The basics of container stowage planning and why it is so important
In view of the recent incidents relating to stack collapses on board and containers lost at sea, I thought a refresher on “What is container stowage planning and how it works” would be in order..
This is also to remind everyone in the shipping chain – exporters, agents, freight forwarders, carriers, documentation teams, vessel operators, and stowage planners, the importance of providing and using the correct information for the planning and stowage of the vessel..
Container stowage planning is an art and I absolutely loved the time when I used to do it.. While there are computer systems to do this these days, the basics remain the same..
In this article I have explained how the stowage planning works and why it is so important..
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..
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..
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..
Governments pledge action for seafarers at crucial crew change summit
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim has welcomed the commitment of 12 countries to facilitate crew changes and achieve key worker designation for seafarers, following a virtual ministerial summit hosted by the UK Government on 9 July.
This step represents significant progress to help resolve a growing crisis facing the maritime industry, and enable hundreds of thousands of stranded seafarers to go home or join ships.
4 tips to reduce cargo damage and save money on shipping costs
Shipping damage is a massive threat to any products that travel on the supply chain.
As per a Statista survey, eighty per cent of consumers say they’d return a product they received that was damaged in shipping.
The more your products get damaged in shipping, the more money your company loses and the effects of that loss can spread throughout your organization, causing both direct and indirect expenses and affecting sales.
Here are 4 tips to reduce cargo damage and save money on shipping costs.
Keep ships moving, ports open and trade flowing says IMO and UNCTAD
The world’s reliance on maritime transport makes it more important than ever to keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border trade flowing, and to support ship crew changeovers, the United Nations maritime and trade entities said in a joint statement.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which regulates shipping, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which tracks world trade, reiterated calls for Governments to promote crew well-being by allowing crew changes and ensuring seafarers and other maritime personnel have access to documentation and travel options so that they can return home safely.
The feel of the ship – Have you felt it..??
I am not a seafarer, but I have had the privilege of being onboard different types of ships when I was handling them operationally many years ago..
There is something about some of the ships that I have worked on that has given me a sense of comfort and made me feel at home like I belonged there..
I said “some” ships because some ships didn’t give me that feeling and gave me a sense of uneasiness and I have felt like wanting to get out of there ASAP..
Mind you, I am talking about the “ship” and not about the people onboard the ship..
Well, it turns out that not just me or the ship’s crew that have a connection with the ship, but also Marine Pilots have or get this “feel of the ship” which they are navigating in and out of ports and it is quite important for them to get the feel of the ship..
I found this out when I got talking to Capt.Roberto Caballero Vega a Panama Canal Pilot of over 25 years who very kindly allowed me to reproduce his article about “The feel of the ship: The essence of Piloting” below..
ZIM courts eCommerce market with the fastest service from South China to Los Angeles
Fresh from their recent positive results in Q1 2020, ZIM has launched a new service in record time to cater to the growing e-Commerce market demand..
The New service is a speedy, dedicated service from South China to Los Angeles US West Coast which will commence on the 22nd of June 2020..
The service aptly named the Speedy ZIM eCommerce Xpress (ZEX), is a custom made service for time-sensitive cargo with a transit time of only 12 days from Yantian and DaChan Bay in South China to Los Angeles in the US West Coast making it the fastest service in the market..
Industry bodies call for digitalisation to be accelerated in maritime sector
“There is an urgent need for inter-governmental organisations, governments and industry stakeholders concerned with maritime trade and logistics to come together and accelerate the pace of digitalisation“..
This is the message from several industry bodies representing a range of shipping, port, cargo handling and ship operating organisations..