The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned bulk carrier AGIA SOFIA (IMO 9706786, dwt 82045) from Australian ports for six months, after receiving a complaint via the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
“During the inspection AMSA found evidence that some seafarers on board the ship had not been paid their wages in full since August 2019. The outstanding wages total about AUD $45,000 and constitute a breach of the rights of seafarers as per their employment agreements under the Maritime Labour Convention.”
AMSA Acting General Manager Operations Michael Drake noted it wasn’t the first time this company, Marmaras Navigation Ltd, had been caught underpaying crew in Australian waters.
“In January 2018 AMSA detained another company ship, Koundouros, at Port Walcott for owing its seafarers more than AUD $7500,” Mr Drake said. “Bringing a second ship, Agia Sofia, to Australia with the same breach is inexcusable and has left us with little choice but to ban this ship from Australian ports.”
Mr Drake said seafarers were making enormous sacrifices right now by being away for extended periods of time from their loved ones, just to keep critical global trade moving. “Abusing their most basic rights to be paid for the work they are doing is shameful behaviour on the part of this shipping company,” Mr Drake said.
So you, see, it’s all about seamen and their basic human rights, nothing personal. As usual, bulk carrier was attacked by the authorities after they’ve been tipped off or ordered, by ITF. As usual, culprit – shipowner – can’t speak for himself and explain what’s happening in reality, not in ITF claims. Shipowner is guilty by definition. Now, here’s another side of the story: it may well be so, that the shipowner after his ships are banned from Australian ports, may lose charters and contracts, suffer heavy losses, and with that, become unable to cover crew changes costs, and provide timely wages payments. He may go bankrupt. What will happen to crews, is nobody’s care, definitely not ITF or AMSA. It may well be so (in fact, it is so), that here and there and everywhere throughout the world, shipowners delay wages payments, in order to remain afloat and provide crew changes. It may well be so, that the crews, the employees of this or that owner, understand the situation, and given the enormous challenges owner faces, agree to wait it out.
Each and every case of wage delay or expired contracts, presently, is unique, and is subject to very careful consideration and treatment. Thoughtless and irresponsible detentions and bans, based on ITF claims, may lead in many cases, to tragedies of abandoned ships and crews, in the midst of worldwide “pandemic” insanity.
AMSA cares so much about seamen wellbeing and safety, that recently, it launched an inspection campaign targeting cargo securing arrangements on container ships visiting Australian ports, which will run from August until October. It involves extended port state control (PSC) inspections or stand-alone inspections on vessels that are not currently eligible for PSC inspection. According to AMSA, masters and shipping lines should expect that if a cargo ship visits Australia over this period that the ship will receive an inspection.
Crews which can’t be relieved far beyond their contract dates, with many being aboard for more than a year, now will be targeted for extra inspections.
Authorities live in another world, it seems. Instead of brining to crews as much relief as possible, instead of decrease or total ban of all inspections, they ramp inspections up. AMSA, you know, the crews will soon start intentional sabotaging of all your securing protocols and safety regulations. They don’t care, they have nothing to lose, and they’re on the verge of mass psychological and physical breakdowns.
Once upon a time, I vaguely remember, Australia was considered to be a maritime nation, and a land of free. Together with NZ, UK, USA, Canada. You know what? Soviet Union, in terms of personal freedoms, was in comparison with modern West, a paragon of freedom. Why did you throw away your freedoms with such an appalling ease, guys? What did you get in return? Safety from non-existent “deadly virus”? Total control over everybody and everything? Mass migration? Green idiots and phychos? BLM? ITF? AMSA? UN/WHO/IMO? You didn’t have yet Gestapo, KGB and GULAG, but they’re coming, real soon. Their emergence, indeed, seems to be inevitable.

The EMSA guidance provides recommendations relating to the development of ship and port management plans, as well as the interaction between cruise operations and ports and terminals.

Co-authored with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the EMSA guidance follows the recent publication of EU Healthy Gateways guidance on the resumption of cruise ship operations.

Viewed in tandem, these guidance documents aim to establish a pan-European benchmark for national maritime transport and public health authorities for the future resumption of cruising in Europe.

CLIA and its member lines have been engaged in the development of the guidance, which will help to inform the development of protocols at the national level.

CLIA member lines are also identifying appropriate protocols, based on evolving guidance from health authorities and medical experts, that cover passengers from the time of booking their cruise, to the holiday itself and their safe return home.

Speaking on behalf of CLIA Europe, secretary-general Tom Boardley said: “This guidance from the European Maritime Safety Agency is an important resource for authorities and operators focused on the safe resumption of cruising in Europe.”

Visit emsa.europa.eu for more information.

He said cruise ships will be allowed to berth for homeporting operations at the ports of Piraeus, Rhodes, Heraklion, Volos, Corfu and Katakolon, and that subsequently ships will be able to make transit calls at other Greek ports on their itinerary.

However, Theocharis said the situation and the regulations could be reviewed depending on current epidemiological data. He said cruise travel will abide with all the health and safety protocols set by the European Union due to coronavirus.

EU guidance

The EU guidance for restarting cruise ship operations recommends for cruise ships to carry 60% of the maximum passenger capacity and to conduct mandatory checks on passengers and crew before boarding, which would include thermal screening and the submission of a special health declaration.

The guidance says that ships should make ‘isolation cabins’ available for quarantine purposes should a coronavirus case occur. Also, before starting journeys, cruise companies should make arrangements with local port authorities of the home port for possible isolation procedures. The facilities like hospitals and hotels should also be pre-specified.

Moreover, the guidance says all persons working on board ship, whether officers or crew, who interact with passengers or crew on board or ashore should have training about dealing with COVID-19 cases.

Source: seatrade-cruise

The German TUI Group announced that it completed the sale of its subsidiary Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to TUI Cruises, an joint venture company that TUI operates with the Royal Caribbean Group.

The transaction was announced in February 2020, prior to the coronavirus sidelining the cruise industry. At the time, the transaction, which valued the company at 1.2 billion euros, was reported to be part of TUI Group’s strategy to deliver additional profitable growth at a lower level of capital intensity. The integration of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises into the joint venture was reportedly designed to allow TUI to participate in the global cruise industry’s growth at a low level of capital expenditure.

One of the most historic names in cruising, Hapag traces its roots to the 1800s and the immigrant trade. In 1891, the company operated its first luxury cruises, but after World War II the cargo operations were rebuilt before returning to passenger operations in the 1970s. TUI AG entered the tourism market in 1997 with the acquisition of Hapag-Lloyd, which at the time was separated from the cargo shipping operations.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises had recently begun ongoing efforts to upgrade and expand its cruise operations with the introduction of two new luxury cruise ships for the expedition cruise market and an order for a third expedition cruise ship scheduled for delivery in 2021. In addition, the company operates two luxury cruise ships, the Europa and Europa 2, and recently began to expand marketing beyond German-speaking travelers into the international markets.

TUI reported that the transfer of the individual Hapag-Lloyd Cruises vessels to the joint venture will be completed in the coming days. During the global cruise suspension, the ships have been laid up in Hamburg, Germany.

TUI and Royal Caribbean had launched the joint venture TUI Cruises in 2008 targeted at the German-speaking traveler. Recently, the company has been expanding its fleet currently with seven large cruise ships, known as Mein Schiff, and has three additional new builds on order for 2023, 2024 and 2026.

TUI Group said it will use the transaction proceeds to strengthen the group’s balance sheet and to drive its transformation into a digital organization. The company is evolving from a traditional tour operator model into a developer, investor and operator of hotels and cruise ships, as well as destination activity provider. TUI announced its digital business model with operations in hotels, resorts and cruises that is less asset and capital intensive.
Source: maritime-executive

To mark this year’s Maritime Safety Week and the launch of the Home and Dry Campaign by the Fishing Industry Safety Group, Sean Friday, an inspector of marine accidents for 8 years, talks candidly about his journey to the MAIB and what can be done to make commercial fishing safer.

Tell us about your career to date and your journey to the MAIB?

Although I had always wanted to go to sea, on my father’s insistence my career began with an engineering apprenticeship as a civilian in the British Army. With this providing a good grounding I went to sea as a deckhand in the fishing industry and progressed to the role of skipper of one the UK’s largest fishing vessels.

In 2006, I decided I needed a new challenge and left the sea for a full-time role with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) delivering safety advice and safety interventions to commercial fishermen.

In 2012, I began as nautical inspector and commercial fishing lead at MAIB and after an intensive two-year training and accreditation period I have investigated many accidents, not just to fishing vessels but also merchant and leisure craft.

What made you want to become an inspector of marine accidents?

In 1986, 3 years before the creation of the MAIB, my father, along with two of his crew, was lost at sea when his trawler capsized. I remember being frustrated by not knowing how, why or if this could happen again to another fishing crew. From this tragedy I became interested in accident investigation and prevention.

How has your background helped your work as an inspector?

My career at sea and personal experience of what drives fishermen and the reasons why they can be less risk averse gives me a valuable insight. This insight combined with the safety delivery work during my time at the RNLI puts me in an ideal position to be able to understand why accidents happen and develop recommendations to prevent a reoccurrence.

Fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the UK, what are the main safety challenges the industry is facing?

The industry has many safety challenges, not least the struggle to recruit, train and retain seafarers. The fishing industry is often seen as a place for itinerant workers and as such training and professionalism sometimes take a back seat.

What can be done to make commercial fishing safer?

Aside from all the good work that the MCA are doing to regulate and raise vessel standards, I believe that if the fishing industry is promoted as an exciting career path and deckhands are developed into conscientious, qualified, and professional skippers then better safety will follow and become ingrained.

What more can be done to change behaviour and ensure that PFDs are worn?

The introduction of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention 188 requires that fishermen wear lifejackets and subsequently we are seeing an increase in wear rates. However, there is no ‘quick fix’ and all the organisations involved in the Fishing Industry Safety Group (FISG) are determined to keep working hard to change fishermen’s behaviour and ensure that we don’t continue to lose lives unnecessarily. That’s why it is so important that behaviour change campaigns such as the FISG’s Home and Dry campaign target the fishermen and skippers directly to remind them to be safety aware.

Source: gov.uk

Each year, Maritime Safety Week marks the UK government’s recognition of the excellent safety work that goes on across the maritime sector. Now in its third year, it provides a valuable opportunity to focus on specific safety challenges and what is being done to tackle them, as well as helping to share knowledge, experience and best practice and to deliver key safety messages.

Maritime Minister Kelly Tolhurst will be heading this year’s Maritime Safety Week, which takes place from Monday 06 July to Friday 10 July. We’re proud to showcase some of our own projects in the diverse markets in which we operate and highlight some of the work we do around the globe to keep those using our seas and waterways safe.

Supporting safety in national defense

We work with our customers in the defence industry to help them keep their assets safe along with the people that operate them and their surrounding environments. As experts in defence maritime safety management, we ensure that principal hazards have been assessed and that all risks are minimised to an acceptable level. This, in turn, helps to maintain through life operational capability and availability – keeping naval fleets fit to fight.

Specific examples include our work with South Korean Shipbuilders, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, in which we designed the Tide Class support tankers for the UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service. As part of this project, we were responsible for ensuring that these innovative, double-hull tankers were designed, constructed and could be operated in full compliance with the UK Ministry of Defence ‘s Safety and Environmental Regulation and Policy.

We also provide technical support for the UK Defence Safety Authority’s Defence Maritime Regulator (DMR). DMR is responsible for developing the regulatory framework to demonstrate that MOD shipping, diving and port regulations are meeting the overarching Safety and Environmental regulations and legislation, thus protecting people, equipment and the environment. Our independent objectivity, innovative ideas and proven methodologies have all been key in helping the DMR in their vital role to ensure maritime safety and environmental compliance.

Protecting reefs, lives and assets

We’ve built our reputation on delivering innovative solutions to complex problems. That philosophy has shown that improving maritime safety can sometimes involve supporting the environment in a way that also helps protect shipping and assets on vulnerable shorelines. For example, in Australia, we’ve been working in collaboration with the University of Queensland to develop new approaches to stabilise sections of the Great Barrier Reef. By taking broken coral from the seabed and placing it into natural-fibre nets in carefully chosen areas, we’ve been able to provide a stable base for new coral to grow, thus protecting vessels and shorelines from cyclone wave damage.

In addition to helping mitigate damage from natural maritime disasters, we also deliver safety measures to help reduce the risk of conventional grounding incidents before they happen. For example, we provide complete program management for dredging and sand bypassing operations to maintain safe shipping channels.

Keeping the lights on

As the world’s demand for clean energy has grown, so too has the number of offshore windfarms and the range of vessels that support them. Our design for a new 36m Service Accommodation Transfer Vessel (SATV) allows technicians to spend a week or more at sea as they service and maintain the turbine towers that power the industry. The design posed a technical challenge in that the vessel had to be both large enough and comfortable enough to live on whilst still being small enough to engage with the turbine landing tubes, thus enabling service technicians to transfer onto the towers safely. The answer lay in the latest iteration of our patented Active Fender System™ – a well proven and highly regarded solution that allows conventional windfarm vessels or even larger vessels such as our SATV to push up to wind turbine generators with a significantly reduced impact load, thus reducing the risk of damage to the towers and the risk to key personnel.

Training safely

BMT REMBRANDT is our high-fidelity, 3D ship navigation simulator that has long set the standard for maritime training simulation software. So much so that select cruise lines Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn North America and P&O Cruises Australia have signed multiple contracts to order office and ship-based licences for nearly 40 cruise ships.

By delivering the highest standards of manoeuvring simulation, BMT REMBRANDT is trusted to provide a versatile and scalable system that powers the fleets of these prestigious leisure travel companies. We’re proud that our solution for maritime simulation and virtual training has been essential in helping protect the safety and comfort of cruise guests worldwide.

This innovative technology has also been adopted by the world’s leading statutory marine agencies, including the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Office of Marine Safety (OMS), the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch, the Australian Transport Safety Board and the Dutch Safety Board.

Although the coronavirus pandemic gives Maritime Safety Week a very different atmosphere this year, it nevertheless plays an important role in helping the public to understand how BMT continue to innovate, improve and lead the way in international maritime safety.

Source: bmt

A group of governments from twelve countries have come together to pledge urgent action to resolve the crew change crisis that has emerged as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

In a joint statement presented Thursday during the virtual International Maritime Summit on Crew Changes, representatives from 12 countries expressed their deep concern about the current crisis and acknowledged that “the inability of ship operators worldwide to conduct ship’s crew changes is the single most pressing maritime operational challenge to the safe and efficient movement of global trade”.

At least 200,000 seafarers are estimated to stranded on ships and awaiting repatriation amid government-imposed travel restrictions. This inability for routine crew changes has led to a growing humanitarian crisis in shipping, in addition to concerns that seafarer fatigue and mental health issues may lead to serious maritime accidents.

The joint statement encourages all IMO states to designate seafarers as key workers and to implement the Protocols for Ensuring Safe Ship Crew Changes and Travel during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, which were endorsed and circulated by IMO in May. The joint statement also recognizes the importance of considering the possibility of waivers or exemptions from visa or documentary requirements for seafarers, and to help increase access to commercial flights to and from the principal countries of origin of seafarers.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim welcomed the call to facilitate crew changes and achieve key worker designation for seafarers.

“It is time to act for seafarers. Safe ship operations and crew wellbeing should not be compromised. The humanitarian crisis seafarers face has implications for all of us, for the world economy and for the safety of life at sea and the environment,” said Secretary-General Lim.

The joint statement was signed by representatives from the following countries: Denmark, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States of America.

The full text of the joint statement is below:

Joint statement of the international maritime virtual summit on crew changes

Our collective efforts to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have demonstrated the critical need to prioritise the continued functioning of global supply chains to ensure the resilience of our national economies, and the importance of facilitating the safe and efficient operation of the maritime transportation system, which moves over 80% of global trade.

Critical to this endeavour is the ability of shipping companies to continue conducting crew changes throughout the world, notwithstanding the restrictions applied by many national authorities in response to the pandemic.

We, as the representatives of governments attending the International Maritime Summit on Crew Changes held on 9 July 2020 by the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, are deeply concerned by the global crisis.

Specifically, those created by ongoing obstacles affecting ship’s crew changes, the impact on the wellbeing of seafarers, and the impact that any failure by governments to resolve these issues will have on maritime transport, which must be permitted to continue to operate safely and efficiently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specifically, we acknowledge, as a matter of urgent concern:

• that the inability of ship operators worldwide to conduct ship’s crew changes is the single most pressing maritime operational challenge to the safe and efficient movement of global trade
• at least 200,000 seafarers are estimated to require immediate repatriation, with many serving on extended crew contracts who are overdue to return home, in addition to a similar number of seafarers that urgently need to join their ships in order to allow the world’s internationally trading vessels to continue to operate safely
• seafarers’ tours of duty cannot continue to be extended and need to be kept to a duration of less than 12 months, as set out by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, as amended – the global shipping industry estimates that, since March 2020, only about 25% of normal crew changes have taken place; apart from the humanitarian and crew welfare concerns, and issues of regulatory compliance, there is an increasing risk that fatigue and mental health issues could lead to serious maritime accidents
• the complexity of facilitating ship’s crew changes, regardless of the seafarers’ nationality, requires concerted action as well as access to commercial flights to the principal seafarer countries of origin and those countries where crew changes take place
• that the health and wellbeing of seafarers is paramount and is inextricably linked to the continuing safety and efficiency of ship operations
• that the uncertainty around a possible second wave of COVID-19 underscores the need for swift actions without further delay to allow crew changes and to avoid further consequences to the already fragile global supply chain, which relies on goods transported by ships
• that the lessons learned during the COVID-19 outbreak be used to create international protocols in partnership with the maritime industry and the regulatory agencies, to provide practical instruments to facilitate shipping operations and enable seafarers to perform their essential role, in case of a future global pandemic

We therefore recognise the importance of the pledges set out below and, as a matter of urgency, to:

1. Encourage all International Maritime Organization (IMO) states to designate seafarers as “key workers” providing an essential service, to facilitate a safe and unhindered movement for embarking or disembarking a vessel.
2. Consider the legal possibilities for accepting internationally recognised documentation, such as International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers certificate, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Seafarers’ Identity Document (ILO 185) and a letter by the seafarers’ company, carried by seafarers as evidence of their status as key workers, and purpose of their travel and movement for crew changes.
3. Engage, nationally, multilaterally and bilaterally, in discussions about implementation, to the maximum extent possible, as appropriate to the circumstances that may prevail nationally or locally, of the recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, circulated to IMO member states as Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14 on 5 May 2020.
4. Review, working in conjunction with our health, immigration and other relevant ministries, agencies and authorities, the necessity of any restrictions that may continue to apply, at national and/or local level, to the movement and travel of seafarers for the purpose of conducting ships’ crew changes. This includes the possibility of allowing exemptions from quarantine or similar restrictions in accordance with relevant international rules or health regulatory guidelines.
5. Consider, in liaison with our relevant ministries and authorities, including those responsible for immigration, temporary measures including (where possible under relevant law) the possibility of waivers, exemptions or other relaxations from any visa or documentary requirements that might normally apply to seafarers.
6. Explore, in cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization and the aviation industry, ways of increasing access, as soon as possible, to commercial flights to and from the principal countries of origin of seafarers and the airports in reasonable proximity to those seaports where crew changes are effected.
7. Urge all IMO members to take any necessary measures, within their area of jurisdiction, to ensure seafarers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic enjoy safe crew changes as well as repatriation to their home countries or to their place of ordinary residence.

We express our deepest appreciation to the world’s seafarers who have continued tirelessly to operate ships and move trade throughout this global crisis, and pledge to take forward these actions at this summit with the urgency and resolve needed by the situation.

Together, we can avert the global crisis that is unfolding at sea and play our part in helping the world defeat the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The governments of:

• United Kingdom
• Denmark
• Germany
• Greece
• Indonesia
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• United Arab Emirates
• United States of America

Source: gcaptain

Rotterdam-based McNetiq launched a new line of magnetic anchors for fall protection when working at height.

The first product in this series from McNetiq is the workplace safety device McNetiq Fall Restraint, intended for workplaces constructed of steel without edge protection.

The operator is connected to this anchor with a measured working line so that the worker can never get past the unsecured edge. Areas of application are: loading and unloading work on ship decks, construction and demolition work on drilling platforms, shipbuilding and maintenance, and working on cranes and windmills.

This new application is based on Controlock technology. McNetiq is the inventor of this patented technology, with which the breakout point and shear force of a magnetic anchor can be determined in advance.  In fact McNetiq was founded following the invention of Controlock technology in 2014.

Source: oedigital

The shipping and logistics group is reinforcing its procedures for shipping protected species, the trade regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

As part of these tighter procedures, shippers must expressly state whether a species is covered by the CITES convention and, where appropriate, provide the requisite export permit whenever any animal or plant goods are carried.

In parallel, CMA CGM will draw up a black list of exporters suspected to be involved in the collapse of biodiversity.

“We are also enhancing the training of our sales agents around the world and tightening up our ‘know-your-customer’ audit procedures, in coordination with the CMA CGM Academy and the CITES,” CMA CGM said.

Moreover, following several suspicions that undeclared rosewood may have been part of cargo shipments from the Gambia, the group has decided to halt its timber exports from the country until further notice.

Rosewood is a protected species, and trade in it is regulated by the CITES. This highly sought-after wood is felled illegally in the region and then exported under various different guises. This illicit trade is heavily implicated in the deforestation of West Africa.

With these measures, CMA CGM said it is demonstrating its commitment to the protection of the environment.

“This decision, which is part of the strengthening of the group’s CSR policy, illustrates CMA CGM’s resolve to help conserve global biodiversity and not to further imperil our planet’s future,” CMA CGM further said.

CMA CGM operates a fleet of 489 vessels serving more than 420 ports around the world. In 2019, the company’s ships carried nearly 22 million TEUs.

Source: offshore-energy