USA – Tank Vessel Operator Convicted and Sentenced for Oil Discharge Offense, Vessel Captain Indicted

Interorient Marine Services Limited, a vessel operating company, was convicted and sentenced on Feb 13, 2019 in the Western District of Louisiana, for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oil from the tank vessel Ridgebury Alexandra Z, announced Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana.

Employment of Indian seafarers grows by 35% in 2018

The number of Indian seafarers employed on Indian or foreign flag vessels saw an unprecedented growth of 35% last year, according to data provided by the Indian Ministry of Shipping. The figure rose from 154,349 in 2017 to 208,799 in 2018. Along with this, the number of students placed for onboard training also increased from 14,307 last year to 19,545 this year, showing a jump of nearly 37%.

Ballast Water Management: Critical Elements Revealed

William Burroughs, the Senior Principal Engineer at ABS in his article for Marinelink advises on the necessity of the ballast system with compliance deadlines on the horizon for many shipowners. The study revealed a critical need for owners to start their technology-selection process, and to resist buying BWM systems based on initial price alone.