NL MARITIME NEWS

NL MARITIME NEWS

A NewsLink service for Dole Colombia International maritime news for seafarers

Monday, March 11, 2013 Headland SatNews

NATIONAL

Cleaning up floating tsunami trash to entail long-term effort

The tsunami that ravaged northeast Japan in March 2011 created the biggest single dumping of rubbish, sweeping some five million tonnes of shattered buildings, cars, household goods and other rubble into the sea. About three-and-a-half million tonnes, according to official Japanese estimates, sank immediately, leaving some 1.5 million tonnes of plastic, timber, fishing nets, shipping containers, industrial scrap and innumerable other objects to float deeper into the ocean, AFP reported. Marine experts poring over the disaster say the floating trash adds significantly to the Pacific's already worrying pollution problem. For many years, and possibly decades, items will be a hazard for shipping, a risk for sea mammals, turtles and birds, a hitchhiking invitation for invasive species and a poorly understood threat to wildlife through plastic micro-particles. "In a single stroke, the tsunami dumped 3,200 times the amount of rubbish that Japan discharges annually into the Pacific," said Robin des Bois, a French environmental group that is studying the problem. "In plastic alone, the volume is the equivalent to several decades of accumulated waste in the Atlantic and Pacific." Early last year, the first debris started to wash up on shores of Oregon, Washington and southern Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia. They were foam and buoys that have "high windage", meaning objects that sit proud of the waves and are easily pushed by the wind. They were followed by other items that sometimes spoke poignantly of the disaster on the other side of the ocean. They included a Harley-Davidson motorbike in a container, a football with the owner's name on it, a crewless ship and two massive concrete docks on styrofoam floats. The docks came from the fishing port of Misawa in Aomori prefecture, yet washed up in Oregon and Washington eight months apart. One dock was rinsed down with bleach as a bio-precaution after it was found to be studded with dozens of foreign species of algae and barnacles.

ASEAN oil spill response meet set in Jakarta

Indonesia will host the ASEAN Oil Spill Response Action Plan (ASEAN-OSRAP) group meeting in Jakarta from March 19 to 21, local press reported Monday. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) OSRAP meeting will take place in Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesian

SAFETY Reefer cargo damage

Vessels should always obtain written instructions from the shipper prior to loading refrigerated cargo. These instructions should include details of pre-cooling,

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Transport Ministry said. The meeting will be held in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Global Oil and Gas Industry Association for Environmental and Social Issues, the ministry was quoted by Antara news wire as saying. The goal of the meeting is to observe and discuss further cooperation among ASEAN countries in tackling environmental pollution in the region. Representatives from each ASEAN member are expected to attend this meeting, PNA reported. ASEAN countries will determine response to cope with environmental issues over the oil spill incident in the region. The impact of the oil spill is a serious risk threatening people's life and having adverse influence on social and economic life. With the action plan, ASEAN community shows solidarity spirit and friendly and effective co-operation with countries not only in the region but also in the world to relieve outcome of oil spill incidents.

carriage temperature, ventilation and stowage requirements. The vessel should also obtain a certificate from a class surveyor or a competent expert prior to loading, stating the condition and suitability of the refrigeration machinery and reefer compartments for the carriage of the specific cargo in question. For containers, pre-trip inspections should be carried out. Any confirmation, doubt or ambiguity must be immediately cleared in writing. The vessel should never accept carriage instructions that the vessel will not be able to comply with. Temperature ranges must be strictly adhered to, and in case of unavoidable deviation, the vessel's insurer must be immediately notified. Source: MARS

UK ship visits Cornish port

As part of its social commitments, a Royal Navy ship has visited England's North Cornwall resort for a rededication service for local schoolchildren. The P200 class coastal training vessel has been stationed at the Padstow harbour over the past four days and is teaming up with Bristol University's Royal Navy unit in educating schoolchildren, allowing them to spend time at sea on weekends and during university breaks. "We're extremely happy to get involved with the local community," according to Lt Cdr Charles Collins, commanding officer of the HMS Dasher, which was named after a merchant vessel converted into an aircraft carrier. Two years after being commissioned into the Royal Navy, the aircraft carrier sank off the coast of Ardrossan in Scotland in March 1943 caused by an explosion that severely damaged the vessel. Only one-third of the vessel's 528 crewmembers survived the incident.

China seeks to streamline marine forces

China is planning to restructure the country's top oceanic administration to enhance maritime law enforcement and better protect and utilize its marine resources. The move will bring China's maritime law enforcement forces, currently scattered among different ministries, under the unified management of a single administration, according to a report delivered by State Councilor Ma Kai at the annual parliamentary session on Sunday. The new agency will still be named the National Oceanic Administration (NOA). It will have under its control the coast guard forces of the Public Security Ministry, the fisheries law enforcement command of the Agriculture Ministry and the maritime anti-smuggling police of the General Administration of Customs, Ma said in his report about the plan on the institutional restructuring and functional transformation of the State Council, China's cabinet, Xinhua reported. The NOA currently has only one maritime law enforcement department, China Marine Surveillance. Ma said the move is aimed at solving problems related to inefficient maritime law enforcement, improving the protection and utilization of oceanic resources and better safeguarding the country's maritime rights and interests.
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SHIPPING UK property tax change may affect shipping sector

The United Kingdom is considering changing taxation on residential properties costing USD2.0 million or more, a measure that shipping consultant Moore Stephens believes could affect overseas companies, including those linked to shipping interests. Under the government's proposed amendments, companies outside of the UK, as well as residents from overseas, will be obliged to pay capital gains tax with a fixed rate of 28% on such properties, as well as an annual residential property tax (ARPT). Before, foreign companies that operate in the country were only required to pay taxes on gains if they were officially trading with the UK. "The government's original proposals would potentially have taxed gains accruing since 1982, and involved the need to consider restructuring before April 2013. The rebasing to April 6, 2013, has bought a little time, but structures still need to be reviewed and valuations obtained," according to Gill Smith, a tax partner with Moore Stephens. Describing the measures as "significant," Smith added that a further study must be carried out to determine if restructuring can be implemented to trim down liabilities. He likewise stressed that the new tax rules should be enforced "carefully" so as to avoid other charges from emerging.

Philippines boosts shipbuilding

Shipyards are once again busy for new ship buildings which showed that shipping lines are bracing for modernisation and expansion of their fleet, PNA reported. Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) has been actively participating in bids for container vessel projects. Its Subic Shipyard is now ready to build the 6,800 TEU container ships for Technomar, a shipping company based in Greece, after winning the bid recently. HHIC will also build a 38,000 CBT LPG carriers with Exmar, it's first, considering that HHIC only build carrier ships, tankers and bulk carriers. The recently contracted container ships are highly-efficient, high-performance, second-generation economical vessels. The fuel consumption can be reduced by five percent to seven percent, compared to the ships contracted in 2011. These are environment-friendly, as LNG, LPG and heavy oil can be used as fuel.

INCIDENTS 136 Myanmar refugees rescued

Malaysian authorities have rescued at least 136 people believed to be ethnic Rohingya Muslims fleeing strife in Myanmar aboard a leaking boat with no food or water, an official said Monday. The rescue brings the number of boats intercepted this year to 11, marking a "big increase" in refugee arrivals, said Tan Kok Kwee of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, following deadly sectarian violence in Myanmar. The boats have typically carried at least 120-240 people, added Tan, the agency's northern region enforcement chief, but could not provide a total figure for the year so far, AFP reported.
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The latest boat was intercepted off the northern state of Penang on Sunday with at least 96 adults and 40 children aboard, he said, adding that he was awaiting a final tally. The passengers said they were at sea for 25 days in the rickety and overcrowded wooden vessel and had run out of food and water, Tan said.

California sailboat race accident proves fatal

Storm-churned seas during a sailing race off Southern California smashed a boat into island rocks, leaving one sailor dead, after the vessel's crew first sent a mayday call but later waved off help from the Coast Guard and other boaters. Five other crewmembers of the Uncontrollable Urge were rescued after the 32-foot sailboat lost its steering and the craft began drifting toward San Clemente Island, where it broke apart, Coast Guard Petty Officer Connie Gawrelli said Saturday. On Friday night, the crew radioed the mayday call and also activated a feature on the boat that provides authorities with GPS coordinates and other crucial information, she said. But the crew then declined assistance and instead requested a tow boat. Stormy conditions, however, kept the tow boat from getting to them, AP reported. "They were not in immediate danger and thought they would be able to manage completing the race and get assistance on their own," said Chuck Hope, commodore of the San Diego Yacht Club who helped organize the Islands Race. "Then things got worse."

PORT OF THE WEEK Port of Davao

Port of Davao is among the major seaports in the Philippines. The port is 148 nautical miles to General Santos, 272 nautical miles to Cotabato, 332 nautical miles to Zamboanga, 419 nautical miles to Cagayan de Oro, 318 nautical miles to Surigao, 581 nautical miles to Cebu and 851 nautical miles to Manila. Port of Davao is one of the most busiest international container port in both Visayas and Mindanao. It is also the largest market of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area Port of Davao serves as the gateway to the southern Philippines. Passenger ship-lines operate to Davao, including WG&A Superferry. It is considered as the best-performing port in Mindanao. There are 18 private ports and several municipal ports in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. It also operates a terminal port in Mati, Davao Oriental. Major piers and wharves in the port of Davao includes Sasa Wharf, Sta. Ana Pier, Mati Wharf, Pacific International Terminal Pier, Legaspi Oil Company pier, Universal Robina pier, Davao Union Cement pier and Tefasco pier. Sasa Wharf is considered as the baseport of the Port Management Office (PMO) of Davao. The wharf is used for container and shipping and operated by the International Container Terminal Services Inc.

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Sasa Wharf lies between latitude 7 05'N and longitude 125 35'E and is bounded in the east by the natural islands of Samal and Talikud. The day-to-day operations of the port is being supervised by the Port Management Office (PMO). PMO- Davao is under the direction of PDO-Southern Mindanao together with the ports of General Santos, Cotabato and Zamboanga.

SHIPPING DATA
BALTIC EXCHANGE
Market snapshot: 12:20 GMT Dry Capesize Panamax Supramax Index Index Index Index BDI BCI BPI BSI 847 1260 1128 876 +4 -2 +4 +12 +2 .

Handysize Index

BHSI 485

EXCHANGE RATES
New York (Fri Cls) Fgn Currency in USD Britain (Pound) Canada (Dollar) China (Yuan) Euro India (Rupee) 1.4936 0.9721 0.1608 1.3005 0.0184 USD in Fgn Currency 0.6695 1.0287 6.2195 0.7689 54.3550 9687.00 95.8200 5.7232 40.7300 3.1800 30.7838 1.2474

Indonesia (Rupiah) 0.000103 Japan (Yen) Norway (Krone) Philippines (Peso) Poland (Zloty) Russia (Ruble) Singapore (Dollar) 0.010436 0.1747 0.0246 0.3148 0.0325 0.8017

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