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President’s Corner

Dear NAMSGlobal and all other readers;

Well here we are November and no Gulf hurricanes. Another quiet year for the Gulf, but a very active and exciting year for NAMSGlobal and the IAMWS groups.

I have had the pleasure of chairing a Board of Directors meeting for both organizations in the last month and am very pleased to report on both. The NAMSGlobal meeting was held on the 25 and 26th of October in Houston. Of the board, we had over a 90 percent attendance either by phone or in person. NAMSGlobal members thank the RVP’s for their dedication. Some notable outcomes:

1. The income and expenses are lined up very well and we have considerable funds in the bank for expanding and updating our website and other projects.
2. We had 18 new members (either CMS or CMWS) elected and two NAMSGlobal Associates.
3. Ethics testing will proceed for all NAMSGlobal Associates and Apprentices who were in process when the Ethics test was rolled out.
4. Several changes to the guidelines and member use of other designations were discussed. It was agreed that Apprentices and associates cannot use a CMS designation from any organization as it causes confusion.
5. The “Towing Vessel Inspector” designation was officially agreed. Ed Shearer will be spearheading and let NAMSGlobal office or Ed know if you are interested.
6. The proposed Bylaws change was agreed pending a second vote at the spring meeting
7. Mike Hunter has replaced Dick Learned as the head of the marketing committee. Mike was in Houston last week visiting me and is very enthusiastic about the position. He is looking for committee members. Please contact him direct.
8. We will be doing all hands RVP and screening committee training at the April NAMSGlobal conference
9. Two new Retired Life Members were elected.

All in all a very good BOD meeting. I was a bit disappointed that we did not have more local members attending as it is a great place to get the pulse of the organization.

On the IAMWS front a BOD meeting was held telephonically on October 10, 2013 with a significant quorum globally. The following progress has been made:

1. The initial members are hard at work developing the testing modules. Each group is doing a module for a total of 6 modules. We expect to have the initial questions in November and finalized in January for rollout in 2014 and what we expect will be a massive push to get certified.
2. The ethics test has been completed and tested
3. We have begun developing the list of prospective members and a precertification process is underway. If you are interested, please contact the NAMSGlobal office
4. The IAMWS marketing and communications committee is working with the NAMSGlobal marketing and website committees to develop new websites for both organizations.
5. We are about to do an RFP for online testing protocols

Overall it has been a busy fall. With the passing of Jack Hornor of the Central Atlantic Region, Regional Representative Fred Wright will be holding elections for the RVP and RR positions in the Central Atlantic Region. Jonathan Klopman will be taking on Jack’s roll as the Yacht and Small Craft Technical Committee chairman.

As you all know, the spring meeting will be in Norfolk, Virginia at the Marriott Waterfront hotel….APRIL 6-8, 2014. Please attend a this will be a great opportunity to get NAMSGlobal and IAMWS CE credits as well as meet and greet the other surveyors and the new president and Vice president. The fall BOD meeting will be held in conjunction with the New England Regional Meeting at the Amica Facility in Lincoln, Rhode Island. This will be a great opportunity to get CE credits and attend the BOD meeting. Full details for the spring meeting are within and full details for the fall meeting will follow. Let home office know if you would like to speak and have a great speaker to help us fill the agenda.

Thanks to all that participate and make this organization function. If you are not currently participating, please make an effort to do so.

Please let me know if you have any questions and or comments.

I remain,

Steven P. Weiss, NAMS-CMS
President

Editor’s Message

The news articles and current events you send in make the NAMSGlobal E-News interesting to readers in all disciplines of marine survey: Please send new material to [email protected].

Thanks, and best regards to all.

Greg Weeter, Editor

Publisher Message

We request those wishing to submit articles and / or papers for publishing in the NAMS eNews, please refer to the Disclaimer, Copyright Statement and Submissions Policy at the bottom of this NAMS eNews or use the link to the left.

Thanks,

Mike Beijar, Publisher

NAMSGlobal-CMS Fishing Vessel (FV) Test

Effective immediately personnel testing for the NAMSGlobal – CMS FV designation will receive 10 points toward the score on their test if they can show successful proof of completion of the National Cargo Bureau’s (NCB) “Stability for Fisherman” Correspondence Course.

More information on this course can be found at http://www.natcargo.org/ssfish.html. It costs $250 and graduates are considered by the USCG to have gained two weeks sea service credit (deck or engineering) toward a U.S. Merchant Mariner’s Document or License. They also receive 84 CEUs from NAMSGlobal.

Personnel with questions concerning the course should contact the NCB or CAPT Joe Derie, Chair, Fishing Vessel Technical Committee, NAMSGlobal, at 503-236-6818.

NAMS Applicants, New Members, and Changes in Status

New Members Elected 10.26.2013

Members Change In Status

Crossed The Bar

Upcoming Educational Events

ABYC 2013 Course Calendar

For the latest information on ABYC’s 2013 educational programs, please go to the ABYC home page by clicking here and look under Events in the right sidebar. Be advised it opens a new window in your browser. Simply close it to return here.

ABYC conducts many educational programs including, but not limited to, Marine Electrical Systems, Corrosion Surveys, Diesel Engines & Support Systems, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, and ABYC Standards.

If you have questions regarding registration for the ABYC courses please contact Cris Gardner or Sandy Brown at 410.990.4460.

AIMU Online Education

There are new additions to AIMU’s online Web Lecture Center, which now offers fourteen webinars. The online Web Lecture Center can be accessed through the AIMU website under the ‘Education’ tab or directly at http://www.aimuedu.org/default.aspx. Additional recordings will be added continually and will particularly benefit those who prefer viewing the lectures at their convenience. The fee for each webinar is $50 (members) and $75 (non-members).

Students now have two options: Attend in the classroom or as a Distance Learning Student. AIMU now offers this option as a means to train the ocean marine industry. You can attend from anywhere in the U.S. We provide you with a link to videoconference into the classroom. Turn on your computer, dial your phone (or turn on your computer speakers) and attend. This includes video and audio capability using Microsoft Live Meeting! You will have the ability to see, hear, and ask questions of the instructor. For a list of classes go to: http://www.aimu.org/AIMUEducationSchedule.htm.

For the latest information, please visit http://www.aimu.org/OceanMarine2013.html.

SUNY Maritime College

SUNY Maritime College is offering online courses. Typical costs for the online classes are $800.00 plus class book, saving travel, lodging, meals and time away from your business practice. The typical 6-week course earns 18 credit hours for continuing education credits.

Each of the classes will require at least 20 hours completing and some may take up to 30 depending on the extensiveness of the student. If Members require CEs, I am now able to provide the office with an attendance time on task for each student so that you know the minimum amount of time put in by each student.

To obtain syllabus of the classes contact: Janet Peck, NAMS-CMS, 843.628.4340 or 843.291.2922 or email [email protected]. To enroll in any of these classes you should contact: Margaret Poppiti Administrative Assistant Department of Professional Education & Training SUNY Maritime College 6 Pennyfield Avenue Throggs Neck, NY 10465 www.sunymaritime.edu (718) 409-7341 [email protected]

MPI Online Education

On-Line modular Marine Incident Investigation course, specifically designed for people who are: personnel responsible for accident prevention such as ship safety officers, company safety officers, designated persons ashore (DPA), Captains and senior ship officers, operational ship managers, engineering and/or marine superintendents. It also applies to safety professionals, incident investigators, marine surveyors, loss prevention managers, risk managers, P&I underwriters and claims managers, solicitors, accountants, flag and port state control inspectors and classification society surveyors. Contact Lou Blackaby at [email protected] or telephone +44 (0) 1252 732220

ProBoat E-Training

ProBoat E-Training is a series of online courses developed by the staff of Professional BoatBuilder magazine offering a variety of web-based courses. If you have suggestions for new offerings, please contact us.

Current ProBoat Course List:

• Intro to Marine Electrical Systems Part One
• Intro to Marine Electrical Systems Part Two
• Designing Yacht Interiors
• Color-Matching Gelcoat
• Load Capacity and Flotation
• Propeller Selection for Boats and Small Ships
• The Marine Survey Report
• The Marine Survey Report Practicum
• Tech for Trainers

Houston Marine Education Schedule

Since its inception in 1972 Houston Marine has become the premier source for the certification and training of maritime personnel by offering efficient, cost-effective products and services in a variety of locations and formats. The schedule for the 2013 is available at http://www.houstonmarine.com/.

Maritime Training Academy (MTA)

The MTA Diploma in Ship Building and Ship Repair commences April 1st and offers flexible enrollment. This course is the ONLY distance learning diploma in the world covering this topic. If you would like to join this course or you require more information, please email [email protected]. Alternatively click here to download the brochure and application for ship building & repair.

Click here for other short courses including, but not limited to, marine incident investigation.

Svitzer Salvage Academy

With a history spanning centuries and an unbeaten track record in maritime emergency management, Svitzer Salvage has a unique combination of knowledge and experience to offer. The Svitzer Salvage Academy provides professionals in the marine industries access to the know-how gained over thousands of casualty situations, prevented, managed and controlled by Svitzer and its affiliates over the years. Svitzer Salvage B.V. http://www.salvage-academy.com/

MITAGS-PMI, Maritime Training Courses

To visit the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies-PMI website, click here.

To learn more about the courses at Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS), contact Robert Becker at: [email protected]

To learn more about the courses at Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI), contact Jennifer Pitzen at: [email protected]

National Cargo Bureau Training Courses

The National Cargo Bureau has a number of self-study courses. For more information, visit their website by clicking here.

14 November 2013 San Francisco, CA

The Appraiser in Litigation – Skills in Expert Testimony, Discovery, and Litigation Support

9am – 4pm, L’Olivier Restaurant 
465 Davis Court, San Francisco, CA 94111 Click here for map

Attorney Steven Schroeder, ASA, will discuss about the varied aspects of litigation support from the perspective of the expert witness, ranging from a basic overview of how Federal Rule of Evidence Section 702 gets your testimony admissible to explaining the critical skill of presenting your qualification effectively on the stand. Some of the specific topics include:

• The role of the appraiser/expert (independence, competence, testimony skills)
• Professional service agreements (How “good” is your Engagement Letter)
• Understanding law firm economics,
• The role of the expert in discovery, deposition testimony, mediation, etc.

Seminar Fee – Member/Non-member: $225/$250 6 hours of CE credit• This seminar is designed for all disciplines. Register online at www.asaNorCal.org/legal

20 – 21 November 2013, London, UK

5th Tanker Safety Conference – How to maintain safety standards when cost reduction pressures are at an all time high.

This is the annual forum where the industry gets together to discuss and set the tanker safety agenda. Book your place now and join us for two days of case studies, discussion, networking and best practice sharing. You can reserve your place online here or by contacting Steve Edwards on [email protected]

3 December 2013 Toronto, Canada

The Canadian Board of Marine Underwriters Annual Meeting & Dinner at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto; See details at www.cbmu.com

13 December 2013 – San Francisco, CA

The Association of Marine Underwriters of San Francisco 129th Annual Marine Dinner. Contact Marla Saltzstine: [email protected]

29 – 31 January 2014, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC), produced by the Association of Marina Industries (AMI), has published a 20-plus page preliminary brochure detailing plans for the event taking place at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in.

The IMBC preliminary brochure includes information about the conference’s 25+ educational sessions, special events. For more information or to register, please visit marinaassociation.org/imbc or call (401) 682-7334.

February 6-7, 2014 – San Diego, CA 15-Hour USPAP

The objective of this class is to familiarize students with the recognized standards governing professional appraisals. This is the 15-hour Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) class approved by the Appraisal Standards Board of The Appraisal Foundation. Students are provided a current USPAP manual and current book at the course site. Contact ASA American Society of Appraisers, P: (800) 272-8258 E: [email protected]

February 11 and 12, 2014 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Knox Marine Consultants’ 21st Annual Knox Marine Yacht Claims Conference. For more conference information, including group rates, contact Steve Knox at [email protected] or call Knox Marine at 804.222.5627

6 – 8 April 2014 Norfolk, Virginia

NAMSGlobal 52nd Annual National Marine Conference
Norfolk Waterside Marriott 235 E Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
Room rate: $107, plus 14% state tax, + $2.00 Occupancy tax
Reservations: 757 627.4200 or 800 228.9290

29 April – 1 May 2014, St Louis Missouri

The Inland Marine Expo. More information will follow, or visit www.inlandmarineexpo.com

NAMSWorthy

On The Move

John Miklus – New AIMU President

NEW YORK, NY – October 2013 – John A. Miklus has been named the new president of the American Institute of Marine Underwriters (AIMU), it was announced by AIMU chairman Roger F. Ablett. AIMU is the trade association representing the U.S. ocean marine insurance market.

Miklus succeeds James M. Craig, president of AIMU since 2003, who will retire December 31, 2013.

A senior ocean marine insurance and reinsurance executive, Miklus most recently was senior vice president at Guy Carpenter & Co., where he managed reinsurance client relationships for several leading U.S. marine insurers, as well as global marine insurance companies based in Japan, South Korea and China.

Miklus began his insurance career as an inland/ocean marine underwriter trainee at The Hartford Insurance Group in 1982 and held several positions at Hart Re Company before becoming senior vice president & marine treaty underwriter. A graduate of Bowdoin College, Miklus also has served as an instructor for AIMU educational courses.

“John brings his extensive marine insurance and reinsurance experience, valuable leadership and management skills and personal commitment to professional education and career development to represent the interests of U.S. ocean marine underwriters before a variety of important international and domestic forums and build on AIMU’s outstanding education and training programs, “said Ablett, who is practice leader at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.

Articles Of Interest

AIMU

The www.aimu.org web site has been redesigned for optimal display on any device including smart phones, tablets and desktop monitors. The web site content and access to password-protected information remains the same. The Site Search feature has been added for fast location of content. The Calendar of Events on the home page will quickly let you know about AIMU courses/ seminars and industry events.

AIMU White Paper – Docks, Bulkheads & Wharfs

The Docks, Bulkheads and Wharfs written by the AIMU Technical Services Committee is published on the AIMU website under Paper/Papers Available Online/AIMU Technical Services Reports. Use this link www.aimu.org/aimupapers/Docks_Bulkheads_and_Wharfs_2013.pdf to download this report. This Paper was the impetus for the highly rated Marine Insurance Day 2013 Seminar presentation on the same topic. The slides from the presentation are available at http://aimu.org/papersearch.html (Under “Marine Insurance Day Presentations September 27, 2013”.)

US Casualty Report – F/V Lady Mary

The USCG recently released a casualty report on the sinking (DoL 24 March 2009) of a fishing vessel with a loss of life off Jersey in 2009.

This vessel was uninsured and was not subject to any third party surveys or operational safety review and is relevant reading for those insuring fishing vessels and un-inspected vessels (tugs/barges/utility). The report is accessible through the USCG Home port website. (https://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/home.do, 8/30/2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

Enclosed Space Entry Seminar

One of the most practical events of the London International Shipping Week was the day of education, awareness and training around enclosed space incidents held by The Nautical Institute’s London Branch. More than 100 people from all branches of the shipping and offshore industry attended the event at North West Kent College, held in conjunction with Mines Rescue Marine on 11 September 2013.

There it was said that more people die or are injured in enclosed spaces than through any other related onboard work activity. The largest problem is with spaces, which are not perceived as dangerous – anchor lockers and deck stores which may suffer from oxygen depletion, for example. The issue persists despite numerous guidelines, safety regimes, operational procedures manuals and assurance surveys. If this were to change, there are four major areas which need to be tackled:

• Culture – Safety culture needs to be implemented at all levels, starting from the top. Adopting a shipboard enclosed space management plan based on onboard audits is a good new initiative. Procedures for Permits to Work need to be addressed.
• Design – Shipboard design and operation should minimize the need to go into enclosed spaces in the first place; escape possibilities should be designed in.
• Equipment – In many cases, crews are expected to use equipment that is not fit for purpose, or that is complex to use. In particular, firefighting equipment is not suitable for evacuating casualties from enclosed spaces.
• Training and drills – Good, frequent training is needed. This is a human element issue; only by working with the human element can it be solved.
• After a morning of presentations outlining the scale and scope of the issues, the afternoon was devoted to finding practical solutions; starting with the possibilities for dynamic training that is more likely to be memorable and effective. Michael Lloyd and Adam Allan from Mines Rescue Marine outlined a system for the management of enclosed spaces that uses risk assessment to develop a ‘traffic light’ system making it clear what precautions are needed when entering any given space on a ship. Finally, a simulated rescue carried out by Mines Rescue Marine demonstrated the sheer difficulty of reaching and rescuing people who have become trapped in enclosed spaces – and the need for the right equipment to do so.
• Reports of enclosed spaces incidents are freely available in the database of the Institute’s Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme (MARS) at http://www.nautinst.org/en/forums/mars/search-allmars-reports.cfm

Type “enclosed spaces” into the keyword box. Courtesy Maritime Advocate Online a weekly digest of news and views on the maritime industries, with particular reference to dispute resolution. To contact the editor Bevis Marks, send an e-mail to: [email protected]

IMO Approves Comprise Proposal For Weighing Containers

The International Maritime Organization today backed a compromise proposal for verifying the weight of containers before they are loaded on board ships. An IMO subcommittee approved draft guidelines allowing shippers two methods to verify the weight of a container as part of the London-based organization’s program to improve safety at sea. Shippers can either weigh a packed container, or weigh all packages and cargo items and then add the tare mass of an empty container. The Subcommittee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers also agreed to an exemption that would apply when containers carried on chassis or trailers are driven on or off roll-on, roll-off ships engaged in short international voyages. The compromise is the “best possible outcome” for shippers and the maritime industry, as it provides a flexible and workable solution, which can be adopted without significant costs or delays in the supply chain, the London-based forum said. (Journal of Commerce, 9/20/ 2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

Dockwise Vanguard to Lift Costa Concordia from Giglio

Owners of the Costa Concordia have contracted the world’s largest semi-submersible heavy lift ship to lift the now-upright shipwreck and carry it, not tow it, to a location where it will be scrapped.

That’s right… if all goes as planned, the Costa Concordia will be lifted -in one piece- and transported onboard a ship to its final destination. Heavy lift company Dockwise, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster, said Thursday it has been awarded a contract from Costa Crociere to load and transport the Costa Concordia wreckage from Isola del Giglio onboard the companies new Type-O vessel, Dockwise Vanguard.

With 117,000 metric ton lifting capacity, the Dockwise Vanguard is the world’s largest semi-submersible ship uniquely positioned to lift and transport massive cargoes in a dry and safe manner. The ship was initially designed to transport offshore oil and gas structures, but can also carry other vessels or even act as an offshore dry dock facility.

The Dockwise Vanguard features an open and flat stern and bow-less deck measuring 275 meters by 70 meters allowing the vessel to transport cargo longer and wider than the deck itself. When the ballast tanks are flooded, the ship deck submerges below the surface, allowing her to handle deep draught cargoes such as the Costa Concordia. Once the Dockwise Vanguard is submersed, the refloated Costa Concordia will be brought into position above the deck and as the ballast tanks are emptied, the entire ship including the Costa Concordia is brought above the water line, completely eliminating the need to tow the wreck into open water.

Once loaded, the Dockwise Vanguard will transport the wreckage to an as of yet undecided location where it will be offloaded – either by float off or “skid off,” meaning transferred directly to a pier- and eventually scrapped. Original plans called for the Costa Concordia to be refloated and towed to a port in Italy for demolition, but by using the Dockwise Vanguard, once the ship is loaded, the options for scrapping are wide open.

“As we’ve always stated since the beginning of project, Costa’s goal is to remove the Concordia wreck from Giglio in a safe and swift way and to do this we have always taken into consideration all the possible alternatives and state of the art technologies,” states Franco Porcellacchia, Concordia Wreck Removal Project coordinator for Costa/Carnival.

However, this plan is not 100% set in stone, yet. In fact, the official Costa Concordia wreck removal website says Costa Crociere has only “secured the availability” of the Dockwise Vanguard as “one of the possible options for the removal.” But, the press release from Boskalis is pretty convincing that this is the plan, and even gives a timeline of when the operation will take place (mid-2014), a contract value ($30 million) and also says that certain modifications are going to be made to the Dockwise Vanguard to accommodate the loading of the Costa Concordia in its current state.

So for now we still need to see how the wreck holds up to the winter weather and how the attachment of the starboard-sponsons and refloating pans out. But just when you thought the largest, most complex salvage in history couldn’t get any more large or complex, they go and do something like this.

Watch: Animation shows Costa Concordia Float-On Courtesy gcaptain.com

US Cargo Thefts Increase

FreightWatch reported a total of 202 cargo thefts in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2013, with 87 thefts in June, 62 in July and 53 in August. The average loss value per incident during this period was $166,454. Compared with the previous quarter from March through May, thefts increased by 5 percent, while the average loss value increased by 9 percent. Food and drinks, with 45 thefts, were the products most often stolen in this quarter, comprising 22 percent of all incidents during the three-month period. Products targeted in this category included various meats, cereals, drinks and prepared foods. The electronics industry experienced 29 thefts, or 14 percent of the total, mainly consisting of televisions, computers and computer accessories. There were also 25 thefts, or 12 percent of all incidents, in the metals sector, including copper, aluminum and steel. California remained the state with the most thefts, accounting for 22 percent of all U.S. incidents, followed by Texas with 18 percent of the total. Illinois took the No. 3 spot with 14 percent. Of the theft incidents in which a location type was recorded, unsecured parking, with 111 thefts or 55 percent of the total, was the most common. Following the “usual” trend, incidents involving theft of trailers and containers, totaling 165 incidents or 76 percent in all, were the most common in the quarter. (Journal of Commerce, 9/24/ 2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

Court – Punitive Damages For Unseaworthiness

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that seamen may recover punitive damages for their employer’s willful and wanton breach of the general maritime law duty to provide a seaworthy vessel. The court found that previous decisions, to the extent that they denied recovery of punitive damages for maritime liability sounding in unseaworthiness, read too much into prior Supreme Court and appellate court rulings on related, but different, issues. McBride v. Estis Well Service, No. 12-30714 (5th Cir., October 2, 2013). Note: This is potentially a major decision, likely to be appealed and certainly to generate discussion. Courtesy: Bryant’s Maritime Blog – Bryant’s Maritime Consulting [email protected] Website http://brymar-consulting.com © Dennis L. Bryant

A Study In “Hurt” Boats, The Top 10 Costlest Ways Boats Come To Greif

It’s a cross between the CSI and Cold Case TV show crime dramas: taking a look back through the thousands of dusty, old settled boat insurance claims files to identify patterns that can teach today’s boaters how to avoid becoming a statistic. Here’s the list of the top ten claims in terms of dollar value over the last eight years, along with some tips that could help prevent becoming a statistic, or if you’re simply unlucky, lessen the damage:
Hurricane: A well thought out hurricane plan can keep your boat safe in all but the most extreme storms.
Sinking: Check, squeeze, and tug all fittings below the waterline at least once a season to make sure your boat stays afloat.
Weather/wind: Keeping your boat in a well-protected location away from trees is the best way to protect it from non-hurricane weather damage.
Striking a submerged object: If you hear a loud clunk from down under, stop and look in the bilge, and, if you find any water coming in, haul out the boat to check for structural damage as soon as possible.
Fire/explosion: Faulty wiring causes most fires; most explosions result from fueling issues.
Collision: Most collisions result from some combination of three factors: inattention, blind spots, and too much speed.
Grounding: Accurate charts – whether paper, electronic, or on a mobile device – and a depth sounder are your best defense against grounding.
Injury: Many injury claims involve inexperienced guests. Be sure to warn your non-boating friends about wakes, waves, slippery surfaces, and other hazards
Theft: 90% of boats are stolen on their trailers. Make it as difficult as possible to simply hitch up and run.
Lightning: Make sure to haul out your boat after a lightning strike to check for “exit wounds” that can compromise the hull’s integrity. (BOAT US Seaworthy, October/2013)

Lloyd’s List To Cease Printing

The world’s longest continuously published newspaper, Lloyd’s List, will be ceasing its print operations and going totally digital by the end of the year. That’s right, Lloyd’s List says it will no long be offering its print edition after almost 300 years of providing printed news and information for the maritime industry.

In a statement posted to its website Wednesday, Lloyd’s List Editor Richard Meade confirmed the widely-known rumors that it will be going 100% digital following months of research and preparation. The move to digital only will be effective as of December 20, 2013.

“The landmark move follows many months of research and preparation and is – first and foremost – designed to ensure that the title continues to evolve with customer demand which now overwhelmingly favors a digital product,” Meade said in his statement.

Lloyd’s List said that in a customer survey carried out in June 2013 by its publishers, Informa Business Information, more than 97% of respondents said that their preferred way of accessing business information is online. Fewer than 2% of readers currently use print-only and no other means to access Lloyd’s List, the statement said.

Lloyd’s List first started in 1734 as a notice pinned to the wall of a coffee shop in London, and has been printing ever since. “That aim has not changed, but the technology has and our customers are now accessing the industry’s most sophisticated intelligence source in any coffee shop, anywhere in the world 24 hours a day,” said Meade.

As to whether they will open up their content to the masses not willing to pay the $3,150 per year price tag… the answer appears to be no. Courtesy G-Captain.com

Icebergs, Insurance Hamper Top Of The World Shipping Route

The new shipping route opened up through the Arctic by climate change will not be crowded any time soon. Cargoes of coal, diesel and gas have made the trip but high insurance costs, slow going and strict environmental rules mean there will not be a rush to follow them.
Looser ice means icebergs. One vessel has already been holed, and large ice breaking vessels, not always on hand, are a must. “Significant safety and navigational concerns remain an obstacle to commercial shipping in the Northern Sea route, despite recent media reports of ‘successful’ transits,” said Richard Hurley, a senior analyst at shipping intelligence publisher IHS Maritime. The passage of the Yong Sheng cargo vessel in August from China to Europe via the Northern Sea was only possible with the aid of the world’s largest nuclear powered icebreaker, 50 Let Pobedy, to get it through the Lapatev Sea.

Ship tracking showed only four large icebreakers were available at any one time to cover the whole Northern sea route. Separately, a small Russian oil products tanker was holed in September in the Kara Sea, also off Russia. “Even though damage was minimal and did not cause a pollution incident, the holing revealed fragility of emergency help,” Hurley said. “Taken together, all the inherent dangers and concerns over potential Arctic pollution count heavily against time and cost savings alone when assessing the commercial viability of the seaway.” The market is also still nascent for insurers. “The key obstacle here will remain the insurance, as it’s still simply too risky a proposition for standard commercial insurers,” said Michael Frodl of U.S.-based consultancy C-Level Maritime Risks, who advises insurers. “The ships aren’t ready, the support facilities and port infrastructure are not yet in place, and the risks haven’t been figured out enough to price insurance correctly.” (Business Insurance, 10/15/2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

Not Without Navigable Inland Waters

Neglect of the inland waterways system undermines the Midwest’s ability to import and export heavy cargo, especially grain and oilseeds. Overlooking the importance of the inland waterway system is easy to do and may require a little imagination to understand. Export infrastructure is different in many cases than what’s required for imports. Export goods are heavier – meaning ships draw more water and require deep-draft ports. U.S. inland waterways are an important means of transporting heavy exports as well as imports. “The economic service life for navigation structures is typically 50 years and is usually extended through major rehabilitation to 75 years. Currently, 54 percent of the Inland Marine Transportation System’s (IMTS) structures are more than 50 years old and 36 percent are more than 70 years old. The deterioration of the inland waterway system has occurred as U.S. agricultural exports have increased in economic and strategic value. Food prices have risen significantly since China entered the World Trade Organization in 2001, largely due to growing demand from the swelling middle classes in emerging markets. (American Shipper, October 2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

Arming Captain Phillips

In the new movie “Captain Phillips,” Tom Hanks portrays Richard Phillips, the captain of the cargo ship Maersk Alabama that was taken hostage by four Somali pirates in 2009. While Hollywood takes liberties with the story, in the film Captain Phillips is eventually saved, as he was in real life, when Navy SEAL sharpshooters take out his captors.

Another fact: There were no guns or armed guards aboard the vessel that may have helped its captain and crew defend themselves. The scourge of hijackings and ransoms off Somalia was a serious epidemic from 2008-11, but such attacks have since declined dramatically. Many factors contributed, including increased international efforts to detain and prosecute pirates and their financial backers. International navies also played an essential role, sending dozens of warships to the region – but they couldn’t turn the tide on their own.

As then-U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Andrew Shapiro explained in November 2011: “With so much water to patrol it is difficult for international forces in the region to protect every commercial vessel. Working with industry, we recently established a national policy encouraging countries to allow commercial ships transiting high-risk waters to have armed security teams on board. The reason for this is simple: to date no ship with an armed security team aboard has been successfully pirated.” The result? Successful hijacking of Somalia fell by half to 14 in 2012 from 28 in 2011, and overall attacks dropped to 75 from 237. Through the third quarter of 2013, there have been just 10 incidents, with two hijackings. The firepower necessary to achieve this deterrence has proven cheap enough that private security has been widely adopted by the shipping industry. Security analysts estimate that between 40% and 60% of merchant ships transiting the high-risk area around the Horn of Africa now carry armed guards. (Wall Street Journal, 10/17/2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

The “Tworty” Container

In addition to the 20-foot and the 40-foot ocean containers, the Tworty container is now available. It is a new ocean container design that consists of two 20-footers that can be linked together to form a 40-foot container with standard doors at each end. A number of these containers just completed their maiden voyage from Hamburg to Montreal, containing miscellaneous break-bulk goods such as car parts and granulate. If two Tworties are coupled to make a 40-foot box, the additional doors will be opened and fixed to the container ceiling. Operated as a 20-footer this door is locked, allowing access only through the existing standard door. The coupling is carried out by bonding elements, which guarantees that two Tworties can be handled like one 40-foot container. The connection of two units can only be released from the inside. The design, albeit innovative, does not seem to be one with a lot of pent-up demand from the shipping community. The developers claim that the Tworty will reduce the cost of repositioning empties caused by imbalances between supply and demand for 20 and 40-foot containers. The complexity of connectors will add maintenance time to carefully inspect boxes prior to use and extra costs to build, maintain and repair them. When used as a 40-foot container, there is some loss of cubic capacity (cargo payload) since the door between the two is suspended from the ceiling. Finally, most shippers as well as longshoremen and vessel crews will not be familiar with the container and its operation, a factor that bears watching. Further details can be found at www.tworty.com. (Provided by Barry Tarnef, 10/17/2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

Catlin Syndicate Wins Policy Dispute Over Sunken Dry-Dock

A Catlin Group Ltd. Lloyd’s of London syndicate was justified in rescinding policy coverage for a sunken dry dock because its policyholder had not provided it with accurate information about its value and condition, a federal court ruled. San Juan, Puerto Rico-based San Juan Towing & Marine Services Inc. purchased a dry dock, the Perseverance, for $1.05 million in 2006, according to ruling by the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico in Catlin (Syndicate 2003) at Lloyd’s v. San Juan Towing & Marine Services Inc.

Beginning in February 2010, it advertised the dry dock for sale for $1.35 million. In September 2011, it sold it for $700,000 to Jennings, La.-based Leevac Shipyards L.L.C. The dry dock sank the end of that month, according to the court records. San Juan Towing had insured the dry dock with RLI Insurance Co., a unit of Peoria, Ill.-based RLI Corp., from 2006 to 2011 for $1.75 million. RLI canceled the policy, citing “loss history” as the reason for the cancellation, according to the ruling. Early in 2011, San Juan Towing’s insurance broker called Catlin to ask for a quote on the dry dock. Catlin, a unit of Bermuda-based Catlin Group, insured the dry dock for $1.75 million in April 2011. Catlin was never informed of its much lower $700,000 sale price, according to the ruling.

After it sank, an investigation by a surveying company revealed it had been in poor condition, with significant deterioration and corrosion. “This led Catlin to conclude that (San Juan Towing) should have disclosed the level of corrosion at the time the policy was bound, and Catlin ultimately rescinded the policy and returned the premiums,” said the ruling. The court upheld the cancellation under the marine doctrine of “uberrimae fidei,” which involves the concepts of nondisclosure and misrepresentation. “When the insured fails to disclose to the insurer all circumstances known to it and unknown to the insurer, which materially affects the risk, the policy is voidable at the option of the innocent party,” said the ruling. San Juan Towing “unquestionably overstated the dry dock’s value when it sought insurance coverage from Catlin in April 2011,” said the court. It also failed “to disclose an accurate description of the dry dock’s condition when seeking insurance from Catlin,” said the court. “The doctrine of uberrimae fidei places the burden on the insured to disclose all material information regarding the risk to the insurer. The evidence in the record shows that (San Juan Towing) failed to meet that burden. Accordingly, the policy must be void,” said the court in ruling in Catlin’s favor. (Business Insurance, 10/11/2013) Courtesy AIMU Weekly Bulletin.

UK – Recent DUKW Casualties

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) issued a Safety Bulletin regarding recent casualties involving DUKW amphibious vehicles modified to carry passengers. The MAIB has recommended that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) ensure that the means used by DUKW operators to achieve the required standard of buoyancy and stability for their vessels does not adversely impact on their safe operation. Furthermore, these vessels should not be permitted to operate until satisfactory levels of safety can be assured under all feasible operating conditions. (10/28/13). Courtesy: Bryant’s Maritime Blog

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