News Digest 08-Aug-2022

Following Stories compiled in this News Digest for the week from 01 Aug 2022 to 07 Aug 2022 in descending order:

• SeaSearcher drone is set to take the treasure-hunting world by storm
• Teen sailor returns after smooth sail across the Atlantic
• India: Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill to be moved by MEA in Lok Sabha
• ILO urges industry to take action against discrimination and abuse at sea
• Wait over as Chennai Port offers shore leave to sailors
• Earth’s “Milky seas” observed from space and sea
• Changing Currents Could Accelerate Melting of East Antarctic Ice Sheet
• The future of the maritime industry depends on expertise in ship design
• Storm Chasing Drones Ready to Intercept Major Hurricanes At Sea
• Sailor survives for 16 hours in capsized boat off Spain
• How to know if you have been hacked and what to do about it
• Singapore and Rotterdam to set up world’s longest Green Corridor
• Internet onboard: What are the pros and cons for seafarers
• Offshore Drilling Market Rebounding After Eight Years – Transocean
• Israeli replica of 2,400-year-old ship solves ancient Mediterranean mystery
• Rising Optimism Lifts Seafarer’s Happiness Levels
• Singapore and Greece researchers develop a new method to estimate the resistance experienced by ships in seaways
• India: MoPSW and MSDE to boost Maritime skill development
• World Maritime University 2022 Seafarer Survey
• Water-Cooled Wonders: Sustainable Stern Tube Bearing Technology

SeaSearcher drone is set to take the treasure-hunting world by storm

07 Aug 2022
As any frequent viewer of the Discovery Channel will know, the search for sunken treasure typically involves sifting through the sand, just hoping to unearth gold or silver. The SeaSearcher underwater drone, however, may soon point clients right to the booty.

Currently in functioning prototype form, the battery-electric SeaSearcher is being developed by Florida startup Seafarer Exploration. It was designed by engineer Tim Reynolds, CEO of partnering company Wild Manta.

The vehicle’s big claim to fame is that it can detect – and differentiate between – various types of metal buried up to 10 meters (33 ft) beneath the seabed, creating and relaying a 3D digital map of their location.

The exact means by which the SeaSearcher does allegedly show you is a closely guarded trade secret. However, we have been told that the drone can descend to depths of up to 100 m (328 ft), then cruise about 1 m (3 ft) above the seafloor, emitting electromagnetic, RF and acoustic waves of varying modulation formats as it does so. Utilizing machine-learning-based algorithms running in real time, it analyzes the manner in which any buried metal objects are “energized” by those waves. As a result, the vehicle is reportedly able to determine the depth at which those objects are located, along with the type of metal they’re made of.

The geographical location of the detected metals is determined in two ways. First of all, since radio waves don’t travel well through the water, the SeaSearcher tows a floating buoy along the surface above itself. The GPS coordinates of that buoy are recorded and transmitted to the crew, aboard a nearby support boat from which the SeaSearcher was launched.

The SeaSearcher can be used as an ROV (remotely operated vehicle), an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) that follows a preprogrammed search pattern, or in a towfish setup, wherein it’s towed behind a boat.

Since Seafarer doesn’t want competitors getting their hands on the technology and figuring out precisely how it works, plans call for the company to instead offer the SeaSearcher and an operator as a service to treasure-hunting clients. Kennedy believes that the service should be available within six months. In the meantime, he hopes to raise funds by using the drone to discover some sunken treasure of his own. Reference

Teen sailor returns after smooth sail across the Atlantic

07 Aug 2022
After spending 28 days in solitude on the high seas, 16 year-old Cal Currier has returned to shore to plenty of company.

Since docking in Lagos, Portugal, Currier appeared on the Today Show, reunited with loved ones in Marion and Duxbury, and flew home to Palo Alto, California — just in time to start his junior year of high school.

Currier took off from the Marion harbor on June 27. Marion has significance to the California teen, who has spent every summer there with his grandparents, Tinker and Bill Saltonstall, and attended Tabor Camp.

Currier only learned to sail at the beginning of this year, but he worked hard, attending sailing classes every weekend, and he credits his parents’ confidence in him as a huge part of his journey.

His father grew up racing dinghies and sailed across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in his twenties. And his grandfather, Saltonstall, was co-founder of the Buzzards Bay Regatta, and sailed across the Atlantic twice.

The Currier family believes Cal might be the youngest person ever to sail the Atlantic alone. Currier’s father, James, noted that it was hard to be completely sure, because the Guiness Book of World Records told him that they did not want to encourage anyone younger than 16 to take the trip.

“The funny thing about this trip was that it was never designed or meant to be fun,” he said. “It was meant to be meaningful, so the knowledge that I was accomplishing this was my favorite thing about it.”

Currier said that the journey was a smooth one, apart from the last three days, where he was often raising and lowering the sails as a result of changing winds. But at no point was he worried or scared, he said. Reference

India: Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill to be moved by MEA in Lok Sabha

06 Aug 2022
Amid the protests against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids and summons against the opposition leaders, the Centre on Friday has listed the ‘The Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019, and Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar will move the Bill in the Lok Sabha to make special provisions for repression of piracy on the high seas and to provide for punishment for the offence of piracy and for matters connected therewith.

Apart from this many private member bills have been listed, including the Population Control Bill to be introduced by BJP MP Ravi Kishan.

Opposition members led by the Congress in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Thursday protested over the alleged misuse of investigating agencies by the government against political opponents.

The Lok Sabha proceedings were first adjourned until 2 p.m. and then for the day after the opposition members continued loud sloganeering over the misuse of the ED against political rivals. Reference

ILO urges industry to take action against discrimination and abuse at sea

06 Aug 2022
THE INTERNATIONAL Labour Organization is calling for stronger action in preventing discrimination, physical abuse and mental abuse at sea.

The ILO’s Special Tripartite Committee said flag states, port states, labour supplying states, shipping companies and seafarers all have a responsibility to ensure vessels are safe working environments where seafarers can live without fear of discrimination and abuse.

The STC noted the existing frameworks which should allow for a safe place of work for all seafarers, such as the MLC 2006.

Other frameworks such as the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019, the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention 1958 and fundamental principles of other international labour standards also apply to the seafaring workforce.

The STC highlighted regulation 4.3, paragraph 1 of the MLC 2006, which states “each member shall ensure that seafarers on ships that fly its flag are provided with occupational health protection and live, work and train on board ship in a safe and hygienic environment”.

The responsibilities of flag states were a focal point of the ILO’s message to the industry. The STC emphasised their obligations around labour conditions, crewing and social matters on ships that fly their flags under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They also noted member states are required to ensure that every seafarer has the right to a safe and secure workplace that complies with safety standards.

They also noted member states are required to ensure that every seafarer has the right to a safe and secure workplace that complies with safety standards. Reference

Wait over as Chennai Port offers shore leave to sailors

05 Aug 2022
Indian seafarers on coastal ships can heave a sigh of relief as the Chennai Port has agreed to grant shore leave to them, provided they adhere to basic protocols of undergoing dual vaccination and wearing masks. The decision was taken after port authorities held a meeting after TNIE on July 10 highlighted the plight of the sailors. Seafarers of foreign vessels, however, would not be granted shore leave.

This also comes after the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) sought a report from the port authorities on the status of grant of shore leave to seafarers in their respective jurisdictions. Shore leave is the period during which a sailor is allowed to take a leave from the ship while the vessel is docked in the port. The period of the leave varies from a couple of hours to a few days, depending on the time the ship is scheduled to be on the port.

The DGS said despite India being a party to the Maritime Labour Convention, some ports were not granting shore leave to seafarers on one pretext or the other.“Denial of shore leave can be extremely detrimental to the mental wellbeing of seafarers and may result in fatigue impacting the safe navigation of vessel,” a letter accessed by TNIE said. “If the shore leave is not being permitted for any reason, then the reason for denial of shore leave may be given,” it added.

A port health official told TNIE that shore leave was granted to sailors provided they adhere to safety protocols. “The master and the ship owners have been asked to monitor those sailors, who have gone on shore leave for two weeks, to ensure they don’t catch any infection,” he said.

Manoj Joy, Community Development Manager, Sailors Society, said shore leave was crucial for seafarers’ mental and physical wellbeing. Reference

Earth’s “Milky seas” observed from space and sea

05 Aug 2022
For centuries, sailors have told tales of nights when, for a few surreal hours or more, their ships would come across seas that glow the color of milk. The eerie phenomenon appeared “like a plain covered with snow,” reported the captain of a U.S. clipper ship that sailed through one such “milky sea” off the coast of Java, Indonesia, July 27, 1854.

Unlike the short-lived glow of plankton that is commonly seen in the disturbed wake of a ship, milky seas can extend for tens or even hundreds of miles. They are also rare, reported just a couple of times per year, which makes them difficult for scientists to study and sample. In the past few years, a team led by Steven Miller, atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, turned to satellite images to try to identify possible cases of milky seas, and found increasing success. But they hadn’t been able to corroborate any of these potential detections with eyewitness accounts – until now.

A paper published July 11 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences recounts the experiences of the crew of Ganesha, a 52-foot (16 meters) yacht that encountered a milky sea as it sailed south of Java. One of the crew, Naomi McKinnon, contacted Miller after seeing news coverage of his satellite detection of the same event.

Milky seas have long been part of nautical lore. Herman Melville included an account of one in Moby-Dick, and the Nautilus encounters one in Jules Verne’s classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

But while other sailors’ legends have become well-established in the scientific canon, like giant squid and rogue waves, “milky seas have eluded scientific inquiry,” writes Miller. Only once has a research vessel encountered a milky sea: in 1985, by chance, in the Arabian Sea. Examination of their samples of the glowing water suggested that milky seas are caused by fields of trillions of bioluminescent bacteria, communicating with each other and reaching a sort of quorum to glow in unison. Many questions about this process remain unanswered. Reference

Changing Currents Could Accelerate Melting of East Antarctic Ice Sheet

05 Aug 2022
Warmer waters are flowing towards the East Antarctic ice sheet, according to our alarming new research which reveals a potential new driver of global sea-level rise.

The research, published today in Nature Climate Change, shows changing water circulation in the Southern Ocean may be compromising the stability of the East Antarctic ice sheet. The ice sheet, about the size of the United States, is the largest in the world.

The changes in water circulation are caused by shifts in wind patterns, and linked to factors including climate change. The resulting warmer waters and sea-level rise may damage marine life and threaten human coastal settlements.

Our findings underscore the urgency of limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees C, to avert the most catastrophic climate harms.

Ice sheets and climate change

Ice sheets comprise glacial ice that has accumulated from precipitation over land. Where the sheets extend from the land and float on the ocean, they are known as ice shelves.

It’s well known that the West Antarctic ice sheet is melting and contributing to sea-level rise. But until now, far less was known about its counterpart in the east.

Our research focused offshore a region known as the Aurora Subglacial Basin in the Indian Ocean. This area of frozen sea ice forms part of the East Antarctic ice sheet.

How this basin will respond to climate change is one of the largest uncertainties in projections of sea-level rise this century. If the basin melted fully, global sea levels would rise by 5.1 meters.

Much of the basin is below sea level, making it particularly sensitive to ocean melting. That’s because deep seawater requires lower temperatures to freeze than shallower seawater. Reference

The future of the maritime industry depends on expertise in ship design

05 Aug 2022
With Greece’s maritime history stretching back thousands of years, it seems fitting that the quote that comes to describe my experiences in naval architecture is from the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus; ‘Change is the only constant in life.’ In fact, embracing change for the future safety and efficiency of the maritime industry was an essential driver for the creation of RINA in 1860, and for its predecessor, the Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture in 1791. Engineers succeed by applying learnings from the past so they become lessons about the future, assisted by healthy doses of curiosity and creativity. Today, RINA’s mission is ‘to promote and facilitate the exchange of technical and scientific information, thereby to improve the design of vessels’, and I really believe that it’s as relevant today as it was when the Institution was founded.

Now, we are taking remarkable steps towards sustainability and net-zero 2030/2050 targets and assessing the impacts of autonomy and AI. As engineers, we embrace the challenges ahead, as we have done in the past when developing construction materials, fuel, and propulsion systems. Our challenge is exciting, perhaps daunting; but that’s precisely why I decided on a career in naval architecture.

So, how can modern Naval Architects meet the challenge, and why do they need a professional body? RINA recognises that to tackle the challenges ahead, we must update our communication systems and digital tools, invest in people, training, and resources to proactively support everyone working in the wide variety of maritime sub-sectors, from Defence to Offshore Wind to Shipping to Yachts to STEM projects, and everything in between. Collectively, we understand the benefits of an independent knowledge centre providing the benchmark for research, debate, and learning. In addition, my focus is offering transparency, captivation, and engagement through a clear roadmap to demonstrate why an engineer should engage with the Institution.

Some of the changes we see affecting our industry have been unpredictable. The Institution supports those who have struggled through the pandemic. We understand some students and younger engineers may have felt isolated, requiring the support of a mentor or ‘buddy’ system, and we have seen members step up to help. Reference

Storm Chasing Drones Ready to Intercept Major Hurricanes At Sea

04 Aug 2022
For a second year in a row, U.S.-based ocean data specialist Saildrone is sending a fleet of storm chasing drones into the heart of the Atlantic Ocean’s hurricane alley to intercept large and destructive hurricanes, collecting critical data to make coastal communities safer.

Saildrone is again partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research on the project.

This year, they plan send seven uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) to brave the Atlantic hurricane season, collecting further insights into how hurricanes grow and intensify.

“Storms that intensify rapidly can cause extensive damage and loss of life and real-time observing systems are crucial to better understanding the atmospheric and oceanic processes that lead to the formation and intensification of these hurricanes,” said John Cortinas, Director of NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML).

The Saildrone USVs made their hurricane season debut last year when Saildrone and NOAA sent five of the vehicles to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico to help better understand hurricanes’ rapid intensification. One of the drones sailed into the eyewall of Category 4 Hurricane Sam, located approximately 645 miles from Bermuda, where it faced massive 100-foot waves and 140 mph winds to film the first live video footage from inside the eye of a major hurricane in the open ocean.

NOAA this year is predicting an above-average hurricane season, with up to 21 named storms and three to six major hurricanes with winds above 110 m.p.h. Reference

Sailor survives for 16 hours in capsized boat off Spain

04 Aug 2022
A 62-year-old Frenchman survived for 16 hours in an air bubble inside his capsized sailing boat in the Atlantic Ocean before being rescued by Spanish coastguard divers in what they described as an operation “verging on the impossible”.

The 12-metre (40ft) Jeanne Solo Sailor sent out a distress signal at 8.23pm on Monday 14 miles from the Sisargas Islands off Spain’s north-western Galicia region, the coastguard said. Tracking data shows it had set sail from the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, on Sunday morning.

As a rescue ship carrying five divers set sail, one of three helicopters sent to aid the search located the upturned vessel as the sun went down. A diver was winched on to the ship’s hull to seek signs of life, and the man inside, who has not been named, responded to his banging on the hull by knocking from inside.

With the sea too rough to attempt a rescue, the coastguard attached buoyancy balloons to the ship’s hull to prevent it from sinking further and waited until the morning.

Two divers swam under the boat to help free the sailor, who they found wearing a neoprene survival suit and submerged in water up to his knees.

Vicente Cobelo, a member of the coastguard’s special operations team, told a local station that the man then jumped into the freezing water and swam under the boat to reach the sea’s surface. Reference

How to know if you have been hacked and what to do about it

04 Aug 2022
It comes as no surprise that hackers do not make their victims aware of the fact that they have been hacked. What hackers do is that they penetrate our systems and infect them with a malware in order to take full control. However, there are some important signs that tell us that we might have been hacked.

The malware can remain hidden in the systems without us noticing, while the hacker can access our systems at any time in order to check if the malware planted was able to harass our devices. This is why we might not realize that a hacker is inside our system until it’s already too late.

In maritime, cyber-attacks on its operational technology (OT) systems have increased with the number of reported incidents set to reach record volumes by year end.

This happens because where OT networks are thought to be protected, they are often inadequate and based on industrial computerised system, operating in a permanent state of disconnection from the network or, alternatively, connected to port systems and the equipment manufacturer’s offices overseas via RF radio communication (wi-fi) or a cellular network (via SIM).

This gives the chance to hackers to access cranes, the storage systems, they can penetrate the core operational systems either through cellular connections, wi-fi, and USB sticks, and penetrate these systems directly.

How can seafarers know if they have been hacked

#1 Random browser pop-ups

#2 Auto-redirect to irrelevant websites

#3 Messages that you did not send

#4 Unexpectedly wrong passwords

In order to be safe and protect their ships as well from cyber attacks, seafarers require training regarding internet usage not only on the vessel devices but their private devices as well. Namely, training must take place on software and systems, with seafarers needing to be educated on how to deal with threats from email attacks. Reference

Singapore and Rotterdam to set up world’s longest Green Corridor

03 Aug 2022
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the world’s longest Green and Digital Corridor.

The MoU, signed on the sidelines of the biennial World Cities Summit, will bring together stakeholders across the supply chain to realise the first sustainable vessels sailing on the route by 2027.

As the world’s top bunker ports Singapore and Rotterdam are joining hands to tackle challenges stemming from the introduction of alternative fuels into the fuel mix such as biofuels, biogases, methane, hydrogen, and hydrogen-based fuels including ammonia and methanol which are in various stages of R&D.

Hence, the two port authorities agreed to create a broad coalition of shippers, fuel suppliers, and other companies to work on potential solutions to address challenges relating to costs, availability, safety, and restrictions in the range of alternative fuels.

The cooperation aims to facilitate the seamless movement of vessels and cargo, and optimise the just-in-time arrival of vessels from port to port by creating a digital trade lane.

By bringing together major industry players the duo wants to increase investor confidence in the Green and Digital Corridor project and attract green financing. The goal is also to kickstart joint bunkering pilots and trials for digitalisation and the use of low- and zero-carbon fuels along the route. Reference

Internet onboard: What are the pros and cons for seafarers

03 Aug 2022
Using internet today is like breathing air. While you cannot see it around, it is of outmost importance for the proper function of everyday activities.

Of course the seafaring profession does not remain unaffected, as the increasing digitalization onboard, provide many benefits, as well as drawbacks.

Pros

• Banking, bills, and shopping: The Internet provides access to your bank account to view the balance, make transactions, and send money.
• Communication with loved ones: Emergencies at home can be immediately communicated onboard, and seafarers do not have to wait till the end of the day to make a satellite call.
• Entertainment: The Internet gives everyone access to an endless supply of entertainment, with access to watch videos, watch movies, listen to music, and even play games online.

  Cons

• Rest Hours: Unrestricted and round the clock internet access brings the urge to use the facility unnecessarily.
• Distraction: Several times seafarers get distracted in their work due to excessive use of internet.
• Offensive Posts: There is an increasing tendency among seafarers to vent out their frustration. Reference

Offshore Drilling Market Rebounding After Eight Years – Transocean

03 Aug 2022
Offshore drilling contractor Transocean says the market for offshore drilling services is clearly recovering after eight “extremely challenging” years for the industry.

Transocean on Monday reported second quarter 2022 results, showing a net loss $68 million. But the company expressed optimism amid rising contracting activity, utilization rates, day rates. Contract drilling revenue rose to $692 million in the second quarter, up from $586 in the first quarter of 2022. As of July, Transocean’s contract backlog stood at $6.2 billion.

“The Transocean team continued to operate at an extremely high level throughout the second quarter, once again delivering safe, reliable, and efficient operations for our customers,” said Transocean CEO Jeremy Thigpen. “Our strong uptime performance and contractual bonus conversion resulted in revenue efficiency of approximately 98% across our global floater fleet.”

“While the past eight years have been extremely challenging for the entire industry, it is clear that the recovery in offshore drilling is underway, as contracting activity, utilization rates for high-specification ultra-deepwater and harsh-environment assets, and dayrates all continue to rise,” added Thigpen. “And, with a backdrop of hydrocarbon supply challenges, we are increasingly encouraged that this momentum could continue for the foreseeable future.” Reference

Israeli replica of 2,400-year-old ship solves ancient Mediterranean mystery

03 Aug 2022
The apostle Paul may be the most influential Jew in history. Many people believe that the apostle, rather than Jesus (whom he never actually met) contributed more than anyone else to the development of Christianity as a religion separate from Judaism.

After converting to Christianity sometime between 31 and 36 C.E., Paul sailed throughout the Roman Empire and spread his message. His final journey was from Caesarea to Rome, where he was sent to be tried due to accusations by the high priest Ananias ben Nedebeus. The New Testament book The Acts of the Apostles describes the slow and prolonged journey by sea, in several different ships, to the capital of the empire, which ended prematurely when Paul’s ship was shipwrecked off the coast of Malta.

This description comes from one of the few detailed written accounts of sea voyages that remain from that period. “Until recently, we didn’t understand why the Alexandrian grain ship, that Paul joined in southern Anatolia, bound for Rome, chose that particular route,” says David Gal, a doctoral student in the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa.

This description comes from one of the few detailed written accounts of sea voyages that remain from that period. “Until recently, we didn’t understand why the Alexandrian grain ship, that Paul joined in southern Anatolia, bound for Rome, chose that particular route,” says David Gal, a doctoral student in the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa.

Next spring, Gal is planning to sail the replica ship with the volunteer crew to Greece. “It will take three to four days to reach western Cyprus, where we’ll wait for another window of opportunity, and then another three to four days until Rhodes.” Reference

Rising Optimism Lifts Seafarer’s Happiness Levels

02 Aug 2022
Seafarer happiness levels are recovering after reaching a record low last quarter as optimism returns, according to the Seafarers Happiness Index report published today by The Mission to Seafarers.

The survey, conducted with the support of the Standard Club and Idwal, reports on Q2 2022 and shows that the influx of industry solutions to tackle seafarer wellbeing has finally begun to lift morale and the mindset onboard.

The index shows overall happiness has increased from 5.85 to 7.21/10, with levels rising across all categories. With more vaccinations, more frequent crew changes, wage rises and new amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), there has been a knock-on effect for seafarer optimism. However, while the data does suggest improvements, now is not the time for complacency.

COVID-19 Crisis Easing

After more than two years of uncertainty caused by COVID-19, seafarers are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While it’s still not clear if we are post-pandemic or simply experiencing a COVID lull, restrictions have now eased across the globe. Seafarers are able to move more freely and have more certainty about whether they can go ashore and when they will next be able to go home. This freedom of movement has had a hugely beneficial effect on seafarer happiness and as vaccination levels also rise among crews, there is a sense of stability returning to the industry, according to The MIssion

Regular Crew Changes and Time Ashore

The survey highlighted that seafarers are happier with their shore leave and with welfare facilities when they are ashore. Now that COVID restrictions are easing, more Seafarer Centres are open and able to support seafarers with the provisions they need when ashore. The biggest contributing factor to an improvement of mood has been that the most fundamental aspect of seafaring now appears more certain – knowing when you are going home. The data from Q2 reflects that the industry is getting better at making crew changes more regularly, with 41% of seafarers onboard for between just 1 and 3 months.

Regular Crew Changes and Time Ashore

The survey highlighted that seafarers are happier with their shore leave and with welfare facilities when they are ashore. Now that COVID restrictions are easing, more Seafarer Centres are open and able to support seafarers with the provisions they need when ashore. The biggest contributing factor to an improvement of mood has been that the most fundamental aspect of seafaring now appears more certain – knowing when you are going home. The data from Q2 reflects that the industry is getting better at making crew changes more regularly, with 41% of seafarers onboard for between just 1 and 3 months. Reference

Singapore and Greece researchers develop a new method to estimate the resistance experienced by ships in seaways

02 Aug 2022
S.Waves not only impede speed and performance, but can also increase fuel consumption of ocean-going vessels and increase marine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

However, measuring this effect has been difficult. Now, researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) in Singapore and the National University of Technology in Athens (NTUA) have developed a new method to more accurately and easily estimate the impact of this wave. , among others. According to the China Marine Design Research Institute (MARIC), the shipping industry is also in the process of using new methods as part of a broader revision to update existing International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

The Institute has been involved in the work of revising the standard. Researchers from Singapore and Greece have developed a method to support the strategy of the United Nations maritime body, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to improve the energy efficiency of ships and reduce emissions from maritime operations. Researchers estimate that the new method could reduce a vessel’s fuel consumption and her GHG emissions by 5-10%. Depending on the vessel’s design and shipping operations, this savings may be higher. Referred to as the SHOPERA-NTUA-NTU-MARIC (SNNM) method, this technique is used by the International Towed Tank Council (ITTC), a global association of IMO observer-qualified organizations, to measure vessel speed and power performance.

To develop the formula, the researchers created a database of additional resistance experienced by ships of various types and sizes. From over 5,000 experimental data points, we have identified the most important parameters that determine the additional resistance due to waves. Independent validation tests conducted by the ITTC’s Technical Committee have shown that the new method is highly accurate in predicting the resistance experienced by ships from waves. Reference

India: MoPSW and MSDE to boost Maritime skill development

01 Aug 2022
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to jointly undertake the skill development project and harness the innate capabilities in Ports and Maritime sector.

Under the MoU signed between MoPSW and MSDE, it is envisaged to develop 10 Qualification Packs (QPs). Apart from MSDCs in Major Ports, several skill development centres have been setup through Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs). The partnership is aimed to enhance the capacities and skills to deal with the rapidly changing competition and provide for port led prosperity in line with the objectives of Sagarmala Programme and PMKVY.

Under the Deen Dayal Upadhayay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) -Sagarmala convergence and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), more than 4,000 persons have received training for skilling, reskilling and upskilling, the statement noted.

The statement further stated, that MoPSW also signed another MoU with Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) in May 2017, which has been extended in April 2022, for skill development in maritime sector on convergence mode of DDU- GKY and Sagarmala.

It further added, a Multi Skill Development Centre (MSDC) is already operational at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and a total 57 Qualification Packs (QPs) are being implemented under DDU-GKY Sagarmala convergence programme. Reference

World Maritime University 2022 Seafarer Survey

01 Aug 2022
The IMO’s World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden is calling all Seafarers who are currently working on any commercial ship, or have worked on such ships at any time after 1 February 1997, to participate in a survey on hours of work/rest, workload, and ship manning.

WMU is conducting the survey in collaboration with the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA), the Nautical Institute (NI), the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), and the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN). The survey is part of research funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust. At the conclusion of the survey, WMU will work with the maritime community to consider improvements. Reference

Water-Cooled Wonders: Sustainable Stern Tube Bearing Technology

01 Aug 2022
Through globalization and advances in technology, we’re better connected and have greater access to goods and services and information than ever before. So it’s easy to forget that 90 percent of everything still travels exactly as it did 500 years ago.

That trade is carried by the roughly 55,000 merchant ships that trade internationally. Whether general cargo, container or tanker, each of these is equipped with one or more propellers that drive the vessel through the water. The propeller in turn is connected to the engine via a shaft, and that shaft is supported by various bearings to keep it rotating smoothly.

These bearings often require grease or oil lubrication. An oil-lubricated stern tube system was introduced in the 1950s to help control the wear life of shaft bearings. One of the system’s components is known as the stern tube bearing, and its main job is to seal the oil-filled stern tube and prevent that oil from going into the sea and causing marine pollution.

Fishing nets, misaligned propeller shafts, poorly maintained seals or manufacturing defects can all cause the seal to fail. The resulting loss of oil containment can be costly for the shipowner and lead to fines or even jail time for the crew.

Stern tube bearings are designed with a series of lands and grooves, running longitudinally. When a contaminant such as sand or grit enters the system, the water will wash it into a groove where it is flushed out. Due to the material construction of this style of bearing, it avoids scoring the propeller shaft, unlike a metal bearing, which has no give. Reference 

Note: All above news items compiled in this digest should be considered as news in brief. For detailed news, please refer to reference link, mentioned with each item.