The International Group of P&I Clubs and P&I Qualification Committee are pleased to announce the launch of an annual scholarship programme for those who are interested in embarking on a career in P&I and would like to take part in the highly successful P&I Qualification programme. Scholarship details The scholarship will provide textbooks for all seven modules (both electronic and hard copy), meet all exam fees needed to complete the course and provide mentoring to successful candidates. Scholarship eligibility criteria There is no age limit on the scholarship, which is ...

The UK P&I Club is to host a Wellness at Sea webinar for international maritime welfare charity Sailors Society on Thursday 30th September for maritime colleges in India and their current students. The online webinar and all day conference will explore the topical and pertinent subject of wellbeing and mental health, helping to prepare cadets for a long and fulfilling career at sea. There has already been a great response to the event with over 1,000 participants already signed up. Chaired by Johan Smith, programme manager of Sailors’ Society’s pioneering ...

Members are referred to previous circulars and the risks arising from the carriage of mineral ores from certain jurisdictions, including possible liquefaction of such cargoes and the lack of a regulatory oversight at the loading ports. Iron ore fines are of increasing concern, particularly shipments from Sierra Leone arising from a phased restart of iron mines in the region and with vessels loading such cargoes in the port of Pepel. The International Group understands that some cargoes of iron ore fines intended for shipment from the port of Pepel have ...

There has been a rise in the number of vessels detained in Indonesian waters by the Indonesian Navy, particularly in the area east of Bintan Island. These waters are close to major shipping lanes and are sometimes mistakenly taken for the outer port limits of Singapore. Members should check with local agents before their vessels anchor in the area, as any vessels anchoring in Indonesian waters must be cleared by the authorities prior to arrival and upon departure. This applies to all vessels even if there is no other intended ...

Sierra Leone – Iron Ore Fines Members are referred to previous circulars 23/2010 and 5/2012 and the risks arising from the carriage of mineral ores from certain jurisdictions, including possible liquefaction of such cargoes and the lack of a regulatory oversight at the loading ports. Iron ore fines are of increasing concern, particularly shipments from Sierra Leone arising from a phased restart of iron mines in the region and with vessels loading such cargoes in the port of Pepel. The International Group understands that some cargoes of iron ore fines ...

Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration has issued a public notice which updates the main sea routes off the coast of Zhejiang province with effect from 10 September 2021. The purpose of this update is to ensure clear demarcation of shipping routes and fishing areas, thereby reducing the potential risk of collision between commercial vessels and fishing vessels. Precise coordinates and detailed information is available in the attached circular by our correspondents Huatai Insurance Agency & Consultant Service Ltd, along with general advice on precautions that must be adhered to by the ...

Seafarer wellbeing has been a focal topic for Standard Club in recent years, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic and we are proud to be working in partnership with Sailors’ Society’s Wellness at Sea programme, sharing helpful advice and resources over the coming months. Are you experiencing a crisis? Sailors’ Society’s chaplains and ship visitors are present in more than 90 ports around the world, with community projects and services spanning 30 countries. Their Crisis Response Network can provide you with rapid response trauma care and counselling service whenever you are ...

September marks the start of the risk season for Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs in Australia and New Zealand. This year, Poland has been added to their list of stink bug risk countries. Why is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug a problem? The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), or Halyomorpha halys, is an agricultural pest that feeds on, and can severely damage, fruit, and vegetable crops. The pest has spread from its native range in East Asia to form established populations in North America and Europe but is not yet present ...

The phenomenon known as Parametric Rolling Movement (PRM) can cause a ship to roll at extreme angles of up to 30-40 degrees or more and may in extreme cases lead to capsizing of the vessel. PRM mainly affects modern container vessels and car carriers which have hull forms with flared fore and aft decks. However, in quarter seas, when the sea is striking a ship’s quarter at an angle of 45 degrees to its heading, PRM may occur with other types of vessels. Abnormal rolling of a large container vessel ...

In a navigation incident, the first line of inquiry would normally cover the bridge watchkeepers. While the human element plays a significant role in these incidents, it is perhaps worth asking, what if some geographic areas are more prone to navigation incidents than others? The majority of the investigation reports tend to conclude that “human error” is the root cause of navigation incidents. Among the findings, human error generally entails; lack of situational awareness, poor lookout and competence of the mariners involved. The human error, as has been observed in ...

INTERTANKO has released Version 4 of its Outbreak Management Plan. This guidance outlines the plans and procedures to be put in place to prepare a ship for shore personnel to come on board and to protect seafarers from the dangers posed Covid-19. It includes potential exposure from shore personnel and the actions to take in the event of a suspected case on board. The main updates relate to updated mask guidance, vaccination procedures, shore leave policy and the removal of the Health Declaration form and should be read in conjunction ...

The Shipowners’ Club, the leading P&I insurer in the smaller and specialist vessel sector, has reported financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2021. The Club has reported a combined ratio of 100.9% which was slightly higher than budgeted, as it continues to see a high level of claims to the International Group Pool and arising from COVID-19. The financial markets performed remarkably well during the first six months of 2021 and the Club is pleased to report a 2.9% increase in its investment portfolio which helped to ...

Seafarer wellbeing has been a focal topic for Standard Club in recent years, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic and we are proud to be working in partnership with Sailors’ Society’s Wellness at Sea programme, sharing helpful advice and resources over a period of 27 weeks. As this cycle delves further into social wellness – it is also useful to examine our own attitudes, perceptions, and frame of reference when dealing with others. For example – What do you see when you look at someone? It might be useful to take ...

Yesterday, IUMI – the International Union of Marine Insurance – presented its analysis of the latest marine insurance market trends during its annual conference which is being held online from Seoul, South Korea. In general, IUMI reported positive market development from most insurance lines except P&I, and from most geographic regions, stemming from an increased premium base, an extraordinary low claims frequency and a better-than-expected economic bounce-back from the initial effects of the pandemic. Marine underwriting premiums for 2020 were estimated to be USD 30.0 billion which represents a 6.1% ...

The Cargo Integrity Group (CIG) receives the support of Bureau International Containers (BIC) and Centro Internazionale Studi Containers (C.I.S.Co) in publishing its Quick Guide to the CTU Code, and the accompanying Container Packing Check List, in Italian. The official launch of the documents will occur during Genoa Shipping Week (4th–10th October). Continuing its mission to encourage the greatest use of, and adherence to the guidance generated by the IMO, the ILO and the UNECE and published in the Code of Practice for the Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code), ...