Our Sincere thanks to the Pulse Magazine for allowing the Copying of these Articles
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
2
The Pulse
Ocean in 3D This is in HD, I hope your monitor can view it that way. https://www.youtube.com/embed/mcbHKAWIk3I
Thanks for that Keith, really clear vis. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Container weighing regulation is 'very challenging': INTTRA By Marcus Hand from Singapore Box shipping e-marketplace INTTRA, which is rolling an electronic system to submit verified weights of containers, says the new regulation is “very challenging”. From 1 July this year the IMO has mandated under an amendment to the SOLAS Convention that shippers provide a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) for all ocean containers before they are loaded aboard the vessel for the purposes of the stowage plan. “It is a very challenging regulatory change,” Jim Whalen, president Asia for INTTRA, told a briefing in Singapore on Tuesday. “INTTRA has had a significant role of raising awareness about this regulatory change.” INTTRA is rolling out an electronic VGM (eVGM) system, which allows shippers to electronic submission of the required data for submission. With the VGM data being required for stowage planning this means that the submission needs to be made around three days before the ship arrives in port according to Inna Kuznetsova, president and coo of INTTRA. There still remains considerable confusion as to how carriers and terminals will treat boxes where the VGM arrives less than three days before the vessel arrives. Kuznetsova said one terminal said that if there was no VGM three days before the container will not be allowed through the gate. “That’s very harsh,” she commented. However, the terminal’s reasoning is that it has limited yard space and does not know how many containers it would need to store. Other terminals are taking the approach of if there is no VGM the container will not be loaded, but will be allowed in the terminal. “The absence of a common standard is what makes this difficult,” she said. Some lines such as HapagLloyd and UASC, which are both INTTRA users, have issued their guidelines. INTTRA is ocean shipping’s leading e-marketplace where companies go to ship efficiently and gain insights to grow. Backed by over 50 carriers and the world’s largest network of ocean shippers, INTTRA technology changes the way our industry connects and does business with one another. More than 22% of our world’s trade begins at INTTRA – and with unique visibility into 35% of global container traffic, only INTTRA users can access the big picture insights needed to better collaborate, share knowledge, and manage shipments around the world. INTTRA Users gain valuable insights by using the Ocean Schedules product, integrated into the INTTRA online portal. Search and select from over 12 million global ocean schedules from over 35 of the world’s largest ocean carriers including MSC, Maersk Line, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA-CGM, APL and more. Source: seatrade-maritime + additional information gathered Photo’s : Piet Sinke © __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Disaster predicted at Rotterdam from new container weight verification regime Dutch freight forwarder VCK Logistics is the latest company to warn that new container weight verification regulations could cause chaos in the supply chain. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
3
The Pulse
Service at Holy Trinity Church, Hull, April 17th at 2pm
There will be a service at Holy Trinity Church, Hull. We would like to invite Merchant Navy veterans to the service. A service will be held then a parade with the Humberside police Band to Victoria Pier where we will be having a wreath laying service for the 6 ships and crews which were lost during the Falklands War.
A wreath will be laid for the Atlantic Conveyor.
Kind regards
Keith Thompson Falklands Veteran Merchant Navy Norland Parade organiser __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ New book looks at the history of women at sea Dear Merchant Navy Association,
I just wanted to let your members know about Jo Stanley’s new book: From Cabin ‘Boys’ to Captains: 250 Years of Women at Sea which is published in April by The History Press.
Best wishes,
Helen Helen Bradbury, Marketing Executive, The History Press, The Mill, Brimscombe Port, Stroud, Glos, GL5 2QG Tel: +44 (0)1453 732550 The History Press | The destination for history
For information. If anyone would like to review the book for the website, please let me know and I will get a copy sent. Regards, Tim
Traditionally, a woman’s place was never on stormy seas. But actually thousands of dancers, purserettes, doctors, stewardesses, captains and conductresses have taken to the waveson everything from floating palaces to battered windjammers. Their daring story is barely known, even by today’s seawomen. From before the 1750s, women fancying an oceangoing life had either to disguise themselves as cabin ‘boys’ or acquire a co operative husband with a ship attached. Early pioneers faced superstition and discrimination in the briny ‘monasteries’. Today women captain cruise ships as big as towns and work at the highest level in the global maritime industry. This comprehensive exploration looks at the Merchant Navy, comparing it to the Royal Navy in which Wrens only began sailing in 1991. Using interviews and sources never before published, Jo Stanley vividly reveals the incredible journey across time taken by these brave and lively women salts.
The History Press | Cabin ‘Boys’ to Captains __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
4
The Pulse
Peace Boat’s Ecoship wins funding by Rebecca Moore The Eco ship has got closer to moving from concept to reality after the arrangement of financing Peace Boat’s Ecoship concept has moved closer to becoming a reality after it was announced at Seatrade Cruise Global that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore-based Six Capital to raise US$100 million for the construction of the ship in a crowd-sourced funding scheme. The operator has now announced a timeline to building the vessel: the Japanese company plans to select a shipyard in October or November this year and the contract will come into force in April next year. The building will take place between April 2017 and February 2020 and the ship will be launched in April 2020. Patrick Teng, founder, chief dealer and executive chairman of Six Capital said: “We are particularly excited to be part of this movement, as it is about what the ship can create – a global movement for people to understand about climate change.” Yoshioka Tatsuya, founder and director of Peace Boat, hailed the financing as a “realistic step to build the ship”. And ambitions do not stop there: he told a press conference at Seatrade Cruise Global that the company wanted to build more ships along the same line of Peace Boat, or encourage other cruise ship operators to build such ships. Japanese NGO Peace Boat’s Ecoship is a concept to create the world’s most sustainable cruise ship. Source: passngershiptechnology __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ US Navy chief warns of new Chinese activity around South China Sea shoal The United States has seen Chinese activity around a reef that China seized from the Philippines nearly four years ago that could be a precursor to more land reclamation in the disputed South China Sea, the U.S. Navy chief said on Thursday. The head of U.S. naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in coming weeks on a case brought by the Philippines against China over its South China Sea claims could be a trigger for Beijing to declare an exclusion zone in the busy trade route. Richardson told Reuters the United States was weighing responses to such a move. He said the U.S. military had seen Chinese activity around Scarborough Shoal in the northern part of the Spratly archipelago, about 125 miles (200 km) west of the Philippine base of Subic Bay. "I think we see some surface ship activity and those sorts of things, surve type of activity, going on. That's an area of concern ... a next possible area of reclamation," he said. Richardson said it was unclear if the activity near the reef, which China seized in 2012, was related to the pending arbitration decision. He said China's pursuit of South China Sea territory, which has included massive land reclamation to create artificial islands elsewhere in the Spratlys, threatened to reverse decades of open access and introduce new "rules" that required countries to obtain permission before transiting those waters. He said that was a worry given that 30 percent of the world's trade passes through the region. Asked whether China could respond to the ruling by the court of arbitration in The Hague by declaring an air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, as it did farther north in the East China Sea in 2013, Richardson said: "It's definitely a concern." "We will just have to see what happens," he said. "We think about contingencies and • responses." Source: CNBC __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
5
The Pulse
The German submarine found in the St. Lawrence River is not what it seems
Dear Malcolm,
The item here about the German submarine found in the St. Lawrence River is not what it seems. I traced the article back World New Daily which describes itself thus:
"World News Daily Report is an American Jewish Zionist newspaper based in Tel Aviv and dedicated on covering biblical archeology news and other mysteries around the Globe."
Other articles on this rag include: Nazi enthusiast impregnates own wife with frozen sperm of Hitler Saudi Prince offers $10M to spend one night with Kim Kardashian The reporter, one Barbara Johnson, is described on the same website thus:
"Barbara Johnson is a young reporter who has made a name for herself thanks to her thorough researching and formal writing style. A former pornstar, she has rapidly reached the summit in her new profession thanks to her good looks and "social" skills.
U-boat.net notes that there was submarine activity in the St. Lawrence and that the RCN struggled to protect it due to the involvement of so many of their vessels in protecting Atlantic convoys.
Finally, the website Lead Stories states that this is a hoax and the photos are in fact of a Russian nuclear submarine that sank in a Murmansk shipyard in 2003. Details HERE.
Shame as apart from being a pack of lies it was a good story!
Best wishes, Brian Watson __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Swedish Club identifies the most common accidents onboard via ship type An interesting report out this week from the Swedish Club identifies the most common accidents onboard via ship type. The P&I club has studied thousands of incidents in the last ten years, across a range of vessel segments and claims types. Seafarers on containerships need to watch their step, as almost 60% of all slips and falls occur on container vessels – almost certainly due to the amount of debris on board and the number of people involved in cargo operations, the club noted. Meanwhile, those working on bulk carriers must take care to avoid cargo damage, with bulk carriers recording both the highest average cargo claims cost and also the most frequent claims over the last ten years. A failure to check cargo properly before loading and improper cargo handling are the cause of the most expensive and most common claims respectively, emphasising how important it is for crews to monitor entire cargo operations to secure as much evidence as possible about damaged cargo. With the various vetting processes in place, it is no surprise that tanker claims make up the smallest proportion of cargo claims seen by the club. But those onboard cannot rest on their laurels with around 60% of claims and the same proportion of costs incurred by improper cargo handling and insufficient cleaning. The report also highlighted both an increase in claim costs and a rise in the number of claims for the most common P&I claims: cargo, illness and injury, over the last ten years. Worryingly, the club has seen a rise in the number of claims for all vessel types. Bulk carriers top the charts, with the greatest increase in the number of claims. This trend is also being seen in the container sector, with both the cost per claim and the number of claims rising. The frequency and cost for tankers is the lowest of the three types. Source: Splash 24/7 __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
6
The Pulse
A Traditional Ship with a Contemporary Heart Old photos show mid-nineteenth century sailing ships abandoned in the San Francisco Bay area by crews who caught gold fever. Some of these abandoned hulls lie under the modern day city of San Francisco. Over in Sausalito, just to the north of the famous Golden Gate Bridge, what may well be the spirit of one of those buried vessels is taking shape under the direction of Captain Alan Olson, who has several decades of experience building and restoring and sailing classic wooden ships. Olson also started a nonprofit organization, Call of the Sea, which is dedicated to preserving maritime traditions while teaching the skills of seamanship and teamwork and marine ecology through the organization’s sailing programs. To be named the MATTHEW TURNER, after a celebrated 19th century Bay-Area builder, the two-masted brigantine will be 100 feet long on her deck and 132-feet overall. Based on lines from the Galilee, one of her namesake’s ships, the modification and details have been done by noted tall ship designers, Tri-Coastal Marine of Richmond California. Tri_Coastal Marine-Naval Architects and Marine Engineers While the hull, rigging and sail power may derive from late nineteenth century designs, the ship’s auxiliary power will be as up to date as today’s newspaper. The propulsion system is a hybrid of diesel-powered generator, batteries and even an electrical power-generating propeller. David Adamiak, of BAE Systems that will supply the HybriDrive®, explained some of the features of the system that incorporates a pair of Cummins QSB6.7 diesel engines rated at 301 HP each. “In this application, there is no mechanical connection between the QSB6.7 engines and the prop shafts,” he continued the explanation, “It is best to think of the architecture as two variable speed hybrid generators that deliver electrical power to where it is needed when it is needed. Essentially, they deliver power-on-demand for (a) electrical propulsion; or (b) hotel loads; or (c) any combination of the two. The system controller decides whether to pull the needed power from the Energy Storage System (ESS), composed of Li-ion batteries, or the diesel engine, depending upon which is most efficient for the desired load. Thus, in this application, the speed of the diesel engine will not be constant, but rather will be dependent upon the electrical load, so that it is always running at its most efficient point to minimize fuel consumption and emissions.” The complex beauty of the system is remarkable in it-self, but gets even more exciting. When the Matthew Turner will be travelling under sail the batteries will be charging. With the diesel engines stopped, the water flowing over the hull will continue to turn the electric motors via the propellers and their shafts. This will, similarly to a hybrid car going downhill, cause the electric propulsion motors to become generators to produce electricity to recharge the batteries. Wind power creates waterpower that turns the prop to create electrical power. Amazing. As the propulsion components are being put together by BAE Systems, the boat builders over at Sausalito are finishing the hull planking. As master shipwright Alan Olson explained to Chris Lo of Ship-technology.com in August of 2015, “…a big challenge is planking. We have 230 planks going on; they're three inches thick, they're between 14 and 27 feet long, and it just takes a lot to get those planks on.” With the planking to be completed by June, interior work is proceeding. With a lot of the work being completed by dedicated volunteers the schedule to completion of the fully rigged ship is set for sometime in 2017. The Matthew Turner web page shows more of the story and is a good place to stay informed or donate to the project. Educational Tall Ship of SF Bay If you are in the Bay Area you can visit the Shipyard and Visitor’s center between 09:00 and 16:00 Monday to Saturday at 2330 Marinship Way, Suite #150, phone 415 886 4973 Photos and drawing courtesy of Educational Tall Ship __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
7
The Pulse
Stavros S Niarchos
Check out the open Days Coming up this year We have got some open days coming up on Stavros S Niarchos during the Summer months, so pop these dates in your diary and come along to see us!
21 May- Cardiff
3 September- Brixham __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ The HMNZS Wellington is arriving home after helping out in Fiji's northern Lau Group for three weeks. The HMNZS WELLINGTON is arriving home after helping out in Fiji's northern Lau Group of islands for three weeks in the wake of Cyclone Winston. The offshore patrol vessel is expected to arrive at Devonport Naval Base at 8am on Saturday. The ship delivered about 70 tonnes of aid supplies from New Zealand to affected communities on Vanuabalavu, Yacata and other islands in the area. The HMNZ WELLINGTON also identified a route and anchorage into Vanuabalavu lagoon that HMNZS CANTERBURRY used for landing craft operations. Fiji's National Disaster Management Office has said the cyclone displaced up to 45 per cent of the country's population of 880,000, damaged thousand of homes, hectares of farmland and killed at least 42 people. The New Zealand Defence Force's humanitarian aid mission to Fiji was one of its largest peacetime deployments to the Pacific. Almost 500 combat engineers, soldiers, sailors and aircrew, two ships and six aircraft including two helicopters have been deployed since February 21.source: NZcity __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Two More Shipping Companies Busted for Using Magic Pipe March 18, 2016 by gCaptain Two German shipping companies have pleaded guilty to environmental crimes related to the use of a socalled “magic pipe” to bypass one of its ship’s pollution prevention equipment. The U.S. Justice Department reports that Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG and Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG MS “Extum,” who owned and operated the cargo ship MV BBC Magellan, pleaded guilty this week to failure to maintain an accurate oil record book in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ship. The companies were also found to have tampered with witnesses by persuading them to provide false statements to the U.S. Coast Guard concerning a bypass hose on the vessel that was being used to illegally discharge oil into the sea. The two companies were sentenced to pay a total of $1.25 million in fines and a $250,000 community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to fund environmental projects in Gulf of Mexico. The BBC Magellan has also been banned from doing business in the United States for the next five years………………………………………Will these guys never learn????? __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Photo credit: MarineTraffic.com/Bob Prins
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
8
The Pulse
5-Year Prison Term in Navy Bribery Case
A former manager of a Singapore-based company servicing United States Navy ships has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to a fraud scheme that overbilled the Navy by more than $34 million. Judge Janis L. Sammartino of Federal District Court in San Diego also ordered the former manager, Alex Wisidagama, to pay $34.8 million in restitution to the Navy. Mr. Wisidagama was the global manager of Glenn Defense Marine Asia, and is a cousin of its top executive, Leonard Francis. Mr. Francis is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in one of the military’s biggest bribery cases. Source: New York Times __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Construction Time-Lapse: Harmony of the Seas, World’s Biggest Cruise Ship
https://gcaptain.com/construction-ti...f925-139894965 __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Africans Stories in Yorkshire
Evidence of people of African heritage in Britain dates back to Roman times, which is a much longer period than most people realise. This project by the William Wilberforce Monument Fund is aimed at collecting the stories of people of African descent in Hull and East Yorkshire from the Wilberforce era of the 1750s until 2007.
It is a community project, endorsed by the University of Hull's Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation and Hull Museums that invites anyone who wants to contribute their own research, photographs or oral history to do so. We welcome your support by delving into the archives for older stories whilst more contemporary accounts will be represented through oral history.
We aim to have an exhibition of images, audio and written evidence of this aspect of local history to create a valuable archive for the public and for educational purposes. We understand that in the past there have been some seamen from Somalia and Yemen who visited Hull and more information on this would be welcomed. Other areas for investigation include dockworkers, servants, servicemen, NHS workers, workhouses, academics, labourers, clergy, entertainers, sportsmen, etc. as well as parish records, newspapers and census. Be part of this significant project which is relevant particularly in this part of the country where William Wilberforce and the African story is of such importance.
Please see the website http://www.africansinyorkshireproject.com/ for ideas and where you can also submit essays, extracts, suggestions and images. Contributions can also be made via email to wilberforcemonumentfund@gmail.com or share your findings at Hull History Centre, Beverley Treasure House or by post to William Wilberforce Monument Fund c/o WISE, Oriel Chambers, 27 High Street, Hull, HU1 1NE.
Best wishes, Gifty
Mob: 07599 454016 Email: wilberforcemonumentfund@gmail.com Website: http://www.africansinyorkshireproject.com/ http://wilberforcemonumentfund.blogspot.co.uk/ __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
9
The Pulse
NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE ENFORCEMENT FOR SEAFARERS Session: 2015-16 Date tabled: 22.03.2016 Primary sponsor: Mearns, Ian Sponsors: o Bottomley, Peter o Durkan, Mark That this House welcomes the Low Pay Commission's (LPC) recommendation in its Spring 2016 report that the Government create a public protocol to strengthen the investigation of third party complaints of breaches of the National Minimum Wage (NMW); notes that the LPC recommends that third party whistleblowers should be entitled to feedback and continued involvement in any resulting casework from HMRC NMW Enforcement Team investigation of these complaints; further notes that implementing this recommendation would address more effectively NMW compliance in industries such as shipping, where fear of blacklisting, short term contracts and lack of awareness discourage seafarers, including those being paid as little as £2.25 per hour from making direct complaints to the UK authorities; notes the Government's introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW) of £7.20 per hour for workers aged 25 years and over from 1 April 2016; notes the estimate from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers that there are at least 8,300 seafarers working in the UK shipping industry today who are paid below the NMW· and calls on the Government to demonstrate its commitment to effective minimum wage enforcement by accepting the LPC's recommendation on third party whistleblowers and the NMW. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Former HMS Bronington, Last of the Royal Navy’s Ton-Class, Sinks Next to Dock in England March 18, 2016 by Mike Schuler A historic minesweeper formerly belonging to the Royal Navy has sunk while moored at Vittoria Dock in Birkenhead, England where it has been laid up for years. The Bronington, one of the last vessels in the Royal Navy’s Tonclass, was discovered to have sank sometime between Thursday and Friday. A witness told gCaptain on Friday that he last saw the vessel afloat Tuesday, but by Friday the ship had partially sank next to the dock in an upright position and was starting to roll onto its side. Photo credit: Phil Owen The HMS Bronington was launched for the Royal Navy by Cook, Welton, and Gemmel shipbuilders in Yorkshire, England in 1953 and remained in active service until 1988. In 1989 the vessel was purchased by the Bronington Trust, a charity dedicated to her preservation and display to the public. The minesweeper was brought to Salford Quays and later opened to the public in 1992, but ownership eventually transferred to Mersey Docks and Harbour Company and the ship has been been laid up at Vittoria Docks since 2011. Interestingly, HMS Bronington was also the first and only ship commanded by Prince Charles, who served in the Royal Navy for over five years and spent nearly a year in command of the minesweeper in 1976. Between 1953 and 1960, about 119 of the wooden-hulled Ton class minesweepers were delivered to the Royal Navy and later used by other navies. More photos of the Bronington can be found on Phil Owen’s website. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
10
The Pulse
Jutland 100 – Your Call To Action This year marks the centenary of two battles of national significance during the First World War; the Battle of Jutland from 31 May to 1 June, and the Battle of the Somme, between 1 July and 18 November.
As the national custodian of Remembrance, The Royal British Legion asks you to take part in an event this year to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice in these battles.
You could take part in one of the following national or regional events or run something within your local community.
Jutland 100 The Battle of Jutland was the principal naval battle of the First World War. As such it provides an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifices and contributions made by all those from the Royal Navy, Merchant Navy, fishing fleets, shipbuilding towns and coastal communities who continue to guarantee our maritime nation’s security in peace and war.
The following national and regional events are taking place on 31 May to mark Jutland 100. A national commemorative event, broadcast by the BBC, will take place on Orkney, including a morning service at St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall and an afternoon service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Lyness on Hoy. The Royal Navy is hosting events at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham, Belfast (including the opening of HMS Caroline and the Commemoration to the Irish Sailor) and Queensferry on the Firth of Forth. The National Memorial Arboretum is hosting a service at its Naval Memorial at 11am.
Remembrance We have tried to make it as easy as possible for you to take part or build your own commemorative event. Just download your toolkit for Jutland 100 from www.britishlegion.org.uk/Jutland100.
In the toolkit you will find the following items to help you run your event:
The Act of Remembrance, music and readings you could include Branded material to help you promote your event, including poster templates A press release template, to help you generate local interest A brief history of the Battle of Jutland The story of ‘Jutland Jack’ Stories of LIVE ON beneficiaries
Somme 100 The Battle of the Somme is synonymous with our memory of the First World War. The infamous first day remains the bloodiest day in the British Army’s history, involving sixty-thousand casualties, twentythousand of whom were killed.
Commemorations will be taking place between 30 June and 18 November to mark the centenary of the 141 days of the battle’s duration.
More information and a different toolkit will be communicated separately for Somme 100 by mid-April. The Somme 100 toolkit will be available both digitally and for order by post.
We really hope that with this support you will be able to run an event that best suits your community. If you have any questions, please contact remembrance@britishlegion.org.uk. With best wishes for success in your commemorations. The Royal British Legion Remembrance Team __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
11
The Pulse
“I think the pilot turned off the radio!” March 18, 2016 by Editorial “A lot of ships have this symbol painted on the hull. The middle of this marking is nine meters from the main deck. It is recommended that ships with more than nine meters of freeboard rig a combination of gangway and ladder and not just a ladder so the pilot doesn’t have a three-story climb to get on the ship.” – Lou Vest, Houston Pilot By Owen Palmiotti (Coeval, Inc.)…I may have been in diapers when I first learned about communicating. Back then, I was most likely talking to my brother about which crayon tasted the best or what box of fruit juice had the coolest splatter pattern. We learn most of the basic elements of communication when we are toddlers. This communication grows and matures through schooling and life experiences and can be seen in every facet of life. A Master-Pilot Exchange truly parallels those basic communication skills from our youth, combining the key elements of sender & receiver, ideas, encoding & decoding, and communication channel & feedback. Rather than listing out these items, the more effective path is a circular model in which the exchange of information gets processed by both the sender and receiver, and continually ebbs and floods. The Warsash Maritime Academy sponsored Dr. Katherine Devitt to do a study on the Master-Pilot Exchange. In her research, she interviewed thirteen Pilots and nine Masters. What follows is a brief summary of her research: • Failure to ask for, or provide relevant information • Overload of information • Failure to adapt to other cultures and languages • Failure to establish trust and rapport • Monitoring and challenging • Failure to recognize fatigue and stress Within Dr. Devitt’s research, an analysis of the 25 February 2008 accident about the product carrier, Sichem Melbourne making heavy contact with mooring structures at Coryton Oil Refinery Terminal. She summarized the accident with the following quote “The accident was primarily caused by a failure to exchange a proper level of information between the master and pilot before departure from the berth. Assumptions were made by both parties of the other’s intentions.” On my first underway watch the pilot complained about a migraine as the ship was just moments away from departure. As I was standing beside the helmsman testing gear, I noticed the pilot wrap up the master pilot exchange and then moved to the centerline VHF radios. I couldn’t see what he tinkered with, although it would reveal itself later. As the tugboats were pulling us off, a vessel came into view. We hailed the vessel on various frequencies, but heard nothing. The vessels grew closer together, and although we were only shifting berths via tugs, on a mile long voyage, there was evidently a breakdown in communication. I watched the Master and Pilot argue about what to do. It then clicked, and I put one and one together. I cleared my throat and yelled out, “I think the pilot turned off the radio!” I may have said it three or sixteen times, but after some finger pointing, name calling, and perhaps even a few verbal onslaughts about someone’s mother and a farm-animal, the dynamic duo walked centerline and checked the VHF’s volume, only to reveal the other vessel’s Master screaming. All of this took place in about a minute or so, less time then it took to write it. Luckily we caught the blunder in time. However, that is not the case in all situations. On November 7th, 2007, the container ship, Cosco Busan, struck Delta Tower of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in thick fog which led to 53,569 US gallons bunker fuel to spill into San Francisco Bay. Investigators found that maritime pilot John Cota was impaired because of his use of prescription pharmaceuticals while piloting the container vessel, which rendered him unable to use the onboard radar and electronic navigation charts correctly. This occurred despite the fact that the Vessel Traffic Service of the United
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
12
The Pulse
States Coast Guard warned Cota that the vessel was headed for the bridge. Cota was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for his role in the incident. Then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency after meeting federal, state and local officials overseeing the cleanup. The proclamation made additional state personnel, funding and equipment available to assess and clean up the environmental damage. The exchange of information between Master and Pilot should not be a guessing game. Both parties need to be transparent and have accessible information, whether it is spoken, or in written form via the Pilot’s Information Card. There needs to be a conference where the duo begin to build the foundations of trust and rapport, while adhering to the simplest elements of communications: listening. Each side needs to take it in, process and digest the information. Then they must have a continuing the dialogue during the transit, giving updates to each other as situations change. Even a brief concluding meeting is helpful in sharing information that either party noted. Past. Present. Future. Take a minute and think about how important the effective transfer of information is. We were all taught how to properly interact, but having the right puzzle pieces in the wrong order doesn’t give you that satisfactory “Ah-ha” moment when the last piece is placed. Let’s build on those foundations and focus on key points that would strengthen the Master-Pilot Exchange: experience and familiarity, training and retraining on mission-specific equipment and practices, and an understanding of cultural, physiological or behavioral issues. Our industry is very reactive and because of the dangers associated within, accidents will always occur. The main focus should be on factors that lessen these mishaps and perhaps with a more proactive approach, we won’t be discussing the next maritime disaster over coffee. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Men stranded at sea rescued by lifeboat TWO men were rescued by the Littlehampton RNLI lifeboat after their leisure cruiser suffered a total engine failure. The coastguard received a radio call from the crew of a leisure cruiser at around 8.45am reporting total engine failure and that they were stranded seven and half miles south of Littlehampton harbour. The volunteer crew of Littlehampton RNLI lifeboat were paged at 8.49am. The RNLI station’s Atlantic 75 BLUE PETER 1 lifeboat was launched at 9.02am and headed out in overcast weather towards the stranded vessel. A spokesman for Littlehampton RNLI lifeboat said: “On arrival at the scene the lifeboat came alongside the vessel and the volunteer crew rigged a tow line in preparation for its recovery. “The vessel and two male crew were taken under tow and commenced the journey back to the harbour, where it was returned safely to its moorings.“ The owner of the cruiser thanked the volunteer crew for their assistance and made a donation to the RNLI. “The lifeboat returned to the station at 11.14am where it was refuelled and made ready for service.” Source: littlehamptongazette __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Ministers consider state help for Clyde shipyard By ; Michael Glackin SNP wants to ‘level the playing field’ with European rivals SNP wants to ‘level the playing field’ with European rivals THE Scottish government is examining ways to provide state-backed financial guarantees to the Clyde’s last remaining commercial shipyard to “level the playing field” with European rivals. The move comes after Jim McColl, chief executive of Clyde Blowers Capital, which owns Ferguson Marine Engineering, said more needed to be done to enable the company he rescued from administration to compete with shipbuilders in Germany, Poland and Finland.Following discussions with the Scottish government McColl, one of Scotland’s most successful entrepreneurs, has formulated proposals that include seeking powers to enable the largely state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) to underwrite contract guarantees for Scottish and UK manufacturers. Source : thesundaytimes __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
13
The Pulse
Appeals Court Overturns Chief Engineer’s Oil Record Book Conviction March 21, 2016 by gCaptain On March 14, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction against Matthaios Fafalios, the chief engineer of the Trident Navigator, who was wrongfully charged and convicted in December 2014 of “failing to maintain an oil record book aboard a foreign-flagged merchant sea vessel, in violation of 33 U.S.C. § 1908(a) and 33 C.F.R. § 151.25.” At the close of the government’s evidence at trial, Fafalios, a Greek seafarer, moved for judgment of acquittal pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 29 on the grounds that the government failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was the “master or other person in charge” of the vessel and therefore he was not legally required under the Coast Guard’s regulations to maintain the oil record book. The District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana denied the motion for judgment of acquittal, and Fafalios sought appellate review of the conviction by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Fifth Circuit reviewed the language contained in the applicable statutes and regulations, confirming that where the language is unambiguous, the Court should not look beyond the plain language of the statute or regulation. The Court stated unequivocally that “under the plain language of the regulations, only the ‘master or other person having charge of the ship’ is responsible for maintenance of the oil record book.” The Fifth Circuit rejected the government’s reasons for why the conviction should be upheld. First, the government challenged the applicability of Rule 29, arguing that Fafalios should have moved to dismiss the indictment before trial allowing the government an opportunity to correct any insufficiency. The Court disagreed. In addition, the Fifth Circuit rejected the prosecutor’s argument that the chief engineer’s responsibility to sign and record bilge water operations in the oil record book was a “continuing obligation.” The Court held that any failure by Fafalios to make a required entry occurred while he (and the vessel) were still in international waters and therefore the United States did not have jurisdiction over such an offense, as the “failure to sign an oil record book while in international waters, standing alone, is not a violation of either APPS or its attendant regulations.” The Court concluded that the regulation’s requirement for the record book to be signed “without delay” implied that the offense was committed as soon as the book was not signed, and that different language would have been used by the drafters if a continuing obligation was intended. Further, the Court rejected the government’s alternative argument that Fafalios was obligated, as the vessel’s chief engineer, to comply with the regulations’ requirement for the ship, itself, to “maintain” an oil record book, finding that such argument was “foreclosed by traditional rules of statutory construction, not to mention common sense.” The Fifth Circuit criticized the government’s “strained reasoning” as to why this duty should extend to chief engineers, finding that there was “no convincing explanation” as to why the ship’s duty should be delegated to a chief engineer, especially when the applicable statutes permit an in rem cause of action against the ship. Recognizing the lack of merit to the case, the government’s argument that the Coast Guard had a wellknown practice of enforcing regulations against chief engineers which was rejected out of hand by the Fifth Circuit as “being without merit.” The Court of Appeals highlighted that the Coast Guard’s past practices did not provide a reason to deviate from the regulation’s plain language. Finally, in rejecting what it referred to as an “unusual” policy argument, the Fifth Circuit stated that it was unpersuaded by the government’s concerns that reading the regulation to impose the duty to maintain the record book only on the vessel’s master would cause chief engineers to falsify records and conceal their falsification from the master. In addition, the Fifth Circuit found the government’s argument to be nothing more than a “contrived hypothetical.” Photo: Creative Commons
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
14
The Pulse
George M. Chalos, George A. Gaitas, and Briton P. Sparkman represented Mr. Fafalios during his criminal trial in the Eastern District of Louisiana. George M. Chalos presented the oral argument to the panel for the Fifth Circuit on December 4, 2015……..... Hope the Lawyer’s fees were less than the fines __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ WATCH: U.S. Navy Attack Sub Emerges from Ice in the Arctic Circle https://gcaptain.com/watch-u-s-navy-...10db-139894965 __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ The Internet Wants to Name the UK’s New £200 Million Polar Research Ship, RRS Boaty McBoatface March 21, 2016 by Mike Schuler Is this the future RRS BOATY MCBOATFACE? Once launched in 2019, it will be one of the most sophisticated polar research vessels ever built. A £200 million state-of-the-art newbuild capable of carrying out the most advanced floating research from the farthest ends of the earth, and anticipated to propel the UK to the forefront of ocean research for years to come. And if the internet gets its way, the ship will be named the RRS BOATY MCBOATFACE. That’s right. The internet is voting to name the UK’s newest and most advanced polar research ship Boaty McBoatface. This, apparently, is what happens when you ask the internet’s help to #NameOurShip. It all started last Thursday when the UK National Environment Research Council and Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson announced an online contest to help name the UK’s next polar research ship to be built at the world famous Cammell Laird shipyard in the North West of England. “Can you imagine one of the world’s biggest research labs traveling to the Antarctic with your suggested name proudly emblazoned on the side?” asked Johnson. In NERC’s statement announcing the contest, the organization explained: Operating in one of the world’s most challenging global environments – our polar regions – we’re looking for an inspirational name that exemplifies the work it will do. The ship could be named after a local historical figure, movement, or landmark – or a famous polar explorer or scientist. But what NERC and Johnson did not anticipate is that the internet would take the idea and have a little bit of fun with it. By Sunday morning, #BoatyMcBoatface was trending on Twitter, causing the NERC “Name Our Ship” website to crash with the sudden viral traffic that the organization was obviously not prepared for.
According to NERC’s website on Monday, RRS BOATY MCBOATFACE was leading the field with nearly 30,000 upvotes, by far the most popular among 3,500-plus entries submitted in the contest. Other top contenders include RSS IT’S BLOODY COLD HERE, USAIN BOAT, ICE ICE BABY, WHAT ICEBERG, NOTTHETITANIC, I’M THE CAPTAIN NOW and BOAT MARLEY AND THE WHALERS, just to name a few.
As for the final name of the ship, that will ultimately be decided by NERC – no matter how many votes the crowd favorite gets. But we can hope, can’t we? The #NameOurShip contest closes April 16. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
15
The Pulse
Rolls-Royce Reveals Vision of Shore-based Control Centers for Unmanned Cargo Ships https://gcaptain.com/rolls-royce-rev...d57d-139894965 __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ WATCH: World’s Second LNG-Powered Dry Cargo Ship, MV Ireland, Launched at Ferus Smit https://gcaptain.com/watch-worlds-se...d57d-139894965 __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Panama to Open $5.3B Canal Expansion June 26 or `Lose Face’ March 23, 2016 by Bloomberg The ACP announced Wednesday that the official inauguration of the expanded Panama Canal will be June 26, 2016. By Michael McDonald and Naureen S. Malik (Bloomberg) — The expansion of the PanamaCanal, a $5.3 billion project almost two years behind schedule and plagued by cost overruns and contractor disputes, will open on June 26, Canal Authority Administrator Jorge Quijano said on Wednesday. Contractors building the new locks, which will allow bigger ships to pass through the 102-year-old waterway, will complete works on May 31. “The date is very close and there is still a lot of work to do,” Quijano said Wednesday during the inauguration of a new canal training center. “We can’t lose face.” The Panama Canal Authority has resolved problems associated with contractors and seepage from the new locks discovered during testing, said Jose Ramon Arango, senior international trade specialist at the agency that operates the 50-mile (77kilometer) waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The authority is planning a test of the new locks with a tanker in May, he said at a shipping conference in Stamford, Connecticut on Tuesday. The expansion may shift international trade routes, allowing ships to reach Asia from the U.S. Gulf Coast more than two weeks faster than they would going east through the Suez Canal. It’ll make room for vessels with the capacity to carry 12,600 containers, almost three times what the existing locks permit, and will be able to handle tankers carrying liquefied natural gas. Shipments through the canal may rise to 360 million tons in 2017 following the project’s completion, after reaching a record 340.8 million tons in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, the authority said in October. The expansion has spurred a series of port and infrastructure upgrades throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast as docks make room for bigger vessels. The project was 97 percent complete as of Tuesday, with testing, with the construction of minor structures accounting for the remaining 3 percent, Arango said. __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Photo: Panama Canal Authority
MNA CIRCULAR 2016-08
31st March 2016
16
The Pulse
Queen Mary 2 prepares for 132-day voyage The Cunard Line’s luxury liner QUEEN MARY 2 which is docking in Hong Kong, will next embark on its World Voyage, on January 3, next year. The voyage is an exclusive 132-day New York roundtrip adventure, sailing to 23 countries and 40 ports with numerous late departures and overnight stays. Meanwhile, QUEEN MARY 2 will weave her way through South Africa, and Mauritius before heading to Australia. She will then sail through various Asian destinations before setting a course for Egypt. The 14-day Hong Kong segment is scheduled for March 18, sailing to Korea and Japan, stopping by Shanghai before returning to Hong Kong on April 1. The voyage starts at HK$22,770. The 176-year-old British luxury cruise line Cunard is bringing the whole fleet of three queens – QUEEN MARY 2, QUEEN VICTORIA and QUEEN ELIZABETH – to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Ocean Terminal next week. The liners are stopping by in Hong Kong, as they take passengers on board on their scheduled cruises. A brand of the world's largest cruise company Carnival Corporation, the Cunard Line’s three queens are among the most luxurious passenger vessels ever built. Source: .thestandard __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Last Flight out of Da Nang An unbelievable film report on the last World Airways panic flight out of Vietnam!
I don't think many of us have seen this before!
http://www.panam.org/video/426-last-flight-from-da-nang __________________________________________________ ___________________________________ Grounded Bulker in Oregon Has "Significant" Damage The U.S. Coast Guard's Thirteenth District has released results of a damage assessment for the grounded bulker Sparna, showing significant damage to the vessel's hull. The assessment was performed by contractors Ballard Marine Construction on Tuesday morning, and found multiple fractures, the largest being a 25-foot by fivefoot crack with a visible boulder lodged inside. However, despite the extensive impact damage, hull penetrations were limited to two flooded compartments. The 620-foot Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier Sparna went aground in a narrow stretch of the Columbia River near Cathlamet, Washington, in the early hours of Monday morning. The USCG says that she had a river pilot onboard and was in the outbound lane when she ran into trouble. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation, but the USCG suggests that she hit a submerged object. The Coast Guard, alongside state pollution responders and a contracted oil spill response organization continue to monitor the Sparna. There still have been no signs of oil spilled during the incident. Captain Dan Travers, commander Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, said that while there was no pollution observed to date, responders are prepared to respond to the worst case scenario. The USCG continues to use aircraft overflights to monitor for an oil sheen. A team led by the USCG intends to move the vessel upriver to Longview on Wednesday morning if conditions permit. The tugboats PJ Brix and Pacific Escort are still with the Sparna to help it hold position. The Columbia River remains open to all traffic, but the Coast Guard says that it may need to limit the passage of deep-draft commercial vessels once the Sparna begins its transit upriver for repair. The USCG has confirmed that the Sparna is fully loaded with grain in its cargo holds, and is carrying 200,000 gallons of high sulfur fuel and 40,000 gallons of marine diesel. Source: MAREX __________________________________________________ ___________________________________
