NL MARITIME NEWS

NL MARITIME NEWS

A NewsLink service for Dole Colombia International maritime news for seafarers

Thursday, May 16, 2013 Headland SatNews

NATIONAL

IMO's decision to postpone NOx emission limits irk NGOs

The IMO's decision to postpone implementation of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions limits for ship engines from 2016 to 2021 has not gone down well with certain environmental NGOs. While criticising the IMO's decision, NGOs Transport & Environment (T&E) and Seas at Risk have now asked the EU to implement its own NOx limits to contain air pollution. In a statement, T&E and Seas at Risk said: "The decision taken at a meeting in London of the IMO working group, reviewing MARPOL Annex VI (1), adopted in 2008, delays the introduction of stricter NOx emissions limits for engines of ships built from 2016 when sailing in so-called 'NOx Emissions Control Areas'. Currently the North American coastline is such an area and the Baltic Sea might be designated to be one. This new NOx standard is about 75% lower than emissions of current engines and will mean cleaner air over European and North American seas and coastal areas." Antoine Kedzierski, T&E Clean Shipping Officer stressed that the IMO's decision to delay ship engine NOx standards was unacceptable and at the same time disastrous. He said: "Two years before the entry into force of the next emissions limit, the IMO punishes those who have chosen to invest in clean innovation in order to comply and rewards those who have waited and lobbied for postponement. The call was led by Russia, but the lack of a common EU position is also to blame with Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Latvia and Estonia all toeing the Russian line. This decision will not only kill high-value jobs in the clean-tech industry, but will also increase emissions that have serious impact on the environment and human health." For his part, John Maggs from Seas at Risks said: "If left unregulated, shipping will soon become the biggest source of NOx emissions in Europe, exceeding all land-based emissions put together. Due to IMO's sudden and abrupt change of direction, Europe should now act by itself and set clean engine standards at EU level."

H1N1 virus detected in marine mammals

US researchers said on Wednesday that they have detected for the first time the H1N1 virus in elephant seals off the coast of central California. The H1N1 strain is the same one that emerged in humans in 2009 and it's the first report of that flu strain in any marine mammal, researchers at the University of California, Davis reported in the journal PLOS ONE. The researchers said the seals tested negative before they went to sea in early 2010 but tested positive when they returned from sea in spring 2010. They suspected that exposure occurred in the seals before they reached land, either while at sea or upon entering the near-shore environment, Xinhua reported.

SAFETY Accommodation ladders

Accommodation ladders are the most commonly used means of access to ships. On vessels that have large freeboards, they may fulfil the role of general access when in port and facilitate pilot boarding and disembarking at the beginning and end of passage. Therefore it is important that a responsible officer supervises the complex construction of these ladders. During this process, careful inspection should be conducted to ensure that each component of the ladder is free from damage,fit for purpose, secure and

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Stevedores strike against port reforms bill

Strike initiated by stevedores at Brazil's Santos and Rio de Janeiro ports entered its second day on Wednesday. The stevedores, who began their strike action on Tuesday are protesting against a proposed legislation that, according to them could open terminals to new private-sector investments. Santos Stevedores Union President Rodnei da Silva on Wednesday declared that strike at Santos port would continue, stressing that the union is expecting the agitation to spread across other ports in the northeastern part of the country. Da Silva, while talking to the local media argued that the reform bill does not prove beneficial for the stevedores as it does not protect their rights and would at the same time encourage new terminal investors to employ non-union labour. On Tuesday, Brazil's Lower House of the Congress could not vote on the bill despite being in session for 16-long hours. The session had to be suspended on two occasions after lawmakers argued over the legislation that on one hand will attract investments worth billions of dollars, but would lower the cost of doing business in Brazil.

suitably lubricated. The supervising officer should inspect the wire for signs of damage and fatigue. Care should be taken to ensure a suitable amount of back tension is applied during spooling. This will reduce the likelihood of jamming when load is applied to the winch. Most ladders are designed to rest on the quayside and pivot at the point of attachment to the ship's hull. This can result in a significant concentration of loading stress, often compounded by movement of the vessel at the berth. Supervision of the vessel's access can monitor the extent of this movement and prevent the ladder becoming overloaded when large groups are assembled waiting to board or disembark. This is particularly important when the vessel is at anchor and the ladder is entirely suspended from the wire and davit arrangement. Signs indicating maximum loading should be attached to the ladder both at the top and bottom to advise on the capacity of the ladder at any one time. Source: NEPIA

Key agreement signed at Arctic Council meet

A new agreement on Co-operation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic was signed on Wednesday at the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in the city of Kiruna, northern Sweden. This is the second legally-binding agreement among the Arctic states and will enhance response measures and co-operation in the Arctic. It will "substantially improve procedures for combating oil spills in the Arctic," according to a press release. US Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the agreement, saying that "painful" memories of the oil spill near US shores should not repeat again. He also expressed strong support for a collaborative partnership with other Arctic member states to "protect and preserve" the Arctic. The ministerial meeting also witnessed the release of several important scientific reports, including the Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, the Arctic Ocean Review and the Arctic Ocean Acidification Assessment, providing new benchmarks and knowledge about the state of the Arctic environment, Xinhua reported.

COMMERCE Over capacity in iron ore vessels, tankers force drop in rates
Charter prices for iron ore vessels dropped anew on Wednesday, continuing five days of depreciation as the glut of vessels offset demand for imports to China, the largest buyer of the raw material used to make steel, according to Bloomberg. The report said hires have fallen about 13% from an almost three-month high on May 8. The shipping glut grew by about 80% compared to 2008, when earnings sky-rocketed to 40 times higher than what they are currently, according to UK-based ship finance firm, IHS Fairplay.

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Meanwhile, the benchmark cost of shipping two million barrels of Middle East crude oil to Asia also fell due to a growing number of tankers. The Baltic Exchange board indicated that charter hires for VLCCs dropped nine-tenths of a percent to 39.63. It was the biggest fall in rates since April 9, according to the index. The Baltic Dry Index was down 11 points to 861 on Wednesday in London.

ENVIRONMENT Cotton can help clear oil spill: study

Unprocessed, raw cotton might just be an answer to the menace of oil spill, polluting seawater across the globe. A team of scientists at Texas Tech University, US recently revealed in their report that unprocessed, raw cotton has the ability to soak up and hold more than 30 pounds of crude oil. This, according to them, is done in multiple ways. The scientists explained that cotton can both absorb and adsorb oil. While through absorption, oil penetrates inside the cotton and gets trapped, in adsorption, oil merely sticks to the outer surface of the cotton fibre. The scientists informed that while conducting extensive study on fibres like barley straw, kapok and wool, huge gaps appeared pertaining to their basic crude oil-uptake mechanisms. Therefore in order to fill in those gaps, they decided to conduct research on the oil sorption properties of low micronaire cotton. The scientists then observed that as compared to synthetic sorbents, unprocessed, raw cotton was "an ecologically-friendly sorbent for oil spill cleanups."

Shipping pollution leads to ocean acidification: experts

Increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can lead to the acidification of oceans and pollution from shipping and are one of the major contributors of this environmental hazard. This was disclosed in a study, conducted by an international team of researchers. According to them, carbon dioxide has the ability to dissolve easily into water and in turn produce weak carbonic acid. "These oxides are present in the exhaust gases from ships' engines. Sulphur oxides come from the sulphur present in marine fuel oil, while nitrogen oxides are formed from atmospheric nitrogen during combustion. Emission of these oxides causes atmospheric pollution, followed by marine pollution (acidification) on deposition," said David R Turner of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

INCIDENT Crew brought to safety

All 15 Asian crewmembers, including the captain, onboard an oil tanker, were brought to safety after a fire broke out on their vessel. The UAE Coast Guard that conducted the rescue operation said: "The fire broke out on-board at around 12am. The tanker, which flew a Togo flag, left Al Hamriya port on May 9 after emptying its oil shipment and was in a waiting area located at a distance of ten nautical miles to avoid charges." Separately, bodies believed to be those of the six missing Russian crew members were found inside a Cambodia- registered freighter that caught fire early on Thursday in a port in Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido, according to local media. Rescuers, including firefighters and Japanese Coast Guard, took about 11 hours to put out the fire since they received an emergency call at around 1:45am local time, Japan's Kyodo News Agency cited local authorities
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as saying. Three Russian sailors among a total of 18 crewmembers were rescued and have been sent to hospital without serious injuries, according to Xinhua. The rest sailors, including another five more Russian crew members boarded at the Wakkanai port, were confirmed safe.

WORLD TRAVEL Guatemala

Guatemala is a Central American country with rich and distinctive culture, inherited from a mix of elements from Spanish and the native Maya people. The tiny country shares its borders with Mexico in the north-northwest, Belize in the northeast, Honduras in the southeast and El Salvador in the south. It also has a Pacific coastline towards the southwest and a Caribbean coastline towards the east. Foreign tourists are advised to visit the country mainly to experience its natural beauty. Although Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, majority of the people have a working knowledge of basic English. The ideal time to visit Guatemala is from November to April. Major cities Apart from the capital city of Guatemala, other major cities are Flores, the Island city and capital of Peten region where you will find Mayan ruins, Melchor de Mencos, Panajachel, popularly known as the Gateway to Lake Atitlan, Puerto Barrios, Puerto San Jose, Quetzaltenango, Sayaxche and Coban. Other top destinations are Lake Atitlan - the Beautiful lake region in the mountains, Monterrico - the beach resort, Rio Dulce and El Mirador - a massive early Maya site, Tikal, Aguateca - the home of some of the best-preserved Mayan ruins in Guatemala, El Peru, Iximche and Nakum. Explore Mayan ruins The majority of foreign tourists visit the country mainly to explore the Mayan ruins. The ancient Mayans had built some of their greatest cities in Guatemala, such as Tikal and El Mirador. These two cities can be described as amazing and unforgettable destinations in Guatemala. Go hiking Visitors can also go hiking at the Pacaya volcano, the most climbed volcano, rising to an altitude of 8,371ft. It has been continually active since 1965. The biggest thrill of climbing Pacaya is the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Relax on beaches Foreigners, who enjoy spending their holidays in beaches should visit Guatemala's Pacific coast, as there are plenty of relaxing seaside stretches in the country. These seaside stretches not only offer relaxation, but also wonderful sunsets. Monterrico is the most famous Guatemala beach, and spending for at least a day there will be a worthy addition to your list of things to do in Guatemala. Visit by plane

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You can easily catch a Guatemala-bound flight from any US and Latin American cities. The main airport of the country is La Aurora International Airport situated at the outskirts of Guatemala City. Guatemala's secondary airport is situated at Flores in Peten.

SHIPPING DATA
BALTIC EXCHANGE
Market snapshot: 11:00 GMT Dry Index Capesize Index Panamax Index Supramax Index Handysize Index BDI BCI BPI BSI BHSI 861 -11

1338 -22 974 854 555 -14 -3 0

EXCHANGE RATES
New York (Wed Cls) Fgn Currency in USD Britain (Pound) Canada (Dollar) China (Yuan) Euro India (Rupee) 1.5220 0.9828 0.1627 1.2875 0.0183 USD in Fgn Currency 0.6571 1.0175 6.1470 0.7767 54.7850 9748.00 102.3200 5.8514 41.2600 3.2500 31.4723 1.2470

Indonesia (Rupiah) 0.000103 Japan (Yen) Norway (Krone) Philippines (Peso) Poland (Zloty) Russia (Ruble) Singapore (Dollar) 0.009773 0.1709 0.0242 0.3078 0.0318 0.8019

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