04 MAR 2020 On March 1, it became illegal for ships to carry high-sulfur fuel oil (HFO) unless the ship is equipped with a scrubber. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) warns that any ships found to be non-compliant face the possibility of detention. As of March 1, maritime enforcement …
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TIME TO RETHINK THE CHALLENGE OF GLOBAL BIOFOULING
03 MAR 2020 The rapid pace of technological innovation has had a growing impact on the shipping industry. But as owners and fleet managers face increasing pressure to improve environmental performance, new technologies will be necessary to ensure a profitable and sustainable future. The impact of biofouling on ship fuel …
Read More »THERE’S A PECULIAR LINK BETWEEN WHALES BEACHING THEMSELVES AND SOLAR STORMS
04 FEB 2020 The Gray Whale is the 10th largest creature alive today, and the 9 creatures larger than it are all whales, too. Gray Whales are known for their epic migration routes, sometimes covering more than 16,000 km (10,000 miles) on their two-way trips between their feeding grounds and …
Read More »NEW CORONAVIRUS MAY CIRCULATE FOREVER AS A SEASONAL, ENDEMIC PATHOGEN, EXPERTS FEAR
03 MAR 2020 The new coronavirus is likely here to stay. Experts think will probably become a permanent part of the human respiratory-virus repertoire. “This is going to be with us for some time – it’s endemic in human populations and not going to go away without a vaccine,” Amesh Adalja, an …
Read More »AAPA: PORTS ARE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
02 MAR 2020 Chris Connor, President and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), has issued a statement about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak saying: “While the global economic impacts to the port and maritime industry from the coronavirus outbreak are significant and growing, the human impacts are our …
Read More »IMO 2020 ENTERING NEW PHASE WITH CARRIAGE BAN
01 MAR 2020 A tweak to new environmental rules for the shipping industry is just days from taking effect, closing off a loophole for would-be cheats looking to cut their fuel bills. Starting March 1, shippers will be prohibited from carrying highly sulfurous marine fuel for later consumption at sea, …
Read More »SCIENTISTS DISCOVER MYSTERIOUS VIRUS IN BRAZIL WITH NO KNOWN GENES THEY CAN IDENTIFY
20 FEB 2020 Scientists have identified an enigmatic virus whose genome seems to be almost entirely new to science, populated by unfamiliar genes that have never before been documented in viral research. The so-called Yaravirus, named after Yara – or Iara, a water-queen figure in Brazilian mythology – was recovered from Lake Pampulha, an …
Read More »U.K. MULLS INTRODUCTION OF FREEPORTS
19 FEB 2020 Now that U.K. has left the E.U., the Government’s Department for International Trade says it is free to make its mark as a champion of free trade, and freeports (free trade zones) are on the table. The Government is developing a tariff schedule that will enter into …
Read More »LAWSUIT FILED OVER GOLDEN RAY WRECK REMOVAL CONTRACT
18 FEB 2020 Attorneys for salvors Donjon-SMIT filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Coast Guard in the U.S. District Court in Brunswick on Thursday in an attempt to halt salvage operations underway for the capsized car carrier Golden Ray. The Brunswick News broke the news saying that the complaint relates to …
Read More »ATSB RELEASES FINAL REPORT INTO YM EFFICIENCY CONTAINER LOSSES
16 FEB 2020 The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its final report from its investigation into the loss of containers from the container ship YM Efficiency, saying the loss of 81 containers overboard in very rough seas on July 1, 2018 highlights the importance of safe and effective container …
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