Sea views : IACS enforces revision of transfer of class agreement

Effective July 1, the Internatio-nal Association of Classification Societies (IA-CS) has introduced new me-asures that enhance the transparency between classification societies when ships are transferred from one to another.

The new rules are included in a revision to transfer of class agreement (TOCA) and were formulated in the wake of the Erika sinking that has become the watershed for many aspects of class procedure and regulatory requirements for compliance.

A press release from IACS, last Thursday, recognised that the majority of ships transferring class were not substandard, but it stated that the measures represented one of IACS' most important contributions to the fight against substandard tonnage.

The TOCA revision includes a number of intensified requirements, the most significant being the commitment, by all members of the association, to make classification histories fully available to in the process of transfer of class.

"Under the new TOCA regime, the 'gaining society' has the right of access to the full classification history of the vessel, and the society 'losing' the vessel (as well as previous societies when this is the case) have an obligation to ensure that all the existing class history is made available. Key information to be checked in the Class Survey Record Review includes the results of steel thickness measurements. The new TOCA will overcome this," said Robin Bradley, permanent secretary, IACS.

The press release emphasised that the transfer of information may involve a representative of the gaining society visiting the losing society, as well as previous societies, when applicable, to examine records.

Alternatively, copies of records may be sent to the gaining society, whichever the gaining society finds acceptable. The new July 1 TOCA also introduced an enhanced minimum set of 'entry surveys' for older tonnage.

In the case of vessels of 15 years and over that are subject to the Enhanced Survey Programme, the gaining society must perform a Special Survey or Intermediate Survey (whichever is due next).

A Special Survey is obligatory for all vessels of 20 years and over.

In summarising, Robin Bradley said: "Under the new TOCA, the obligations of gaining and losing societies are clarified. IACS is confident that the new arrangements will have real impact."

Ships detained at Gibraltar: Seven containerships belonging to Abu Dhabi Container Lines have been arrested at Gibraltar following legal action by a German bank over alleged loan payment default.

According to a port official, the ships are now under the jurisdiction of the Gibraltar Supreme Court until a settlement is reached. The ships are named as: Salwa, Samantha, Sabrina, Sultana, Shereen and Savannah, all quoted as 25,000 GRT.

Iran, UAE ink shipping line agreement: An IRNA report, on Saturday, says the DG of the Shipping Department of Bushehr province has announced that an agreement has been signed between the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and Nayef Marine Services of the UAE for the introduction of three new cargo/passenger services that will operate between Bushehr and neighbouring Gulf states.

Abdulkarim Maleki was speaking at a working session of the tourism group for Bushehr Province and he said that the agreement would be carried out in three phases.
The first phase is to be launched during August when a ship with capacity for 1,200 passengers and 42 truckloads of cargo, will start to operate on the Dubai-Bushehr-Umm-al Qasr (Iraq) route.

During the second phase, he added, the shipping line will start a service between Bushehr-Dubai-Dammam (KSA) route and the third will commence a service linking Dubai-Bushehr-Qatar-Kuwait.

The Deputy Governor General of Bushehr welcomed the new arrangement, since it would benefit tourism in the region.

Sao Tome and Principe declared FOC by ITF: The International Transport Wor-kers' Federation (ITF) has declared the naval registry of Sao Tome and Principe to be a flag of convenience (FOC).

The Federation's Fair Practice Committee (FPC) - the body that is charged with overseeing its campaign against open registries, made the decision.

Steve Cotton, secretary, ITF's Special Seafarers Department said: "We have been monitoring São Tomé and Príncipe closely for the last year. I regret to say that the nineteen fold growth in the number of ships registered there in just five years is incompatable with its continuing to have the status of a true national flag."

"We will be happy to meet with representatives of the country, should they wish to discuss how they can return to being a genuine national register."

In 1997, the Central African country had five ships registered. This grew to 10 the following year, 23 in 1999, 72 in 2000 and now, 96. Currently, Sao Tome and Príncipe is listed as third from the bottom in the very high-risk category of the Paris MOU.

Following investigations carried out at the request of affiliated French trade unions, the ITF's FPC has also declared 18 vessels registered under the Kerguelen Register to be sailing under an FOC.

When declaring a register to be an FOC, the FPC takes into account the number of foreign owned vessels and the following additional criteria: the ability and willingness of the flag state to enforce international minimum standards on its vessels, including respect for basic human and trade union rights, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining with bona fide trade unions; the social record as determined by the degree of ratification and enforcement of ILO conventions and recommendations; and the safety and environmental record as revealed by the ratification and enforcement of IMO conventions and by port state control inspections, deficiencies and detentions.

Seabulk in the black: Seabulk International (formerly Hvide Marine) has reported net income of $2.7 million or $0.25 per diluted share for the quarter ended June 30 2001. In the first quarter of the year (which included a one-time gain of about $7 million from a settled lawsuit) Seabulk had a net loss of $3.3 million or $0.33 per diluted share.

Revenues of $91.4 million in the current quarter were up 14 per cent from $80.2 million one year before, led by continued strength in the companies worldwide offshore energy services business that includes the Middle East operation that is based in Dubai.

Operating income was more than triple the $6.0 million that was earned in the second quarter of 2000. "This is a milestone achievement and marks our first profitable quarter in more than two years," commented President and CEO Gerhard E. Kurz, who was appointed in the aftermath of the turmoil of the company's 1999 Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

"Our cost-cutting and restructuring efforts are taking hold, and we are benefiting from cyclical upturns in our two biggest markets - offshore and tankers. "At the same time we are paying down debt, selling off surplus equipment and looking for innovative ways to unlock shareholder value."

Frank Kennedy is a marine consultant based in Dubai.