16 dec 2019 When people start to get carried away on the subject of autonomous shipping, Eero Lehtovaara, Head of Regulatory Affairs at ABB Marine & Ports, likes to bring the conversation back down to earth: an autonomous vessel is not necessary unmanned but an unmanned vessel is, by default, …
Read More »GUARDIANS AT THE GATE
15 dec 2019 Class societies provide a vital service by ensuring vessel safety from the design phase through construction and throughout the ship’s lifespan. Thanks to the technical expertise they’ve gathered by performing this function, they’re well-positioned to help shipowners adapt to technological and regulatory change. As trusted third parties, …
Read More »CMA CGM ACCELERATES DEPLOYMENT OF BIOFUEL
14 dec 2019 The CMA CGM Group has announced a partnership with Shell to supply tens of thousands of tons of marine biofuel to its fleet. The fuel will allow the Group’s ships to travel nearly one million kilometers, equivalent to over 80 round-trips between Rotterdam and New York. In …
Read More »U.S. PENALTY TARIFFS AVERTED
13 dec 2019 The U.S. and China have agreed on a “Phase One” deal and averted U.S. penalty tariffs due to take effect on December 15. China has agreed to buy $32 billion in additional agricultural goods over the next two years from a baseline of $24 billion purchased in …
Read More »PURE CHAOS OF MAGNETIC FIELDS MAY EXPLAIN THE INTENSE SHINE OF BLACK HOLES
12 DEC 2019 There’s some irony in the fact that the darkest objects in the sky – black holes – can be responsible for some of the Universe’s brightest light. Simulations of the magnetic fields surrounding black holes and neutron stars have now provided new insights into their astonishing brilliance. Astrophysicists from Columbia …
Read More »COP25: INVESTORS URGE GOVERNMENTS TO STEP UP CLIMATE AMBITION
631 institutional investors managing more than $37 trillion in assets urged governments to step up efforts to tackle the global climate crisis in a statement issued on Monday at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP25). The Global Investor Statement to Governments on Climate Change, developed by the seven founding partners …
Read More »BABIES ARE PREDICTED TO BE BORN EARLIER IN THE EXTREME HEAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
09 DEC 2019 When it comes to pregnancy and babies, the closer to full-term the better. Compared to full-term pregnancies, we know that near-term babies have a higher risk of medical problems soon after birth, and lower cognitive outcomes later in childhood. So, with that in mind, we have some bad news. Researchers …
Read More »CARRIERS MUST TRAIN CREWS FOR IMO 2020 OR RISK CRIMINALITY, WARNS SEAFARER UNION
08 DEC 2019 Seafarer representatives are increasingly worried that the forthcoming IMO 2020 low-sulphur regulations could result in a spate of criminal convictions. Seafarer union Nautilus International said a recent case involving a P&O Cruises vessel in the North Europe special emission control area (SEVA), which extends from the Channel …
Read More »SPACEX GETS ITS OWN AIS AIDS TO NAVIGATION MARKERS
07 DEC 2019 Satellite launch contractor SpaceX will soon be using its own private AIS aids to navigation (ATON) to mark the temporary exclusion areas it uses during rocket launches at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It is the first official Coast Guard approval for a “dynamic” restricted area. SpaceX’s operations at …
Read More »HOW FINANCE CAN HELP PROTECT THE WORLD’S OCEAN RESOURCES
06 DEC 2019 Can finance contribute to seafood sustainability? This is an increasingly relevant question given the projected growth of seafood demand and the magnitude of social and environmental issues associated with its production. Since the 1960s, aquaculture has been the world’s fastest-growing food sector. Rates of fish consumption have …
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