Gulf Agency Co, P&I Correspondent in the United Arab Emirates, has issued the attached bulletin in which they advise that cargo ships are not presently being allowed into Port Rashid, which, they understand, is being converted into a cruise terminal. The closure of Port Rashid to cargo ships is reportedly causing delays and congestion in Jebel Ali. An official notice of this development from the port authority is awaited and the Gulf Agency Company will advise further thereafter.
News Alerts
We issue News and other Alerts to keep members posted about developments at the Club and other industry news. Please see our latest Alerts below.
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24 July 2008
10 July 2008
House of Lords restricts Charterers Liability for Late RedeliveryThe House of Lords has very recently handed down judgment in Transfield Shipping Inc v Mercator Shipping Inc [2008] UKHL 48 (The Achilleas). In that case, the time charterers caused a ship to miss the laycan for its next fixture by redelivering the ship nine days late. The Owners suffered a loss, as they were forced to renegotiate the follow on fixture on a significantly lower daily rate.
25 June 2008
As detailed in previous News Alerts, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has a mandate under the Maritime Transportation Security Act to determine the effectiveness of anti-terrorism measures currently in place in ports outside the USA. This Mandate allows the USCG to impose such conditions of entry as it deems appropriate on ships seeking to enter US ports from any country or terminal that has been designated as unsafe by the USCG.
25 June 2008
The Beijng head office of Huatai Insurance Agency & Consultant Service Ltd, P&I Correspondents in China, has issued the attached Circular in which they summarise various recent reports on the restrictions on the carriage of hazardous cargoes, ship operations and navigation in several Chinese ports during the period of the Beijing Olympics.
16 June 2008
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has recently published a report on the collision between two ro-ro ferries in Hull in November 2007.The incident occurred while one of the ferries, Ursine, was inward bound for the King George Dock. The berthing plan involved the ship entering the lock stern first and then manoeuvring astern again between the lock and the berth.
16 June 2008
Adam Greaves of Galadari & Associates in Dubai has issued the attached notice about the impact on port operations in Kuwait of recent and forecast sand storms. Further information on this topic can be obtained via correspondents@galadarilaw.com
10 June 2008
The Philippine Labor Code states that a disability lasting continuously for more than 120 days should be considered total and permanent disability. In the Crystal Shipping (October 2005) and Remigio (April 2006) cases, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that seafarers are subject to the Labor Code concept of permanent disability.
2 June 2008
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) have recently published a substantial report on the grounding of the Pasha Bulker during what has been described as a once-in-30-years storm at Newcastle, New South Wales in June 2007. The vessel grounded after dragging anchor while waiting for a berth to load coal.The ATSBs recommendations cover a wide range of issues involving both shipboard and port operations.
22 May 2008
A recent English High Court case - Waterfront Shipping Co Ltd -v- Trafigura AG considered a tanker charterparty which provided that any claim by Owners for demurrage would be time-barred unless submitted to Charterers within 90 days of completion of discharge accompanied by "all supporting documentation". The judgement has emphasised that the High Court in London expects strict adherence with such provisions.
29 April 2008
Issues 41 and 42 of StopLoss, which are available for download from www.lsso.com, contained reports on injuries to pilots which were caused either by badly rigged or defective pilot ladders.Ongoing industry concern about this issue has led the International Shipping Federation (ISF), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Maritime Pilots Association (IMPA) to produce a booklet entitled Shipping industry guidance on the rigging of ladders for pilot transfer.