Weekly edition 24 May

Offshore employer fined for ‘union only’ hiring policy

OFFSHORE Marine Services, pan-Oceania provider of personnel to the offshore industry, has been fined for refusing to hire non-unionised labour.

Mixed bag from the farm but canola crop on top

A BUMPER canola crop was a highlight for Australian agriculture in 2011/12, according to the Rabobank Agribusiness Review.

Port Botany is the developed world’s worst container port says box carrier

DELEGATES from the maritime and logistics industries recently met in Sydney to discuss topical issues affecting freight movements in New South Wales.

DP World unveils new crane training simulator

DP WORLD has introduced a new container crane simulator to its Brisbane terminal training facility.

Union moves on ship’s supplies in WA

A DISPUTE between Farstad Shipping and the Maritime Union (MUA) over who can load a ship’s stores has been brought before Fair Work Australia (FWA).

Be prepared – shipping’s radical new Federal laws are at hand

The shipping reform laws currently before Federal Parliament represent the final steps in a long journey for the Australian shipping industry. The five bills may reinvigorate the industry, producing winners, those able to take quick advantage of the new framework, but losers as well. The devil is in the detail, the antidote in careful preparation, write CHRIS MCGUIRE & PHIL HILL*

Ecdis deadlines start in five weeks

How to train all relevant crew is a major concern for owners, reports CRAIG EASON

More system anomalies must be detected

THE INTERNATIONAL Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has expressed concern over anomalies associated with electronic chart display and information systems.

We like fast, but we prefer predictable – Walmart

WALMART’S head of logistics stood up at a meeting of global transport ministers and transport bosses this month to offer a useful slice of customer feedback.

Vale denies retaliation against Cosco on ore

IN THE wake of angry statements by China Ocean Shipping earlier this month, Vale said that it is not retaliating against a ban of its ships by barring Chinese shipowners from carrying its iron ore cargoes.

Banks give Torm yet more time

TORM, the struggling Copenhagen-listed shipowner with nearly US$2bn in debt, has begun to put together the documentation for its restructuring plan and secured another extension of its debt deferral.

US turns up the heat on thermal coal exports

AS TWO energy sources battle it out in the US, one has turned tail and is fleeing the country on panamax bulk carriers to the open arms of Asia.

Understanding the demands of a vital role

PILOTAGE still has the potential to be extremely hazardous, despite the inspections, detentions, training, assessments, decades of experience and all the safety bells and whistles that are available today.

Insurance issues – where does the liability belong?

IT IS impossible to discuss the topic of pilot’s liability insurance without reflecting on the complicated and historical world of marine pilot liability, and the question of whether pilots should be held accountable for their actions.

Devil in the detail on legal standing

WITH THE spate of recent ship groundings, the individuals responsible for navigation of vessels have come under increasing scrutiny. Not only can reputations be ruined and licenses lost, individuals now face serious penalties and in some case the prospect of imprisonment.

The great debate: charter vs freight

Industry experts are divided over correlation between box charter and freight rates, reports JANET PORTER

Evergreen newbuildings may face finance glitch

FINANCING for the 10 ultra-large containerships to be chartered to Evergreen appears to be running into some problems, but the deal still looks likely to set a new benchmark for newbuilding prices.

Casualty briefs 24 May 2012

Maritime

Apathy rules as just eight IMO members respond over armed guards

AS THE shipping industry looks to the International Maritime Organization to issue guidance this month on maritime security, it has emerged that just eight out of 160 member states have provided details to the IMO about how they approach the issue of armed guards.

IMO urges heads of states to tackle piracy

INTERNATIONAL Maritime Organization secretary-general Koji Sekimizu has called on heads of state to engage with the global fight against piracy, saying that ministerial discussions have failed to deliver the political will needed to tackle the problem effectively.

EU MPs slam countries for anti-piracy resource cuts

MEMBERS of the European Parliament “deplore” the fact that European Union countries have cut the number of EU Navfor vessels in 2012 and have demanded more naval assets to enable Operation Atalanta to succeed.

Shipping must cut reliance on the use of armed guards

MOUNTING criticism over the use of armed guards should leave shipowners and insurance companies asking if armed security is really necessary for transits through the high risk area.

Court rules owners can reject early redelivery

OWNERS can keep a charterparty alive even where the other party repudiates it by announcing that it no longer intends to perform, according to a High Court ruling that is likely to have important implications, not just for shipping but for contract and commercial law as a whole.

Owners seek the of arrest Sanko Steamship vessel

EMBATTLED Sanko Steamship has been hauled into court by two of its counterparties, signalling that the Japanese company’s international counterparties have lost patience with its workout attempts and are now taking the battle public.

Asian shipyards report a gloomy first quarter

LATEST figures from China, Japan and South Korea paint a gloomy picture for yards in the world’s top three shipbuilding nations, after shipowners have continued to reduce orders due to overcapacity.

New Asia-Europe capacity threatens rate recovery

CONTAINER lines face a challenge to their freight rate recovery efforts in the Asia-Europe trades as new services threaten to undermine the effects of capacity withdrawals.

New era for China’s ports

The shift in the nation’s industrial base will open new opportunities and make the sector more competitive, reports TOM LEANDER

Inmarsat taps Asian interest in broadband

INMARSAT, one of the largest fleet broadband providers, is seeing more Asian shipping owners interested in installing internet on their vessels.

Insurance faces adverse losses and reduced margins

WHILE the marine market was soft in 2011, the pace at which pricing is falling finally seems to have slowed, according to global broker Willis.

IMO guidelines to tackle maritime crime

NEW guidelines will be developed to improve investigation of crimes at sea, the International Maritime Organization has announced, after its legal committee held its 99th meeting in London last month.

BIMCO and IMO voice concern over ECAs

BIMCO and the International Maritime Organization have voiced concerns over increasingly fragmented emissions control areas (ECAs) across the globe, saying global standards would be better than regional measures.

Lloyd’s List view

Japan thinks green

Lame ducts and tipping points: innovation needs more research

The overselling of emission-mitigating measures will persist as long as there is very little research-based feedback available from actual performances on real ships in real operating conditions, writes NIKO WIJNOLST*

Choice between box services is becoming more limited

DAMCO’S global head of ocean freight Martin Sieg believes that the commoditisation of deep-sea container services is gathering pace.

DP World Melbourne raises $16k for children’s charity

STAFF working at DP World’s Melbourne terminal raised almost $16,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne for the Good Friday Appeal this year. DP World said it was proud to get behind the charity, which is in its 82nd year.

This week in maritime history

Aggressive Brisbane chases trade

The Grill

This week’s subject of The Grill is Prashant Bhaskar, senior lecturer at the Australian Maritime College (AMC). Prashant sat down with Lloyd’s List Australia’s OLIVER PROBERT, and chatted about the college, travelling the world as a seafarer, and his love for bushwalking.