The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ramped up its maritime safety capability improvement project(MSCIP) with the formal commissioning of the brand-new capital ship, BRP Melchora Aquino.

President Rodrigo Duterte led the formal commissioning of the BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) on June 12. It is the second 97-meter multi-role response vessel (MRRV) acquired by the DOTr and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), along with the first-commissioned BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701).

The two MRRVs are under the DOTr’s MSCIPPhase II, a Japanese-assisted project funded by official development assistance loan from the government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

With the commissioning of the two MRRVs, the PCG is now more capable of conducting patrols in the country’s maritime jurisdictions, including the West Philippine Sea and Philippine Rise.

Apart from enhancing PCG’s maritime response capability in the Philippine waters, the MRRV will boost the agency’s search and rescue, maritime environment protection and other maritime operations.

One of the largest and most modern PCG vessels to date, the BRP Melchora Aquino is modeled after the Japan Coast Guard Kunigami-class vessel, which has a maximum speed of not less than 24 knots and an endurance of not less than 4,000 nautical miles.

Meanwhile, the DOTr and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have increased the number of night-rated airports to serve more passengers.

From 14 airports out of the total 43 commercial airports across the country that had night-landing capabilities in 2016,the DOTrsaid an additional nine airports have been night-rated, bringing the total to 23 night-rated airports to date.

It added that equipping airports with night-landing capabilities gives flexibility to provide travelers with more flight options, and helps allow more turnaround time for airlines, thereby decongesting the country’s premier gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. – Myla Iglesias

As the United Nations tries to broker a path for grain from Ukraine and temper worries about a global food crisis, hundreds of mines laid along the Black Sea present a practical nightmare that will take months to resolve even after any agreement.

The Black Sea is crucial for shipment of grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey, as well as Ukraine and Russia.

Ukrainian government officials estimate 20 million tonnes of grain are unable to travel from what was the world’s fourth largest exporter prior to the Russian invasion on Feb. 24.

Kyiv and Western leaders accuse Moscow of weaponizing food supplies by blockading Ukrainian ports. Russia has said it wants Western sanctions lifted as part of any deal to allow exports to flow.

But even if any agreement was reached and Ukraine’s ports were able to re-open, the danger from sea mines planted by Ukraine and Russia will hold up shipments potentially for months ahead, according to maritime officials.

“Sea mines have been laid in port approaches and some port exits are blocked by sunken barges and cranes,” said a spokesperson with U.N. shipping agency the International Maritime Organization, one of several bodies working on establishing sea passage for grain supplies.

“Completely removing sea mines in the port areas would take several months.”

Food prices
Global grain production is forecast to fall short of demand in the 2022/23 season, the International Grains Council says.

The loss of Ukraine shipments will further tighten available supplies and is likely to drive up prices for food staples such as bread, pasta and noodles and add to food inflation, with global hunger already at unprecedented levels.

It is unclear what types of mines have been laid at this stage, Western maritime officials say.

A Ukrainian foreign ministry official told Reuters in March that some 372 sea mines laid by Russia were of the “R-421-75” type, which were neither registered with or used by Ukraine’s navy currently and were captured by the Russian military during Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Russia’s defense ministry said in a statement in March that Ukraine had mined the approaches to the ports of Odesa, Ochakov, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny with 400 obsolete anchor mines.

Russia’s FSB intelligence agency also said in March mines had drifted into the Black Sea after breaking off from cables near Ukrainian ports, adding the mines were set by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine said at the time the FSB warning was wrong and it had no information about any mines drifting out to sea.

On Friday, the Ukrainian foreign ministry official said Ukraine had placed some mines. “We have installed naval mines in the exercise of our right to self-defense as stipulated under the Article 51 of the U.N. Charter.”

Russia’s embassy in London referred comment to the country’s defense ministry, which did not immediately respond to an emailed request on Friday.

Russia’s defense ministry said on May 26 Mariupol harbor had been cleared of mines and urged foreign governments to “exert effective influence on the owners of the vessels in Mariupol port to remove them to their permanent mooring place”.

Some 84 foreign ships are still stuck in Ukrainian ports — many of which have grain cargoes onboard.

Beaches in Odesa are closed with signs warning of mines. Read full story Some of the munitions have drifted as far as Turkey and Romania.

“It’s not safe for ships to get in or get out at the moment. Until the mines are swept, that situation is not going to change,” said Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping, which is also working on opening up maritime channels.

Two seafarers have already died and seven merchant vessels been hit by projectiles – with two sunk – around Ukraine’s coast while London’s insurance market has placed the entire region on its high risk list meaning soaring costs for shipments.

“Underwriters for their part would need some kind of assurance that it’s been done to a given degree by competent minesweepers,” said Neil Roberts, head of marine and aviation with the LMA, which represents the interests of all underwriting businesses in the Lloyd’s of London insurance market.

Clearing mines
Any mine clearing effort would be the biggest attempted since the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.

Intelligence on the types of mines laid and where they are located would be required at the outset, said Gerry Northwood, a former captain who commanded warships with Britain’s Royal Navy.

“Mine hunters would also need to be equipped with remotely operated submersibles to locate and destroy the mines,” said Northwood, a consultant with maritime security company MAST.

While the Black Sea is not particularly tidal or with strong currents, floating mines can still move significant distances over a period of time, said Duncan Potts, a former vice admiral with Britain’s Royal Navy.

“What is happening in Ukraine is that there appear to be a number of floating, untethered mines that are as much of a threat to you as to your enemy and are unpredictable,” said Potts who now acts as a consultant to Western governments.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that senior U.N. officials had held talks with Ankara, Brussels, Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington in the past 10 days on safe passage for the grain.

An EU official said any talk of what the bloc would specifically do to help demining was “very hypothetical”, adding that Russia must start clearing the mines it had placed.

“Unless that is achieved, there won’t be sea corridors,” the official told Reuters. “We won’t pressure Ukraine to give up their defenses. Any deal that could be done needs to be acceptable to Ukraine.”

Maritime sources say an agreement would also be needed over which navies could be used to carry out the work that would be acceptable for commercial companies and insurers due to potential mistrust of any Russian effort.

We have a great opportunity to harness new technology to improve maritime safety. HiLo provides the best risk management system for the maritime industry, which is fast, accurate and easy to use.

Over the last few decades, shipping companies have based risk analysis on publicly available incident reports and their own incident management systems. This has often been done manually, which is painstaking and time-consuming. To get the full picture, companies must look at multiple data sources to get a better understanding of how potential incidents can occur. Even taking every data source into account, things are still missed or omitted, unintentionally or otherwise.

HiLo has created a system to help solve these problems. One that is easy to use and is accessible to many different clients who wish to keep ahead of their risks. What is the system exactly? It’s a decision support system which helps guide you along the right path to preventing incidents in the future. We use predictive analytics to show where you and your fleet are most at risk of an incident.

Prevent disaster before it happens

When data is extracted using traditional methods there is a chance information will be missed. Ageing safety management systems rely on a subset of data which doesn’t tell the whole story. Because of this, there is always a greater chance of serious incidents happening. It is vital to use data from multiple sources and multiple shipping companies to have enough information to generate solid results and identify any potential risks aboard ships.

HiLo’s digital system accurately shows the potential risks in your company’s path and helps you to take preventative measures. Our system uses big data (large and complex data sets from new data sources) which helps you uncover potential problems aboard your ships through increasing the accuracy of analysis. We help you to identify the root cause of your risks. We also help you to detect any patterns which may be occurring.

Big data means there is a large volume of information which allows companies to have more accurate knowledge to prevent future problems. When you understand the ins and outs of one event, you can see how another similar event could happen. When you collect data early you can break the cause-effect chain and stop another incident from happening.

Comparing data

HiLo’s interactive portal provides shipping companies complete access to their comprehensive risk profile. Companies get a chance to view their personalised analysis and at the same time compare their performance against the rest of the HiLo fleet.

HiLo’s ever-increasing knowledge database holds real-life marine safety information from over 5,000 vessels. We can provide you with insights from many different shipping companies as a result. Because the information is combined with peer-reviewed statistical analysis, you can clearly see the risks you have through our analysis. You’ll be able to see how vessels operate and how certain incidents arise, and so you’ll know if your fleet is in danger in any possible way and be able then to take preventative measures.

Are you protected?

HiLo is ISO27001 certified, which means data security is at the top of our list. We have collected data from over 5,000 vessels, but once it comes to us, it is anonymised to create tailored analysis for each of our subscribed shipping companies. This means you don’t have to worry about repercussions when you submit your data to us. HiLo will always keep your data confidential.

Because many shipping companies are happy to share their data with us, we can provide the insights that help companies channel their resources in the most effective way. It’s easy to do, always secure and the analysis each shipping company gets in return is worth the effort.

Saving lives at sea by working together

The safety of your fleet is paramount. We work to make sure the best actions are taken in every scenario so that everyone’s lives are protected. HiLo helps you prioritise your workload by transforming data into an easy-to-action risk profile based on your most recent fleet data.

High volumes of data are only valuable if they can be turned into real insights. By sharing your data with us you are helping us to create a great ecosystem of cause-and-effect relationships. You will be able to see potential risks aboard your ships and find ways to stop them leading to an incident. Not only this, but you protect lives at sea while we protect your data.

This is all possible with an easy-to-use decision support system, which is time-efficient and requires less manual labour.

Keep the safety of those at sea top priority. Request a HiLo demo.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) announced that a naming ceremony was held today for the next-generation coal carrier ENERGIA AZALEA, which will serve Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc. (President & CEO: Mareshige Shimizu; Headquarters: Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture), at Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

(President: Kensuke Namura; Headquarters: Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi). As distinguished guests including Chugoku Electric Power Vice President & Senior Managing Executive Officer Shigeru Ashitani and his wife and MOL Executive Vice President and Executive Officer Toshiaki Tanaka and his wife looked on, the vessel received the name the ENERGIA AZALEA, the rope was cut, and the new vessel was successfully launched.

The name ENERGIA AZALEA is derived from the official city flower of Hamada-shi, Shimane Prefecture, home to Chugoku Electric Power’s Misumi Power Station, and company’s brand name, “ENERGIA.”

As a vessel built especially for Chugoku Electric Power, the ENERGIA AZALEA will transport coal from overseas to its power stations, along with the ENERGIA CENTAURUS already in service, to contribute to a sustainable and stable supply of electricity.

The ENERGIA AZALEA is the third in the “EeneX” series of next-generation coal carriers based on the Japanese shipbuilding industry’s accumulated know-how and technology in development and construction of coal carriers, along with MOL’s expertise in operating these vessels. Adoption of a double-hull structure eliminated the need to fill cargo holds with ballast water, reducing the risk of marine pollution and minimizing cargo contamination with salt and rust.

MOL offers the optimal “stress-free” transport service for customers and the environment, by achieving both safe and stable transport of an important energy resource for Japan.

Reference – MOL

Tankers, fishing vessels and bulk carriers were the three highest sectors for sending distress signals between 2018-2021, Inmarsat’s The Future of Maritime Safety Report 2022 reveals.

Among the findings from the Inmarsat data was an abrupt spike in GMDSS calls in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which, according to the report, is likely to have been caused by “issues with crew change, rapid turnaround in ports and fatigue on board”.

Peter Broadhurst, Senior Vice President of Safety and Security, Inmarsat Maritime, said, “The Future of Maritime Safety Report provides insights into safety trends from GMDSS data gathered between 2018 and 2021 and reveals patterns at a local and global level. Better understanding these patterns can help us to take proactive steps to prevent such incidents going forward and help guide us to a safer future.

Adding context to the data analysis, the report features opinions from industry representatives and seafarers invited to share their views on the most pertinent maritime safety issues and the changes they would like to see implemented to address them.

Cyrus Moody, Deputy Director, International Maritime Bureau, addresses the value of communication and collaboration in tackling piracy.

“Protecting our seafaring workforce requires constant vigilance and a concerted effort from the international maritime community, working with agencies and governments around the world”, says Moody. “All too often, piracy is out of sight and out of mind.”

Other contributors include International Maritime Rescue Federation CEO, Theresa Crossley, who shares her views on the lessons shipping must take from the Covid-19 pandemic; and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Maritime Safety Watch Branch Chief, Christopher Janus, who emphasises the importance of embracing existing technology solutions to improve vessel safety.

Click here for your copy of The Future of Maritime Safety Report 2022.

PCG: Vice Admiral Rodolfo D Isorena PCG presided the turn-over ceremony of the Maritime Safety Services Command at Sangley Point, Cavite City. Commodore Elson E Hermogino PCG was designated as the new Commander of Maritime Safety Services Command (MSSC). Prior to his new assignment, Commodore Hermogino was the former Commander of Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog (CGDSTL). The outgoing MSSC Commander, Commodore Gilbert S Rueras PCG retired yesterday, November 21, 2014 after completing 32 years of service in the Philippine Coast Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 317