Tag: reports

 Maritime transport is at a critical juncture as the global community commits to the new Sustainable Development Goals and gears up for a new international climate policy agreement. The UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2015 highlights the role of freight transport, including maritime transport, in addressing the global sustainability and resilience agenda.With more than 80 per cent of world merchandise trade by volume being carried by sea, maritime transport remains the backbone of international trade and globalization, the report says. Equally, the sector is a key enabling factor for other sectors and economic activities. The sector has a new opportunity both to assert its strategic importance as an economic activity – one that creates jobs and revenue, enables trade, supports supply chains and links communities – and to underscore its potential to generate value in terms of social equity, conserving resources and protecting the environment. For the sector to take up this role effectively, however, sustainability and resilience criteria need to be integrated into transport development plans at the early stages of planning, decision-making and investment. Removal of the physical and non-physical barriers that drive up costs and undermine trade is essential to the sustainability of freight transport systems including maritime transport. Developing countries ...

Infographic: Review of Maritime Transport 2015

In June 2015, a new version of the WCO SAFE Framework was issued, which includes a new pillar 3 "Customs-to-other government and inter-government agencies".

The worlds commercial shipping fleet grew at lowest rate in 10 years in 2014 The worlds commercial fleet grew by 3.5 per cent during the 12 months to 1 January 2015, the lowest annual growth rate in over a decade, the UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2015 reveals. At the beginning of the year, the fleet totalled 89,464 vessels, with overall 1.75 million in deadweight tonnage. Despite its economic troubles, Greece remained the leading ship-owning country, with Greek companies accounting for more than 16 per cent of the world industry, followed by companies from Japan, China, Germany and Singapore. Together, the top five ship-owning countries control more than half of the world deadweight tonnage. Five of the top 10 ship-owning countries are from Asia, four from Europe and one the United States of America from continental America. Over the last decade, China, Hong Kong (China), the Republic of Korea and Singapore have moved up in the ranking of largest ship-owning countries, while Germany, Norway and the United States have a lower market share today than in 2005. In South America, the largest ship-owning country (in deadweight tonnage) continues to be Brazil, followed by Mexico, Chile and Argentina. The African country ...

 The American P&I Club investigates the impact that OW Bunker collapse has on shipowners and provide information and guidance concerning bunker supply transactions, complications consequent upon the OW bankruptcy, maritime liens, latest legal developments, recommended actions upon receipt of claims by unpaid bunker suppliers, and loss prevention guidance as to these exposures associated with the supply of bunkers to ships.On November 7, 2014, OW Bunker A/S (OW), the parent company of a global network of traders and physical suppliers of bunkers, filed for bankruptcy protection in Denmark upon the discovery of a massive fraud and unsupervised trading which resulted in losses of about US$275 million.Nearly all of the subsidiaries of OW also filed for bankruptcy protection in their respective countries of incorporation throughout the world. Shortly thereafter, a co-operation agreement was concluded between the OW Bunker Group and ING Bank NV (ING) as the assignee of a number of debts due to OW. These bankruptcy filings created a ripple effect throughout jurisdictions worldwide causing a rash of disputes involving bunker suppliers, ING, together with vessel owners and charterers alike.In view of the problems facing Members as to whom to pay, and the concomitant threat of ship arrests, the American Club presents ...

 The Port of Long Beach announced that has  surpassed every air pollution reduction milestone set for 2014 by the landmark San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan, according to an analysis released.An annual, comprehensive inventory of port-related air pollution emissions in 2014 found the Port’s efforts to reduce pollution have cut diesel particulates by 85 percent since 2005, surpassing the CAAP goal for 2014 of a 72 percent reduction. In addition to the drop in diesel emissions, smog-forming nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides have dropped 50 percent and 97 percent respectively. The corresponding goals for the year are 22 percent and 93 percent.The reasons for the air quality improvements include the Clean Trucks Program, low-sulfur fuel regulations for ships, increased use of shore power for cargo ships and the Port’s Green Flag Vessel Speed Reduction Program.“The Port of Long Beach remains the greenest Port in the world, reducing emissions while increasing economic activity,” Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said.“The Port’s consistent commitment to sustainability and our environment should be celebrated.”“When the Clean Air Action Plan was adopted almost 10 years ago, the Port made a promise to the community to reduce air pollution and to be a better neighbor,” said ...

The North P&I Club says shipowners and operators should be prepared for a new 'raft' of regulations relating to cyber security. As well as compromising vessel safety, a lack of on-board firewalls and other cyber security measures could soon expose shipowners to heavy fines and penalties, according to an article co-authored with Clyde & Co partner Joe Walsh in the latest issue of the Club's loss prevention newsletter Signals.Norths deputy director of loss prevention Colin Gillespie says, The safe operation of ships is increasingly dependent on sophisticated electronic systems, so it is vital these systems are properly secured and protected from external risks. According to the Club, the US Coast Guards new cyber strategy also looks set to be a catalyst for new national and international regulations relating to cyber security on ships. The US Coast Guard published its cyber strategy in June this year in response to what it perceives is one of the most serious threats to US economic and national security interests, says Gillespie. The International Maritime Organization has also now recognised the threat to global maritime safety and commerce, and is expected to review industry guidelines at it maritime safety committee in May next year. Gillespie ...

 The  International Transport Forum (ITF) has issued a policy brief to argue that IMO should impose a carbon tax for shipping and to call for immediate action to halve shipping emissions by 2050.At a glanceCurrent measures will mitigate ship emissions to some extent, mainly through better energy efficiency of ships.Lower speeds, higher utilisation, better ship designs and alternative energy sources can further reduce ship emissions.Sectoral and institutional complexities must be overcome to create impact.A target for shipping emissions, an action plan for implementation and a carbon tax for shipping, the receipts of which could feed into the Green Climate Fund are needed.The facts International shipping contributed to around 0.8 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions globally in 2012. This represented 2.2% of worldwide carbon emissions. Of these, 62% came from three sorts of ships: container ships, bulk carriers and tankers (2012 figures).Since 1990, shipping emissions have doubled, despite a 10% decrease during the economic downturn between 2007 and 2012. The CO2 emissions from maritime transport in 2050 are projected to be between 50% and 250% higher than current levels, depending on how global trade increases in different scenarios. This would mean that shipping emissions in 2050 could represent up to 14% of ...

 ABS has published the ABS Guide for SOx Scrubber Ready Vessels to support operators in preparing newbuilds for future outfitting with a SOx exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS). New class notation recognizes vessels designed with SOx Scrubber ready features to facilitate cost-effective and time-efficient retrofit.Supporting the world’s first classification notation for SOx Scrubber Ready Vessels, the ABS Guide formalizes the process for clients who wish to plan for retrofit of a SOx scrubber at a future date by providing a detailed review and approval and an associated notation. The SOx Scrubber Ready notation is in addition to ABS EGCS notations that may be assigned for vessels fitted with an exhaust emission abatement system, including SOx scrubbers, selective catalytic reduction systems and exhaust gas recirculation arrangements for NOx emission control, in accordance with the ABS Guide for Exhaust Emission Abatement. “The decision to build a new ship or retrofit an existing one is not simple due to uncertainty with the entry into force of the 0.5% global sulfur limit and cleaner fuel alternatives such as LNG,” says ABS Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President Howard Fireman.“The new ABS SOx Scrubber Ready notation provides a unique approach to future-proof assets, to implement cost-effective retrofits and ...

NTSB has published marine accident brief report on ' Spirit of Adventure' ,a 99-gross ton catamaran small passenger vessel, flooded and partially sank while alongside its pier in Seward Boat Harbor, Alaska, before dawn on December 6, 2014.