Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hurricane preparedness and port conditions

There have been all sorts of press releases and Tweets by the United States Coast Guard about various port conditions related to Hurricane Earl.  Many of these port conditions will affect Amver ships.  What are these conditions anyway and what are your responsibilities?  We thought we'd let you know.  Here is the link to the following list of port conditions.
Pre-Storm Preparations
  • Hurricane season begins June 1st.  All vessel owners and operators should review hurricane plans and checklists.  Recommend reviewing the Industry Hurricane Plan.
Port Condition Whiskey- 72 hours prior to Gale Force Winds
  • The Captain of the Port will issue radio broadcasts and Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIB) as needed to keep mariners informed.
Port Condition X-Ray- 48 hours prior to Gale Force Winds
  • The Captain of the Port will update radio broadcasts and issue MSIBs.
  • Bunkering and Lightering are prohibited in the inshore anchorages.
  • Ships should complete cargo operations.
  • Anticipate the Captain of the Port will order the port closed to all vessel movements except for emergency and rescue traffic.
Port Conditions Yankee- 24 hours prior to Gale Force Winds
  • The Captain of the Port will update radio broadcasts and issue MSIBs.
  • Facilities will be made aware that the Captain of the Port will order cessation of cargo handling operations during condition zulu.
  • Ship's personnel should inspect mooring/anchoring lines, paying particular attention to the possibility of storm surge.
  • Movements will be permitted by the Captain of the Port only when a suitable lay berth or anchorage space is available nearby.
  • As a last resort, large crude tankers may be allowed to ballast down in the channel.
  • The Captain of the Port may close the port to all marine traffic except for emergency/rescue traffic when sustained winds exceed 35 knots.
Port Condition Zulu- 12 hours prior to Gale Force Winds
  • The Captain of the Port MAY update radio broadcasts and MSIBs to notify the maritime community that the port is closed to all commercial traffic with the exception of emergency/rescue traffic.
  • All cargo handling operations will be suspended.
  • Ship's personnel should inspect the mooring/anchor lines, paying particular attention to the possibility of storm surge.
Post Storm
  • Restoration of commercial operations.
  • Channels surveyed to insure safe transit.
  • Vessel traffic prioritized.
Are you prepared for Earl?
Photo credit: USCG

Monday, August 30, 2010

Is mobile phone usage on the bridge a problem?

Both Dennis Bryant and Michael Grey have written about mobile phone distractions on ships.  Is it really a problem?  As Mr. Grey reminded us on Clay Maitland's blog there have been several cases of mobile phone distractions on the bridge.  They include:
  • A watch officer on a bulker who was talking to his wife and failed to make a course change
  • A master talking with his agent drifted out of the channel in Southampton
  • A master of a supply vessel leaving a Scottish port in thick fog did not hear the Port Operator warning him of an approaching break wall because he was on an urgent call on his cell phone
  • A master on a passenger ship being hounded by the press on his cell phone about the engine trouble his vessel was experiencing

The National Transportation Safety Board has even issued an advisory on the use of mobile phones and wireless devices when operating vessels.  But mobile phones aren't the only distraction on the bridge.  Ryan Skinner revealed you can watch your favorite YouTube video on the ECDIS machine!



Bridge distraction is something we take seriously at Amver.  One of the reasons we encourage the use of the Amver/SEAS software is to help cut down on the amount of paperwork and reporting vessels must do in order to actively participate.  There are other ways to report to Amver as well.  If you are a subscriber to the Pole Star Fleet Management software product you can elect to have your position reports sent automatically (link to pdf) to the Amver center.

What do you think is the biggest distraction on the bridge?

Photo credit: Fotolia

Friday, August 27, 2010

MARAD announces new Merchant Marine Academy Superintendent

United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Maritime Administration recently announced that U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood named Read Admiral Philip H. Greene the new Superintendent of the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.

Amver has a strong tie with the Academy and its graduates.  We recognize the efforts of United States Flagged ships participating in the Amver program each year with an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

We wish Admiral Greene good luck in his new role!

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Thursday, August 26, 2010

U.S. Diplomatic Mission to New Zealand holds Amver awards ceremony

U.S. Consul General Randy Berry (L) and Chief Exec of NIWA John Morgan  
Originally posted on the United States Diplomatic Mission website.


Four New Zealand ships were chosen for 2009 Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (Amver) awards for active participation:  the Kakariki, the Tore the Forum Samoa II, the Tangaroa.  The awards program recognizes those vessels, which regularly participate in the Amver system.   Amver is an international program, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, to assist the safety of vessels on the high seas. 

Merchant vessels of all nations are encouraged to send their sail plans, including departure message, periodic position reports, and arrival message, to the Coast Guard's Amver Center.  The information is processed in a computer database that maintains a plot of the positions of these ships throughout their voyages.  Rescue authorities around the world can then obtain, through U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centers, a list of participating ships in the vicinity of an emergency so that assistance can be sought from vessels nearby.  For 52 years, Amver  has been effective in arranging emergency assistance to those who need it on the high seas.  

See more photos of the Amver awards ceremony in New Zealand here.

Have you enrolled your vessels yet? Only vessels enrolled and participating in the Amver system can earn awards.

 Photo credit: U.S. Mission to New Zealand
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Welcome Wednesday!

It's that time of the week again. The time when we announce the latest enrollees in the Amver system. 25 more ships agreed to participate. This has been an incredible month and an incredible year. It's been a success because of companies and crews like you. Help us welcome the following new vessels.
  • CAPE STAR
  • SKS DEE
  • GENCO OCEAN
  • HANJIN PORT KELANG
  • ERIDANUS LEADER
  • GREAT ZHOU
  • ARKLOW RIVER
  • CASTILLO DE SANTISTEBAN
  • PARRAMATTA
  • HUGO SCHULTE
  • FRONT NJORD
  • RED DIAMOND
  • GOLDEN TOPSTAR
  • KAREKARE
  • CLIPPER KIKUSHIO
  • HAMMONIA MALTA
  • BISMARK SEA
  • SHIN HO CHUN NO. 101
  • MALOU THERSA
  • KMTC HONGKONG
  • BOW BRACARIA
  • E.R. BRAZIL
  • FIRST EMU
  • FURIOUS
We hope you consider joining the ranks of these vessels. You can help us ensure no call for help goes unanswered. Congratulations to the new participants!

Photo credit: Fotolia


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Friday, August 20, 2010

How can we help?

Each time we write a post we promote enrolling in Amver. We want you to help us save lives.

The real question, however, may be- how can we help YOU?

How can we promote what YOU do?

Let us know in the comments.

Photo credit: Fotolia

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Martitme Administration Advisory 2010-08

United States Maritime Administration (Seal) The United States Maritime Administration has issued MARAD Advisory 2010-08 for vessels transiting the Straights of Hormuz.

The Advisory reads as follows:

Advisory #: 2010-08
Date Issued: Aug 13 2010
To: MARINERS
Subject: VESSELS TRANSITING IN THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ

1. THIS MARAD ADVISORY PROVIDES GUIDANCE TO VESSELS TRANSITING SUBJECT WATERS.

2. THIS ADVISORY WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE MARAD WEB SITE AT WWW.MARAD.DOT.GOV.

3. U.S.-FLAG OPERATORS WITH SHIPS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR SHIPS BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS.

4. ON 27 JULY 2010, 2330Z, THE MARSHALL ISLANDS FLAGGED TANKER M. STAR REPORTED AN EXPLOSIVE INCIDENT ON HER STARBOARD QUARTER WHILE TRANSITING EAST IN THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ AT POSITION 26 DEGREES 27 MINUTES NORTH, 056 DEGREES 16 MINUTES EAST. THE INCIDENT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

5. RECOMMEND ALL SHIPS TRANSITING THE SUBJECT WATERS EXERCISE INCREASED VIGILANCE AND CAUTION, PARTICULARY DURING NIGHT TRANSITS WITH INCREASED MONITORING OF SMALL VESSEL/BOAT ACTIVITY.

6. U.S. FLAG VESSELS THAT OBSERVE SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IN THE AREA ARE ADVISED TO REPORT HOSTILE OR POTENTIALLY HOSTILE ACTION TO COMUSNAVCENT BATTLEWATCH CAPTAIN AT PHONE NUMBER 011-973-1785-3879. ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS ARE TO BE REPORTED TO THE US COAST GUARD NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH 33 CFR PART 101.305. A SHIP HOSTILE ACTION REPORT (SHAR) SHOULD BE SENT TO THE NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (NGA) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT/SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, INCLUDING APPARENT SURVEILLANCE BEING CONDUCTED BY SMALL VESSELS/BOATS. E-MAIL: NAVSAFETY@NGA.MIL OR REF: NGA PUB 117 FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE.

7. VESSELS TRANSITING SUBJECT WATERS MUST COMPLY WITH U.S. COAST GUARD MARSEC DIRECTIVE 104-6 (REV. 3) AND ACCORDINGLY, SHOULD CONDUCT A PRE-VOYAGE RISK ASSESSMENT AND INCORPORATE APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE MEASURES INTO THEIR VESSEL SECURITY PLAN.

8. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT CAPTAIN ROBERT FORD, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF SECURITY, CODE: MAR-420, ROOM W25-207, 1200 NEW JERSEY AVE, S.E., WASHINGTON, DC 20590, TELEPHONE 202-366-0223, FACSIMILE 202-366-3954, TLX II 710.822.9426 (MARAD DOT WSH), OR EMAIL: MARADSECURITY@DOT.GOV

9. FOR FUTHER INFORMATION ON THE US COAST GUARD MARSEC DIRECTIVE CONTACT LCDR JAMES FOGLE AT TELEPHONE 202-372-1038, OR EMAIL JAMES.T.FOGLE@USCG.MIL

Link to the Advisory is here.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Photo credit: Wikipedia



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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Welcome Wednesday!

After a quick break we are back and working as hard as ever. Did you take a holiday? Our agenda is full, the awards are being distributed and several awards ceremonies are upcoming, and vessels continue to enroll and report to Amver in record numbers. Thank you. Please welcome the following ships in the Amver system.
  • NACHIK
  • SENTINEL
  • KOTA PERMAI
  • DULACA TIDE
  • CENTURION
  • CHEMTRANS SEA
  • TOPAZ KHOBAR
  • WAPPEN VON BREMEN
  • MONITOR
  • NORGAS CREATION
  • MINERAL NEW YORK
  • UNIQUE EXPLORER
  • ENERGY EXERTER
  • ELECTA
  • KATE C
  • IRIS HALO
  • GOLDEN EMINENCE
  • DAEDALUS LEADER
  • SEA TRADER
  • MARINELINK EXPLORER
  • STR EDWARD L RYERSON
  • ALSTROEMERIA
  • GOLDEN FUTURE
  • CHOWRA
  • PRECIOUS ACE
  • DAY TIDE
  • CL ANTWERP
  • CORAL GEM
  • ROSEMARY
  • STOLT PLUTO
  • QUEEN BUSAN
  • ORIENT CHAMPION
  • ATLANTIC PEARL
  • SWARNA GANGA
  • MICHALIS L
  • NICHIRIN
  • PACIFIC EGRET
  • STAR CARE
  • ESHIPS SHAMAL
  • GOOD PACIFIC
  • KIKYO
  • COSCO FUKUYAMA
  • WESTERN STAR
  • ALTESSE
  • GABRIEL
  • LOUISE
  • GEO CELTIC
  • ADVENTURER
  • E.R. BEILUN
  • SAMJOHN SOLIDARITY
  • FRONT SINGE
  • CAPE SPENCER
  • ONEGO BURAN
  • BESIKTAS KAZAKHSTAN
  • ANDROS
  • GAN-TROPHY
What is your barrier to entry? Will you enroll in Amver? If not, why?

Photo credit: Fotolia

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The first Amver Bulletin

While we are enjoying a short holiday enjoy the first edition of the Amver Bulletin printed in 1960! Are you an Amver veteran? Tell us your story!

AmverBulletin028

AmverBulletin029

AmverBulletin030

AmverBulletin031

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Tankers collide in the Arctic

Two Russian tankers recently collided in the Northern Sea Route. According to the Maritime Bulletin website, the tankers were sailing towards Pevek and Provideniya with two Russian icebreakers escorting them when they collided in heavy ice conditions. No spill was reported.

This accident demonstrates the dangers of Arctic shipping and the need for a robust search and rescue capability in the Arctic. How can Amver help in the Arctic? We've addressed Amver's role in the Arctic here.

What is the United States Coast Guard doing to address the potential for increased Arctic shipping? You can read the Coast Guard Arctic posture here (link to pdf). In the meantime we are still encouraging ships that may transit the Arctic to enroll in the Amver system.

What are the biggest challenges you see in Arctic shipping?

Photo credit: Fotolia


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Friday, August 6, 2010

Revisiting the sinking of Oceanos part 3

The final installment of our coverage of the sinking of the Oceanos is a link to a recent Dateline NBC program covering the entire voyage of Oceanos. The Oceanos case demonstrates the value and need for the Amver system. You can make your own decisions about the rescue and actions of the master and crew after watching the video.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy




Link to the Dateline video is here.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Revisiting the sinking of Oceanos part 2

Sinking of the OceanosPart 2 of our series on the sinking of the cruise ship Oceanos. This is a letter to the editor sent to the Amver Bulletin by the master of the Oceanus.



Letters to the Editor:

I have just seen AMVER BULLETIN 3-91 which contains an article concerning the loss of my ship.

I am happy that your article gives full credit to the South African rescue services for the magnificent job they performed in extremely difficult circumstances. However, I feel the article does not give a complete picture of the rescue operations as it makes no mention at all of the considerable contribution by my officers and crew and contains a number of inaccuracies which in my view ought to be corrected. I take the points as they appear in the article.
  1. The first distress signal was in fact sent out by the Chief Radio Officer shortly before 2200 on the night of the 3rd August 1991, and a response was received within a few minutes from Port Elizabeth Coast Station. We were informed that helicopters were on their way at around 2240.
  2. The Chief Radio Officer and I were amongst the last to leave the vessel. The article implies that he and I left early on, and that passengers were left to operate the radio. That is simply not correct.
  3. The merchant vessels to which the article referred arrive early on, and were taking passengers on board from around 0200/0300 on 4th August. The helicopters did not in fact arrive until daybreak, when they began winching passengers from the vessel decks.
  4. There were in fact only very few passengers left on board after the last life boat had left. In addition, lifeboats were plying backwards and forwards between the assisting merchant vessels and the Oceanos to ferry more passengers away.
Whether or not the criticisms of my conduct were rightly or wrongly made should not be allowed to detract from the fact that it was the ship's officers and crew who launched all eight of the ship's lifeboats in extraordinarily adverse conditions. A total of 351 passengers and crew were disembarked from the vessel in lifeboats without a single injury or loss of life and I do not believe anyone can dispute that this demonstrated seamanship of the highest order by my officers and crew throughout this operation.

The fact that once the lifeboats were safely launched and away from the sinking ship no one was lost or injured during the protracted time spent in the lifeboats, until embarkation on to the ships which came to our rescue, also commends recognition of the major role of the officers and crew. The most important aspect of the rescue operation was not of course mentioned by the popular press in their quest for sensational headlines. This omission was to be expected given that event the most serious well-known newspapers are these days unable to muster a single shipping correspondent amongst them.

From the newspaper reports I have seen, only Lloyd's List, the specialty shipping paper, gave some recognition of this fact. The following extract is from the editorial in their issue dated 5th August:
"There was also investment apparent in the seamanship which was exhibited by the Epirotiki crew and those handling the other merchant vessels and small craft that were involved in the rescue. You have to train people to handle boats properly in adverse conditions, so that they are not turned over in getting away from a ship, to spill their loads of passengers in the boiling seas. You have to rehearse accident scenarios if you are to accomplish what is fundamentally a very dangerous exercise.

There are those who will suggest that there is no real need for seamanship these days, what with wonderful communications and everything on board a ship accomplished by electronics and hydraulics. But to get a boat away from a sinking, listing ship in heavy weather without losing everyone in the process, seems to indicate that there was old fashioned seamanship exhibited of a high order."

Your article also describes 220 people remaining on board as passengers. This is both misleading and incorrect. Those remaining on board who were rescued by helicopters included myself, other officers and crew and some of the charters' cruise staff. The others were mainly elderly and infirm passengers. It was impossible in the prevailing conditions to disembark those passengers to lifeboats without the risk of many serious injuries and possibly deaths occuring in the process.

Of course I understand that I was criticized because after the helicopters took over to transport the last 170 persons on board I thought it would be more useful for the rescue for me to go ashore and make sure that everybody from the lifeboats and ships were safe. I would like to tell you that the last persons to leave the ship were from my own crew who were instructed to remain on board and assist the rescue. The purpose of this letter is to put the record straight.

Your truly,

Captain Yiannis Avranas


Photo credit: Wikipedia
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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Revisting the sinking of Oceanos part 1

Join us as we revisit the the sinking of the Greek passenger ship Oceanos which went down 19 years ago. The vessel sank on August 4, 1991. Here is the report from Amver Bulletin 3-91.

Heroic Rescue Effort Saves 571
By PA3 Howard J. Holmes

The ship wavered as 80-plus mile per hour winds and 24-foot waves slammed into it, driving it ward the South African shore. Hundreds of people gathered to the top decks of the disabled passenger ship Oceanos, as the hurricane force winds dictated its course.

The first distress signal from he Oceanos was received at 11:16 p.m. (South African time) by Cape Town Radio, South Africa. The station relayed the signal to the Southern Air Command at Silvermine, Cape Town, which almost immediately activated the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (RCC).

The message stated that the Oceanos' engine room was flooded and the vessel was adrift about 80 nautical miles northeast of East London, about two miles off the South African shore; an area known as the "Wild Coast."

Search and rescue operations began immediately. A Navy warning broadcast requested all nearby vessels to proceed to the Oceanos' location. The South African Air Force deployed 16 aircraft with a Mobile Air Operations Team. The South African Navy immediately deployed four strike craft and 31 divers.

A temporary helicopter base was set up in Coffee Bay (on the Transkei Coast), where survivors could be off loaded and treated. By 10:00 a.m. , Durban, South Africa, established and maintained communications with the Oceanos. After the ship's captain and radio officer abandoned ship, a passenger took control of the radio and informed Durban that two life-boats, filled with survivors, were launched and there was difficulty in launching the remaining boats.

Weather conditions aside, the biggest obstacle, during initial rescue efforts, was the distance rescue aircraft needed to travel before arriving on-scene. A C-160 aircraft arrived in the area at 6:00 a.m., but was limited in operations because of darkness. By 6:15, the first merchant vessels arrived and began pulling survivors from life-boats. Shortly thereafter, helicopters arrived and started hoisting survivors from the Oceanos' decks.

Heavy swells, and force six winds, kept the merchant vessels from getting close enough to assist stranded victims. Because the Oceanos had a 30-degree list, its helicopter deck was unusable. The disable ship continued to take on water at an alarming rate as 225 passengers remained on-board. Because of the helicopters limitations, survivors could only be hoisted two-at-a-time; drastically slowing rescue progress. One person being hoisted slipped out of the hoist and fell into the tumultuous sea; however, a diver witnessing the event dove in and saved the person.

The South African Broadcasting Corporation requested small craft to assist in searching the area between the Oceanos and the shoreline. The National Sea Rescue Institute, a part time volunteer organization, executed this operation. C-130 crew members dropped life rafts and smoke markers, by hand, from the plane's cargo ramps.

Prior to the Oceanon sinking, divers swept through the vessel to check for passengers still aboard. Upon the sinking of the Oceanos all 220 persons originally stranded on the decks of the ship were accounted for. However, 15 passengers remained missing. Because of the heroic efforts of all responding parties; all 571 of the Oceanos' crew and passengers were saved, the 15 missing were picked up by merchant ships.

Though no loss of life occurred, rescue efforts were hampered in several ways. According tot he Defense Office, Embassy of South Africa, the following hindrances in rescue capabilities, that if not overcome, could have led to catastrophic results:
  1. Lack of specialized maritime "on-scene" search and rescue aircraft. This hampered the ability to deliver survival equipment to endangered victims.
  2. Limited links to international search and rescue organizations, and limited ability of photography and communications hampered coordination. This made the search for individuals washed from the scene less than effective.
  3. Lack of suitable search and rescue helicopters: This was highlighted in the ability to hoist only tow survivors at a time.
  4. Lack of suitable naval vessels for search and rescue. This has been a problem since the South African Navy was forced to retire its last remaining Frigates.
Fortunately for the survivors the South African rescue efforts overcame these obstacles and performed superbly in effecting this spectacular rescue.

Photo credit: shipspotting.com

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Forget about snakes on a plane, this is spiders on a ship!

Snakes on a plane have nothing on the Amver participant Altavia which recently pulled into the Port of Guam carrying more than a typical cargo. As the stevedores began offloading cargo they noticed thousands of spiders trying to jump ship as well. According to a Stars and Stripes story, the ship was ordered back to South Korea but will be allowed to sail back to Guam once it has been properly fumigated.

What's the strangest thing you have found on your ship?

Photo credit: Fotolia


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Monday, August 2, 2010

What do Old Spice and the maritime sector have in common?

The Old Spice man owned the Internet in July. What? You don't know what we are talking about? Just take a look at the viral videos that went wild last month.

Old Spice upped their game. The product, known mostly as our father's fragrance, became relevant and edgy again (shucks, for the first time ever). So what does this have to do with shipping or Amver? Quite a bit really.

Take a look at Shipserv. These folks promote the maritime sector. They offer a range of services and even have resources for other maritime marketers. Ryan Skinner has written about an upcoming Lloyd's List project to help raise the image of shipping. Lloyd's List even launched their own "blog" encouraging mariners to write in and share their stories. We even took a stab at trying to raise the view of shipping with an I Amver video project (which was wildly unsuccessful).

Can the maritime sector launch a campaign that raises the game, goes viral, or tells the story of the maritime sector that resonates with the general population? It's hard to say. The gCaptain forums is certainly very successful, as is the Maritime Executive LinkedIn group that Brett Keil started within the last several years. One of the most successful maritime related Internet pieces was Mario Vittone's blog post about drowning which has crossed from the maritime sector to almost every other niche on the Internet. It was so popular the gCaptain servers crashed!

So what do Old Spice and the shipping sector have in common? They are both established brands, arguably somewhat stale (more so the maritime sector now that Old Spice has raised the bar in advertising). Can we come up with something catchy, viral, and fun that is still professional and will show the rest of the world what the maritime sector is all about?

You tell us.

Photo credit: Fotolia