Lamorte Burns & Co Inc, P&I Correspondent in New Orleans, has advised that persistent heavy rain in the Mississippi Valley has caused problems for shipping on the Mississippi river. The very significantly increased currents and river levels have made routine operations much more difficult, with reports being received of ships struggling or unable to hold their position either alongside or at anchor, even with tug assistance.
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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14 April 2008
20 March 2008
Further to the London Club Website News article of 11 March, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has now issued Port Security Advisory (03-08) by which Iran has been added to the growing list of countries which the USCG has determined are not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures.The USCG has imposed conditions of entry, effective from 2 April 2008, on vessels wishing to enter a US port having made a recent call in Iran.
11 March 2008
Further to the London Club Website News article of 23 January on security issues at West African ports, the US Coast Guard has produced two new Port Security Advisories which impose conditions of entry into the USA on vessels that have previously traded to Syria or certain ports in Indonesia. The details are contained in Port Security Advisory (01-08) for Indonesia and Port Security Advisory (02-08) for Syria and a copy of each document is attached.
6 March 2008
A recent judgment from the Spanish Supreme Court has considered the status of local agents as well as the nature of their legal relationship with cargo receivers. And the conclusions reached by the Court are such that the P&I Correspondents, Pandi Claims Services, advise that it is "likely that cargo owners and their insurers could claim directly against [agents] as the legal representative of the Shipowner in Spain, both being considered jointly and severally liable for damages caused".
23 January 2008
Under the USA's Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), the US Coast Guard (USCG) has a mandate to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-terrorism measures in foreign ports. Where the USCG determines that a country or port is not maintaining acceptable anti-terrorism measures, the USCG can impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving at a US port but which have recently called at such a country or port.
22 November 2007
This Act - which has potentially significant implications for, for example, ships entering UK ports and owning companies registered there - will come into force in April 2008, creating a new criminal offence of corporate manslaughter. A summary of its key features is set out below.
22 November 2007
In recent months several ships have suffered serious stability problems as a result of liquefaction of iron ore fines loaded wet at various Indian ports, including Haldia, Visakhapatnam and Mangalore. At least three of the affected bulkers developed a dangerous list on passage; two of the ships were beached as a result.
20 August 2007
Members should be aware of advice from the major port state control authorities that they will be conducting a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) focusing on the ISM Code, between 1 September 30 November 2007. The CIC will be conducted in conjunction with routine port state control inspections. The purpose of the campaign is said to involve verification of the effective implementation of safety management systems onboard ships of all flags.
20 August 2007
The EU Sulphur Directive 1999/32 (amended by 2005/33) brought into force the North Sea Sulphur Emissions Control Area (SECA) on 11 August 2007. Ships operating within the SECA are required to use bunkers with a sulphur content of no more than 1.5% by mass or have in place an approved exhaust gas cleaning system.