The pirates that seized a Singapore-flagged cargo ship with 19 Chinese crew members on board have asked for ransom, according to the Shanghai-based company that chartered the ship. The captain on the carrier Golden Blessing was allowed to call Shanghai Dingheng Shipping Company to prove that they were safe, the first time since they were captured on Monday, Li Jinzhong, the companys spokesman, said yesterday.Li said the pirates did not say how much they wanted for the ships and crews return. The company was still negotiating with them.The ship was carrying glycol-ethylene, an anti-freeze for vehicles, from Saudi Arabia to India when it was attacked in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said on its website that rescue efforts were underway.This is the second piracy case involving Chinese crew members this year. A Russian carrier was seized by Somali pirates on May 5 when it was carrying crude oil worth US$52 million owned by China to Ningbo in Zhejiang Province.The most famous hijack involving China was in 2009, when the Chinese coal ship De Xin Hai was held for more than two months before the Chinese navy intervened on December 28. The pirates were...

Serious Accusations A company whose towboat was involved in a crash with a tanker that caused a major oil spill on the Mississippi River two years ago has been accused of operating vessels with unqualified and overworked captains, federal prosecutors said.DRD Towing Co. was charged with breaking maritime safety and environmental laws, prosecutors said. Also, one of its owners, Randall Dantin, was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly deleting electronic payroll records the Coast Guard needed to investigate the accident.On July 23, 2008, the towboat Mel Oliver collided with the tanker Tintomara. A Coast Guard investigation revealed John Paul Bavaret II, a sleep-deprived apprentice mate without a captain at his side, was at the tugs helm, a violation of Coast Guard rules.The collision caused 283,000 gallons of fuel to leak and closed the Mississippi for six days. It was one of the biggest oil spills in U.S. history, even though the tanker never ruptured.DRD, a company based a few miles upriver from the French Quarter, was charged with violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act and the Clean Water Act.The charges against DRD and Dantin, 46, were contained in two separate bills of information, which typically signal a plea...

Programme to be rolled out in Asia region The first three graduates of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) new Professional Training Programme for Bunker Cargo Officers have completed their course and been awarded their certificates of competency.IBIA Chief Executive Ian Adams presented Chen Chao, Mohamed Riszuan and Shahrizal Mohamad with their certificates at the IBIA Asia Forum in Singapore today, July 2. They are the first to successfully complete the three-month Bunker Cargo Officer Course, which has been approved by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).The course, which was jointly developed by IBIAs Asia Branch, Wavelink Maritime International (WMI) and bunker industry stakeholders in consultation with the MPA, aims to raise professionalism through recognised industry qualifications.In a statement Ian Adams says, IBIA recognises and champions the need to raise the professionalism and competitiveness of the bunkering industry. With the introduction of the Competency-Based Professional Training Programme, we have taken the first step to enhancing employability and the advancement of graduates careers by establishing this industry-recognised qualification.Simon Neo, IBIA Asia Branch Executive Committee Chairman, adds, Our graduates should be very proud to be the first to complete the Bunker Cargo Officers Course. IBIA is delighted that it has...

GL and NMRI to explore environmental risk evaluation criteria The National Maritime Research Institute of Japan (NMRI) and Germanischer Lloyd (GL) have signed an environmental project co-operation agreement.Since both institutions are involved in analysing the environmental impact of shipping, they agreed on the development of environmental risk evaluation criteria focusing on CO2 and Methane.The project will address the criteria development and sample applications. In addition, balancing safety and environmental requirements in risk assessments will be explored."With increasing emphasis on environmental protection today, balancing safety and environmental requirements becomes key to develop competitive shipping solutions," explained Dr Pierre Sames, GLs senior vice president strategic research and development.Dr Koichi Yoshida, NMRIs director international co-ordination centre, NMRI, confirmed: "Environmental risk evaluation criteria are essential to identify cost-effective technical and operational solutions for sustainable shipping. Teaming up with GL enables us to progress faster and to deliver advice to our flag state administrations for their deliberations at the IMO."Source:gl

Portugal told to implement safety standards The European Commission has formally requested Portugal to implement European Union (EU) safety standards for ships. The country has been told that it should be implementing the EU Directive on port state control, in particular the imposition of penalties on ships that fail to meet EU safety standards. The move follows an inspection by the European Maritime Safety Agency.The Commission considered that Portugal did not meet its obligations under the Directive by not imposing penalties in practice on substandard shipping, thereby endangering maritime safety.If Portugal does not comply with the request within two months, the case could be referred to the European Court of Justice.Source:itfseafarers

Brazilian nautical charts go electronic Jeppesen Marine of Norway has concluded an agreement with Brazils Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation (DHN) which gives Jeppesen access to all of the nautical charts and data published by DHN for Brazils sovereign waters.The agreement, signed through Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais, will allow Jeppesen to use DHNs high quality nautical charts and data in its marine navigation products for both commercial and light marine users. With direct access to sovereign data, Jeppesen says that it is able to ensure the highest levels of quality and integrity, thereby increasing the safety of maritime navigation. The agreement also makes possible new chart and data coverage areas for Brazilian waters.In addition, Jeppesen and DHN have drawn up a letter of intent, under which the two are discussing the use of Jeppesen dKart tools and software by DHN to digitise and automate the production of Notices to Mariners, List of Lights and other aids to navigation.Jeppesen is committed to supporting sovereign organizations, such as DHN, in their mission of ensuring safe and efficient navigation within their waters, says Michael Bergmann, director, maritime industry affairs and services for Jeppesen. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial...

Irish troops are training 2,000 soldiers to help fight Somali pirates who have plagued international shipping. The five Irish soldiers, who include a member of the Army Rangers, are giving the Somali troops the skills to fight effectively. They are carrying out the training at an army base in Uganda which is considered safer than war-torn Somalia.The EU training mission for Somali forces was set up following a decision earlier this year to make the commitment as part of the security and defence policy brought in under the Lisbon Treaty. It is the first time the existence of the mission, which began in February, has been publicly revealed.Commandant Ronan Corcoran said one of the key aims was to improve the fighting skills of the troops so they could tackle the activities of Somali pirates on land.Until there is security on the ground, they cant be security at sea because these pirates have to come back into ports, he said.EU-NAVFOR, the European Union Naval Force, is protecting shipping off the coast of Somalia from piracy. The Somali troops are being taught how use AK-47 assault rifles in built-up areas and how to counter improvised explosive devices.Source:shiptalk

ClassNK President and Chairman Noboru Ueda Assumes IACS Chairmanship Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) Chairman and President Noboru Ueda assumed the role of Chairman of the IACS Council today. The IACS Council is the apex decision making body of IACS, the International Association of Classification Societies. Mr. Ueda was elected to the new position during a meeting of the IACS Council in Hamburg last week. As the new chair society of IACS, for the next year, ClassNK will also chair the IACS General Policy Group (GPG), which is responsible for the deliberation, revision, and adoption of IACS technical standards.Following his election by the IACS Council, Chairman Ueda offered his thanks to previous chairman Dr. Hermann Klein for his leadership, and then gave a brief policy speech outlining his three main goals for his term. Excerpts of the speech are given below:1. Provide a greater contribution to the maritime industryAs the IMOs Technical Advisor since 1960, IACS has always been at the forefront of change in the maritime industry. As the demand for new safety and environmental regulations continues to grow, now more than ever before, IACS must provide leadership for the maritime industry. Every one of our members is working to...

Wind Both Blow BP has been thrashed by political tempests and market turbulence since its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico became the worst environmental disaster in US history. But its the prospect of a real live storm that is really worrying the financial and scientific experts alike, as Hurricane Alex swirls its way towards the south US coast.This particular hurricane the first of the brewing season is likely to avoid hitting the slick directly, but winds could sprinkle more oil inland. The states are now reporting 413 miles of oiled shore, up from 179 miles this week after a re-appraisal of what constitutes pollution in Louisiana. BP is hoping to have plugged the leak by mid-July or August, but the risk that a hurricane will spread the millions of gallons already lurking in the ocean will remain until November, when hurricane season is over.The risks are not limited to further contamination, as storms also jeopardise current clean-up efforts and the struggle to stop more oil spewing into the ocean.For now, the collection of 25,000 barrels of oil a day from BPs leak is safe. But the bad weather has now stymied any efforts to increase the amount captured...

Safety Awards Safety at Sea International magazine held its fourth annual award ceremony aboard HMS Belfast on the Thames, London, to recognize those companies that made the biggest contribution to improving maritime safety last year.Awards were made at the 22 June event for advances in equipment, systems, training, management/operations, security and seamanship.The award ceremony followed the first annual Safety at Sea International lecture entitled, Who cares about safety?, which was delivered by safety management expert Dr Phil Anderson, managing director of ConsultISM.2010 Safety at Sea International awards winners and shortlists:Safety at Sea International Award for Equipment (sponsored by Chemring Marine)Winner: Nadiro, for its Drop-in-ball lifeboat hookCitation: This innovative lifeboat hook was described as brilliant by one judge and easy to click on without losing your fingers by another. You can see when its connected, noted a third.Shortlisted: Extronics, for its iCAM501 Digital Stills Camera; RFD Beaufort, for its Marin Ark escape system and Survival Systems, for its Triple 5 lifeboat hook.Safety at Sea International Award for Management/Operations (sponsored by Inmarsat)Winner: APM Terminals, for its Safety Culture InitiativeCitation: With 19,000 staff in 50 ports and 34 countries, APM Terminals faced a huge task in introducing best-practice safety procedures. The judges described...