Call for flexibility with ship chandlering at SA ports No export of bonded stores permitted COVID-19 regulations
Our picture shows a Carnival line up. Five Carnival ships are due in Durban in week commencing 24 May. (Photo: www.africaports.co.za )
No less than five Carnival Cruise ships are due to arrive in Durban between 26 and 28 May to take on bunkers and to restock depleted supplies.
Practical measures IMO and protection from infection advice
Shipping is vital to the world supply chain. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that all personnel involved are protected from infection, including those onboard ships and shore personnel who may need to temporarily go on ships or interact with seafarers.
Revd Canon Ken Peters RNR, Dip.Th, MBA, MA, FNI
It is with great sadness that we announce that The Revd Canon Ken Peters died on 9 May 2020 at the age of 66.
After 38 years of distinguished service within The Mission to Seafarers (MtS), Ken was very well known across the world, not just to the MtS family but to many beyond.
Light Station Boston Federal Agencies seek new steward National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act applies
It was reported from Boston on 13 May that the US Coast Guard, in partnership with the US General Services Administration, has initiated the process to transfer stewardship of Light Station Boston, commonly known as Boston Light, under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA).
The decision to move forward with this process was announced at The Boston Harbor Islands Partnership virtual meeting on 13 May.
US$993 million Abidjan port expansion completed
An ambitious US$993 million project of expanding the Cote d’Ivoire Port of Abidjan has been completed by the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).
The project which was commenced in 2017 includes the construction of three new container berths with deep water alongside, a ro-ro berth, a general cargo berth and appropriate channels to provide improved access and to assist in improving the cargo handling volume of Abidjan port.
IMO endorses new protocols designed to lift barriers to crew changes
The need for ships to change crews and for seafarers to fly home at the end of their periods of service have emerged as two of the biggest challenges facing the shipping industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 7 May IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim endorsed a series of protocols designed to address these issues.
COVID-19 safety Hand sanitiser safety
A report was received from the UK Chamber of Shipping on 5 May with regard to an injury suffered by staff of a member organisation of the Chamber.
An individual had used This report is in relation to a Company customer with an employee who used alcohol-based hand gel sanitiser in compliance with current recommendations for COVID-19 personal hygiene requirements.
Western Indian Ocean marine environmental issues WOC and partners to survey ocean business community
UN Environment, South African Institute of International Affairs and World Ocean Council engage business, industry and other stakeholders in the Western Indian Ocean to advance marine ecosystem management
News from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Marine notice 03/2020 Shutdown of AMSA’s differential global positioning system (DGPS) service from 1 July 2020.
AMSA established its radiobeacon DGPS service in the 1990s, to improve the accuracy and integrity of global positioning system (GPS) information for ships navigating off the coast of Australia. This was announced by AMSA from Canberra on 5 May.
Latest News & Events
Our picture shows a Carnival line up. Five Carnival ships are due in Durban in week commencing 24 May. (Photo: www.africaports.co.za )
No less than five Carnival Cruise ships are due to arrive in Durban between 26 and 28 May to take on bunkers and to restock depleted supplies.
These five ships are part of a group of 12 engaged in the humanitarian task of repatriating over 26,000 crew from the Carnival fleet and other companies, as well as personnel from entertainment centres ashore, who because of the coronavirus pandemic, have had their employment suddenly curtailed.
Hotel staff and entertainers
These are the entertainment staff, the onboard shop workers, beauty salon practitioners, waiters and bus boys, chefs and kitchen staff, cabin cleaners, pursers and front desk people all making up the staff working on board cruise ships.
With cruising curtailed these former employees are finally returning home to destinations like India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines after having remained on board their ships for more than two months, unable to go ashore or receive visitors ever since cruising operations were suspended in mid -March. Ahead they face another three or four weeks at sea before being allowed to disembark. However, there’s something of a problem.
Call to governments
IFSMA* calls upon Governments to adopt the ‘Framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the COVID-19 pandemic’ without delay to allow ship owners and management companies to change over their dangerously tired crews.
Governments must act now in order to avoid personal injury to, and mental breakdown of, seafarers and avoid the significant risk of accidents and consequential danger to life and the environment.
Concern at IFSMA
IFSMA is receiving an increasing number of reports from its ship masters’ associations around the world concerned for the welfare and safety of crews and the increased risk with which they are operating in an already high risk environment. Seafarers are feeling let down and abandoned by their Governments.
Unprecedented times
Following concerns from the maritime industry, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) issued a circular to all Member States, the UN and agencies and IGOs and NGOs in consultative status with IMO. This document concerned recommendations to Member States about measures to facilitate ship crew changes in seaports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IMO Secretary General has received a framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the pandemic, proposed by a cross-section of global industry associations in consultative status with the IMO, for example: ICS, IAPH, BIMCO, IFSMA, and P&I Clubs as well as the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
