MARITIME NEWS

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 International maritime news for seafarers

Delayed refinery projects affecting product tanker market

A slowdown in new refinery projects is likely to hamper the product tanker from posting positive results this year !c"uilling #ervices said in its latest report that new refinery projects meant to $oost supply have $een e%periencing delays, resulting in product tanker earnings to come under pressure The report also stated that the cost of T&'s had $een on a decline of late This could also lead to prices of second(hand tonnage to $e $ased on movements of T&' levels as new$uilding costs are currently $eing dictated $y the market)s future e%pectations According to !c"uilling, tanker demand growth has mostly relied on new refining capacity coming online in Asia and the !iddle 'ast despite a couple of refinery closures in 'urope !c"uilling likewise stated that even though prices for !*2 vessels have $een surging over the past year, the !* second(hand asset market is e%pected to make adjustments to offset the weak T&' environment This process will pro$a$ly cause a strain to shipowners and segment investors, it added +ut !c"uilling stressed that one of the tanker market)s $iggest challenges is how to maintain sta$le deliveries with the e%cessive amount of orders placed over the past few years ,As a strong, new wave of ordering in these last couple years materialises, we do not envision a re(occurrence, $ut rather a more likely scenario where new$uilding prices come under pressure until the supply im$alances are removed from the market,, it said

SAFETY AMSA alert on in-transit fumigation

The Australian !aritime #afety Authority -A!#A. has issued !arine /otice 0012014 to advise shippers, agents, charterers, fumigators, ship owners and ships masters and crew of the re2uirements -under Australian jurisdiction. for ships involved in the activity of in(transit fumigation of cargoes In(transit fumigation of a cargo may $e considered $y some coastal states as a means of complying with the phytosanitary re2uirements to prevent the spread of pests and insects 3or commercial reasons in(transit fumigation may $e utilised to prevent infestation and contamination of, or damage to, cargoes of human and animal grade foodstuffs 4ersons contemplating in(transit fumigation of cargoes in Australian jurisdiction are advised that $oth the A!#A and the Australian 4esticides 5 6eterinary !edicines Authority -A46!A. have a role in this process Any person or organisation contemplating conducting in(transit fumigation of a cargo are reminded that a written 4ermit from A46!A is re2uired prior to any in(transit fumigation taking place This 4ermit should $e preceded $y arranging to meet the re2uirements of $oth A!#A and the A46!A The re2uirements of $oth A!#A and A46!A for conducting in(transit fumigation of cargoes are availa$le from the respective authorities 4ersons or organisations contemplating the in( transit fumigation process are encouraged to contact $oth authorities well in advance of the intended shipment dates to ensure that $oth A!#A and A46!A re2uirements are satisfied in good time #ource7 A!#A

Experts warn of Houston channel oil spill impact

It will take time to clean up the 8ouston channel oil spill and e%perts warned that the impact will likely $e felt for a long time In a 8ouston &hronicle report, e%perts said that the undersea ecosystem in the 9ulf of !e%ico will $e affected $y the 1:0,000 gallons of oil spilled in the area The ;# &oast 9uard has $een $usy over the weekend cleaning up the oil spill, with over <0 workers already deployed =perations at the 8ouston channel were initially shut down as a result of the oil spill $ut operations resumed as early as Thursday

HK ent on luring larger ships with deeper ports

8ong >ong will soon $e a$le to accommodate larger ships in its ports According to sources, the government is keen on deepening its ports to lure more mega( container vessels

The Transport and 8ousing ?epartment is now co(ordinating with relevant agencies regarding the project slated to $egin this year, 8ong >ong Terminal =perators Association chairwoman @essie &hung said The >wai Tsing &ontainer 4ort ->T&4., meanwhile, is also preparing to e%pand and modernise e%isting terminals to accommodate surging demand It also seeks to add more $arge $erths at three waterfront cites =nce the project is completed, &hung e%pects >T&4)s capacity to go up $y four million 20( foot(e2uivalent units -T';s. or e2ual to up to four terminals The >T&4, which handled 1: 1 million T';s in 201A, is aiming to register a two(percent growth over the ne%t to years 8ong >ong is currently the world)s /oA $iggest port, handling a total of 2A 1 million T';s in 2012 8owever, the figure dropped to 22 A million T'; last year

Australia sends fourth ship to search for flight MH!"#

A fourth Australian ship set sail on Tuesday for a sea area 1,B00 kilometres west of 4erth to assist with surface sweep operations searching for missing !alaysia Airlines flight !8A:0, Cinhua reported #ources with Australian ?epartment of ?efense -?=?. said that the ?!# !aritime vessel, #eahorse #tandard, will join a flotilla of three other Australian vessels and more than si% &hinese ships A !alaysian frigate will join the search area soon #eahorse #tandard is a highly maneuvera$le vessel with considera$le e%perience in deep(sea search and recovery operations such as the recovery of +lackhawk 8elicopter 221 off the #olomon Islands in 200:, the ?=? said in a press release The ship will sail for appro%imately five days to reach the search area where other two ships, 8!A# #uccess and 8!A# Toowoom$a, are currently conducting search operations Australian ?efense 6essel =cean #hield which departed for the search area late on !onday is e%pected to arrive in the search area $y April 4 The &ommander of @oint Task 3orce 0DB which is coordinating military contri$utions to the search for !8A:0, &ommodore 4eter Eeavy said the addition of #eahorse #tandard would e%pand the surface search capa$ility and the a$ility to collect surface de$ris if found

8e stressed that current weather conditions were making the search more difficult

$%SA& $ndonesian shipping firms not ready for AE' in (#)*

Ahead of the implementation of the A#'A/ 'conomic &ommunity -A'&. in 201D, national shipping players have admitted that they will not $e ready to compete in the regional free(trade market ,Fe will not $e ready until the government implements pro(shipping transportation policies The A'& is going to $e hard for us,, Indonesian /ational #hipowners Association -I/#A. chairperson &armelita 8artoto said as 2uoted $y kompas com on Tuesday &armelita said the government had yet to prepare a num$er of things to help local shipping firms, such as cutting value added ta% on loading and unloading services, The @akarta 4ost reported #he also said that the government had yet to provide enough fiscal incentives to develop the country)s maritime industry #he added that the $iggest threat to the industry came from state(owned port operator 4T 4ela$uhan Indonesia II -4elindo II., which continued to esta$lish su$sidiaries offering port( $ased services ,This has made competition $etween the private sector and state(run companies tougher,, &armelita said #he claimed that 4elindo II had enjoyed relatively smooth passage in developing its $usiness, in contrast to privately owned firms, adding that 4elindo II was also seeking to make a profit, despite $eing a state(run company I/#A predicted, however, that growth in the country)s shipping industry would reach 1DG this year

INCIDENTS Search a andoned for missing Antarctic fishing +essel

The search for a fishing $oat missing near Antarctica was called off Tuesday, with officials saying there was no chance anyone a$oard had survived in the harsh polar environment

The :D(metre vessel issued a distress signal early #unday which showed it was in the southern Indian =cean a$out 0D0 kilometres north of the Antarctic mainland, the Australian !aritime #afety Authority -A!#A. said An Australian air force 4A =rion plane and a civilian aircraft were sent to find the $oat, which is suspected of $eing involved in illegal fishing, $ut they spotted only de$ris in the area where the distress $eacon was activated, with no signs of a life raft or people in the water ,+ased on medical advice in the current weather conditions there is no chance of survival,, A!#A said, calling off the search in the ice$erg(studded waters, A34 reported

,wo +essels collide in Spain

Three fishermen are dead and two are missing after a collision $etween two ships close to the mouth of the estuary of the *iver de 6igo in the northwest of #pain on Tuesday *eports said the collision was $etween a small fishing $oat and a transport vessel that was carrying vehicles $uilt in the &itroen car factory in 6igo The incident took place at around Aam -02009!T. in an area close to the &ies Islands as the fishing $oat was sailing into 6igo in order to unload its catch, Cinhua news agency reported The details of the accident were confirmed $y the !ayoress of !arin, !aria *amallo on #panish /ational *adio /o$ody on $oard the transport vessel suffered any injury

PORTS -H to install tra+eller.s hu

The 4hilippine 4orts Authority -44A. is setting up a traveller)s hu$ in Ham$oanga &ity 44A 4ort ?istrict =ffice(#outhern !indanao manager Eawyer &hristian #antillan said the project is significant especially as it is an initiative supporting the +runei ?arussalam(Indonesia( !alaysia(4hilippines 'ast A#'A/ 9rowth Area -+I!4('A9A. #antillan said the hu$ was primarily conceived as part of the country)s compliance to multi( lateral talks related to +I!4('A9A, particularly on initiatives toward harmoniIing the &ustoms, Immigration, "uarantine and #ecurity processes of the four mem$er(countries ,This project is very significant as this culminates the many years of advocating for a dedicated terminal for foreign(going passengers in the Ham$oanga $aseport,, he said To officially jumpstart the project, the 44?=)s 'ngineering #ervices ?ivision met with stakeholders last !arch 20 in Ham$oanga &ity to discuss pre(construction concerns, 4/A reported

&urrently, the Ham$oanga $aseport is catering to passengers $ound for #andakan, #a$ah, !alaysia

MARITIME INSTITUTION Danish Marine Accident $n+estigation /oard

The ?anish !aritime Accident Investigation +oard is an independent unit under that country)s !inistry of +usiness and 9rowth ?!AI+ investigates maritime accidents and accidents to seafarers on ?anish and 9reenlandic merchant and fishing ships as well as accidents on foreign merchant ships in ?anish and 9reenlandic waters The organisation)s goal is to $ring to light the circumstances relating to the accidents with the aim of preventing accidents ?anish !AI+ communicates knowledge a$out accidents This knowledge is used $y the fishing and merchant marine industries as well as the ?anish !aritime Authority in order to prevent accidents !arine accident reports are issued in case of serious accidents and1or when lessons can $e learned The investigations are not meant to esta$lish legal or economic lia$ility, $ut to determine the facts &urrently, the $oard consists of five investigators ( one of which is the head of the $oard The investigators have a $road maritime and technical $ackground such as in navigation and engineering Its functions are laid down in the ,Act on safety investigations of marine accidents,, ?anish !aritime Authority Act /o4D: of 1B !ay 2011 This law implements ?irective 200<11B1'& of the 'uropean 4arliament and of the &ouncil issued on 2A April 200< The investigations of the +oard generate information a$out the actual circumstances of accidents and clarify the se2uence of events and reasons leading to these accidents Fith this information in hand, others can take measures to prevent similar accidents in the future The ?anish !aritime Accident Investigation +oard investigates a$out 140 accidents annually In case of very serious accidents, such as deaths and losses, or in case of other special

circumstances, either a marine accident report or a summary report is pu$lished depending on the e%tent and comple%ity of the events

SHIPPING DATA
/A0,$' E1'HA%2E
Market snapshot: (March 31) Dry Index BDI 1362 Capesize Index BCI 25 3 "ana#ax Index B"I $%2 &'pra#ax Index B&I 1($( )andysize Index B)&I 6%2 -11 !16 -36 -25 -

E1'HA%2E 3A,ES
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