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Safety, maritime chiefs look to compulsory pilotage

Pilots ensure vessels arrive and anchor s safely Maritime officials are considering introducing compulsory pilotage for cargo ships leaving Gibraltar following an investigation into a collision earlier this year.At present ships are only required to use locally-based marine pilots when entering Gibraltar waters. The pilots have close knowledge of navigation conditions here and ensure vessels arrive and anchor safely.But experts from the Gibraltar Maritime Administration said navigational safety could be further strengthened by making pilots compulsory for departing ships too.The recommendation came in a report into the collision between the Chinese cargo ship Jinggangshan and the tanker Aeolos, one of several vessels used to store bunker fuel in the Bay of Gibraltar.The Jinggangshan had taken on fuel and was sailing from Gibraltar waters without a pilot last May when it hit the tanker, which was anchored in the bay.This was a minor collision by any measure. There were no injuries or pollution and the vessels sustained only slight damage.But the incident nonetheless highlighted the potential risk and was viewed seriously by maritime officials.The investigation by the GMS concluded that a navigational error by the captain of the Chinese ship was the most likely cause of the collision.The report, which was ...

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NOAA issues updated version of Chart

Basic nautical chart elements and symbols The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued an updated version of Chart No. 1.The chart provides descriptions and depictions of the basic nautical chart elements and symbols used on nautical charts issued by NOAA and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)Source: NOAA

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India, Australia pitch for freedom of navigation in maritime areas

India and Australia to hold naval exercise and regional security issues Against the backdrop of China's objections to any activity in South China Sea, India and Australia Wednesday pitched for freedom of navigation in maritime areas.India and Australia discussed the prospects of holding a bilateral naval exercise, regional security issues and piracy at a meeting between Defence Minister AK Antony and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith."Both sides agreed that challenges in the area of maritime security like piracy and freedom of navigation are important issues which required concerted efforts of the global community," Defence Ministry said in release.However, the Defence Ministry, in its release, didn't mention any specific maritime area.In the recent past, China had objected to any activity in South China Sea including Indian oil exploration activities there.In the discussions, Antony stressed India was looking forward to develop exchanges with Australia at both bilateral level and in multi-lateral fora such as the ASEAN Defence Minister's Meeting Plus.The Defence Ministry had recently made it clear that it was not keen on hopping on to any multilateral security constructs in the region excepting those under the UN flag or ADMM plus rejecting the suggestions of a trilateral security arrangement between India, ...

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2012 year of Digital Navigation Insights

The maritime community will integrate digital navigation into ship operations Admiralty, the publications brand of UKHO, has announced a series of 'Digital Navigation Insights' initiatives to help the maritime community safely and successfully integrate digital navigation into ship and shore-side operations.Next year marks the beginning of a new era of shipping operations, as the first of the ECDIS Mandate deadlines comes into force in July 2012. The 'Digital Navigation Insights' initiatives will continue Admiralty's campaign to help the maritime community meet the strategic and operational challenges of ECDIS compliance, which requires ECDIS to be the primary means of navigation on all large passenger, tanker and cargo ships on a rolling timetable.The first of the initiatives is the Admiralty digital integration workshop, which is available to attendees of Marintec China 2011 on the Admiralty stand. Developed in conjunction with Captain Paul Hailwood, a renowned expert on ECDIS and integrated bridge operations, and based on insight from shipping companies who have successfully made the transition to digital, the workshop provides a clear, step-by-step process to support the planning and delivery of compliance with the ECDIS Mandate.The workshop builds a comprehensive checklist of activity for each key stage, from the initial risk assessment ...

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GL Updates Rules for Inland Navigation Vessels

To ensure the continuing safety and promote the efficiency of inland waterway transport To ensure the continuing safety and promote the efficiency of inland waterway transport, Germanischer Lloyd (GL) has released an update to the GL Rules for Inland Navigation Vessels (INV). The update to the rules came into effect on 1 November 2011 and consists of rules for: classification and surveys; hull design and construction; machinery, systems and electricity; and additional requirements for notations.A major impetus behind the update is to ensure that vessels comply with the latest regulations of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN).Along with updates to Section 3 of the Rules "Transport of Dangerous Goods", covering classification of dangerous goods, equipment and systems for tankers and tank level monitoring and alarm systems, a new subsection has been introduced dealing with the provisions of ADN regarding the alternative design of cargo tanks.Section 2 "Class Designation" introduces several new type notations for inland navigation vessels, including: "Hotel Ship", "Excursion Boat", "Restaurant Ship", "Barge" and "Pushed Barge". The first three of these new service notations were introduced to enable international clients to obtain classification for different kinds of passenger ships on ...

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FSUE Rosmorport expands meeting re navigation safety

Fire fighting demonstration on the Kapitan Chadaev icebreaker took place FSUE "Rosmorport" has held an expanded meeting concerning the issues of navigation safety, accident risks prevention and reduction. With deputy General director of FSUE "Rosmorport" for navigation safety V.Y. Vanyukov in head, representatives of 14 enterprise's brnaches and a Captain of the seaport of Arkhangelsk took part in the meeting.The meeting concurred with the Kapitan Kuznetsov bulk carrier resque operation and the meeting participants were able to see the work FSUE "Rosmorport" Arkhangelsk branch in emergency. The Dikson icebreaker, being in daily readiness, set up for the rescue operation less then 4 hours after order reception and abided all the tasks assigned during the operation.A general fire fighting demonstration on the Kapitan Chadaev icebreaker took placeinthe meeting program network. Also, participants visited Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy Regional Continuing Professional Education Center.Source: FSUE Rosmorport

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How to avoid costly distractions

Concentration on safe navigation Some years ago, there was a notable incident which occurred when a supply ship Master conning his ship out of harbour in thick fog, was so distracted by two separate telephone calls which he was trying to deal with simultaneously that he failed to pick up a third, rather more vital message from the port VTS, that was telling him he was heading straight for a concrete breakwater. And there was the famous case of the cruise ship collision which occurred when her watchkeeping officer subordinated his lookout duties to complete the garbage form which needed to be ready at the next port of arrival. Another memorable case involving bureaucratic procedures was that of the port arrival checklist on a ferry, the final few items left blank as by then, the ferry had crashed into the quay.There have been a number of strandings which have been contributed to by the inattention of the watchkeeper who was on a mobile telephone at the crucial moment. Communications and brilliant technology can sometimes be a serious distraction to people, who in a less technological age would have been keeping a good visual lookout, with less risk of their attention ...

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E-Navigation in EfficienSea

EfficienSea - a Flagship Project in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region EfficienSea is a Flagship Project in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, a maritime safety project lead by the Danish Maritime Authority.The main aim of e-Navigation is to ensure safety and security at sea and protection of the marine environment. If we succeed, we will be able to meet the challenges ever increasing maritime transport without increasing the overall risk and consequential costs to society.E-Navigation Read more on www.efficiensea.org

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Record long Arctic navigation season

When Perseverance sailed through the Bering Strait this morning it marked the end of NSR ever When the oil-tanker "Perseverance" sailed through the Bering Strait this morning it marked the end of the longest Northern Sea Route season ever.Sailing season along the entire Arctic coast of Siberia became one month longer than the 2010 season. Shipping companies take advantage of the shrinking ice cap as global warming speeds up.The Belgium owned "Perseverance" opened the sailing season when it left Murmansk on June 29th and sailed the Northern Sea Route (NSR) towards China. The tanker also became the vessel to end this year's season, when it today sailed into the Pacific Ocean loaded with 60.000 tons of stable gas condensate for Russia's private oil company NOVATEK, reports OilCapital.ru.The tanker was escorted by a nuclear powered icebreaker from Murmansk. Eight times more oilDuring the five months sailing season this year, nine large tankers with a total of 600.000 tons of gas condensate from NOVATEK have sailed the Northern Sea Route. That is more than eight times more oil than during the 2010 season.In addition, several other tankers have sailed the route, includingvessels from Sovkomflot and Murmansk Shipping Company. In August, the first ...

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NAUTIS Maritime Simulators receive DNV Certification

NAUTIS Full Mission Bridge Simulator VSTEP is proud to announce that its NAUTIS Full Mission Bridge Simulator has received the Class A certification from Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV). The NAUTIS simulators are now qualified to operate as fully-certified maritime training simulators with any maritime training school worldwide. With the certification, VSTEP joins a handful of simulator manufactures worldwide that hold the highest level of DNV certification.After a thorough certification process and last week's onsite audit by DNV's Head of Simulator Certification Capt. Aksel David Nordholm and his team, a full DNV statement of compliance to the STCW requirements was issued for the NAUTIS Bridge Operation Simulator, with class notation for Integrated Simulator Systems, Tug and High Speed Craft.NAUTIS is a new generation of affordable advanced maritime training solutions for the military and civilian maritime industry. The NAUTIS range of advanced maritime training simulators offers an affordable and effective alternative for training maritime officers and crews. With a full range of simulators, from desktop trainer to full mission bridge simulator, NAUTIS has a cost-effective training solution fulfilling the training requirements of nautical colleges, naval academies, maritime training centres and individual ship owners.Following the certification audit DNV's Capt. Nordholm remarked: "VSTEP's ...

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