MARITIME NEWS

Thursday, June 5, 2014

International maritime news for seafarers
Russia to use nuclear fleet in Arctic rescue
missions
The Russian government is planning to use nuclear icerea!ers for the first time to
respond to large"scale emergencies in the Russian #rctic$
%In con&unction with the 'inistry of Transport it was decided that nuclear icerea!ers that
elong to the Russian state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, will e used in search and
rescue missions, which will allow us to respond efficiently to emergency situations related
to sea transport and maritime search and rescue,% according to the Russian (mergency
'inistry)s official report$
#t present, Russia)s nuclear icerea!er fleet consists of four icerea!ers " with two
reactors each and *5,000 total horsepower, and two icerea!ers, with one reactor each
and 40,000 total horsepower$ #ccording to availale data, there are more than 100
emergency situations in the Russian #rctic every year, oth natural and man"made$
There has een a steady increase in the numer of incidents caused y humans,
especially transport accidents +,0-. and e/plosions and fires related to technical
e0uipment +24-.$
The government is also planning to set up an #ir 1orce group on its #rctic coast
consisting of 14 aircraft +12 helicopters and two planes., ased at the airports of
'urmans!, 2or!uta, 3orils! and #nadyr$
The (mergency 'inistry intends to estalish 10 emergency rescue centres in the #rctic
y 2015 in 4udin!a, 'urmans!, 3aryan"'ar, #r!hangels!, 3adym, 2or!uta, Ti!si, 5eve!,
5rovideniya and #nadyr$
Rescue centres will operate in standy and emergency response mode to e ale to
respond to any #rctic disaster$ The emergency tas! force is to consist of 6*4 full"time
staff, with highly moile centres, e0uipped with aircraft, all"terrain vehicles, as well as
rescue and fire"fighting e0uipment$
There are already three functioning rescue centres in the Russian #rctic in 3aryan"'ar,
#r!hangels!, 4udin!a, four regional search and rescue teams, 167 fire and rescue
departments from various agencies, 53# reported$
8urrently, appro/imately 10,000 staff man the stations, with two maritime rescue co"
ordination centres in 'urmans! and 4i!son, three maritime rescue su"centres in
#r!hangels!, Ti!si and 5eve! and four stations for oil spill disasters in 4i!son, Ti!si,
5eve! and 5rovideniya$
SAFETY
BSEE releases report on oil spill research
# &oint research report of the 3ational Research 8ouncil and the 9ureau of :afety and
(nvironmental (nforcement +9:((., entitled %Responding to ;il :pills in the <: #rctic
'arine (nvironment%, reviewed the current state of the science regarding oilspill response
and environmental assessment in the #rctic region north of the 9ering :trait, with
emphasis on potential impacts in <: waters$
The report descried the uni0ue ecosystems and environment of the #rctic and made
recommendations to provide an effective response effort in these challenging conditions$
#ccording to the report, a full range of proven oil spill response technologies is needed to
minimise the impacts on people and sensitive ecosystems$
This report identifies !ey oil spill research priorities, critical data and monitoring needs,
mitigation strategies and important operational and logistical issues$
The #rctic acts as an integrating, regulating and mediating component of the physical,
atmospheric and cryospheric systems that govern life on (arth$
3ot only does the #rctic serve as regulator of many of the (arth)s large"scale systems
and processes, ut it is also an area where choices made have sustantial impact on life
and choices everywhere on planet (arth$
:ource= 9:((
Dryad Maritime warns of cargo thefts in
Southeast Asia
The specialist maritime intelligence company )4ryad 'aritime) has issued a warning on
the rising numer of cargo thefts in :outheast #sia$ The region has seen up to si/
hi&ac!ing attac!s in last nine months$
The latest in the series was the hi&ac!ing of an oil tan!er, which departed :ingapore on
'ay 2*, and was reported missing the ne/t day$
5irates damaged the communication e0uipment and suse0uently siphoned off the
vessel)s fuel oil cargo$ The vessel, which was scheduled to transit to 5ontiana!, Indonesia
on 'ay 26, arrived at an unplanned destination in :riracha, Thailand on June 1, with the
crew reportedly unharmed$
NATO extends counterpiracy operation in
Somalia
3#T; officials have decided to e/tend their counter"piracy operation against :omali
pirates until the end of 2017$ The move has een welcomed y all sta!eholders as the
ships transiting the >orn of #frica region are still under threats from pirates$ 3#T; ships
have een providing security and helping fight piracy in the waters off :omalia, since
#ugust 2006, under %;peration ;cean :hield%$
;peration ;cean :hield wor!s closely with other naval forces patrolling the Indian ;cean
including <:"led maritime forces, called 8omined Tas! 1orce 151 and (< naval forces,
called (< 3#21;R :omalia " ;peration #talanta$
:o far, the operation has helped in reducing pirate activity in the region$ In 2011, pirates
captured 24 ships and 3#T; recorded 126 pirate attac!s off :omalia$ In 2012, the
numer of attac!s had fallen to 20$ #ccording to availale data, not a single ship has
een captured, off :omalia, since 'ay 2012 and no merchant ships are currently held y
:omali pirates$
!e"u mayor wants #essels to re#eal insurers
'ayor #delino :itoy of 8ordova, 8eu, the town severely affected y an oil spill after the
collision of two vessels #ugust 17, 201,, said he wanted the owners to divulge their
respective insurers$
:itoy said his town is claiming 512* million as compensation for the damage on the
mangroves and the fishing communities in his town which were affected y the oil spill$
# passenger ferry collided with a cargo ship at past 6pm on #ugust 17 last year near the
?awis ?edge in the waters off Talisay 8ity$
The ferry san! after the collision, leaving more than a hundred people dead$
# massive oil spill from the sun!en vessel caused an environmental disaster, destroying
hundreds of hectares of mangroves and leaving thousands of residents in fishing villages
in 8ordova town without any livelihood, 53# reported$
:itoy said the two shipping companies have refused to reveal their respective insurance
companies$
2@; earlier e/pressed its position not to compensate the environmental damage since
the liaility on the collision has not een determined yet$
ACCIDENT
Six people suffer se#ere in$uries after ship hits
"erth
# passenger ship, sailing at eight !nots, hit a 0uay at Aittdun, @ermany, severely in&uring
si/ passengers on oard$ 'any passengers, who fell onto the dec!s, were standing and
waiting to disemar! when the accident happened on June 4$
It is reported that the captain alerted the passengers &ust efore the impact$ #ccording to
eye witnesses, the ship)s engine stopped suddenly while it was approaching Aittdun$
There were a total of 2,, passengers on oard$ 2* others also suffered minor in&uries$
The @erman #rmy along with local police responded immediately and dispatched a
lifeoat, medical services, seven helicopters and amulances$
The in&ured have een ta!en to the hospital$ Investigations into the cause
of the accident have een initiated$
SECURITY
Maldi#ian merchant ship sei%ed
The 2iBhin&am 8oastal 5olice of the southern Indian state of Cerala seiBed a 'aldivian
merchant vessel after it hit a fishing oat anchored off the coast$
The vessel, which had reached Thiruvananthapuram on :unday to transport vegetales
and provisions to 'aldives, had hit a oat that was anchored near 2iBhin&am$
;fficials said that efforts were on to salvage the oat from eing sun!$
DND prepares contingency measures
4epartment of 3ational 4efence +434. :ecretary 2oltaire @aBmin on Aednesday said it
is preparing contingency measures should tension etween 8hina and the 5hilippines
ratchet up in the disputed areas of the Aest 5hilippines :ea$
>e made the statement when as!ed what plans the 434 would implement should
8hinese law enforcement vessels ram and sin! 1ilipino fishing oats operating in the
disputed waters$
The 0uestion was as!ed after 8hinese fisheries and law enforcement vessels rammed
and sun! a 2ietnamese fishing ship operating 1* nautical miles off the 5aracel Islands$
The area is near the oil rig the 8hinese are constructing$
%Aell anything can happen ut we are preparing contingency +plans. for this,% @aBmin
stressed$ #nd when as!ed what these plans are, the 434 chief refused to elaorate,
53# reported$
PORT NEWS
Bangladesh to see& !hinese help to "uild deep
sea port
9angladeshi 5rime 'inister :hei!h >asina is li!ely to see! 8hinese funding to uild a
deep sea port in the 9ay of 9engal when she visits 9ei&ing later this wee!, officials said on
Aednesday$
The proposed port on :onadia Island off 9angladesh)s southeast coast would cost illions
of dollars, ut 9angladeshi newspapers have reported that >asina hopes 9ei&ing will pay
part of the ill if a 8hinese firm wins the contract$
The country)s 1oreign 'inistry said the port would feature in the ilateral discussions
when >asina travels to 8hina on 1riday on a si/"day visit$ +#15.
E! to organise conference on 'Maritime
Spatial (lanning) Shipping'
In the framewor! of the @ree! 5residency of the (<, the (8 will organise in #thens on
Thursday and 1riday a conference titled %'aritime :patial 5lanning= :hipping%$
The meeting will ring together e/perts, industries and 3@;s to discuss the coe/istence
and synergies etween shipping and other maritime sectors, in a conte/t of increasing
use of marine space$
The conference is scheduled to focus on current and future spatial needs for seaorne
transport and port development, onmanagement of competition and co"e/istence
etween transport and emerging maritime activities " including in terms of safety " on the
articulation etween regional or national ':5 processes and the international regulatory
framewor! for shipping, as well as on representation of maritime transport and port
interests in ':5, #3# reported$
'aritime spatial planning forms the asis for the application of the (uropean :trategy on
9lue @rowth, which the (uropean 8ommission and the @ree! 5residency &ointly support$
SHIPPING DATA
BA*T+! E,!-AN.E
Market snapshot: 1100 GMT
Dry Index BDI 959 +11
Capesize Index BCI 1604 +59
ana!ax Index BI "#6 $%0
&'pra!ax Index B&I #(1 $#
E,!-AN.E RATES
)e* +ork ,-ed C.s/
01n C'rren2y 3&D in 01n
in 3&D C'rren2y
Britain ,o'nd/ 146"44 0459"(
Canada ,Do..ar/ 04914( 1409%#
China ,+'an/ 041600 64(499
5'ro 14%600 04"%5%
India ,6'pee/ 040169 594("50
Indonesia ,6'piah/ 040000#4 119%5400
7apan ,+en/ 04009"%6 10(4"100
)or*ay ,8rone/ 041666 6400%5
hi.ippines ,eso/ 040((# 4%49000
o.and ,9.oty/ 04%(9% %40400
6'ssia ,6':.e/ 040(#6 %449#"5
&in1apore ,Do..ar/ 04"95( 14(5"6
3kraine ,;ry<nia/ 040#4( 114#"51
WORLD TRAVEL
BRA/+*
9raBil is the largest country in oth :outh #merica and the ?atin #merican region$ It is the
world)s fifth largest country, oth y geographical area and y population$ 9ounded y the
#tlantic ;cean on the east, 9raBil has a coastline of *,461!m$ It is ordered on the north
y 2eneBuela, @uyana, :uriname and the 1rench overseas region of 1rench @uianaD on
the northwest y 8olomiaD on the west y 9olivia and 5eruD on the southwest y
#rgentina and 5araguay and on the south y <ruguay$
.etting there
By plane: The cheapest airfares are from 1eruary to 'ay and from #ugust to
3ovemer$ Tic!ets from 3ew Eor!, for instance, can cost as little as <:4 766 including
ta/es$ 'any under"suscried flights within 9raBil can e had for argain prices$
By bus: The main capitals lin!ed directly y us are 9uenos #ires, #suncion,
'ontevideo, :antiago de 8hile and ?ima$ 4irect connections from the first three can also
e found easily, ut from ?ima it might e tric!y, though easily accomplished y changing
at one of the others$ Those typically go to :ao 5aulo, though 5elotas has good
connections too$
By a!: 9raBil has the largest road networ! in ?atin #merica with over 1$7 million
!ilometres$ # car is a good idea if you want to e/plore scenic areas, e$g$ the historic cities
of 'inas @erais, the Rio":antos highway, or the eaches in 3orth"(ast 9raBil$ There are
the usual car rental companies at the airports$
Top attractions
S"a"ue #$ C%!&s" "%e Re'ee(e!: This is the most popular tourist attractions in 9raBil$ The
statue of Jesus 8hrist located in Rio de Janeiro, 9raBil$ :tatue of 8hrist the Redeemer is
6F feet high and is considered the second largest #rt 4eco sculpture in theworld$ It is at
the pea! of 8orcovado mountain and has ecome an icon of Rio de Janeiro and 9raBil
with reinforced concrete and :oapstone$
Su)a!l#a$ *#un"a&n: The top of :ugarloaf 'ountain is located in Rio de Janeiro, 9raBil$
It is at the mouth of @uanaara 9ay rises ,67 feet, resemling a concentrated form of
sugar refined read$ This is a landmar! for navigators to identify the @uanaara 9ay$
Tourist use the cale car to reach the top to capture the panoramic scene of
indescriale$
I)ua+u Falls: This is more than &ust a waterfall, which is a comple/ waterfall$ ?ayer
waterfall down on each other as far as the eye can see in every direction, throwing them
into the roaring water elow the forest canopy$ IguaBu 1alls is one of the must"see sights
of :outh #merica and the est tourist attractions in 9raBil$
A(a+#n !&,e!: #maBon River is the second longest river in the world, only slightly shorter
than the 3ile and the largest river y volume$ #maBon 9asin rain forest is covered y the
remaining half of the planet$ Tenth of the world)s estimated 10 million species living in the
#maBon rainforest$ Tour in the #maBon &ungle tours more aout oating upstream to the
atmosphere, moist uBBing$