Tag: UK

Port developments that are important for trade and economic growth The UK Department for Transport (DfT) issues the National Policy Statement for Ports. It is intended to clarify what is required to enable the successful major port developments that are important for trade and economic growth in the long term.The planning system is a key to the future timely development of the country's port infrastructure. The designation of this policy statement marks a significant step forward, clarifying what is required to enable the successful major port developments that will be essential for trade and economic growth in the long term.You can view the National Policy Statement for Ports, by clicking here.Source: UK Department for Transport

UK government will support the training of merchant seafarers Nautilus International has welcomed the shipping minister's announcement that the UK government will continue to provide support for the training of merchant seafarers.Fears for the future of the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme - which covers around 40% of the costs of the three-year studies to gain a Merchant Navy officer's certificate - were generated when the government announced a wide-ranging review of the measures last year.But shipping minister Mike Penning announced today that, following an independent analysis of SMarT - the government had decided to retain the scheme and guarantee support at 12m a year for the life of the Parliament, including 2014-15. The focus of the support will be on training cadets to their first certificate of competency, for ratings' training and for ratings studying to become officers.The minister also announced number of additional changes to the SMarT system, including skewing payments so that more is paid over when the cadet qualifies and tightening up accountability so that the outcomes of the support can be better measured. Mr Penning said he will also consider longer-term options to deliver Merchant Navy training within an overarching skills and apprenticeship framework.Nautilus ...

Where a marriage takes place at sea, there could be difficulty in determining the country took place Mike Penning, the shipping minister, has told his officials to see how the law could be changed to enable UK vessels to cash in on the lucrative market.In a Commons reply Mr Penning said said he was looking at options which would allow both marriages and civil partnerships to be carried out at sea.The move comes as the Government has come under pressure from both the Shipping Industry and Nautilus, the union representing merchant navy officers."This has become big business," said John Spellar, a former Labour transport minister. "The change will be a big win for UK shipping."But a Nautilus spokesman voiced fears that the change could be too late. "This could be a case of locking the stable after the horse has bolted."In October Cunard announced that it was registering all its ships in Bermuda to enable it to conduct weddings at sea.The same service is offered by other major cruise companies including Royal Caribbean, Princess and P & O.Weddings at sea are not only popular for the romance of tying the knot on the ocean, but the ceremony can be considerably ...

The simulator is made in the form of a game In the light of the upcoming EEOI, high fuel costs, levy's on CO2 emissions and economical difficult times, efficient ship operation has become high priority. The most straightforward way to save fuel is to operate a ship in the most efficient way, by careful voyage planning and efficient ship operation by the crew.For many ships, the quality of the voyage planning depends on the experience of the captain and its specific knowledge of his ship. With crew changing vessels more frequently and officers obtaining their master license at younger ages, knowledge how to operate a ship most efficient may get lost or requires a long time to obtain. Moreover, in economic difficult times, the cost / benefit relationship changes, requiring a difficult attitude towards ship operation. Simulator trainingThe normal way to inform, or train the crew for more efficient operation, is by written reports or tasks. A more intuitive way to give officers a 'green state of mind' is by training the crew in a simple simulator, so that the effect of different actions and operating styles can be compared. Especially for younger officers, that have been brought up with ...

SAMI has stressed the importance of UK becoming involved in efforts to counter Somali piracy The Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) has stressed the importance and significance of the UK government and parliament becoming involved in efforts to counter Somali piracy.This comes following the release of the latest House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee report on 'Piracy off the coast of Somalia' which states it is unacceptable that the Indian Ocean has become so dangerous for commercial shipping, while supporting the UK government decision to permit private armed guards to defend British flagged ships.The fact that, as yet, no vessel has been taken by pirates when guarded by armed teams speaks volumes, said SAMI.However, according to SAMI founder Peter Cook: "The bold decision to allow vessels to use armed guards was just the start. Now the authorities must set about the task of ensuring the systems and rules for the use of force which they employ are appropriate and adequate."The report recognises that the UK government's guidance on the use of force, particularly lethal force, is limited and there is little to assist a ship's master in making a judgement on when force can be used. There remains ...

UK to host international conference on Somalia next month The British government should consider bringing Somali pirates to Britain for trial, lawmakers said on Thursday, accusing the government of not doing enough to tackle a problem that cost $135 million in ransoms last year alone.Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee also called on the government -- which recently announced it will permit British merchant ships sailing off Somalia to carry armed guards -- to state clearly when these guards may legally open fire."We conclude that for too long there has been a noticeable gap between the (British) government's rhetoric and its action," the influential committee said in a report on Somali piracy.Britain will host an international conference on Feb. 23 to try to agree on measures to tackle instability and piracy in the east African country, described by Prime Minister David Cameron as a "failed state that directly threatens British interests."Pirates operating from the Somali coast have raked in hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms from hijacking ships and currently hold up to 10 ships and 200 hostages .The lawmakers said that despite nine U.N. Security Council resolutions and three multinational naval operations, counter-piracy policy had had limited impact."The number of ...

Rules of engagement for armed guards must be clarified Rules of engagement for armed guards on UK-flagged ships against Somali pirates must be clarified, the Government is to be told.The call comes after private shipping companies were authorised to use armed guards for self-protection following continued pirate attacks on vessels in the Indian Ocean.The influential parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee welcomed the decision last year to allow armed guards on British vessels but a new report said guidance on the use of "lethal force" is very limited, leaving ship captains in a difficult position.The committee of MPs also concluded that the solutions to combating Somali pirates lie on land, with a need for better support for Somalian civil society organisations and local projects.Some fishermen have said they turned to piracy after central government control collapsed in the country.And in response to criticism from former captives Paul and Rachel Chandler about the Foreign Office's support for their family during their 13-month captivity, the committee said the Government should review its communication and other procedures when Britons are kidnapped abroad.Although NATO and other countries patrol vast tracts of international waters by ship and air - including long-endurance US drones - attacks and ...

During November 2011 The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today that 13 foreign flagged ships were under detention in UK ports during November 2011 after failing Port State Control (PSC) inspection. Latest monthly figures show that there were six new detentions of foreign flagged ships in UK ports during November 2011 and seven vessels remained under detention from previous months.The overall rate of detentions compared with inspections carried out over the last twelve months was 3.17% this is slightly up from Octobers twelve month rate. Out of the detained vessels six were registered with a flag states listed on the Paris MOU white list, four were registered with a flag states on the grey list one was registered with a flag state on the black list and two were unregistered.1.In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldsons Inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (95/21/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes full details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.2. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard ...

New study says available test evidence is insufficient to estimate compliance levels across the ECAs An interim report by the UK-based Seafarers International Research Centre has recommended that the country's Maritime and Coastguard Agency should test bunkers for sulphur content and not just rely, as at present, on documentary evidence.The report, Pollution Controls: the Case of the Governance of Ship Emissions is of a continuing study examines the effectiveness of international regulations on ships' sulphur emissions, based on observation of ship inspections in the UK and Sweden and on interviews with regulators, inspectors and industry stakeholders.The study finds: "There is currently a 'culture of compliance' in the industry, with the proportion of ship detentions as a percentage of Paris MoU inspections falling from 9% in 2001 to just 3% in 2010." It also says that only fragmentary lab-test evidence of compliance levels is available.It says that, in the first quarter of 2011, 18% of samples, collected in Western Europe and the Baltic and sent to one large commercial lab testing agency, proved to have non-compliant sulphur levels. Most of these samples were only marginally off-spec, and there were considerable local differences, with only 7% of Rotterdam samples being off-spec. Test ...

New guidance has been released by the UK Government Following the announcement that British merchant ships will be able to arm themselves against the piracy threat - new guidance has been released by the UK Government.The UK Chamber of Shipping has welcomed the news.Head of security and defence, Gavin Simmonds said: "Shipping minister Mike Penning has been the force behind this cross-departmental policy change on armed guards for ships which strikes a good and practical balance - we welcome this outcome."There is continued pressure for military and other complementary solutions to the piracy crisis and we need to be clear that arming our ships is only a small part of the wider solution."The new guidance includes the factors ship owners should take into account when conducting a risk assessment before a voyage and advice on choosing a private security company (PSC).Companies wishing to use armed guards will need to submit a detailed counter piracy plan to the Department of Transport, according to the guidance.Also, any PSC employed will need prior authorisation from the Home Office for possession of prohibited firearms.This new guidance will be kept under review to ensure that it continues to meet anti-piracy efforts both nationally and globally.Source: ...