Sea Views: EU adopts plan for faster phaseout of single-hull tankers

In a similar move to the US Oil Pollution Act, 1990, the European Union has officially adopted its unilateral plan for accelerated phase-out of single-hull tankers. The regulation was published in the October 1 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union and comes into effect on October 21, 2003.

It provides for, among other things, the immediate ban on transport of heavy grades of oil in single-hull oil tankers of 5,000 dwt or above to or from EU ports and the accelerated phase-out of single-hull oil tankers on a schedule tied to the ship's Marpol category. The impact of this unilateral action on the upcoming IMO meeting to review the Marpol phase-out schedule is unclear at this time.

Pakistan offers seafarer incentive

According to Fairplay, Pakistan is offering an incentive to shipping companies to employ its nationals, who have been seen as a security risk after the 11 September attacks.

The magazine reports that a 25 per cent rebate on port charges is to be offered to foreign-flag vessels with at least 80 per cent local crewmembers. The concessions already apply to the domestic fleet and Pakistan's seafaring community has welcomed the government's decision, which could boost employment opportunities for Pakistani seafarers in regular or feeder vessels calling at the country's ports.

MOL develops water ballast technology

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) says it has achieved good results in initial tests of technology to purify seawater being pumped into a vessel's ballast tank. The company reported it is using an exclusive filter that offers safe and certain removal of marine organisms. The filter also resolves clogging problems with a unique cleaning process.

International Maritime Organisation (IMO) estimates say some 12 billion tons of ballast water is moved around the world annually and aquatic organisms, moved from one area to another in this ballast water, may infest the new area, affect its ecological systems, and destroy the marine environment. Economic activities, such as commercial fishing, are also at risk from the situation.

The problem of harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water was first raised at IMO in 1988 and, since then, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), together with the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and technical sub-committees, has been dealing with the issue.

Various initiatives are underway to assist developing countries understand the problem and the MEPC, at its 49th session in July 2003, agreed a finalised draft of the proposed International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, and agreed to hold a diplomatic conference from February 9 to 13 2004 to adopt the Convention in accordance with the agreed timetable already approved by the Council.

Meanwhile, MOL has reorganised its technical division at the company's head office in Japan. The company announced that to further increase the environmental friendliness of its programmes, it has formed its own environmental group that will work exclusively on environmental issues to clarify MOL's stances and develop new programmes.

The new ship planning and development group now takes responsibility for planning ship construction and developing new, more efficient, and more environment-friendly technologies for the vessels that support the core of MOL's business.

NYK Group companies merge

Under the new name of NYK Trading Corp, Hik-awa Shouji Kaisha Ltd and Asahi Mechatronic Corp, both members of the NYK group, were merged on October 1 as part of the business reorganisation of the group.

According to a company statement, the merger was aimed at "reinforcing trading-house functions within the NYK Group," and has produced a multi-function, high-technology trading company with an annual turnover of more than 80 billion yen ($720.3 million) and total assets worth more than 20 billion yen.

The new company is expected to provide its customers with a range of reliable high-grade trading-house services.

— Frank Kennedy is a Dubai-based marine consultant