The first Norwegian satellite is to be launched this summer in order to keep track of maritime activities in the High North. The AIS (Automatic Identification System) is used by ships and Vessel Traffic Services around the world as a short-range coastal traffic system.Every seagoing ship weighing 300 tonnes or more must be fitted with the technology to allow authorities to track movements and to avoid collisions with other boats. Modern systems also allow ship-to-ship and ship-to-land communication via VHF signals, although this is only currently possible within the field of vision.An AIS receiver, which will be launched by Norway in August, will extend this range considerably, making maritime and fishing monitoring much easier in the High North. The higher altitude of the satellite and stronger signals allow for observations over larger sea areas.It is believed that only one antenna will be needed to handle the AIS messages in the area due to the low density of traffic, but the introduction of the Norwegian AISSat-1 will test these predictions. The receiver will be a Canadian platform, built by the University of Toronto, and the satellite will have a life-span of around three years.AISSAt-1 will be put in place by an...

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has significantly extended its high-risk area for Somali pirate attacks. The IMBs best management practices to deter piracy off Somalia and in the Arabian Sea the latest version of which was issued this month specify that the high-risk area is now bounded by Suez to the North, South to latitude 10 deg and east to longitude 78 deg.While to date attacks have not been reported to the extreme east of this area, they have taken place at almost 70 deg East, it warned. There remains the possibility that piracy attacks will take place even further to the East of the high-risk area.Following any piracy attack or suspicious activity, it is vital that a detailed report of the event is reported to UKMTO, MSCHOA and the IMB, the document said.Source:shiptalk

Short Circuiting Security Somali pirates have been coming up with new techniques to board merchant vessels that are using razor wire and/or electrical wire as defensive measures to prevent unauthorized boardings, says NATO.The pirates use big iron sticks on the electrical wire in order to provoke electrical malfunction. They sometimes throw blankets and ladders over the wire to circumvent this security measure and then they place on the blankets either surf boards or aluminum ladders to make easier the access on lower deck. Simultaneously, pirates in skiffs shoot at the vessel to facilitate the boarding attempt.NATO says that mariners are advised to incorporate this information into their practices using all suitable tools described in Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy.Source:shiptalk

Honorary Baltic Exchange life membership for IMO Sec-Gen International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos was awarded honorary life membership of the Baltic Exchange yesterday (Tuesday 6 July) in recognition of his services to the shipping industry. Mr Mitropoulos has served as IMO Secretary-General since 2004 and previously served as head of the IMOs Maritime Safety Division for twelve years.Making the award, Chairman of the Baltic Exchange Mark Jackson, said:Your period as Secretary-General has been marked not just by your skilful management of the complex environmental and other issues confronting shipping as an industry, but also by a deep empathy and concern for all those who go down to the sea in ships, as well as their families.Under his leadership, IMO has pushed forward a strong environmental and safety agenda with successes in numerous areas including the MARPOL extension, phasing out single hull tankers and more recently securing successful agreements on emissions controls.Mark Jackson added: We know that your greatest challenge still lies ahead which is to find a global, IMO-led solution to carbon emissions from ships. This solution needs to be both economically sensible for shipping and trade as well as meaningful for the environment.The Baltic Chairman confirmed that...

ISLE OF MAN - Format of MARPOL VI Records Under MARPOL Revised Annex VI regulations, several actions are required to be recorded , e.g..:- Regulation VI/12.6: maintenance of an Ozone Depleting Substances Record Book, for relevant ships- Regulation VI/14.6: several entries/data to be recorded in a log-book when any fuel-oil-change-over operation is completed, prior to the entry into an ECA or commenced after exit from such an areaThe Engine Room Log Book or alternatively the Oil Record Book Part I are acceptable places to record MARPOL Annex VI operations.Ideally, records should be maintained in a single MARPOL ANNEX VI Record Book for all operations relevant to MARPOL Annex VI, format of which is given in the MSN.Electronic recording systems are acceptable to be used on board, provided some conditions are met, as explained in MSN.Source: IMO

Paris MOU 2009 Annual Report The Paris MOU released its 2009 Annual Report. The detention percentage reached 4.4%, an all-time low. General dry cargo ships had the highest detention rate (6.8%). The New Inspection Regime enters into force on 1 January 2011. Ships will be divided into high, standard, and low risk categories, with the frequency and intensity of inspections varying accordingly.Source: Paris MOU

Maersk Tankers, HHI & DNV joint CO2 ship design Maersk Tankers, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) have agreed to collaborate on the design and risk assessment of tankers for shipping CO2. Maersk Tankers is already in a partnership with Maersk Oil and Finnish utilities Fortum and Teollisuuden Voima (TVO), aimed at developing a joint carbon emissions abatement project in the area of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).Shipping CO2 in tanker vessels is a cost effective and flexible way to get CO2 from power plants to offshore storage sites, which makes it a suitable solution for large CO2 emission sources such as coal-fired power plants, especially in the emerging phase of CCS. says Anders Schulze, Head of CO2 Shipping in Maersk Tankers.
Maersk Tankers and HHI already have the initial blueprints to build tanker vessels for the transport of CO2 from emission sources to storage sites. The vessels will be semi-pressurised and semi-refrigerated, keeping the CO2 liquid. HHI has designed the vessels together with Maersk Tankers, based on years of experience with transportation of liquefied petrochemicals and natural gas, and in accordance with global standards.
The further development of the CO2 carrier design shall mainly focus on the safety...

MT MOTIVATOR hijacked in the southern Red Sea In the early hours of 4 July, the MT Motivator reported it was under small arms fire from a pirate attack in the northern Bab Al Mandeb area in the southern Red Sea. After notification of this attack, attempts were made to make contact with the Motivator but to no avail. The hijack was confirmed early on 5 July.The MT Motivator, deadweight 13,065 tonnes with a crew of 18 Filipino nationals on board, is a Marshall Islands Flagged chemical products tanker loaded with lubricants oil. EU NAVFOR is monitoring the situation.EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTAs main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.Source:eunavfor

DOT use of Alcohol Testing Forms The Department of Transportation (DOT) amended a previous rule so as to authorize continued use of the earlier edition of Alcohol Testing Forms through December 31, 2010. Use of the new form is permitted now and will become mandatory on January 1, 2011. 75 Fed. Reg. 38383Source:edocket

Australia air emissions from vessels The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) issued a notice reminding the maritime community that revised Annex VI to the MARPOL Convention entered into force on 1 July 2010. The notice also summarizes current and projected air emission standards for vessels. Marine Notice 14/2010Source:amsa