and a source of political divergence at times, the reality today is that U.S. priorities are more disparate globally—and U.S. presence in the region should not remain locked within previous formulas.

The perception of a U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East is partially due to the absence of refined U.S. priorities in the region. Among the myriad of elements defining U.S. engagement in the Middle East, U.S. naval presence in the Gulf remains essential not only for U.S. interests but also the interests of its regional partners. However, the Red and Arabian Seas are becoming more challenging security environments, and the larger Indian Ocean region provides the logic for why these waters should become the focus of U.S. maritime operations and security cooperation in the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

From the Hormuz to the Bab-al-Mandeb

Middle Eastern waters feature two of the world’s critical maritime chokepoints: the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-al-Mandeb. One-third of the world’s oil and other resources are transported through the Strait of Hormuz and continue on through the Bab-al-Mandeb if bound for Europe or beyond. Security of both chokepoints is critical for global commerce, of which the U.S. is a key provider. Yet, among U.S. policymakers, the Strait of Hormuz has taken priority. As a result, much of U.S. naval presence and forward basing is focused there.

U.S. presence in the Gulf developed primarily for economic reasons. A reliance on the Middle East’s natural resources for domestic consumption encouraged the United States to ensure regional stability to the greatest extent possible. This led to closer relationships with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Gulf States, in addition to strong ties with other regional powers, such as Egypt and Israel. The asymmetric elements of Iran’s foreign policy, intent on spreading its influence and destabilizing the larger region, reinforced the need for U.S. presence in the Gulf.

Today, different variables are present. U.S. reliance on the region’s natural resources is diminished, regional partners have enjoyed decades of security assistance and technical training assistance in shaping their militaries, and, most importantly, the security challenges in the Red and Arabian Seas are expanding. The increased number and sophistication of non-state illicit actors in the waters surrounding the Bab al-Mandeb, and the increased involvement of prominent competitors in the region, means that the United States should no longer prioritize the Gulf above other regional concerns.

To be clear, Gulf security remains a priority of U.S. foreign policy, and the continuation of lines of communication out of the Strait of Hormuz still matter a great deal. However, the concentration of U.S. naval attention should shift further southwest to the Red and Arabian Seas. The Bab-al-Mandeb in particular requires greater attention as the connecting waterway between these two seas.

A Focus on the Bab-al-Mandeb Region

Due to the sheer scale of our oceans and maritime spaces, and the rules, norms, and international laws that govern the activities of both commercial and military vessels, there is no actor with enough influence, power, or vision to provide maritime security alone. Maritime security is a cooperative endeavor, premised on the legacy of responding to another vessel in distress when at sea. The more actors with eyes glancing toward the horizon and sharing what they see with each other, the more likely that threats can be recognized and confronted.

An increasing number of competitors are operating in the Bab-al-Mandeb region. China’s economic interests in Africa, which have exploded in scale and depth over the past fifteen years, precipitated the deployment of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels to the Arabian Sea. For 14 years, PLAN vessels have protected Chinese-flagged vessels sailing through the Indian Ocean, gaining operational familiarity with the region’s waters and bypassing existing international cooperative efforts. The completion of China’s first overseas base, a dual-use facility located in Djibouti, signals China’s interests in these waters.

In addition to China, Russia, despite its warmongering in Ukraine, is intent on maintaining, if not increasing, its naval presence in the Red Sea. Moscow does not have the naval depth to match U.S. or even Chinese presence, but it still desires the capacity to reach these waters if for no other reason than to serve as a spoiler for efforts deemed divergent from Moscow’s interests. Smaller regional powers are also keenly invested in deepening their familiarity with, and deploying their own forces to, the Red and Arabian Seas. These regional players include obvious actors, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but also the UAE, Iran, and Turkey.

Piracy ushered in a period where regional waters facilitated the expansion of transnational crime. The Bab-al-Mandeb is now increasingly congested, and bad actors sail amidst the crowd routinely. The Red and Arabian Seas feature some of the most complex smuggling and illicit operations in the world. Instability on both shores of the Red Sea has enabled these operators. From illicitly-traded legal commodities to narcotics, arms, and human beings, these waters shroud substantial criminality. When illegal fishing and violent extremist organizations are added to this criminal patchwork, the scale of the problem becomes enormous.

The above points highlight why U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) should direct greater attention towards the Red and Arabian Seas, as should regionally-stationed U.S. Coast Guard assets. The trends point to these waters becoming far more critical in the years to come. U.S. Fifth Fleet has immense local knowledge, learned in partnership with regional navies and coast guards, which it can bring to the forefront. The U.S. Navy’s technical expertise and hands-on experience building naval partnerships can assist littoral states in building the connective tissue necessary to respond to everything from hostile state actors to criminal cartels.

A focus away from the Gulf itself would inflict political hurdles, but diplomatic outreach would assist in leaping them. NAVCENT would have to further coordinate with United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa, but that would prove advantageous in the long run despite any initial bureaucratic friction. The U.S. Navy would also have to redefine operational routines away from a traditional/non-traditional binary, as the set of challenges in these waters do not conform to such thinking. In doing so, the United States would start a new chapter of engagement and security cooperation in the region.

Conclusion

The perception that the United States is moving away from the Middle East is false, but part of the reason for this perception is that U.S. engagement in the region has not yet visibly evolved beyond the Global War on Terror and its emphasis on Gulf security. The United States should refine its priorities in the broader MENA region, diversifying its maritime operations and security cooperation beyond the Gulf to the Red and Arabian Seas. While NAVCENT is already enhancing its presence in these waters, more remains to be done. The waters near the Bab-al-Mandeb in particular feature some of the most complex maritime challenges, and the U.S. Navy must face them head on.

Jeffrey Payne is an Assistant Professor at the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC. The views expressed in this article are his alone and do not represent the official policy or position of the NESA Center, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

Source: https://cimsec.org/beyond-the-gulf-u-s-maritime-security-operations-in-the-mena-region/

Oslo Norway and Paris La Défense, 21st June, 2022 – Marlink, the smart network group, and leading classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) have signed an agreement to accelerate the delivery of cyber-secure digital tools and safety services in the maritime industry.

The agreement links Marlink’s smart hybrid connectivity with the remote digital and safety services provided by BV. Having identified crossovers in their mutual customer base, the partners will collaborate to enable maritime stakeholders to more easily adopt cyber-strengthened digital tools and applications using the Marlink network.

The partners have put in place a working group to support shipowners around improving the cyber-security of vessel data collection and facilitating compliance with regulation. This will support remote and digital operation modes on a journey to smarter, remote and, ultimately, autonomous ships with zero-emission.

Through their experience, Marlink and Bureau Veritas identified the need for dedicated channels of co-operation, recognising a common interest in removing the barriers to smarter, cleaner vessel operations. The two organisations will seize opportunities to work outside the silos that have held back the industry from accessing data that can lower operating costs, save fuel and drive compliance.

The partner program will be expanded over time, with a proactive approach towards new areas of collaboration bringing in new initiatives where possible, ultimately leading the industry into new eras around smart shipping, unmanned and autonomous vessels. As well as simplifying implementation of cyber security standards for shipyards, the agreement is ‘open source’, enabling third party application providers, start-ups and software developers to participate where appropriate.

“This is a partnership with real purpose whose foremost point is to take action to integrate digital tools and services that can bring value for shipowners and encourage and further develop cyber-secure, innovative Class operations,” said Matthieu de Tugny, President, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore. “BV is dedicated to helping our clients understand and manage the challenges of decarbonization and adopt the digital tools that can support the transition.

“Shipowners face huge efficiency and compliance challenges over the next decade and these need to be considered now to create a future-proof path that can integrate core operational components onboard and ashore,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President, Maritime, Marlink. “Digitalisation is critical to improving voyage optimisation and vessel performance, achieving regulatory compliance and meeting ESG goals, but shipowners shouldn’t have to act as project managers – this partnership means they can streamline and simplify their digital journey based on Class guidelines and recommendations.”

Source: https://www.seanews.co.uk/maritime-events/bureau-veritas-and-marlink-improving-digital-connectivity-and-integration-for-class-operations/

Smart shipping is a combination of cutting-edge digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT)⁽¹⁾, artificial intelligence or big data, that improves the economic and environmental impact of a ship thanks to calculations we were unable to do until recently. Smart shipping is already being leveraged to support the decarbonization of global maritime transport. It is the ship-owners’ best ally in complying with the new environmental standards from the International Maritime Organization, which aim at cutting CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030 and by 50% by 2050.

Smart shipping builds connections between all emission reduction technologies. Digital has already revolutionized many shipboard tasks by, for example, optimizing routing, engine load, trim or hull maintenance – which is now predictive.

Thanks to data acquisition connected to sensors positioned on the ship (mass flowmeters, gas or movement analyzers …), crews on board and on land have immediate access to detailed analysis, so they can maximize their ship performance optimization.

Digital also contributes to safety, enabling crew members to have the right reaction when facing certain risks for themselves, the ship or its cargo. Advanced digital functions such as multicriteria route optimization thus enable them to avoid dangerous itineraries, participating in preserving the environment as well because in addition to potential human losses, damages or wreckage can also cause true ecological catastrophes.

These technological evolutions will play a key role in the transformation of sea transport, without a doubt. First in contributing to the development of autonomous ships, which are already a reality as such ships are already operating on certain routes. Then by supporting the industry in its energy transition, via the use of alternatives to heavy fuel oil.

For GTT, smart shipping solutions combined with the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel constitute the best immediately available solution to significantly reduce the emissions of operating ships, and thus achieve our objectives.

LNG fuel, of which GTT is a leading global expert⁽²⁾, is a key lever for decarbonizing sea transport. As soon as a ship is put into service, LNG allows for a 20% reduction of its CO2 emissions. It also reduces emissions of other polluting substances threatening public health: by 92% for nitrogen oxide, 99% for sulfur oxides et 91% for fine particles. It’s also a transitioning energy that will continue to reduce its own carbon footprint as it evolves toward bio-LNG and, over the long term, towards synthetic and renewable LNG.

Developing technologies for a sustainable world is a wonderful but long-term endeavor, because of the many challenges that have to be conciliated. It requires strong convictions, a lot of imagination and constant innovation efforts. To take up the new challenges that the maritime industry is facing, we must combine diverse skills and complementary technologies. All talents at GTT are mobilized to contribute to this global effort.

Source: https://marine-oceans.com/en/digital-solutions-for-sustainable-maritime-transport/

The third and final day of the 13th Arab Robotics Championship in the coastal Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh saw several first-time contestants rise to the winners’ podium. The four-day competition, which concluded Monday, was aimed at encouraging young people to engage with advanced tech in hopes of boosting the region’s robotics and engineering sectors.

Despite the dire conditions in his home country of Libya, Khaled Al Warfeli and his team managed to find a local sponsor to support their trip to join the competition in Egypt. Concerned about biodiversity in the region, the team created a robotic boat that can help clean lakes.

The Libyan team’s design is equipped with cameras and GPS systems to locate waste at the bottom of lakes and uses robotic arms to pick it up.

“The judges liked our prototype, not only because it overcomes an environmental challenge, but also because it is ready for immediate production. Made out of simple components, it can be easily assembled and programmed for mass implementation,” Al Warfeli told CGTN.

The Libyan project won first place in the innovation category of the competition.

Abdallah Mohamed from Egypt was another first-time participant. His design clinched the win in the contest’s “Follow the Line” category. It’s a challenge where robots must follow a line from beginning to end in a field full of obstacles. The challenge is to program robots to figure out how to find their way around the obstacles and finish the course in the shortest time.

“This is one of the most competitive disciplines in the championship, Mohamed said. “Every participating country holds a domestic competition in Follow the Line. The winning teams come here to challenge each other. We had to study electronics and review robots designed for previous editions, in order to ensure ours could fully operate autonomously.”

The access the championship gives to its archives aims to build up an accumulative body of knowledge for the region’s young engineers to learn from. This way, students participating get empowered to introduce more advanced technologies than those used in previous editions of the contest.

In the ‘Collect the Ball’ category, competitors control robots racing to pick up a ball and score it in an opponent’s goal. The challenge requires speed, precise control over the robot and skill to hold the ball while keeping the opposing robot from snatching it back.

The winners in that challenge came from Qatar. They say that, while battling it out for control of the ball is fun and exciting, these robots can also be used for practical, real-world applications.

Team member and first-time participant Hussein Alnaema said, “It’s a game but, using the same concept, we can build robots to pick up litter from cities and collect them at designated locations, thus saving a lot of manpower in cleaning the streets.”

Hussein’s teacher, Abdullah Al Musleh said that the experience his student gained during the journey from creating an idea to winning the competition was remarkable.

“Our school has been competing in the robotics championships for seven years. Robotic technology is a fast-growing field. So every year the requirements for the competition are completely different from the one before. The innovations are inspiring. The number of countries and participants continue to grow,” he added.

The Arab Robotics Championship was established in 2008. It focuses on school and university students, aiming to create a regional foundation for advanced technologies and smart solutions.

Source: https://africa.cgtn.com/2022/07/05/autonomous-boats-and-robot-battles-young-engineers-face-off-at-egypt-robotics-contest/

The U.S. Coast Guard is investing in increased reach in the South Pacific, where it is often the most visible U.S. government presence in far-flung island nations. Its new fast response cutters – small but seaworthy long-range patrol vessels – have been a key asset for this effort, and several are permanently forward-deployed at Guam and Honolulu. Their relatively high 28-knot speed and their 2,500-nm range are valuable for extended reach in the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

One of these FRCs – the Honolulu-based USCGC Oliver Berry – recently deployed to the Republic of Kiribati to help fend off the worst effects of a drought. The Berry headed to the remote island of Kirimati (Christmas Island) after the republic declared an emergency over the local shortage of drinking water.

Kiritimati – the world’s biggest coral atoll – is located about 1,200 miles to the south of Hawaii. It is the largest island in Kiribati, and it has a population of about 7,000 people. The low-lying atoll has relatively limited groundwater resources, and a severe drought over the past six months has endangered its water supply. The government of Kiribati issued a nationwide disaster declaration in June due to the growing hazard, and the Coast Guard joined other international partners to mount a response.

Over two days, the crew of the Berry carried out offloads of potable drinking water, working with representatives of the aid organization UNICEF. They maintained strict COVID-19 precautions to protect the island’s inhabitants. In addition, they carried out a law-enforcement patrol of a part of the Kiribati EEZ, contributing to the USCG’s regional maritime-security partnership effort.

Courtesy USCG

“Our crew is excited and humbled for the opportunity to support the people of Kiribati,” said Lt. Micah Howell, commanding officer of the Berry. “Thanks to the coordination efforts of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, and the Kiribati Government, we are able to provide safe drinking water to the Island of Kiritimati at a time when it is needed most.”

Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/u-s-coast-guard-brings-water-to-drought-stricken-pacific-island

Fleet Management Limited (FLEET) has launched a new integrated ship management unit – MaruFleet Management Pte Ltd (“MaruFleet”) – in Singapore in collaboration with MMSL Pte. Ltd. (MMSL), a Singapore subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni).

MaruFleet will provide dedicated ship management services to MMSL. This aims to safeguard Marubeni’s good technical management performance and deliver more operational and quality control for all its owned tonnage.

Mr Kishore Rajvanshy, FLEET Managing Director, said the relationship between FLEET and Marubeni began in 2014 when FLEET began to manage MMSL’s first Supramax bulk carrier, MV Crimson Queen. This has expanded to seven ships as of early 2022.

“We are delighted to launch this company with Marubeni,” Mr Rajvanshy said. “MaruFleet will exclusively service and be tailored to Marubeni’s requirements. This means Marubeni will be able to rely on and readily access a dedicated team of professionals for all its ship management needs globally.”

“We are humbled and honoured to be entrusted with this responsibility, which is a reflection of our consistent performance and strong working relationship with Marubeni and the MMSL team.”

Mr Tomohiro Endo, Managing Director of MMSL, said that MMSL has 10 years’ experience in own ship management, and now it’s time to step up to the next stage with MaruFleet to meet higher safety and environmental requirements. MaruFleet is a collaboration between MMSL’s expert staff and FLEET’s professionals with a sophisticated global management system.

“We see our relationship with FLEET as a partnership,” Mr Endo said. “We share the same philosophy and vision in growing our businesses through a clear focus on safety, quality and technical management.”

“We have a proven track record in recent years in working well with the FLEET team to deliver strong performance. We are looking forward to bringing our respective strengths and competitive advantages to MaruFleet – FLEET in ship management, and us in ship ownership.”

The establishment of MaruFleet is set to make FLEET the leading ship management company in Singapore in the coming months.

Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/corporate/fleet-management-and-marubeni-establish-new-company-in-singapore

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TUG COMPANY SEEKS TO CUT PAY OF WORKERS WHO AVERTED DISASTER FOR STRICKEN CARGO SHIP

East Dominates Russian Crude Oil Flows, as EU Scrambles to Find New Oil Markets

Professor Norman A. Martínez Gutiérrez to lead the IMO International Maritime Law Institute based in Malta

Saronic Ferries partners with C-Job Naval Architects for the design of the first fully-electric Ro-Pax Ferry in Greece

BEYOND THE GULF: U.S. MARITIME SECURITY OPERATIONS IN THE MENA REGION

Bureau Veritas and Marlink improving digital connectivity and integration for Class operations

Digital solutions for sustainable maritime transport

Autonomous boats and robot battles: Young engineers face off at Egypt robotics contest

U.S. Coast Guard Brings Water to Drought-Stricken Pacific Island

Fleet Management and Marubeni Establish New Company in Singapore

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