Editor's Pick
STCW Convention at a glance
In 1978, IMO adopted a landmark Convention for all seafarers across the world to establish high standards of competence and professionalism in their duties on-board. The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, the STCW Convention in brief, establishes the minimum basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers on an international level.
STCW Convention: Terms and Definitions
SAFETY4SEA provides a detailed explanation of the terms included in the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. Certificate issued by the administration, for masters, officer and GMDSS radio operators in accordance with the provisions of chapters II, III, IV or VII and entitles the lawful holder to perform the functions involved at the level of responsibility specified.
Certificates needed for compliance with STCW
For STCW, official documents that prove crew have obtained the required level of maritime education and training, have professional competence for service at sea, the appropriate age and have undergone medical examinations are of outmost importance to ensure compliance with the Convention. Under the STCW Convention, all seafarers need to meet minimum standards of competence, age, medical fitness, and approved sea-going service.
Maritime Knowledge
Why do ships use 'port' and 'starboard' and not 'left' or 'right'
As port and starboard never change, they are unambiguous references that are independent of a mariner’s orientation, and, as a result, mariners use these nautical terms instead of left and right to avoid confusion.
Casualties
Lessons learned: Space heater catches fire
In the latest edition of its Safety Flashes, IMCA describes a case of fire on a space heater and some loose equipment onboard a ship. The area had been washed down as part of a housekeeping activity. Following this incident, IMCA noted it should be always verified that worksites are returned to a safe condition after completion of work.
Lessons learned: Passenger injury on access ramp
In its latest gangways guidance, the Shipowners Club describes a case of a passenger injury on the access ramp while boarding a ferry. The claimant's lawyers supported that this incident occurred because the ramp was unattended and not because the ramp was unsafe.
Lessons learned: Overloaded gangway leads to fatality
In its recently-released guidance on safe gangways, the Shipowners Club shared lessons learned from the fatality of a contractor after falling from an overloaded gangway.
Lessons learned: Main engine turbocharger lagging on fire
In its July edition of Safety Flashes, IMCA describes a case of a fire onboard due to main engine turbocharger lagging. The cause was traced to inappropriate material and workmanship in the replacement lagging work.
Three capsized ferry boats result to 31 dead in the Philippines
The Philippines were struck by a fatal incident, after three passenger motorboats capsized off the city Iloilo, Panay, on Saturday, August 3. The capsized incident resulted to 31 of the passengers found dead, according to Iloilo city officials.
Sustainability
Every port can do something regards to sustainability, IAPH chief says
According to the Chief of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) every port can do something with regards to sustainability, but they have to choose exactly on what they're going to focus so that they do it perfectly. In 2018 IAPH launched the 'World Ports Sustainability Programme' in line with UN's 17 SDGs.
Fixed vs Growth mindset: It’s time to change the way you think
There are two types of mindsets: one that embraces each challenge as an opportunity, and one that avoids them. People that avoid conflicts can be described as having a fixed mindset while those who see problems as challenges have a growth mindset. Many people have a fixed mindset because they believe basic qualities like intelligence or talents are fixed traits and they are responsible for success.
Watch: Career advice for female leaders in shipping
In line with IMO's World Maritime Day theme for 2019 'Empowering Women in the Maritime Community', ABS issued a video depicting few of the organization's female leaders discussing career advice for women pursuing a career in the maritime industry. Women in leadership positions remains a hot issue across all business sectors, and maritime included. Of 6,500 engine officers at sea currently, only 1% are estimated to be female.
8 Key focus areas for an inspirational leader
In the past both management and leadership were very much about processes or policies. However, these terms are evolving as long as humans continue to do so. That therefore means that the way leaders behave is changing as well. For the shipping industry to attract and build leaders there are some items that will need to get addressed in year 2019 such as attracting the right talents, genuinely invest in people, and get along with digital developments.
Issues surrounding autonomous shipping
For autonomous shipping to gain regulatory and societal acceptance, this technology must be at least as safe as traditional ships, said the UK P&I Club in a new paper. A successful approach to change would be to develop regulations in tandem with technological advancements, always maintaining the focus on the safety of people and property at sea, but this may not always be possible.
USCG updates Marine Casualty Reporting Forms
The US Coast Guard updated its reporting forms for providing a written report of a marine casualty. Owners, operators, managers, and masters for US flag vessels, and for foreign vessels which make port calls in the US or which transit US waters, should ensure that they have available the latest forms from the USCG and understand the requirements of incident reporting.
USCG Draft Policy Letter falls short of expectations
A new draft policy letter issued by USCG, concerning viability testing in BWMS under VIDA, is breaching the VIDA text asking for "best available science" by not accepting the Most Probable Number (MPN) method, argued Jad Mouawad, CEO, Mouawad Consulting. To date, the USCG does not accept MPN as a method to evaluate efficacy of BWMS during Type Approval testing.
German Mukran port partners with Hoyer for automatic bunker station
The German Mukran Port and Hoyer, energy supplier, announced their collaboration on a fully automated bunker station to serve vessels calling the port. The tank facility will be constructed by the end of 2019. Accordingly, the bunker station will be constructed from September.
Cyber threat comes in all shapes and sizes
In its Phish and Ships August edition, Be Cyber Aware at Sea comments on the fact that companies underestimate cyber threats unless they see the impact of them. Many are those who might oversee a cyber threat when it comes in the form of an unfamiliar threat; Yet, a cyber-attack comes in many different shapes and sizes and are usually just one click away.
Port Shanghai first in ranking as world’s best-connected port
UNCTAD placed the Shanghai port first in 2019 ranking of the world’s best-connected ports, that was published on August 7. The Shanghai port garnered a connectivity score of 134 points, followed by the ports of Singapore (124.63 points), Pusan (114.45 points) in Korea and Ningbo (114.35 points), also in China.
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Maritime KnowledgeSTCW: Setting the hours of rest for watch personnel
One of the significant amendments of STCW aimed to address the problem of fatigue, which is a raising concern for the maritime industry, by establishing the minimum hours of rest for watch personnel while at the same time harmonizing them with the MLC, 2006 provisions. Namely, STCW Chapter A-VIII/1 (Fitness for duty) defines the work and rest hours requirements which after Manila amendments, the STCW 2010 requirements are made in line with the MLC requirements.
Maritime KnowledgeSTCW: Certificates and documentary evidence needed onboard
According to STCW, seafarers need to carry on board the originals of all certificates and endorsements, not photocopies of those. In particular, seafarers should keep on board their national certificate of competence and endorsement, certificates and documentary evidence covering specific safety or pollution prevention duties and service on board certain types of ship as well as endorsements of recognition.
SeafarersUS imposes security guards for crewmembers without visas
Britannia P&I Club informed that it has recently been advised that some operators have been charged USD3,600 for security guards in respect of crew members not holding current US visas, even though they were not disembarking.
FinanceGenting Hong Kong sells 35% of Dream Cruises
Genting Hong Kong (GHK), cruise operator, agreed to sell a 35% of its interests in its cruise Brand, Dream Cruises. The cruise operator noted that the transaction would result to a USD 470 million gains, while in the meantime increase the net asset value of GHK shares by USD 5.5 cents.
FinanceWTO: Trends in global trade 2018
The WTO’s latest World Trade Statistical Review 2019 confirming a continuous uncertainty on global trade and a rise on trade-restrictive measures. The report highlights that trade continues to be concentrated. The ten leading traders in 2018 represented more than half of world trade, with the top five accounting for around 37% of global transactions.
FinanceNew Greek government reveals plans to boost domestic shipping
Greece's newly elected right-wing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans to boost domestic maritime industry, on the sidelines of a visit to the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy in the port city of Piraeus, Thursday.
