News Digest 26-Sep-2022

India: World’s first CNG port to come up in Bhavnagar

25 Sep 2022
World’s first CNG import terminal will come up in Bhavnagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the terminal on September 29. To be built at a cost of Rs 4,024 crore, the terminal will provide an additional alternate source of energy to meet the growing demands of clean energy in the country.

An MoU was signed by Gujarat Maritime Board with a private organisation for setting up Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) terminal in Vibrant Gujarat Summit in January 2019. The construction of the port is expected to commence in the first half of 2023 and the port will be operational in 2026.

It will have state-of-the-art infrastructure and the world’s fourth largest lock gate system. The lock gates, once closed, do not let tides affect the docked ships. In addition to the CNG Terminal, the port will also cater to the future needs and demands of the Bhavnagar district for upcoming projects such as vehicle scrapping, container manufacturing, and Dholera Special Investment Region in particular.

The port will also have ultra-modern Container Terminal, Multipurpose Terminal and Liquid Terminal with direct door-step connectivity to the existing roadway and railway network connecting to the largest industrial zones, Dedicated Freight Corridor and northern hinterland of India. Reference

India: Industry Welcomes National Logistics Policy, Says Implementation Is Key

25 Sep 2022
The recently announced National Logistics Policy (NLP) has the potential to become a game changer for the Indian industry.

Its objective is to primarily address logistics costs which are about 14% of GDP compared to just 6% to 8% in developed nations. With the country now emerging as a manufacturing hub for a host of industries and exports slated to rise as a result, lower logistics costs will boost the competitiveness of Indian goods both here and overseas. 

Perspectives of different industry stakeholders on NLP are as follows:

Ganesh Mani S, President and Chief of Operations, Ashok Leyland, said it would enable modern and efficient operations across the automotive industry. As he put it, NLP is not just about interconnecting Gati Sakthi but also emphasises on digitalisation. 

Sriram Viji, Managing Director, Brakes India, said NLP is very timely as the auto components industry is challenged with the cost of logistics and transportation, which is 3-4% higher compared to several other countries.

Ennarasu Karunesan, Maritime & Port Expert, Founder UMK Group and IAPH Regional Representative to India, said the three pillars of NLP — infrastructure, services and human resources — are being energised to support emerging needs.

A V Vijayakumar, MD, Paramount Shipping & Immediate Past Chairman of Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in India, said NLP is linked to the Gati Sakthi programme.

Vikash Agarwal, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia, said NLP would reduce costs, implement technology, create greater opportunities for exports and decarbonise logistics.

Raghu Sankar G, Executive Director, International Clearing & Shipping Agency (India), did not quite share these buoyant sentiments as he felt the Centre was in a hurry to announce NLP without the policy being in place. “I am not critical but concerned,” he said.

While NLP is a great initiative, implementation is the key. Several ministries have a say in the logistics ecosystem, and coordination amongst them will be challenging.

According to the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI), India stood at 44th in 2018, 35th in 2016, 54th in 2014 and 46th in 2012. LPI is a bi-annual report that scores 168 economies on how efficiently supply chains connect firms to domestic and international opportunities. The country must raise its ranking in this index. It has to strive to become the third largest economy by 2030. Reference

Watch: Inside the Hijacking of a $100 Million Oil Tanker

24 Sep 2022
In July 2011, the oil tanker Brillante Virtuoso was drifting through the treacherous Gulf of Aden when a crew of pirates attacked and set her ablaze. When David Mockett, a maritime surveyor, inspected the vessel, he was left with more questions than answers. Not long after, Mockett was killed in a car bombing.

This Epic 410-Foot Hybrid Catamaran Concept Uses Wing-Like Sails to Harness the Wind

24 Sep 2022
Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven is channeling the spirit of the world’s largest seabird within its new hybrid catamaran concept.

The epic 410-footer, christened Albatross, has been designed to harness the wind, sun and sea in order to reduce its CO2 footprint and energy consumption by 40 percent, according to the German yard. Like its namesake, the multihull can soar across the ocean with very little (if any) environmental impact.

Penned in partnership with Stay Sea Design, the cat is equipped with three wingsails totaling roughly 10,000 square feet that can produce 1,200 kW of power. Under sail alone, the vessel can hit around seven knots. Albatross is also fitted with more than 12,000 square feet of solar panels that generate 120 kWh and five vertical wind turbines on the upper deck that can produce a further 50 kWh in the right conditions. All the clean, green energy is stored in the onboard lithium-ion battery.

Albatross has two different operation modes to ensure it’s as fuel efficient as possible. When in anchor mode, energy is generated by six methanol fuel cells of 200 kW each. If renewable methanol is unavailable, power can be produced via one of the two installed 1,000 kW shaft generators. In sailing mode, meanwhile, propulsion is generated by four 1,800 kW engines running on conventional gas. The amount of fuel used will be reduced, however, due to the vessel’s sail power. In terms of grunt, she promises an eco speed of 12 knots and a top speed of 15 knots.

The green ethos extends to the sizable 10,000 GT interior, too. All materials used throughout Albatross will be sustainably sourced. The generous living quarters, which can accommodate up to 14 seafarers and 46 crew, offer several saloons and dining areas, a large gym and a spa. Outside, the beach club sports a sprawling infinity pool that connects two separate swim platforms. Reference

World needs maritime trade to brave rough seas of crises – UNCTAD chief

23 Sep 2022
The world again needs the shipping industry to brave the rough seas of crises, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan said on 22 September as she addressed the Global Maritime Forum’s annual summit.

Speaking at a New York navy yard dubbed the “can-do shipyard” at the height of World War Two, Ms. Grynspan said maritime trade is facing a “historic moment of crisis”. Read her full statement.

The war in Ukraine has disrupted major shipping routes and supply chains. It has also triggered global food, energy and finance crises that have sparked record prices and could push tens of millions more people across the world into hunger and poverty this year.

Maritime transport has a key role to play in cushioning the blow, since ships carry over 80% of the goods the world trades – including most of the food, energy and fertilizers people desperately need right now.

Ms. Grynspan lauded the work already done to help load and transport food and fertilizers from Ukraine under the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye. Reference

Ten More Leading Shippers Join Initiative for Maritime Decarbonization

23 Sep 2022
Global shippers are continuing in their efforts to align to contribute to the drive for the decarbonization of the maritime industry. Ten leading companies and large global shippers, including DuPont, Electrolux, Philips, and Target, are joining the Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV) initiative doubling the number of shippers participating in the platform dedicated to accelerating the transition to zero-carbon maritime shipping.

CoZev was launched in October 2021 by the non-profit Aspen Institute to provide a platform for multinational companies to come together for high-impact initiatives designed to accelerate the transition to zero-carbon maritime shipping.

Organizers of the initiative point to the progress being announced by the maritime industry. Among the developments they are highlighting are the increasing orders for dual-fuel containerships capable of operating on future alternative fuels. They are also acknowledging the numerous zero-emission fuel production plans by fuel producers and major bunkering hubs around the world as well as the efforts to launch the first green shipping corridors including the link between Shanghai and Los Angeles.

The 10 new participants in the initiative include Beiersdorf, DuPont, Electrolux, ETTLI Kaffee, Moose Toys, Ohana Beverage Company, Philips, REI Co-op, Sisley, and Target. These multinational companies join Amazon, Brooks Running, Frog Bikes, IKEA, Inditex, Michelin, Patagonia, Tchibo, and Unilever, which were founding members in 2021 and bring to 19 the total companies participating. Reference

Top U.S. Ports Face Growing Calls to Go Green

22 Sep 2022
After years of “unmitigated growth,” the US’s busiest port complex is facing calls to lower its carbon footprint from Southern California communities plagued by the health and environmental impacts, said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia.

The Port of Long Beach, and the adjacent Los Angeles port, together handle 40% of US container imports. Over the past several years, supply chain chaos, record-breaking trade volumes and the pandemic-fueled boom in e-commerce have highlighted weaknesses in the ports’ infrastructure — including its contribution to the region’s poor air quality, which ranks among the worst in the US.

Garcia said efforts are underway to cut emissions from the thousands of mostly diesel-powered trucks that operate in and around the ports, hauling cargo off the docks to distribution centers and warehouses.

In April, cargo owners began paying a new fee averaging about $10 to $20 per load that goes to a Clean Truck Fund, helping subsidize the move toward zero-emissions fleets. While the investments mark a step toward electrifying cargo transport, those efforts must also co-exist with plans to expand charging-station infrastructure, especially to give options to truck drivers on longer-haul routes, said Garcia.

In another initiative, the Port of Long Beach is also due to begin next year a project to connect the port’s terminals to trains, which is billed as a more efficient and cleaner alternative to the trucks that are now used. Reference

Dubai’s dhow trade sees robust growth

22 Sep 2022
Two years after setting up the Marine Agency for Wooden Dhows to revive and regulate the use of dhows to make Dubai a regional hub for these historical merchant vessels, the emirate continues to witness robust growth in dhow trade.

The Marine Agency for Wooden Dhows, established in July 2020 by Dubai’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), facilitated the entry of more than 6,000 wooden dhows during the first half of 2022, reflecting a 21% year-on-year growth.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of the PCFC, noted that the Marine Agency supervised the movement of 6,052 wooden dhows during the first half of 2022, which ferried 1 million metric tonnes of merchandise from countries across the MENA region and beyond. He said the agency remains keen to keep pace with the UAE’s vision to rejuvenate the use of dhows and consolidate Dubai’s position as a regional hub on the dhow trade map.

Bin Sulayem highlighted that Dubai’s three wharfages – Dubai Creek, Deira Harbour and Al Hamriyah Port – play a key role in making the emirate a regional hub for dhows. He said the Marine Agency for Wooden Dhows, which is exclusively responsible for regulating the activity of wooden dhow ships in Dubai waters, has simplified and expedited procedures related to the docking, departure, and clearance of merchandise of the vessels in Dubai.

The Agency also coordinates with other government entities to manage all aspects of maritime safety of wooden ships and safeguard the rights and interests of seafarers working on them. The Agency provides several commercial options for the vessels, such as facilitating long-term contracts for their services and protecting their merchandise from damage during loading and unloading operations at Dubai ports. Reference

Electric self-driving ship to begin operations in Norway

22 Sep 2022
As ASKO informed, on 15 September its battery-electric and driverless vessels were christened in Moss Havn. The sea drones were named “MS Marit” and “MS Therese”.

The ships can sail completely unmanned and will contribute to lower transport costs, replace one million road kilometers of truck transport a year, as well as contribute to 5,000 tonnes less CO2 emissions per year.

The maritime drones will operate between Moss and Horten.

The vessels will mainly carry groceries for NorgesGruppen’s chains. Initially, the ships will sail with a limited crew of around four people, including captains. After an extensive trial period of two years, the plan is to let them sail completely without people on board. Instead, the ships will be monitored from shore in Horten. Reference

Replica Boat Shows How Ancient Romans Sailed Upwind

22 Sep 2022
“If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself.” One researcher applied that principle to find out how Roman mariners sailed against the wind 2,000 years ago in boats that shouldn’t have been able to do so.

The Ph.D. candidate couldn’t travel back in time, so he did the next best thing: He built a replica boat and launched it in the Mediterranean Sea.

David Gal, who’s studying at Israel’s University of Haifa, decided to undertake the challenge to answer one thing:

“How did Roman ships visiting the Levant return to Rome?” Gal told The Washington Post. “One would simply say, ‘Oh, they turned them around and sailed the other direction.’ However, a windward journey was not practical in the kind of ships they used. So how did they accomplish these voyages?”

Gal first looked into meteorological patterns to get an idea of how the wind might have behaved at the time, by reading ancient texts about the weather.

The task was monumental: He collected data points from 7,000 different locations, recorded every hour for the last 15 years. He then compared his charts against the ancient data and made a surprising discovery.

Analyzing wind patterns didn’t satisfy him and his team, though, so they started building the boat. Christened the Ma’agan Mikhael II, it’s a replica based on a shipwreck recovered off the Israeli coast in 1983.

Case in point: it took a six-person crew over three days to sail just 260km between Israel and Cyprus on one 2018 trip. But over the years-long research, Gal has learned what he needed.

His theory: sailors on ancient vessels relied on infrequent wisps of eastern wind for progress — and took a lot of breaks in between.

Brief opposing breezes usually interrupted the prevailing westerlies in the early mornings and late evenings, he proposed. Those light airflows could bear the ships toward Rome for short periods. Once they stalled, crews would drop anchor and wait until they started again. Reference

Top 3 issues on maritime leaders’ agenda

21 Sep 2022
Decarbonization of shipping and new environmental regulations in the next decade combined with geopolitical issues and workforce and skill shortages have emerged as the top three issues dominating maritime leaders’ agendas.

These are the findings of the fifth annual Global Maritime Issues Monitor jointly published by the Global Maritime Forum, Marsh, and the International Union of Marine Insurers.

The 2022 report looks at the top global issues identified by survey respondents in terms of likelihood, impact, and preparedness.

The decarbonization of shipping and new environmental regulations are seen as the most impactful issues for the second year in a row.

The importance of these issues is growing ahead of the upcoming mandatory measures aimed at cutting the carbon intensity of international shipping, such as the EnergyEfficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and carbon intensity indicator(CII).

Some of the key messages show underpin the need to move simultaneously advancing shipboard technology development and demonstration; financing the scale-up of zero-carbon fuel production; and developing policies that level the playing field for adopting low-carbon solutions.

Overall, attracting and retaining talent was seen as the most important issue of the deep dive. At the same time, it ranked next to last in terms of expectations that companies will address it. Workforce and skill shortages, an issue in the main part of the survey, moved up in impact and down in preparedness. Reference

Ship Master carries the can – seafarer criminalisation

21 Sep 2022
It is, some have suggested, just a symptom of the way society has changed. If you make a mistake, or take the wrong decision, which leads to what we used to term an “accident” it is likely to become the subject of criminal charges.

The surgeon who has employed the scalpel inappropriately, the truck driver who has let his mind wander, the ship master who has run a vessel aground or collided, will today face more than the sack. The law will demand its pound of flesh and it is perhaps difficult to think of why this should not be the case.

But there are some events where the threads of responsibility are so ridiculously tenuous that the law itself loses all respect, and in our maritime world the use of criminal sanctions seem often to have become completely promiscuous and bereft of any common sense. Just the other day we read of the suspended gaol sentence and $28,000 fines imposed by a court upon the Master and crew members, following an explosion in a container which had just been loaded aboard a feeder containership in the port of Jebel Ali.

The box, containing chemicals prone to overheating, had been stored on the quayside for nearly two weeks in the summer sun and there was just no way that the ship’s crew could have known this as the stevedores loaded it. To be fair, the authorities charged and ultimately fined others whose responsibility might have been clearer, but this was just one of the more egregious cases of the way that the innocent are being targeted by exceedingly blunt justice.

In a pre-container age, the master and mate really had the responsibility for the safe stowage of the cargo and were able to exercise their authority to the best of their professional judgement. As containerisation gathered pace, it became perfectly obvious that this could no longer be the case with the cargo planning and the authority surrounding it removed from the ship. But the responsibility has remained with the master, who will still face the music when something, over which he or she has no conceivable control, goes badly wrong.

And when it does, the P&I club will smoothly ensure that any bond is paid and the ship released to carry on trading, even though the master will remain, often for months on end, to face the charges which have been laid. It is not difficult to recall case after case where professionals have been held, almost like hostages, as the legal processes grind on and the injustice becomes compounded by time.

It might be said that the master, could be judged responsible for everything that went on aboard the ship, because traditionally this has been the case. But this surely has become completely outdated, at a time where the master has become almost a cipher, acting at the behest of owner or charterer.

Currently we are also seeing voyages of autonomous and semi-autonomous ships, perhaps on a trial basis, but an indication of where the future is heading. Somebody other than those aboard such a ship are taking the authority – will they too assume all liabilities and responsibility under law?

In short, the world has changed, and it is time society’s perception of the liabilities and responsibilities of senior ships’ officers is given a commensurate update. Reference

Indian, US Coast Guards hold joint drill ’Abhyas’

20 Sep 2022
The Indo-US Coast Guard joint exercise ”Abhyas-01/22” was held off the coast here on Monday.

The focus of the exercise was to familiarise the personnel of Coast Guards of both the nations with each other’s capabilities, a defence release said. The objectives included strengthening working relationship between the forces of the two nations, enhancing inter-operability in the area of maritime search and rescue (SAR), boarding operations and other maritime law enforcement duties.

The highlights are fleet manoeuvers, creating a scenario of hijacking of a vessel and subsequent rescue of its crew in a coordinated anti-piracy joint operation. Interdiction of pirated vessel, coordinated joint boarding operation, SAR demonstration and external fire-fighting to salvage burning ships were the other highlights of the exercise.

The 4-day visit of United States Coast Guard Cutter Midgett to Chennai on a goodwill visit culminated on 19 Sep 2022. Reference 

India: Bengal cabinet nod for issuing LoI to Adani group for Tajpur deep sea port

20 Sep 2022
The West Bengal cabinet on Monday approved a proposal for issuing a letter of intent to Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone for development of a greenfield deep sea port at Tajpur, paving the way for an estimated investment of Rs 25,000 crore, a senior minister said.

The West Bengal Maritime Board will issue the LoI to the Adani group, who was the highest bidder for the mega project, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim told reporters after the cabinet meeting held in the assembly.

“Following the technical and financial evaluation and completion of all formalities, the cabinet today accorded approval for issuance of letter of intent by West Bengal Maritime Board for development of the Tajpur port to the successful bidder, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (SEZ),” an official statement said. Reference

MACN and Suez Canal Authority Discuss Industry Collaboration

20 Sep 2022
Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) recently met with The Suez Canal Authority in Egypt at their Navigational Headquarters in Ismailia to discuss industry collaboration, capacity building, and potential areas of cooperation between the two organizations.

MACN CEO, Cecilia Müller Torbrand, highlighted the significance of this visit “I would like to thank the Suez Canal Authority and Chairman and Managing Director, Admiral Osama Rabie, for their hospitality and the opportunity to discuss MACN’s mission and global engagement.”

His Excellence Admiral Osama Rabie indicated that the authority is keen to extend bridges of cooperation with all institutions and organizations working in the maritime transport field and to benefit from the joint coordination of work mechanisms and future visions aiming to serve the global trade movement.

The SCA Chairman elaborated that the Suez Canal spares no effort to serve its patrons consisting of shipping lines and agencies and is continuously working to upgrade its services and develop the navigational channel through continuous development projects to ensure maintaining the leading position of the Canal as the fastest, shortest, and safest maritime navigational route.

As a next step, the SCA and MACN will establish close dialogue on concrete challenges, important material will be reviewed, and further discussions will be held on private and public sector capacity building. Reference

Greek seafarers held on tankers in Iran start being released

20 Sep 2022
The release of Greek seafarers on board the two national-flagged tankers held by the Iranian authorities since May in retaliation for the case of the cargo of the tanker Iranian-flagged Lana has begun.

“The second officer of Delta Poseidon has arrived home, in Athens,” a Shipping and Island Policy Ministry official has said. Iran has agreed to release the crews of the Delta Tankers operated 157,400dwt Delta Poseidon, built 2011, and Polembros’ 150,000dwt Prudent Warrior, built 2017. In all about 50 crew – Greeks, Filipinos and a Cypriot – were being held.

Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon, were seized in response to the confiscation of oil by the United States from the 115,400dwt Lana, built 2003.

The Lana was detained May 25 after being originally stopped in April by Greek port authorities at Karystos, on the island of Evia, after it sought shelter from bad weather. At that time, it was named Pegas and sailing under a Russian flag, The Iranians seized the two Greek suezmaxes on May 27.

However, the two tankers remain held and all Greek sailors will be replaced with foreigners, except for one Greek who wishes to stay on board. Reference

Stability Issue: Video Shows Cargo Ship Capesize at Turkish Port

20 Sep 2022
The video below was filmed in Turkey’s Iskenderun Port and shows an incident involving the geared cargo ship Sea Eagle taking place this past Saturday. As you can view the ship was using a port lift truck to unload containers when it suddenly keeled over to port.

Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure confirms that 24 containers were lost from the Togo-flagged Sea Eagle and a minor oil leak was detected and boomed off. Fortunately all crew members were evacuated safely and no injuries were reported. The ship eventually sank at the berth. Reference

Philippines: Seafarers protest Marina’s revival of training course

19 Sep 2022
The country’s seafarers are strongly opposing the move of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to bring back the Management Level Course (MLC), a training course that they claim would only be an added financial burden to them.

The training course requirement was revived by new Marina chief Hernani Fabia who also intends to impose huge fines of P50,000 to as much as P1 million on seafarers and manning agencies caught in any act of deception in securing a certificate of proficiency.

Nelson Ramirez, president of United Filipino Seafarers, expressed his dismay over the revival of the MLC and accused Fabia of conflict of interest, saying the latter would benefit from it since he also owns a training center and a maritime school.

“He owns Philippine Nautical and Technological College (PNTC), but he claimed to have divested his shares and KFJ Ventures Inc. is now PNTC’s largest shareholder,” Ramirez said, adding that he later discovered that Fabia also owned KFJ Ventures. “Isn’t this a clear deception?” he asked. Reference

Sri Lanka: Minister pushes for more seagoing jobs

19 Sep 2022
Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva says that although Sri Lanka is an island nation the number of seafarers and people engaged in employment in the maritime sector by Lankans is less 0.1 percent.

Addressing the 56th Annual General Meeting of Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents in Colombo last Wednesday (14), the Minister said: “Sri Lanka being an island nation, we would have diverted young people of Sri Lanka towards Maritime employment opportunities. If you take Philippines, 10 percent of their foreign employment is in the Maritime field which draws large amount of foreign currency to Philippines.”

He said: Our Government and my Ministry has launched an ambitious program to train more seafarers and engineers, craftsman to be employed in the ships. I seek your assistance and also the shipowner’s assistance to absorb more cadets from Sri Lanka which would help us to train more youth in the maritime field and provide them with secure employment.

Sri Lanka moving its way into the top ranks of global sea ports by volume and growth, it is a joint effort of public bodies like SLPA and private organizations collaborating in order to bring international best practices to the industry. With the recent changes in policy, and through the collaboration of experts from both public and private sector bodies like CASA working on the existing issues together, there is a limitless potential for Sri Lanka to be a maritime hub in the region. 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