Tag: UAE

Six samples of ship fuel in Singapore had caused severe sludging at centrifuges, clogged pipelines, and overwhelmed fuel filters. The first problem sample in Asia was found on April 13 in Port Kelang in Malaysia. Now, because shippers want to avoid loading up the contaminated fuel Singapore, UAE inquiries at the Fujairah oil hub for marine fuel have increased.

Seafarers who want to embark or disembark at the Fujairah port in United Arab Emirates will now have to obtain a 96 hour online visa. However, nationals from the Gulf Cooperation Council Oman, Saudi, Kuwait and Bahrain, will not require such a visa. Until now, Fujairah Port was granting on-arrival visas for 48 countries

ITF and the UAE Federal Transport Authority have joined forces with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, to protect the rights of all seafarers operating in UAE waters. The signing agreement, the first of its kind between a government authority and the ITF, took place at the IMO headquarters in London. 

The University of London's City Law School and the Dubai International Financial Centre Academy of Law have announced a joint venture to launch the Gulf region's first specialised Masters in Maritime Law, set to begin in early 2019 in Dubai, intended for law graduates, lawyers and working professionals across the maritime sector.

The Dubai Council for Marine & Maritime Industries announced collaboration with HELMEPA, to set up the first of its kind non-profit UAE Marine Environment Protection Association. The two parties signed a Declaration of Voluntary Commitment titled 'To Save the Marine Environment', based on HELMEPA’s 'To Save the Seas'.

The UAE Federal Transport Authority for Land and Maritime has banned all ships belonging to Venous Ship Management and Operation LLC, based in Fujairah, for not protecting seafarers’ rights, operating in the UAE waters. The Indian Consulate in Dubai had blacklisted the same company in an advisory back in July 2017.

The Indian Directorate General of Shipping reported that Indian seafarers are stranded at Dubai for last 22 months, because their companies have abandoned them. India proceeded and blacklisted these companies. India instructed the recruitment agencies that placed Indian seafarers on these vessels to withdraw Indian seafarers and repatriate them.

The eleven crew of the Panamanian flagged 'Agean Princess' returned home to India and Myanmar, after being held in Ajman, UAE, for 17 months, due to a dispute between their ships operator and owner. However, ITF stressed that the crew are still owed unpaid wages going back to 2015, totaling over USD 916,000.

All foreign-flagged tankers carrying crude oil and products in UAE will be prevented from entering the national ports, if they are found to be over 25 years old, the FTA announced. In addition, the ships are required to have a double-hull and classed by a classification society in the IACS or TASNEEF.

All ships flying the UAE flag trading internationally, as well as all ships operating in UAE waters above 200 gross tons, must have a financial security system to protect seafarers against abandonment, death or injury, according to a circular published by the Federal Transport Authority.