Members should note that the PRC Ministry of Transport recently published revised Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Emergency Prevention and Handling of Marine Pollution Caused by Vessels (the “revised Regulations”), which became effective on 12 May 2015. The revised Regulations have the effect of removing the requirement on SPROs to be approved by the China MSA, and introduce instead a new supervision and examination procedure by the local MSAs.
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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16 June 2015
10 June 2015
Members may be aware that recent conflict in Yemen resulted in port operations being suspended in Aden and, further, that Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs then confirmed formally that navigation in Yemen's territorial waters was banned unless permission had first been obtained from the Yemeni government and Saudi-led coalition forces. Additionally, the U.N. Security Council imposed an arms embargo targeting the Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
27 April 2015
The International Group Annual Review 2014/15 was published recently and can be accessed by clicking here. The Review covers many of the key activities undertaken by the Group during the last P&I policy year and includes summaries of the work carried out by a number of its Sub-Committees and Working Groups on a range of issues, including the review of large casualties, places of refuge and the Maritime Labour Convention, which may be of interest to Members.
27 February 2015
Members will be aware of the ongoing US and EU sanctions against Sudan. Members should therefore note that on 18 February 2015, the US Authorities/Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an amended general licence allowing the exportation and provision to Sudan of certain hardware, software and services incidental to personal communications.
18 February 2015
The Club has been advised by P&I Associates, a correspondent in South Africa, of a change in the approach taken by the Department of Home Affairs in Cape Town to foreign nationals who are found, before a vessel has departed, to have unlawfully boarded a vessel in Cape Town. Previously such persons were treated as “trespassers”, so that the costs of repatriation did not fall on the vessel.
29 January 2015
The Club has just received news of a fire that broke out earlier today at Suzano’s premises in Itaqui Port. Brazmar Marine Services Ltda, a correspondent in São Luis, reports that:- “… the fire occurred in the premises of Messrs Suzano, one of the biggest cellulose exporters in the region. Although not yet confirmed, we understand that the Terminal's grain loading conveyor belt system has also been affected. No victims have been reported to date but the physical damage appears extensive.
27 January 2015
In advance of the high risk season for Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) that commences in March, BIMCO has issued a new AGM Clause for Time Charterparties. The background to and wording of the AGM Clause are set out in the BIMCO Special Circular (click here). Details of the AGM Regulations and links to websites of the relevant Authorities have been the subject of a previous News Alert, which can be accessed by clicking here.
19 January 2015
As reported in the Association’s circulars of 5 November and 23 December 2014, the WRC enters into force on 14 April 2015. The 23 December circular (which can be accessed by clicking here) included information on the WRC States that had, at that date, agreed in principle to assist shipowners by issuing certificates to ships flagged in countries that are not party to the Convention.
16 January 2015
Members may be aware from news reports of an escalation of civil strife within Libya. Until recently, this was not thought to affect the safety of vessels calling at Libyan ports. However, in early January the tanker “Araevo” was attacked by the Libyan Airforce at the port of Derna (for a report of the incident, please click here) and Lloyds List report that a second tanker was attacked yesterday at the port of Misrata.
16 January 2015
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), in the final paragraph of a Circular issued yesterday, has alerted shipowners to an increased risk of attack in the approaches to, and in, the Suez Canal.