TODAY’S BULLETIN OF MARITIME NEWS
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- First View : AMIS WISDOM I
- Tanker Rama 2 sinks off North-East Africa
- ECSA concerned about ongoing piracy in Gulf of Guinea
- LNG plans for Tanzania at risk from new regulations
- Uganda challenged over value of Lake Victoria
- South Africa, Tanzania must even out trade imbalance
- One stop border post between Kenya and Ethiopia to open shortly
- PRESS RELEASES: Shipping needs to build cyber resilience, TOC Europe hears
- Expected Ship Arrivals and Ships in Port
- Cruise News and Naval Activities
- Pics of the Day : MAERSK MARMARA
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A stern view of the bulker AMIS WISDOM I (61,611-dwt) in Durban harbour earlier in June this year. The vessel, the first of four fairly identical ships to bear a similar name apart from the Roman numeral signifying each ship as it entered service (the others being Amis Wisdom II, III and VI respectively) is owned and managed by the Taiwanese Wisdom Marine Group. The Supramax bulker was built in 2010 at the Oshima shipyard in Japan and flies the flag of Panama. Wisdom Marine operates a fleet of about 120 ships. This picture is by Trevor Jones
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TANKER RAMA 2 SINKS OFF NORTH-EAST AFRICA
The oil products tanker RAMA 2 (6764-dwt) has sunk in bad weather off the North-East coast of Africa, with the loss of one of the crew.
A number of naval vessels on patrol in the area, including the Royal Navy frigate HMS MONMOUTH, responded to the casualty, as did several commercial vessels that were sailing in the vicinity.
One of the attending vessels, the tanker MTM TORTOLA was responsible for…[restrict] rescuing the majority of the Rama 2 crew from the water, who were taken to Salalah. Another seafarer was rescued from the sea by a helicopter flying from HMS Monmouth, but one remaining crew member was not found and is presumed to have gone down with the ship or drowned.
The drama took place on 26 June when the 99-metre long Rama 2, owned by Abu Dhabi interests and loaded with 5,500 tons of gasoline, began foundering in bad weather and waves recorded at five metres. The crew of 14 seafarers on the ship sent out a distress call, saying they were sinking. They reported structural damage on the ship with the tanker taking on a heavy list to starboard. Shortly after this they began abandoning the ship and attempting to take to the vessel’s life rafts.
The distress call was relayed to the Combined Maritime Force operating in the area which responded by directing naval ships to attend and to launch a search and rescue. Meanwhile, several commercial ships also in the area responded, including the tankers MTM TORTOLA and SEA POWER, and the LNG tanker SOYO. MTM Tortola was among the first on the scene and rescued the bulk of the crew. Two crewmembers meanwhile remained unaccounted for.
One of the missing crew was spotted in the water from a patrolling aircraft and was winched aboard a Wildcat helicopter flying from HMS Monmouth. To reach the scene the helicopter, with the call sign Black Jack, had to refuel on the naval support vessel RFA CARDIGAN BAY en route.
The Air Engineering Technician (AET) on board the helicopter said it took 30 minutes to hook up the seaman in the water, owing to the rough seas. He described it as one of the hardest things he has had to do since joining the Fleet Air Arm.
A large oil slick was reported in the sea near where Rama 2 had sunk but was being broken up and dispersed by the rough seas.[/restrict]
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ECSA CONCERNED ABOUT ONGOING PIRACY IN GULF OF GUINEA
European shipowners are concerned about the continued piracy, armed robbery attacks and kidnapping for ransom events in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), and particularly off Nigeria, says ECSA, the European Community Shipowners’ Associations.
Speaking on Friday (30 June 2017), ECSA said that according to the latest International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy report in total 33 vessels were boarded and four fired upon in the first three months of 2017 worldwide. During the same period, of the 27 seafarers kidnapped for ransom, 63% were in the Gulf of Guinea.
In its Global Maritime Security Conclusions adopted 19 June, the Environment Council recognised the problematic situation in the Gulf of Guinea. It underlined the need for regional states to take ownership and adapt their legal systems in order to fight piracy. The Council also welcomed bilateral initiatives of EU Member States in the region and advocated the need to coordinate them with ongoing EU initiatives.
“The continued problems in the Gulf of Guinea create serious concerns about the security of seafarers sailing in that area”, commented Patrick Verhoeven, ECSA Secretary General.
“Maritime insecurity also disrupts trade flows and has a direct impact on the ability of ports to serve as hubs for parts of the continent. A poor security situation also imposes high costs on imports and exports and put jobs and economic activity at risk”, he concluded.
ECSA encourages several measures in order to improve the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea. These measures include:
1) The proper protection by coastal states,
2) The investigation of the potential use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) by the owners,
3) The prosecution of piracy and armed robbery and
4) The establishment of effective judicial systems, good coordination of law enforcement assets and an efficient and well working reporting and coordination system to respond to incidents.
In addition, European shipowners support initiatives on capacity building and strongly encourage coastal states to take their responsibility and respect their obligations under international law (UNCLOS).
Read ECSA’s position on the topic CLICK HERE
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LNG PLANS FOR TANZANIA AT RISK FROM NEW REGULATIONS
Petroleum Africa reports that Tanzania is fiddling with its mining and energy laws, submitting three new bills to parliament that could put a crimp in international firms’ plans to exploit natural gas resources discovered off the country’s coast.
The three bills to parliament on 29 June would, says Petroleum Africa, allow the government to force mining and energy companies to renegotiate their contracts.
Companies operating in Tanzania have…[restrict] been expressing concern that President John Magufuli’s interpretation of tax laws, increased fines and demands they rapidly list on the local stock exchange are meant to squeeze the companies out. Magufuli maintains that the reforms will increase transparency and revenues. He also asserts that the companies have not been paying their fair share of taxes.
The three bills are expected to be fast-tracked through parliament. They cover natural resources contracts, sovereignty, amend existing laws and would allow the government to renegotiate or dissolve contracts.
“This is unprecedented in terms of an escalation and an assault on the mining sector,” said Ahmed Salim, vice president of global advisory firm Teneo Intelligence in a Reuters report.
“There hasn’t been much dialogue between the private sector and government. Major companies in Tanzania, both foreign and domestic, mostly wake up to news about major changes in legislation and regulation alterations … This will have very severe consequences in terms of foreign investment.”
On the energy end, companies that could be affected include BG Group, part of Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, Statoil and Ophir Energy. These four firms are spearheading the development of Tanzania’s natural gas resources through a $30 billion LNG export terminal. source: Petroleum AFRICA[/restrict]
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UGANDA CHALLENGED OVER VALUE OF LAKE VICTORIA
The UN has challenged Uganda to evaluate and include the economic worth of its natural resources including and especially Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa.
Ms Adriana Dinu, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Environment Facility executive coordinator, called on Uganda to include its natural resources in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), saying this would provide a stimulus for renewed conservation.
Overlooking these assets and…[restrict] the monetary contribution of the lakes, animals and plant cover leads to less value being attached to them and hence their degradations, she said.
“Look at Lake Victoria which is the largest lake in Africa. What is its value? Studies show Lake Victoria is providing some of the most productive fresh water fisheries worldwide, with 500,000 tonnes of fish and US$400m dollars in revenue,” she said.
“This is the wealth. How come this wealth that is considered free is not factored in the calculation of GDP? The consequences are biodiversity loss we are facing today, water insecurity, and food insecurity.”
She said that Uganda could not “continue not counting what counts.”
Dinu was speaking at last week’s third Africa regional Biodiversity Conference in Entebbe. The conference was aimed at finding monetary solutions to the conservation of plant and animal species under threat of extinction and whose habitats have also been adversely degraded.
Lake Victoria, which is shared by three East Africa countries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, is facing unprecedented pollution from industries, including sand mining and deforestation. This pollution, in addition to over fishing and other factors have combined to lead to dwindling fish stocks. Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries figures show that Uganda has lost more than one million jobs due to the dwindling fish stocks.
Included in this are more than ten fish processing factories that have been forced to close due to lack of supplies.
Lake Victoria is shared by three East African countries – Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, while Rwanda and Burundi benefit from its catchment area. The lake also provides an important means of transport for people and cargo between the respective countries.
Approximately 30 million people in the region rely on the lake for their livelihood.[/restrict]
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SOUTH AFRICA, TANZANIA MUST EVEN OUT TRADE IMBALANCE
Economic Counsellor for the South African High Commission in Tanzania, Frans van Aardt, says South Africa and Tanzania must work to address the trade imbalance between the two countries.
“Currently, the trade balance is skewed in South Africa’s favour and efforts should be doubled to address the imbalance. Tanzania is an emerging economy with…[restrict] high growth potential, relatively diversified economy and a number of opportunities remain untapped in many sectors,” said Van Aardt on Thursday.
A delegation of 21 business people arrived in Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania on Thursday to participate in the second leg of the Outward Selling Mission (OSM) that is being led by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).
In 2015, South African exports to Tanzania amounted to R6.5 billion, whereas imports from Tanzania amounted to R377 million.
Speaking at a welcoming session of the business delegation, Van Aardt said South Africa and Tanzania must continue with economic diplomacy that will eventually sort out the trade imbalance between the two countries.
Van Aardt said the business community must take advantage of the fact that economic relations between the two countries continue to expand and bilateral political relations are favourable and conducive for growth.
Currently about 170 South African companies are operating in the East African country.
Van Aardt said indications are that growth will continue on an upward trajectory for the next couple of years, as the Tanzanian Industrial Policy has identified the promotion of the private sector in taking the lead in industrialising the economy of the country.
“The current industrial policy direction points to deepening the private sector led industrial growth as a way of transforming the economy from its heavy reliance on agriculture, which accounts for more than a quarter of the GDP, to manufacturing,” he said.
Van Aardt, who reiterated South Africa’s commitment to the growth of Tanzania, wished the business delegation well as they prepared to engage with the Tanzanian business community.
The first leg of the OSM, whose aim is to increase trade and investment between South Africa and East Africa — began on Monday in Kenya.
Last week, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the missions to the two countries will honour commitments made by President Jacob Zuma during the State visits to Kenya in October last year, and Tanzania last month to strengthen relations and explore investment and trade opportunities in the two countries.
The second leg of the Outward Selling Mission to Tanzania will conclude today. source: SAnews.gov.za[/restrict]
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ONE-STOP BORDER POST BETWEEN KENYA AND ETHIOPIA TO OPEN SHORTLY
The one-stop border post connecting Ethiopia and Kenya is near completion and will commence service within the coming two months period, according to the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA).
A report in Xinhua and repeated in Kenya’s Coast Week reports that while the construction of the Ethiopian segment is now close to completion at 98 percent, Kenya has already completed construction of its border post.
The one stop border post, under…[restrict] construction on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya in Moyale area is being constructed jointly with the Hawassa-Moyale road project in Ethiopia, Samson Wondimu, communication director of the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) told Xinhua.
Part of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa road corridor, the 502km Hawassa-Moyale road project is a 5.6 billion Ethiopian birr (US$244 million) project under construction in six phases by Chinese, Indian and Egypt construction companies and expected to be fully operational in a two years period, he said.
An Indian construction company is completing the one-stop border post together with 100km of the Mega-Moyale road.
Kenya and Ethiopia have signed a bilateral agreement back in 2011 to develop the joint border point and road that will enhance bilateral trade relations between the two east African neighbouring countries.
The Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa road corridor is an important segment of the Trans-African Highway corridor from Cairo to Cape Town.
Once completed, the road corridor would help reduce transport and shipping costs of goods between the two neighbouring east African countries. It is also expected to foster the people to people relations between Ethiopia and Kenya, it was noted.[/restrict]
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SHIPPING NEEDS TO BUILD CYBER RESILIENCE, TOC EUROPE HEARS
London 29 June 2017: As Maersk moves into its second day of its IT systems being crippled by a cyber attack, its 2M alliance partner MSC has said it has so far been unaffected and has offered “its full support to Maersk”.
The attack has the potential to throw global container supply chains into chaos, according to Lars Jensen, chief executive of maritime cyber security firm CyberKeel.
Mr Jensen told delegates at the TOC Europe Container Supply Chain conference in Amsterdam today [29 June] that the attack is likely to spread well beyond Maersk, its terminal operating arm APM Terminals and its customers.
According to his calculations, Maersk’s shipping lines – Maersk Line itself, Safmarine, Seago, MCC Transport and Sealand – have all been affected and book 3,300 TEU every hour, representing some US$2.7m in revenue per hour.
At the point of writing that…[restrict] equated to at least some 82,500 TEU and revenues of $67.5m having been affected – a combination of shipments caught up in ports and on vessels, and likely lost bookings.
“But there are other shipping lines that have boxes on board Maersk vessels – these will not be able to be unloaded; other lines use APM Terminals’ facilities; and even the third party terminals that are unaffected may well have piles of boxes on their facilities that will be unable to be cleared,” Mr Jensen said.
The number of shippers affected could amount to the tens of thousands.
“If this goes on much longer they will start trying to book with other lines – but guess what, the shippers I spoke to today are being told by other carriers that we have entered the peak season and there’s no space on vessels,” he said.
A statement from MSC described the immediate action it had taken: “We are working together to find other means to transmit data between the two companies. This includes information such as vessel bayplans, load lists, and customs information.
“If necessary, the 2M partners are prepared to divert ships away from terminals which are not currently operating as a result of the attack. MSC operates 53 terminals around the world which are fully available to 2M vessels to load and unload cargo with minimal delay,” it added.
Mr Jensen said the attack illustrated the inherent digital weakness of the shipping industry.
“By no way does this imply that Maersk had insufficient security – if someone wants to hack you they will find a way.
“What it does mean is that shipping needs to build resilience into its digital products- it’s not about building a system and laying a security system over the top, but building security up front when you begin to develop a system, which I’m afraid is likely to cost more,” he said.
In the three years since CyberKeel was formed, it has performed a number of “penetration” tests on shipping firms and found that overall security standards have been low.
“Shipping companies are saying that they are taking the matter seriously, but across the board very little has been done.”
“It is unfortunate for Maersk that it has been subject to this attack, but hopefully it will galvanise the industry to make itself more secure,” Mr Jensen said.
About TOC Worldwide
For 40 years, TOC Worldwide has provided market-leading conference and exhibition forums for the global port and terminal industries and their customers. With a change of name to TOC Container Supply Chain, the TOC event portfolio is now evolving fast to attract a wider audience of container supply chain professionals.
Taking place each year in the world’s four key shipping hubs – Europe, Middle East, Americas and Asia – each TOC is now a complete container supply chain event for its region, bringing together cargo owners, logistics providers, carriers, ports, terminals and other key members of the container supply chain to learn, debate, network and foster new business solutions.
Maersk says close to back to normal
Maersk has meanwhile [30 June] issued the following update:
We are pleased to report that our operations are now running close to normal again…. …A.P. Moller-Maersk expects to return to a close to normal environment by Monday, 3 July.
Progress is being made towards recovery and a more normalised state of business is expected by Monday, however it will take longer to restore all applications and workstations.
Cargo is being moved in and out of ports almost everywhere around the world. Almost all ports within the APM Terminals global portfolio are operational. We are pleased to report that since yesterday, we have been able to re-establish business in our terminals in Algeciras, Tangier, Callao Lima, Mumbai, Itajai and Buenos Aires.
Maersk Line continues to take bookings through INTTRA, EDI and local manual processes. Vessels remain fully operational and cargo in transit is being handled close to normal. We expect to reactivate normal booking channels on Monday and be able to process all bookings.
All other business units within A.P. Moeller-Maersk have continued operations.
Focus remains dedicated to ensuring the best possible business continuity.
We would like to acknowledge the support we have received from customers, partners and authorities all over the world. We will keep customers informed on operational developments.[/restrict]
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CRUISE NEWS AND NAVAL ACTIVITIES
QM2 in Cape Town. Picture by Ian Shiffman
We publish news about the cruise industry here in the general news section.
Naval News
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PIC OF THE DAY : MAERSK MARMARA
Maersk Line’s oil tanker MAERSK MARMARA enters Durban harbour assisted by the harbour tug PHOLELA earlier in June. The 51,182-dwt tanker measures in at 183 metres long and 32 metres wide and was built in 2006 at the STX Shipbuilding Busan Co Ltd shipyard in Pusan, South Korea as their yard or hull number 1188. The tanker is registered in Singapore and owned and operated by Maersk Tankers of Singapore. This picture is by Keith Betts
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
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― Stephen Richards
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