Vol. 19 No. 4 July/August 2022

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Hope floats as grain
ship leaves Ukraine
Page 2

Monkeypox outbreak
Page 4

CIC to focus on STCW compliance
Paris, Tokyo MoUs reveal ship inspections to begin Sept. 1 in conjunction with Port State Control

A

new
Concentrated
Inspection Campaign(CIC) has been announced by the Parisand Tokyo Memoranda of Understandings (MoU), specificallyfocusing on compliance on Standards of Training, Certificationand Watchkeeping (STCW) for
seafarers. So, ship owners, operators, Masters and crews should
now focus on the specific details
as clearly identified by them aslisted below.
The campaign will run for threemonths, from September 1, 2022
to November 30, 2022. The CIC
inspections will be applicable forall ships and conducted in conjunction with the regular Port
State Control inspection. A ship
will be subject to only one inspection under this CIC during the
campaign period.
The campaign on STCW aims
to confirm that:• The number of seafarers serving on board and their certificatesare in conformity with the relevant
provisions of the STCW Convention and Code and the applicablesafe manning requirements are as
determined by the Flag State Administration;• All seafarers serving on board,
who are required to be certificatedin accordance with STCW Convention, hold an appropriate certificate or a valid dispensation, or

provide documentary proof thatan application for an endorsement
has been submitted to the Flag
State Administration;• The seafarers on board hold avalid medical certificate as required
by STCW Convention;• The watch-keeping schedules

with their statutory and nonstatutory requirements, be duly
manned and show evidence of
their crews’ qualifications during
PSC inspections. The shore-based
management also has to meet their
obligations, contributing effectively and prudently to a success-

PSC inspection influences the status and the performance of all Flag
Administrations.
PISR has introduced its own
proprietary DPS (Deficiency Prevention System) to help and support the prevention due to deficiencies on vessels prior to being
inspected by PSC Authorities.
DPS is a uniquely designed anddeveloped system by PISR, which

The CIC will assist in raising the awareness of
shipowners, operators and crew on the specificrequirements in the STCW Convention and Code.
and hours of rest indicate compliance with the requirements of the
STCW Convention and Code.
The CIC will assist in raising theawareness of shipowners, operatorsand crew on the specific requirements in the STCW Convention
and Code.
All vessels must fully comply

ful and non-detainable inspectionof the vessels under their management.
Any CIC which is focused on
raising the awareness of owners,
managers, vessel’s crew, to the specific requirements of the STCW
Convention and Code needs to beapplauded. The outcome of any

raises awareness of the importanceof the prevention and remediationof deficiencies, contributing to thesafety of life at sea, the preventionof marine pollution and is provided as part of our standard service to
our clients.
DPS has been fully administrated by PISR with the main objec-

tive to introduce a more preventive and risk-based approach toall ships registered under PISR ,especially to those that have been
identified as Priority 1-2 in oursystem, which may be eligible forinspections by working proactively
with these vessel PISR helps themto enhance their quality status. The
success of the DPS is evidenced
through PISR’s significant rise in
its ranking within the Paris Memoranda of Understanding (PMoU)
Flag State performance Review
covering Jan. 1, 2019 until Dec.
31, 2021. PISR lies within the top
third tier of the Grey List of flagstates.
It is self-explanatory that “Prevention” is better than “Correction” on any shipping industry
issues.
PISR as a proud member of the
IMOs STCW White List since2019 will support the Paris-TokyoMoU CICs with immediate effect,advising all registered vessels of thecampaigns, so that vessels operating under their flag fully meet all
requirements as outlined in the
campaign.
Safety and environment awareness should not only be implemented only during a campaign,
BUT should ALWAYS be adheredto, duly verified by attending PSC
surveyors along with issued inspection reports. (Source: Hellenic Shipping News, Tokyo MoU)

Seafarer morale rebounds with easing of COVID restrictions
Crew travel and schedules becoming more clear and certainty on when crew will return home has large impact
Happiness rose across all categories, leading to an overall increase
to 7.2/10 from 5.85 in Q1.
Much of the lift in the latest report seems to stem from the easingof constraints on seafarers related
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Asinternational travel restrictions
eased, crew travel became easier
to facilitate and seafarers’ schedule
became clearer; certainty on whencrew will return home has a large
impact on morale.
“After more than two years of
uncertainty caused by COVID-19,
seafarers are beginning to see thelight at the end of the tunnel,” said
the report.
“Although challenges remain due
to restrictions in some Asian countries, China has loosened quarantine requirements for Chinese

seafarers. Significantly, restrictions
have also been lifted in Singapore,and the Philippines and India havealso lifted a range of travel bans and
COVID measures - all of whichmeans that seafarers have a far greater chance of getting back home unhindered. This lifts the mood dramatically and understandably so.”
Data in the report suggested
41% of seafarers were now onboard for between one and threemonths, improving greatly overrecent quarters.
During contract, there are further bonuses for seafarers as COVID restrictions ease. Many seafarer centres have reopened, givingcrews better access to support, entertainment, and provisions whileashore.
Besides the knock-on effects fromCOVID recovery, the report noted
an increased focus on seafarer wellbeing from owners and operators.
“There has also been a focus
within the industry on finding solutions to many of the frustrations
which have been dogging seafarers
for years. Some of these initiatives
appear to now be delivering. With
more vaccinations, better travel,
wage rises and new amendments
to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) delivering hopes ofuniversal maritime connectivity,
there is cautious optimism. Nonetheless, while the data does suggest
improvements, there should be nocomplacency,” said the report.
The term ‘grin washing’ wascoined in the latest report, a spinon the term ‘green washing’, to refer to companies who invest in im-pressive looking facilities onboard
but fail to ensure crew have time tomake use of those facilities.
“This latest data shows there aresigns of better things ahead for
seafarers. However, any recovery
in seafarer happiness should betreated delicately and can easily be
lost. It is important that the industry continues the work to improvecrew wellbeing and does not reston its laurelsm,” said the report.
The Revd Canon Andrew
Wright, Secretary General of The
Mission to Seafarers, said: “Whileit has been a difficult two years, it
is nice to see some optimism return, which is largely down to thehard work the industry has done
to make life better and raise spirits
on board. However, there are still
areas that can be improved upon,which is why it’s so critical fororganisations to continue taking
meaningful steps to boost seafarer
happiness and crew welfare.”Thom Herbert, Idwal Crew
Welfare Advocate and Senior Marine Surveyor added: “While there
is an increase in the score this quarter, and cause for optimism, for every positive we see there are many
more negatives that still need to beaddressed. Hours of work and rest
continue to be in conflict, and theindividual instances quoted in thereport indicate that this issue needs
more focus. Communication withhome remains a major challenge,
and although it’s good to hear that
there is seafarer positivity aroundthe MLC changes, the reality islikely to be disappointing.” (Source:
Seatrade Maritime News)MARITIME NEWS(2)

JULY/AUGUST 2022

‘Glimmer of hope’ as grain ship leaves Odesa portT

he first ship to carry
Ukrainiangrainthrough the BlackSea since Russia invaded Ukraine five months ago
left the port of Odesa for Lebanon on Monday under a safe passage deal described as a glimmerof hope in a worsening global
food crisis.
The sailing was made possible
after Turkey and the United Nations brokered a grain and fertilizer export agreement between Russia and Ukraine last month—arare diplomatic breakthrough in a
conflict that has become a drawnout war of attrition.
The Sierra Leone-flagged ship
Razoni will head to the port of
Tripoli, Lebanon, after transiting
Turkey's Bosphorus Strait linking
the Black Sea, which is dominatedby Russia's navy, to the Mediterranean. It is carrying 26,527 tonsof corn.
But there are still hurdles toovercome before millions of tonsof Ukrainian grain depart fromits Black Sea ports, including
clearing sea mines and creating aframework for vessels to safely enter the conflict zone and pick up
cargo.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on
Feb. 24 has disrupted global foodand energy supplies and the Unit-

ed Nations has warned of the riskof multiple famines this year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy, in an evening video address, described the shipment as“the first positive signal that there
is a chance to stop the development of a world food crisis.”
Ukraine, known as Europe’s
breadbasket, hopes to export 20
million tons of grain in silos and
40 million tons from the harvest
now under way, initially from
Odesa and nearby Pivdennyi andChornomorsk, to help clear thesilos for the new crop.
Moscow has denied responsibility for the food crisis, saying
Western sanctions have slowed
its exports and accusing Ukraineof laying underwater mines at entrance of its ports. The Kremlin
called the Razoni’s departure “verypositive” news.
Trade from Russia’s Black Sea
ports recovered in mid-May after dropping in April, although it
has fallen slightly in recent weeks,
according to VesselsValue, a London-based maritime intelligence
provider.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the vessel was to anchor off Istanbul and be inspectedby Russian, Ukrainian, United
Nations and Turkish representatives.

“It will then continue as long as
no problems arise,” Akar said.
Before the Razoni left, Ukrainian officials said 17 ships were
docked in Black Sea ports withalmost 600,000 tons of cargo,
mostly grain. Countries expressedhope more would follow.
“This is a glimmer of hope in aworsening food crisis,” a German
foreign ministry spokesperson
told a government briefing.
ReliefA junior engineer on the vessel,
Abdullah Jendi, said the crew were
happy to be moving after theirprolonged stay in Odesa and that
he, a Syrian, had not seen his family in more than a year.
“It is an indescribable feeling to
be returning to my home country
after suffering from the siege andthe dangers that we were facing
due to the shelling,” he said.
He said he was scared the ship
might hit a mine in the hours it
would take to leave regional waters.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv also
welcomed the shipping resumption and said the world would
be watching for more. Chicago
wheat and corn prices fell amid
hopes that Ukraine’s cereals exports could resume on a large
scale.
Key arrangements, including

shipping procedures, still need
to be worked out before empty
vessels can come in and pick up
cargoes from Ukraine using the
new corridor, Neil Roberts, headof marine and aviation insurancewith Lloyds Market Association,
told Reuters.
“There is some way to go,” Roberts said.
Bombardments insouth and east
With fighting still raging, threecivilians were reported killed
by Russian shelling in the eastern Donetsk region—two in
Bakhmut and one in nearby Soledar—in the last 24 hours, regional
governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.
An industrial city and transporthub, Bakhmut has been under
Russian bombardment for the
past week as the Kremlin’s forces
try to occupy all of Donetsk after
seizing most of the neighboring
region, Luhansk, last month.
Russian strikes also hit Kharkiv,
Ukraine’s second-biggest city andnear the border with Russia, regional governor Oleh Synegubov
said. Two civilians were wounded,he said.
After failing to seize the capital Kyiv early in the war, Russia
has been aiming to capture theeastern Donbas region, made up
of Donetsk and Luhansk, whichwere partially occupied by Russiabacked separatists before the invasion. It also has aimed on capturing more of the south, where it
annexed Crimea from Ukraine in2014.
Ukraine, which has launcheda counter-offensive in the south,
continues to ask the West to supply more long-range artillery as ittries to turn the tide in the conflict. The country has received
billions of dollars in Western military aid and weapons since thestart of the war.
Ukraine’s defense minister said
Kyiv had received four more
U.S.-made HIMARS rocket systems from the United States. The
Pentagon said it would provide
Ukraine with more HIMARS
ammunition as part of a lethal aid
package valued at up to US$550
million.
Moscow says Western arms supplies to Ukraine only drag out theconflict and the supply of longerrange weapons justifies Russia’s
attempts to expand control overmore Ukrainian territory for its
own protection.
Russia invaded Ukraine in what
it called a “special operation” todemilitarize its neighbor. Ukraine
and Western nations have dismissed this as a baseless pretext
for war. (Source: Reuters)

Seafarers’ wellness and connectivity: How are they linked?
While it is only one aspect of thehighly complex seafarer welfare
puzzle, connectivity is taking an
increasingly central role at theheart of discussions about seafarers welfare. Today, it is no secretthat technology has a vital role in
improving crew welfare; a matterof utmost importance as the Covid pandemic and the resulting
crew crisis put a firm spotlight onseafarers’ mental health.
Need for digital services
As internet connectivity at sea
improves, the demand for digital
services will grow. This will require
more resources to be put into digital service delivery. But with theright systems and training in place,people that currently staff physicalport welfare services could deliver
the same pastoral support and advice digitally, whether by phone,
video call, or chat.
Further, the use of digital tools
to enable learning and skills development should be leveraged tohelp seafarers and their families
to access education that can enrich their lives. There is a vast andgrowing range of free or very low
cost education products that exist
today outside the maritime industry. Helping seafarers of any rank,
any nationality, and any economic
background to access this education and learn the skills needed
to provide financial, health, andwellbeing security for their families should be prioritised as a longterm goal for welfare organisations.
Digital tools are a fantastic enabler
for doing this at scale.
That said, digital tools can only
reach so far. There will always bea need for physical interaction andsupport for seafarers and their families. As access to ships gets moredifficult, welfare organisations
should look to seafaring communities as a source of beneficiaries.
Seafarers and their families tend
to be clustered around coastal cities, ports, and near major training
centres.
As well as investing in digitaloutreach for those who are onboard, the creation of seafarer
support centres for those who areashore should not be neglected,
and a new model for welfare that
focuses on preventative and proactive measures should be provided
locally to seafarers and their families.
Polarized views
The heightened interest in connectivity within the seafarer welfare debate has revealed polarised
views on occasions. For example,
while the benefits of connectivity
in opening up access to friends
and family via high speed internet
is a widely lauded improvement,
there has also been increased interest in whether connectivity could

trigger social anxiety through a‘fear of missing out (FOMO)’ on
land activities while they’re at sea.
It’s too early to tell how muchof an impact that FOMO has hadon overall seafarer welfare. However, it should be noted that somehave indirectly rebuffed it. For example, when contributing to the2018 Crew Connectivity Survey
Phil Parry, Chairman of Spinnaker
Global, stated that ‘social interaction is not a seafarer problem, it’s asocietal problem’.
More widely, evidence suggeststhat the overall influence of connectivity on seafarer well-being is
positive. Namely, the Mission to
Seafarers has noted that the issueof contact with family and loved
ones is the most important aspect
for seafarers. In fact, seafarers have
explained that they receive a greatof enjoyment from being in contact with home.
Communication withfamily a key concern
Furthermore, the latest Seafarers
Happiness Index report, revealed
the lowest levels of seafarer satisfaction for 8 years. One of the reasons
why is the issue of connectivity andcontact with families. More specifically, seafarers’ happiness regarding
contact with family when they areat sea fell to 6.39, from 6.92.
Namely, this issue is somethingthat shapes the happiness of seafar-

ers massively and it is a common
message from the Index, that vessels with good, cost-effective internet provision have the happiest
crews by far. When vessels do nothave such connectivity, then seafarer responses were unsurprisingly
frustrated.
As a respondent mentioned “nothaving Wi-Fi is the biggest challenge on board and the voyages wetake are long voyages which means
we only talk to our loved ones after
two months.”
On the other hand, although thesurvey raises a wide array of issues
that should be the cause of great
concern for all ship owners, operators and managers, a number of seafarers also took the opportunity toshare examples of steps taken to improve welfare and morale onboard.
More specifically, there waspositive feedback from seafarers
who spoke about some of the efforts made to make life at sea more
comfortable and enjoyable, despiteother concerns. This included examples of vessels having funds allocated for wellbeing events andactivities, such as weekly crewgatherings, quizzes, karaoke,
sports, TikTok video making,movie nights, and barbecues.
Commenting on the resultsof the survey, Revd Canon Andrew Wright shared his hope that“through the rest of 2022, organ-

isations will take further meaningful steps to improve the welfare ofcrews and help boost seafarer happiness. With financial backing andcompassionate leadership, there
are still actions that they can betaken to improve seafarers’ qualityof life.”
Need to reduce isolation
According to a recent report by Inmarsat, between 1976 and 2002,
87% of reported suicides at sea
happened on deep-sea ships. The
researchers blamed, “… recent reductions in crewing numbers…”.
As automation reduces crews, seafarers’ isolation will only increase.
What is more, the COVID-19
pandemic brought seafarer mental
health issues to the fore, with lackof social contact or shore leave exacerbating the problem. Especiallyin the beginning of the pandemic
that was a big issue, as no one
knew how long COVID-19 quarantine measures would continue
for, or how the world would react
in future to a similar outbreak.
Finally, bullying and harassment
is a known problem at sea, andmost targets feel unable to report
it on board. With smaller crews,
the seafarers of 2050 will face notjust less opportunity for onboardsocialising, but also less opportunity for on-board support if they’retargets of bullying, harassment or
assault. (Source: safety4sea)

MARITIME NEWS

JULY/AUGUST 2022

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Piracy, armed robbery at lowest level in decades

T

he ICC International
Maritime
Bureau(IMB) received thelowest number of reported incidents for the first halfof any year since 1994—a testament to its pivotal role in raisingawareness to make waters safer.
IMB’s latest global piracy reportdetails 58 incidents of piracy andarmed robbery against ships—thelowest total since 1994—down
from 68 incidents during thesame period last year. In the firstsix months of 2022, IMB’s Piracy
Reporting Centre (PRC) reported
55 vessels boarded, two attemptedattacks and one vessel hijacked.
IMB Director Michael Howlett
said: “Not only is this good news
for the seafarers and the shipping
industry it is positive news for
trade which promotes economic
growth. But the areas of risk shift
and the shipping community

must remain vigilant. We encourage governments and responding
authorities to continue their patrols which create a deterrent effect.”
While the reduction in reported
incidents is indeed encouraging,
the IMB PRC continues to caution against complacency—vessels were boarded in 96% of thereported incidents. Despite nocrew kidnappings reported during
this period, violence against andthe threat to crews continues with
23 crew taken hostage and a further five crew threatened.
Cautious gains in
the Gulf of Guinea
Of the 58 incidents, 12 were reported in the Gulf of Guinea,
ten of which defined as armed
robberies and the remaining two
as piracy. In early April, a Panamax bulk carrier was attacked andboarded by pirates 260nm off thecoast of Ghana. This illustrates
that despite a decrease in reported
incidents, the threat of Gulf ofGuinea piracy and crew kidnappings remains.
On being notified of the incident, IMB PRC immediately alerted and liaised with the Regional
Authorities and international warships to request for assistance. An
Italian Navy warship and its helicopter responded and instantlyintervened, saving the crew andenabling the vessel to proceed to asafe port under escort.
IMB PRC commends theprompt and positive actions of the
Italian Navy which undoubtedly
resulted in the crew and ship being saved. It urges the Coastal response agencies and independentinternational navies to continue
their efforts to ensure this crime
is permanently addressed in thesewaters which account for 74% ofcrew taken hostage globally.
Cautious gains in
the Singapore Straits
Vessels continue to be targeted
and boarded by local perpetrators
when transiting the Singapore
Straits, which account for over
25% of all incidents, reported
globally since the start of the year.
The perpetrators were successful
in boarding the vessels in all 16
incidents reported. While considered low level opportunistic
crimes, crews continue to be atrisk with weapons reported in atleast six incidents.
Outside the Singapore Straits,
the Indonesian archipelagic has
seen a slight increase in reported
incidents for the first time since
2018, with seven incidents being reported compared to fiveover that same period last year.

Five vessels were boarded at anchor and one each while the vessels were at berth and steaming.
Weapons were reported in at least
three incidents with one crew reported threatened.
Threat subsists in
the Gulf of Aden
Although no incidents were reported there since the start of theyear, the threat of piracy still exists in the waters off the southern
Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden,
which include the Yemeni and Somali coasts. Although the opportunity for incidents has reduced, theSomali pirates continue to possess
the capability and capacity to carryout incidents, and all merchantships are advised to adhere to therecommendations in the latest BestManagement Practices, while transiting in these waters. (Source: ICC
Commercial Crime Services [CCS])

Automation systems to be installed on South Korean ships
HD Hyundai, South Korea’s shipbuilding giant, reported throughits technology company Avikus
that it has received the first order for advanced automation
systems to be installed on large,
ocean-going vessels. Two regional
South Korean shipping companies placed the combined orderfor the new system that was demonstrated earlier this year assistingan LNG carrier on the first automated transpacific voyage.
Launched in 2020, the technology division of Hyundai is working
to accelerate the development andcommercialization of automation
technologies for ships. Avikus reports it has already sold 220 systemsof its first-generation autonomous
control technology to international
shipping companies for use on LPG
carriers and containerships. South

Korea’s Sinokor Merchant Marine
Co., which operates containerships and bulkers on Asian routes,
and SK Shipping, which operates afleet of tankers, gas carriers, bulkers,
and containerships, placed the firstorder for the 2.0 system. Starting
next year, they plan to begin the
installation on a total of 23 vessels
including ones under construction
by Hyundai.
The first version of the system
includes technology to minimize
fuel consumption, design optimal routes based on accumulated
navigation data, and autonomous
control of the vessel’s engines. The
HiNAS 2.0 technology adds autonomous navigation solutions.
Using sensors and deep learningtechnology the system determines
and alerts the crew to potential collisions and obstacles in the ship’s

path. The system will also allow for
speed regulation, collision avoidance, and further fuel efficiency.
During the demonstration earlier this year, the HiNAS 2.0 technology guided the LNG carrier for
more than half its Pacific crossing.
The company reported the vessel
avoided 100 ships while also optimizing its operations and fuel efficiency.
Avikus CEO Lim Do-hyeong
points out that autonomous ship
operations remain in their infancy. He cites market data that theindustry can grow to more than
$235 billion in 2028.
“In the future, we will strive toequip all large ships in the world
with HiNAS 2.0 by obtaining approval from various shipping associations and countries.” Starting
next year, the company also plans

to begin offering an autonomous
system for recreational boating.
The Level 2 system that will be
installed aboard the South Korean
ships starting next year is capableof autonomous ship operations.
Avikus points out that the IMO
has defined four levels, the first being data supplied to the crew andthe second being autonomous operations with the crew monitoring
operations. In the future, they look
to class societies to being to permit
Level 3 operations which equip theship for remote operations, and finally Level 4 where the ship will beable to maneuver and manage any
situation with the AI systems without a crew aboard.
Testing is getting underway on
several advanced systems with thegoal of building data to achieveclass society recognition. In Nor-way, Kongsberg and Wilhelmsen
have launched a joint venture to
test and commercialize automation
technology. Testing was due to begin this year on the Yara Birkelandand recently Asko took delivery
on two newly built freight barges
also designed for autonomous operations. Several projects in Japanearlier this year also demonstrated
automation including docking andundocking vessels while in China
they have also introduced their firstautonomous vessel.
Yara has set 2024 as its goal tocomplete the testing and certification to begin possibly the first fullyautonomous vessel operations. The
Yara Birkeland will be monitored
and controlled by a remote operations center run by Kongsberg andWilhelmsen. (Source: The Maritime Executive)

Climate change poses challenges for the shipping industry
With 90% of global trade moved
by sea, shipping is a major contributor to climate change. The
International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimated that the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions
grew by 10% between 2012 and2018, while the industry’s share of
global anthropogenic CO2 emissions grew slightly to almost 3%,
about the same volume as Germany. It also forecasts that ‘businessas usual’ could see emissions increase by up to 50% by 2050 due
to the growth in shipping trade.
The race to decarbonize shipping is now underway. In 2018
the IMO called for a 40% cut ingreenhouse gas emissions (compared to the 2008 baseline) acrossthe global fleet by 2030, and at
least a 50% cut by 2050. Last
year, the IMO also adopted short-term measures aimed at cutting
the carbon intensity of all ships
by at least 40% by 2030. However, these targets do not go far
enough, and the IMO plans torevise its greenhouse gas strategy
by 2023.
The EU, which is aiming forclimate neutrality by 2050, says it
will set greenhouse gas reduction
targets for the maritime transport
sector (shipping emissions represent around 13% of the overall EU greenhouse gas emissions
from the transport sector). Last
year, the U.S. also set out its plansto reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 50% by 2030,
which included the transport sector. Nine big companies including
Amazon, Ikea and Unilever havepledged to only use zero-carbon
ships by 2040.

Achieving the IMO’s 50% cut
in emissions, let alone the more
ambitious targets required to meetthe Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to well below
2 degrees Celsius will require hugeinvestment in alternative fuel andmore efficient shipping. The scaleof investment required to meet
the IMO 2050 target is estimatedat $1trillion to 1.4 trillion. To
fully decarbonize shipping would
require a further $400m of investment over the next 20 years.
A growing number of vessels
are already switching to liquefied natural gas (LNG), while anumber of other alternative fuels
are under development, including
ammonia, hydrogen and methanol, as well as electric-powered
ships. Cargo vessels and tankers
are also experimenting with wind

power, using kites, sails and rotors
to supplement traditional propulsion. Wallenius and Alfa Laval, forexample, have proposed a car carrier that uses wings and a speciallydesigned hull to reduce emissions
by as much as 90%.
While there are plenty of innovative ideas on the drawing board,
there is not yet an obvious technical solution available that will get
the industry to 2050. The shipping industry needs to make useof alternative fuels and technology to start reducing its emissions
right away.
Decarbonization will transformthe shipping industry’s risk landscape. As the industry plots its
course through the transition, it
will need to ensure risks are contained within acceptable limits.
As we have seen with the develop-

ment of container shipping, there
can be unintended consequenceswith innovation.
The introduction of low-carbon
alternative fuels also brings a number of risks. A growing numberof vessels are being built or converted to run on liquefied naturalgas (LNG) and biofuel, including
some large container ships. Further ahead, a number of projects
are underway to test a range ofalternative fuels, including ammonia, hydrogen and methanol,
as well as onboard carbon capture
technology. Maersk, for example,
is to run eight methanol-powered
container ships from 2024.
In January 2020, the IMO introduced a new lower limit on
sulfur content in shipping fuel.
Continued on Page 4

ADVISORIES/WARNINGS(4)

JULY/AUGUST 2022

IMO: What to watch out for in monkeypox outbreakS

ince May 13, cases of monkeypox have been reported
to WHO by 23 Member
States that are not endemic
for monkeypox virus, across three
WHO regions. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing, however,the vast majority of reported cases
so far have no established travellinks to an endemic area and havepresented through primary careor sexual health services. One caseof monkeypox in a non-endemic
country is considered an outbreak.
The sudden appearance of monkeypox simultaneously in several nonendemic countries suggests that
there may have been undetectedtransmission for some time as well
as recent amplifying events.
As of May 26, a cumulative totalof 257 laboratory confirmed cases
and around 120 suspected cases
have been reported to WHO. No
deaths have been reported. The situation is evolving and WHO expects
there will be more cases of monkeypox identified as surveillance
expands in non-endemic countries.
Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to anotherby close contact with lesions, body
fluids, respiratory droplets andcontaminated materials such as
bedding. Early epidemiology ofinitial cases notified to WHO by
countries shows that cases havebeen mainly reported among men

who have sex with men.
Symptoms
Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease with the symptoms
lasting from 2 to 4 weeks. The
incubation period (interval from
infection to onset of symptoms) ofmonkeypox is usually from 6 to 13
days but can range from 5 to 21
days. The infection can be divided
into two periods:
The invasion period (lasts between 0 to 5 days) characterized
by fever, intense headache, lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph
nodes), back pain, myalgia (muscle
aches) and intense asthenia (lack ofenergy); andThe skin eruption usually begins
within 1 to 3 days of appearanceof fever. The rash tends to be moreconcentrated on the face and extremities rather than on the trunk.
The rash evolves sequentially frommacules (lesions with a flat base)to papules (slightly raised firm lesions), vesicles (lesions filled withclear fluid), pustules (lesions filledwith yellowish fluid), and crusts
which dry up and fall off. The
number of lesions varies from a few
to several thousand. In severe cases,
lesions can coalesce until large sections of skin slough off.
Fatality ratio
The case fatality ratio of monkey-

pox has historically ranged from 0
to 11% in the general populationand has been higher among young
children. In recent times, the casefatality ratio has been around 3 to
6%. Severe cases occur more commonly among children and are
related to the extent of virus exposure, patient health status and thenature of complications. Underlying immune deficiencies may lead
to worse outcomes.
Vaccination
Vaccination against smallpox wasdemonstrated through several
observational studies to be about
85% effective in preventing monkeypox. However, today persons
younger than 40 to 50 years of age(depending on the country) may
be more susceptible to monkeypox
due to cessation of smallpox vaccination campaigns globally after
eradication of the disease. Complications of monkeypox can include
secondary infections, bronchopneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis,
and infection of the cornea withensuing loss of vision.
Currently, there are two cladesof monkeypox virus: the West African clade and the Congo Basin(Central African) clade. The Congo Basin clade appears to cause severe disease more frequently withcase fatality ratio (CFR) previously
reported of up to around 10%. As

of now, the Democratic Republicof the Congo is reporting a CFR
among suspected cases of around
3%. The West African clade hasin the past been associated with an
overall lower CFR of around 1%
in a generally younger populationin the African setting. Diagnostic
assays specific for monkeypox haveso far found that the West African
clade of the monkeypox virus ispresent in this multi-country outbreak.
Currently, the overall publichealth risk at global level is assessed
as moderate considering this is thefirst time that monkeypox cases andclusters are reported concurrently inwidely disparate WHO geographical areas, and without known epidemiological links to endemic countries in West or Central Africa.
Anyone who has direct contact
with an infected person, including intimate or sexual contact,
can get monkeypox. Steps for selfprotection include avoiding physical contact with the person. It isalso critical to avoid intimate orsexual contact with someone witha localized anogenital rash and/or
oral ulcers. During the early phaseof this outbreak while informationis still being collected, it would be
prudent to limit the number of sex
partners, keep hands clean withwater and soap or alcohol-basedgels, and maintain respiratory eti-

quette and hand hygiene.
If people develop a rash, accompanied by fever or a feeling of
discomfort or illness, they should
contact their healthcare provider
and get tested for monkeypox.
If someone is suspected or confirmed as having monkeypox,
they should isolate at home or in
an appropriate facility until thescabs have fallen off and abstain
from sex. During this period, patients must be offered supportive
medical care to ease monkeypox
symptoms such as pain or itchiness. Patients should be monitored for early detection of any
medical complications of the illness. Anyone caring for a personsick with monkeypox should use
appropriate personal protective
measures.
Any rash-like illness during
travel or upon return should be
immediately reported to a healthprofessional, including information about all recent travel, sexual
history and smallpox immunization history.
Residents and travellers to monkeypox-endemic countries should
avoid contact with sick mammals
such as rodents, marsupials, nonhuman primates (dead or alive)that could harbour monkeypox
virus and should refrain from eating or handling wild game (bushmeat). (Source: safety4sea)

New US Demurrage and Detention rules – what you need to know
Demurrage and Detention charges have been a particular point ofcontention among US shippers
in the ongoing supply chain disruption and have been acted onquickly with the introduction of
the Ocean Shipping Reform Act
2022 (OSRA 2022).
On June 16, barely six weeks
ago, President Joe Biden signed
OSRA 2022 into law greatly expanding the scope of what the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)
could do in achieving its mandate,
which is to: “Ensure a competitiveand reliable international oceantransportation supply system that
supports the US economy andprotects the public from unfair anddeceptive practices.”
When new legislation is enacted, Federal agencies typicallyhave some time period to draft
proposed rules, open them up forcomments, and then- sometimes,
revise the wording before entering the exact wording into the US
Code. It is noteworthy that one aspect of OSRA 2022, that dealing
with invoicing for Demurrage andDetention (D and D), an attention getting issue, takes immediate
effect.
A late June message from the
FMC noted that “The law, and its
requirements, related to demurrage and detention charges, be-came effective June 16, 2022.” The
Washington DC law firm Thompson Coburn advises that: “Because
the statute took effect immediately,
invoices for demurrage and detention charges should be examined
for form and content compliancewith the new law.”
The wording concerning D and
D invoicing contains very specificrequirements for Vessel Operating Common Carriers (VOCCs),
which include all of the major liners serving US ports. The requirements for proper invoicing arecontained within the OSRA 2022
wording. Invoices must include
the following:• Date that container is madeavailable.
• The port of discharge.
• The container number or
numbers.
• For exported shipments, theearliest return date.
• The allowed free time in days.
• The start date of free time.
• The end date of free time.
• The applicable detention or
demurrage rule on which the dailyrate is based.
• The applicable rate or rates per
the applicable rule.
• The total amount due.
• The email, telephone number,or other appropriate contact information for questions or requests

for mitigation of fees.
• A statement that the charges are
consistent with any of Federal Maritime Commission rules with respect
to detention and demurrage.
• A statement that the common
carrier’s performance did not cause
or contribute to the underlying invoiced charges.
Interestingly, the bill’s language
also includes a powerful incentive
for carriers to get it right, saying:“Failure to include the information required under subsection (d)on an invoice with any demurrageor detention charge shall eliminate
any obligation of the charged party
to pay the applicable charge.’’. Asa practical matter, this means that

Continued from Page 3
The development of new fuelssuch as hydrogen and ammonia
will take time, so in the meantime ship owners are being encouraged to switch to existing
lower-carbon fuels, like LNG
and biofuel. The first large bulk
carriers to use LNG entered service in 2022 while LNG powered RoRo vessels and tankers
are under construction, LNG
group SEA-LNG says 90% ofcargo owners could see delays ingetting their actual D and D invoices as carriers make sure thatbills conform precisely with requisite data fields.
Mohawk Global, a well-known
consolidator and customs broker,
had told its customers: “Somecarriers are opting to delay suchbilling so they can comply withchanges to the laws. This may delay Mohawk Global’s ability to invoice our clients on some of thesecharges, as carriers struggle withcreating new data fields on their
invoices.”
The Thompson Coburn legal
team puts a very broad perspective
on OSRA 2022, saying: “OSRA

new car and truck carriers thatwill enter the market in the
coming years will be dual fuel
LNG. CMA CGM is to test biofuel on 32 of its container ships
this year.
The decarbonization of theindustry will require big investments in green technology andalternative fuels. It is essentialthat the transition to low-carbon
shipping does not create new risks
with unintended consequences.
(Source: Marine Link)

22 is clearly the product of recent
shipper frustrations with port
congestion, container and chassis
equipment shortages, record-highocean freight rates, and aggressive
assertion of demurrage and detention charges by ocean carriers.
Many of these issues reflect global
economic forces beyond the control of any one trading country.”
Referring to the broad bi-partisan
support for the new legislation,
they add: “However, it is noteworthy that Congress, with little internal controversy, turned its gaze on
the US regulatory structure governing ocean shipping for the firsttime in nearly a quarter century.”(Source: Seatrade Maritime News)All JApAn SeAmen’S Union
15-26, Roppongi 7-Chome,
Minato-Ku, Tokyo 106-0032
Tel.: (03) 5410-8320
Fax: (03) 5410-8336
E-mail: iss@jsu.jp
Internet: http://www.jsu.or.jp
Publisher: Hiroshi Saito
Send inquiries to the attention of
Mr. Hiroyuki Watanabe,
Director, International Dept.