(Past editions can be viewed on http://www.asiaconference.biz)
Question of the month ...
The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution.
Bertrand Russell.
CONTENTS (for full stories, select a headline)
- At the bow - Registration is free! New members.
- Spindrift - Costs increase. Ellerman goes. Refugee warning. CHIRP wins support. IMO strengthens MARPOL. Shipping condemns criminalization Personal accidents up says P&I Club. LNG risk report released. court confirms pollution fine.
- Contributions - Weighing up - the cost of excess baggage.
- Midships - Christmas presents. Retaliation. Punishment?
- Scuttlebutt - ISPS interference with shipping operations.
- Insurance News - Robert Tallack writes in Bow Wave.
- Wig & Gown - None this month.
- Education & Training - None this month.
- Epistles - Payment of invoices.
- People - Charterers P&I Club. Peter Y C Ng. Glasgow posts.
- Books - 'Ship: 5,000 Years of Maritime Adventure'
- Useful web sites for marine surveyors.
- Conference reports - 2004 Marine Insurance and Surveying Forum, 25/26 November 2004, Sofitel Hotel, Bangkok.
- IMO Conventions - Draft resolution on inspection of hatchcovers. Date set for global sulphur limits.
- Future events - Some upcoming events which might be of interest to marine surveyors.
- From the Poop Deck - Girl differences. Suicide note. Four animals.
FLASHLIGHT is a free monthly emailed newsletter for Marine Surveyors. 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.
New Members this month:
Mark Knutson, Offshore Marine Suerveyors, Kaneohe, HI, USA
Dave Wilson, Edmonds, WA USA
Bruce Dart, Maritek, Marine Engineers & Surveyors, Melbourne Australia.
Robin Lee, Atlantic Fidciaries Ltd, Halifax NS, Canada.
J. Roger Parry, Matthews, Matson & Kelley Ltd, Fernando Beach, FL, USA.
Messaoud Griimes, Jijel, Algeria.
Costs increase
Increases in the cost of crewiing ar one of the most significant factors behind a rixe in ship operasting costs over the last year, according to a report by Moore Stevens. The biggest increases in operating costs affected VLCCs and product tankers, with rises of 12.4% and 10.4% respectively compared with 9.8% for containerships. Higher insurance premiums accounted for a substantial cunk of the higher costs with cover rising by more than 30% for some ship types, whilst crew costs rose by as much as 8.6%.
Ellerman goes.
After more than 100 years in shipping the Ellerman shipping company goes our of existence in January 05. The name is to be changed to that of its parent company Hamburg Sud which acquired Ellerman from the Andrew Weir Group in 2003.
Refugee warning
A new report has warned that as many as 4,000 refugees drown at sea each year in unsuccessful attempts to escape from poverty and persecution. The study calls for international safeguards to support seafarers who uphold humanitarian principles of resuing people in distress at sea. CHIRP wins support
A review of the CHIRP scheme has concluded that the scheme is making a positive contribution to safety at sea and should continue to receive support from the UK DoT. The rate of received reports has steadily increased since its inception in July 2003 which would indicate growing confidence among potential reporters in the CHIRP process.
(With thanks to the NUMAST Shipping Telegraph)
IMO strengthens MARPOL.
IMO has issued revised regulations on marine and air pollution following October?s sitting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). Ships carrying oil, chemicals or vegetable oils will be most affected. The new rules mandate double bottoms for pump rooms on oil tankers built after 2006, further protections against accidental oil outflow following a stranding or collision and a requirement for vegetable oils to be carried in chemical tankers. MEPC has also announced a new four-tier classification system for liquids: so noxious that discharge is prohibited, dangerous substance but limited issue allowed, liquids that present a minor hazard and, lastly, substances that may be discharged without restriction. The revised Marpol annex includes a number of other revisions made possible by advances in ship technology. In other news from the MEPC, Western European waters have been designated as a ?particularly sensitive sea area? and, as previously reported in Fairplay, mandatory measures have been developed on shipbreaking.
Shipping condemns criminalisation
THE shipping industry presented a united face in London on 27 October 2004 to condemn proposed unilateral legislative action by Brussels. Shipowners represented by the 'Round Table' comprising Bimco, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Intercargo and Intertanko hit out at sanctions in the proposed European directive on ship-source pollution offences. Unusually, the owners were joined in their condemnations by labour bodies including the European Transport Federation and the ITF. The combined parties voiced fears that the European Transport Council?s position on the new directive would create legal uncertainty by criminalising accidental ship-source pollution, which is explicitly not an offence under Marpol rules. ?We have to make the point to Brussels that one regional block cannot lay down the rules," said ICS secretary general Chris Horrocks at the Round Table. "For us to abandon IMO is to fly in the face of everything that we stand for?.
Personal accidents up says P&I club
THE North of England P&I Club has warned that the number of on-ship personal injury accidents is increasing. The Club says that duties crew members have to undertake have increased owing to the extra burden generated by regulations such as the ISPS Code, for example carrying out extra security patrols and gangway watches. In its newsletter, Signals, the club points out that ?Even the most experienced and well-trained deck crews have to be extremely careful and ensure they are appropriately equipped.? Tony Baker, the clubs loss prevention executive remarks: ?We have experienced a number of recent cases in which members of both the catering and engineering departments have been working on deck, only to suffer serious accidents with tragic consequences?. ?It is important for ships? management, both ashore and onboard, to appreciate that accidents are likely to occur if personnel are placed under difficult and unfamiliar circumstances,? Baker concludes.
LNG risk report released
A new report on the risks of large LNG gas spills over water was released yesterday by the US Department of Energy. According to the report, conducted by Sandia National Laboratories, the risks from] accidental spills due to collisions and grounding are ?small and manageable?, but the threats from targeted terrorist attacks are more serious. The report predicts small, accidental spills would cover up to a 150m radius and would result in dangerous thermal hazards within 250m of the spill origin, and lesser dangers extending to 750m. In the case of a large terrorist attack, spills could grow to a radius of several hundred metres, with potentially? significant? damage to bridges, terminals and populated areas within 500 m of the spill origin, and lesser impacts extending to 1,600m. Examining the possibility of ?cascading damage? due to multiple tank failures, the report predicts that not more than two or three tanks are ever likely to be affected, and that cascading would increase the expected fire duration but would not increase the fire size or hazard range by more than 20-30%. A full copy of the report is posted at
Court confirms pollution fine
THE Paris Court of Appeal has confirmed a ?200,000 ($270,000) fine against the captain and owner of the German-registered general cargo vessel Santa Maria for polluting the French coast in April 2003. Capt Friedhelm Letmeyer will have to pay ?40,000 of the total, the balance being borne by the vessel's German owner, H Lohmann Schiffahrts. The court decision confirms an earlier judgement made in February. The 3,670dwt Santa Maria was seen by a French customs helicopter with a 26n-mile oil slick in its wake as it was sailing northbound in the English Channel on 8 April 2003. When the ship arrived in Antwerp, police found that the vessel?s oil/water separator was not in full working order. There were also suggestions of a possible unauthorized tank cleaning.
(Thanks to Fairplay Solutions: magazine@fairplay.co.uk)
Weighing up - the cost of excess baggage
Stand in a check in queue any where in the world, and someone at the desk will be arguing the odds regarding their excess baggage or oversized hand luggage. Most frequent travellers know the rules, but are convinced that they are able to flout the system with the help of a wide smile and a little charm.
In the past the baggage allowance and, often, the carry on restrictions have been displayed on the passenger's ticket. However, eticketing and other methods of paperless travel have resulted in such information being buried in the endless pages that follow the itinerary details on the screeen.
And as more business travellers now use budget carriers for shorter journeys, they should be aware that most of these no- frill operators limit hand luggage to just 5 kg - and pay scant regard to the fragile nature of the contents. Furthermore, in Europe the checked in baggage allowance on Ryanair has been reduced to 15 kg, even on the highest fares.
It pays to check the rules as no traveller checking in at the last minute wants the hassle and humliation of queueing to pay for excess baggage and perhaps missing their flight. In stark contrast to its rival Ryonair, and very much the exception to the rule, EasyJet earlier this year waived weight restrictions on hand baggage within reason, the no frills airline hastens to add as long as the single bag is no larger than 55 x 40 x 20 cm and the passenger can lift it into the overhead lockers without assistance.
And like most airlines, it allows passengers to carry on board a handbag/clutchbag, coat, umbrella, duty free goods, laptop computer and small items of camera equipment. EasyJet also has a 20 kg checked in baggage allowance.
In line with many major carriers, British Airways has precise allowances for each cabin or class of travel. Hand baggage, for example, that is to be stored in the overhead lockers must not exceed the industry standard in any section of the aircraft, its first class Club World and Club Europe passengers, however, are allowed two pieces, the combine weight of which may not exceed 18 kg. Those travelling World Traveller Plus may also carry on two pieces of hand baggage, but the combined weight must not exceed 12 kg. World Traveller and Euro Traveller passengers are limited to one item with a maximum weight of 5 kg.
Generally, airlines free baggage allowance is based on either weight or piece systems depending on the route. The former permits passengers to check in as many bags as they wish, as long as the total weight is within a specified allowance. The piece system is based on the number of bags checked in, the total of the three dimensions of each bag (H x W x D) not exceeding 158 cm in first of business class. In economy, the total dimensions of all bags collectively must not be more than 273 cm. The maximum weight of any one bag checked in under the piece system must not exceed 32 kg (or 23 kg in North America). This applies to all flights to and from the USA or US territories, some services from Canada, including Europe, and on certain flights between Asia and South America.
What you are allowed:
Normal free baggage allowances: First Class 40 kg, Business Class 30 kg, Economy Class 20 kg.
Children are entitled to the same free baggage allowance as adults.
Infants not occupying a seat have no baggage allowance apart from a push chair.
Excess baggage charges vary from airline to airline and it is necessary to check in advance if it is anticipated that you will need to pay extra. The standard charge is 1.5% of the highest normal direct adult one way economy class fare for each additional kg.
They are, however, exceptions, according to the route flown between Europe and Australia, for example, the excess charge is normally reduced to 1% while flights within Europe are calculated at 1.35%.
Travellers should also be aware of the dangerous goods which are not permitted in either checked or hand baggage. Most are obvious, such as scissors and knives in carry on baggage, but it is worth checking to be on the safe side.
Dangerous Goods include:
Explosives, including Christmas crackers and fireworks. Corrosives. Flammable material, including paint and lighter fuels. Lighter refills. Gases, including camping gas.
Poison, including weed killer and insecticides. Gas powered hair curler refills.
All sharp items should be in checked in baggage.
If in doubt, check with the carrier beforehand rather than risking delays and embarassment at the airport.
Christmas presents
The other day my wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I gave this some thought as I didn't really know what I wanted. The usual after shave, socks, shirts, hankies, etc, came to mind but then thought back to previous Christmases to try to get fresh ideas. Then I realised what I wanted.
Some years ago, around this time of the year my family and I were stranded in the Fiji Islands. Now, you might ask "How can anybody be stranded in this day and age?" Well, I had been working as a project manager for an Australian company on the building of a small cruise ship. Due to no fault of mine, mainly problems with the design of the vessel, our team were thrown out of the yard when the back to back LOC had expired. Whilst I was still employed by the company, my employer stopped paying my salary and expenses so that we were existing on our savings to pay our rent, utilities and transport. The stress on my family and I caused both poor health and discontent in the ranks.
I was fortunate to have friends who could help, not with money, but with work which they knew I could do for them. Despite having firm job offers, the Fiji authorities would not let me stay in their country and so we had to leave,. I sent my family off to my in-laws and I jumped ship as Chief Engineer on a break bulk container vessel on trips around the Pacific. Whilst on the ship, a Hong Kong surveyor came on board to carry out a pre-purchase condition survey. We chatted for a while and he convinced me to come to Hong Kong. The ship was duly sold to the buyer and I ended up doing the delivery job to Singapore. I took the opportunity to market my services to various companies in Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong, eventually working for a marine consultancy firm in Hong Kong. After five months of hard work I was able to bring my family to Hong Kong to be together again. With 12 years under my belt in Hong Kong I am lucky to have my family, a lovely golden labrafor, good health and some good friends. I am also lucky to be doing a job which I really enjoy that challenges me every day. During my time in Hong Kong I've been able to build up some assets to give us financial security in retirement and pay for my daughter's schooling.
So, what do I want for Christmas? I believe I am lucky to have it all already and don't need for anything. However, I could do with the money owed to me by that b*****d in Australia!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
Mike Wall
******
Retaliation
When thinking of the ISPS Code I am reminded of what happened when the USA changed its entry requirements for some nationals insisting that they should be photographed and fingerprinted. Brazil responded by doing the same to any US nationals arriving at their ports and airports. The restriction of shoreleave for foreign seamen in the USA is unacceptable. We currently have one of the larger US battle fleets with around 10,000 crew members in Hong Kong for Christmas. How would it be if we werre to ban them from shore leave? Perhaps not in the Chritmas spirit.
******
Punishment?
The UK MCA has warned that hardline action will be taken against anyone caught using fraudulent or forged seafarer certification. The warning was made last month after a seafarer was sentenced to 240 hours community service for offences under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act. We ask was this an appropriate punishment? As it happens the offender was a British seaman serving aboard a British ferry. However, had it been a foreigner who had been caught, 240 hours community service in the UK would be infinitely better than sending him back to sea on what would likely be a substandard rustbucket with appalling living conditions.
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:
1. Padlocks fitted to the engine room skylights - prevents engine room personnel's escape.
2. No noticeable increase in security in many ports.
3. No noticeable increase in security on board ships - Surveyors not being asked to log in at the gangway, etc.
4. Officers prevented from going ashore to read draft marks unless they have a visa.
5. Seamen not being allowed ashore to load stores into a cargo net.
6. Ship stopped from carrying out the regular three-monthly lifeboat drill with the boat lowered to the water.
7. Some officials attempting to board ships without proper ID or refusing to follow the ship's ISPS procedures. (Crew were threatened with arrest and improsonment in this case!)
8. An officer arrested and deported for using a public telephone on the quayside.
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.
Robert Tallack writes in Bow Wave:
Re the item on sub-standard shipping (Bow Wave Issue 261): It seems to me that we have been trying to persuade the insurance industry to police shipping quality since time immemorial. It has not worked and probably never will work and, arguably, it is not their job. Their job is to insure risk - which is a fair description of a substandard ship.
The responsibility for sub-standard ships is twofold: owners and Flag State. If Flag States imposed international standards robustly, the problem would surely be much reduced, if not eliminated. If a Flag State fails to impose the requirements of international conventions on ships under its registerer, then perhaps ships flying that State's flag should no longer be privileged to benefit from the ability to limit their liability - under international convention. This would certainly be a blunt enough instrument to cudgel the insurance industry into charging appropriate premiums and either the Flag State gets its act together or looses its fleet.
Impossible? Not really; agree that the Limitation of Liability Convention will be internationally revoked in, say, 2008 and only reinstated for those States that have proved, in the intervening years, that they have met internationally acceptable standards. Another white list - maybe, but it could certainly concentrate a few minds.
Contact him at:- RTallack@IDGMaritime.com
None this month.
None this month.
Dear Mike
I remember some time ago your offering to publicise in FLASHLIGHT any trouble that surveyors might have with companies not paying their invoices.
I have had one experience which I a sure that other surveyors would not like to experience.
Back in February 2004 I was contacted by a gentleman from a company in Athens.
He asked me to quote for a per-sale survey except for any extra costs like couriers, extra communications etc. The survey was completed on 20/2/04 and the report plus photographs sent by E-mail as requested.
They had trouble receiving the photographs due to their being taken on a high definition digital camera and their computer was not capable for receiving them.
We spent a lot of time on the internet trying to send the photographs. I offered to send the photographs by Courier providing they paid.
On the 26th of February they asked me to send them by courier, DHL. I checked with DHL who told me that if they paid in advance in Athens then they would courier the photographs, I informed the client. No payment was made to DHL and so no photographs were sent.
When three (3) months went by without my invoice being paid I contacte the client and told him that I wanted the fee paid my account in a week's time or I would take further action.
On the Monday morning following I received an E-mail to say that a sum US$30 short of the invoice amount was sent to my account. When I eventually received my Bank Statement there was even less paid into the account. This despite my pointing out that I wanted the complete sum paid into my account at no cost to me.
It would behove any surveyor asked to do business with such clients to ask for the total sum to be paid up front before comencing work.
This is not my worst experience to date. Two Shipping Companies have folded and I got nothing. A Local politician & lawyer who is advertised as a pillar of the church got a number of fishing boats surveyed by me but never paid. We took his Company to court and received a finding against him including costs and interest. His company had no funds or assets when the bailiff appeared.
Surveyors BEWARE!!
(ED: It is becoming evident that, unless you know your client well, you should ask for a deposit on your fees up front.)
Charterers P&I Club
Stephen Grainger has joined the claims department of the Charterers P&I Club. Stephen deals with all types of P&I and Defence claims where his knowledge of the law and experience of handling Court and arbitration proceedings has further strengthened the claims department.
Peter Y C Ng
We are pleased to report that Peter Ng, well known Hong Kong Naval Architect and Marine Consultant has been awarded the degree of Doctor or Business Administration by the Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia.
Glasgow posts
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies has announced that Ricahrd Speight has been appointed to the post of Deputy and Assistant Principal whilst Ian Lennox has been appointed as Assistant Principal, Commercial and Overseas Business.
Ship: 5,000 Years of Maritime Adventure, by Brian Lavery (ISBN 1-4053-0589-4) GBP25. Published by Dorling Kindersley, part of the Penguin Group.
A comprehensive yet comprehensible expert account of the development of the human relationship with the sea over some 5,000 years, underpinned throughout by fascinating insights into the way shipping has shaped the world in which we live. With excellent graphic design, illustrations, powerful photographs and informative graphs, daigrams and panels to explain concepts and issues in a clear and attractive way.
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.
Robert Desrosiers of Petromar International, who we met at the 2004 Asian Marine Insurance & Surveying Forum in Bangkok, has passed us the following web sites which will be useful for those wishing to check ISPS standards in ports and security levels:
IMO Country/Port/Terminal infor and contact numbers:
http:www2.imo.org/ispsCode/ISPSInformation.aspx
Tactical Defense Concepts (TDC) - a good section on security alerts and analysis:
http://www.tdconcepts.com/
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.
2004 Marine Insurance and Surveying Forum, 25/26 November 2004, Sofitel Hotel, Bangkok.
The conference started in reality the night before with the Speaker's dinner sponsored by Thoresen Shipping Co (Bangkok) Ltd, giving the speakers and organisers a chance to get to know each other before the fray.
The conference was opened the following morning by Ferdi Stolzenberg, Director of Asia Conferences Ltd, welcoming delegates and speakers from 18 different nationalities from around the world.
The format for the forum is three papers per session with two sessions each in the morning and afternoon.
An overview of Marine Surveying in Thailand
Mr Richard Allen, Bangkok Marine Survey Co Ltd, (Thailand)
Our first paper gave an overview of the marine surveying scene in Thailand, Richard detailing the ports, facilities, types of cargoes and marine surveying companies. This was a well organised and presented paper which left everybody clear on Thailand's marine surveying activities.
Need for professional institutes _ why people should join.
Capt. Chris Spencer, C F Spencer & Co Ltd, (UK)
A good selling job to get some of our Asian colleagues to join a professional institute. Chris listed the various associations and the benefits of joining, some of which I had never realised myself!
Loss Prevention Initiatives _ Owner view
Mr Andrew Airey, General Manager, Thoresen Co. (Bangkok) Ltd, (Thailand)
Good to hear from a quality ship operator who puts his money where his mouth is. We were treated to seeing how a reputable ship operator goes about ensuring that their ships and crews meet the various standards and conventions. I don't know where he finds the time!
An Introduction of Tariff and Standard Coutract for Ship Repairs in China
Mr Sandy Lin, Manager, Shanghai Freightcare Marine Consultants Co., Ltd, (China)
With many shipowners and operators building and repairing in China these days, together with many of us having to survey the results, it was good to hear how the PRC yards go about their estimates and costing. However, it was disappointing to note that the PRC owners are charged far less than foreign owners. Still don't know why.
S&P broker's requirements for pre_purchase condition surveys
Mr Michael Bjerregaard, S&P Department Fearnleys (Thailand) Ltd, (Thailand)
Good to hear from another of our clients on what they expect from us. Michael was keen to point out that the S&P broker is the man in the middle. He doesn't appoint or pay the surveyor, or even give any requirements for the survey, it being the buyer's responsibility to ensure the surveyor fulfils his requirements with the surveyor ensuring that he gets paid.
Charterer's requirements for pre_charter surveys
Mr Jonathan Stoneley, Cargill International (Geneva & London)
We'd already heard from a quality broker it was then the turn of the quality Charterer. Jonathan gave the reasons for carrying out their risk assessment surveys and how they are carried out with some alarming figures to show the costs of a bad decision.
Seafarers Training _ The Human Error Factor
Capt Anuj Sahai, Risk Manager & Marine Technical Advisor, AXA Corporate Solutions Marine Division, Asia Pacific (Singapore)
Industry statistics have proved that there exist a distinct link between incidents at sea and human error. Human error is seen to be the root cause of 60% to as high as 90% of incidents at sea. The human element is the weakest link in seagoing operations. Anuj suggested that corrective actions are quite obvious, ie, improve procedures and processes, address human fatigue and onboard management issues, review effectiveness of training methods and situation awareness.
P&I claim causation and loss prevention in the Region
Mr David Heaselden, Shipowners P&I Club, (UK)
David outlined the various aspects of covering a large number of smaller vessels in the Asian market, detailing the various claims and problems with which the Club has to deal.
A comparison of Codes of professional Conduct/Ethics
Mr Mike Wall, Managing Director, Kiwi Marine Consultants Ltd, (Hong Kong)
Mike outlined the codes of conduct/ethics of six of the major professional institutes/associations to which a marine surveyor may belong, together with the penalties to be imposed. Interesting to note that there have not been many complaints against marine surveyors apart from those for slow delivery of reports or being too honest!
Challenges for the Marine Loss Prevention Industry
Mr Andrew Cross, Lloyds Agency, (UK)
Andrew reviewed the coverage of the Lloyds Agency and their role in shipping, together with some suggestions as to how marine surveyors may digress into other services. As usual strongly presented and assisted with amusing graphics.
Recent developments in Instrumentation & Equipment
Mr Ken Hawes & Paul Fahy, Class Instrumentation, (UK)
In every forum we like to have one or two technical papers and this year Ken and Paul described how the ultrasound hatchcover testing and ultrasonic thickness gauging equipment operates. We also learned how] their equipment is capable of measuring thicknesses through paint coatings.
The Media's Role in an accident
Mr Ferdi StoIzenherg, MTI Network (Asia), (Hong Kong)
Ferdi and his staff have been organising our forum for three years and never revealed what he does for a proper job. This year he came clean and explained how companies such as his can assist the shipping industry in crisis management reducing the possibility of the press getting the wrong end of the stick. The paper was well received and an eye opener for all of us.
Ferdi's paper ended the first day's proceedings, the delegates adjourning to the hotel restaurant for a cocktail party.
Day two started with a new approach for the forum, employing the services of four respected speakers in their own right to lead us through a casualty scenario, entitled "Marine Accidents, their investigation & collection of evidence" An inter_active forum with views from:
Captain _ Capt. K Matta, Precious Shipping Public Company Limited, (Thailand)
Surveyor _ Mr Peter Lambert, Australian Maritime Operations & Logistics.
P&I Club _ Mr Mark Borkett, West of England PM, (Hong Kong)
Lawyer _ Mr Peter Mills, Jonathan Rostron (Hong Kong)
This was so well received that we have decided to dedicate a whole afternoon to a more detailed analysis of such incidents next year.
CDI Inspections _ The Inspector's Viewpoint
Mr Danish Sultan, PacMarine Services, (Hong Kong)
Danish gave a detailed description of how the CDI inspection system works and what is expected of the surveyors and shipping operators participating in the scheme. This is a clearly a clean scheme with] little chance of conflict of interest or faulty reporting.
Loss Prevention for marine shipments of infrastructure project cargo (security_theft)
Mr Raja Kamarul Bahrin, Manager, SE Asia (Marine), American International Group (AIG)
The causes of cargo claims in the modern containerised/breakbulk environment
Raja outlined the types of projects which comprise project cargoes, giving some excellent photo examples, his company believing in the 'Cradle to the Grave approach', ie, from the ex-works stage to installation on site. He listed the various companies involved in insuring such cargoes with their requirements for project surveyors and equipment to monitor such consignments, an eye opener even for those of us who have already been involved in project cargo surveying.
Marine Loss Prevention / Control
Mr John Cupitt, MCC Worldwide Pty Ltd, (Australia)
John outlined, from a cargo surveyor's perspective, the technology and changes in the container environment together with shipping in containers versus breakbulk. He also covered the stresses to which shipped cargoes may be subject with possible effects. Interesting to note that containerised cargo damage represented 13% of cargo claims, the largest proportion of all cargo claims between 1987 and 2001.
Benefits Gained from Efficient Surveys
Capt Ong Teck Cheng, MatthewsDaniel International (Vietnam) Ltd.
From my point of view, this was the most relevant paper relating to a marine surveyor's activities. We can all go out there and do a survey with plenty of time to spare, but do we really think about how we can make our surveys more efficient and effective? Ong outlined how the surveyor can prepare himself for the survey by obtaining much of the information before boarding the vessel and then planning the survey to make optimum use of the time on board. One would not believe that this was the first time Ong had presented a paper to a major conference.
Implications of the ISPS Code for marine surveyors
Mr Brian Jenner, Seawise Maritime Services Pte Ltd , (Singapore)
A contentious and difficult subject at the best of times but well approached and presented by Brian in explaining the requirements, benefits and inconveniences of the code, having first explained where terrorism fitted into marine perils.
Industry/Country Roundtable Discussion
As with previous years, we finished off our forum with a two hour open forum where all present had an opportunity to voice their views on any subject affecting our profession. Amongst the topics covered were:
Local agents performance.
ISPS preventing us from doing our job?
Which professional institute to join, what do they offer?
Experience or qualifications first?
Surveyor ID cards.
Use of disposable cameras aboard tankers - take the film out before disposing of the camera!
We hear that there is currently a draft resolution being proposed by the MSC of IMO relating to 'Standards for Owners' inspections and maintenance of bulk carrier hatch covers'. We hope to see the amendment to Annex 19 adopted as soon as possible.
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Date set for global sulphur limits
Global and regional limits on sulphur emissions from ships' exhausts become mandatory next year. Annex VI of MARPOL 73 78 has finally been ratified and enters into force on May 19, 2005.
Annex VI sets out Regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships. As part of Annex VI the sulphur content of marine fuels will be governed globally and should not exceed 4.5 % m/m. In the so called sulphur emission control areas (SECAs) the sulphur content of fuel oil will be capped at 1.5% m/m.
The first SECA is the Baltic Sea, and it will enter into force on May 19, 2006. The North Sea and English Channel is likely to become a SECA in 2007, but no firm date has yet been set.
To ensure compliance with Marpol Annex VI, Port State Authorities may board vessels to check that vessels are following the requirements. These include the retention on board for three years of Bunker Delivery Notes for all fuel taken, and evidence of the sulphur content of the fuel. That evidence must be provided by the supplier. Control visits will commence in May and lune next year. Owners need to be ready for that. In line with Annex VI requirements a regulatory sample will have to be taken and retained onboard the vessel, in the event of port authorities requesting the sample for further testing, to ensure the fuel is in compliance with environmental properties as stipulated in Regulation 18 of Marpol Annex VI.
With regard to the use of low sulphur fuels in SECAs, the onus is on suppliers to supply compliant low sulphur fuel, and on vessel owners to ensure their crews know how to store it separately, when to use it and how to document the change over correctly. Necessary evidence will have to be collected during bunker transfers and bunker useage to demonstrate compliance to port authorities that low sulphur fuel has been burned at all times within a SECA, and that no fuel with a sulphur content in excess of 4.5% has been burnt anywhere.
Owners with will need to collect the evidence during bunkering operations to comply with all the requirements stipulated in Marpol Annex VI. One of the most important aspects of Annex VI is the regulatory sample, which will have to be drawn with a drip sampler attached to the vessels receiving manifold, to ensure a true representative sample of the fuel delivered.
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IMO regularly updates its web page with new and amended conventions:
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.
If you have a marine related conference coming up, let us know so that we can mention it below,
10 -13 January 2005. FPSO/Floating Production Technology for Offshore Oil & Gas Production, Hilton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
info at: www.ibc-asia.com/fpso.htm
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, Strand Palace Hotel, London. This conference will be organized by NAMS and supported by SCMS,IIMS, and IMarEST
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/
What is the difference between girls aged 8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58,68, & 78?
At 8 - You take her to bed and tell her a story.
At 18 - You tell her a story and take her to bed.
At 28 - You don't need to tell her a story to take her to bed.
At 38 - She tells you a story and takes you to bed.
At 48 - You tell her a story to avoid going to bed.
At 58 - You stay in bed to avoid her story.
At 68 - If you take her to bed, that'll be a story!!
At 78 - What story???? What bed??? Who are you??.
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Q. Where do newlywed seniors go on their honeymoons?
A. Viagra Falls!
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Suicide Note
During a recent business trip, one of our readers visited a Wadi (river bed) near Muscat in the Oman. Usually dry in autumn, this one was water filled and had suddenly become very popular with locals for picnics and swimming. Obviously aware of the potential danger, the authorities had instealled a large notice board in English and Arabic on the access road. Losing something in the translation the English version read 'Death by drowning is becoming very popular'.
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Four Animals
You've got to love this little girl. What a woman she'll make!
A teacher asked her class, "What do you want out of life?"
A little girl in the back row raised her hand and said, "All I want out of life is
four little animals". The teacher asked, "Really and what four little animals would that be sugar?"
The little girl said, "A mink on my back, a jaguar in the garage, a tiger in the bed and a jackass to pay for all of it."
The teacher fainted.
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News, views, enquiries, suggestions, articles and letters for inclusion in future editions of FLASHLIGHT may be sent to:
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