Tag: regulatory update

The Indonesian government announced on Friday, August 30th 2019 that a ban on nickel ore exports would come into effect on the 1st of January 2020; two years prior to its planned date, causing an immediate spike in its price. Even though this retreated as the market took a more measured view of the nickel outlook, there is little doubt that in the years to come the ban will have significant implications for NPI supply.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority launched an alert informing of the regulations on using Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones) on Bahamian vessels, as the operator has to comply with relevant guidance and instructions on the area when the drone is either registered or flown.

In the wake of Turkey’s agreement to a ceasefire in Syria, the sanctions against Turkey were lifted on 23 October, and the two ministries and the three ministers have been removed from the Specially Designated Nationals List, according to data provided by law firm Freehill Hogan and Mahar.

48 states signed a public declaration to indicate their determination to ratify the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety at a Ministerial Conference held in Torremolinos, Spain. This is a significant regime to create much-needed safety standards for fishing vessels.

Several amendments of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) agreed in 2016, 2017 and 2018 are entering into force in less than three months, marking reforms to SOLAS and to international codes made mandatory under the SOLAS Convention.

India announced that it will ban the use of single use plastics on board Indian ships and foreign ships, when these ships are at a port or place in India. The ban will take effect from 1 January 2020.

As part of recently-announced labour reforms, Qatar is planning an end to the kafala system, marking a momentous step forward in upholding the rights of migrant workers. The reforms will mean removal of exit permits and non-discriminatory minimum wage for migrant workers by January 2020.

In line with IMO's Initial Strategy for decarbonization of shipping, Greece has come forward with a concrete proposal for a short-term, prescriptive measure to improve the operational energy efficiency of existing ships, to be considered at the forthcoming meeting of the IMO’s intersessional technical group in November.

Enabling legislation in South Africa for the implementation of the IMO 2020, should be ready by year end, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has confirmed. Namely, Mr. Mbalula finally settled down the fears, stating categorically that the necessary legislation will be in place by the end of 2019. 

UNCTAD issued its Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2019 highlighting that these tariffs affect the 58% of trade in Asia-Pacific trade, adding that the non-tariff measures (NTMs) have significantly increased in the past two decades.