The marine industry is dynamic and ever-changing. The need of the hour is to keep ourselves updated with changes affecting our work environment, primarily including new regulations and latest technology. In addition, the protection of the environment, concerns around global warming, sustainability and supply chain security all take a central role, so we need to remain aware of new scenarios in each of these areas.
To understand the significance of a third umpire in the shipping industry one must first understand what brought about the advent of the third umpire in games such as cricket, tennis, rugby, soccer, etc. In the game of cricket there usually were two umpires on the field who make decisions on the game as it progresses.
The shipping industry is experiencing the biggest dry bulk market recession since the 1980s. The uncertain global economic outlook and the increased imbalance between supply and demand have lead to historical low freight rates . The downturn seems to continue until 2017 if a viable equilibrium is not achieved.
No system is perfect and risk is everywhere, probably nowhere more so than in shipping, with no guarantees that there will never be an accident, nor that a particular accident will never repeat itself.
As the owner or manager of a beautiful new yacht, fuel testing may not be high on your priorities; however it should be at the very top. The ability to sail safely, independently and at short notice is crucial for the modern day yacht owner and having a fuel and fuel system free from any problems at all times is essential in achieving this.
It is a common experience to hear the phrase “We must learn lessons from this” following a major accident, or a more everyday event such as losing in a sporting competition. Indeed this has become such a common phrase that one may feel that learning lessons is an automatic or natural process.
The potential for regulating the discharge of grey water was discussed at IMO when formulating the Polar Code, but, like other times grey water has been discussed, the idea was fairly quickly discarded.
The reduction of operational cost is an important aspect of managing a company especially in a harsh financial environment. In that way companies have the ability of saving financial resources for whatever purpose they want. In the shipping industry, fuel oil consumption is one of the most crucial parameters in defining each year’s budget.
The Becker Mewis Duct (BMD) is a system that can be installed onboard ships making possible to either achieve significant reduction of fuel usage at a given speed or to allow the vessel to move faster for a particular power ratio. The BMD is comprised by fixed elements that are mounted/attached on the ship’s hull. These elements create a duct/nozzle, placed ahead of the propeller along with a fin system mounted within. This has the result of straightening and accelerating the hull’s wake into the propeller, producing also a clear forward thrust.
It’s hard to believe that the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) started the year above the 2,200 mark given that now is standing at below 1,100, and having spent most of the late spring and summer below 1,000. A seasonal rally had religiously been prayed for and for a few recent weeks capesize rates improved to ‘high teen levels’ (approximately $18,000 pd on average spot market), but then again, the rally seems to have run out of steam a bit too early. A worldwide bumper crop season of grains, primarily in North America, has been holding the hopes for boosting panamax rates especially in the Atlantic, but it seems railroad capacity has preferentially been tied up to shipments of shale oil, leaving inland seaways transport to cope with the movement of the cargo along the Mississippi River to New Orleans for exporting. China, as this was put into perspective in a recent New York Times op-ed article, has been focusing on clean air and has shut down domestic coal mines of poor calorific quality or high sulphur content, and likewise imposed higher standards of imported coal, which likely would stimulate increased imports and thus help drive higher dry bulk freight rates. There has been speculation that, over the long run, China will be shifting its power generation to natural gas, which is perceived as a negative development for coal miners worldwide, but good for the LNG trade fortunes.
On Thursday August 14, 2014 the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) held a Polar Code Workshop in Seattle, WA. The Polar Code is in the process of becoming a mandatory code for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) through adoption by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of international regulations for certified ships over 500 GT and vessels with more than 12 passengers operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters.
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Officer of the Watch 