There has been over three years since the new requirements of MARPOL Annex VI, that impose a specific limit on the Sulphur content being used in ships fuel, came into force in the Special Emission Control Areas (SECAs).
The “Bao Yue”: Implications of failure to collect the cargo at the discharge port
June 6, 2016 by Leave a Comment
In the recent English High Court case of Sang Stone Hamoon Jonoub Co Ltd v. Baoyue Shipping Co. Ltd. ([2015] EWHC 2288 Comm), Mr Justice Males provided direction on the potential liability of a cargo owner to the shipowner where the first does not take delivery of the cargo and the recompense such shipowner may expect in return. In this case, the unpaid FOB seller of the goods, who held the bill of lading (BL), was found liable to the shipowner for storage charges greater than the value of the unpaid cargo. The shipowner successfully defended a claim for unlawful conversion following storage of cargo that had not been collected within a reasonable time. Under English law, in brief terms, conversion of cargo is an act of dealing with that cargo in a way that is inconsistent with the cargo owner’s rights, such that the cargo owner is deprived of the use or possession of the cargo.
The Lease As An Alternative Structure For Financing Ships
December 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment
ECSA Position Paper on Marine Litter
December 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) notes with alarm the growing evidence of the harmful effects of marine litter on marine biodiversity and the environment. At the global scale, it is estimated that nearly 80 per cent of marine litter originates from land-based sources. The rest originates from sea-based sources, including maritime transport which accounts only for a part of it.
A Challenging Period Ahead
December 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This article initially appeared in IMO News Issue 4, 2015 and is reproduced here with the organization’s and author’s kind permission.
When I took office as Secretary-General in 2012 I highlighted a number of challenges that would face IMO in the coming years. These included the difficult financial situation for Member Governments after the economic downturn; combating piracy; the debate on greenhouse gas emissions as well as on ballast water management; the IMO Member State Audit Scheme; preparation of a new set of international rules for navigation in the Polar regions; sustainable financing for the World Maritime University and its future operation; and the need to review and strengthen the Organization’s technical cooperation and capacity-building efforts.
Pooling Agreements
November 15, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In this short note the authors consider whether the entry of a ship into a pool can be regarded by financial investors (lessors and lenders) as a reasonable alternative to employment on time charter.
Black Carbon Emissions from Shipping
August 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This past January, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) made long-anticipated progress on the definition of black carbon from shipping. After four years of agonizing debate, the subcommittee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) recommended that the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) accept the definition used in this landmark paper by Tami Bond et al., and move forward with its work plan on black carbon. Next steps include developing a standardized way to measure black carbon and investigating potential control options.
The Human Element in Accidents
July 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Shipping industry statistics state that around 90% of world trade is carried by sea. Key sea lanes are already busy and as world economies expand, the number and size of ships trading internationally, currently 50,000 vessels, will increase. The natural hazards of being at sea remain the same, but the increased congestion will add to the risk of collision or grounding. Whilst technology, particularly in the form of electronic navigational aids, has done much to reduce incidents in recent years, they do continue to occur with predictable frequency.
Driving Operational Change with Data-Driven Analytics
July 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Real-time reporting and data analysis are key tools to understanding and improving complex operating environments of today’s companies where the overall effects of any individual action can be very difficult to identify without a proper tool set at hand.
Routing Optimization the Missing Part
July 14, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Optimal routing is an essential part of Voyage planning. Traditionally, optimal routing has been avoiding areas with high risk of cargo damage. With advanced weather forecasting, the forecast period has become longer. With advanced data communication, it is possible to deliver the updated forecasts onboard, and weather routing has become dynamic and adaptive to the real weather and is no longer merely avoidance of high risk areas.
Officer of the Watch 