“Caribe” Newsletter Highlights Workshops on Oil Pollution" - IISD Reporting Services

Posted -  April - IISD Reporting Services

April 2012: The 14th issue of the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Center for the Wider Caribbean's (RAC/REMPEITC) quarterly newsletter, titled "Caribe," highlights three workshops held in the region to help countries meet their obligations under the 1990 International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response, and Cooperation (OPRC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The first workshop, funded by IMO and the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), was hosted by RAC/REMPEITC from 31 January - 2 February 2012, in Willemstad, Curacao. It brought together participants from Cuba, Curacao, Jamaica and Mexico, who reviewed and discussed regional needs related to oversight of offshore oil and gas exploration and development. The workshop also sought to aid the development of national plans for marine pollution preparedness and response and to lay the groundwork for future assistance and cooperation in the wider Caribbean.
Another workshop, funded by the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Regional Risk Reduction Initiative (R3i) and organized with the assistance of Aruba's Crisis Management Office, took place from 13-14 February 2012, in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, to help St. Maarten update its oil spill contingency plan. A similar workshop, also funded by R3i, and organized with help from Aruba's Crisis Management Office, was held in Anguilla from 15-17 February 2012, to help Anguilla update its Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
RAC/REMPEITC was created in 1995 by IMO and UNEP's Caribbean Regional Coordinating Center (CAR/RCU) to assist countries of the Wider Caribbean in developing their national capabilities to implement the Cartagena Convention Oil Spill Protocol, the OPRC and other IMO Conventions and Protocols relevant to preparedness for and response to oil, hazardous and noxious substances releases, and other marine environmental threats from ships in the Wider Caribbean Region.

 Complete post at:
http://sids-l.iisd.org/news/%E2%80%9Ccaribe%E2%80%9D-newsletter-highlights-workshops-on-oil-pollution/125797/

When naval officers from 12 countries converged on Gulf of Guinea - THE SUN PUBLISHING LTD.

Posted - Wednesday April 11 , 2012 - By PHILIP NWOSU - THE SUN PUBLISHING LTD.

Dozens of top naval officers from Nigeria, Belgium, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Spain, Togo, United States and France converged recently on the Gulf of Guinea to tackle the security challenges in the region.
The one-week exercise, tagged Obangame Express 2012, was organised by the participating countries in collaboration with major stakeholders in the Gulf of Guinea in order to nip the menace of sea pirates in the bud.
Daily Sun learnt that the Obangame Express 2012 was put together to assist West and Central African countries to build the capacity towards combating problems of pirates that steal resources of the region and making the waterways dangerous.
The exercise was a multinational maritime interdiction exercise designed to update countries in the Gulf of Guinea on the fundamentals of conducting policing operations at sea. It provided an opportunity for participating countries to showcase their naval might.
The Nigerian Naval Ship NNS THUNDER led other combat vessels from other 11 countries in the naval manoeuvre. As gathered, the water was safe for legitimate maritime operators during the exercise as pirates operating in the Gulf of Guinea went on leave. The United States Navy that came with a frigate also displayed its drone aircraft capable of carrying out reconnaissance and return to the vessel.
France showcased its amphibious assault ship Siroco, which first berthed in Lagos before proceeding to the exercise area. Other African countries also came to the exercise with patrol vessels and other smaller crafts.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had recently enjoined international community to build on its resolution 2018 (2011) to counter the growing menace of piracy in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea region through coordination and logistical support to regional security initiatives.
The appeal came after the UNSC special team visited Benin, Nigeria, Gabon and Angola in connection with piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. According to the UNSC’s assessment, the increasing crime waves in the region undermined socio-economic development efforts in the region. The council noted that the pirates have become more violent and systematic, targeting lucrative cargo such as oil onboard the ships, rather than taking hostages for ransom as in East Africa. It added that incidents of piracy reported to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) had risen from 45 in 2010 to 64 in 2011, urging countries within the Gulf of Guinea to unite in order to respond effectively to the growing threat of piracy along their coasts.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, who actively participated in the joint exercise, admitted that Nigeria stands to benefit a lot from the exercise, particularly getting rid of challenges in her maritime domain. He stated that protection of the territorial waters in the country and the entire West African sub-region rests on the Nigerian Navy’s transformation agenda. He expressed the commitment of the force and Nigeria to a regional military exercise, saying the exercise would pave way for economic and socio-cultural activities to thrive in the region.

Complete Post at:
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/citysun/2012/apr/11/citysun-11-04-2012-003.html

A Fragile Tourist Attraction on the Ocean Floor - New York Times

Published: April 9, 2012 - By WILLIAM J. BROAD - New York Times

Explorers and United States government experts have put together the first comprehensive map of the Titanic’s resting place, illuminating a square mile of inky seabed as a guide to better understanding the liner’s death throes and better preserving its remains.

Already, knowing the exact positions of thousands of parts, structures and artifacts has allowed the government and the International Maritime Organization to draw up recommendations for the operation of the mini-submarines that ferry tourists more than two miles down to the bottom of the North Atlantic for a glimpse of the great ship.

“People have the right to see, explore and learn,” said James P. Delgado, director of maritime heritage at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which monitors the wreck. “But you want to put down guidelines like those at Gettysburg and the Acropolis, so visitors can experience it in the same way.

Complete post at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/10/science/seeking-guidelines-to-protect-fragile-titanic-from-visitors.html?_r=1

New Green Ships Get Software Boost - gCaptain

Posted - By John Konrad On April 9, 2012 - gCaptain


Greater efficiency is the new calling within shipping industry. Skyrocketing bunker prices and global pressure to reduce ship emissions is leading the shipping industry toward a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future.
In an effort to increase the efficiency of their fleet, Malaysian-based tanker operator AET has ordered the NAPA-DSME Power software system for installation on four newbuild 319,000 deadweight tonne (DWT) crude carriers currently under construction at Daewoo’s (DSME) shipyard in South Korea.
NAPA-DSME Power has been designed as part of a collaboration between marine software developer NAPA and DSME, with the companies claiming that it can be used to save up to 5 percent of a tanker’s fuel costs.
Using sensors integrated within DSME’s latest tanker designs, the system monitors energy efficiency, emissions, fuel consumption and trim. This data is immediately accessible to officers onboard, along with weather updates, arrival times and other key performance indicators to inform decisions and enable efficiency optimisation in real-time.
The software can also be used to assist in maintaining compliance with energy and emissions monitoring and reporting regulations, which are anticipated to grow over the next few years, not least through the upcoming Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) legislation that takes effect from January 1st 2013.

Complete post at:
http://gcaptain.com/green-ships-software-boost/?43554

Bits and Pieces

Posted April 9, 2012

Global Maritime Containerization Market to Reach 731 Million TEUs by 2017 ... PR Web (press release) GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on Maritime Containerization market. Global market for Maritime Containerization is projected to reach 731 million TEUs by the year 2017. Growth will be primarily driven by increasing sea trade ...

The Arctic This Week - News for April 1 - April 7, 2012 The Arctic Institute By Tom Fries - News for April 1 -7, 2012 Whitney Lackenbauer writes, in this excellent article in iPolitics.ca, on the reasons to keep security issues out of the Arctic Council's mandate. It's both well-reasoned and well-written.

TRC Engages Ridge Global as Strategic Advisor SYS-CON Media (press release) Ridge Global is led by Tom Ridge, the first secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security and former governor of Pennsylvania, and offers international expertise in the areas of energy, security and infrastructure protection, risk and maritime ... See all stories on this topic »

UK cuts Antarctic research as more players compete for Arctic resources The Voice of Russia Expectations are high that the British PM will address the issues of environment protection, climate change and global warming, including those related to Arctic, in his key-note speech at Clean Energy Ministerial in London on April, 26.

On the road, for cause and effect Mid-Day Desai, barely aware of the waiter's restlessness to have him vacate the table, speaks softly about his mammoth 20000 km-long cycling trip across India and its connection with environmental issues. In December 2010, the computer engineer left his job to ...

Maritime insurer warns over sanctions against Iran Tehran Times The compensation system for victims of oil tanker pollution will be “completely undermined” when European Union sanctions bar insurers from honoring some Iran-related claims made under valid certificates, the most senior international maritime insurer ...

Submerged ship is threatened by rust, scavengers, tourists Vancouver Sun Maritime officials and experts have warned that the wreck is rusting away. The US Coast Guard recently wrote to the International Maritime Organization asking for a ban on ships dropping garbage or releasing sewage within 10 nautical miles of the site.

Asbestos Material Illegally Imported By Foreign Ships in Australia TopNews Arab Emirates The reports put forth by the institution shows that the International Maritime Organization has already addressed that amounts of asbestos has been found in the ship's fire blankets, wall and ceiling coverings, insulation materials and fuses.

Iran Navy head attends Indian Ocean naval symposium in South Africa Press TV “Regional Maritime Security Initiatives Aimed at Reducing Modern Maritime Security Threats” has been chosen as the motto of the Third Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. The four-day symposium will open at the Cape Town International Convention Center on ...

UK TO URGE EU ON EMISSIONS TARGETS - The Financial Times Ltd

Posted - Last updated: April 8, 2012 7:07 pm - By Jim Pickard and Pilita Clark

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/473ef85c-8161-11e1-8aae-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1rZeWaeYk

Britain will push to deepen the European Union’s 2020 carbon reduction targets at talks in Denmark next week in a sign of renewed government commitment to the fight against global warming.
The UK will seek a 30 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, an increase from the 20 per cent target at present, Greg Barker, climate change minister, told the Financial Times in an interview. An informal April 19 meeting, to take place in Horsens in eastern Denmark, aims to offer ministers the opportunity to have “an open and frank debate” about the world’s largest emissions trading scheme.
Mr Barker said tougher emissions reduction targets were needed if the European emissions trading system was to fulfil its aim of encouraging investment in low-carbon energy sources.

 Complete Post at:
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/473ef85c-8161-11e1-8aae-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links/rss/world_uk/feed//product#axzz1rZcHolTf

UK CCC: Reducing CO2 emissions from UK international shipping requires measures “beyond” EEDI - Increasing energy efficiency in shipping

Posted - April 7, 2012 -   Increasing energy efficiency in shipping 

The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) just released their report “Scope of carbon budgets – Statutory advice on inclusion of international aviation and shipping”, on how and why to include international shipping and aviation in UK carbon budgets.
How to allocate emissions in such a way that it is possible to define “UK international shipping” is not entirely trivial. I’ll post some implications for Sweden, where only domestic shipping emissions are included in the CO2 accounting, later. Meanwhile, some interesting details regarding future CO2 emissions from international shipping accountable to the UK can be found. Specifically, we see scenarios where emissions from shipping are reduced, contrary to previous assessments on international shipping, for example as discussed in a below post. The following graph (on p. 41, Figure 3.4) details three different scenarios:
In the high emissions scenario the authors assume that measures do not go beyond the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) (the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) is not mentioned). In the central scenario, speed reductions, size increases, and limited biofuel use, are also included. In the low emission scenario, “strong policy action to incentivise full take-up of abatement potential from technological and operational measures”, further increases in ship size, and increased biofuel use are assumed.
The impact of such measures are in the same range as that projected by others earlier. The reason as to why the UK can see a decrease in emissions is probably that the scenarios are based on a flat demand scenario–annual growth in transportation work (tonnes-miles) is estimated to range from -0.1% and 0.1%, depending on carbon price. This is a substantially different demand than that typically assumed for international shipping. In the IMO 2nd GHG report, demand growth is rather projected to range from 0.9% in a low growth scenario to 5.4% in a high growth scenario. (p. 95, Table 7.7).

About the author

Hannes Johnson is a PhD student and Project Manager at Shipping and Marine Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
He is part of the research group Maritime Environment, where research is conducted in the fields of Resource Efficiency, Environmental Impact, and Organization and Policy.
Hannes has a M.Sc. in Engineering Physics and Industrial Ecology from Chalmers 2008. Please contact him at:
hannes.johnson@chalmers.se

• Recent publications

  2012Johnson, Hannes; Johansson, Mikael; Andersson, Karin: Barriers to energy efficiency in short sea shipping: a case study. Short Sea Shipping 2012 Conference, Lisbon,
  2011Englund, Oskar; Berndes, Göran; Johnson, Hannes; Ostwald, Madelene: Environmental Impact Assessments: Suitable for supporting assessments of biofuel sustainability?. Göteborg : Chalmers University of Technology.
  Englund, Oskar; Berndes, Göran; Johnson, Hannes: Recent progress in developing renewable energy sources and technical evaluation of the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels in transport in accordance with Article 3 of Directive 2001/77/EC and Article 4(2) of Directive 2003/30/EC. Brussels : European Commission.
  Johnson, Hannes; Andersson, Karin: The energy efficiency gap in shipping - barriers to improvement. International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME) Conference

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