17-November-2017. Russian President Vladimir Putin gathered a group of top-level shipping executives at the Kremlin to encourage them to fly the Russian flag and direct their business to a Russian shipyard. Attendees included top-level leaders from Rosneft, Gazprom, Novatek and the United Shipbuilding Corporation. Putin has previously asked Russian shipowners to commit to ordering newbuilds at the new Zvezda shipyard…
Global naval defence budgets are more and more constrained, putting pressure on navies around the world to build up their capabilities and fleets to remain powerful on the seven seas. The resurgence of adversaries and their increasing capabilities is forcing allied nations to re-assess their current state and to think about procurement decisions in upcoming years. In a recent survey…
A new report published by the Danish Maritime Authority has called for changes in international maritime regulation to prepare for the introduction of autonomous ships. “It is important that Denmark and Danish companies are at the forefront of technology and digitalization. The development of autonomous ships is fast-moving and we must be at its forefront,” said Danish Minister for Industry,…
Introduction: State of World Fisheries. A wake-up call for the regional seas of ASEAN and the Central Indo-Pacific. Exploitation of the global marine commons has led to the depletion of most major fish stocks, and to a growing recognition of the need to take global and regional collective action to manage fisheries resources. Freedom to Fish, among the five customary…
Regulations surrounding potable water on ships. In August 2013, the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) started to enforce their regulations (MLC 2006), aimed at maintaining high quality drinking water onboard ships, to protect crew from waterborne health risks. Ship owners, managers, shipyards and crew manning agencies must all understand how the regulations titled, ‘Food and Catering: Provision of Food and Fresh…
The seaworthiness of a vessel is one of the most important considerations for any maritime operator. Whether you are responsible for a small passenger ship or bulk carrier, compliance laws are getting stricter to ensure that crew members and passengers are kept safe and marine pollution levels are kept to a minimum. Penalties can be serious, but if a ship…
When it comes to fishing vessel safety, the mission is clear, says Sandra Allnutt of the International Maritime Organization (IMO): enhance safety to save lives. “We want to reduce loss of life in one of the most dangerous professions in the world, and we want to enhance safety on board fishing vessels,” said Ms Allnutt, Head of Maritime Technology in…
The Korean Register (KR), an International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) member, has announced that it is now conducting ship inspection services using Drones, responding to the industry-wide trend to use more unmanned technology. The new service, which has been successfully trialed and now launched, follows extensive collaboration and research conducted with the University of Gyeongnam Geochang. The Drone inspection…
Last month, PRS successfully passed with flying colors (with only 1 minor observation) the strict assessment and certification audit of ABS QE to the latest 2015 version of ISO9001 of PRS’ Integrated Management System. The first and leading Filipino classification society has again trailblazed in establishing an Integrated Management System compliant to ISO 9001:2015 (quality management standard), ISO 18001 (OHSAS…
In November 2017, Inmarsat launched a vital new service, SafetyNET II, for Maritime Safety Information Providers (MSIPs), marking a key stage in upgrading the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which helps to save thousands of lives at sea each year. Inmarsat’s new generation international broadcast and automatic reception service for Maritime Safety Information (MSI) enables MSIP’s to transition…
Damen Shipyards Group has compiled a comprehensive summary of its worldwide shipbuilding activities regarding Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The information shows that, with 5 vessels delivered in the last year, and 15 currently under construction, Damen has unrivalled experience in serving the naval industry with its OPV portfolio. Moreover, the company has proven its capability of completing complex naval projects…
The Australian Federal Government announced on 24-November-2017 in Canberra that Lürssen would be awarded as the Prime Contractor to deliver the Royal Australian Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). The OPV program will see 12 vessels built in total. West Australian shipbuilders Austal and Civmec/Forgacs, and Government shipbuilder ASC would all be part of building the vessels, according to the Defense…
Dream Cruises, the leading cruise company in Asia, and a subsidiary of Genting Hong Kong, has taken delivery of its newest cruise ship, which was constructed in the city of Papenburg located in the district of Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany. Papenburg is notably situated at the River Ems, and is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer Werft, which…
The Talangka in the Philippines is from the scientific family Grapsidae and species Varuna litterata. Apart from the Philippines, Varuna litterata is also known to exist in Australia, China, Fiji, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, Madagascar, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nansha (Spratly) Islands, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paracel Islands, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. The Varuna Litterata was named in 1798…
Belgian caviar house, Imperial Heritage, recently obtained Friend of the Sea’s certification for aquaculture. Breeding activities of the Danube Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) and the Siberian Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) take place in Italy, and have been found compliant with Friend of the Sea sustainable aquaculture criteria, some of which are: (a) No impact of the aquaculture site on critical habitat; (b)…
Many scientific researches indicate that some celestial objects collided with Mother Earth millions of years ago creating incredibly powerful explosions that led to life extinction of the dinosaurs and other pre-historic creatures. Recently there was news on a certain Planet X Nibiru that some predicted to hit the earth last month. While such risk of collision remains Mother Earth presently…
First of all, let me welcome all the participants composed of representatives from concerned government agencies in the maritime sector for the 127th Maritime Forum. This gathering is being undertaken in coordination with the Maritime League. It is truly an honor to host this event as we continue to work together to ensure that our agencies are being updated on…
How do we deal with negative news on the Maritime Industry? The most negative had been on our past shipping safety record, in particular because of the record-breaking casualty count of the Dona Paz disaster of 1987. Likewise, the sorry state of professional competence in the seafaring industry was hot news after the STCW 95 review highlighted the Philippine’s inability…
“Opportunities, goodwill, reputations, wealth and other assets once lost can be recovered – but time misused or wasted is gone forever…” – Ancient Wisdom These last few days have brought bad news for President Duterte’s Administration – and, therefore, bad news for all of us Filipinos. The negative developments indicate not just fleeting conditions but, indeed, defining trends that must…
Four years since it was discovered in a marshy plain in northern Mindanao, the largest ancient Filipino boat ever discovered lies unexcavated. Despite its immense cultural and historical significance, the “mother boat” balangay has been practically untouched since 2013. Submerged under barely waist-deep brackish water, it remains tantalizingly beyond reach — at least for now. National Museum archeologist Dr. Mary…
Introduction: Archipelagic and Maritime Philippines, an ICZM case study and proposition for ASEAN Vision 2025. The ocean management concerns of the Philippines as an archipelagic State encompass its archipelagic and internal waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf (including a possible Extended Continental Shelf). The same situation exists for the two other archipelagic States in the Central Indo-Pacific…
Compliance with the strict marine regulations and codes can be time consuming and expensive for any operator. In an industry with such alarming historical safety statistics, it’s imperative that we embrace innovation to eradicate onboard risks. Regulations are constantly being amended and introduced to make shipping safer so we are going to look at the Top 3 Innovations Improving Marine…
PRS Technical Services Inc. leads the way in assisting Filipino shipowners and operators in complying with MARINA MC 08-2015 entitled “Rules and Regulations on Subdivision and Damage Stability Requirements for Philippine-Registered Domestic Ships”. This MC outlines the requirements under Resolution MSC.216(82), adopting the regulations on subdivision and damage stability in SOLAS Chapter 11-1 which are based on the probabilistic concept…
Korean Register (KR) – an International Association Classification Society (IACS) member classification society – has launched the industry’s first Survey & Audit Preparation Guide which will allow shipowners to check exactly what items need to be prepared for their next vessel survey audit, before submitting an application. KR has used its extensive data resources and IT technology expertise to develop…
INTRODUCTION Propulsion is a means of creating force leading to the movement of a vehicle in the water, air or in land. The term is derived from Latin word “pro” meaning before or forward, and “pellere” meaning to drive. A propulsion system consists of the source mechanical power, and propulsion to convert the power into propulsive force. The main engine…