Insurers share details of webinar on causation of container ship casualties
As I wrote in my previous article about the importance of proper lashing of containers onboard ships, there is increased concern and focus on the safety of the ship, its crew and the cargo..
The concern is especially amplified considering the many maritime disasters that have happened in the last few years, some of which have been reported in detail on this site..
A few of the incidents that involved containers falling of a ship have been attributed to the lashing of containers onboard or lack thereof..
Considering the intense strain that the extent and pace of growth in container volumes has placed on a wide range of operational procedures and the physical hardware employed to handle these volumes, the Thomas Miller managed insurance mutuals, container freight specialist TT Club and protection & indemnity insurer, UK P&I Club organised a Webinar to discuss the diverse range of factors important to safe container ship operations and the security of the container stacks they carry..
Here are the details..
Sound ship recycling project in Bangladesh given the go-ahead
The third phase of an IMO-implemented project to enhance safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh has been given the go-ahead, with Norway committing approximately US$1.5 million (14 million Norwegian Kroner) to support improved ship recycling in Bangladesh.
Adani successfully completes first export using India’s Inland Waterways
On the 30th June 2020, a barge “MV Pruthvi” carrying 45 TEUs of sponge iron left Haldia Docks on its maiden voyage to Dhaka on the Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR)..
This first-ever containerised cargo from India to Bangladesh using the Inland Waterways reached Pangaon International Container Terminal, Dhaka on the 12th of July 2020..
This movement which was organised by Adani Logistics Limited in association with Five Star Logistics Private Limited carried the cargo of Rashmi Cement Ltd and Orissa Metaliks Pvt. Ltd..
Loss of containers at sea forces temporary closure of Port of Ngqura
The MSC Palak a Portuguese flagged container ship built in 2016 with a carrying capacity of 9,411 TEUs is reported to have lost 23 containers while at anchorage around the Port of Ngqura (Coega) along the Eastern Coast of South Africa..
Mitigating the risk of quarantine and COVID-19 testing for seafarers
By now, everyone is aware of the plight of the thousands of seafarers around the world who are either stuck onboard ships even after their contract has expired or stuck in countries other than their own due to COVID-19 or in quarantine currently.. It has even resulted in several suicides among seafarers out of sheer desperation..
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it incredibly difficult to facilitate crew changes on ships and despite collaboration and cooperation with many stakeholders in the industry, this problem still remains unresolved and there are still around 200,000 odd seafarers estimated to be trapped on board..
While it is becoming a huge task for any shipowner/manager to get replacement crew, the International Medical Health Association have created an interim paper providing a best practice approach based on common sense to mitigate the risk of transmission of Covid-19 in seafarers joining the ship..
Suicides, assaults and pleas for help as crew change crisis worsens
It is alarming when news of suicide attempts, violence and desperation becomes commonplace.
This is, unfortunately, the state of affairs today with seafarers who are tired, on the brink of mental breakdowns (some have already gone over) and very desperate – this desperation is manifesting through various incidents.
Priyanka Ann Saini covers some of these points in this article.
APL England reaches China for repairs
On the 24th of May 2020, APL England, a container ship experienced a temporary loss of propulsion during heavy seas about 73 kilometres south-east of Sydney causing around 50 containers to fall overboard and leading to the collapse of around 74 containers within the stacks on board the ship..
After much debate and controversy over AMSA’s action holding the master of the ship personally responsible for the incident, the empty APL England was released on 19th of June and allowed to sail from Australia to undertake repairs in China..
The APL England arrived in China (Zhoushan) on the 4th of July and remains under AMSA detention while the vessel undergoes repairs..
India contemplates National Logistics Law to boost logistics sector
With a view to promoting the growth of the logistics sector in India, the commerce ministry is considering replacing the multimodal transportation of goods act with a full-fledged national logistics law.
The announcement was made during a webinar organised by industry chamber PHDCCI .
This move comes in the background of the fragmented nature of the sector, which has been an area of concern for a long time.
A Press Release dated July 4th stated, “Digitization of Logistic Sector will help bring efficiency and realize the vision of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).”
IMO endorses guidance on ensuring seafarers’ access to medical care onshore
A significant step has been made to protect seafarers’ health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim’s endorsement of a series of recommendations designed to ensure seafarers can access medical care ashore quickly and safely.
Receiving medical care ashore can be a matter of life or death for seafarers who fall ill while working on ships.
APL England released
The APL England, a 5,780 TEU capacity containership which lost around 40 containers off the coast of New South Wales in Australia has been detained in Brisbane by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) since the 26th May..
After AMSA inspectors were satisfied that the ship was fit to sail, the empty APL England was released on 19th of June and allowed to sail from Australia to undertake repairs in China..