40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2016
NEWS
Charity coffee puts the spotlight onto seafarers launch by an international F maritime charity of a special coffee Nautilus has welcomed the
that highlights the role played by seafarers in delivering key commodities around the world. BySea coffee — pictured right being launched at Lloyd’s Register Global Technology Centre in Southampton — is a commercial first for the Sailors’ Society, with 100% of profits raised being ploughed back to support its work on behalf of seafarers and their families. The coffee is ethically sourced and fair trade, with the first two blends coming from India and Brazil — specifically chosen as the Sailors’ Society is expanding its work in these countries.
Stuart Rivers, the charity’s CEO, said: ‘More than 90% of everything we own and use comes by sea, by seafarers who are typically away from home for nine to 12 months facing violent storms, loneliness, isolation and even piracy and terrorism. ‘BySea, even just by the name, reminds us of the journey our coffee has made before it reaches our cup,’ he pointed out. ‘Sailors’ Society will be 200 years old in 2018 and looking to the future we are finding ways of diversifying our income; everyone needs coffee so this is a way every individual, office and church can help support the work we do. ‘Coffee was an obvious place
to start,’ he added. ‘But we aren’t content with coffee as our only product and have lots of exciting plans for the future.’ Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘We’ve been pushing strongly for some years now to make the fair trade link to the shipping industry and this is an excellent social enterprise initiative which makes the connections in a positive and meaningful way. ‘We wish the Sailors’ Society good luck with the scheme and hope that it succeeds in highlighting the lack of recognition for seafarers in the current fair trade certification process.’ g Visit www.bysea.org for more information.
Fresh calls for the UK to U-turn on ETV cuts Government urged to reconsider risks after semi-submersible runs aground in Outer Hebrides
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Nautilus has intensified its calls for the UK government to reinstate emergency towing vessels (ETVs) around the UK coast following the grounding last month of a semisubmersible oil platform off the west coast of Scotland. The 17,580gt Transocean Winner grounded at Dalmore on the Isle of Lewis after a line connecting it with the Dutch-flagged anchorhandling salvage tug Alp Forward broke in rough seas while being towed from Norway to Malta. The platform was carrying 280 tonnes of diesel and has been closely monitored by a counterpollution team after reports that
some fuel had leaked. Salvage efforts are underway, but experts have suggested it may take several weeks before Transocean Winner can be shifted. The incident has prompted renewed warnings about the impact of the government’s decision to cut the number of ETVs around the UK coast from four to one. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘The government only agreed to retain the use of Herakles in Orkney last month and this highlights how important that decision was. I hope the government looks closely at this incident and reconsiders the risk for other
coastal areas of the UK not served by government-funded ETVs.’ Western Isles MP Angus Macneil said he was calling for ministers to explain why the rig was being towed in severe winds west of the Hebrides and about the response time and distance the Orkney-based ETV Herakles had to travel to the scene. ‘Once again our waters were under threat and we are fortunate that the grounding of this oil rig posed no risk to life,’ he added. ‘However, this could have been a very different outcome and the UK government must return the ETV to Stornoway. I have long argued that a tug is an insurance policy from an
unusual but statistically possible event.’ SNP MSP Alasdair Allan said he was concerned that Herakles was in the region of 14 hours away at the time of the incident. ‘Since the number of emergency towing vessels based in Scotland has been cut from two to one, this community has repeatedly warned of exactly this kind of incident, where a large vessel or rig gets in to difficulty on the west coast of Scotland,’ he added. ‘Clearly the priority now has to be minimising any environmental threat, and I know that the emergency services are working very hard to achieve this. How-
ever, this raises serious questions which I will now be taking up with UK ministers.’ Salvors from the Dutch firm Smit Salvage were last month working on ways to safeguard the oil tanks before any operation to refloat the rig commences. Hugh Shaw, the secretary of state’s representative for maritime salvage and intervention, said work was also underway to carry out a multi-beam survey to identify the safest route for moving the rig. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has also confirmed that it has begun an investigation into the incident.
Ministers urged to act on ID by the Philippines to introduce a F state-of-the-art identification system Nautilus has welcomed a move
for its seafarers. The Union says the UK should follow its lead in establishing an electronic registration process that aims to ensure compliance with the international convention on seafarers’ identity documents, ILO 185. The Philippines said its universal identification system for Filipino seafarers aims to be ‘acceptable to all government agencies and port states in compliance with relevant conventions’. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘As more countries come into line with ILO 185, we are hopeful that problems such as shore leave restrictions will be eased. It’s therefore essential that the UK acts quickly to ensure that British seafarers are not left behind.’ g News of the Philippines scheme follows a US report which shows that just over 10% of seafarers visiting US ports last year were unable to get shore leave — see page 10 for the full story.
‘Neo-panama’ first for London ‘neo-panama’ vessel to visit A the Thames since the opening of the Pictured becoming the first
expanded canal is the 95,497gt MSC Sofia Celeste. The Panama-flagged ship made an inaugural call to London Container Terminal in Tilbury last month following a transit of the waterway as part of a reconfigured service
connecting the west coast of South America, the east coast of North America and NW Europe. The 8,819TEU ship is the first to trade on the revised route, which also calls in Chile, Peru, Ecuador and the Bahamas, Philadelphia and Rotterdam. Port of London Authority chief harbour master Captain Bob Baker
said: ‘It is excellent to see this ship arrive in the Thames — underlining our shared commitment with London Container Terminal to continue to grow trade and new business opportunities. The PLA continues to provide the modern pilotage and vessel traffic service to ensure the efficient arrival of ships into this busy port.’
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