SAFETY STAYS A PRIORITY

BY SANDRA SPEARES

Initiatives to accommodate sustainable shipping initiatives continue apace, but safety for seafarers always remains top of the list for the industry

There have been some positive developments for bulk cargo operators in recent months as conditions relating to covid-19 continue to ease. However, the war in Ukraine continues to affect cargoes, with more movement on long-haul routes and the continuing attraction of commodities such as coal that can be used to fill the gaps in power supplies.

Collective approaches to doing business continue to be important and there have been a number of hook-ups between trade associations and major players to help keep goods moving and also collectively tackle the new legislation that is coming into play.

Port operators around the world are looking towards upcoming legislation relating to clean fuels. In Singapore, for example, in addition to biofuels, the port authority is exploring the use of hydrogen and ammonia to support the decarbonisation of international shipping. In December 2022, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Energy Market Authority launched an Expression of

Interest (EOI) to build, own and operate low- or zero-carbon ammonia power generation and bunkering solutions on Jurong Island. The EOI is open until the end of April.

That said, there continue to be concerns over the safe use of some fuels, including ammonia, which are being promoted as alternatives to high sulphur products. Some sectors are more in favour of synthetic versions of fuels such as liquefied gas, which already has a track record and a supply system that does not have to be built from scratch.

There have also been moves to introduce new legislation to protect seafarers. One example of recent developments is the UK’s Seafarers’ Wages Act, which received Royal Assent in March this year and is now law as part of the UK government's initiative to crack down on unfair practices, end exploitation and improve working conditions for seafarers.

As a key strand of the government's nine-point plan for seafarers, the new law is designed to protect those working on vessels operating an international service from being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

As always, safety issues continue to be on the agenda, not only from the point of view of enclosed spaces and the safe use thereof, but also with regard to the carriage of potentially hazardous products, such as lithium-ion batteries.

Recent guidelines outline measures to ensure the safe transport of an exponentially increasing volume of lithium-ion batteries. Their use in electronic devices is fully examined, with issues such as classification and regulation, container packing, landside storage, stowage onboard ships, incident detection and fire suppression, and loss prevention and risk mitigation.

These and many other issues will be discussed at the Bulk Terminals International Conference, taking place in Lisbon in October. Please visit bulkterminals.org to book your places and ensure that you stay in the loop on all the important issues affecting the industry.

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this latest issue of Bulk Terminal International.