MV Yamatai Receives Certificate of Appreciation

In May, Yamatai, a module carriers operated by NYK-Hinode Line Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK, which has been engaged in free ocean transport of relief supplies to the northeast region of Japan, was recognized by NYK and certificates of appreciation were granted to each crew member.

The relief supplies were collected through the First Relief Supplies Hotline, which was established by NYK and the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations.

Local governments, the All-Japan Seamen’s Union, NPOs, and other companies contributed to provide these supplies.

The vessel set sail from the port of Kobe on March 24, and arrived at the port of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture on March 27.

The relief supplies, which included drinking water, food, sanitary goods, and goods for daily life, equivalent to about 146 tons, were distributed to various cities upon completion of discharging.

Source: Masaki Morita. NYK Tokyo Seascope No. 289 (July 2011)

MV South Islander receives award after rescue of 27 sailors in distress

MV South Islander, a multipurpose containership owned by NYK-Hinode Line Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK, rescued all 27 fisherman (10 Japanese, eight Indonesians, and nine Kiribati) from a fishing vessel in trouble, Daiichi Shoei Maru, 870 kilometers east of Guam on April 17. 

First sighting of flaming "Shoei Maru No. 1"

MV South Islander crew conducting rescue procedure

Daiichi Shoei Maru requested the rescue after its engine room caught fire. South Islander was sailing from Yokohama to Honiara, Solomon Islands, and was 222 kilometers southwest of this fishing vessel when the U.S. Coast Guard radioed a request to assist at about 2:20 p.m. (JST) on April 17. South Islander rushed to the scene, and at about 10:20 p.m. found the crew, who had abandoned ship, in life rafts a safe distance from the burning Daiichi Shoei Maru. All 27 fishermen were then safely transferred to South Islander at about 10:30 p.m.

Thank You Seafarers » Day of the Seafarer, 25th June 2011

Every 25th of June of each year was recognized and declared as the Day of Seafarer, as per the resolution made during the Conference of Parties to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, held in Manila Philippines in June 2010.

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), in line with the resolution, made an executive order whereas, declaring also every 25th of June to be the Day of Filipino Seafarer.

In connection with the above, MARINA is now making preparations for the celebration of the said event. In view thereof, MARINA called for a series of meetings with the relevant government agencies together with the private sector from the industry to draft as well as finalized the preparation for the celebration of the said event.

MV Shiramizu receives recognition plaque for Best Ever Shipping Record of Loading Rate at PWCS

Captain Macario B. Arias and Wayne Carman

PWCS has been working with shipping companies to improve loading rates at both CCT and KCT Terminals. Feedback is provided to the companies on good performance and also when improvement is required. This work has seen a continual and steady improvement in the loading performance of vessels at PWCS.

On 9 November 2010 the MV Shiramizu loaded 88,627 tonnes at a Gross Load Rate of 6,942 tonnes per hour. This is the fastest ever rate at PWCS. On new year’s day 2011, Kooragang Terminal Manager, Wayne Carman presented a recognition plaque to the MV Shiramizu’s Master, Captain Macario B Arias.

Also present at the presentation were the vessel’s Chief Officer, Boyd Manning KCT Shift Supervisor, Daniel Bower KCT VBLO, Aaron Hodgson KCT Operator and Andrew Maher Live Run Coordinator.

MV Shiramizu is operated by the Hachiuma Steamship Co Ltd.

Wayne congratulated Captain Arias on this great achievement. Captain Arias thanked PWCS for this recognition and stated that he would strive to continue to load efficiently.

SHIPPING INDUSTRY CHANGES STANCE ON ARMED GUARDS

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for shipowners, representing all sectors and trades and about 80% of the world merchant fleet.

ICS - whose Executive Committee comprising representatives of national shipowners’ associations from over 30 countries met in London last week - has decided to clarify its stance on the use of private armed security guards to defend merchant ships against attacks by Somali pirates.   ICS members have also identified a vital need for the military to disable the hijacked ‘motherships’ which the pirates are now using to launch attacks throughout much of the Indian Ocean.  

ICS Chairman, Spyros M Polemis, explained:

“ICS has had to acknowledge that the decision to engage armed guards, whether military or private, is a decision to be made by the ship operator after due consideration of all of the risks, and subject to the approval of the vessel’s flag state and insurers.   The consensus view amongst shipping industry associations remains that, in normal circumstances, private armed guards are not recommended, and are a clear second best to military personnel.   However, in view of the current crisis in the Indian Ocean - with over 700 seafarers held hostage and, most recently, a seafarer being executed – ship operators must be able to retain all possible options available to deter attacks and defend their crews against piracy.   Many shipping companies have concluded that arming ships is a necessary alternative to avoiding the Indian Ocean completely, which would have a hugely damaging impact on the movement of world trade."

DOLE SIGNALS GO FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STCW MANILA AMENDMENTS

MTC,  a  DOLE  attached  agency,  spearheads  the  implementation  of  the  Manila Amendments  to  the  STCW  Convention  and  Code.  
 
Last  June  of  2010,  the  IMO  Diplomatic  Convention  held  at  PICC  Manila  adapted the  changes  to  the  1995  Standards  for  Training  Certification  and  Watchkeeping Convention  and  Code.

The  STCW  is  the  internationally-set  yardstick  on  training,  certification  and watckeeping  for  seafarers.  Countries  involved  in  the  shipping  trade  are  obliged  to either  meet  or  exceed  the  provisions  of  these  conventions.  

The  Manila  amendments  changed  the  1995  standards  significantly.  New  training requirements  were  identified  including,  training  in  modern  technology  such  as electronic  charts  and  information  systems  or  ECDIS,  marine  environment awareness,  leadership,  and  teamwork.  The  revision/updating  of  several requirements  were  also  made  including,  to  name  a  few,   the  requirement  on hours  of  work  and  rest,  competence  of  personnel  serving  on-board  tanker  vessels, requirements  for  security  and  anti‐piracy  training,  and  new  requirements  for  drug and  alcohol  abuse  prevention  and  improved  standards  on  seafarers’  medical fitness.  The  amendments  also  set  new  certification  requirements  for  able seafarers and  electro‐technical  officers.  

M.V. ”Beluga Nomination” piracy incident : JOINT STATEMENT of the JOINT MANNING GROUP (JMG), and the ASSOCIATED MARINE OFFICERS’ AND SEAFARERS’ UNION OF THE PHILIPPINES (AMOSUP-PTGWO-ITF)

JOINT STATEMENT of the
JOINT MANNING GROUP (JMG), and the
ASSOCIATED MARINE OFFICERS’ AND SEAFARERS’ UNION OF THE PHILIPPINES (AMOSUP-PTGWO-ITF)
05  February  2010,  Manila,  Philippines  
On the M.V. ”Beluga Nomination” piracy incident
 

The  officers  and  representatives  of  five  national  organizations  belonging  to  the  Joint  Manning  Group  (JMG)  and  the  Associated  Marine  Officers’  and  Seamen’s  Union  of  the  Philippines  (AMOSUP‐PTGWO‐ITF)  express  deep  concern  over  the  piracy  incident  involving  the  international  cargo  vessel  M.V.  Beluga  Nomination  that  already  claimed  the  life  of  a  Filipino  Seafarer.  
 
M.V.  Beluga  Nomination  was  attacked  in  the  afternoon  of  22  January  2011  by  a  fast  craft  with  an  unknown  number  of  pirates.  Four  days  later,  an  element  of  the  Combined  Maritime  Forces  (CMF)  in  the  area  attempted  to  rescue  the  vessel’s  crew,  during  which  one  pirate  was  killed.  
 
The  pirates,  in  retaliation,  shot  and  killed  a  Filipino  crew  member.  During  the  incident,  two  crew  members,  one  of  whom  is  a  Filipino,  managed  to  escape.  The  other  two,  one  Filipino  and  one  East  European,  are  still  missing  and  are  now  the  subject  of  continuing  search  and  rescue  operation.  

DOLE CONDEMNS KILLING OF FILIPINO SEAFARER; PLANS ACTION WITH MANNING INDUSTRY ON BETTER PROTECTION OF SEAMEN AGAINST PIRACY

MV Beluga Nomination (Image Source: NATO)

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday strongly condemned the killing of a Filipino seafarer in the hands of Somali pirates as a "senseless disregard for human life", and said the Department has discussed with its tripartite partners a plan of action containing measures on how to better safeguard and protect Filipino seafarers on board international vessels traversing the pirates-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

"We express outrage over this senseless disregard for human life and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the atrocity of the Somali pirates," she said. "We are also saddened by this tragic incident, and deeply condole with the family and relatives of the deceased Filipino seaman.

BRAZIL AUTHORITIES SUSPENDS IMPOSITION OF FINES IN SUAPE AND RECIFE ON NON-COMPLYING SEAFARERS ON ILO 108/185

Brazilian authorities have agreed to suspend the implementation of immigration fines against ship owners whose seafarers are from countries which are not signatories to ILO C108 (Seafarers Identification Document Convention 1958) or C185 (Seafarers Identification Document Convention 2003).

In a circular issued to all P&I Clubs by Mario Brothers, Ltd. it was stated that “Recife Immigration Authorities received formal instructions from the Federal Police headquarters in Brasilia this afternoon (21 January 2011) to SUSPEND all the deeds of infringements against crewmembers with seaman’s books issued in countries not signatory of ILO 108and 185. Future vessels will also not be fined until authorities in Brasilia make a formal definitive decision.”

Piracy petition presented to IMO

23 September 2010 IMO file photo

 

Mr. David Cockroft, General Secretary of the ITF, supported by shipping industry representatives, has presented a petition signed by 930,406 people to Secretary-General Mitropoulos, calling for Governments to do everything possible to protect the thousands of seafarers and the hundreds of ships at risk of attack by pirates by:

• dedicating significant resources and concerted efforts to find real solutions to the growing piracy problem;

• taking immediate steps to secure the release and safe return of kidnapped seafarers to their families;

• working within the international community to secure a stable and peaceful future for Somalia and its people.

No ban to seafarers deployment: Anti-piracy training must be strengthened

In an advice to the Joint Manning Group, the government reminded the Group that they must ensure the proper conduct and facilitation of shore-based training to improve knowledge and skills of seafarers they deploy. These seafarers must know how to carry out risk assessment, understand piracy threats and current patterns, physically prepare the vessel for a pirate attack, know what to do during transit in a high risk zone, and what actions to take when encountering pirates. (See POEA Memorandum Circular 11-09 mandating piracy training to all seafarers)