NL MARITIME NEWS

NL MARITIME NEWS

A NewsLink service for Dole Colombia International maritime news for seafarers

Thursday, February 14, 2013 Headland SatNews

NATIONAL

Container shipping route adds Portland

An Icelandic shipping company has agreed to establish container freight operations in Portland in a move that will link Portland, the largest city in Canadian Province of Maine and restore the port's on-again, off-again cargo shipping service. Eimskip, or the Icelandic Steamship Company, signed a contract with the Maine Port Authority to have a container cargo ship stop in Portland every 14 days, providing Maine businesses import and export opportunities to and from Canada and Europe, Governor Paul LePage announced on Tuesday. As part of the arrangement, Eimskip is partnering with Pan Am Railways to offer cost-competitive rail access to North American markets. Eimskip said that Portland would replace Norfolk as a port of call on its cargo route at the end of March. The goal is to shorten the transit time between North America and Europe. "Maine's economy will be strengthened by this new service and accessibility to markets," LePage said in a statement. He added: "Maine produces some of the best products in the world and this investment by Eimskip is a testament to that quality." Eimskip said in a statement that Portland is well-positioned to handle its operations with its International Marine Terminal, which is equipped with a 100-tonne mobile crane and electrical outlets for refrigerated cargo containers. The company also plans to operate a warehouse and office in Portland. Portland has been without container cargo service since last spring, when a New York-based company ended service that linked Portland, Boston and Halifax. In a press release announcing the new service in Portland, Eimskip said that it has 49 offices in 17 countries and operates 17 vessels. (AP)

'Disabled cruise ship had prior mechanical trouble'

A passenger of the disabled cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico revealed that the vessel had some mechanical problems in January. According to her, it was the main reason behind the ship's delayed departure from Galveston on a previous voyage. The passenger stated that an email had previously been sent by the shipping company to advice the passengers of a propulsion problem to be the cause of the delay. The spokesperson of the shipping company, meanwhile, admitted that there was an electrical glitch with the ship's alternator, but stressed that it had been repaired. He, meanwhile, dismissed any links between the delay in its previous voyage and the current

SAFETY Armed guards

Shipowners considering employing armed guards to protect their ships from pirate attacks in West Africa need to be extremely careful, according to new guidance published by the 'A' rated 170 million GT North P&I Club. According to the Club's new loss prevention briefing entitled: 'West African Piracy', standard solutions and contracts for hiring armed guards on the other side of Africa, such as BIMCO's Guardcon form, may be inappropriate for a very different situation in the Gulf of

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incidence in the engine room. (with inputs from AP)

Guinea, Bight of Benin and Bight of Bonny. "BIMCO Guardcon has been drafted specifically in response to the piracy situation in the Indian Ocean and the circumstances found in West Africa are quite different," the Club's Risk Management Executive Colin Gillespie said. A major difference is that private armed guards are prevented by law from operating inside territorial waters of coastal states in the region, and authorities are known to enforce these regulations vigorously. "Local laws require that armed guards should be from the local security forces. This introduces potential safety, security and political issues with the use of such guards, particularly if a vessel needs to operate in the territorial waters of more than one coastal state in the region," Gillespie added. According to North, employment of local security force armed guards customarily takes place via a local agency, but the Club is aware that some agencies have been employing off-duty armed guards at less cost. This has lead to further problems, such as suspension of legitimate armed guard services by a coast state in the region. Source: NEPIA

Volatile shipping sector affects Norwegian economic growth

Norway's economy grew by 3.5% in 2012 despite a notable slowdown in the fourth quarter, Statistics Norway (SSB) said on Wednesday. Norway's "mainland" growth figures strip out the volatile oil and shipping sectors. The Scandinavian country is one of the world's biggest oil and gas exporters. Including the oil and shipping sectors, 2012 growth ticked in somewhat lower, at 3.2%. Although the figure remains high compared to other European countries, it is significantly below the levels registered in the years prior to the global economic and financial crisis that has raged since 2008. In the fourth quarter of 2012, Norway saw mainland growth of just 0.3%, in line with forecasts by economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswire, but considerably lower than in previous quarters. In the third quarter, the GDP grew by 0.8%, SSB said as it revised the figure upward by 0.1 point. The economy grew by 0.7% in the second quarter and 1% in the first. The overall GDP, including oil and shipping, grew by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Norway has been largely spared from the crisis, owing primarily to the high level of oil investments in the country, which have increased on high oil prices. (AFP)

Seagull reinforces safety message

Seagull has introduced two new computer-based training modules. Confirming the news, Director (Training Content) of Seagull Vibeke Nordahl-Paulsen said that these two modules would help ship officers and crew managers to increase safety awareness among seafarers. While commenting on the newly launched 'Seafarer Appraisal' course and the 'Behaviour-based Safety' course, she said that the two modules were developed mainly to nurture onboard safety culture. "These tools help managers to lead, coach and motivate crewmembers in the interest of their own safety," said Nordahl-Paulsen. She also said: "Encouraging personal responsibility also encourages professional growth, which is crucial for the organisation's capability and its reputation as an investor in people." As far as the 'Seafarer Appraisal' is concerned, the course has been introduced mainly for management level officers and human resource and crew managers onboard vessels. "Effective Performance Appraisal Systems help retain and develop staff," said Nordahl-Paulsen. She added: "This tool helps managers encourage aspiration, whilst at the same time furthering the interests of the shipping company." According to her, the 'Behaviour-Based Safety' module has been introduced for deck and engine officers, as the course will help them develop safety behaviour and improve safety awareness through the 'Observe, Assess, Provide Feedback and Evaluate' methodology. "The aim is to make best safety standards part of the culture onboard ship. The course takes a 'hands-ontoolbox' approach because it is critical that the content is immediately applicable to daily operations," Nordahl-Paulsen told reporters. She, meanwhile, stressed upon seafarers' knowledge and skill, saying: "Awareness of the working environment, the actions of others and even the individual's own mood have a direct impact on performance. The objective
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of these modules is that the learner understands why behaviour might need to be modified to achieve best practice."

COMMERCE Atlantic, Pacific markets picking up after Chinese New Year

Fearnleys reported limited activity in the VLCC market as rates remained flat although "owners have tried to show some resistance. Despite the traditional slowdown expected as the Chinese Lunar New Year ushered in the Year of the Snake this weekend, heightened cargo activity was noted especially in the Atlantic market. The shipbroker said it expects the rates to firm across the Atlantic basin throughout the week as the Pacific side also begin to pick up. The seasonal grain harvest season in South Africa has also attracted some owners to send their ships there on ballast. "We do see more period activity in the Feastern hemisphere with major European players taking in shorter periods with rates ranging between USD7500-USD8000 depending on delivery and specs," said the shipbroker. The Baltic Exchange's main index on Wednesday rose 33 points to 782 - its highest this year.

TRADE 'Estonia could be part of India-Europe trade route'

After holding a meeting with Indian Shipping Minister G K Vasan in New Delhi, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet on Wednesday said that the two countries have decided to strengthen co-operation in the logistics and transport sector. He told reporters in the Indian capital: "Estonia could be an important link in the trade route between India and the EU and Russia." According to him, the Estonian ports are fully prepared to offer quality service, as these are integrated with the railway system. Paet said: "Estonia is also an appropriate place to set up distribution centres and production units, thanks to the favourable business environment and business policy, well-developed e-services, and the competitive cost and quality of labour." Reports suggest that the two ministers also discussed a number of important issues, including the maritime safety and piracy in the Indian Ocean around the Horn of Africa. "Piracy remains one of the greatest security threats on international shipping routes. Estonian entrepreneurs are interested in cooperating to increase security in Indian waters," Paet told the Indian minister. Vasan, too, admitted that piracy is also a serious concern for the South Asian country. According to him, more than 200 Indian seafarers were attacked by pirates in the last one year. While announcing that Estonia would soon be a part of India-Europe trade route, the visiting minister said: "The step would be helpful for stimulating the economies of both Europe and India and for promoting bilateral economic relations and investments. We hope that an agreement between the EU and India will be concluded within the first half of this year. It would have a direct effect on Estonia-India trade relations as well."

TECHNOLOGY Canadian company introduces new marine technology

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Eurocontrol Technics Group Inc, a Canadian public technology company specialising in the acquisition, development and commercialisation of innovative authentication, verification, certification and energy security technologies, has introduced a new marine technology - Petro-Marine XRF system. Petro-Marine XRF is a monitoring system for vessels that can also be described as the onboard X-Ray Florescence analysis system. The system, which can easily detect and measure sulphur oxides in diesel, also has the ability to monitor wear metals in oils, cat fines in fuel and sea water contamination. According to the company, the new technology will also provide compliance with new international regulations for sulphur oxides in diesel fuel. In a statement, the company explained that the new international legislation requires the use of low sulphur fuels in environmentally sensitive areas and Petro-Marine XRF or the onboard X-Ray Florescence analysis system would be helpful for vessels in this regard. The IMO recently set new standards for minimising and controlling harmful polluting exhausts from vessel engines. As per the MARPOL Annex VI convention, the monitoring and control of sulphur oxides is divided between inside and outside Emission Control Areas (ECA). Each country will have to pay heavy penalties in case they fail to enforce the regulation. So, the new technology will help all the countries a lot due to its ability to measure sulphur oxides in diesel. As per the company's estimation, it has an available market of around USD 1.6 billion.

WORLD TRAVEL Lithuania

If you want to get in touch with your spiritual sides, then Lithuania is a perfect country to visit. The comparatively new and active EU member country in the Baltic region has 800 years of statehood tradition, as its name was first mentioned in 1009. Since its independence through dramatic battle, Lithuania has experienced a constant increase of foreign tourists. In 2006, the number of foreign visitors, mainly from Russia, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Belarus, the UK, Estonia and Finland, was 985,700. And more than half of the foreigners preferred to stay in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. Other major Lithuanian cities are Kaunas, Klaipeda, Panevezys and Kedainiai. The Baltic country also has a number of national parks, such as Aukstaitija National Park, Zemaitija National Park, Kursiu Nerija National Park, Dzukija National Park and Trakai Historical National Park. Tourists are advised to visit the two UNESCO world heritage sites in Lithuania. The first is Kernave - a complex of historical hill-forts and an archaeological site. The region is nicknamed "Lithuanian Troy". Another one is Vilnius Old Town. This old capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is among the largest city in the Eastern part of Europe. Tourists, who want to spend their holidays on beaches, may opt for seaside resorts of Palanga, Nida and Juodkrante. Palanga is popularly known as the summer capital of Lithuania with sandy beaches. Nida is basically a world heritage site with unique heritage and scenery, while Juodkrante is a former German luxury resort. Lithuania is also popular for military heritage tourism mainly because of its former Soviet occupation. The Baltic nation has a number of military sites and these are very interesting places for foreigners, who have an interest in the history of warfare or the Cold War. The two main military heritage sites in Lithuania are Kaunas Fortress and Zemaiciu Kalvarija. Kaunas Fortress is

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a huge system of forts built around the city during the Russian Empire rule in the 19th century, while Zemaiciu Kalvarija in Samogitia was a former Soviet nuclear launch site.

Airports
Lithuania has three main airports, Vilnius International Airport, Kaunas Airport and Palanga Airport, with many Lithuanian and other international airlines offering flights. All the three airports host banks, airport hotels, airport car rental agencies, airport taxi services, conference centres, currency exchange bureaus, dutyfree shops, post offices, medical facilities and restaurants.

SHIPPING DATA
BALTIC EXCHANGE
Market snapshot: 11:30 GMT Dry Index Capesize Index Panamax Index Supramax Index Handysize Index BDI BCI BPI BSI BHSI 751 1448 782 664 414 +4 +0 +33 -4 -3

EXCHANGE RATES
New York (Wed Cls) Fgn Currency in USD Britain (Pound) Canada (Dollar) China (Yuan) Euro India (Rupee) 1.5545 0.9981 0.1603 1.3450 0.0186 USD in Fgn Currency 0.6433 1.0019 6.2372 0.7435 53.7750 9649.00 93.4600 5.4810 40.6500 3.1000 30.0900 1.2383

Indonesia (Rupiah) 0.000104 Japan (Yen) Norway (Krone) Philippines (Peso) Poland (Zloty) Russia (Ruble) Singapore (Dollar) 0.010699 0.1824 0.0246 0.3230 0.0332 0.8076

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