In 2017 the downward trend of large shipping losses continued, according to a new survey, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty’s (AGCS) Safety & Shipping Review.

Looking at the past decade the decline was 38% globally.

There were 94 total losses reported around the shipping world in 2017, down 4% year-on-year (98) — the second lowest in 10 years after 2014. Bad weather, such as typhoons and storms in Asia and the U.S., contributed to the loss of more than 20 vessels, according to the annual review, which analyzes reported shipping losses over 100 gross tons (GT).

“Globally, the decline in frequency and severity of total losses over the past year continues the positive trend of the past decade. Insurance claims have been relatively benign, reflecting improved ship design and the positive effects of risk management and safety regulation over time,” says Baptiste Ossena, global product leader, hull & marine liabilities, AGCS.

Dangerous Seas and Territorial Disputes

Political tensions around major Asian shipping routes are leading to disruption and a potentially heightened risk of collision. Already a key route for east-west trade from China, South Korea and Japan and accounting for one-third of global shipping trade, the South China Sea is also the cause of territorial disputes between several countries.

These disputes have resulted in increasing military presence in the South China Sea, with the U.S. and China conducting naval exercises. Last year saw two major collisions between U.S. naval ships and commercial vessels. The U.S.-guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship off Japan while the USS John S. McCain struck an oil tanker off Singapore.

“The territorial claims and disputes may have larger implications long-term and threaten the freedom of the seas in South East Asia, with implications for trade with Asia. A growing concentration of trade and political tensions increases volatility in the region creating safety issues,” says Andrew Kinsley, senior marine risk consultant with AGCS.

Losses in Asia rose year-on-year with incidents in South China, Indochina, Indonesia and Philippine maritime regions rising 25% making it the top area worldwide for major shipping incidents in the past decade, leading it to be dubbed the “new Bermuda Triangle.”

Across Asia and Africa, the threat of piracy remains high with regional waters accounting for 74% of all incidents worldwide despite record-lows globally. In 2017, incidents in Southeast Asia increased 11% (68) while Indonesia continues to be leading hotspot with 43. Attacks in the Philippines more than doubled from 10 in 2016 to 22 in 2017.

Emerging Risks Lead to Losses

There are multiple new risk exposures for the shipping sector: Ever-larger container ships — longer than the length of four football fields — pose fire containment and salvage issues, while climate change is impacting ice hazards, freeing up new trade routes in some areas but increasing the risk of collisions with ice in others. China is planning an “Arctic Silk Road” from new shipping lanes opened up by global warming and will conduct commercial voyages in Arctic waters to build its first polar expedition cruise ship by 2019.

Environmental scrutiny is also growing as the industry seeks to cut emissions, bringing new technical risks and the threat of machinery damage incidents. Other challenges are balancing the benefits and risks of increasing automation on board. The recent NotPetya malware on harbor logistics causing cargo delays and congestion at nearly 80 ports underlines the emerging risks that the sector faces, in addition to traditional ones.

Human Error a Big Issue

Despite decades of safety improvements, the shipping industry has no room for complacency. Fatal accidents such as the “Sanchi” tanker sinking off Shanghai waters in January and the two collisions involving U.S. Navy ships in Asia persist with human behavior often a factor. Estimates indicate that 75% to 96% of accidents involve human error. It is also behind 75% of 15,000 marine liability insurance claims analyzed by AGCS — costing $1.6 billion.

“Human error continues to be a major driver of incidents,” says Captain Rahul Khanna, global head of marine risk consulting, AGCS. “Inadequate shore-side support and commercial pressures have an important role to play in maritime safety and risk exposure. Tight schedules can have a detrimental impact on safety culture and decision-making.

“By analyzing data 24/7 we can gain insights from crew behavior and near-misses that can identify trends. The shipping industry has learned from losses in the past but predictive analysis could be the difference between a safe voyage and a disaster.”

Source: mhlnews

Japanese company e5 Lab has begun development of a standard model electrically powered vessel called the ROBOSHIP, with an integrated digital system called the ROBOSHIP BOX incorporating communications, Internet of Things (IoT) equipment and software.

The team is developing two types of electric vessels for ROBOSHIP Ver. 1.0, with standard gross tonnage specifications — 499 tons and 749 tons.

e5 Lab says that these craft will be able to achieve the same speed and sailing range as vessels currently in service, while achieving zero-emission operations in port by using large-capacity storage batteries in combination with a diesel-powered generator.

The onboard motors are powered only by electricity, and the current target is to maintain construction costs within 5% of the cost of comparable traditional vessels. ROBOSHIP Ver. 1.0 is slated for delivery in 2022.

As the technology matures, e5 Lab and its partners say they will look to offer the ROBOSHIP BOX and its EV powertrain as a commercial product to shipyards and shipowners.

Source: smartmaritimenetwork

SEJONG, South Korea

The Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) is hosting a virtual e-Navigation Underway Conference (ENUW) from September 8th to 9th under the theme of ‘Collaborating to harmonize maritime digitalization’. The Conference will be held using a virtual platform, and is being co-organized with the Danish Maritime Administration (DMA) and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200818005422/en/

The series of ENUW Conferences, which were respectively held by the DMA for the European region from 2012, the US Coast Guard for the North American region from 2014, and the MOF for the Asia Pacific region from 2017, have been the catalyst facilitating the global development and implementation of e-Navigation.

This Conference will focus on initiating the ‘Digital@Sea Initiative’ as a global cooperation framework on maritime digitalization. Building on the IMO-led e-Navigation initiative, this Conference will explore future, digital maritime services and communication networks, challenges with maritime digitalization, and international cooperation.

DMA Director General, Mr. Andreas Nordseth, stressed that as well as increasing international cooperation on maritime digitalization in a comprehensive way, the Digital@Sea Initiative will lead to the practical implementation of many digitalization initiatives.

“International, Global harmonization of Standards is absolutely necessary for a successful implementation of the ambitious digital maritime agenda. The ENUW and Digital@Sea series of Conferences are a perfect step in that direction” IALA Secretary General, Mr. Francis Zachariae says.

At the Conference the MOF and Navelink will showcase the Maritime Connectivity Platform (MCP), demonstrating its use for the delivery of maritime digital services. The MCP is a platform that realizes global maritime digital services including the IMO’s e-Navigation maritime services. Mr. Sunbae Hong from the MOF says, “It is expected that more maritime communities will get most of their benefits and solutions from e-Navigation and through the MCP.”

This year’s Conference and official showcase will use real-time video in an online platform that allows more than 500 people to join in the discussion, and it will be livestreamed on YouTube. The Conference is free to attend. More information and the ability to register for the Conference is available on the Conference website (https://e-navap.org).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200818005422/en/

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
ENUW AP 2020 Secretariat
Eunice Kim
+82-70-7688-3161
secretariat@e-navap.org

© Business Wire, Inc.

Synergy Group and D.S. NORDEN have formed a new joint venture to handle the technical management of NORDEN’s owned tanker vessels effective as of today.

Norden Synergy Ship Management (NSSM) is a 50/50 joint venture between NORDEN and Synergy and will be headed by Henrik Christensen who previously managed NORDEN’s Technical Department.

“NORDEN is a quality, historic and renowned shipping brand with an organisation that truly lives up to its motto ‘Smarter Global Trade’,” said Captain Rajesh Unni, CEO & Founder of Synergy Group.

“We see great alignment when we have partnered previously and we expect that to lead to more mutual wins in the future through NSSM.”

The formation of NSSM further cements the partnership between Synergy Group, one of the world’s leading ship managers with a fleet of over 300 vessels, and NORDEN, the globally renowned independent shipping company founded in 1871 and listed on the Nasdaq Copenhagen exchange.

Last year, NORDEN appointed Synergy Group to manage its fleet of owned bulk carriers, with management services provided from Synergy’s head office in Singapore and its technical office in Chennai, India.

NSSM will manage NORDEN’s current fleet of Medium Range (MR) and handysize product carriers from its headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark, with additional technical support provided by a 100%-owned subsidiary based in India.

Seafarers currently employed directly by NORDEN will be transferred to the joint venture where they will continue their employment on NORDEN-owned vessels under the same terms and conditions as before. All other seafarers will be offered new contracts through Synergy.

“Both teams are conscious about opportunities to make a difference in the industry,” added Captain Unni. “Culturally the teams have much in common and that to me is the key to this partnership.

“The joint venture will also take advantage of Synergy’s new generation digital ship offering – SMARTShip, an Internet of Things platform that enables improvement of vessel and fleet efficiency by bringing cutting edge computing to the high seas.”

Mr Christensen said he expected NSSM to benefit from Synergy Group’s longstanding reputation for excellence in all areas of shipmanagement. “Synergy has shown time and again that it is uniquely equipped to take on the most demanding technical and commercial shipmanagement challenges while also embracing the progressive core values of NORDEN on issues such as gender diversification, crew welfare and sustainability,” he said.

“Both organisations are fully aligned on these core values and in our shared view that digitalisation, smart shipping and the deployment of cutting-edge technology are critical to the successful management of vessels in the modern age.

“Together as NSSM, we will be able to deliver the full range of technical, crewing, training and technological service excellence required by NORDEN.”

Source: shipmanagementinternational

GHG emissions of global shipping are increasing, and expected to continue to increase, under current policy, according to the 4th IMO GHG Study. Advances in this new study’s methods have estimated that 30% of total shipping emissions fall directly within national government responsibility, twice the magnitude previously estimated. The study’s findings and trends continue to set a significant challenge for governments domestically, and collectively at the International Maritime Organisation, if the sector is to contribute proportionally to achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goals. The study shows strong, clear policy action must be taken for the sector to urgently transition away from the use of fossil fuels.

The multi-disciplinary team at UMAS, which led the Third IMO GHG Study in 2014, also led the work on emissions inventories in the Fourth IMO GHG Study. The effort was a collaboration between 9 organisations from across 6 countries, made additionally challenging by Covid-19: disrupting normal collaborative working, and meaning the work had to be managed around Covid-19 induced caring responsibilities.

The emissions inventory produced made a number of advances, including the ability to estimate the GHG emissions for each ship in the global fleet, on every voyage it sailed. 316Mt of the total 1056Mt of shipping CO2 emissions (2.9% of total anthropogenic emissions) were within national emissions responsibilities. At 30% of total emissions, this is twice the magnitude estimated in previous studies.

According to international (IPCC) guidelines, only shipping emissions that occur when ships sail on a voyage between two countries are the responsibility of the UN agency the International Maritime Organisation. When any ship sails between two ports in the same country, the emissions are the responsibility of that country – and should be accounted for and have reductions managed within that country’s emissions inventory and commitments, including in its reports to the UNFCCC regarding commitments made in the Paris Agreement (Nationally Determined Contribution). Until now only a few countries had investigated their shipping emissions at this level of detail, and the IMO had had to make simplified estimates that have been shown to underestimate the level of emissions that count as ‘domestic’ shipping and fall within the responsibilities of individual governments to manage.

The study produced many further insights into the recent trends in shipping emissions and the drivers of these trends. Some of the main points relevant to the market and policy makers are described here, and the full report is available here.

Elena Hauerhof, UMAS, leader of the inventory work: “This study represents a significant step forward in estimating emissions inventories, and for the first time uses a fully IPCC -aligned approach to estimate international shipping emissions. The study has also significantly advanced the accuracy of AIS based estimations for any ship, and evidences this by undertaking a detailed validation against fuel consumption and other key parameters reported in EU MRV for over 9000 ships”

Tristan Smith, UMAS, contributor and director UMAS: “You have to start by getting GHG accountancy right, and this has proved a perennial problem for the shipping sector. Most countries, including the UK, continue to count shipping emissions inaccurately e.g. on the basis of fuel sold to shipping as opposed to actual voyages and activity. Very few countries use IPCC aligned methods, or include shipping in their NDC – it’s a poorly-assessed, under-examined and often-ignored sector for many governments. Poor accountancy creates persistent underestimation of the magnitude of responsibility and role that should be taken nationally to decarbonise shipping. Hopefully this study will encourage countries to look again, and bring shipping firmly into their national GHG policy and action.”
Source: UMAS (University Maritime Advisory Services)

To facilitate the gradual and safe restart of cruise ship operations, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have jointly developed guidance on the gradual and safe resumption of operations of cruise ships in the European Union in relation to the COVID 19 pandemic, which has been circulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The guidance aims to facilitate a safe re-start of operations of cruise ships in the European Union, by recommending minimum measures expected to be implemented by all concerned, while maintaining general safety and security standards. The guidance is meant for EU/EEA flagged ships engaged in international voyages and for ships calling at an EU/EEA port, irrespective of flag. The IMO said it invites member states and international organizations to utilize the guidance as they see fit and circulate it to all interested parties.

The guidance is roughly divided into three parts. The first addresses the ship side and recommends the development of a COVID-19 company and ship management plan, including a tailor-made risk assessment by each company. The plan should also cover mitigation measures for implementation, as well as the possibility of third party verification.

The second part recommends the development of a COVID-19 port management plan by each member state receiving cruise ships, for which a minimum number of measures are suggested.

The third part recommends elements that the cruise line and ports should agree on before any voyage takes place. It is expected that procedures will be established and in place in case a COVID-19 outbreak happens aboard.

Before starting a voyage, cruise ship operators should ensure that ports along the route, if needed, can make arrangements for passengers and crew to receive medical treatment and repatriation, according to the guidance.

In the event of a possible, probably or confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified onboard, the ship should be diverted to the nearest port where testing can take place and where local health authorities can be consulted to further manage the situation.

Companies should also establish procedures to respond to potential outbreaks and establish drills and exercises for preparing for outbreaks. Response measures would range from definition of roles and duties aboard, communication between the different departments, isolation plan, health and safety management while infected persons are onboard, definition of risk exposure, medical resources, cleaning and disinfection, management of waste, and more.

In terms of physical distancing, the guidance acknowledges that there are spaces aboard where physical distancing is difficult to implement such as the galley, which could instead see tailor-made alternative measures to minimize the risk of transmission. This may also include the temporary closing of spaces if the preventive measures are found to be either not feasible or insufficient.

Not only does the guidance focus on crew and passengers, but also residents in the ports visited during a cruise. Crew and passengers should be informed about the local measures required, and cruise operators should make sure that any excursion provider, tour operator or other external service provider offer at least the same level of protection as aboard the ship in terms of physical distancing, cleaning and disinfection protocols.

The IMO recommends that COVID-19 company and ship management plans are independently verified by a third party. The IMO also points out that the guidance is not intended to replace the verification of specific health measures which may be required by health authorities. And considering the dynamic situation, it is acknowledged that some health advice included in the guidance will likely be updated.

Source: cruiseindustrynews

The Third International Consultative Committee meeting of DocksTheFuture project took place on 29 July 2020 between 11.00-12.15. The Objective of the conf.call  was to discuss how to implement the European Green Deal objectives in European ports , the drivers and challenges. For this purpose, two officials from the ESPO were invited to present.

The participants of this meeting were from three below groups:

• The ICC extinguished members:   Michele Acciaro, Paul Brewster, Angela Carpenter, Drik’t Hooft, Alessandro.Panaro
• ESPO: Isabelle Ryckbost -Secretary General, & Valter Selén – Senior Policy Advisor Sustainable Development, Cruise and Ferry Network, EcoPorts Coordinator
• Docks The Future (DTF) project’s partners: Circle s.p.a: Reza Karimpour, Alexio Picco, PortExpertise group: Joris Claeys, Peter Bresseleers, Magellan Association: Andrea Hrzic, ISL Group, and Circle Group.

Mr.Reza Karimpour from Circle s.p.a organised this  Docks The Future conf.call and welcomed the participants. Mr.Alexio Picco from Circle s.p.a that leads the project welcomed the participants of the meeting and explained about the project and its progress. He gave a brief introduction to the project. He mentioned that the project is coordinated by Circle S.p.A (Italy) as the leader of the project working group including ISL – Institut für Seeverkehrswirtschaft und Logistik  (Germany) ,Magellan (Portugal), PortExpertise (Belgium) , University of Genoa (Italy).

After welcoming, Mr. Alexio Picco left the floor to  Ms. Isabelle Ryckbost -Secretary General to present the “ESPO’s Roadmap to implement the European Green Deal objectives in ports”. She started with mentioning the overall view of the EU Green Deal with a focus on three elements of: More than lowering emissions = New Growth strategy, Transforming the economy, “transforming the way we produce and consume”, and Sustainable product policy “Will frame everything what is happening”.

In continuation, she added that Green deal goals are:

• Net-zero by 2050
• 50 to 55% by 2030
• 90% CO2 emission reduction by 2050 for transport
• New Climate Law: enshrining carbon neutrality by 2050 into law

It was stated that ESPO welcomes Europe’s ambition to be the world’s first net zero emission area by 2050. However, this ambition must be delivered in the most effective way while the competitiveness of Europe’s economy must be safeguarded. In addition, it should be noted that achieving this objective will require an unprecedented level of cooperation across all policy departments and stakeholders.

M.s Isabelle at this stage highlighted the importance of the EU Ports as key strategic partners at the crossroads of supply chains, clusters of energy, and clusters of industry clusters of blue economy. They can be a key strategic partner in making the European Green Deal happen . . . . . . . . continue reading the report on the DocksTheFuture website here