Tag: ISPS

Security training certification becomes mandatory for seafarers from 1 January 2014 The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has raised concerns with governments about preparations worldwide for issuing tens of thousands of seafarers with new certificates for security-related training by 1 January, as required by the 2010 amendments to the IMO Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 2010).In a written submission to IMO, ICS has suggested that IMO Member States might give consideration to the possibility of an extended "grace period" with respect to Port State Control enforcement of the new certification required under STCW 2010.STCW 2010, Regulation VI/6, stipulates mandatory minimum requirements for security-related instruction for all seafarers, which, where relevant - such as for Ship Security Officers as defined by the ISPS Code - requires certificates of proficiency to be issued by administations to seafarers from 1 January 2014.Since the amendments were adopted, ICS has gone to great lengths to advise shipping companies of the transitional measures for these new requirements, as set out in Section A-VI/6 of the STCW Code, which are different to those concerning the transitional measures that apply to other changes introduced by STCW 2010 and which are being phased ...

Key statistics for Port State Control in the US The United States Coast Guard (USCG) released its final Port State Control (PSC) report for the year 2012.The Annual Report gives details about the PSC activities within the USA during last year and key statistics related toenforcement of the regulations under the InternationalConvention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), theInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution fromShips (MARPOL), and the International Ship & Port FacilitySecurity (ISPS) Code.The USCG Annual Report also provides several detailedstatistics showing detailed performance, e. g. for flags, ROs or different types of ships. With regard to the safety performance of foreign vesselsduring 2012, there are mixed results. There was a uptick in thenumber of safety detentions despite the fact that fewer examinations were conducted6%. As a result, the associated annualdetention ratio rose.USCG Rear Admiral Joseph A. Servidio says"When coupled with the 3% decrease invessel arrivals, I find this result worrisome. Overall, we haveseen the safety-related detention ratio decrease approximately 80% since the calculation of ourfirst detention ratio in 1995. I am concerned that the 2012 detention ratio may be a leadingindicator of the degradation of vessel systems, a result of deferred preventative maintenance andthe financial ...

SAMI stresses the need after Suez Canal terrorist attack and urges shipping to check security plans

ISPS: US Coast Guard backs NIMASA on ports security

Merchant Shipping Security Alerts

For the MV KOTA BERKAT GL celebrated the hand-over of the Safety Management Certificate and International Ship Security Certificate to the MV KOTA BERKAT. The Kota Berkat, owned by Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd (PIL) and managed by Apex Ship Management, is the 5000th vessel sailing with ISM and ISPS certificate issued by GL as a Recognized Organization (RO) and being periodically audited for compliance. This marks an important milestone for the GL Group and its new service delivery section "GL Systems Certification"which has recently been established to offer both marine and non-marine management systems certification, including certification according to the ISM-/ISPS-Code, ISO standards, and the upcoming Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.Photo (from left to right): Capt Thet Oo Maung, Apex Ship Management; Capt G R Prathap, Maritime Port Authority of Singapore; Capt Philip Tay, Apex Ship Management; Capt Senczuk Krzysztof Zbigniew, Captain of the MV Kota Berkat; Y C Lam, Germanischer Lloyd; Maslyn Choo, Germanischer Lloyd"We were delighted to discover that one of our managed vessels has marked the milestone of 5000th vessel sailing with Class GL ISM & ISPS certificates. Apex is looking forward to enhance the safety management system, environmental protection and security compliance working together with and ...

Increasing threats to security AS smaller craft, below the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code threshold, pose increasing threats to security as bomb carriers, the European Commission has appointed Sentinel Maritime to assess the impact of extending security measures to down to very small boats.The Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport-commissioned study will focus on the impact, including financial consequences, of extending security measures to ships which currently do not fall within the scope of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter XI/2 and the ISPS Code.The study named "Project Secure Seas" is, in part, a response to the growing concern that such ships may present as serious, or more serious, a threat than ships currently within the scope of the ISPS Code.Apart from the terrorist attacks carried out by small craft on warship USS Cole and the tanker Limburg, smaller non-ISPS ships are frequently used in human trafficking as well as smuggling drugs and contraband.First, the company will determine the state of play of EU member states, then collate information on degree of compliance with Safety of Life (SOLAS) registry regulations. The study will also examine the possibility of introducing a computerised ship registry, which might include recreational/pleasure craft ...