Iran released on Friday a South Korean ship and its captain detained since January after South Korea promised to try to secure the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions, a South Korean official said.

The Iranian foreign ministry said the chemical tanker, Hankuk Chemi, was released after an investigation into environmental pollution, and at the request of the South Korean government and its owner, state news agency IRNA reported.

The seizure of the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman in January had triggered a diplomatic dispute after Iran demanded that South Korea release $7 billion in funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions.

The IRNA report made no mention of the frozen funds, but other Iranian media quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying Korean officials had given assurances that “they are trying to solve the problem and to strengthen ties.”

The South Korean ministry said in a statement the ship had left Iran after completing administrative procedures. It made no mention of the demand for the release of funds.

“The captain and sailors are in good health,” the ministry said.

A South Korean foreign ministry official told reporters that both sides had agreed the ship and the funds were not related issues and South Korea promised to help get the money released.

“We have expressed our firm willingness to resolve the fund issue,” said the official, who declined to be identified.

Iranian authorities had accused the tanker of polluting the waters with chemicals, a charge denied by South Korea. The South Korean official said Iran dropped a plan to pursue seek criminal charges against the shipping company.

“Iran, with long coastlines in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, stresses full compliance with maritime regulations, including environmental protection, and monitors every violation in this respect,” said Saeed Khatibzadeh, a foreign ministry spokesman quoted by IRNA.

Iran agreed to free all of the ship’s 20 crew members except for the captain in February, after a South Korean vice foreign minister visited Tehran.

Iran has denied allegations that the seizure of the tanker and its crew constituted hostage-taking, saying it was South Korea that was holding Iranian funds hostage.

The freezing of the funds is linked to U.S. sanctions that Washington reimposed on Tehran in 2018 after then-President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Under the Biden administration, the United States and Iran have begun indirect talks over a return to the accord.

The United States has recently agreed to allow Iran to use the funds for non-military purposes and it has spent some on coronavirus vaccines secured via the global COVAX initiative, the ministry official said, without giving a precise amount.

Source: marinelink

SAFEVUE.ai provides assurance of safety and compliance by promoting positive crew behaviour change. The system’s near real-time safety operations monitoring capabilities, integrated permits to work management and crew wellbeing solution provides a more holistic approach to improving safety outcomes and “human reliability”. In addition, the standardisation of best practices can increase operational excellence fleetwide, saving approximately 4,600+^[1] man hours per vessel annually.

“We are pleased to be given the opportunity to partner with Eaglestar to meet the maritime industry’s ever-increasing demands for operational excellence, crew wellbeing, safety and compliance assurance. Today, 2 out of every 3 incidents and accidents in the maritime industry can be attributed to human factors. A paradigm shift is required to materially improve health and safety outcomes.”

“At SOL-X, we are pioneering Behavioural Based Safety 4.0. Our approach to enhancing the control of work with near real-time line-of-sight, improving crew situational awareness and wellbeing is unique to the market. As a result, our customers have experienced increased crew productivity, improved safety culture, and business competitiveness.” said Nigel Koh, SOL-X chief executive officer.

Managing director and CEO of Eaglestar, Captain Raja Sager, said: “We are proud to deploy SAFEVUE.ai across our managed fleet of over 67 vessels. Technology combined with the right expertise in the industry of ship management is pivotal in marking a new benchmark especially in the way we advance ourselves digitally. We are also confident that SAFEVUE.ai can further heighten crew operational excellence with an integrated solution centred around human factors.”

Number is approximate and may differ depending on customer’s current practices. Based on data collected from customer usage of SAFEVUE.ai.

Source: thedigitalship

Nasdaq-listed Greek owner Castor Maritime has entered into an agreement to purchase 2011 Japanese-built panamax dry bulk carrier Xi Jiang Yue from Hong Kong’s Ocean Broaden Shipping for a purchase price of $18.48m.

Delivery of the 74,900 dwt vessel should take place in Q2 2021.

Petros Panagiotidis, CEO of Castor, said: “We are pleased to announce our ninth vessel acquisition in 2021 with the addition of another Panamax dry bulk vessel to Castor’s fleet. Our focus remains on deploying our capital and growing our fleet through timely acquisitions of vessels across shipping segments.”

On a fully delivered basis, Castor Maritime will have a fleet of 15 vessels consisting of 1 capesize, 5 kamsarmax and 7 panamax dry bulk vessels and 2 aframax LR2 tankers.

Source: splash247

LAUNCESTON, Australia, April 9 (Reuters) – China is paying a high price for its unofficial ban on coal imports from Australia, with the cost of domestic and alternative foreign supplies rising for both thermal and coking grades of the fuel.

China, the world’s biggest importer, producer and consumer of coal, has effectively ended imports from Australia, the biggest shipper of coking coal used to make steel and number two in thermal coal used to produce electricity, as part of an ongoing political dispute between the two nations.

The restrictions on imports from Australia came into effect in the second half of last year, resulting in China’s imports dropping to virtually zero in the first two months of this year from a 2020 high of 9.46 million tonnes in June, according to Refinitiv vessel-tracking and port data.

However, China’s consumers of imported coal have been facing higher costs, with prices for alternatives to supplies from Australia, both local and foreign, rising as the market adjusts to the unofficial ban.

In coking coal, the price of free-on-board Australian cargoes has been weakening since the ban was imposed, apart from the usual seasonal gain for the northern hemisphere winter.

The Singapore Exchange contract for Australian coking coal ended at $113.71 a tonne on Thursday, down 18.8% from the $140 that it reached at the start of October, just as the Chinese ban was coming into effect.

If a Chinese importer switched from Australian cargoes to those from the United States, the price difference has entirely reversed since the ban started to affect flows.

Coking coal free-on-board at the U.S. east coast port of Hampton Roads, as assessed by commodity price reporting agency Argus, has surged to $152.75 on Thursday from $114 a tonne at the start of October last year, a gain of 34%.

This means that U.S. coking coal is currently about $39 a tonne more expensive that supplies from Australia, and this doesn’t account for the higher shipping costs given the longer distance from the U.S. east coast to China.

China’s domestic coking coal price has also been gaining since the restrictions on imports from Australia, with Dalian Commodity Exchange futures rising 16% from 1,353 yuan ($206.56) a tonne at the start of October to end at 1,573 yuan on Thursday.

This price isn’t directly comparable to the free-on-board prices in Australia and the United States, as it includes freight and other costs as well as import taxes and duties.

However, it does show that Chinese domestic prices have been pushed higher, partially reflecting the higher cost of imports from sources other than Australia.

China’s neighbour Mongolia has become its biggest supplier of coking coal, meeting 61.7% of imports in the first two months of this year, up from just 17.7% in the same period in 2020, according to official data.

Australia’s share of imports came down to zero from 68.4% in January-February 2020, according to the data, while the United States boosted its share to 9.1% from under 2%, and Canada went to 12.1% from 6.1%.

While coking coal supplies from Mongolia are cheaper than those from seaborne alternatives, it’s believed that they tend to track Chinese domestic prices, meaning it’s likely that they have risen sharply as well, especially once transportation and washing costs are factored in.

Source: gcaptain

The Fijian shipping company that’s under investigation over the alleged mistreatment of foreign workers claims it has had to cancelled ferry routes because of new manning requirements.

Goundar Shipping announced on its Facebook page this week that it has cancelled two ferry routes because the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji had issued new manning rules.

But in its first public comments on the issues surrounding Goundar, MSAF said it “had not issued any new manning requirements as claimed by Goundar Shipping”.

“The Fijian maritime law is clear and it states that it is the ship owner and master’s responsibility to ensure that ships are properly manned at all times,” MSAF said in a statement.

“The Authority is only requiring the minimum safe manning requirements that needs to be met by operators”.

The cancellations come while Fijian police, immigration and human rights authorities investigate allegations Goundar sacked Filipino crew members and left them stranded in the country without the means to return home after they raised concerns over their pay and working conditions.

Source: abc

As part of COVID-19 safety measures, the US has introduced new safety requirements in the maritime transportation system. This requires all persons, including crew members on board ships trading in the territorial and inland waters of the US, to wear a face mark while boarding, disembarking and for the duration of the travel, according to BIMCO’s release.

As part of the new safety requirements, crew members and port facility personnel may be exempt from wearing a mask only when actively performing a task that would create a health or safety risk if performed wearing a mask, and should immediately wear a mask when the task is complete. This exemption does not apply to passengers.

On 21 January, the US President issued an executive order on promoting COVID-19 safety in Domestic and International Travel, which required wearing of masks on certain domestic modes of transportation. This order requires masks to be worn on all “public maritime vessels, including ferries”.

Following this order, the Centre of disease control and prevention (CDC) issued an order that requires wearing of masks by all persons while boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel on commercial ships. It also requires operators of all transport hubs to ensure that all persons wear a mask when entering, or on the premises of the transportation hub.

This requirement applies to both passengers and crew working on ships that trade in the territorial and inland waters of the US.

The CDC Mask Order exempts the following categories of persons:
A child under the age of two years.
A person with a disability who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, because of the disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
A person for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety, or job duty as determined by the relevant workplace safety guidelines or federal regulations.

Vessel or facility operators, owners, or companies should provide clear guidance as to when wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace, health, safety or job duty for crew members and facility personnel. The company guidance should address specific tasks that cannot be accomplished safely while wearing a mask. A blanket policy cannot be issued to exempt all persons from wearing a mask at all times. Crew members and facility personnel may be exempt from wearing a mask only when actively performing the task and should immediately wear a mask when the task is complete. Since passengers should refrain from instances where wearing a mask may present a risk, this exemption does not extend to passengers.

USCG has issued Maritime safety information bulletin 02-21 and 02-21 CH-1 on this topic.

The requirement to wear a mask shall not apply under the following circumstances:
While eating, drinking, or taking medication, for brief periods.
While communicating with a person who is hearing impaired when the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.

If, unconscious (for reasons other than sleeping), incapacitated, unable to be awakened, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance, experiencing difficulty breathing or shortness of breath or feeling winded may temporarily remove the mask until able to resume normal breathing with the mask. Vomiting or other illness may also require removal of the mask. Other medical conditions and equipment may interfere with the ability to wear a mask.

When necessary to temporarily remove the mask to verify one’s identity such as during Transportation Security Administration screening or when asked to do so by a ticket or gate agent or any law enforcement official.

Operators of vessels and seaports that fail to implement appropriate public health measures, including the mask wearing order above, may be subject to civil or criminal penalties.

Source: en.portnews

In the darkness, a pilot boarded a passenger ship to assume the con through a restricted waterway. The pilot discussed the speed and rate of turn (ROT) required with the OOW. When the Master arrived on the bridge the three conducted their information exchange and agreed on the passage plan for the transit. The vessel’s speed was increased to 12 knots, and the pilot took the con.

About 14 minutes after assuming the con, the pilot ordered a turn to port into the restricted waterway. A 2° ROT to port was ordered to begin. In the following, two and a half minutes the pilot ordered successive increases in the ROT through 5°, 10°, 15° and 20° to port. The vessel was by now well to the south of the intended course. The pilot, realising this, ordered a 30° degree ROT to port.

At this point, the OOW became aware that the vessel was close to the shore. He moved to the starboard bridge wing and looked aft to see if the stern of the vessel was clearing the shoreline.

Source: marineinsight

The Philippine Coast Guard responded to the scene of a collision between a product tanker and a dry bulk carrier in Manila Bay overnight. Both vessels sustained damage but remained seaworthy and are now being detained while an investigation is ongoing into the circumstances of the accident.

According to the reports from the PCG, the two vessels made contact approximately three nautical miles from Cavite City in Manila Bay at approximately 9:50 p.m. local time on Wednesday, April 7. Weather and sea conditions appeared to be calm at the time. The Coast Guard responded deploying personnel from the Coast Guard Station Manila, as well as the Special Operations Group, and Marine Environmental Protection Unit to ensure the safety of the crew and to gather additional information regarding the collision.

Source: maritime-executive

IB, an international IT Company specialized in technical management systems and solutions for the maritime industry, has partnered with Verifavia Shipping, the leading independent global provider of carbon emissions verification and IHM services, according to the company’s release. The collaboration ensures shipping companies are supported with a certified process which helps meet the demands of environmental regulations including EU Monitoring Reporting and Verification (EU MRV), the International Maritime Organisation’s Data Collection System (IMO DCS), and Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM).

IB’s InfoSHIP® is a web-based software suitable for all vessel types. It brings a high level of fleet control and efficiency to a broad range of technical processes. Verifavia Shipping will certify InfoSHIP Performance for the compliance of shipping emissions regulations, including EU MRV and IMO DCS requirements.

InfoSHIP® is designed to apply new technologies as soon as they become available, and to facilitate integration with other systems to ensure an efficient and reliable process. IB and Verifavia Shipping have established a strategic cooperation to support compliance with IHM requirements. By integrating Verifavia Shipping’s “3 Way Plug & Play” IHM maintenance dashboard, shipowners have live access to the IHM maintenance status of the vessel and the system can automatically generate monthly or ad-hoc IHM maintenance reports to demonstrate implementation and compliance with regulations, also ensuring vessels are prepared for PSC inspections.

In accordance with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, it is mandatory for ships to carry a certified and maintained IHM specifying the location and approximate quantities of hazardous materials – such as asbestos or ozone-depleting substances – onboard. The IHM Part I must be constantly maintained during the operational lifetime of a vessel which can be complicated and time consuming. This means that for all items and equipment installed, modernised or replaced, the IHM must be updated; from a coat of paint or the addition of a single gasket.

About Verifavia:

Verifavia Shipping strives to be the maritime industry’s first choice for the provision of emissions verification and hazardous materials preparation and maintenance services. With offices in Paris, Singapore, and Chandigarh, Verifavia also has trusted partners based in Panama, the US, Canada, Australia, China, Greece, Turkey, Hong Kong, Germany, etc, to provide an accurate and expert service worldwide.

Verifavia Shipping was the first company to provide EU Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) services and the first independent verifier to provide International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Data Collection System (DCS) verification for a number of flag states.

With one of the largest in-house hazmat teams in the industry, Verifavia Shipping helps shipping companies prepare and digitally maintain an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) on existing ships. Approved by the Korean Register, Indian Register of Shipping, ABS Group, Lloyd’s Register, RINA, Bureau Veritas, China Classification Society and DNV GL, Verifavia Shipping also provides IHM services for Class NK. Verifavia is also one of the first companies to be approved by the LISCR and RMI flag states.

About IB

Born under the IT star early in the 80’s, IB -Influencing Business- focuses on design, development and implementation of enterprise asset management systems for the technical, maintenance and energy management of all kinds of assets for the Maritime Sector.

A single web-based software system to support, digitalize and integrate a broad range of fleet technical and operational processes, complying with the latest regulatory requirements in the market: this is the essence of InfoSHIP™.

Designed to be an ally for ship managers and operators, the software can be stand-alone or work in a multiconnected environment such as a fleet operation remote control center, making it highly adaptable to all kinds of clients.

Source: en.portnews

During February, there were zero new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port.

1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.
2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.
3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious, they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.
4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure.
5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on a system of inspections for the safe operation of Ro-Ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service and amending directive 2009/16/EC and repealing Council Directive 1999/35/EC (Directive EU 2017/2110).

Notes on the list of detentions:

• Full details of the ship: The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
• Company: The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
• Classification society: The list shows the classification society responsible for classing the ship only.
• Recognised organisation: Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the flag state.
• White (WL), grey (GL) and black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag state.
• Deficiencies: The deficiencies listed are the ones which were detainable. Further details of other deficiencies can be provided on request.

Source: gov.uk