News Bulletin – 20 March 2021
19 March
1. Cash Prizes in New Photography Competition for Seafarers During the Pandemic
19 March 2021 : WORLDWIDE – At a time when many crew members are still finding life more stressful than ever before, seafarers around the globe have a chance to lighten the mood a little and possible collect a cash prize in the second ever photography competition by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust (ITFST). ’Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind’ calls on seafarers to submit digital photographs of themselves and their crew mates for a forthcoming book of 40 portraits of seafarers by seafarers. Last year seafarers were stretched to the limits with international regulations made more flexible to accommodate pandemic restrictions rather than maintaining their rights and protections. This year brings the challenge of ongoing disruptions to flights, complex logistics around vaccinations, testing and quarantine.
2. Calling for a Fair Future for Seafarers
19 March 2021 : Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, seafarers have faced difficult working conditions including uncertainties about port access, re-supply, crew changeovers and repatriation. Seafarers’ rights to be treated fairly remain at the forefront of IMO’s work.
The 2021 Day of the Seafarer campaign is calling for a fair future for seafarers.The campaign will discuss issues that will still be relevant to seafarers after the pandemic, such as fair treatment of seafarers, fair working conditions, fair training, fair safety, etc.
18 March
3. Make digitalisation easy and make it pay
18 March 2021 : Widespread digitalisation of the shipping industry requires technologies that are profitable, easy to use and able to facilitate collaboration, according to industry experts. The benefits of digital technologies improve with market penetration, and trust, ease of use and profitability are key to wider adoption, according to panellists at a Lloyd’s List digitalisation webinar.
17 March
4. Bright outlook for container shipping, but regulators are watching
17 March 2021 : The fundamentals for container shipping look strong for the medium term, according to panellists at Intermodal Connect. With global trade reaching a new peak late in 2020, driven by recovery from the COVID pandemic in some regions and a consumer shift to buying products during lockdowns, market fundamentals for the sector look good.“Because I see demand growing faster than supply, I see rates staying high,” said Mike Garratt, chairman, MDS Transmodal, speaking at Intermodal Connect.
16 March
5. Five New Ships Poised to Transform US Maritime Training
16 March 2021 : For professional maritime training, the 2020 holiday season was bright indeed. In a world clutching for optimism, officials from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) made a series of announcements that will strengthen, expand and intensify America’s maritime academic programs—really the maritime industry—for at least the next decade, likely much longer. Consider this string of news: On December 15, MARAD announced cutting steel for the first new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) at Philly Shipyard Inc., in Philadelphia, a critical milestone for the series of purpose-built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies, vessels big enough for 600 cadets.
6. Seafarers exempt from new UK travel declaration rules
16 March 2021 : The UK government has issued guidelines stating that seafarers, masters, and inspectors and surveyors of ships are exempt from new rules requiring travellers from England to fill in a declaration form for overseas travel, stating their reason for travel. Brought in on 5 March 2021, the new rules state that, while the stay-at-home restrictions are in place, residents are only allowed to travel abroad for a legally-permitted reason, with travel for work a permitted reason.Some travellers are exempt from completing the travel declaration form because of the job they do, and this includes seafarers. The full list of exemptions can be found on the UK government website here. Different rules apply for international travel from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
7. The Seafarers’ Charity launches a new brand and strategy
16 March 2021 : Seafarers UK becomes The Seafarers’ Charity and launches a new strategy, ‘Thrive’, to identify and tackle the root causes of hardship and disadvantage to seafarers.
On the release of its new strategy, Seafarers UK announced that its working name will now be ‘The Seafarers’ Charity’ and will reference its heritage by using ‘King George’s Fund for Sailors’ within its brand. The Seafarers’ Charity has been the UK’s national maritime charity since 1917 and is still officially registered with the Charity Commission as the ‘King George’s Fund for Sailors’.
References :
– www.hellenicshippingnews.com
