| Current | Archive |  
 
 
  FLASHLIGHT - March 2005            Edition No: 39

(Past editions can be viewed on http://www.asiaconference.biz)

Quote of the month ...

Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.
James M. Barrie (1860 - 1937)

******

The 2005 Asian Marine Insurance and Surveying Forum will be held at
the Shangri-la Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday/Friday 24/25 November.

Those interested in attending should contact Ms Astor Tsang at Asia Conferences: marine@asiaconference.biz

Those interested in giving a paper at the conference should contact Mike Wall at mikewall@pacific.net.hk

 


CONTENTS (for full stories, select a headline)

At the Bow

FLASHLIGHT is a free monthly emailed newsletter circulated to more than 4,000 people involved in marine surveying around the world.  It is circulated to anybody who wishes to receive a copy, eg, Marine Surveyors, P&I Clubs, their correspondents, Underwriters, Professional Institutes, Admiralty Lawyers, etc.  Please pass it on to any of your contacts who you feel might be interested in receiving it.  If you do not wish to be included in the circulation list, please contact the Editor at the email address below.  Letters, opinions and articles relating to our profession are welcomed for the newsletter.

 This edition may seem to be a little early to our regular readers when in fact we originally aimed to publish on the 28th of each month, ie, most recent editions have been late!  The reason for the timely edition is that your editor will be travelling in the UK for 3 weeks and attending the NAMS/IIMS conference in London in early April.  In the next edition I hope to be able to report on the conference.

[Top]

Spindrift

Security alarm

 Shipowners have attacked over-zealous enforcement of security measures by some authorities and have hit out at the refusal of some shore based officials to wear identity badges.  The ICS also expressed concern about US plans to establish a system of long range tracking of ships.

 Costly cruise

 The cost of cancelling the P&O cruse ship Aurora's round the world voyage because of mechanical problems in January has risen to more than GBP26 million.  The vessel is currently undergoing repairs to the propulsion motors in Germany and is expected to be brought back into service next month.

 Canal increase

 The Panamanian Government has approved a new toll system for the Panama Canal which will see average costs increase by 60% over the next two years for container ships.

 MAIB Call

 The Marine Accident investigation Branch has issued a hard hitting report on the grounding of the 57 year old paddle steamer Waverley in June 2004, identifying a number of failings on the part of the ship's operator, Waverley Excursions Ltd.

 The 693 gt vessel which is the last remaining seagoing example of its kind was on a sightseeing excursion off the west coast of Scotland, with 370 people onboard, when it touched the rocky bottom on the edge of Boiler Reef, SW of Sandal.  A subsequent inspection revealed a range of damage, including a large indentation in the hull, the buckling of an internal bulkhead and a number of scratches.

 In a report on the incident, the MAIB said it was 'extremely fortunate that the consequences of this accident were not far worse'.

 The MAIB investigation found that a number of factors had contributed to the grounding:

 - the vessel's passage had not been properly planned.

 - the vessel's proximity to the hidden dangers was not appreciated.

 - the use of a radar variable range marker (VRM) did not give the chief officer sufficient warning of the vessel's encroachment within the prescribed limit of three cables from Sanda Island in time for successful corrective action to be taken.

 - the vessel's position was not accurately cross checked by other methods, or by the master.

 - personnel conducting company internal audits of navigation procedures had no deck experience.

 - the senior master employed by the vessel manager had no terms of reference.

 - a comprehensive risk assessment of the vessel's operation had not been undertaken.

 Waverley Excursions Ltd has already taken some action to deal with these problems, and is now considering further recommendations issued by the MAIB.

 In addition, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency plans to conduct the annual Safety Management Certificate audits of the Waverley and its sister ship Balmoral during the 2005

 No let-up in attacks

 Although armed attacks on shipping in Indonesian waters have abated since the Boxing Day tsunami, this year has begun with a spate of piracy incidents around the world.

 And the International Maritime Bureau, which monitors attacks on shipping, warned last month that organised criminals could be using a fleet of phantom tugs' following a series of hijackings in SE Asia.

 In one of the worst attacks last month, the master of a chemical tanker was injured after he resisted a kidnap attempt by pirates off the coast of Vietnam. Three pirates armed with guns and long knives boarded his vessel while it was underway in the Gulf Of Thailand and raided his cabin, stealing personal belongings and cash from the ship's safe. The master was injured as he resisted the pirates' attempts to take him to their boat.

 Another chemical tanker was attacked while underway in the Singapore Straits last month. The pirates tried to break into the bridge, but fled empty handed after the master raised the alarm.  In another incident last month, police opened fire on pirates who were trying to board a tanker in the Indonesian port of Balikpapan. The robbers escaped in one of the ship's survival craft.

 Other recent attacks have taken place at Malaysia's Sandakan anchorage, at Kandla outer anchorage in India, at Callao anchorage in Peru, in the Venezuelan port of Pertigalete and at Banjarmasin Roads, Indonesia.  The IMB's Commercial crime Services division expressed concern about the scale of hijacked tugs and tows being stolen in SE Asia, with 24 such incidents last year.

 IMB director Captain Potengal Mukundan warned: 'The spate of attacks on tugs and the hijacking of five tugs and tows in SE Asian waters last year, together with the evident sophisticated way in which these operations were planned and carried out, suggests there is now a real possibility that phantom tugs controlled by commercial crime syndicates will be trading in this region:

 Tanker master killed by Cadet

 A major search was launched after a tanker master was found, stabbed to death, by a deep sea pilot who boarded the ship off the coast of Devon last month.

 Police believe a 20 year old Filipino cadet wanted for questioning in relation to the murder of Captain Walfredo Banta onboard the Marshall islands flagged OSG tanker Overseas Josefa Camejo jumped into the sea and is unlikely to have survived in the cold water.

 Coastguard teams and an RAF helicopter searched the area around the vessel after the master's body was found, but police said they believed that the cadet, who had been on the ship for eight months, was himself badly injured in the incident.

 The remaining 23 crew were interviewed by police before a replacement master was flown in and the 112,200 dwt vessel was allowed to continue its voyage to Sweden.

 Alarm over wave risk

 Concern has been expressed about an incident last month in which a cruise ship lost power after being struck by a wave during a Mediterranean storm. The Bahamas flagged vessel Grand Voyager, which was carrying more than 750 passengers and crew, suffered propulsion failure and a communications breakdown after a big wave broke the bridge windows while the ship was some 60 nm off Majorca.  An investigation into the incident has been launched, but the incident has highlighted concerns raised at a naval architects' conference only days earlier over the need to design, build and operate ships to cope with adverse weather conditions.

 Grand Voyager had lost communications after being struck by the wave and it was fortunate that another vessel was nearby and that the incident did not deteriorate.

 Managed by V.Ships, the vessel was cruising from Tunis to Barcelona, with a complement of 480 Spanish passengers and 296 crew when it ran into storm force n gales and waves of up to 14m.

 One wave smashed a bridge window, swamping electrical circuits and disabling the

 engine control systems. Crew members eventually managed to restart two engines and the ship was escorted by the UK flagged gas tanker Gimi and, French military aircraft to the Sardinian port of Cagliari.  The incident occurred barely a fortnight after an incident involving the sistership, Explorer, in the north Pacific, in which a wave damaged the bridge, injuring two crew and disabling three engines.  Press reports suggested that a group of Spanish passengers were threatening to sue the Grand Voyager's master for negligence in sailing the vessel into the storm.

 Court blow fop crew compensation case

 In a ruling that could have important implications for seafarers all around the world, a US appeals court has upheld a decision forcing the families of Filipino sailors killed and injured in a cruise ship explosion in Miami to pursue their compensation claims in the Philippines.

 Eight crewmen died and is were injured when a boiler exploded on the 41 year old Norway while the ship was berthed in Aflanii in May 2003. Four injured Filipino seafarers and the families of six who died tried to seek compensation in the US courts.

 But the Miami federal court upheld Norwegian Cruise Line's arguments that arbitration clauses in employment contracts signed by the seafarers are binding and that they must resolve their claims in the Philippines.

 The decision is expected to dramatically reduce the level of damages from potentially millions of dollars in awards from US courts to just $50,000 for each dead seafarer in the Philippines.

 The Filipino seafarer contracts include a clause requiring injury and death claims to he decided by arbitrators in the Philippines. US maritime lawyers have sought to argue that seafarers are still protected by US federal maritime law because the cruise lines operate in major US ports and generate much of their profits from US based operations.

 The lawyers acting on behalf of those killed and injured in the Norway explosion also argued that because the accident occurred in the US and because the cruise line is based in Miami, the claims should also be heard there.  The lawyers say there is a now a chance that a further appeal maybe made to the US Supreme court.

 Skill shortage probe

 The international shipowners' bodies BIMCO and ISF have announced that they are carrying out a major update of their research into the worldwide supply and demand for seafarers.  First published in 1990 and subsequently updated in 1995 and 2000, the survey has delivered repeated warnings about the industry's failure to recruit sufficient young people to avoid a growing shortage of experienced officers.

 In a statement issued last month, the two organisations said that developments in the industry since the 2000 update including the introduction of the ISPS Code, shore leave restrictions, strict visa requirements, 'the worrying criminalisation' of seafarers and the revised STCW Convention  made it appropriate to reexamine seafarer supply and demand.

 BIMCO and the ISF have invited maritime administrations and shipping companies to complete a questionnaire to build up data and said the results will help to evaluate future global seafarer supply and demand trends.

 Progress on ID system for seafarers

 The introduction of a global system of high tech seafarer identity documents has come closer with the entry into force last month of the international convention that governs the biometric ID cards.

 Three countries France, Jordan and Nigeria  have so far ratified the Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention 2003, and the International Labour Organisation says more than 50 states have now submitted proposals to their national parliaments.  Many, including India, Philippines and Indonesia, which have large numbers of seafarers, are making plans for implementation while considering the ratification of the convention.

 The convention will pave the way for the introduction of 'biometric' ID cards for the world's 1.2m seafarers, in which the holder's fingerprints are converted into an internationally standardised 2D barcode.

 After a sixweek trial involving 126 volunteer seafarers from 30 countries, the ILO announced in December that two biometric products have already met the requirement of global interoperability (Ed: theres a new word for you!) and can therefore be used to issue the new IDs.

 The new convention replaces a 1958 treaty that had been ratified by 61 ILO member states.

 New warning of big increase in stowaway cases.

 SEAFARERS and shipowners have been urged to step up security amid evidence of a significant increase in stowaways seeking to travel from SE Asia to North America. The warning follows a

 number of recent cases, including one in which 32 Chinese stowaways were discovered in two sealed containers onboard a Panamanian flagged ship when it arrived in Los Angeles from Hong Kong.

 The containers which were loaded in the port of Shekou, China were equipped with food, water, a latrine, fans and rope ladders. The containers had tack welded trap doors cut into the sides and bottoms, and the stowaways were provided with hammers to break out of the containers at their destination.

 In a safety bulletin issued last month, the UK PM Club said it had received reliable information that there will be a significant increase in stowaways in containers from SE Asia particularly south China and Hong Kong to destinations in North America. This has been confirmed by incidents over recent months, the club added.

 It called for owners and crews to 'scrupulously adhere to their vessel security plans while in port and, if necessary, increase security while in ports in NE Asia using only reputable security companies. It also cautioned members to be on the lookout for suspicious repairs or air holes drilled into containers, as well as for peculiar odours coming from potential hiding spaces onboard.

 Crew change call

 Accident investigators have urged shipping companies to review their crew change policies in an effort to combat the dangers of fatigue.  The call comes in an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report on an incident last year in which the 6,030 gt Maltese flagged general cargoship Tauranga Chief ran aground in Sydney Harbour.

 Investigators blamed the incident on an error by the helmsman, who was ordered by a pilot to turn 20 degrees to port but instead applied starboard 20 degrees wheel.  The report concludes that the helmsman's error was possibly due to the effects of fatigue following a 42 hour journey across eight time zones from Russia to join the ship a day and a half earlier.  It also suggests the concentration and reaction time of the master and officer of the watch who had joined the ship on the same day after travelling for 29 hours may have been affected.

 The fact that the pilot did not order 'midships' before ordering counter rudder during the turn may also have been a contributing factor.  The report points out that many shipping companies have a similar policy of changing entire crews simultaneously and that many seafarers have flown over long distances to join their vessels.  'While it is generally impractical to allow these crews a rest period after arriving at their destination sufficient to overcome all of the effects of jet lag, a staggered crew change would often be a practical possibility, it adds.

 Recommending that companies review their crew change practices, the report points out that staggered change overs would reduce the chance of the entire crew being affected by fatigue and may also help to improve the operational continuity of the vessel.

 Alarm on hatches

 Insurers have warned that the level of losses suffered by the shipping industry due to defective or poorly maintained hatch covers is showing no signs of diminishing.  The North of England P&I Club says it continues to deal with three to four claims a year together valued at between US$500,000 $1m as a result of waterdamaged cargoes caused by hatch cover defects,

 'The irony is that the cost of preventing these losses can usually be measured in a few thousand dollars or less; said Tony Baker, head of the club's risk management department. 'Often all that is necessary is the replacement of some defective rubber seals, some minor repairs to steelwork or sometimes just cleaning down a coaming.'

 Mr Baker said the majority of problems occur on older and smaller ships. 'However, larger and newer ships are not exempt from hatch cover problems and often give rise to the largest individual claims; he added, 'No one is immune.'

 The North of England has identified the five most common hatch cover defects as: seal rubber permanent set beyond the point of replacement; seal rubber worn, torn, displaced or missing; temporary seal fixes; wastage of steel support pads or coaming side plates; and blocked drain holes in hatch covers and coaming corners.  The club is reminding operators of the importance of regularly testing hatch covers for weathertightness, using either a traditional hose test or ultrasonic leak detection. Though the latter requires specialist equipment and trained personnel, it is more accurate and avoids the risk of damaging any cargo in the holds.

 All hatch cover seals should be replaced when the permanent set reaches half the design compression or if any part of the seal is damaged; Mr Baker stressed.  'The use of proprietary sealing tape or high expansion foam may be acceptable as an additional precaution on a well maintained hatch cover, but is not acceptable as an alternative to proper permanent repairs.'

 Mobile phone ban

 Shipowners have been urged to clamp down on the use of mobile phones on the bridge in pilotage areas and other restricted waters.  The call has come (Ed: Not on a mobile I hasten to add!) from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch in a report on the grounding of an Italian flagged chemical tanker in the west Solent in June last year.

 Investigators discovered that the master of the 4,450 gt Attilio Ievoli had spent more than 24 minutes on the mobile phone in the 36 minutes leading up to the accident.

 The MAIB recommends that the International Chamber of Shipping encourages companies to designate pilotage and other restricted waters as 'red zones' where outgoing mobile calls are barred and incoming calls must be diverted to a message service to prevent the bridge team from being distracted.  The report also urges the owners to take more account of cultural and social issues when training and appointing multinational crews. it points out that such differences lay behind the reluctance of the Attilio levoli's eastern European second officer to challenge the Italian master, even though he was concerned that the ship was north of the planned track.

 Investigators criticised the poor teamwork and absence of adequate supervision on the vessel. 'The ultimate consequence of this was at the time of the grounding, the bridge team had no shared appreciation of the Attilio levoli's position; the report adds.

 The master's decision to sail via the west Solent and Needles Channel would have saved up to four hours of steaming time, but was in breach of company instructions.  The echo sounder alarm had also been set to zero, contrary to company procedures, and no regular fixing of the ship's position was being undertaken.

 The report also urges new controls over shipping using the west Solent and Needles Channel warning of a compelling' need to avoid a major accident in future.  It warns that 'the routine transit of large vessels, some carrying hazardous cargoes and

 Plans for EU coastguard

 Plans to develop a European Union coastguard force have taken a step forward with the agreement by EuroMPs on a feasibility study on the concept.  The study is due to be completed by the end of next year and follows the decision of the European Maritime Safety Agency to charter four emergency response vessels to provide 'topup' antipollution capabilities to member states.

 Following a European Parliament decision to provide some £17.5m, EMSA has invited tenders for the provision of 'vessels which are capable of responding rapidly, and effectively, during emergency situations'.  It plans to sign three year contracts from 2006, with vessels to be stationed in the 'high priority areas' of the Baltic Sea, the western approaches to the Channel, the Atlantic coast and

 (With thanks to the NUMAST Shipping Telegraph)

[Top]

Contributions

HBI Fines - a confusing and dangerous description

 The Association has previously published articles and circulars on the subject of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). The precautions necessary for the carriage of DRI are extensive and could, for a standard design of bulk carrier, be considered onerous, given the need for nitrogen blankets and the placing of thermocouples at several levels within the cargo. A somewhat similar cargo called Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) is considered much safer and the precautions when carrying this cargo are considerably less demanding.  The differing requirements for carrying each are detailed in the IMO Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes.

 Charterers and shippers are obviously aware that the precautions relating to DRI will result in much additional time and expense and therefore there is, perhaps, a certain reluctance on the part of shipowners to enter into charters, thus reducing the available pool of tonnage. The carriage of HBI does not pose the same problems. Given these differences, discussions on whether a cargo of HBI fines should be treated as HBI or as DRI clearly has a great significance for the safe carriage of the cargo, as well as time and cost implications for the parties concerned.

 DRI is manufactured by deoxidising iron ore. It is the reoxidisation reaction which gives rise to change in its properties that can lead to problems with carriage. DRI is usually in the form of porous pellets with a relatively high surface area and is therefore prone to rapid reoxidisation.  This reoxidisation is accelerated when there is a high moisture content.  The result is a cargo which gives off (explosive) hydrogen and at the same time is prone to rapid self heating. HBI, by contrast, is compressed or molded (briquetted) into a form which does not produce a high surface area and therefore does not tend towards rapid reoxidisation; it is, therefore, relatively safe. During the production, transportation and storage of HBI, large quantities of small particles or dust are produced; these are known as fines. Having a high metal content, this dust or fines is of relatively high value and is collected and stored in the open until sufficient quantity is accumulated to justify sale and the chartering of a vessel.  The important point is that the dust or fines, whilst associated with the molding or briquetting production, are obviously not briquettes and actually have many of the same properties as DRI. HBI fines, therefore, can be as dangerous as DRI and perhaps should actually be called DRI.  The dangerous nature of the cargo was recently illustrated by an incident involving a Member of the Association.

 The ship in question was carrying a cargo of HBI fines from the Caribbean to the Far East via Panama and suffered an explosion in one of the holds whilst transiting the Pacific. Five seamen were seriously injured.  The source of the explosion was hydrogen produced within the cargo. Following an evaluation of the cargo by experts it was determined that without a significant flow of air through the holds, hydrogen concentrations could reach dangerous levels within a matter of one or two hours, Being a standard design bulk carrier the ship was not equipped with the forced ventilation system necessary to disperse hydrogen being created at such a rapid rate. Neither was it equipped with the inert gases which would normally be required for the carriage of DRI.  This put the Member in a very difficult position when considering how to continue the voyage safely.

 The confusing reference to HBI in the term 'HBI fines' possibly misleads the Master and Owners into the belief that the cargo can be treated as HBI, and is further complicated by the fact that companies associated with the shippers or charterers have been known to certify that the cargo is 'passivated' or 'safe'. That certification includes little, if any, useful scientific data on the nature of the cargo which raises a question as to the value and status of any such certificate.  The misleading reference to HBI within the term of 'HBI fines' is perhaps just one example of unscrupulous charterers' and shippers' efforts to hide the real nature of the cargo. Masters and Owners should be skeptical of any unfamiliar cargo descriptions especially those descriptions which appear to mix terminologies.

 It is very important that where Masters or Owners are in doubt they ask for specific details of the chemical composition, moisture content and size of the particles and, if not satisfied, refer the matter to the Association or relevant experts.

 (Taken from Volume 12, Number 1, March 2005 of Risk Watch, Journal of The Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Ltd)


[Top]

Midships

 AIS

 Some of you will have noticed in our last edition condemnation of the free publication and availability of AIS information on the internet for security reasons.  However, it should be pointed out that any terrorist worth his salt could buy his own AIS receiver or use the data supplied on shipping company and port authority web sites that also publish arrival, departure and ETA information in the public domain.

[Top]

Scuttlebut

 ISPS

 Conflicts continue to develop with respect to the implementation of the ISPS Code.  From this month, we will be listing some of the ways that the code interferes with normal ship operations which in some cases could be considered as hazardous together with transgressions of interest:

 Ed:  It is suggested that should you find a port which does not conform to the ISPS Code or oversteps the mark, you should let us know so that we can 'Name and Shame' them.

[Top]

Insurance News

 Club warns on loadline rules

 Following a number of recent ship visits, the UK P&I Club's ship inspectors have reported serious deficiencies in the way weather deck hatch covers are being secured saying that 'load line regulations are regularly being contravened'.  According to the inspectors, manual securing cleats are frequently removed from the hatches in order to make a flatter surface for containers to rest on.

 And in other cases, the maintenance of the securing cleats has been neglected to such an extent that they have seized solid to the hatch coaming, ending up totally inoperative and painted over.  The P&I Club notes that such interference and neglect is illegal: 'During the building of a vessel, the weather deck hatch covers and associated equipment, which includes the securing arrangements, are fitted in accordance with classification society rules. No changes to the hatch covers or to the associated equipment can be made without prior class approval.'

 The club has also issued a reminder that a ship crew and owner are not the only parties responsible for the safety of hatch covers, saying: 'It is a requirement of the load line rules that hatch covers, cleats and coamings be surveyed annually by the vessel's flag state. This is a statutory requirement which applies to all ships.'

 Comments have been made that the incidents uncovered by the UK P&I Club are serious infractions which contravene the International Safety Management Code as well as load line regulations, and are evidence of substandard ship operation. These vessels are potentially dangerous and unseaworthy.

[Top]

Wig & Gown

None this month.

[Top]


Education and Training

None this month.

[Top]

Epistles

Mike,

 Bravo.  I have been on your distribution almost from the very beginning.  Thanks for putting out such a great informative and entertaining product.  As one of those former merchant mariner, now US Coast Guard types, I can sympathize with what you are saying.  I fight this battle every day.  There does need to be relief for foreign crew members who assist in bringing environmental

 crimes to US authorities' attention.  Crew members need to have shore leave while in port.  The world changed on September 11, 2001.  We need more allies to assist us in bringing Islamic extremist killers to justice.  Keep up the good fight.  I know I will keep up mine.  We need your help just as much as you need ours.  The solution is through mutual cooperation - not finger pointing.

 R. Smith

 Houston, Texas, USA

[Top]

People

Robert Thio is retiring from the London P&I Club, A Bilbrough & Co Limited, Hong Kong office as from 15th March, 2005, after fifteen years service.  We wish him all the best in whatever he chooses to do in his retirement.

He can be contacted at:  robert.thio@csl.ap.blackberry.net

[Top]

Books and Videos

 "Cunard:  A photographic history" by Janette McCutcheon .ISBN 0 7524 3001 7.  GBP 19.99, published by Tempus Publishing Ltd,, The Mill, Brimscombe Port, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2QG.

 "The outlaw sea" (Chaos and Crime on the World's Oceans) by William Langewiesche.  ISBN 1 8620 7731 2.  GBP12.  Published by Granta Books, 2/3 Hanover Yard, Noel Road, London N1 8BE.

[Top]

Web Sites

If your (marine surveying) company has a web site, let us know and we will try to mention it.  Below are some web pages we believe might be useful to marine surveyors.

AIS information:
www.AISlive.com  (does not include SE Asian waters)

Canadian Coastguard:
http://www.cgc.gc.ca

www.mastermarinesurveyor.com
Web site for Rob Scanlan, US Master Mariner Surveyor, Nahant, Massachusetts, USA
Email:  yacht1ship@aol.com

International Bunker Industry Association
www.ibia.net
Good information and a good newsletter.

Admiralty and Maritime Law Guide
www.admiraltylawguide.com
Focus on US law, but still interesting

Houston Marine Insurance Seminars
www.houstonmarineseminar.com
Lots of papers and presentations to download

 - IMO Country/Port/Terminal info and contact numbers:
http://www.tdconcepts.com/

 Tactical Defense Concepts (TDC) - a good section on security alerts and analysis:
 Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)

http://www.ds-osac.org/
(OSAC was established in 1985 by the US Department of State to foster the exchange of security related i nformation between the US Government and the Amercian private sector operating abroad.  Administered by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture for effective security cooperation.  Through OSAC, the American private sector, including colleges and universities, is provided timely information on which to make informed corporate decisions on how best to protect their investment, facilities,personnel and intellectual property abroad.)

Those of you who use Equasis may also be interested to hear of three other web pages with similar information:
www.parismou.org/
www.tokyo-mou.org/
www.uscg.com

www.shiptalk.com/
-  Designed by seafarers for seafarers. Deck, engine, catering, hotel or concession, seafarers past and present, all are welcome. Seafaring is a global profession and we extend the hand of friendship to seafarers of all nationalities.
 -  Ever wondered where your old shipmates are now? Why not leave your details and search for your old shipmates. Shipmates, will keep you in contact with seagoing friends new and old.
 -  Money Matters is inspired by those conversations you have at sea, in the bar, on the VHF and ashore, on the subject of money. What you get paid and where the best opportunities are for time onboard versus leave versus salary versus benefits. Make "money matters" work for you.
 -  Blow your whistle, and warn other seafarers of the way it is when signing on with certain manning agents or ship owners. By sharing our experiences we can improve the life at sea for you and your fellow shipmates. Ship talk is always straight, honest and direct, so say it the way it is.  Deep Sea, Short Sea, Offshore and Cruise, check out these links for issues which affect you.
 -  Crew List become your own agent and advertise your professional services on crew list.

www.shippingfacts.com
 -  Provides basic information about the structure of the shipping industry, its contribution to the world economy and its safety/environmental performance.  The site also contains links with more detailed sourcdes of information about the industry.

www.imarest.org
 -  Website of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology.

www.nepia.com
 - A fully searchable,  and provides full details of the club and its ships. It also features a new service from  the club's risk management department, called , which summarises shipping industry developments and offers links to primary sources, including the Maritime Advocate. Newsnet is updated weekly, or sometimes more frequently.

www.numast.org
 - Web site for the National Union of Marine Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers who publish the monthly NUMAST Telegraph.

www.aimsurveyors.com.au
 - Web site for the Australian Institute of Marine Surveyors.

www.friendsreunited.co.uk/).
 - Here you can register some personal information, together with your school/college and the year you left to go on to greater things.  You can also enter your nickname in school, which class you were in, your mates' names and what you've done since leaving.  You may be one day surprised to receive a message out of the blue from an old school chum.

www.marine-society.org
 - The Marine Society is a worthy marine charity offering many services to mariners.

www.imo.org/
 - International Maritime Organisation web page.  Keep up to date with new conventions.

www.lrfairplay.com
 - Scroll down the home page until you see the heading 'Free Access' appear on the left hand side. Clicking on the words 'shipping sites' takes you to a search function. You can then search either by company name or by category (there is a 'consultants and surveyors' category, for example) or by country. Or by a combination - so you could search for consultants/surveyors in Australia beginning with the letter 'D', for example.  That pulls up a list; if you then click on the word 'free' in the right hand column you are linked through to the relevant website.

 If your readers know of any companies with sites that we do not list (or that we have an out-of-date address for) we would like to have details to update the database.

http://www.acms-usa.com/
 - The Association of Certified Marine Surveyors

www.equasis.org/
 - Database containing safety-related information on the worlds merchant fleet from both public and private sources.  Gives ship's particulars, Class Soc, P&I Club and PSC inspection record.  Very useful for surveyors looking for vessel particulars before carrying out a survey.

www.femas.net/default.htm
 - The Federation of European Maritime Associations of Surveyors and Consultants

www.iims.org.uk/ - International Institute of Marine Surveyors

http://www.lloydsagency.com
 - General access to the directory of the world network of Lloyd's Agents.

www.mariners-l.freeserve.co.uk
 - Merchant Navy records on UK MN vessels and information merchant seamen, logs, agreements and crew lists, MN apprentices and deaths at sea

www.marinesupportonline.com - Marine Support On Line

www.marinesurvey.org/
 - Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors

www.nams-cms.org/
 - National Association of Marine Surveyors

www.sas-intl.com
 - Safety at Sea International

www.scmshq.org/
 - Society of Consulting Marine Engineers and Ship Surveyors

www.sname.org/
 - Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

[Top]

Conference Reports

 Your editor will be travelling in the UK and attending the NAMS/IIMS conference in London in early April.  In the next edition I hope to be able to report on the conference.

[Top]

IMO Conventions

 IMO safety guidance for bulkers

 Special safety advice and. guidance on emergency procedures has been issued to bulk carrier masters in a bid to cut the number of lives being lost in vessel founderings.

 The guidelines which cover the early assessment of hull damage and the possible need for abandonment have been drawn up by the International Maritime Organisation.

 Issued by the IMO's maritime safety committee, the circular warns that in a large proportion of bulker losses 'masters often appeared to be unaware of the imminent danger they were in'.

 It stresses the 'imperative' need for early assessment of the situation following structural failure and loss of hull integrity particularly onboard single skin bulkers 'which may not be capable of withstanding flooding of any cargo hold'.

 The circular warns masters to beware of sudden changes of trim or heel, unusual roll or motion or unusual collection of water on decks.

 It stresses the need for prompt action and early readiness for evacuation if water ingress or structural failure is suspected, and recommends 'a strong emphasis

 on evacuation training' for all crew including donning lifesaving equipment, launching survival craft and operating EPIRBs and SARTs.

 The IMO also emphasises the need for the master to be supported in exercising professional judgement. 'Companies are reminded that the master is the one who decides on whether or not the ship is to be abandoned, it points out. 'This guidance is provided to assist the master in making that decision and is based on the overriding principle that human life is more important than property'

 ******

 IMO regularly updates its web page with new and amended conventions:  http://www.imo.org/

 Here you can browse through the various publications that are available and buy those which interest you. To navigate the publications you can either select one of the categories or use the advanced search.

 ******

 Reefrep Reporting System

 On 1 December 2004, the new REEFREP mandatory reporting system came into force for vessels sailing through the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait areas off Queensland, Australia.

 The purpose of REEFREP is to enhance navigational safety in these areas to minimise the risk of maritime incidents and pollution or other damage to the sensitive marine environment.  REEFREP reports are to be made by all ships of 50 m in length or over, and all oil, liquefied gas and chemical tankers and any ship which comes with the INF CODE (which relates to irradiated nuclear fuels), regardless of their length.

 Ships transiting the REEFREP area are required to lodge a pre-entry report with 'REEFCENTRE' at Hay Point two hours before they enter the area and must provide a route plan at least one hour before entry.  Whilst transiting the area ships are required to issue automatic position updates via their Inmarsat-C facilities.

 The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has said that REEFREP will significantly enhance navigational safety by improving the frequency and accuracy of information regarding ship traffic in the area.  Compliance with the new system should not prove much of a burden on visiting vessels as, prior to its formal introduction, 70% of vessels transiting the area had been making such reports voluntarily.

[Top]

Future Events

If you have a marine related conference coming up, let us know so that we can mention it below,

 3 - 5 May 2005, Cruise+Ferry 2005 incorporating Superyacht V Design, Construction and Operation For Passenger Shipping, Earls Court Two, London, UK.  Lloyds List Events.  http://www.lloydslistevents.com/

 10-12 April 2005.  NAMS Spring conference, IMarEST, London. This conference will be organized by NAMS and supported by IIMS and IMarEST.

 14-15 April 2005.  Asia Shipbuilding 2005.  Swissotel Beijing, PRC.
 More info at:  www.ibc-asia.com/asiashipbuilding.htm

 7-10 June 2005, Norshipping, Oslo, Norway.

 6-10 March 2006, World Maritime Technology Conference, IMarEST, London.

 ******

 Some maritime conference web sites for you to keep up to date:

http://www.cconnection.org/
http://www.reedexpo.com/
http://www.grc.uri.edu/
http://www.wholelife.com/
http://www.ship-technology.com/exhibitions/
http://www.apmaritime.com/
http://www.lloydslistevents.com/
http://www.marineexpo.com/
http://www.seaworkexhibition.com
http://www.toc-events.com/

[Top]

From the Poop Deck

 Why its good to be a woman -

 -  We absently hum tunes from musicals without anyone suspecting our sexuality.
 -  Our underwear looks so much more sexy.
 -  When we buy a vibrator it is glamorous.  When men buy a blow up doll it's sad.
 -  We can use cosmetics should we wake up looking like something the cat dragged in.
 -  We can wear platforms - which is why there is no such thing as a 'short woman's complex'
 -  We don't have to get our strength up between sex sessions. .......and it's much easier for us to get laid in the first place.
 -  We can get off with teenagers without being called dirty old perverts.
 -  We never ejaculate prematurely.
 -  We can really fake an orgasm.
 -  We can scare male bosses with mysterious gynaecological disorder excuses.
 -  We get to flirt with systems support men who always return our calls, and are nice to us when we blow up our computers.
 -  We know that Tetris is the computer game to end all games.
 -  We got off the Titanic first.
 -  Our boyfriend's clothes make us look elfin and gorgeous - they look like complete dicks in ours.
 -  We have total control over our eyebrows.
 -  We can be groupies.  Male groupies are stalkers.
 -  It's cool to be a daddy's girl.  It's sad to be a mommy's boy.
 -  We can cry and get off speeding fines.
 -  The thrill of surprising people by being good at darts..and pool.....and football.
 -  We live longer, so we can be cantankerous old biddies wearing inappropriate clothes and shouting at strangers...... ....men die earlier so we get to cash in on the life insurance.
 -  We know that games are fun, but don't believe there's a direct correlation between the size of our scores and the size of our genitals.
 -  Taxis stop for us.
 -  We get drunk quicker and cheaper.
 -  We have no desire to arrange our possessions in alphabetical order. Ever.
 -  We've never fancied a cartoon character or the central figure in a  computer game.
 -  It does not enhance our social standing to understand the inner workings of a 'ruck' (or any other rugby thing).  But we look INCREDIBLY cool if we do.
 -  We never recognise ourselves in aspects of Mr Bean.  Ever.
 -  We don't look like a frog in a blender when dancing.

[Top]

Disclaimer:  Articles and reports reflect the views of the individuals who prepared them, and, unless indicated expressly in the text, do not necessarily represent the views of the editor.  Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is accurate, the editor makes no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or correctness of such information.  The editor accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any loss, damage or other liability arising from any use of this publication or the information which it contains.  The contents of the publication are the responsibility of the editor alone.

News, views, enquiries, suggestions, articles and letters for inclusion in future editions of FLASHLIGHT may be sent to:

Mike Wall
Tel:  +852 2259 3150
Fax: +852 2259 3151
Email: mikewall@pacific.net.hk

 
     
  >> [Print this page]  
 
 
  | Home | What's New | Conference Information | Flashlight | About Us |  
  | Contact Us | Links | Site Map | Privacy & Disclaimer |  
  This site was updated on 5 January 2009.  
  Every 3,000 sheets of paper cost us A tree. Let us conserve.
Do not print this page unless absolutely necessary.		  
  © 2002-2008 Asia Conference Ltd. All rights reseverd.