As the new generation of Container ships comes on the drawing boards, Karachi Port takes the initiative of bracing itself to handle and cater for fifth and sixth generation ships. This involves the development of deep draught berths and due to its strategic location Keamari Groyne is the natural choice. The berths shall be built at 18 m depth, with 3.75 km of quay wall. Provision of 10 berths have been made in the KPT long term plan. The project shall be carried out in phases and on public private partnership. Cost of project is US$ 1087 million. KPT shall share US$ 345 million.


Source: http://www.kpt.gov.pk/

The U.S. marine transportation system encompasses a national and global network of navigable ocean, lake, river, and inland waterway routes; the vessels that carry waterborne commerce; a complex of ports and terminals serving as inter modal points of transfer between the water system and the land-based transportation modes; ship operators; an extensive supplier base; and shipboard, shipyard, and long shore labor forces. The system includes over 3,500 bulk oil transfer facilities, 10,000 marinas, 18,000 bridges, a network of locks and dams, and 97,000 aids to navigation. Diverse groups of waterway users commercial vessels making 70,000 port calls annually, 110,000 fishing vessels, and 20 million recreational vessels vie for access to our waterways often with conflicting interests and purposes. Additionally, the general public is concerned about the waterways environmental health and esthetics.

Source: http://www.yoto98.noaa.gov/

Sri Lanka is strategically located in the Indian Ocean at the centre of east-west maritime routes. In the late-90s, the government took a decision to develop Sri Lanka as a regional shipping and logistics hub similar to Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The Port of Colombo has undergone cycles of expansion and modernisation to meet the needs of the shipping industry both domestically and globally. The development is continuing.

The Port of Colombo has 23 major shipping lines and seven feeder services in operation, and is considered one of the most efficient and streamlined ports in the region.

The port has two modern container terminals, equipped with state of the art technology and IT systems. It has an annual cargo handling capacity of 2.5 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU). Transhipment cargo accounts for over 70 per cent of the total. Of the transhipment cargo, 85 per cent is Indian container business.

Throughput at the port has grown at an annual compound rate of 20 per cent per annum over the past 10 years.

The development of the port facilities has included:

• Ancillary support services
• Cargo logistics operations
• State-of-the-art warehousing facilities
• Multi-country cargo consolidation
• Container freight stations
• Computerised container depots

The port system has growing capacity and efficiency; port services performance increased by 16.9 per cent in 2005 compared to an increase of 12.8 per cent in 2004.

Source: http://www.austrade.gov.au/

Diesel engines on oceangoing vessels such as container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, and cruise ships are significant contributors to air pollution in many of our nation's cities and ports. Their emissions are expected to increase even more in the future, as our trade with other countries increases, and ship emissions will represent a larger share of our national emission inventories.

This page provides general and technical information on EPA's Clean Air Act regulations for the largest marine diesel engines as well as the U.S. government's international efforts to reduce air pollution from oceangoing vessels.

There are two types of diesel engines used on oceangoing vessels. The main propulsion engines on most oceangoing vessels are very large Category 3 marine diesel engines (those with per-cylinder displacement at or above 30 liters). Auxiliary engines on oceangoing vessels typically range in size from small portable generators to locomotive-size engines with power of 4,000 kilowatts or more. Auxiliary engines on U.S.-flagged oceangoing vessels are subject to EPA's marine diesel engine standards for engines with per-cylinder displacement up to 30 liters per cylinder.

Source: http://www.epa.gov/

Inland Water Transport (IWT) is an economic, fuel-efficient and environment friendly mode of transport. India has an extensive network of rivers, lakes and canals which, if developed for shipping and navigation, can provide an efficient network of inland transportation. An optimal mix of road, rail and inland water transport will provide an efficient transport infrastructure with mobility, flexibility and cost effectiveness. While the thrust so far has been in developing road and rail sectors, Government recognizes the need to actively promote the IWT sector for it to take a reasonable share in the inter-modal mix of inland transport.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985 empowers the Government to declare waterways with potential for development of shipping and navigation as National Waterways and develop such waterways for efficient shipping and navigation. So far, waterways namely, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and the West Coast Canal have been declared as National Waterways and are being developed for shipping and navigation by the Central Government.

The revival plan of Inland Water Transport would include increasing the coverage of National Waterways and provision of necessary infrastructure for shipping and navigation and in augmenting the IWT fleet. While there would be a need for budgetary support for the development of the IWT sector, equally important would be a large-scale private sector participation both for creation of infrastructure and for fleet operations.

The IWT strategy aims at generating a more pro-active role by various agencies for the development of this sector. It has now been decided to enlarge the scope of the role of the Government as a provider, facilitator and regulator and, at the same time, offer various concessions to the private sector for their effective participation by way of investment for creation of enhanced IWT infrastructure and fleet operations.

Source: http://business.gov.in/

Range of roles in water transport

Water transport jobs range from shore-based roles, such as check-in agent and radio operator, to jobs on the water, such as harbour pilot and ship's master.

Volume of exports and imports affects water transport opportunities

The volume of New Zealand's exports and imports influences opportunities in the water transport industry.

Because of New Zealand's export-driven economy and geographic isolation from major markets, almost all of our imports and exports are moved by ships (99.5% and 99.4% by weight, respectively).

Exports likely to grow

Exports are expected to continue growing due to:

• New Zealand recently signing a free trade agreement with China, which has reduced the tariffs New Zealand businesses pay to export goods to China
• The 2008 recession and the New Zealand dollar losing value compared with some other currencies, resulting in overseas customers buying more New Zealand goods.

Shipping favoured by government

The Government has singled out shipping as its favoured method of moving freight because it is more energy and cost-efficient than road, air or rail transport.

In the Ministry of Transport's Sea Change policy document, the Government states that it will double the amount of domestic freight moved by ship, from 15% in 2007 to 30% in 2040.

This will increase demand for people in roles such as ship's masters, harbour pilots and stevedores.

Exemption from Kyoto Protocol likely to result in increased shipping

Emissions from ships are not regulated under the Kyoto Protocol. This means that, unlike road transport businesses, companies that shift goods by ship will not have to pay for the amount of CO2 they emit. This is likely to mean that even more goods will be transported by ship than before, creating demand for more water transport workers.

Possible changes to water transport training and qualifications

The Sea Change document notes that there are some inconsistencies with training in the water transport industry, and aims to put them right. Maritime New Zealand is reviewing its qualifications currently, and the Tertiary Education Commission is reviewing its policy of not making training grants available for the at-sea component of training programmes.

Source: http://www.careers.govt.nz/

Globally, commercial ships emit almost half as much particulate matter pollutants into the air as the total amount released by the world's cars, according to a new study led by NOAA and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Ship pollutants affect local air quality and the health of people living along coastlines.

The study is the first to provide a global estimate of maritime shipping's total contribution to air particle pollution based on direct measurements of emissions. The authors estimate that globally, ships emit 0.9 teragrams, or about 2.2 million pounds, of particle pollution each year.

"Since more than 70 percent of shipping traffic takes place within 250 miles of the coastline, this is a significant health concern for coastal communities," said study lead-author Daniel Lack, a researcher with the NOAA-supported CU Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, based at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory.

Source: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov

Shipping plays an important role in the transport sector of India's economy. Approximately, 90 per cent of the country's trade by volume (70 per cent in terms of value) is moved by sea. India has the largest merchant shipping fleet among the developing countries and ranks 20th amongst the countries with the largest cargo carrying fleet with 8.83 million GT as on 01.06.2008 and the average of the fleet being 18 years. Indian maritime sector facilitates not only transportation of national and international cargo but also provides a variety of other services such as cargo handling services, shipbuilding and ship repairing, freight forwarding, lighthouse facilities and training of marine personnel, etc.

The salient features of India's shipping policy are the promotion of national shipping to increase self-reliance in the carriage of the country's overseas trade and protection of stakeholders interest in EXIM trade. India's national flag-ships provide an essential means of transport for crude oil and petroleum product imports. National shipping makes significant contribution to the foreign exchange earnings of the country.

Source: http://india.gov.in/

This Strategy Aims to Protect Coastal Waters through Partnerships with Shipping Industries

The ability of Australia and New Zealand to protect coastal and offshore waters from shipping pollution has been strengthened with the June 1996 release of a joint government strategy.

Entitled Working Together to Reduce Impacts from Shipping Operations: ANZECC Strategy to Protect the Marine Environment, the strategy pulls together a number of initiatives developed by ANZECC's Standing Committee on Environmental Protection.

These initiatives promote:

• Improved port waste reception facilities;
• Better management of marine debris and ballast and hull transfers;
• Communicating better with shipping about environmentally sensitive operations;
• More benign anti-foulants; and
• Education and outreach programs.

Three national surveys completed during 1996, provide important baselines for evaluating future improved performance and management on waste reception facilities at ports, boat harbours and marinas and marine debris research and management strategies.
What is the strategy's objective?

This national Strategy aims to enhance the protection of the marine environment through promoting best practice to improve waste management and to reduce pollution from shipping, and to communicate effectively with shipping about environmental values.

Its Action Plan covers 12 issues:

1. communicating about areas sensitive to shipping and boating operations;
2. managing contaminated ballast and hull transfers;
3. improving port waste reception facilities;
4. improving anti-fouling practices;
5. managing marine debris;
6. involving the community;
7. promoting education and outreach programs;
8. promoting targeted and resourced research;
9. developing industry action;
10. contributing to IMO and other international activities;
11. promoting improved shipping standards; and
12. promoting use of environmental impact assessment.

Source: http://www.environment.gov.au/

The volume of goods transported of waterway of our country and rotation volume of goods transport will account for 12% and 62% in the comprehensive transportation system respectively in 2006, bear more than 90% of the foreign trade traffic volume, unload more than 95% imported crude oil and 99% of the imported iron ore in our country at the port. Such one group data, enough to reflect water way carrier in leading status of the large freight transportation, energy, raw materials,etc. of our country, it is enough to prove the water way carrier is developed in our country's economics and society and foreign trade, ensure national economical operation important guarantee function in being safe.

What is promoting the swift and violent development of the water transport industry of our country? National conditions Hu Angang, director of research center, make the transition that that development strategy analyze at the seminar from traditional industry to modern service trade in traffic that will it be the end May hold just as Tsing-Hua University Kind, the demand is spured, technological progress and system innovation are three major reasons that traffic trade develop at full speed. Behind what the water transport industry of our country developed rapidly, have enormous demand brought in high-speed development of economics and society of our country to pull, have a large number of water transport scientific and technical innovation effective support of achievement, have port management system, water supervise management system, rescue system reform of dragging for safely even more, water transport strategical planning and laws and regulations completion of system, and water transport foundation of market system wait, show to push with strength trade management of effect a series of day.

http://www.fjjt.gov.cn/

Coastal shipping is an energy-efficient, environment-friendly and economical mode of transport in the Indian transport network and a crucial component for the development of domestic industry and trade. India, with her 7,517 km long coastline studded with 13 major ports and 200 non-major ports provides congenial and favorable conditions for the development of this alternate mode of transport.

India's Coastal Shipping Tonnage as on 1st June 2008 was 590 vessels with 947734 GRT and 991378 DWT. Action plan for the development of coastal shipping is already on the anvil with the Central Government. With a view to promote coastal shipping and sailing vessel industry, the home trade vessels and sailing vessels have been exempted from the payment of lighthouse dues under the provisions of the Lighthouse Act, 1927. Meanwhile, a study has already been completed by the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to assess the potential of coastal shipping and the role of minor ports keeping in view the feasibility of routes and the supporting environment needed for its development. Efforts are being made to develop minor ports, which would, in turn, develop coastal shipping.

Source: http://india.gov.in/

The following information has been developed to help employers and employees develop an effective fire protection program. This involves protecting shipyard employment workers from fire hazards while conducting ship repair, shipbuilding, shipbreaking, and related work activities as well as firefighting activities. Many of the basic tasks involved in shipyard employment, such as welding, grinding, and cutting metal with torches, provide an ignition source for fires.

There are also many combustible materials on vessels and in shipyards, including flammable fuels, cargo, wood structures, building materials, and litter. When torches are used in confined or enclosed spaces, accidents resulting in oxygen-enriched atmospheres can cause normally fire-resistant materials to readily burn. When fires do occur, employees are often working in confined or enclosed spaces making escape difficult or impossible. Fires in such confined or enclosed spaces can also result in atmospheres of combustible gases, toxic fumes, or oxygen-deficient air or super-heated air.

When the worksite has multiple employers, the host employer (typically the shipyard or the owner of the vessel) and the contract employer must assure: [1915.501(d)]

• That their fire safety plans are compatible (include hazards, controls, fire safety and health rules, and emergency procedures), and
• That all employees are familiar with the plan.
• That the plan is accessible to all employees.

Source: http://www.osha.gov/

Cleaner marine engines are now available to boaters. You can be more environmentally friendly by following a few tips when using your boat.

You Can Make a Difference In Preventing Marine Engine Pollution

Over 10 million marine engines are operated in the United States. These marine engines are among the highest contributors of hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions in many areas of the country. HC and NOx produce ground-level ozone, which irritates the respiratory system causing chest pain and lung inflammation. Ozone can also aggravate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma. Boaters can join many others who are working to make a difference in preventing pollution from marine engines.

Improving the Marine Engine

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set emission standards for commercial and recreational marine engines that went into effect in 1998. All engines will meet the standards by 2006, when the phased in implementation period is completed. To meet the stringent standards, the marine industry developed technology for a new generation of low emission, high performance engines that are available now to recreational boaters.

Boaters Can Prevent Pollution

Even with the new technology, the cooperation of individual boaters is essential in the effort to improve air quality and prevent pollution. Boaters can make a difference that will help protect the environment now and in the future by adopting the following practices:

• Limit engine operation at full throttle.
• Eliminate unnecessary idling.
• Avoid spilling gasoline.
• Use a gasoline container you can handle easily and hold securely.
• Pour slowly and smoothly.
• Use a funnel or a spout with an automatic stop device to prevent overfilling the gas tank.
• Close the vent on portable gas tanks when the engine is not in use or when the tank is stored.
• Transport and store gasoline out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place.
• Use caution when pumping gasoline into a container at the gas station.
• Carefully measure the proper amounts of gasoline and oil when refueling.
• Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule.
• Prepare engines properly for winter storage.
• Buy new, cleaner marine engines.

By combining these strategies, boaters can reduce pollution from marine engines and help improve air quality across the nation and protect public health.

Source: http://www.epa.gov/

Safe Manning

Every Cypriot ship should be in possession of a valid document of safe manning specifying the number and composition of her complement. Owners of Cypriot ships should apply to the Department of Merchant Shipping requesting the issue of a document of safe manning.

If the vessel is designed and constructed with unattended machinery spaces, or is provided with any other automated machinery or remote controls, on account of which the owner may seek reduced manning, then the owner should indicate these in his application and should request the vessel's classification society to advise the Department on these, including the corresponding class notation and confirm the class position of the vessel, as far as this notation is concerned.

If the vessel is to be engaged exclusively in trading in a particular geographical area and the owner seeks reduced manning on account of this, then he should indicate it by stating the names of the ports from which the vessel will be plying or by providing the geographical co-ordinates (latitude and longitude) and other appropriate information defining the geographical area in which the vessel will be sailing or by submitting an appropriately marked chart.

It is important to note that on application to the Minister of Communications and Works, dispensation from all the provisions of the manning regulations may be obtained if special circumstances apply.

Source: http://www.mcw.gov.cy/