The UK government’s Department for Education (DfE) approved an industry-backed initiative led by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST), to develop a four-year degree-level apprenticeship for those who aspire to become professional marine surveyors.
RINA presented its new digital equipment called the Kiber Helmet, which is a wearable device, to be used by onboard field engineers that connects them with inspectors and specialised experts ashore. Multiple people can participate in a support session and the session can also be recorded for later playback or training.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined as the process for organizations to integrate social, environmental, ethical and human rights concerns into their operations and core strategy, in close collaboration with their stakeholders. In this context, SAFETY4SEA’s annual survey aims to assess the CSR performance of the maritime industry by examining 10 factors according to ISO 26000 requirements and CSR strategy of EU.
The International Transport Workers Federation has commissioned the Yale University to carry out a research investigating seafarers’ mental health issues, to raise awareness for the mental health wellness and wellbeing of seafarers, by understanding which risk factors are associated with seafarer stress, depression and anxiety.
According to a survey conducted by Drewry, there is a significant concern ahead of the IMO’s 2020 global emissions regulation. Namely, 4 in every 5 of the shippers/BCOs participating in the survey stated that they had yet to receive clarity from their providers regarding the future fuel costs.
UKHO deployed a motorboat to survey waters off Dominica, as part of the CME Programme. Data from the survey will be used to update navigation charts of the region and help Dominica to meet its international maritime obligations, including Implementation of IMO IIIC.
As drone technology has recently seen an increased popularity in maritime surveillance, Ben Burkard, Underwriting Director, and Julian Hines, Loss Prevention Manager at the Standard P&I Club, consider the risks, rewards, as well as the potential regulatory issues surrounding the use of drones in shipping.
Maritime UK urged the government and EU to extend the Article 50 process if a deal is not agreed by October, as a recent survey by Maritime UK showed that 66% of UK business leaders think a ‘no-deal’ scenario is likely, with just half of them saying that they have made preparations for such an outcome.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coast Survey announced launch of hydrographic expeditions through July and August to discover what lies underneath the water’s surface. Currently only 4.1% of the US maritime Arctic has been charted to modern international navigation standards.
A survey by Deloitte found that shipping companies prefer to convert to LNG, in order to comply with the IMO’s stricter new international emissions standards for marine bunker fuels. However, lack of refuelling and bunkering infrastructure would raise obstacles to the large scale uptake of LNG as a transport fuel.
