Author: ICS Class

SAFETY4SEA Team met with Mr. Suresh Sinha, Managing Director, and Mr. S. Patil, Business Development, of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass) to discuss about industry’s key challenges and their expansion plans in the Greek market. Since opening its Greek office in 2010, based in Piraeus, IRClass has been actively engaged with Greek shipyards and owners to offer its full range of classification services. As explained, currently, IRClass is working on seeking authorisation from Greek maritime authorities to survey and certify all types of Greek flagged vessels.

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.

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%.

The Board of Directors of the Panama Canal Authority appointed, this morning, Ricaurte Vásquez, as the administrator of the interoceanic highway for the next seven years.

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.

Costa Rica is the latest country to ratify the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention). The IMO treaty enhances communication between ships and ports to help shipments move more quickly, more easily and more efficiently.

he US Coast Guard Marine Safety Center received its 23rd application for Ballast Water Management System type approval for the HK-S(E) Ballast Water Management System manufactured by Japanese Miura Co., Ltd. The Marine Safety Center will review the application for compliance with US Coast Guard regulations in 46 CFR 162.060. Once it has been determined that the application meets the requirements, the… Read more →

Image courtesy of Human Rights at Sea   y MarEx 2019-02-11 19:31:13   The U.K.-based charity Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) has conducted an independent review of the legal and human rights ramifications of the de-flagging of the Aquarius Dignitus – a rescue vessel chartered by SOS Méditerranée and previously operated in partnership with the Amsterdam-based branch of Médecins Sans… Read more →

Above image is used for illustration purposes only / Credit: EMSA EMSA extends its quality management system EMSA’s Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) requirements were expanded in order to include the Maritime Security visits to member states and the Horizontal Analysis of the findings after a cycle of visits. The extended V&I QMS was successfully re-certified in December,… Read more →