Industry News

A fire that broke out on board two Tanzanian-flagged cargo tankers travelling off the coast of Russia has claimed the lives of ten people.

Around ten crew members were found missing following the incident, which took place in the Kerch Strait near Crimea, according to Russia’s Novorossiysk maritime rescue centre.

The Kerch Strait between Crimea and southern Russia is a focus of tension between Russia and Ukraine.

A spokesperson from Novorossiysk was quoted by TASS as saying: “Search continues....

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/fire-cargo-tankers-russia/

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has opposed BHP’s decision to remove Australian crew members from two iron ore carrying vessels.

MV Mariloula and MV Lowlands Brilliance are used to transport iron ore from Port Hedland in Western Australia to BlueScope’s steelworks in Port Kembla, Australia, and to China.

According to ITF, BHP’s decision will result in the loss of 80 Australian seafarers’ jobs and will eventually end over 100 years of iron ore shipping services offered by...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/itf-opposes-bhps-decision/

The introduction of automation in the global transport industry will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, said a new report released by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and World Maritime University (WMU).

The new ‘Transport 2040: Automation Technology Employment – the Future of Work’ report was prepared by WMU and highlights the kind of changes automation and advanced technologies will bring to the transport industry.

The report says that, though high levels of...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/automation-global-transport-industry/

The Government of Canada has awarded a contract to marine and engineering consultancy London Offshore Consultants to determine the safety and economic viability of its waterways.

Under the terms of the contract, London Offshore Consultants will develop a risk assessment methodology concerning all ‘vessels of concern’ in Canadian waters or on Crown land.

The methodology will include all the abandoned, wrecked or dilapidated vessels.

Expected to be delivered later this year, the risk assessment...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/canada-hires-london-offshore-consultants-to-assess-risks-in-waterways/

The shipping industry has urged the European Parliament Transport Committee to vote in favour of the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland Deirdre Clune’s report on the draft regulation for a European Maritime Single Window environment.

The call was made by the European Community Shipowners Associations (ECSA) and World Shipping Council (WSC) on behalf of the shipowners and maritime carriers.

The draft report was prepared in May and is the result of the European Commission’s...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/european-shipping-clune-report/

EU, China and the US need to support counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea, says shipowners association BIMCO.

The last 12 months have seen around 40 attacked ships in the gulf. Furthermore, six seafarers were most recently kidnapped from the MSC Mandy vessel, which was travelling to Lagos, Nigeria.

BIMCO has urged maritime powers to increase their presence in the region and expand their collaboration with local states to help cut down piracy.

BIMCO maritime security head Jakob Larsen...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/eu-china-and-us-counter-piracy-in-gulf-of-guinea/

Ramsgate Port will not be ready to handle the extra ferries if the UK leaves the European Union (EU) without a deal, according to Thanet district councillor Beverly Martin.

Thanet Council currently owns Ramsgate Port, which stopped operating regular ferry services in 2013.

Despite owning no ships, Seaborne Freight secured a £13.8m contract from the UK Government to provide freight services between Ramsgate and Ostend if a no-deal Brexit occurs.

However, the harbour is not equipped with...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/port-of-ramsgate-brexit/

A report from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that an inadequate preventative maintenance programme and lack of guidance for addressing high-temperature engine conditions have resulted in a fire on-board the passenger vessel Island Lady.

The incident took place on 14 January when the vessel was travelling in Pithlachascotee River, near Port Ritchey, Florida, US.

At the time of the incident, the 72ft-long vessel was carrying 36 passengers, four crew, two...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/ntsb-fire-island-lady/

A new roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) container barge port terminal has been opened in Barangay Capipisa East, Tanza, Philippines, in order to ease congestion on road and at the Port of Manila.

Developed with an investment of PHP1.5bn ($29m), the new Cavite Gateway Terminal (CGT) is the first and only container barge terminal in the Philippines.

A collaboration of International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) and Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr) has built the terminal.

Inaugurating...

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/port-terminal-inaugurated-philippines/