Sea Level is Rising Faster than Initially Thought
Sea level is rising 60% faster than the IPCC fourth assessment projected. That is according to researchers from Germany, the US and France. The researchers analyzed global temperature and sea-level data for the past few decades and compared them to projections published in the third and fourth assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The results show that global temperature continues to increase in good agreement with the best estimates of the IPCC, especially if effects of short-term variability due to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation, volcanic activity and solar variability are also taken into account. The rate of sea-level rise of the past few decades, on the other hand, is greater than projected by the IPCC models. This suggests that IPCC sea-level projections for the future may also be biased low.
USCG And OWS Violations
The large, green generators in the engine room of a 292-foot ship moored to a pier in San Francisco grind to life, filling the enclosed space with machine-produced roar. Coast Guard inspectors take a few slow laps around the room looking for malfunctions, leaks, fire risks and safety hazards.
Eco Ship Savings Not as High as Yards Claim
During an earnings call for Diana Shipping’s Q3 2012 Results, an analyst posed a question on “eco ships” and what the trade off looks for new versus used since it relates to more fuel efficient level. According to Anastasios C. Margaronis, president of Diana Shipping Inc., fuel-saving ECO ships are not likely to provide shipowners with major savings.
BP Pleads Guilty to Charges Regarding the Deepwater Horizon Incident
Over a week ago Attorney General Eric Holder announced that BP has agreed to plead guilty to felony manslaughter, environmental crimes and obstruction of Congress and pay a record $4 billion in criminal fines and penalties for its conduct leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster that killed 11 people and caused the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history. The 14-count information, filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, charges BP with 11 counts of felony manslaughter, one count of felony obstruction of Congress, and violations of the Clean Water and Migratory Bird Treaty Acts.
Air Pollution Minimization Through Reduction of Vessel Speed at Sea
Reducing emissions from ocean-going vessels as they sail near populated areas is a widely recognized goal, and vessel speed reduction regulations is one of several strategies that is being adopted by regulators and port authorities. A Californian research shows that slowing the speed of cargo ships near coastlines could dramatically cut ships’ air pollution.
GL Lan Xiu Owner fined $60,000 for Brisbane River Oil Spill
The MV GL Lan Xiu, which was carrying 2000 head of livestock, was refuelling at Hamilton in Brisbane in January when an accidental oil spill occurred. It took less than five minutes for about 4.5 tonnes of oil to spew into the Brisbane River after a valve was not closed properly. The vessel’s owner of the ship that has caused the oil spill in the Brisbane River has been fined $60,000.
Avoiding the APPS Magic Pipe Trap
During the 3rd annual SAFETY4SEA forum held in Athens in October 2012, George A.Gaitas, Attorney at Law in Houston Texas Chalos & Co. gave a very interesting speech on how a shipping company may get caught in a whistleblower situation and end up paying heavy fines and/or other penalties without ever committing an actual oil pollution. More than a decade has passed since the United States Department of Justice launched a vigorous campaign to enforce the observance of MARPOL 73/78 Annex I regulations by foreign ships calling at U.S. ports. Some ten years later, one would think that ship owners and ship managers would have caught-on, and found ways to effectively deal with it. Unfortunately it hasn’t worked out that way.
Officer of the Watch 