On 11 February the PAC published as evidence a National Audit Office memorandum titled:

The award of contracts for additional freight capacity on ferry services

It was announced on 8 February that IMO has launched a new logo for its Women in Maritime programme, as part of its mission to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

From the above based in Lisbon we learn that on 29 January, a kick-off meeting got underway for the development of a Handbook on European Cooperation on Coast Guard Functions.

Further, it was reported that EMSA and the EU agency for law enforcement cooperation, Europol, are to cooperate more closely together following the signature of a working arrangement by their respective executive directors on 18 December last.

Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) has chosen OceanWise to supply, install and maintain new tide and weather monitoring systems at this 900-year old East Coast of England port. British marine instrument specialist, Valeport, has partnered with OceanWise to deliver the environmental monitoring systems and continue its long-standing relationship with HHA.

The National Workboat Association (NWA), the trade, skills and safety standards association for the workboat industry, announced the launch of Edition 2 of The Workboat Code, a document that will redefine working practices and standards for vessel operators across numerous maritime sectors in the UK.

The UK MCA Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1892 (M) which introduces the Code is to be found here:

Back in 2016, the results of the IHMA Member Survey established that a structured on-line tool to track continuous professional development (CPD) would be of use to members. The IHMA CPD tool is now ready and available to all Full and Associate members in the Members' area of the website.
What is Continuous Professional Development?

The European Habour Master Committee (EHMC) will try a new format for its’ 2019 seminar to be held in Gothenburg on 28 and 29 June. The traditional presentations in the morning will be followed by a number of carrousel presentations and short interactive demonstrations with small groups of people from within the audience.

Energy efficiency, flexibility and optimised space availability will be built into a new Wasaline ferry that will transform freight and passenger connections between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland, according to naval architect and design engineering consultant Foreship.

Asahi Tanker Co. Ltd, together with its partner Exeno-Yamamizu Corporation Tokyo, has jointly developed a new domestic tanker design incorporating zero emission electric propulsion (see illustration here).

In anticipation of future adaptations to regulatory conformity ClassNK has been appointed to provide technical advice on ship design and electric propulsion.

On 23 January the Danish Maritime Authority hosted the first meeting in the Danish-South Korean Green Ship Expert Committee (GSEC) (illustrated). This collaboration originated from the strategic partnership between Denmark and South Korea that was formed during the 60th anniversary in 2011 of the dispatch of the hospital ship mvJutlandia*. GSEC will set the framework for collaboration on new technology and sustainable solutions for shipping.