Photo courtesy of IMO

IMO BRIEFING: The Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden (Djibouti Code of Conduct) was today signed on behalf of South Africa by the South African High Commissioner, His Excellency Dr. Zola Skweyiya, who was attending an IMO Conference on Capacity Building to Counter Piracy off the Coast of Somalia  (on Tuesday, 15 May). Continue reading »

So Malacañan Palace has castrated the Maritime Training Council. Under Executive Order No. 75, all functions concerning the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) are transferred to the Department of Transportation & Communications through the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). The move would seem to make sense: MARINA, after all, is the flag administration and the MTC has long been due for the scrap heap. But does it really fix the Filipino system of STCW administration? Continue reading »

Press releases are either interesting or ho-hum (thus fit for the trash bin). Elaborate Communications‘ recent announcement about securing a new client would seem to fall under the latter category. But the brief news release from the UK public relations outfit is not lacking in interest. The client referred to is Sea Marshals, which provides armed and unarmed security teams in pirate-infested areas. Could this be a sign that maritime PR is finally gaining the recognition it deserves? Continue reading »

It’s unlikely that we’ll see an end to the orgy of maritime conferences. These two-day borefests provide a perfect excuse for executives to hie off on a junket and for the organisers to profit therefrom. What a waste of time and a drain on corporate resources. Thankfully, there’s an alternative: the “Meet the Buyer” (MTB) series of UK-based Copland Events Ltd. The MTB buyer-seller meetings promise to yield results that actually impact on business. Continue reading »

IMO BRIEFING: Piracy and armed robbery against ships off the coast of Somalia, in the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean and passenger ship safety will be high on the agenda when IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meets at the Organization’s London Headquarters for its 90th session from 16 to 25 May 2012.  Continue reading »

To date, 25 countries with 56% of the world tonnage have ratified the ILO Maritime Labour Convention 2006, the “bill of rights” for seafarers. With five more expected to come on board this year, the treaty can enter into force by 2013. But how many seafarers and shipping executives have bothered to read MLC 2006? Those who are too lazy to read the full text (downloadable from the ILO website) can watch the DVD produced by US-based Maritime Training Services. It condenses 100 pages of MLC 2006 regulations into a 14-minute video with all bases covered – not least, compliance and requirements and what to do in case of violations. Check it out. ~Barista Uno

A preview of MTS film, “Maritime Labor Convention: Know Your Rights”:

embedded by Embedded Video

YouTube Direkt

Sauter Carbon Offset Design (SCOD) is offering its new “ultra green” catamaran called “Sea Eagle” to the US Coast Guard in an unsolicited proposal to beef up American homeland security. With helipad and underwater ROV (Remote Ocean Vehicle), the E-Class Sea Eagle is said to use less than half as much fuel to go 10% faster compared with the USCG Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutters in use today. Instead of the Sentinel’s 11,500hp from tier 2 diesel engines, it uses a total of 5,000hp from solar hybrid power sources which include cleaner MTU tier 4i diesels. Maximum speed is 32 knots. The under-equipped Philippine Coast Guard should probably acquire several units of the Sea Eagle to show China that the Filipinos have the maritime assets to check Chinese incursions into Scarborough Shoal.  ~Barista Uno

Click here to zoom image with the vessel particulars

There’s no escaping the catchword “the human element” in shipping. It’s become as ubiquitous as “sustainable shipping” – and necessarily so. Despite the advances in technology, maritime accidents continue to take a heavy toll on life and limb, not to speak of the environment. Time to shift the focus on “the human element” in the man-machine equation. Still and all, we don’t feel comfortable with the phrase and the reason has nothing to do with the usefulness of it. Continue reading »

We had our first real look at the NAUTIS bridge simulator developed by VSTEP of The Netherlands in November 2011 during the Asia-Pacific Manning & Training Conference in Manila. The visual realism and the build quality left a positive impression on us. That’s not surprising. If the Dutch have made a mark in the world of art (Rembrandt and Van Gogh were both Dutch), dredging technology and beer (Heineken), why can’t they do the same in the world of marine simulators? Continue reading »

We’re a huge admirer of Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890). Today, Labour Day, we post this image of his “Seascape at Saintes-Maries (Fishing Boats at Sea)” as a tribute to all those who toil at sea – fishermen, seafarers, coastguardsmen and offshore and oil rig workers. The masterpiece is part of a series of oil paintings and drawings done by the artist in 1888 when he made a trip to the fishing village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer on the coast of the Mediterranean in southern France. ~Barista Uno

Click here to zoom image

It’s been a sticky hot Sunday in Manila: 36.3C, real feal index 42.0C. But instead of whining, we decided to conjure up possible maritime catchwords and slogans to take our mind off the heat and humidity. The maritime world is replete with such phrases. Some could drive you crazy, such as the omnipresent “sustainable shipping“. But as they say, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Here’s our list of new maritime locutions: Continue reading »

Prudence dictates that we don’t completely discount the possibility of an EU ban on Filipino seafarers. We’re hoping, of course, that it won’t come to pass and that the EU will give the Filipino seafarer factory a thumbs up despite certain shortcomings. But what if? We made some quick taps on our calculator and the numbers tell us that the maritime bureaucrats in Manila had better do double-time work for the sake of everyone. Continue reading »

Natives of the Philippines, where almost everything is on a small scale, are not used to seeing mammoth ships. So we were delighted to view early pictures of the San Antonio – the first of four “eco-design” Suezmax newbuildings to join the owned fleet of tanker specialist AET (the three others will follow within the year). The 157,000 dwt ship, built by South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries, was delivered on 26th April 2012. It has been awarded Lloyd’s Register’s “Environmental Protection” notation and a Letter of Compliance for a Green Passport. This behemoth is a genuine green ship. ~Barista Uno

Click here to zoom image

We know for a fact that some manning agents in Manila and their principals are wringing their hands. Will the EU really ban Filipino seafarers? The answer depends on a prior question: how confident is the European Commission (EC) that the Philippine authorities can supervise maritime schools and training centres and ensure their compliance with the STCW standards? It’s all about Quality Control, which, unfortunately, isn’t the strongest department in the Filipino seafarer factory. Continue reading »

What is the impact of Somali piracy? Despite extensive media coverage of the subject, not very many people, especially outside maritime security circles, have a clear idea. Travelinsurance.org, an online resource for  travel insurance, has employed information graphics (infographics for short) to present a composite picture of the number of piracy attacks and successful hijackings in 2011, where they occurred and the financial and economic cost of this modern-day scourge. Take a look and be enlightened: Continue reading »

We can appreciate the value of the UK P&I Club’s new booklet entitled “Risk Focus: Slips, trips and falls”. We once slipped on our kitchen floor and felt excruciating pain on our back side for more than a fortnight. Not surprisingly, such accidents are common occurrence on ships and in mooring areas. Indeed, slips, trips and falls represent almost one of three in the large personal injury claims lodged before the Club. The total amount involved: US$155 million over the past 10 years. Continue reading »

Although we bade adieu to maritime journalism in 2009 to go into blogging, International Container Terminal Services Inc remains pretty much on our radar screen. Not only is ICTSI a global ports operator. It’s also the only Filipino maritime enterprise that has dared to seek its fortunes in a high-stakes business, beyond local shores. This appeals to our old-fashioned sense of national pride. For those who have failed to keep track, here’s a glance at three recent ICTSI developments: Continue reading »

We constantly hear of “green ships” but not very often about “green ports”. Not surprising, especially in Asia. Port operators are on a nonstop cargo chase. How many will stop to think about reducing emissions in the port area and do their bit to combat climate change? Today, Earth Day 2012, we take a look at the Mobile AMP (Alternative Maritime Power) from Cavotec and its potential for the greening of ports. Continue reading »

If the Titanic has become part of the collective consciousness of mankind, it’s due in large measure to the individual photographers who captured on film the events before and after the tragedy. A set of fine photos – Titanic at 100 years – was put online by The Boston Globe a few days before the Titanic’s 100th anniversary on 15th April 2012. Another must-see gallery dating back to last year can be found in the BBC News website – Titanic’s final photographs by Jesuit priest Frank Browne. Somebody should collect and identify pictures of the 1987 Doña Paz ferry disaster in the Philippines. But who remembers the Doña Paz victims anyway? ~Barista Uno

To relive the Titanic tragedy, we followed US-based RMS Titanic Inc on Twitter. The company, a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions Inc, is the exclusive steward of the RMS Titanic dedicated to preserving the legacy of the ship, wreck site and all her passengers and crew through educational, historical, scientific and conservation based programs. We post here part of the series of tweets from RMS Titanic Inc on the events, as they happened, leading up to the actual sinking at 2:20am, 15th April 1912: Continue reading »