Wavelength #29

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Volume 3, Issue 29, September 2008

To r Sea each far ou er r s

avelength The CENTROFIN Newsletter This, in turn, would affect transportation strategies, global production plant locations as well as the underlying logic of current global trade flows.

A recently published analysis concluded that “higher energy prices are impacting transport costs at an unprecedented rate.

Rising Oil Prices Impact on Fuel Prices & Transport Costs Compliments United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Transport Newsletter No 39 - Second Quarter 2008 (Extracts) With rising oil prices and their impact on fuel prices and transport costs, analysts are concerned about the potential implications for global trade growth and changing trade patterns.

Rising costs of oil and fuel Transport costs are determined by a combination of factors, including geography, trade volumes, economies of scale, infrastructure and administrative processes.

Fuel oil, a key cost factor, predominates the energy mix used in transportation. As a result, the relentless rise in oil prices since 2007 is fuelling concerns over the potential implications for transport costs and trade.

At over US$140 a barrel in June 2008, some trade observers are suggesting that globalisation may be hindered and trade patterns changed.

In fact, in tariffequivalent terms, the explosion in global transport costs has effectively offset all the trade liberalisation efforts of the last three decades. Not only does this suggest a major slowdown in the growth of world trade, but also a fundamental realignment in trade patterns”.

Another analysis reached a different conclusion, stating that “it might be considered that higher transport rates caused by higher fuel prices ought to reduce demand for logistics services. Yet the present picture on this is very mixed, with sea freight and, to a lesser extent, air freight, volumes still growing modestly. Leading global container shipping companies, have both recently reported robust demand in most areas of their business.

What has not happened, apparently, is any change in behaviour in the transport market. There is anecdotal evidence that some major shippers are considering adapting their inventory policy to reflect higher transport costs, yet objective evidence of demand does not indicate this. It seems shippers are absorbing some logistics costs in markets which still have sufficient demand. Financial sector bulls such as Goldman Sachs are suggesting there has been a structural change in the energy market which will lead to much higher fuel prices for much of the next decade. That may be so.

However, it has yet to feed through into lower demand for freight transport”. These seemingly conflicting views converge, however, on the importance of oil prices for transportation costs.

Industry News

Piracy:

Somalia and Gulf of Aden - *Update*

A Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) is to be established in the Gulf of Aden. A force of Coalition Navy warships will patrol the area and aircraft will fly in the airspace above.

The coordinates of the suggested corridor through the Gulf of Aden are: Waypoint: 12 15N 045E

In this issue pg 2

Groundings pg 4

Maslow's - hierarchy of needs pg 8-9

Safety First !! pg 10

Rising Oil Prices Impact on Fuel Prices & Transport Costs pg 15

Engine failures on new ships hits ‘shocking' high

cont'd on pg 10 Waypoint: 12 35N 045E Waypoint: 13 35N 049E Waypoint: 13 40N 049E Waypoint: 14 10N 050E Waypoint: 14 15N 050E Waypoint: 14 35N 053E Waypoint: 14 45N 053E. While Coalition ships have previously conducted routine operations as part of a continual presence in this region, the establishment of the MSPA will focus efforts to counter

TO THE MASTER: Please circulate copies of this Bulletin to the CREW.

destabilizing activities and improve security in support of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) ongoing efforts for a long term solution.

Commodore Bob Davidson (Canadian Navy), commander Combined Task Force 150, will command naval forces in the patrol area. > 22nd August 2008: Recent reports of attacks in the Gulf of

cont'd on pg 2

Groundings We have received the following letter, from VIDEOTEL, self explanatory, dated September 6, 2008. “�Dear Master / Manager, In the July e-newsletter we asked for your experiences and advice on the increasing number of Groundings and Engine Failures.

We would like to thank those who put a lot of thought and effort into the early responses, which have been analysed.

The results for the most important categories are shown here. There are plenty of good ideas here for us all to feed back into improved training.

Regards,

Len Holder Chairman Videotel Marine International

Note: Comments can be sent by email to wavelength@centrofin.gr for further forwarding to Chairman Captain Len Holder. This being a feedback-exercise only we welcome and encourage your suggestions, at your most convenient time.

With our best wishes for 'smooth seas', Yours, Ed.

- pg 3 temperament, or a desire to do things better or get the best out of things. A company on the other hand can implement the value by continually evaluating and upgrading its procedures, the way it interacts with its customers, the way it treats its employees, and many other ways.

Human Traits & Values Human Traits & Values (Comment Behaviour) (In continuation from previous issues 27 & 28 under the same title. Final part) 4.- Example Values We have already presented some thoughts on the most interesting personal values; namely: Simplicity, Harmony, Content over Form, Concern for Others, Practicality, Integrity/Honesty, Results Oriented and Hard Work. We complete this feature article with the last three ones below: Continuous Improvement/Progress One of the most interesting values in life is one's innate desire for continuous improvement. Both individuals and organisations, such as a business, can adopt this value. For example, continuous improvement for an individual might come in the form of a continuous urge to increase one's knowledge and skills in an area, a desire to improve one's attitudes and

from pg 1

Piracy:

Somalia and Gulf of Aden - *Update*

Any value when applied can create a positive response from life. Consider how an individual's interest in implementing a value of continuous improvement for the company can create a positive result that comes out of nowhere.

Respect for the Individual One of the most significant personal values is to look on every person as a special, unique individual. This form of deep respect for each person has the power of generating good will, great happiness, and great achievement.

Every time you meet someone listen to their story and show a great interest and respect.

Also, see what unique perspective, knowledge, or insight they can offer. Then be totally responsive to their interests. Make this a regular daily habit in life. Ultimately, make this a value that you cherish.

SELF-ANALYSIS Think about two to five values that have shaped your life. If necessary, refer to the list above. Also think about specific ways they have benefited you in your life.

Now review the list above and consider which one or two new values you would like to implement in your life. Now think about the specific ways you can implement them.

Then come up with a detailed action plan (using specific dates for action) to implement the values in your life. Make sure you review your plan down the line to evaluate the progress you are making so far.

Make your values the cornerstone of your life.

Contemplate them deeply and see that they fill all aspects of your life and being.

speedboats and armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers.

The IMB maintains its advice that ships not making scheduled calls to ports in Somalia should keep as far away as possible from the Somalia coast - ideally more than 200 nautical miles.

The Association understands there is other advice that ships transiting the Gulf of Aden should - where possible:

>stay no more than 35 to 40 Aden suggest that Somali pirates have migrated into the area, possibly operating from a 'mother ship' to attack shipping from

nautical miles off the coast of Yemen >not pass between the island of Socotra and Somalia >stay at least 50 nautical miles to

Latest Tanker Operator news Second MISC tanker hijacked (Sep 1 2008) A second MISC-owned tanker has been hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden in the last 10 days, the vessel's owner said in a statement.

The 'Bunga Melati 5' with a crew of 41 crew - 36 Malaysians and five Filipinos - was hijacked on Friday off the coast of Yemen, which has seen a spate of piracy incidents in recent weeks.

MISC Berhad said in a statement that it, “.....regrets to inform that another of its chemical tankers, 'Bunga Melati 5' has, been hijacked by unknown pirates ... on 29th August. The incident occurred in international waters off the coast of Yemen. “'Bunga Melati 5' was sailing within the vicinity of the designated security corridor. The vessel attempted evasive manoeuvring before being overpowered by the hijackers," the statement said.

The 32,000 dwt tanker was fully laden with 30,000 tonnes of petrochemicals and was heading towards Singapore from Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, the company said.

On 20th August, the near sister 'Bunga Melati Dua' with 39 crew on board was seized by pirates in the same area.

As of Saturday, the vessel remained in the hands of the pirates.

MISC had reported one death thus far - a Filipino crew member -who died in what was called an 'accident' while the tanker was being hijacked.

the north or east of the coast of Socotra.

The following links are available on the IMB piracy website: Securing your ship with a nonlethal electrifying fence Track your ship with a reliable ship tracking device Report incidents to: IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel + 60 3 2078 5763 Fax + 60 3 2078 5769 Telex MA34199 IMBPCI Email: imbkl@icc-ccs.org 24 Hours Anti Piracy HELPLINE Tel: + 60 3 2031 0014

UK Maritime Trade Operations (MTO) Dubai operates a Merchant Vessel Voluntary Reporting Scheme.

Tel +971 50 552 3215 Fax: +971 4 306 5710 Email: ukmto@eim.ae Members and ships are advised to report immediately any attacks and suspicious movements of craft to your Company Security Officer and to UKMTO in the first instance and then to the IMB piracy reporting centre To the Ship’s Master: Kindly refer to your Ship Security Plan, any security / piracy updates that you receive from the Head Office, and contact your CSO for any queries,comments you may have.

Maslow's - hierarchy of (Psychology) (From Wikipaedia, the free encyclopedia) Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology, proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation, which he subsequently extended to include his observations of humans' innate curiosity.

Maslow studied, what he called, exemplary people such as Albert Einstein, Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglass rather than mentally ill or neurotic people, writing that "the study of crippled, stunted, immature, and unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy." Maslow also studied the healthiest one percent of the college student population. In his book, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature, Maslow writes, "By ordinary standards of this kind of laboratory research... this simply was not research at all. My generalisations grew out of my selection of certain kinds of people. Obviously, other judges are needed."

Representations This diagram shows Maslow's hierarchy of needs, represented as a pyramid with the more primitive needs at the bottom.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels: the four lower levels are grouped together as being associated with Physiological needs, while the top level is termed growth needs associated with psychological needs. Deficiency needs must be met first. Once these are met, seeking to satisfy growth needs drives personal growth. The higher needs in this hierarchy only come into focus when the lower needs in the pyramid are satisfied.

Once an individual has moved upwards to the next level, needs in the lower level will no longer be prioritized. If a lower set of needs is no longer being met, the individual will temporarily re-prioritize those needs by focusing attention on the unfulfilled needs, but will not permanently regress to the lower level.

For instance, a businessman at the esteem level who is diagnosed with cancer will spend a great deal of time concentrating on his health (physiological needs), but will continue to value his work performance (esteem needs) and will likely return to work during periods of remission.

Deficiency needs

Safety needs

The first four layers of the pyramid are what Maslow called "deficiency needs" or "D-needs": if they are not met, the body gives no indication of it physically, but the individual feels anxious and tense. The deficiency needs are: survival needs, safety and security, love and belonging, and esteem.

With their physical needs relatively satisfied, the individual's safety needs take over and dominate their behavior.

These needs have to do with people's yearning for a predictable, orderly world in which injustice and inconsistency are under control, the familiar frequent and the unfamiliar rare. In the world of work, these safety needs manifest themselves in such things as a preference for job security, grievance procedures for protecting the individual from unilateral authority, savings accounts, insurance policies, and the like.

Physiological needs (survival)

These are the basic human needs for such things as food, warmth, water, and other bodily needs. If a person is hungry or thirsty or their body is chemically unbalanced, all of their energies turn toward remedying these deficiencies and other needs remain inactive. Maslow explains that "Anyone who attempts to make an emergency picture into a typical one and who will measure all of man's goals and desires by his[her] behavior during extreme physiological deprivation, is certainly blind to many things. It is quite true that man lives by bread alone when there is no bread".

The physiological needs of the organism (those enabling homeostasis) take first precedence. These consist mainly of (in order of importance): > Breathing > Drinking > Eating > Excretion > Sex If some needs are not fulfilled, a person's physiological needs take the highest priority. Physiological needs can control thoughts and behaviors and can cause people to feel sickness, pain, and discomfort.

This diagram shows Maslow's hierarchy of needs, represented as a pyramid with the more primitive needs at the bottom.

For the most part, physiological and safety needs are reasonably well satisfied in the Developed World. The obvious exceptions, of course, are people outside the mainstream the poor and the disadvantaged. If frustration has not led to apathy and weakness, such people still struggle to satisfy the basic physiological and safety needs. They are primarily concerned with survival: obtaining adequate food, clothing, shelter, and seeking justice from the dominant societal groups.

Safety and Security needs include: Personal security from crime Financial security Health and well-being Safety net against accidents/illness and the adverse impacts

> > > >

Social needs After physiological and safety needs are fulfilled, the third layer of human needs is social. This psychological aspect of Maslow's hierarchy involves emotionallybased relationships in general, such as: > friendship > intimacy > having a supportive and communicative family Humans need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, whether it comes from a large social group, such as clubs, office culture, religious groups, professional organizations, sports teams, or small social connections (family members, intimate partners, mentors, close colleagues, confidants). They need to love and be loved (sexually and nonsexually) by others. In the absence of these elements, many people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and clinical depression. This need for belonging can often overcome the physiological and security needs, depending on the strength of the peer pressure; an anorexic, for example, ignores the need to eat and the security of health for a feeling of control and belonging.

- pg 5 -

needs Esteem needs All humans have a need to be respected, to have self-esteem, self-respect, and to respect others. People need to engage themselves to gain recognition and have an activity or activities that give the person a sense of contribution, to feel accepted and self-valued, be it in a profession or hobby.

Imbalances at this level can result in low self-esteem or inferiority complexes. People with low self-esteem need respect from others. They may seek fame or glory, which again depends on others. It may be noted, however, that many people with low selfesteem will not be able to improve their view of themselves simply by receiving fame, respect, and glory externally, but must first accept themselves internally.

Psychological imbalances such as depression can also prevent one from obtaining self-esteem on both levels.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Every week in the MAIB, we are briefed on the latest accidents and incidents that our teams are investigating. In virtually every case, as the incident unfolds in front of us, we can see what is going to happen. You can feel an air of disbelief in the room that the players in the accident can’t see it coming and don’t step in to stop it.

The prime purpose of the Safety Digest is to use the hindsight provided by other incidents to arm you with the foresight to avoid accidents yourself. All of us who go to sea – for work or for pleasure – believe accidents happen to other people, never to us. Thankfully accidents are relatively infrequent, so few of us have first-hand experience to warn of the hazards lurking. Regular readers of the Safety Digest tell me that it provides them with an invaluable reminder every 4 months of the dangers of seafaring.

Complacency is one of the greatest threats to the mariner. Much of what we do – planning, navigation, watchkeeping, maintenance, shooting and recovering fishing nets, cargo handling – is repetitive. When these tasks become routine, they become dangerous. Please take time to read the cases in the edition of the Safety Digest. Remind yourselves of the hazards that are lurking. Are you being as safety conscious as you could be? Do you have things in place to ensure that none of these accidents could happen to you? As I say, hindsight is a wonderful thing – let's use it with these cases to stop accidents in the future.

Growth needs Though the deficiency needs may be seen as "basic", and can be met and neutralized (i.e. they stop being motivators in one's life), self-actualization and transcendence are "being" or "growth" needs (also termed "B-needs"); i.e. they are enduring motivations or drivers of behavior.

Aesthetic needs Based on Maslow's beliefs, it is stated in the hierarchy humans need beautiful imagery or something new and aesthetically pleasing to continue towards SelfActualization. Humans need to refresh themselves in the presence and beauty of nature while carefully absorbing and observing their surroundings to extract the beauty the world has to offer.

Criticisms While Maslow's theory was regarded as an improvement over previous theories of personality and motivation, it had its detractors. For example, in their extensive review of research which is dependent on Maslow's theory, Wahba and Bridgewell found little evidence for the ranking of needs Maslow described, or even for the existence of a definite hierarchy at all. A study conducted in 2002 forwards this thought, claiming: "the hierarchy of needs is nothing more than a fool's daydream; there is no possible way to classify everchanging needs as society changes”.

Chilean economist and philosopher Manfred Max Neef has also argued fundamental human needs are non-hierarchical, and are ontologically universal and invariant in nature - part of the condition of being human; poverty, he argues, is the result of any one of these needs being frustrated, denied or unfulfilled.

Ed.

English Idioms

Boys will be boys. Youthful exuberance or indiscretions must be tolerated. A retort to the expression by one less tolerant is sometimes 'Boys will be men' Honeymoon. A holiday spent together by a newly married couple. The word was originally used for the first month of marriage, although 'moon' does not mean 'month' here, as sometimes supposed. The reference is to the moon as sweetness and is ironic, for no sooner is it full than begins to wane. Other languages have a like term.

To be at loggerheads. To be in a state of disagreement or dispute with someone.

'Loggerhead', an old word for a stupid person, is probably from the dialect word 'logger', a heavy block of wood, plus 'head'. It was also used for an iron implement with a bulbous end that was heated to melt tar, and conceivably the expression originally referred to a fight using these or similar objects as weapons.

Pie in the sky. The good time or good things promised that will never come; that will never be realised. You will eat, bye and bye / In the glorious land above the sky / Work and pray, live on hay / You'll get pie in the sky when you die. (By Joe Hill Songs of the Workers 1911)

One of the primary aims of safety management is to learn lessons and to apply them to drive improvement. There has long been one area, however, in which lessons are seemingly not being learned, that of entry into confined spaces.

The cold hard fact remains that people keep dying through these confined space entry (CSE) incidents. Vanuatu Fleet Safety Letter 04071.GEN/2004 states that each year tens of thousands of workers enter enclosed spaces that have not been properly vented and tested for either gas accumulation or oxygen content; hundreds, perhaps thousands, are overcome as a result; and scores die.

In response to this, six Maritime Administrations, led by Vanuatu,with assistance from The UK, Latvia, Cyprus, Marshall Islands and Germany, have come together to compile and catalogue separate confined space incidents in order to better appreciate the scale of the problem, and to see where the risks can be mitigated and actions taken to bring about improvements.

The efforts were in part prompted by talks at the Marine Accident Investigators International Forum (MAIIF) meeting in Beijing last year. The needless loss of lives due to improper CSE was highlighted and a project was agreed in which data was to be collection and ultimately a paper on the subject is to be delivered to the IMO. Donald Sheetz, the Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs, Republic of Vanuatu was chosen to lead the project. So far this has seen the compilation of an ever increasing list of incidents and accidents, deaths and injuries, across many different flag States from 1993 to date, but still more information is needed.

According to Mr Sheetz, “The information Obtained so far is very troubling as the problem we originally identified may be even larger than anticipated.”

In reviewing the data produced, there has been a realisation that we perhaps need to recategorise the concept of confined spaces. Mr Sheetz added, “a confined space may be any space, of any size, containing cargo, oil, water, petroleum, or nothing at all. A confined space may even be a cabin.”

The research thus far, has identified that the

issue of CSE is not solely about entering potentially dangerous spaces. The issue is far more complex, and is therefore a “multidimensional problem”, one where any space could, by virtue of its cargo, lack of oxygen, use of toxic chemicals, gaseous atmosphere, inerting, temperature or humidity, etc, cause death or injury, either shortly after entry or even several hours later.

It is not a matter of size either, according to the research, the space could be small enough to permit access only to a person’s head or as vast as an entire cargo hold. Though of course the fact that we are still learning about the places that can pose so much danger is deeply troubling.

While there is no shortage of advice and procedures on entry techniques and safety measures, there are still far too many accidents, according to Sheetz the maritime industry has done a terrible job putting procedures into practice and of ensuring personnel are properly trained.

Sheetz believes that progress can be made, and that, “training, education, awareness, signage, SMS, etc., All play a part in stopping the tragic loss of life associated with persons entering into, or working in, confined spaces”.

However, in order to progress we must document and understand the level of the problem, and that is why this project is so important. Consult ISM fully supports this nitiative being taken by Vanuatu and the other involved Flag States and would encourage whole-hearted support to Mr Sheetz and his colleagues.

The Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA) guidelines were launched in 2004 as a guide to best practice for tanker operations. The programme developed by the Oil Companies’ International Maritime Forum (OCIMF) looked to build on the foundations of the ISM Code.

While the ISM Code was the vanguard of the change in culture within the shipping industry, the standards and philosophies it introduced have been built upon by TMSA to move even further towards a more accountable and transparent safety culture.

The scheme meshes with the Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE), and thus provides a link between the perceptions of owners and of the vetting inspectors. Though unlike SIRE, where reports are sold to subscribers, the results remain in the hands of the operators.

TMSA has evolved into a major risk assessment tool, used to assess whether a ship should be accepted to carry an oil or gas cargo. Some 728 ship operators have access to the TMSA website, with global interest reflecting tanker ownership, with 107 users in Greece, 66 in Japan, 49 in Singapore and 62 in the US. The TMSA programme provides ship operators with a means to measure and improve their management systems. The scheme sees ship operators assessing their operational, safety, quality, and environmental procedures against listed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Compliments www.consultism.co.uk

The results of these assessments can then be used to develop an improvement plan, to achieve “safety and environmental excellence”. The scheme has been a widely acknowledged success, and has been credited with the improvement of management practices throughout the tanker sector. However, all things must evolve and so on the 1st July 2008 a revised and enhanced Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA2) programme was launched.

Note: Enclosed Space Entry "ESE", for the Centrofin System Please forward your feedback to wavelength@centrofin.gr

After much consultation and development work, the new edition of the TMSA has set out to improve some key areas in the programme. The guidance on achieving the required improvements in performance

If you have any submissions that may further aid this study, please send them to email@vanuatuships.com with “Confined Space Entry” in the subject line.

- pg 7 -

has been enhanced, as has the ability to react to and build upon the experiences and feedback from OCIMF members, vessel operators and other Industry Organisations. This means that those within the scheme can quickly implement best practise, and so can achieve the necessary progress against their own KPI’s the scheme requires.

The TMSA 2 update also ensures consistency with the current international conventions and industry practices. So the scheme has been brought right up to date and instep with the current legislation that has emerged since the 2004 launch.

Amongst other improvements, there has been a re-arrangement of many of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) into a more logical sequence, and perceived anomalies in the text have been clarified.

While the programme has seen a significant overhaul, TMSA2 keeps to the original aims of helping ship operators measure and improve their safety management systems, while encouraging detailed and consistent assessments of safety management.

One of the primary changes is in expanding the scope of TMSA to help encourage the programme to be fully utilised by all tank vessel operators, including those operating small coastal vessels and barges. As such the new version of the system takes account of the variety of users, referring to ‘vessels’ rather than ‘tankers’ in its text. This move away from the more traditional “larger” vessels has therefore opened the scheme to a wider audience. As such nontanker operators are increasingly buying into the best practice generated by TMSA. Indeed it appears that bulk carrier operators and owners are now beginning to use the scheme as a means of assessing their own safety management systems.

The fact that other sectors are looking to learn from the significant success the tanker trade has had in reducing accidents and of the “long hard look in the mirror” that TMSA forces operators to undertake is hugely positive. Learning from others and harnessing best practise can only make vessels safer, and it seems the great tool that TMSA is set to be even more valuable to shipping with this new version.

See www.ocimf-tmsa.com

Across a number of high profile recent accidents, we have been shocked and disappointed by the number of “experienced” seafarers that have made lethal mistakes, acting without taking proper precautions. Such actions taken by people with many years of seagoing experience, have made us assess the issue of whether “time served” is a robust enough concept, and whether there is a greater role for schemes such as INTERTANKO’s Tanker Officer Training Standards (TOTS) initiative across all vessel types.

TOTS is an ambitious and innovative project, which seeks to move away from simply counting dates and days at sea, but instead looks at the actual skills and experience gained.

The main aims of the system are to provide the tanker industry with a clear standard of tanker officer competence, and to produce consistent onboard and onshore training and assessment.

TOTS is also aimed at addressing the reported current rise in tanker accidents.

In addition, the scheme is designed for shipping companies that use officer matrix requirements as a means of easing the difficulties often encountered when managing differing oil company requirements.

The “officer matrix” elements often pose operational difficulties for owners, particularly in the current manning climate. An officer’s experience in rank and familiarity with the company operating and ISM systems, are vital elements for safe operations.

However, it seems that tanker owners are increasingly finding themselves subject to “time in rank” and “time with company” requirements which are competing and contradictory, and which can be difficult to comply with. These pressures led INTERTANKO to develop the TOTS system as a means to establish officers’ competence for general shipboard operations, as well as for specific tanker types such as crude, product and chemical tankers.

The aim is for TOTS to be accepted as the norm for competent tanker officers, while providing an alternative measuring tool to “sea time” or “calendar years” for both time in rank and with the company. TOTS does not replace the officer matrix requirements, it simply eases compliance with the requirements, by offering a structured, controlled auditable process to ensure the officer in question has undergone enhanced competency training and has an understanding of compliance with industry rules and regulations, as well as the company safety management system.

The scheme does appear to be a positive step, and a means of better applying the requirements of Chapter 6 of The ISM Code, “Resources and Personnel”. Amongst these requirements the Company must ensure the following: 6.4 The Company should ensure that all personnel involved in the Company’s safety management system have an adequate understanding of relevant rules, regulations, codes and guidelines. 6.5 The Company should establish and maintain procedures for identifying any training which may be required in support of the safety management system and ensure that such training is provided for all personnel concerned.

It seems to us at ConsultISM, that the knowledge, experience, competence and skill are far more important than simple time served. A scheme such as this which can aid not simply the Company, but which streamlines commercial business while easing the burden on the very best officers is an important development, and one which should be applauded.

With recognition from The Nautical Institute and IMarEST it would seem that we are not alone in our praise for TOTS. We hope that in training ships’ officers to understand not only what they have to do and when to do it, but also the consequences of not doing things right, we will see a generation of tanker officers who are freed of the burden imposed by counting calendar dates, and who are able instead to concentrate on learning the skills which will keep them, their colleagues, the environment, their vessels and cargoes safe.

See www.intertanko.com Compliments www.consultism.co.uk Note by the DPA: The TOTS initiative is a good effort in the right direction and can mature into a full evaluation, training and development tool for our company.

Safety First !!

Message from the DPA: Among the commonest areas on board where incidents involving loss of life occur are enclosed spaces. Our industry has gained vast experience over the years from these accidents, yet still we see even today that there are many repeat cases which sadly lead to death. By nature, enclosed space entry is an event that is voluntary (it cannot be forced upon you like, for example, a fire), and is repetitive (similar principles apply in all cases, even when conditions differ). It Is therefore very simple to take the precautionary measures and avoid such incidents. Your manuals and publications contain important instructions which should always be complied with. The key points, however, can be summarized as follows: Planning / Preparedness / Assessment of Risk Ventilation and atmosphere checks Entry Permit and authorisation Proper Supervision and communications use of PPE Remember that many seafarers have perished in the past; the result is the present day level of safety awareness and knowledge. Please do not waste their sacrifice for your own sake please follow procedures always.

Anthony Lambros / Q&S Manager DPA I welcome your comments, suggestions or feedback on the contents of this column (Safety First!) at <q&s@centrofin.gr>.

Case Study: Machinery breakdown and subsequent fire Vessel: Source:

Container applicable to all vessels â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alert!â&#x20AC;? The International Maritime Human Element Bulletin Issue15/9/7

The 51931grt container ship had just left port when an engine room alarm sounded indicating that pressure in the steam system was low. On investigation, it was discovered that steam was escaping from the auxiliary boiler air intake.

Feed quality water from storage tanks was transferred to the main feed tank by an automatic or manually controlled pump. The boiler control system sensed the level of water in the boiler and altered the position of the feed control valve accordingly, to maintain the correct level of water depending on steam demand. Sensors were fitted to turn off the burner flame if the water level fell too low and prevent the boiler from overheating.

A second feed water pump was started to boost the flow of water into the auxiliary boiler. This was intended to help replace the feed water that was being lost as steam through the crack into the furnace and maintain a constant supply to the Exhaust Gas Economiser (EGE). The feed water transfer pump was also switched to automatic mode to ensure that a supply of feed water was available for the auxiliary boiler.

About 1½ hours after the steam system alarm had sounded, a rapid rise in the temperature of the EGE was noticed and the chief engineer realised that there was a fire inside the EGE casing. The crew attempted to fight the fire with a water hose and a fire

extinguisher, but were beaten back by the heat and smoke and the ER was evacuated.

The main ER CO2 gas smothering system was activated, but failed to discharge correctly. The fire was contained using water hoses to cool its boundaries and was finally extinguished.

The report concludes that the most likely cause of the fire was a malfunction of the auxiliary boiler control mechanism, which allowed the burner to keep firing with too little water in the boiler. This overheated the furnace, causing the distortion and cracking of a fire tube. As feed water was lost through the crack, the supply of water to the EGE failed, causing it to overheat. Soot deposits which had accumulated within the EGE ignited.

The report also comments on a number of other human element issues with respect to firefighting techniques, maintenance and equipment checks and operating procedures; and language difficulties and poor communication resulting in a lack of leadership in controlling the machinery breakdown and fighting the fire.

Note: This summary highlights some of the human element issues arising from this Incident. The full report can be downloaded from: www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources/ Maersk%20Doha-published.pdf

- pg 9 Safety Bulletin 08-05

Case Study: Vessel: Source:

Contact incident while at anchorage Tanker applicable to all vessels Company's records

I. Details of incident and course of events During the delivery of the vessel to her new Owners, she was moored at buoy No.53/54, Kaohsiung Harbour, with ship's stem facing Buoy No.53. The vessel was made fast by 2 sets of mooring ropes with 3 pieces, each for ship's fore & aft. The ship's mooring to Buoy No.53/54 was conducted by the crew of previous Owner. The taking over Master was on board along with the Chief Engineer for the duration of the previous voyage for familiarization purposes and was aware of the mooring arrangements.

The vessel was delivered at noon to the new Owners and 25 more persons new crew took over the vessel. On this day, the weather was calm, forecast observed, mooring lines watched and main engine kept at 15 min readiness.

OUR OWN TRACK RECORD How do we measure up?

D&A Positive Testing Results

At 1927 hours on the same day (i.e. just 7.5 hours after her delivery), the fore mooring ropes (3 pieces) were all broken at mooring buoy side due to sudden strong wind gust and the vessel started to turn to starboard side.

Immediate notice was given to engine and crew was alerted.

The accident was reported to Kaohsiung port control and urgent tugs assistance was requested.

At 1937 hours the vessel continued to turn to starboard and contacted wharf No.53 by bulbous bow and passed a nearby vessel berthed at wharf No.54. At 1943 hours main engine was tested and found ready for maneuvering. At 1950 hours the vessel turned to opposite course and dropped port anchor 1 shackle into the water. Shortly afterwards, at 2048 hours the pilot boarded for shifting the vessel to wharf No.55 and then she made fast to wharf No.55 at 2242 hours on April 2, 2007.

Temporary repairs were carried out at Kaohsiung and then vessel proceeded for permanent repairs at Singapore.

In order to comply with international standards and OCIMF guidelines, the company operates a strict D&A abuse policy. The importance of adhering to this policy is well known to all seafarers and the results that any deviation can have may be catastrophic. In the course of ensuring that the requirements of this policy are met, the company performs D&A tests which can be either pre-joining tests or unannounced tests on board. Refusing to submit to a test or a positive result in one will lead to severe disciplinary action on the part of the company up to and including dismissal of the seafarer.

Over the past ten years a total of 27,481 D&A tests have been performed on seafarers employed or about to be employed by the company, and a total of 11 cases have been found positive.

II. Incident Investigation The Head Office and owners P&I appointed a surveyor to provide a detailed investigation report. Head Office superintendent engineer was also attending on board.

III. Root cause of the incident Sudden strong wind, inadequate type of mooring arrangement and use of worn ropes/wires performed by previous crew.

Even though the Master had been on board for some time, the new crew failed to evaluate properly the risk involved and to identify the mooring arrangement problems.

IV. Suggested preventive actions The case was discussed onboard and ashore during a meeting of company department heads. It was decided that a new form/checklist would be introduced for new deliveries, which includes (among others) the details leading to this incident. In addition, it was decided that a detailed Risk Assessment for taking over a vessel would be performed that would cover all possible risks arising thereof.

A copy of the full reports can be obtained by contacting the company's Q&S department.

Rising Oil Prices Impact on Fuel Prices & Transport Costs from pg 1

In this context and while not disputing the importance of spiralling energy prices and their potential long term implications for transport and trade, it is, nevertheless, important that general conclusions should not be drawn at this stage. A comprehensive assessment of rising energy prices on transport and trade should be broad in scope and reflect the global and multidimensional nature of the issue. Analysis of the consequences of rising oil prices would not be complete if conducted in isolation from other closely linked factors that could offset or amplify effects. These include energy security, environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation, technological improvements, efficiency gains and initiatives aimed at reducing trade transaction costs (e.g. transport and trade facilitation). Pressure to increase speed, reliability and ensure just-in-time delivery has lead to the use of faster and more energy-intensive modes such as road transport.

Determinants of maritime transport costs

transport and on aviation fuel are virtually nonexistent.

To suggest that fuel costs are the single most important determinant of trade costs could be misleading, as direct transport costs in the form of freight rates are just a fraction of the entire trade transaction costs.

Maritime freight rates themselves are determined by numerous other factors, such as trade imbalances, economies of scale, levels of competition, port infrastructure, private sector participation in port operations, and the type and value of the goods traded.

As a result, no mechanism is in place to deflect the full effect of rising prices from maritime transport end users. The maritime industry can, however, take action to avoid spiralling freight rates.

Nevertheless, estimated to carry 90 per cent of world merchandise trade (volume; excluding intra-European Union trade), maritime transport remains the backbone supporting globalisation and at the core of global transport strategies.

Fuel costs are now estimated to account for more than half of the overall operating costs of a shipping company. According to Germanischer Lloyd, by November 2007, fuel accounted for 63 per cent of the operating costs of an 8,000-twenty-foot-equivalent-unit (TEU) container ship.

A closer look at the shipping sector reveals that ship bunkering prices in Rotterdam were 83 per cent higher in June 2008 than in June 2007, and the bunkering bill of major shipping lines was 67 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2008 than in the first quarter of 2007.

Unlike in the case of domestic transport, taxes on international bunker fuel for maritime

It is estimated that a 10 per cent reduction in speed can lead to a 25 per cent reduction in fuel consumption.

According to Hapag-Lloyd, although a lower speed implied â&#x20AC;&#x153;longer voyages, extra operating costs, charter costs, interest costs and other monetary losses, slowing down still paid off handsomelyâ&#x20AC;?.

Additionally, the shipping industry has been investing in more fuel-efficient technologies (hull design, propulsion, engines) and alternative energy sources. More recently, wind energy is attracting attention with giant kites being tested on some freighters (e.g. MV Beluga SkySails).

By using the SkySails system, a ship's fuel costs can be reduced by 10 per cent to an annual average of 35 per cent, depending on wind conditions.

- pg 11 also fluctuated far more than oil prices in the same period. Factors which could explain this include the short-lived oil price increase, the time lag affecting freight rate adjustments (i.e. the terms of the contracts between shippers and carriers), the ability of carriers to absorb the additional costs in view of booming volumes or through operational measures (e.g. sailing speed reduction), and the excess supply capacity that may have prevailed.

Trade patterns and transport costs Evidently, global trade patterns are influenced by transport costs and connectivity. When analysing 2006 trade data, UNCTAD found a positive correlation (+0.24) between the proportion of goods that can be carried in containers in bilateral trade flows and the distance between the trading partners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Containerisableâ&#x20AC;? goods are mostly manufactured goods, which tend to have higher value per volume ratio than bulk cargoes such as oil. Thus, higher transport costs are of less relevance to manufactured goods than for bulk cargo. Importers are more likely to source from providers nearby: oil from South America or Mexico is more likely to be exported to other countries in the American continent, while oil from Asian countries is more likely to be exported to other countries in Asia, chiefly because transport costs are lower.

Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be reduced by up to 50 per cent. While the shipping industry may in some cases be able to absorb raising costs without passing them on to shippers, in general, cost-recovery measures in the form of bunker adjustment factor charges are introduced.

Over the recent years, the freight increases have also been fuelled by booming trade and supply-side constraints (e.g. congestion and shortage of capacity). Over the last decade, the cost of transporting dry bulk cargo (such as iron ore, coal or grains) per ton-mile has fluctuated increasingly, with more significant surges recorded since 2003. This coincides not only with rising oil prices but also with a booming dry bulk trade, propelled by dynamic growth in emerging economies like China and India. The demand for and supply of shipping capacity are both relatively inelastic in the short term.

A shortage of supply, in some cases combined with idle vessel capacity due to port congestion, may very quickly lead to higher vessel charter rates.

Another observation can be made on the trend in the movement of oil prices and transport costs: while oil prices had reached a record high in mid-2006, transport costs had fallen significantly compared to their previous peak at the beginning of 2004. Transport costs have

Manufactured goods, on the other hand, tend to travel longer distances as they are more frequently sourced globally. As a percentage of the value of the goods, transport costs on average matter less for toys, computers and bottled wine than for most low-value raw materials. Thus, the impact of rising oil prices and increased transport costs varies according to the type of goods transported.

Rising oil prices will have an impact on not only ocean freight rates, but also inland transport rates. In this respect, it is unclear whether the above-mentioned analysis of the situation to the effect that imports into the United States from China are being increasingly replaced by imports from neighbouring countries such as Mexico or local production takes into account the impact of higher oil prices on national and regional transport costs (transport done mainly by road).

Furthermore, a new geography of trade, involving a reorganisation of global production and trading patterns with redefined comparative advantages, does not necessarily entail falling trade volumes or an end to globalisation. Global production networks rely heavily on clusters and linkages established within a given geographical area, especially for intermediate goods. The booming intra-Asia trade, estimated at over 40 million TEUs in 2007, is a clear indication of this new geography. Therefore, moving a production plant would involve moving the related business partnerships (sources of raw materials, producers, carriers, assembly, etc.).

The cost implications of relocating production plants and related clusters could be significant and could erode the potential comparative advantages sought in the new locations.

New opportunities to realise savings in transport costs may emerge in the context of global warming. The effect of rising oil prices and transport costs may be offset by savings that could be derived from full-year operation of the Northern Sea Route and the opening of the Northwest Passage. The shortcuts offered by the new shipping lanes would cut transport costs and therefore benefit globalisation and create further competition with existing routes such as the Panama and Suez canals.

The Northwest Passage would offer a new route between Europe and Asia that is 9,000 km shorter than the Panama Canal route and 17,000 km shorter than the Cape Horn route.

Taking into account canal fees, fuel costs, and other relevant factors that determine freight rates, the new trade lanes could cut the cost of a single voyage by a large container ship by as much as 20 per cent, from approximately US$17.5 million to US$14 million and would save the shipping industry billions of dollars a year. The savings would be even greater for the megaships that are unable to fit through the Panama and Suez canals and so currently sail around the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn. A comprehensive assessment of the potential implications of a fully operational Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route on trade, existing shipping routes, port development, offshore activity, human settlement, the Arctic's ecosystem, local communities and potential territorial disputes is yet to be completed, however.

Conclusions In conclusion, rising oil prices are affecting transport costs, including ocean freight rates.

While research on the determinants of transport costs and trade-transport cost elasticity abounds, limited analysis has been devoted to the impact of oil prices on transport costs and trade.

Accordingly, more analysis is needed and, more importantly, any relevant work in this field requires a broad perspective. A multifaceted approach will need to take into account the intertwined nature of oil prices, transport costs and trade on one hand, and energy security, climate change mitigation, technology advances, trade facilitation measures (e.g. under the auspices of the World Trade Organization) and Aid for Trade (i.e. building supply-side capacity, including by reducing transport costs to take advantage of global markets) on the other.

Developments in these areas could have both offsetting and amplifying implications. <www.unctad.org>

US: Overboard discharges - permits may be needed Industry News

(Compliments NoE P&I)

5 Tips for Better Food

& Better Health

To make your food healthier and safer, here A recent court case in the US may lead to the 30 year exemption from the are five things you can do to help: Clean Water Act for normal operational discharges from ships being overturned.

1. Stop drinking sweetened carbonated and other beverages. Fact: If you replace one 20 oz Shipowners are warned that as of 19 December 2008 they may be required sweetened drink a day with a no calorie beverage to apply for discharge permits to cover normal operational discharges from (Preferably water), you could lose 25 lbs in a year. ships. The actual requirements of the vessel general permit (VGP) have not been published as yet and ships should have six months to complete the 2. Eat at home instead of eating out. process of complying - but the court case may lead to a situation where the Fact: Children consume almost twice as many calories when eating food permit terms must be complied with on 1 October 2008. There are 28 made outside the home. sources of overboard discharges identified including: 3. Support the passage of state and local laws to require chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.

Fact: Half of the large chain restaurants do not provide any nutrition information to their customers.

4. Tell schools to stop selling junk food, and sports drinks. Fact: Over the last two decades, rates of obesity (in USA) have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.

5. Meatless Mondays...Go without meat one day a week. Fact: An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.

A Water World in Need...

Over one billion people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion have no access to basic sanitation. Annually 1.7 million deaths are caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene, among which 90 percent are children under five years old.

22 percent of global water resources are used for industry. In high income countries 59 percent of water is used in Industry.

The Chamber of Shipping of America and Intertanko have challenged the VGP as being impractical and - along with the British Chamber of Demand for water will increase as populations grow and as countries Shipping - are encouraging shipowners to submit their views on how this become more industrialised. It is estimated that by 2020 around two-thirds of may impact on trading to the USA. the world's population will be living in water-stressed countries.

Source: British Chamber of Shipping

Annabel Lee (Compliments Bow Wave, newsletter) (Literature Poem) It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea: But we loved with a love that was more than love-I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs of

heaven Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her highborn kinsman came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Went envying her and me-Yes! -- that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee. But our love it was stronger by far than the love

- pg 13Every dollar spent on water and sanitation creates on average another eight dollar in costs averted and productivity gained.

To achieve the UN Millenium Development Goals by 2015, which includes reducing by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, it is estimated that annual investments of 121-189 billion USD will be needed.

Water is the integral fabric in the quilt of life. The Earth's ecosystems, societies and individuals need it. Without it, food security and human health, energy supplies and industrial production would be unobtainable.

Source: Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)

Water-Saving Tips Step Into the Kitchen Every drop matters when it comes to water. Here are five things you can do to save water in the kitchen and laundry: 1. Use your dishwasher only for full loads.

2. Use your automatic clothes washing machine only for full loads.

3.If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water.

4. Don't leave the faucet on while you clean vegetables. Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water, and do this more than once if you so feel.

5. Check the faucets and pipes for leaks. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, seven days a week and often can be repaired with just an inexpensive washer.

Of those who were older than we-Of many far wiser than we-And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee: For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling--my darling--my life and my bride, In her sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea.

A Message by George Carlin: The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider highways, but narrower viewpoints.. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Edgar Allan Poe

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Cellphones Children should use cellphones only for emergencies as their brains are still developing, according to the head of a prominent U.S. cancer research institute. (Yuriko Nakao/ Reuters) Researcher warns of brain cancer risk from cellphones The Associated Press Published: July 24, 2008 PITTSBURGH: The head of a prominent cancer research institute has issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff: Limit cellphone use because of the possible risk of cancer.

The warning from Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, issued Wednesday, is contrary to numerous studies that have not found a link between brain cancer and cellphone use and a lack of official concern from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Herberman said he was basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He said that it took too long to get answers from science and that he believed people should take action now, especially in regard to children.

"Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn't wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later," Herberman said.

No other major academic cancer research institutions have sounded such an alarm about cellphone use. But Herberman's advice is sure to raise concern among many cellphone users, and especially parents. In the memo he sent to about 3,000 faculty and staff, he said children should use cellphones only for emergencies because their brains are still developing.

Adults should keep the phone away from the head and use the speakerphone or a wireless headset, he said.. He even warned against using cellphones in public places like a bus because it would expose others to the phone's electromagnetic fields.

The issue that concerns some scientists - though far from being a consensus - is electromagnetic radiation. It is not a major topic in conferences of brain specialists.

A 2008 University of Utah analysis that looked at nine studies - including some cited by Herberman - with thousands of brain tumor patients concludes: "We found no overall increased risk of brain tumors among cellular phone users.

"The potential elevated risk of brain tumors after long-term cellular phone use awaits confirmation by future studies.”

Still, Herberman cites what he calls a "growing body of literature linking longterm cellphone use to possible adverse health effects including cancer."

"Although the evidence is still controversial, I am convinced that there are sufficient data to warrant issuing an advisory to share some precautionary

advice on cellphone use," he wrote in his memo.

The authorities in Britain, France and India have urged caution on cellphone use by children.

Herberman pointed to a huge, ongoing research project known as Interphone, involving scientists in 13 countries, mostly in Europe.

Results already published in peer-reviewed journals from this project are not so alarming, but Herberman is citing work that was not yet published.

The largest published study, which appeared in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2006, tracked 420,000 Danish cellphone users, including thousands that had used the phones for more than 10 years. It found no increased risk of cancer among those using cellphones.

Note by the DPA: “The company’s Fleet Instructions Manual contains specific instructions regarding the use of cellphones on board tanker vessels. Moreover all terminals have strict rules in this respect and should be adhered to at all times by crew members and visitors alike.

Please review said instructions and ensure that the use of cellphones on board is not permitted without prior authorization by the Master.”

Boomerang. A curved wooden missile developed by the Australian Aborigines, varying from 2ft (60cm) to 2ft 9in (b4cm) in length. When it is thrown, it describes a wide arc and returns to, or near to , the thrower. Metaphorically a boomerang is a scheme or proposal that recoils to its originator.

A newspaper is a daily marvel, even a miracle.. (There are 1,730 of them published daily in the United States alone with a combined circulation of nearly 62 million).

Limitless possibilities exist for error, human and mechanical.

Add the crushing pressure of deadlines, and it's surprising there aren't more mistakes. This bulletin has no deadlines, but errors do appear.

When goofs do occur, editors scurry to print corrections, even though we often prefer the misprint to the corrected version. Here just a few samples:1. IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are one of hundreds of parachuting enthusiasts who bought our Easy Sky Diving book, please make the following correction: on page 8, line 7, the words "state zip code" should have read "pull rip cord."

2. Our newspaper carried the notice last week that Mr. Oscar Hoffnagle is a defective on the police force. This was a typographical error. Mr Hoffnagle is, of course, a detective on the police farce.

3. Yesterday we mistakenly reported that a talk was given by a bottle-scared hero. We apologize for the error. We obviously meant that the talk was given by a battle-scarred hero.

4. The marriage of Miss Freda van Amburg and Willie Branton, which was announced in this paper a few weeks ago, was a mistake which we wish to correct.

(Compliments: JokeoftheDaysubscribe@yahoogroups..com)

M

By Michael Grey - Thursday 10 July 2008 – Lloyd’s List Casualty statistics indicate that at over 40%, machinery damage is the largest category of incidents, although it only represents 19% of the cost of claims.

A “SHOCKING” number of damages to engines, often aboard new ships, indicate that machinery systems are not becoming more reliable, the president of the Society of Consulting Marine Engineers and Ship Surveyors has complained.

Speaking in London on “man’s inhumanity to machines” at a meeting of the International Institute of Marine Surveying, John Lillie suggested that “the drive for capital cost reduction, operational efficiency, fuel economy and environmental acceptability have allowed the computer generated engine to become a reality without taking into account the failure of humans to perform like machines”.

Breakdowns are a serious problem even with ships of less than five years old, said Mr Lillie, who pointed out that even if the machinery performs well when new, it will be unlikely to survive the ship changing hands, and the eventual “ownership spiral” as the vessel is sold on.

Nearly 10% of main engine damages, said Mr Lillie, happen to new ships, with the quality of many newly delivered engines leaving much to be desired.

He was particularly critical of the quality of workmanship and materials provided by subcontractors in China and elsewhere, which represented, he said “a worrying trend”.

HUMOUR Dream sequence A WOMAN woke from her afternoon nap and told her husband, "I just had a dream in which you gave me a pearl necklace for my birthday. What do you think it means?"

"You'll know tonight," replied her husband, embracing her fondly.

That evening, the man came home with a small package and gave it to his wife.

Expectantly, she opened it, to find a book entitled, ‘The meaning of dreams’.

Managing director of the general marine and surveying consultancy JSL Marine Associates, Mr Lillie is a member of a risk assessment group within the London marine insurance market which, he said, was “trying to change attitudes”.

He had asked 50 surveyors around the world to send him details of damages they has attended during a two month period.

The “horrendous” returns revealed 127 cases, involving products of all major manufacturers.

Average costs of main engine repairs was $500,000, that for auxiliaries was $300,000.

The surveyors’ president pointed to turbochargers and crankshafts as areas causing concern, and high claims. Managers were failing to pass on information to engineers aboard ship, while the increasing sophistication of machinery and systems, he suggested, leave ships vulnerable, with little system redundancy, and inevitable problems when ships change hands.

“In vain”, he said, “marine underwriters and their surveyors look for disseminated knowledge when ships change hands”.

Note by the DPA: “The Chief Engineers and all engineer officers are reminded to always refer to the guidelines provided by machinery & equipment manufacturers, to take into consideration all relevant instructions for use of luboils and chemicals, and most importantly to make continuous use of the information provided by the company in the form of manuals, forms, circulars and other publications.”

Bedside manner

:)

A MAN had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months. His wife stayed by his bedside every single day. When he finally regained consciousness, he motioned for her to come nearer. He said, "You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got the sack, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you gave me support. When my health started failing, you were still by my side.”

"I know, dear. What is it?" she asked, gently.

"I think you bring me bad luck," he replied

C.

Engine failures on new ships hits ‘shocking' high

AGEMENT I N AN

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NTROF

QUOTATIONS

! You cannot polish a gem without friction ! When might meets justice, justice is always to win ! It will be generally admitted that the true test of all books is the influence they have upon the lives and conduct of their readers ! A partner (or colleague) who is not subservient, who is himself extremely logical, is one of the best mechanisms you can have ! Patience is the greatest of all virtues ! It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness and I pronounce is certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous ! A Willingness to Change. 'Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof' ! Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.

It is the first lesson that ought to be learned and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly ! A great business at a fair price is superior to a fair business at a great price ! No wise pilot, no matter how great his talent and experience, fails to use his checklist ! Intellectual Humility.

'Acknowledging what you don't know is the dawning of wisdom' ! The only way to win is to work, work, work, and hope to have a few insights ! I am right, and you are smart, and sooner or later you'll see I'm right

OCIMF TMSA Guidelines :

(extract)

ELEMENT 9. Safety Management (Aim: The ship operator has a comprehensive and proactive approach to the identification of potential hazards and shore-based management of operational risks).

Main objective Develop a proactive approach to safety management, both onboard and ashore, that includes identification of hazards (including exposures to substances hazardous to health) and the implementation of preventive and mitigation measures.

Effective safety management requires the systematic identification of hazards and measures to eliminate or reduce risks to the lowest practicable level. Element 9 sets out the requirements for onboard and shore-based risk-assessment hazard-exposure management. It also describes the additional measures that should be taken to promote a no-blame culture and motivate staff to ensure that they understand and embrace the requirements of the safety management system.

Shore based monitoring Ship operators should establish and maintain procedures for shore-based management to:

& Engage in a formal risk-assessment programme that is designed to identify potential hazards and exposures, and manage operational risks, including those relating to health and hygiene

& Periodically review and update the validity of risk assessments and their application across the fleet & Make regular onboard inspections to monitor the safety standards being maintained within the fleet and make recommendations to senior management based on the findings

& Establish proactive safety campaigns (for example, to encourage near-miss reporting).

Shipboard monitoring Ship operators should establish and maintain procedures that make provision on the vessel for: Hazard and exposure identification and risk assessment Appropriate training in the use of hazard and exposure identification techniques and risk-assessment tools Conducting safety inspections at scheduled intervals and recording the results of these inspections The immediate reporting to shore-based management of significant safety deficiencies or detects that cannot be rectified by the ship's staff Verifying compliance with the specified safety procedures.

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CENTRO-NEWS

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The Articles written and the Views expressed in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of CENTROFIN and/or its members.

Queries to: wavelength@centrofin.gr Disclaimer. The contents provided herewith are for general information purposes only; not intended to replace or otherwise contradict the detailed instructions/procedures issued by the owners/managers, flag etc.

Editor: Cmdr Nicholas A. ILIOPOULOS - Master Mariner - Human Resources Tel. +30.6944.941 333. Email: ilioship@yahoo.com.sg Comments. This editor welcomes readers' responses to all articles & Editorials.

Design-Production: www.paradox.com.gr Tel.+30.210.6560 574

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