Saturday, December 29, 2012

Port Strike Averted

According to a posting by the Maritime Executive and a release by the International Longshoremen's Association the proposed strike on United States East Coast ports has been averted, at least temporarily, while details of the plan are worked out.

This should be good news for Amver ships, particularly box ships that call on U.S. East Coast ports.

Photo credit: Fotolia

Friday, December 28, 2012

Happy New Year


Happy New Year from the Amver team.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Welcome Wednesday!

Even though it's the holiday season there are still seafarers at sea, and still ships enrolling in Amver. Here are the latest vessels to join the Amver system. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season!
  • ELM K
  • GLOVIS MELODY
  • MARCO POLOT
  • MIN SHENG 1
  • NBA REMBRANT
  • PACIFIC MELODY
  • SURI
  • THOR COMMANDER
  • TONGALA
  • VALE SHANDONG
Photo credit: Fotolia

Monday, December 24, 2012

Happy Holidays


Happy Holidays from the Amver team.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Life on the Ocean Wave: Treating Seafarers Fairly

Guest post by U.S. Coast Guard Captain Melissa Bert; Chief of the Office of Maritime and International Law.

Each year over 100,000 ships move 90 percent of global commerce with the help of 1.2 million seafarers. The United Sates Coast Guard is charged with protecting people on the sea, protecting people from threats delivered by the sea, and protecting the sea itself. We work closely with our sister agencies in government, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the maritime industry, to ensure passengers and goods move safely and securely on the world's oceans, while respecting the marine environment. As sailors ourselves, we also expect fair treatment of seafarers.

The Law of the Sea Convention, IMO conventions and International Labour Organziation instruments all make flag states responsible for upholding maritime standards and responding to marine casualties. Incidents resulting in major loss of life or significant pollution have strengthened these processes, along with flag state accountability. However, the seafarers involved in these incidents, the threat of abandonment remains a very real concern.

Between 2001 and 2010, over 130 ships and 1,600 seafarers were abandoned. In 2009, at the height of the global economic crisis, over 50 vessels were abandoned., leaving over 600 seafarers to fend for themselves. While the circumstances vary, an abandoned seafarer is often stranded far from home, and without means for support or transportation to his or her country.

Abandonment can be the result of a ship owner facing bankruptcy or the arrest of the vessel by creditors. Sometimes, vessels are abandoned as unseaworthy after port state control inspectors detain them. The threat of abandonment is also present in marine casualties and environmental crimes cases, when crew members are needed to provide testimony for investigators. The seafarers support the flag states at great personal peril, because once they provide information injurious to an employer, they risk any future employment in the maritime industry. Even with the potential for whistle blower compensation in a small segment of these cases, seafarers must weigh the benefit of providing important information that will enhance maritime safety, and protect world's oceans, against the possibility of being left destitute and without work.

Moreover, a seafarer risks alienation and physical retaliation when they come forward to assist with the investigations. Unlike individuals that assist with investigations of land-based incidents, seafarers are in the difficult position of providing information about their ship or shipmates. For them, it's not just a matter of providing information about their place of employment, it's an issue of addressing problems with the processes and people they live with, work with, and spend nearly every waking hour with to accomplish the work of the ship.

Many countries have their stories of seafarers being abandoned, and America is not immune to the problem. An environmental criminal prosecution in 1998 in Los Angeles, California, resulted in crewmembers spending weeks in homeless shelters and sleeping in the offices of the Seaman's Church Institute. These crewmembers had done nothing illegal, and yet they were effectively punished for supporting the United States in a pollution investigation.

However, not all vessel owners put seafarers in this position, as the overwhelming majority of companies take responsibility for their people. This should be the standard. For the past several years, the Coast Guard has encouraged policy makers to enact laws to prevent the Los Angeles script from unfolding again while not punishing the responsible leaders in the shipping industry.

Domestically, legislation has been introduced in the Senate annually for the past five years. The bills propose the creation of a fund, the corpus derived from the community service moneys awarded in environmental criminal prosecutions. The fund would not be fed by taxpayers or responsible companies and owners; Instead, the bad actors would bear the costs for housing law abiding seafarers, while they await testifying in American courts.

Internationally, the United States joins Canada, Spain, the Netherlands and France at the IMO, in the introduction of guidelines for seafarer treatment in maritime accidents. I look forward to supporting these efforts when I lead the United States delegation at the IMO Legal Committee meetings in London this coming spring.


Photo credit: Fotolia

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Amver ship saves sailors and dog near Jamaica


The Amver participating cargo ship CAP Domingo rescued three sailors and one dog from their 34 foot catamaran 160 miles west of Jamaica on November 30, 2012. The crew of the catamaran activated their Emergency Position Indicating Locator Beacon (EPIRB) after their boat struck a submerged object began taking on water.

Coast Guard rescue authorities in Miami received the alert and notified a maritime patrol aircraft in the region. A U.S. Navy P-3 Orion aircraft located the vessel and reported the crew had abandoned the catamaran into a life raft.

Coast Guard rescue personnel queried the Amver system and diverted the Marshall Island flagged bulk ship CAP Domingo to the distress location. The CAP Domingo, managed by Diana Shipping Services of Athens, Greece, came alongside the life raft and hoisted the three sailors and dog to safety.

The CAP Domingo (seen above under its former name CAP San Marco) enrolled in the Amver system on July 20, 2001 and has earned nine Amver awards for participation.

The survivor's family is arranging for their return to the United States.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com




Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Welcome Wednesday!

Who enrolled in Amver this past week? Take a look at the latest members of the Amver safety network. Why do they join Amver? To save lives. Are they successful? You bet they are. Just look at this case near Bermuda and this rescue in the Pacific. Help us welcome the latest members of the Amver family.
  • NORD SHANGHAI
  • HELLE KOSAN
  • LATIKA NAREE
  • CAPE IRIS
  • INCE KARADENIZ
  • VISHVA VIJAY
  • CURTINS REINAUER
  • STI TOPAZ
  • SAGA FALCON
  • KUNASHIR
  • VIRGO COLOSSUS
  • STENAWECO SPIRIT
  • ORANGE TIGER
  • OTZIAS
  • MSC FLAVIA
  • SONANGOL HUILA
  • SIVA ROTTERDAM
  • NAVIOS ORIANA
  • PRETTY KEEL
  • MSC RANIA
  • ANNABELL
  • DL JASMINE
  • ALLEGRO
  • FRIO
Photo credit: Fotolia

Monday, December 17, 2012

UPDATE: Amver ship rescues 2 Canadians near Bermuda

The Amver participant, SMT Bontrup, rescued 2 Canadian sailors after one of them suffered a medical emergency on their sailboat approximately 260 miles northwest of Bermuda.

The SMT Bontrup, managed by SMT Ship Management and Transport of Limassol, Cyprus, embarked the two sailors and were met by U.S. Coast Guard officials in Portland, Maine on Saturday, December 15, 2012.

 Coast Guard Captain Christopher Roberge presented an Amver pennant and certificate of appreciation to the captain and crew of the SMT Bontrup.

Photo credit: USCG submitted photo

Pacific sailor rescued by Amver ship Global Explorer

The sailing vessel Makalii and life raft adrift near Palmyra, Atoll.
Yachtsman James Blackford was rescued from his damaged sailboat on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 approximately 85 miles northwest of Palmyra, Atoll.

Blackford was sailing his 60 foot boat, the S/V Makalii, when it lost its mast and began taking on water near the tiny Pacific atoll. He activated his 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon which alerted U.S. Coast Guard rescue personnel in Honolulu. Rescue authorities immediately sent a rescue aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and diverted the Amver participating bulk carrier Global Explorer.

The rescue aircraft arrived on scene and dropped survival equipment and a radio to Blackford who was riding out the rough weather in his life raft. Weather conditions on scene were reported to be  heavy rain with rough seas and high winds from the east.

The Cayman Island flagged bulk carrier, Global Explorer, arrived on scene and reported to the Coast Guard that it was too dangerous to attempt a rescue at night and they would continue to monitor Blackford and try to rescue him in the morning. At 9:00 am the crew of the Global Explorer was able to hoist him aboard the ship uninjured.

The Global Explorer, managed by Misuga Kaiun Company of Japan, enrolled in the Amver system on August 31, 1997 and has earned 12 Amver participation awards.

Photo credit: USCG photo

 

Friday, December 14, 2012

Amver ship rescues 2 Canadians near Bermuda

Two Canadian sailors are safely aboard the Amver  participating ship SMT Bontrup after requiring medical evacuation from their 34 foot sloop 260 miles northwest of Bermuda on Wednesday, December 12, 2012.

The sailboat Chessa was headed towards Bermuda when one of the 65 year old Canadian sailors became ill. His partner contacted U.S. Coast Guard rescue authorities in Norfolk, Va. requesting assistance. "He passed out," stated the yachtsman about his sailing companion, "and a strong front is coming over and we are in the low."

The SMT Bontrup, a 656 foot bulk carrier, was sailing from Maracaibo, Venezuela when they were contacted by Coast Guard rescue personnel about the distress. Captain Krzysztof Szwed immediately agreed to divert and assist the sailors.

Three hours after the initial notification, Captain Szwed had the Bahamian Island flagged ship alongside the sloop and began hoisting the sailors aboard. "The first survivor was lifted on board because he could not walk on his legs," the Captain said in an email update to the Coast Guard, "the ship's crew is keeping a vigil by the survivor's cabin."

After a meal aboard the ship both survivors were feeling better and able to contact their families by satellite phone. The SMT Bontrup is sailing to Portland, Maine where the survivors will be met by Customs officials. The SMT Bontrup, managed by SMT Ship Management and Transport of Limassol, Cyprus, enrolled in Amver on January 1, 1979 and has earned 22 Amver awards for participation.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Welcome Wednesday!

We're in the final stretch of 2012. What a year it has been. From the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic to the sinking of the Baltic Ace, this has been a maritime year to remember. Thankfully our Amver partners have continued to support safety at sea. Another 21 vessels enrolled in Amver in the past week. Thank you for continuing to ensure no call for help goes unanswered. We look forward to seeing many of you in 2013!
  • APL PARIS
  • CARNIVAL BREEZE
  • CLIPPER AMBER
  • DARANEE NAREE
  • DESH SHOBHA
  • DINO CHOUEST
  • DOBONSOLO
  • HYUNDAI MIPO 2346
  • HYUNDAI OAKLAND
  • IOLCOS HARMONY
  • KAAN KALKAVAN
  • KING RICE
  • MARATHA PRUDENCE
  • NATICINA
  • NS ENERGY
  • PENNY MAE
  • POS OVELIA
  • SAM LION
  • TEXAS
  • TRITON
  • YUMETAMOU
Photo credit: Fotolia

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Amver ship assists ill sailor in the Atlantic

A Swedish sailor aboard a 34 foot catamaran can breathe a sigh of relief after being rescued by the Amver participating ship, Hansa Visby, after experiencing a medical emergency 1,475 miles south east of Bermuda on Thursday November 29, 2012.

The 44 year old male aboard the sailboat Ipixuna contacted local rescue authorities in Gris Nez who then contacted U.S. Coast Guard rescue personnel. The U.S. Coast Guard ran an Amver Surface Picture (SURPIC) and located the 511 foot general cargo ship Hansa Visby 175 miles away from the sailboat and sailing in its direction.  The sailboat, cargo ship, and Coast Guard authorities maintained a two hour communications schedule.

The Hansa Visby, managed by Leonhardt and Blumberg of Hamburg, Germany, arrived on scene and lowered a harness down the pilot ladder. The sick yachtsman from the Ipixuna climbed aboard the cargo ship from a small tender. His brother joined him aboard the ship. The crew of the Hansa Visby provided medical attention to the ill sailor while continuing on their journey to Suriname.

The Hansa Visby enrolled in Amver on January 1, 1989 and has earned 20 Amver Awards for participation.

Photo credit: marinetraffic.com

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Welcome Wednesday!

What's the benefit of enrolling in Amver? Besides earning Amver awards, your participation increases the likelihood search and rescue professionals will find a ship near a distress location. That is the difference between life and death for a seafarer. Isn't that reason enough? Help us welcome the latest members of the Amver network, committed to ensuring no call for help goes unanswered.
  • AMAZON
  • BIANCO VICTORIA BULKER
  • BOW DALIAN
  • CAPE SEAGULL
  • COLORADO
  • CREST NAVIGATOR
  • E.R. BERN
  • GLOVIS MAESTRO
  • HERODOTUS
  • JENNY MCCALL
  • KEY SPRING
  • KISHORE
  • KORSARO
  • MAINLAND
  • MANDARIN NOBLE
  • MELL STAMFORD
  • PATAGONIA
  • SAHAM
  • SIRA
  • TAQAH
  • TIMUCIN A
  • TINI
  • WESTERN KOBE
Photo credit: Fotolia

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Amver awards in Dubai

We're just back from a visit to Seatrade Middle East Maritime where we had the pleasure of presenting a host of Amver awards to our Middle Eastern Amver partners in a regional awards ceremony.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were represented in a ceremony recognizing 26 companies and over 100 vessels. If you don't think the shipping sector in the Middle East is large consider this, there was a combined 688 years of continued service to Amver represented at the ceremony!

The ceremony was a fantastic way to recognize the Middle Eastern shipping community's dedication to safety at sea and we look forward to hosting an even larger ceremony at Seatrade Middle East Maritime in 2014.

Congratulations to all the award recipients!

Photos of the event are available here.

Photo credit: Beverly Howard