News Bulletin – 01 May 2021

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30 Apr

1. Digitalising the maritime sector to boost productivity and sustainability

30 April 2021 : At the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) earlier this month, Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung launched the second phase of MPA’s digitalPORT@SGTM.

This marked the latest major step in the digitalisation journey of Singapore’s maritime industry as it leverages digitalisation initiatives to further cement its position as a global maritime hub. Since it was launched in 2019 to serve as a one-stop clearance platform for all vessel-related transactions, digitalPORT@SGTM has streamlined 16 different vessel, immigration and port health clearance forms into a single submission, saving the maritime industry an estimated 100,000 man-hours each year

2. The ILO calls for full respect of seafarers’ rights and for the vaccination of seafarers

30 April 2021 : GENEVA (ILO News) – The ILO is calling on governments to treat seafarers as key workers and to cooperate to make vaccines available to them at the earliest opportunity, to allow them to pass through international borders and keep global supply chains moving. These appeals are reflected in two resolutions adopted during the Special Tripartite Committee (STC) of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006  (MLC, 2006), which brought together more than 100 governments, seafarers and shipowners, who met virtually from 19 to 23 April 2021 to review the impact of COVID-19 on the maritime sector.

 

3. DG Shipping Extends Validity of Seafarers Certificates Till December 31

30 April 2021 : The Directorate General of Shipping has extended the validity of seafarers’ certificates till December 31, 2021, in the wake of renewal difficulties due to the second wave of COVID-19. Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mansukh Mandaviya said in a tweet that India’s seafarers can now join the ships easily.

@dgship_goiextends the validity of Seafarers’ COC/COP till December 31, 2021, in the wake of the renewal difficulties due to the second wave of #COVID-19,” he said. The Directorate General of Shipping deals with implementation of shipping policy and legislation under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

29 Apr

4. Seafarers are integral to helping the World recover from COVID-19: Kitack Lim

29 Apr 2021 : Today, on 28 April, we celebrate World Day for Safety and Health at Work. This has always been an important day for the maritime sector and for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is responsible for the safety and security of shipping. This day is particularly significant in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While everyone around the world has been impacted by the pandemic to some extent, this crisis has taken a particularly hard toll on seafarers, who have continued to operate as key workers in the global supply chain. On any given day, one million seafarers are working on some 60,000 large cargo vessels worldwide to ensure the flow of international trade. Much of IMO’s important work centers on keeping these seafarers, and the ships they operate, safe and secure.

5. World Health and Safety day – A reminder to train Seafarers

29 Apr 2021 : Health and Safety are always crucial for any mariner and shipowner. This is brought very sharply into focus regularly on World Health and Safety Day, this year falling on April 28, 2021.Annual reporting has shown that overall, the total global losses in the sector see a positive trend. However, the number of reported shipping incidents or casualties (2,815) during 2019-2020 increased by 5% year-on-year.The annual Safety and Shipping Review 2020, issued by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), identified machine damage/failure as the top cause of shipping incidents. This is more than one-third of all incidents reported during that period. Unfortunately, this is also a leading cause that has been trending over the past decade.

28 Apr

6. India: Nethra Kumanan, first Indian woman sailor to qualify for Olympics: I’m honoured to have made history

28 Apr 2021 : Kumanan, 23, has become the first Indian woman to ever qualify for the Olympics in sailing. She talks how she took up the sport and why opportunities for the sport are limited in India. She might be the 10th Indian to qualify for a sailing event at Tokyo Olympics, but Nethra Kumanan’s success is important for another reason: she is the first woman to do so, and that too, by booking a direct berth through a qualifying event! “I’m extremely happy to have made it this far, and hope to do even better at the games,” says the 23-year-old.

7. Indian Navy Opens Registration Window For Sailor Recruitment

28 Apr 2021 : Indian Navy has begun the registration process for Sailor recruitment. Candidates can apply at the official website of the Indian Navy. The last date of registration is May 5. A total of 500 Artificer Apprentice (AA) and 2,000 Senior Secondary Recruits (SSR) will be recruited, the Indian Navy has notified.

Candidates who have passed 10+2 exam with 60% or more marks in aggregate with Maths and Physics and any of the subjects – Chemistry, Biology, Computer science are eligible for these posts. The age of the candidate should be between 17-20 years.

27 Apr

8. A “Smart” Assistant on Board

27 Apr 2021 : The decision-making and logic that is already helping ports reduce collision risks will soon be used onboard to help ship operators plot safe paths through busy waters.

Humankind’s giant leap to the moon is usually summarized as one man’s foot on the lunar surface. When, in fact, it was made possible with many successive small steps. But, like most technological breakthroughs, we tend to omit the details when telling that story. Shipping’s autonomy story is somewhat similar. Our eyes are glued to the future, when unmanned fleets can sail safely, while crucial developments are taking place today – commercially viable smart solutions for current challenges that also forge the way forward.

9. Panama Maritime Authority approves Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) to conduct remote surveys

27 Apr 2021 : Leading flag administration, Panama Maritime Authority has authorised Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), an international ship classification society, to conduct specific surveys through remote inspection techniques.

As the maritime world continues to reel under the shadow of the pandemic induced travel restrictions, IRClass ensured that ships continue to stay compliant with various IMO conventions and sail with valid certificates. Alternative means were adopted for evidence compliance by IRClass since 2020 when the travel restrictions were first introduced.

26 April

10.India: Major ports to waive off charges for ships carrying oxygen, related equipment

26 Apr 2021 : The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways have said that all charges levied by major port trusts, including vessel related charges and storage charges, will be waived off. This decision will impact all the major ports of India, including the Kamarajar Port in Chennai. The ministry has also asked the ports to accord highest priority in berthing sequence to consignments related to oxygen.

 

11. Australia Set to Get Its First Green Port

26 Apr 2021 : Near Exmouth on Western Australia’s northwest coast, plans are underway to construct Australia-first regenerative deep-water port. Gascoyne Gateway, an Australian firm has proposed plans for the project, and they aim to do more than simply protect what’s left of the environment, striving to employ environmental regenerative techniques in the area.

 

References :

www.straitstimes.com

http://www.ilo.org

www.news18.com

– seanews.co.uk

www.hindustantimes.com

www.ndtv.com

www.maritime-executive.com

www.hellenicshippingnews.com

www.bunkerportsnews.com

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