Vessels navigating in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are required to comply with the ‘Rules For Vessels Navigating Through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore’ adopted by the IMO MSC 69 in 1998, in accordance with the provision of Resolution A.858(20), the MPA Singapore reminded.
The USCG’s Office of Navigation Systems (CG-NAV), officially announced its approval for a series of Automatic Identification System Private Aids to Navigation (AIS PATON), in order to set restricted navigation zones, near commercial rockets’ launch.
Japanese shipping company K Line announced the introduction of strict alcohol management onboard its ships, as part of its efforts to ensure safe navigation. The system foresees installment of an alcohol detector linked to a smartphone.
In the latest Safety Digest, UK MAIB focuses on the importance of the weather forecasts for the avoidance of relevant accidents; UK MAIB advises that if severe weather is forecast, all options available should be considered and all relevant precautions should be taken to establish the safety of the crew.
Five U.S. offshore wind companies, made their recommendation to the U.S coast (USCG), in order to adopt a uniform layout of wind turbines, placed at north to south columns and east to west rows. The project goals to offer safer navigational corridors to fishermen or other maritime users, when passing through one area to the other.
Argentina’s regulatory body on safety and environment, REGINAVE, launched some new changes providing the ability to the Argentinean Coast Guard to impose fines on foreign seafarers and shipowners for breaches of maritime and environmental laws. This comes in addition to the level of fines which has severely increased.
Three US Senators introduced the Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee Act, aimed to address increasing shipping and maritime traffic by creating an advisory committee to study Arctic maritime transportation, including Arctic seaway development.
In September 2019, shipping experts from around the world gathered at the IMO headquarters to discuss how to proceed on the topic of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), at the first Intersessional Working Group (WG) on MASS, IMarEST informed.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) has commissioned hydrographic surveys in the Vuoksi river system in eastern Finland to make navigation safer in the region. The work will be partly carried out by airborne surveys.
Weather charts, also known as surface pressure or synoptic charts, provide useful information on weather and sea conditions. Safe Skipper’s Simon Jollands recommends to mariners to always study weather charts and estimate how the weather is likely to evolve in the area they plan to sail in.
