Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world at a valuation of $1 trillion, has decided to exclude four shipping firms from its portfolio over their ship breaking practices. All will be excluded from the influential fund for a period of at least four years. Based on an assessment …
Read More »ASIAN PIRACY INCREASED BY NINETEEN PERCENT IN 2017
The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) has released its annual report for 2017 highlighting that there was a 19 percent increase in the number of incidents over 2016 figures. There were 101 incidents in 2017 of which …
Read More »DESTROYER COMMANDERS FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES OVER COLLISIONS
The commanders of the destroyers USS John S. McCain and USS Fitzgerald will face military criminal charges including negligent homicide for their roles in last year’s deadly collisions, the U.S. Navy announced Tuesday. Former Fitzgerald commander Cmdr. Bryce Benson and former McCain commander Cmdr. Jessie L. Sanchez are expected to be charged with hazarding a vessel, dereliction of duty …
Read More »UNION PUTS A PRICE ON AUSSIE TANKER CREWS
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) has claimed that the cost of hiring Aussie seafarers to move fuel around the nation’s coast averages out to about one cent per liter at the bowser. “The collision of an oil tanker and a bulk freighter off China’s east coast this week and …
Read More »CHINA OIL SPILL COMPENSATION CLAIMS FACE IRAN PAYMENT SNAGS
Rescue ships work to extinguish the fire on the Panama-registered Sanchi tanker carrying Iranian oil, which went ablaze after a collision with a Chinese freight ship in the East China Sea, in this January 10, 2018. The reluctance of foreign banks to deal with Iran could complicate any compensation payments …
Read More »AGENTS WARNED ABOUT PEOPLE SMUGGLING SCAM
The International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has warned ship agents about the re-emergence of a scam that enables people smugglers to cover the movement of illegal migrants. The basic pattern of the scam is for owners or managers to ask an agent to attend a vessel’s call and to provide …
Read More »MAGIC MUSHROOMS DO THE OPPOSITE OF ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, BUT THAT MAY BE WHY THEY WORK
8 JAN 2018 Psychedelic therapy is going through something of a revival right now, and we may now know how one such hallucinogenic drug is seemingly able to alleviate symptoms of depression. Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, has long been known to deliver therapeutic effects to people with depression, and researchers think this is …
Read More »DOES BREAST-FEEDING ACTUALLY DECREASE CANCER RISK? HERE’S WHAT SCIENCE SAYS
30 DEC 2017 For babies, the benefits of breast-feeding are clear: a stronger immune system, reduced risk for some chronic health conditions and a closer bond with mom. But does breast-feeding also protect women against breast cancer? Nursing has been linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer in both pre- and …
Read More »TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ADJUSTS OFFSHORE SAFETY RULES
29 DEC 2017 The Trump administration announced Thursday that it intends to adjust safety regulations adopted after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill, potentially saving the offshore industry $30 million per year. In the wake of that spill – the largest in U.S. history, with 200 million gallons released – oil …
Read More »THE SCIENTIFIC REASON WHY YOU REALLY NEED TO GET ENOUGH SLEEP IN 2018
29 DEC 2017 If you need an alarm to get up in the morning, you’re probably not getting enough sleep. More than 40 percent of Australians get too little sleep to feel rested and able to function at their best. The average amount for an adult is around seven hours, while only …
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