Lesson 3 : Environmental Impact of maritime shipping industry ,and maritime industry issues.

Course outcome:
This course Trends, Issues and Breakthrough in Maritime Industry
(ELECTIVE 1) will thoroughly familiarize students with the mandatory
minimum requirements for knowledge, understanding, and proficiency in
Table A-II/1 and III/1 of STCW 2010 Code for the function for both Officers
in Navigational watch and Marine Engineering on ships 500 gross tonnage or
more and propelled by main propulsion engine of 750 kW or more by
providing the detailed knowledge to support the Navigational and Marine
Engineering practice at the Operational Level.
 

Learning outcome:
   At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
Describe how to improve seafarer’s performance due to lack of proper
training involving new marine equipment.
Introduction:
Shipping has been an essential human activity throughout history,
particularly where prosperity depended primarily on international and
interregional trade. In fact, transportation has been dubbed one of the four
cornerstones of globalization, along with communications, international
standardization, and trade liberalization. On account of a variety of
technological, economic, and societal factors,
Learning outcome 3 Topics
Topic 1:Environmental Impact of Shipping Industry and Maritime Industry
Issues
 
Learning objectives:
Marine vessels are a significant source of air pollution connected to harmful environmental,
health, and climate change effects.
 
Environmental Impact of Shipping Industry and Maritime Industry Issues
Environmental Impact of Shipping Industry
 Just like other industries, the shipping industry also has several detrimental
effects on the environment. Being associated with water, most of these
effects cause damage to marine flora and fauna and that indirectly affects
humans. The shipping industry also contributes significantly to air pollution.
A few of the adverse effects of this industry on the environment are as
follows:
 Sound Pollution
 The noise produced by ships often travels long distances and interferes with
the normal behavior of marine species like whales that rely on sound for
their activities.

 Oil Spillage
 Oil spills into the ocean have devastating effects on marine life. Oil remains
on the surface of the water blocking the diffusion of oxygen into the water.
This kills numerous marine life. Seabirds also get stuck in the oil as they
swoop down on the water to catch the dead fish resulting from the oil spill.
The birds also die a painful death.
Sewage
 Human wastes loaded with harmful microorganisms enter the waters
through the sewage discharged by the ships into the water.

 Loss of Marine Life

 Whales, manatees, and other large marine fauna are at risk of collisions
with ships. Collisions with ships moving at high speeds can definitely kill or
injure such marine animals.
 Emission of Greenhouse Gases
 Ships also contribute to air pollution. The combustion of fuels releases great
volumes of smoke and dust into the air. Many of these gases are greenhouse
gases that contribute to climate change on Earth.
 The Ships’ Emissions Affecting the Environment
 The environmental impact of shipping includes air pollution, water
pollution, acoustic, and oil pollution. Ships are responsible for more than   18
percent of some air pollutants.   It also includes greenhouse gas emissions.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates that carbon
dioxide emissions from shipping were equal to 2.2% of the global human-
made emissions in 2012 and expects them to rise 50 to 250 percent by 2050
if no action is taken. 
There is a perception that cargo transport by ship is low in air pollutants,
because for equal weight and distance it
is the most efficient transport method,

 according to shipping researcher Alice 

Bows- Larkin. This is
particularly true in comparison to air freight. However,
 because sea shipment accounts for the far more annual tonnage and the
distances are often large, shipping emissions are globally substantial. A
difficulty is that the year-on-year increasing amount of shipping overwhelms
gains in efficiency, such as from slow-steaming or the use of kites. The
growth in tonne-kilometers of sea shipment has averaged 4 percent yearly
since the 1990s. And it has grown by a factor of 5 since the 1970s. There are
now over 100,000 transport ships at sea, of which about 6,000 are large
container ships.
 
Shipping Pollution
 Over 90 percent of world trade is carried across the world’s oceans by some
90,000 marine vessels. Like all modes of transportation that use fossil fuels,
ships produce carbon dioxide emissions that significantly contribute to
global climate change and acidification. Besides carbon dioxide ships also release
a handful of other pollutants that contribute to the problem.
 

The shipping industry is responsible for a significant proportion of the global

climate change problem. More than three percent of global carbon dioxide
emissions can be attributed to ocean-going ships. This is an 
 amount comparable to major carbon-emitting countries -- and the industry
continues to grow rapidly.
In fact, if global shipping were a country, it would be the sixth-largest
producer of greenhouse gas emissions. Only the
 United States, China,
 Russia, India, and Japan emit more carbon dioxide than the world’s shipping
fleet. Nevertheless, carbon dioxide emissions from ocean-going vessels are
currently unregulated. Oceana is working to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from the shipping industry by petitioning the government to
regulate shipping emissions.
 

What Oceana Does?

 Working with Earthjustice, Friends of the Earth, and the Center for Biological
Diversity, Oceana petitioned the EPA to regulate shipping emissions in
October 2007. Unfortunately, since the EPA did not respond accordingly, in
July 2008 Oceana, along with the coalition of environmental groups and
attorneys general from various states, filed a letter warning the EPA of
impeding litigation if it does not respond to the petition.
Oceana has the following recommendations to reduce global ship emissions:
 Shipping fleets should implement technical and operational measures to
reduce global warming pollution Such measures include speed reductions,
weather routing, fuel switching, and specialized hull coatings.

 Fleets should begin to implement longer-term measures to reduce global

warming pollution, such as the fuel-efficient design of new ships and engines
created specifically for slow steaming.

The IMO should set international emission standards to reduce global

warming pollutants from the shipping
 
Shipping and Carbon Dioxide
Ships contribute a significant amount of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
The International
 Maritime Organization (IMO) calculated that ocean-going vessels released
1.12 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2007. This is equivalent to the
annual greenhouse gas emissions from over
 205 million cars, or more cars than were registered in the entire United
States in 2006 (135
 million). Shipping is responsible for over three percent of global
anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and is growing. Over the last three
decades, the shipping industry has grown by an average of five percent per
year. The IMO predicts that without introducing measures to reduce
emissions from shipping, carbon dioxide emissions from the industry could
rise to 1.48 billion metric tons by 2020, equivalent to putting 65 million new
cars on the road.
 

Reduced Speed
Overall, speed reductions are a quick, easy and effective
way to achieve emissions reductions from ocean-going vessels. Given the
recent increases in oil prices, speed
the reduction makes sense not only environmentally but also
economically. Emissions, especially those of carbon dioxide, are directly
proportional to fuel consumption. Greater speeds require increased fuel
consumption. Consequently, slowing down, even by a small amount, can
result in significant fuel savings and emissions reductions. The IMO
calculated that a speed reduction of just 10 percent across the global fleet
by 2010 would result in a 23.3 percent reduction in emissions. Hapag-Lloyd
found that slowing some of their ships by just five knots, or 20 percent,
resulted in savings of around 50 percent on fuel costs. Restrictions on vessel
speed would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, black carbon, nitrogen
oxides, and nitrous oxide.
 

Recently, as the price of fuel has been increasing, shipping lines have been
voluntarily reducing their speeds to realize financial gains through fuel
savings. A senior official with the French line CMA CGM stated that in order
to minimize fuel consumption, most lines will begin steaming at “economic
speeds.” Compared to other forms of transport, ships traveling at slow
speeds have been found to be far more efficient and less polluting -- roughly
ten times more efficient than trucks and at least a hundred times more
efficient than air transport. As ship speeds increase, much of this efficiency
is lost. Ships traveling at very high speeds have been found to have similar
energy demands to those of airplanes.
 

Shipping and Black Carbon

 Along with CO2, ships emit various global warming pollutants, including
black carbon (BC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and nitrous oxide (N2O). These
pollutants all contribute to global climate change either directly, by acting as
agents that trap heat in the atmosphere, or indirectly by aiding in the
creation of additional greenhouse gases.
 Reducing black carbon from ships could slow warming, buying time for
further steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Black carbon, more
commonly known as soot, is made up of fine particles created by the
incomplete combustion of a carbon fuel source such as oil or coal. Aging
engines and poor engine maintenance can also contribute to incomplete
combustion.  
  Black carbon is known to be a potent
warmer both in the atmosphere and when deposited on snow and ice. Black
carbon contributes to warming in two ways – through direct absorption of
heat in the top of the atmosphere and by lowering the Earth’s albedo, or
reflectivity. Unlike greenhouse gases, black carbon is a solid and not a gas
and it warms by absorbing sunlight, rather than absorbing infrared or
terrestrial radiation.
 
Black carbon warms the atmosphere by absorbing light, which dries the
surrounding air by evaporating the water in the air and on other nearby
particles. This reduction of water content decreases the reflectivity of the
other particles, thereby allowing them to absorb more sunlight and create an
even larger warming effect in the atmosphere.
 
While essential to the world’s economy and well-being, the commercial
marine shipping industry is a major contributor to global air pollution and
without action, the industry’s emissions are expected to increase. These
emissions can harm human health and our environment. New regulations
and practical initiatives are planned or in force to reduce the amount of air
pollution produced by ships. Ships move approximately 80% of the world’s
goods. When compared to other forms of transportation, marine shipping is
the most energy-efficient way to move large volumes of cargo. Like all other
forms of transportation that burn hydrocarbon fuels for energy, ships create
air pollution that degrades air quality, adversely affects human health, and
contributes to the wide-reaching effects of climate change. While responsible
for the release of less greenhouse gas (GHG) per tonne-kilometer of cargo
transported than other forms of transportation, ships contributed 2.2% of
the world’s total CO2emissions in 2012. In the coming years, global shipping
traffic is expected to grow in response to increased trade. Unless additional
measures to limit emissions from ships are adopted, GHG emissions from
shipping could increase by as much as 20% to 120% by 2050, depending on
economic conditions.
 

Commercial ships burn fuel for energy and emit several types of air pollution
as by-products. Ship-source pollutants most closely linked to climate change
and public health impacts include carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides
(NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and particulate matter. On a global scale, the
marine shipping industry’s share of total emissions from human sources
is: CO2 - 2.2% per year
NOx 15%per year            SOx13% per year
 

Vessels’ discharges at sea have a negative impact on the marine

environment
 Ballast water discharges by ships can have a negative impact on the marine
environment. Cruise ships, large tankers, and bulk cargo carriers use a huge
amount of ballast water, which is often taken on in the coastal waters in one
region after ships discharge wastewater or unload cargo, and discharge at
the next port of call, wherever more cargo is loaded. Ballast water discharge
typically contains a   variety of biological materials,
including plants, animals, viruses, and bacteria. These materials often
include non-native, nuisance, invasive, exotic species that can cause
extensive ecological and economic damage to aquatic ecosystems along with
serious human health problems.
 

Bilgewater
 
On a ship, oil often leaks from engine and machinery spaces or from engine
maintenance activities and mixes with water in the bilge, the lowest part of
the hull of the ship. Though bilge water is filtered and cleaned before being
discharged, oil in even minute concentrations can kill fish or have
various sub-
lethal chronic effects.    B i l g e w a t e r   also may contain solid wastes
and pollutants containing high levels of oxygen-demanding material, oil, and
other chemicals. A typically large cruise ship will generate an average of 8
metric tons of oily bilge water for every 24 hours of operation.
To maintain ship stability and eliminate potentially hazardous conditions
from oil vapors in these areas, the bilge spaces need to be flushed and
periodically pumped dry. However, before a bilge can be cleared out and the
water discharged, the oil that has been accumulated needs to be extracted
from the bilge water, after which the extracted oil can be reused,
incinerated, and/or offloaded in port. If a separator, which is normally used
to extract the oil, is faulty or is deliberately bypassed, untreated oily bilge
water could be discharged directly into the ocean,
where it can damage marine life. A number of cruise lines have been
charged with environmental violations related to this issue in recent years.
 
 

Oil spills
 Most commonly associated with ship pollution are oil spills. While less
frequent than the pollution that occurs from daily operations, oil spills have
devastating effects. While being toxic to marine life, polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the components in crude oil,   are very
difficult to clean up and last for years in the sediment and marine
environment. Marine species constantly exposed to PAHs can exhibit
developmental problems, susceptibility to disease, and abnormal
reproductive cycles. One of the more widely known spills was the Exxon
Valdez incident in Alaska. The ship ran aground and dumped a massive
amount of oil into the ocean in March 1989. Despite the efforts of scientists,
managers, and volunteers, over 400,000 seabirds, about 1,000 sea otters,
and immense numbers of fish were killed
 

Wastewater
 The cruise line industry dumps 255,000 US gallons (970 m3)
of greywater and 30,000 US gallons (110 m3) of blackwater into the sea
every day.
 Blackwater
 Blackwater is sewage, wastewater from toilets and medical facilities, which
can contain harmful bacteria, pathogens, viruses, intestinal parasites, and
harmful nutrients. Discharges of untreated or inadequately treated sewage
can cause bacterial and viral contamination of fisheries and shellfish beds,
producing risks to public health. Nutrients in sewage, such
as nitrogen and phosphorus, promote excessive algal blooms, which
consume oxygen in the water and can lead to fish kills and the destruction of
other aquatic life. A large cruise ship (3,000 passengers and crew) generates
an estimated 55,000 to 110,000 liters per day of blackwater waste.
Greywater
 Greywater is wastewater from the sinks, showers, galleys, laundry,
and cleaning activities aboard a ship. It can contain a variety of pollutant
substances, including fecal coliforms, detergents, oil and
grease, metals, organic compounds, petroleum hydrocarbons,
nutrients, food waste, medical and dental waste. Sampling done by
the EPA and the state of Alaska found that untreated greywater from cruise
ships can contain pollutants at variable strengths and that it can contain
levels of fecal coliform bacteria several times greater than is typically found
in untreated domestic wastewater. Greywater has the potential to cause
adverse environmental effects because of concentrations of nutrients and
other oxygen-demanding materials, in particular. Greywater is typically the
largest source of liquid waste generated by cruise ships (90 to 95 percent of
the total). Estimates of greywater range from 110 to 320 liters per day per
person, or 330,000 to 960,000 liters per day for a 3,000-person cruise ship.
MARPOL Annex IV was brought into force in September 2003 strictly limiting
untreated waste discharge. Modern cruise ships are most commonly installed
with a membrane bioreactor type treatment plant for all blackwater and
greywater, such as G&O, Zenon, or Rochem bioreactors which produce near
drinkable quality effluent to be re-used in the machinery spaces as technical
water.
 

Solid waste
 The solid waste generated on a ship includes glass, paper,
cardboard, aluminum and steel cans, and plastics. It can be either non-
hazardous or hazardous in nature. Solid waste that enters the ocean may
become marine debris, and can then pose a threat to marine organisms,
humans, coastal communities, and industries that utilize marine waters.
Cruise ships typically manage solid waste by a combination of source
reduction, waste minimization, and recycling. However, as much as 75
percent of solid waste is incinerated on board, and the ash typically is
discharged at sea, although some is landed ashore for disposal or
recycling. Marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, and birds can be injured or
killed from entanglement with plastics and other solid waste that may be
released or disposed of on cruise ships. On average, each cruise ship
passenger generates at least two pounds of non-hazardous solid waste per
day. With large cruise ships carrying several thousand passengers, the
amount of waste generated in a day can be massive. For a large cruise ship,
about 8 tons of solid waste are generated during a one-week cruise. It has
been estimated that 24 percent of the solid waste generated by vessels
worldwide (by weight) comes from cruise ships. Most cruise ship garbage is
treated onboard (incinerated, pulped, or ground up) for discharge overboard.
When garbage must be off-loaded (for example, because glass and
aluminum cannot be incinerated), cruise ships can put a strain on port
reception facilities, which are rarely adequate to the task of serving a large
passenger vessel.
 
Marine litter
 Marine litter presents a huge problem in our oceans, with some scientists
warning that, by 2050, the number of plastics in the oceans will outweigh
fish. But IMO and others have been acting to address the problem, including
regulating the discharge of garbage from ships and supporting research
work. In 2018, IMO adopted an Action Plan to address marine plastic litter
from ships.
IMO Action Plan to address marine plastic litter from ships
 IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in 2018 adopted
the IMO Action Plan to address marine plastic litter from ships. The action
plan aims to enhance existing regulations and introduce new supporting
measures to reduce marine plastic litter from ships.  The MEPC agreed
actions be completed by 2025, which relate to all ships, including fishing
vessels. The action plan supports IMO’s commitment to meeting the targets
set in the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) on the
oceans.
 The Action Plan notes that marine plastic litter enters the marine
environment as a result of a wide range of land- and sea-based activities.
Both macroplastics (for example, large plastic items such as plastic bags,
water bottles, and fishing gear) and microplastics (small plastic particles
generally five millimeters or less in size) persist in the marine environment
and result in harmful effects on marine life and biodiversity, as well as
negative impacts on human health. In addition, marine plastic litter
negatively impacts activities such as tourism, fisheries, and shipping. This
plastic material has the potential to be brought back into the economy by
means of reuse or recycling. Studies demonstrate that despite the existing
regulatory framework to prevent marine plastic litter from ships, discharges
into the sea continue to occur. The Action Plan provides IMO with a
mechanism to identify specific outcomes and actions to achieve these
outcomes, in a way that is meaningful and measurable. The plan builds on
existing policy and regulatory frameworks and identifies opportunities to
enhance these frameworks and introduces new supporting measures to
address the issue of marine plastic litter from ships. The concrete measures
and details will be further considered by MEPC 74.
Specifically identified measures include:
 a proposed study on marine plastic litter from ships;
looking into the availability and adequacy of port reception facilities;
consideration of making marking of fishing gear mandatory, in cooperation
with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO);
promoting reporting the loss of fishing gear;
facilitating the delivery of retrieved fishing gear to shore facilities;
reviewing provisions related to the training of fishing vessel personnel and
familiarization of seafarers to ensure awareness of the impact of marine
plastic litter;
consideration of the establishment of a compulsory mechanism to declare
loss of containers at sea and identify the number of losses
enhancing public awareness; and
strengthening international cooperation, in particular, FAO and UN
 IMO will continue to work with UN partners, including, the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), through the Joint FAO/IMO Ad Hoc Working
Group on illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) Fishing and Related
Matters; the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine
Environmental Protection (GESAMP); the UN Environment- managed Global
Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML); the United Nations Open-ended
Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP); and
the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).
What is marine litter?
 Plastic materials in all shapes and sizes are all-pervading in our seas and
oceans. They break down extremely slowly in the marine environment,
taking in excess of 400 years. Marine litter originates from many sources
and causes a wide spectrum of environmental, economic, safety, health, and
cultural impacts. For example, marine litter can cause harm to sea life if
ingested or even death if a marine mammal becomes entangled in
litter. Marine litter has been defined by UN Environment as “any persistent,
manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or
abandoned in the marine and coastal environment. Marine litter consists of
items that have been made or used by people and deliberately discarded
into the sea or rivers or on beaches; brought indirectly to the sea with
rivers, sewage, stormwater, or winds; accidentally lost, including material
lost at sea in bad weather (fishing gear, cargo); or deliberately left by
people on beaches and shores.”)
 Marine litter, including plastics and microplastics, is known to result from
land-based sources in massive quantities but can also originate from ships.
Debris has been observed in coastal areas, in waters far from anthropogenic
pollution sources, in surface waters, in the water column of deep water and
in ocean sediments, and from the equator to the poles, including trapped in
sea ice.
UN Environment estimates that 15% of marine litter floats on the sea's
surface, 15% remains in the water column and 70% rests on the seabed.
According to another study, 5.25 million plastic particles, weighing 268,940
tonnes in total, are currently floating in the world's oceans.
 What problems does marine litter cause?
 In addition to the environmental and health problems posed by marine
litter, floating garbage and plastics pose a costly as well as dangerous
problem for shipping, as they can be a navigational hazard and become
entangled in propellers and rudders.
Another problem requiring urgent remedial action is the massive
accumulation of plastics, not only in coastal areas but also in the deep sea.
This litter is harmful to marine life: sea creatures can become trapped inside
containers or strangled by nets or ropes, and microplastics can also enter
the food chain as they are indigestible when swallowed. Microplastics are
tiny pieces of plastic or fibers increasingly found in the oceans. They can
result from the fragmentation of larger plastic items, especially when
exposed to sunlight. They may also be purposefully manufactured for
particular industrial or domestic applications. One example is facial cleansers
and body scrubs. It has been estimated that a single shower can result in
100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean. Microplastics have been found
distributed throughout the world’s oceans, on shorelines, in surface waters
and seabed sediments, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. They may
accumulate at remote locations such as mid-ocean gyres, as well as close to
population centers and shipping routes. Fish and shellfish ingest
microplastics and they have been found in a variety of commercial fish and
shellfish in retail outlets. Further research is needed in order to determine
how and if microplastics pose a risk for food safety and potentially food
security.
 
Invasive species are transferred from one region to another region
 
Invasive species
Invasive species may be transferred from one geographic location to another
through ballast water discharges, hull fouling, or through the movement of
products and their packaging. The World Shipping Council and its members
are involved in a variety of efforts to prevent the transfer and introduction of
non-indigenous species through these different channels. An invasive species
is an organism that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area.
Invasive species can cause great economic and environmental harm to the
new area. Not all non-native species are invasive. Many invasive species are
introduced into a new region accidentally. The term as most often used
applies to introduced species that adversely affect
the habitats and bioregions they invade economically, environmentally, or
ecologically. Such species may be either plants or animals and may disrupt
by dominating a region, wilderness areas, particular habitats, or wildland-
urban interface land from loss of natural controls (such
as predators or herbivores). This includes plant species labeled as exotic
pest plants and invasive exotics growing in native plant communities. The
European Union defines "Invasive Alien Species" as those that are, firstly,
outside their natural distribution area, and secondly, threaten biological
diversity. The term is also used by land managers, botanists, researchers,
horticulturalists, conservationists, and the public for noxious weeds. The
term "invasive" is often poorly defined or very subjective and some broaden
the term to include indigenous or "native" species, that have colonized
natural areas - for example, deer considered by some to be overpopulating
their native zones and adjacent suburban gardens in
the Northeastern and Pacific Coast regions of the United States.
 
The definition of "native" is also sometimes controversial. For example, the
ancestors of Equus  (modern horses) evolved in North America and radiated
to Eurasia before becoming locally extinct. Upon returning to North America
in 1493 during their hominid-assisted migration, it is debatable as to
whether they were native or exotic to the continent of their evolutionary
ancestors.
Notable examples of invasive plant species include the kudzu vine, Andean
pampas grass, and yellow starthistle. Animal examples include the New
Zealand mud snail, feral pigs, European rabbits, grey
squirrels, domestic cats, carp, and ferrets. Invasion of long-established
ecosystems by organisms from distant bio-regions is a natural phenomenon,
but has been accelerated massively by humans, from their earliest
migrations through to the age of discovery, and now international trade.
 
Protect specific marine habitats and species
 Declining yields in many fisheries and the decay of treasured marine
habitats such as coral reefs have heightened interest in establishing a
comprehensive system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the United
States. MPAs, areas designated for special protection to enhance the
management of marine resources, show promise as components of an
ecosystem-based approach for conserving the ocean's living assets.
However, MPA proposals often raise significant controversy, especially the
provisions for marine reserves—zones within an MPA where removal or
disturbance of resources is prohibited, sometimes referred to as closed or
“no-take” areas. Some of the opposition to MPAs lies in resistance to
“fencing the sea,” reflecting a long tradition of open access. This opposition
continues despite compelling empirical evidence and strong theoretical
arguments indicating the value of using reserves as a tool to improve
fisheries management, preserve habitat and biodiversity, and to enhance the
esthetic and recreational value of marine areas. The controversy persists
because we lack a scientific consensus on the optimal design and use of
reserves and we have only limited experience in determining the costs and
benefits relative to more conventional management approaches. The current
decline in the health of the ocean's living resources, an indication of the
inadequacy of conventional approaches, and the increasing level of threat
have made it more urgent to evaluate how MPAs and reserves can be
employed in the United States to solve some of the pressing problems in
marine management.
 

Stakeholders should be encouraged to participate in the process by

employing their expertise as well as considering their concerns. Systematic
social and economic studies will be required to recognize stakeholder groups,
to assess the potential economic impacts of the MPA, and determine
community attitudes and goals.
The task of designing MPAs should follow four sequential steps:
 evaluate conservation needs at both local and regional levels,
define the objectives and goals for establishing MPAs,
describe the key biological and oceanic features of the region, and
identify and choose the site(s) that have the highest potential for
Conservation Needs. Local and regional conservation needs depend on the types
of resources, the intensity and nature of human uses, and the physical and
biological characteristics of the habitats. Consequently, the first step in
planning an MPA is the identification and mapping of habitat types and living
marine resources.
 
Objectives and Goals. The second step is the establishment of specific
management goals for the proposed MPA. In most cases, the MPA will have
multiple objectives such as protection of representative habitats,
conservation of rare species, fish stock restoration or enhancement, or
safeguarding of historical sites, among
 

Biological and Oceanic Features. Evaluating the suitability of potential sites under

these criteria requires the collection and integration of information on the life
histories of exploited or threatened species (e.g., location of spawning and
nursery sites, dispersal patterns) and the oceanic features of the
 

Site Identification. Distilling the desired properties of an MPA into a zoning plan

that specifies the size and location of reserves requires matching the
biological and oceanic properties to meet the specified objectives.
 

. Marine protect ed areas

 
Marine biodiversity is under threat from damaging human activities at sea,
such as fisheries, shipping, oil and gas exploitation, and pollution from land-
based activities. To protect marine animals and habitats, certain areas are
designated as Marine Protected Areas. These are often created in important
zones where species reproduce or feed themselves. Marine Protected Areas
can have different levels of protection: in some areas, human activities are
allowed to take place as long as they are sustainable. In others, like marine
reserves, human activities are kept to a minimum or even banned entirely.
 
Marine Protected Areas can be created under national, regional, European or
international legislation. Under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, Member
States are responsible for designating a Natura 2000 network of protected
areas and for putting in place management measures to ensure that species
and habitats are kept in a favorable status. Also, the Marine Directive
requires the Member States to allocate coherent and representative
networks of Marine Protected Areas, which should aim
to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions at a regional level.
Marine Protected Areas currently cover only 6% of EU marine waters, which
is not enough to ensure protection to all European threatened marine
species and ecosystems. The Convention on Biological Diversity requires
countries to conserve at least 10% of their coastal and marine areas by
2020, but scientists recommend that at least 30% of the world’s oceans and
seas should be considered as so-called ‘no-take’ zones, where fishing
activities are completely banned, to ensure genuine marine sustainability.
 
Management measures are key to provide effective protection of habitats
and species. The types of measures put in place in Marine Protected Areas
across Europe are diverse. They range from ‘no-take zones’ to ‘multiple-use
marine protected areas, where different activities are permitted, under
certain conditions. In reality, Marine Protected Areas are often mere ‘paper
parks’, lacking concrete enforcement measures to reduce impacts from
damaging human activities.
 
Seas At Risk works with its members to increase the number and size of
Marine Protected Areas in Europe and improve their effectiveness by putting
in place ambitious conservation objectives and management measures. This
would allow protection for an increasing number of vulnerable species and
habitats and contribute to Seas At Risk’s ultimate goal: making our seas a
place of rich marine ecosystems that function well and are capable of
adapting to a changing environment.
 
Recycling, reuse, and waste management is being implemented in the maritime industry
 
There are various types of waste generated during operation, and to be able
to implement a waste management 
system, it is necessary to identify and quantify the different types of 
waste on board. Management, handling, and disposal of ship-generated
garbage can be divided into different phases with several options in each
phase depending on vessel resources and port reception facilities. The
handling and storing of garbage will vary depending on the type of vessel,
areas of operation, number of people on board, etc. Careful planning, with
proper processing and garbage disposal options in mind, can ensure
compliance with
 
 

regulations as well as efficient waste management. A Garbage Management

Plan should be prepared early in the design process for new buildings to
adjust space, equipment, and needs accordingly.
 
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials
and objects. Recycling can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials
and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, thereby reducing energy
usage, air pollution (from incineration), and water pollution (from
landfilling).
 
Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third
component of the "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" waste hierarchy. Thus,
recycling aims at environmental sustainability by substituting raw material
inputs into and redirecting waste outputs out of the economic system. There
are some ISO standards related to recycling such as ISO 15270:2008 for
plastics waste and ISO 14001:2015 for environmental management control
of recycling practice.
 

Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, cardboard,

metal,      plastic, tires,      textiles,      batteries,      and electronics.
The composting or other reuse of biodegradable waste—such
as food or garden waste—is also a form of recycling. Materials to be recycled
are either delivered to a household recycling center or picked up from
curbside bins, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials
destined for manufacturing new
 products.
 
In the strictest sense, recycling of a material would produce a fresh supply
of the same material—for example used office paper would be converted into
new office paper or used polystyrene foam into new polystyrene. This is
accomplished when recycling certain types of
 
materials, such as metal cans, which can become a can again and again,
infinitely, without losing purity in the product. However, this is often difficult
or too expensive (compared with producing the same product from raw
materials or other sources), so "recycling" of many products or materials
involves their reuse in producing different materials (for
example, paperboard) instead. Another form of recycling is the salvage of
certain materials from complex products, either due to their intrinsic value
(such as lead from car batteries, or gold from printed circuit boards), or due
to their hazardous nature (e.g., removal and reuse
of mercury from thermometers and thermostats).
Garbage Management Plan (GMP) on a Ship
 Factors adding to Marine pollution comprise not only the effects of oil and
harmful gas emissions but also garbage generated on the ship during
normal operation. Such garbage matter includes plastic, synthetics, oil rags,
cardboard boxes, etc., which are equally harmful to marine organisms and
the environment as is oil to the sea. Garbage on a ship means all kinds of
victual domestic and operational waste excluding fish and parts thereof, food
waste, generated during the normal operations of the ship and liable to be
disposed of continuously or periodically except those substances which are
listed in other Annexes of MARPOL convention. The Garbage Management
Plan is a complete guideline that comprises a written procedure for
collecting, storing, processing, and disposing of garbage generated onboard
ship as per regulations provided in Annex V of MARPOL. Training must be
given to shipping staff for proper garbage disposal onboard ships and for
knowledge on garbage disposal regulations at sea and in special areas. A
GMP is mandatory for all ships above 100GT and on ships certified to carry
15 persons or more and it is written in the working language of the crew as
per the guidelines developed by the organization. GMP to be retained on
board as a record for a period of two years from the date of last entry. A
Responsible Officer is to be in charge of maintaining garbage management
plans on ships. Normally chief officer is responsible along with the 2nd
engineer (engine department).
 

An approved garbage management plan must consist of the following:

 
Ships
Overview of Annex V of MARPOL.
List of equipment for handling garbage on
Placards to be posted for disposal
Possible local recycling
Written procedures for Collecting
Garbage segregation description to avoid intermixing of garbage which
includes Identification of suitable receptacles for collection & separation.
Garbage processing methods available on the
Garbage storing methods and garbage
Garbage disposal
Entry to be made in garbage record
Emergency and accidental discharge
Needs of the reception
Identify the available operating & maintenance procedures of collecting
equipment on
Describe the training or education programs to facilitate the processing of
Identify the location of each collection
 There are several reasons which have made the concept of green ship
recycling popular and meaningful. But, the most relevant benefits among
them are:
 Isolate those parts of the ship which are harmful and dangerous to both
marine and human
Conserve marine ecosystem by proper discarding of shipbreaking Reusing
those parts of the ship that are important and can be re-used successfully
while making new ships, thus saving resources.
Help the shipowner benefit from the process by the optimum utility of the
ship’s parts.
 The valuable components of a ship that are reused include steel, aluminum,
silver, and brass, among others. Since a major part of a ship’s weight is in
steel, the steel scrap from the vessel is being converted into bars and rods
for several other uses. However, in addition to the metal that can be
recycled, there are a number of toxic components inside a vessel. These
harmful substances include lead, asbestos, mercury and oil sludge, etc. The
inefficient shipbreaking methods, especially those carried out on beaches
than the dry-dock ship recycling facilities, allow these toxic and hazardous
waste to be disposed of unsafely.
 

In order to become a part of the green ship recycling process, according to

the International Maritime Organization’s 

guidelines, a ship has to have a certain document, known as the Green

Passport. The Green Passport contains details of all materials, especially
which are harmful to human health, used in the construction of a vessel. The
green passport will be delivered by the shipyard during the construction and
it will be later updated with all the changes made to the ship during its
lifetime. Moreover, the ship recycling centers are required to provide a “Ship
Recycling Plan”, to the concerned authorities. The plan will consist of the
manner in which each vessel will be recycled, according to particulars and its
inventory.
 
Green ship recycling was initially carried out by only developed countries
with advanced technologies. However, even developing countries have also
nowadays started inculcating processes that promote green shipbreaking.
Throughout the world, seminars and symposiums are being conducted in
order to make more
shipbuilders and proprietors aware of the benefit of green shipbreaking. In
these meetings and seminars, along with the advantages of ship recycling,
various feasible methods to carry out the
process of shipbreaking are also provided. These methods are cost-efficient
and help the shipping concerns to ease the process of ship recycling.
 
Green ship recycling because of its success rate can become even more
famous and important to the marine industry in the future. Added with the
benefit of more technological developments, it can be expected that the
process of shipbreaking will become even more common and feasible across
all nations in the world.
 
MARPOL ANNEX 4: Preventing Pollution from Sewage at Sea
 
It is said that waste management onboard a ship is technically a full-time
job for the ship’s crew. The waste produced

by some types of ships can go in thousands of tons on daily basis. This

waste can be divided into operational-
generated waste such as oil waste, air pollution, cargo residue, etc., and
human-generated waste such as garbage and sewage.
The sewage waste produced by a ship depends on the number of crew
members and the type of ship. A large cruise ship can produce about
 
 
 

170,000 gallons of sewage on a daily basis. On average 0.01 to 0.06 m3 of

sewage is produced per person in a day.
 
Sewage Waste:
 
The Sewage waste produced on the ship can further be divided into two
categories; Blackwater and Grey Water.
 
Blackwater comprises the following wastes produced on a ship:
 
Waste is generated from drainage and in any other form from toilets and
urinals.
Waste generated from the drainage of a medical dispensary, sickbay, etc.
via washbasins, washtubs, and scuppers located in such
Drainage from the cargo hold of living animals; or other wastewaters when
mixed with the drainages of such
 Grey Water produced on Ship comprises of:
 Waste generated from the drainage of dishwasher and washbasin in the
Waste generated from the drainage of cabin showers, bath, and washbasin
Waste generated from the drainage of
Wastewater from the interior deck
Refrigerator and air conditioner
The untreated sewage contains a concentration of nitrates, phosphates, and
organic matter. This will contaminate the water bodies such as lakes, rivers,
and the sea as the bacteria in the untreated sewage are strong and can
consume oxygen at a very high rate from the surroundings, making it
difficult for the natural fauna of the aquatic environment to sustain.
 

Regulation for Sewage Waste – MARPOL ANNEX IV

 The sewage waste discharge from the ship is regulated under MARPOL
Annex IV. The regulation states that:
 Every ship of 400 GT and above which is engaged in international voyages,
and carrying a minimum of 15 persons onboard must be equipped with
either a sewage holding tank of appropriate capacity or an approved sewage
Treatment Plant (STP) or both
 The sewage discharge from the ship is allowed if it has an approved sewage
treatment plant, which can treat the raw sewage and discharge comminuted
and disinfected sewage. With this arrangement, the discharge is allowed at a
distance of more than 3 nautical miles from the nearest land when the ship
is proceeding with a speed of 4 knots and above
Foreign going cargo ships may        be        allowed
(depending upon the area
they                                                                                            are
plying) to discharge
untreated sewage only at
a                                                 

                                          
distance greater than 12
nautical miles from the
closest                                                                                            land
only if the ship is
proceeding with a speed of
4                                                                                           knots and
above
 
The ship has to maintain the rate of discharge of
the sewage from the ship
as                                                                                           
recommended by the
administration
 
– The rate of discharge from
1/200,000 (or one 200,000th follows:   the ship is also limited to
part) of swept volume as
Dmax = 0.00926 V D B
Where: Dmax             is discharge
maximum              permissible V      is   rate (m3/h) (knots) over
the ship’s      average      speed the period

D is Draft (m)    
Bis Breadth (m)    
     
Maritime Industry Issues
 
ENVIRONMENT
 
The World Shipping Council's members are working to promote sound
environmental stewardship, with a particular focus on reducing vessel air
emissions and managing vessel discharges. Container shipping is the most
carbon-efficient means of transporting most goods across the world. Most of
the world's manufactured goods and products travel by container ship, with
the containers then transferred to rail or truck to reach their final
destination. Containerization has revolutionized the movement of goods and
the increased efficiency of moving goods has produced numerous benefits
including lower environmental impacts associated with the movement of
products from one point to another.
 

In support of Members' efforts to promote sound environmental stewardship,

the Council is working with legislators, appropriate government agencies,
the International Maritime Organization, and other organizations. The scope
of issues is quite broad - including regulations to improve air quality,
climate, preventing the spread of invasive species, the reduction of marine
noise, and a variety of other issues relating to the protection of human
health and the environment.
 
SECURITY
 The World Shipping Council (WSC) supports a consultative approach to
enhanced maritime security without impeding the timely flow of legitimate
commerce. The WSC works closely with the U.S. government, the European
Commission, and international organizations to accomplish that goal. The
safety and security of ships, cargo, and personnel are critically important to
the liner shipping companies that are members of the World Shipping
Council. As their representative, the World Shipping Council supports the
consultative approach taken by the U.S. government and the European
Commission with the objective of implementing measures to enhance
security without impeding the timely flow of legitimate commerce. In
support of the ongoing work to enhance maritimely, cargo, and supply chain
security, the World Shipping Council has established a U.S. Security Advisory
Committee, a European Security Advisory Committee, and various
supporting working groups comprised of representatives from member
companies. The primary role of these committees and workgroups is to
analyze, propose and implement measures at the national, regional (EU),
and/or international level for the enhancement of the security of ports,
vessels, cargo, and personnel. The World Shipping Council shares the
recommendations of its Security Advisory Committees with other
stakeholders and with policymakers and actively participates at the following
advisory groups and international organizations:
In the United States:
S. Department of Homeland Security's National Maritime Security Advisory
Committee (NMSAC), which WSC President, Chris Koch, chaired from its
inception in 2004 through 2009.
 S. Customs and Border Protection's Trade Support Network (TSN).
 
In the European Union:
Trade Contact Group -- the advisory group of trade associations and
companies assisting the European Commission's General Directorate on
Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD).
 
At the international level:
International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a Consultative Observer
 
World Customs Organization (WCO) Private Sector Consultative Group
 

International Standardization Organization (ISO)

 
The Administrative Committee of the Customs Container Convention of 1972
 

SAFETY
 International liner shipping is truly a global industry. Ships and their crew
travel between ports in many countries so shipping companies take steps to
protect public health and safety in the countries they transit. The safe
operation of ships and the safe handling of cargo are core principles for liner
shipping companies. In addition to focusing on the safety of their own
operations, shipping companies take steps to protect the public health and
safety in the countries they transit. Safety in shipping has improved
significantly in the last decade with shipping losses declining by 50% since
2005. So concludes a recent report "Safety and Shipping Review 2014,"
issued by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). "This review focuses
on key developments in maritime safety and analyzes shipping losses (of
over 100 gross tons) during 12 months prior to December 31,
2014." Accurate cargo weight is an important factor in ensuring the safe
operation of ships. Containers that are overweight, meaning that they weigh
more than the declared weight provided by the shipper, create safety
concerns for the ship, its crew, other cargo on board, and the workers in the
port facilities handling the cargo. Therefore, the World Shipping Council has
been actively pursuing ways to improve the accuracy of container cargo
weights that are provided to carriers prior to loading of the container aboard
a ship.
 
INFRASTRUCTURE
 A modern and efficient maritime infrastructure, at sea and on land, is critical
to the world's security and economic well-being.
 Sufficient land-side capacity to keep cargo moving is essential for liner
vessels to maintain their schedules. Supply chains served by liner vessels in
the 21st century are no longer port-to-port. All cargo carried on liner ships
must be able to discharge the vessel in a timely manner at port facilities
around the world. In late 2014, and in early 2015  port congestion,
particularly on the U.S. West Coast received significant attention, and
concerns mounted about the potential economic impact of congestion issues
that went unaddressed. In May 2015, the World Shipping Council issued a
paper to help inform that dialogue.
 
CARGO LIABILITY
 The Council has been working as part of the U.S. delegation to the United
Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to achieve
international cargo liability reform through the development of a new
convention, which was opened to nations for signature in September 2009.
This new international accord now known as the "Rotterdam Rules" will go
into effect one year after twenty nations have signed onto it. For the last
seven years, the World Shipping Council (WSC) worked as part of the U.S.
delegation to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL) to achieve cargo liability reform through the development of a
new international convention.
The new convention was formally adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly in December 2008 and was opened for signature by
member countries in September 2009. The United Nations Convention on
Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea,
now known as the "Rotterdam Rules," will enter into force one year after
ratification by 20 countries. The new convention will cover multi-modal
shipments (not just port-to-port as is the case with existing conventions);
will permit carriers and shippers to negotiate terms and limits that differ
from the convention in volume contracts or service contracts in U.S. trades;
will introduce new, more balanced burdens of proof; and, will include a set of
obligations for shippers not included in existing conventions. For complete
information on the Rotterdam Rules, including the full text of the convention
in six languages, we suggest visiting UNCITRAL's new website dedicated to
this topic.
 

The lenient registry of seafarers from other countries and are employed to
another country; such as; Belize and Marshal Islands
 
Outline
 One of the main issues faced by the shipping industry today is the
emergency of registries such as Belize and Marshal
 
    2. Under the Maritime Shipping (MS) Act, it is our duty to eradicate such
unscrupulous recruiters, trainers, and issuers of documents; but it is quite
evident that we are failing miserably.
 Some countries such as the Philippines and Ukraine have started taking this
issue seriously and therefore their seafarers are being benefited by
enhanced quality training provided to
 
SEAFARERS AND INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING STANDARDS
 International ocean shipping represents a significant aspect of International
Trade and Relations. The growth of world trade and the emergence of new
national interests has served to emphasize the importance of shipping and
its significance to the economies of developed and developing nations. The
development of international shipping policy has been influenced to a great
degree by the freedom of the sea concept as presented by various
international jurists in the formulation of international custom and
convention. The concept of the free and open sea has been presented
alternatively by spokesmen for commercial and governmental interests
arguing for or against unrestricted regulation of the maritime environment.
Today, the freedom of the developed nations to conduct business as usual is
being challenged by the developing states along various fronts of
international discourse. This challenge, as it pertains to the use of the sea, is
seen in recent discussions at the Third Law of the Sea Conference, and the
ongoing trade discussions taking place under the auspices of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNTAD). International
shipping regulation and legislation, established primarily through commercial
practice and custom, now covers a variety of areas including the jurisdiction
of the sea, conflict of laws, maritime claims of nations, the status of
merchant ships, the regulation of traffic, the carriage of goods and
passengers, marine insurance, and the limitation of liability of shipowners,
among others. Given its sphere of activity, the merchant marine, of all
trades and professions, is perhaps the most international. What consequence
this has upon the individual seafarer, particularly during the past ten (10)
years to fifteen (15) years, is of concern here, especially in light of the
significant growth of OPEN – REGISTRY shipping also referred to here for
convenience sake as FLAG-OF-CONVENIENCE or FOC shipping.
 

The existence of open-registry shipping has been the subject of several

major studies, none of which has been particularly conclusive, however, in
its findings, nor specifically concerned with the impact of FOC shipping upon
the employment of the individual seafarer, although the 1976 Report of the
Director-General to the 62nd (Maritime) Session of the International Labor
Conference, the EIU report on Open-Registry Shipping, and the UNITED
Report TD/B/C.4/220 entitled Action on the Questions of Open Registries,
came closest to the discussion of the issues.
 
The growth of open-registry shipping has led to charges and counter-charges
by spokesmen for or against FOC shipping. The potential danger of FOC
shipping to the health and well-being of seafarers has been expressed by
various labor groups since 1933. In 1972, for example, the seafarer’s
spokesman at the 21st Session of the International Labor Organization’s
Joint Maritime Commission meeting charged that crew members aboard FOC
vessels were being exploited through low wages, long hours, arduous
working and living conditions, and were experiencing unduly long absences
from their homes and denied repatriation expenses, social security benefits,
and pension rights, among others grievances. The seafarers’ spokesman
said:
 

“Flag-of-Convenience vessels were prone to serious accidents involving the

safety of pollution, owing to the poor physical condition of such ships,
inadequate manning standards, the use of crews comprising different
nationalities, and the lack of properly trained and properly certified seafarers
in such”.
 
And at the end of 1978 Maritime Session of the International Labor
Conference, the Worker’s Delegate from Australia, Mr. Geraghty, alleged the
consequences of open-registry shipping to be unseaworthy vessels, lifeboats
that don’t work or operate properly, assault by officers upon crew members,
enormous language and communication problems owing to the presence of
crews from several countries on one ship, different rates of pay on the same
ship based on nationality differences rather than on the job or the
qualifications of the individual seafarer, poor food and horrendous living
accommodations.
 

International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) provide administrative

and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall
Islands  (RMI) Maritime and Corporate Registries. IRI has been administering
maritime and corporate programs and involved in flag State administration
since 1948. IRI has an excellent reputation within the international business
community and will continue to be at the forefront of the vessel and
corporate registration.
 

IRI is the world’s most experienced, privately held maritime and corporate
registry service provider, recognizing the specialized needs of the shipping
and financial services industries across a broad commercial and economic
spectrum. Headquartered just outside of Washington, DC in Reston, Virginia
USA, IRI operates 28 offices in major shipping and financial centers around
the world.
 

IRI Manila country manager Leo Bolivar, in a recent media briefing, said his
office now services more than 24 crewing agents, up from just 11 agents
when it started operations last year. The office, which processes
seafarers’ documents for the Republic of the Marshall Island (RMI) registry,
can handle from 700 to 1,500 applications per week. Its capacity can be
further expanded depending on the demand.
 

IRI provides administrative and technical support to the RMI Maritime and
Corporate Registries. The Manila office, IRI’s 27th globally, coordinates with
offices in Hongkong and Mumbai to ensure the timely production of
documentation in Asia.
 
The RMI registry, meanwhile, is the third-largest in the world, surpassing
138 million gross tons and 3,956 vessels as of the end of October 2016. The
Manila office of IRI does not do direct transactions with seafarers and
instead deals with crewing agents or accredited third-party agents on the
seamen’s behalf, Bolivar said.
 
In this way, seafarers save on courier and shipping costs because they can
already submit their applications in the Philippines. They also do not need to
queue in line since it is the crewing agents that submit their application to
IRI Manila for them. If there’s demand, IRI Manila said it can also process
the applications of local shipping operators for the Marshall Island flag
registry and the applications of offshore companies for the corporate
registry. Asked what the advantages of registering with the Marshall Islands
flag are, Bolivar cited savings on taxes and company credibility as the
Marshall Islands registry is accepted worldwide.
 

Belize is located on the east coast of Central America and the Caribbean Sea
between Guatemala and Mexico. Its area is 22.966 km². Belize City (port of
registry for vessels under the flag of Belize) is the largest city in Belize and
is the former capital with a population of approximately 70,000. Currently,
the new capital is Belmopan. English is the official language in Belize. The
unit of currency is the Belize dollar.
 

Belize has a small open economy, agriculture, and manufacturing which

develop its main sector. It mainly comprises agricultural production (sugar,
citrus, bananas, cocoa). However, the tourism industry is a source of foreign
exchange earnings number one. The relative stability of the economy in
Belize is in the abundance of land, forest, and water resources, proximity to
the   US    market, and historically close connection to the United Kingdom.
The environmental resources of Belize are also creating significant
opportunities for the "green' tourism market.
 
MARITIME ADMINISTRATION OF BELIZE
 International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) performs
functions of Maritime Administration of Belize and operates its merchant
fleet. The Registry conducts its activities through a network of Designated
offices worldwide. Head Office of IMMARBE located in Belize City coordinates
and administers all international flag representatives.
 

OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN UKRAINE

Marine Safety Management Ltd. is an authorized representative of the
International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE) in Ukraine.
 
The Company is fully authorized to issue all registration documentation
regarding yacht and ship registration under the Belize flag as well as
concerning necessary documents for crew members in accordance with
STCW78/95 with Manila amendments. Marine Safety Management Ltd. is
specializing in the ship and yacht registration, marine surveys, casualty
investigations on behalf of Flag State, insurance companies, and recognized
classification societies.
 

Belize was placed on the IMO STCW White List in November 2001. Also, the
IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee has confirmed that in accordance with
Regulation 1/8 of the STCW 1978 Convention, it has received the required
independent evaluation which demonstrates that Belize is giving full and
complete effect to the aforementioned Convention. The procedures for
issuance of such Endorsements by IMMARBE are based on equivalence,
requiring evidence that the applicant is in possession of an appropriate,
recognized, and valid certificate from a country that is on the STCW White
List.
Lenient Registries:
 Today, maximum seafarers working on ships belong to countries such as the
Philippines, Ukraine, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and are
employed on flags of countries such as Belize, Marshal Islands, etc. One of
the main issues faced by the shipping industry today is the emergency of
registries such as Belize and Marshal Islands. Every one of us would have
seen advertisements claiming to issue COC and CDC of Belize and Marshal
Islands expeditiously. However, it is to note that the recruitment and
training of seamen have been vitiated because of the emergence of such
registries. Advertisements in prominent newspapers about the recruitment of
seafarers from unknown and improperly registered entities are increasing.
Under the Maritime Shipping
(MS) Act, it is our duty to eradicate such unscrupulous recruiters, trainers,
and issuers of documents; but it is quite evident that we are failing
miserably. Some countries such as the Philippines and Ukraine have started
taking this issue seriously and therefore their seafarers are being benefited
by enhanced quality training provided to them. Sadly, Indian institutes are
not paying enough attention to skill development and are lacking in the
quality of seafarers. Probably that is also the reason that fresh deck cadets
and junior engineers are not getting jobs easily.
 
Mindless security measures at ports for a seafarer to go ashore has been substantially
curtailed
 
Mindless Security Measures at Ports:
 Until some years back, before the International ship and port facility
security (ISPS) code, it was very convenient for the ship’s crew to finish the
work by late afternoon and then easily go out to refresh themselves ashore.
However, now with mindless security the freedom of a seafarer to go ashore
has been substantially curtailed. Due to high-security measures, even
harmless people are prevented to visit or interact with the ships coming to a
port. Sometimes it’s not understood how even priests from Missions to
seafarers can be a security threat if they are allowed to visit ships to carry
seamen to the club and bring them back on board. More often, such people
are more inclined to help seafarers and resolve their issues.
 

True Incident:
 Once our agent dropped me at a seamen’s club of Cape Town and asked me
to wait there until the ship berths at night. Though he promised to come
back and take me on board ship, there was no news from the agent until
late evening. It was then that I decided to ask the lady manager of the
seaman’s club. As soon as I explained my problem, she swung into action
and in less than thirty minutes I was lodged in a hotel to rest. It is to note
that there are institutes out there that genuinely care for the seafarers and
thus they should be allowed to interact with the seafarers when their ships
reach the port.
 

Lack of Proper Training:

 In the matter of seafarer training, greater emphasis should be given to
onboard training involving marine equipment manufacturers and shipyard
personnel. Shore-based training by conventionally certified Masters and
Chief Engineers though good is not enough and even useless if such training
is being imparted in an improperly registered college run by those who have
never set their feet on board ships in the last few decades. These days, good
ship maintenance work movies have been developed and companies should
ensure that they are shown on board with regularity and honesty.
The difficulty to join international ships in distant ports
 
Difficulty to Join Ship:
 
With fast loading and discharging rates of the cargo at ports, especially for
the former, it has become increasingly difficult for a seafarer to fly out and
joins a ship in a distant port. This is because by the time the visa is
processed, the ship is already loaded and ready to sail.
 

Not enough time for maintenance work at ports

 
Not Enough Time for Maintenance Work at Ports:
 
Seafarers are not finding enough time to carry out maintenance work on
ships as a result of short port stay and the reluctance of port authorities to
grant ship immobilization. Port authorities want ships to finish loading and
discharging the cargo and move out of the ports as soon as possible. This
gives very little time to the seafarers to carry out important maintenance
work before the ship starts sailing again. International maritime
organizations (IMO) should issue requests to port administrations to assist
the ships as far as practicable. Moreover, an atmosphere should be created
through discussions and persuasion so that the ports adopt a more helpful
attitude towards ships. Also, those acting positively should be given due
recognition.
 

To improve seafarer’s performance due to lack of proper training involving

new marine equipment
 
ECDIS familiarization is a regulatory requirement and its training should prevent
seafarers from causing maritime accidents
 
Familiarization training is far less costly than causing a maritime accident or
having a ship detained in port, which could occur if the crew is not provided
with the correct training. With ECDIS now mandatory on an increasing
number of merchant ships, it has become even more important to ensure
that navigation officers are well trained in their general knowledge of ECDIS
functions and in the type of ECDIS they are utilizing on board. It is a key
safety and regulatory requirement that seafarers using ECDIS as the ship’s
primary means of navigation need to be familiar with its operation and
functions.
 

In the past 10 years, there have been examples where crew unfamiliarity
with ECDIS operations was a factor in causing ship groundings, such as
when oil and chemical tanker Ovit grounded in the English Channel on 18
September 2013. There are also numerous cases of ships being detained by
port state control because the vessel was not equipped with the right
navigation systems or crew were unfamiliar with ECDIS operations. In some
cases, ships are detained until ECDIS trainers are flown in to teach the
navigators. Having continuous deficiencies in navigation knowledge can also
lead to ships being banned from ports.
 

In June, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) banned cargo ship,
Thorco Luna, for three months after its third detention in Australia in eight
months. AMSA said this ship had been inspected five times between
November 2017 and June 2018, at which time inspectors found 34
deficiencies. AMSA said the “most serious deficiencies stemmed from the
fact that officers and crew were unfamiliar with the operation of critical
shipboard equipment and procedures for navigation”. This included a lack of
knowledge of the ship’s electronic navigation systems and contravened the
obligations under SOLAS chapter xi-1. “This presents an unacceptable risk to
the safety of the ship, its crew, and the marine environment,” said AMSA’s
acting general manager of operations, Stephen Curry.
 
Other port state control authorities have found deficiencies in the knowledge
of navigators using ECDIS. According to the various memoranda of
understandings for port state control, issues with navigation equipment and
crew familiarity is one of the top five deficiencies encountered on ships
during 2017. Therefore, it is in a ship operator’s best interests to ensure
officers are familiar with ECDIS functions. However, the method of
familiarizing the crew does not need a mandatory type-specific course.
 
Generic ECDIS training is a mandatory requirement under the International
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping
(STCW). But this only takes trainees to a set standard of operation. With
more than 30 different manufacturers with multiple models of ECDIS,
seafarers need additional training to use what they encounter on ships
proficiently. This familiarization training is a requirement under STCW and
the International Safety Management Code. And this is what port state
control inspectors are requesting during their inspections.
 

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and

Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) was intended as a minimum acceptable
standard for seafarer training but unfortunately, this has become the goal
without any attempt to train above this standard labeled as ‘gold plating’.
The STCW is hopelessly out of date and the laborious process of amending
conventions at the IMO means that with the rate of development of
technology it is likely that it always will be. When changes are achieved, due
to watering down and compromise on cost grounds the provisions fall short
of what has actually required with ECDIS training a case in point. 20 years
after its introduction it is quite evident from the accident reports that a large
number of seafarers have not been trained to use it properly.
 
If we continue to see an acceleration in the rate at which new technology is
introduced onboard, then I believe that there will also need to be a move
away from this “compliance culture” we see at the moment with regards to
training.
I.e. it will no longer be possible to credibly claim that you were within your
rights to believe a seafarer was competent to carry out the task purely on
the basis that he had a CoC. Companies will need to take more responsibility
to ensure that their seafarers have received adequate training on the
systems installed on their ships as will manufacturers.
 
The seafarer's concern to ships’ autonomy breakthrough in 2017, where
ships will be totally an unmanned vessel
The introduction of autonomous ships, often described as the next step for the maritime
industry, is looming as projects have already been launched to make the smart ship concept
a reality. One of the examples is the construction of the world’s first electric
and autonomous containership, Yara Birkeland, which is expected to start
autonomous operation in 2019.
 

Numerous benefits of autonomous ships have been identified including lower

costs, more efficient use 
of space in ship design, more efficient use of 
fuel, and lower risk of human error on board, which has been the main cause
of accidents at sea. However, the smart ship revolution brings a myriad of
challenges that are yet to be resolved, aside from technological hurdles.
These involve resolving the issue of navigational safety, protection from
cyber threats, and the creation of a major
incentive for owners and operators to invest in autonomous ships before
they can become mainstream.
 
Growing worldwide interest in remote and autonomous shipping has been
driven by the potential benefits. They are expected to be safer, more
efficient, and cheaper both to build and to run. According to a report
published by the insurance company, Allianz in 2012 between 75 and 96
percent of marine accidents are a result of human error. This is often a
result of fatigue. Remote-controlled and autonomous ships don’t get tired
and will reduce the risk of injury and even death amongst ship’s crews and
the potential loss or damage of valuable assets.
 
Remote-controlled and autonomous vessels can be designed with a larger
cargo capacity, better hydrodynamics, and less wind resistance. With no
crew to accommodate certain features of today’s ships, for example, the
deckhouse, the crew accommodation, and elements of the ventilation,
heating, and sewage systems can be removed. This will make the ship
lighter, cutting energy and fuel consumption, reducing operating and
construction costs, and facilitating new designs.
 
Uncrewed ships could potentially be more secure than traditional vessels by
design, as they can be built to be very difficult to board. Even if pirates got
aboard, access to the controls could be made unavailable. Indeed, the
computers in command could immobilize the ship or have it steam in a
circle, making it relatively easy for naval authorities to reach it. Recapture
would also be easier than is usually the case in such situations because
there would be no crew held hostage. And without a captured crew to
ransom, the target of the piracy is significantly less valuable. Cybersecurity
will be critical to the safe and successful operation of remote and
autonomous vessels. Rolls-Royce will exploit nearly 20 years of experience in
cybersecurity in our Nuclear and Aero Businesses.
 
A major issue that also needs to be addressed is the human factor and the
immediate impact of smart ships on seafarers
 
Some ships, such as cruise ships, are always likely to need crew if only in
customer service, safety, and reassurance capacity. Technology developed
for unmanned ships, such as intelligent awareness systems, will be used to
improve the safety and operations of manned vessels too.
At the same time changes in lifestyle and expectations are reducing the
attractiveness of seafaring as a career with fewer people wanting to spend
weeks at a time away from

weeks at a time away from home and family. Remote and autonomous
operations could see the transfer of seafaring jobs, requiring high levels of
education and skills, 
from sea to remote operations centers on land and make them more
attractive to young people entering the industry.
 
 
 

There is no doubt that automation has the potential to increase safety,

efficiency, and quality of life for workers if used correctly but this is not a
given. If the issue is approached from the position that the human is the
weakest link and needs to be removed, then this becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy. Whereas if automation is used in a productive way to reduce
working hours, cut fatigue and ease the burden of paperwork then this can
only be a good thing for shipping companies and seafarers. We just need to
make sure that all of these factors are given due consideration along the
way and we don’t do it simply ‘because we can’.
 
Regardless of what is possible technically, there will be no widespread
adoption of autonomous ships until the concept makes financial sense for
shipowners. For those owners operating at the very bottom of the industry,
there will be little incentive to invest in new technology when they can
continue to exploit seafarers with impunity as they have done historically.
 
That being said, we do believe that if technology is used in the correct way
to, reduce seafarer workloads, assist in improving safety and improve the
quality of life on board rather than being used as an excuse to further
reduce crew numbers then there could be considerable benefits. It is also
possible that the introduction of more advanced technology could act as a
catalyst to drag the international regulatory regime with regards to crew
training kicking and screaming into the 21st century. This can only be a
good thing as it is not fit for purpose with the technology, we have installed
on ships currently let alone with what is proposed for the future.
 
Whilst there are some high-profile projects underway to test the concept
most notably the Yara Birkeland that is due to be delivered next year, there
are still significant hurdles in place that must be overcome before we see
widespread adoption. International voyages will not be possible until the
regulatory regime is in place with the IMO has agreed to begin work this
year. Even the most optimistic of observers do not envisage this work being
completed before 2028.
 
Then there is still the biggest obstacle which is the financial case. You also
have to consider that when purchasing a vessel shipowner would normally
expect to achieve 15 to 25 years’ service from that vessel so whilst there will
be a small number of specialist applications, gradually increasing over the
years, I believe we are still a very long way off from ‘mainstream adoption.