Tag: Denmark

Combating piracy is a complex task Maritime piracy cant be condemned too strongly. It is a breach to the most fundamental principles of modern civilization. In the worst-hit areas off the Horn of Africa, no seafarers whether on merchant ships or even yachts can be safe at sea.Today more than 600 seafarers are being kept hostage by Somali pirates. They are all innocent victims of the unscrupulous hijackers operating at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean. Their families are afraid that they will never see their beloved ones again.Piracy is unacceptable by all humanitarian, security and legal standards. Besides this, it has an impact on global trade. Though it is difficult to calculate, experts estimate the total cost of piracy to be about $16 billion in 2010 alone.From 2007 to 2010 the number of attacks and hijackings by pirates at sea has more than quadrupled. Russia recognizes that piracy is also a growing and a serious challenge to the security and business of its commercial fleet. In this context, Russias contribution of naval forces to the international anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa is very welcome.The deployment of ...

New deal with island nation will help with the prosecution of pirates Denmark has reached an agreement with the Republic of Seychelles that the island nation will accept, jail and prosecute pirates captured by the warship Esbern Snare. Convicted pirates will thereafter be incarcerated in either of Somalia's autonomous regions, Somaliland or Puntland.The agreement, which was announced by the foreign minister and defense minister on Wednesday, is the latest development in Denmark's strategy to help fight piracy in the Somali basin and off the east coast of Africa.The Esbern Snare, Denmark's largest warship, has been actively patrolling the Horn of Africa for pirates as part of the Nato-coordinated anti-piracy action Operation Ocean Shield. The Esbern Snare is one of some 28 ships from several Nato countries involved in the effort.Until this week, the Esbern Snare had no recourse but to set the pirates it caught free on land, due to the lack of an international procedure for their prosecution."First and foremost we can make it more risky to be a pirate and that's something we are doing by, for example, creating an effective means for prosecution," foreign minister Lene Espersen said of the new agreement."The arrangement with the Seychelles ensures ...

Fire broke out for unknown reasons yet On May 30, 2011, a fire broke out in the scrap load aboard the "Rebecca Rausing" which could be extinguished only at 8.30 a.m. on May 31.Thick smoke had spread over Överby and Björndalen so that residents were asked to stay indoors and keep windows shut. The port crane could lift the scrap of the ship, which helped in extinguishing the fire raging in the cargo of scrap cars on board the vessel which was moored at Stallbacka harbour in Trollhättan.The fire broke out at 7.30 p.m. by yet unknown reasons. At 3 a.m. on May 31 the emergency services had the fire under control. However, the fire in the oily scrap metal flared up again in the morning, but at 8.30 a.m. the flames could finally be extinguished and damge assessment started.Source: Vesseltracker

In place of MV Polar Bear She arrived at her new home port few days ago after a quickfire refit in Denmark which saw some major changes completed in just ten days.That included the stripping down of the engine and gearbox, the moving of the flight deck from bridge roof to the stern (which took just three days) and the fitting of a state-of-the-art multibeam echo sounder survey system to the hull requiring the cutting of steel plates 4in thick.The work of navalising what was the MV Polarbjørn (Polar Bear) will continue in Portsmouth with the fitting of gun mountings, Navy communications kit and RN paraphernalia including a picture of the Queen, without which no wardroom would be complete.The exploration/research support ship was designed to operate in any waters, from the Antarctic (she is an icebreaker) to the tropics her last job was supporting BP oil operations in the Caribbean.She is on a three-year charter from a Norwegian commercial shipping company to cover for HMS Endurance, out of action since a flooding incident off Chile almost three years ago in which the Red Plum came close to foundering.Protector entered Portsmouth under the Norwegian flag, going alongside at the South West ...

It will strengthen cooperation between states in response to accidents On 12 May 2011, in Nuuk, Greenland, Foreign Ministers and leaders of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic Council met to set out future policy for the Arctic Council.Lene Espersen, Foreign Minister of Denmark and outgoing chair of the Arctic Council states- Denmark is very satisfied with the result of the ministerial meeting in Nuuk. The Search and Rescue Agreement is ground-breaking, as it is the first legally binding agreement negotiated under the auspices of the Arctic Council and an important step towards safe shipping in the Arctic.The Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, incoming chair of the Arctic Council states- Arctic Countries need enhanced cooperation on many future challenges in the Arctic, not least prevention, preparedness and response to oil spills. As incoming chair we will press forward with this agenda.The Arctic Councilreleased a major study on environment that shows that climate change is having a more profound impact on the Arctic environment than previously understood. Substantial cuts in CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases are the backbone of global climate change efforts.Another Arctic Council study shows that soot (black carbon), ground level ozone and methane may account for up ...

By cutting its count of seafarers and reducing vessels flying its home flag Jacob Meldgaard tells TradeWinds the plan, which will kick in from 2012, comes on the back of a $50m saving each year since the onset of the financial crisis.Speaking after the Danish owner wheeled out a fisrt quarter loss Meldgaard said: We have seafarers from Indian, the Filipinos and various EU countries including Denmark. Up to 50 or 60 Danes will be substituted over time by predominantly Filipino and Indian crew.We have very good crews on all of our ships and we will do this over time in order to get the benefit on the cost.Torm, which today revealed it has delayed two newbuildings to make it "more resilient" in the present weak market, has around 75% of its fleet registered in Denmark.We will be looking to see if we can get it more in line with the other major shipping companies in Denmark where it is more 50/50 on average, Meldgaard said.Further costs will be stripped out by a review of how much Torm pays for various services and goods, the CEO adds.Copenhagen-listed Torm plunged $45m into the red in the first three months of the ...

New model for ro-ro sector energy efficiance A new model for ro-ro sector energy efficience is to be sent to the International Maritime Organization as a replacement to its current design and operational indexes.Hans Otto Kristensen of the Technical University of Denmark has created a methodology that could replace the flawed and inaccurate indexes, which the IMO is struggling to adapt for the sector.The IMO has devised three tools that it will present to member states for approval this year. These are the energy efficiency design index, the energy efficiency operational indicator and the ship energy efficiency management plan.Source: Safety4Sea