With the pandemic and the 2020 sulphur cap, the shipping industry had a challenging time this year but despite all odds it sailed through it rather well. So, here we are chartering some success stories from the shipping industry as presented by Safety4sea.
Chronicling Stories That Shaped the Year
Like all sectors, maritime industry faced an unprecedented situation; whether succeeded or not, industry managed to survive, proving the power of teamwork and solidarity. On the occasion, this month, we have asked industry stakeholders to provide their review to our festive column, to say ‘Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021’, says an article published in Safety4sea.
But let’s take a look at the stories which shaped the maritime industry in 2020:
- The COVID Threat
What once was a threat in a Hollywood movie, it became a reality. It all started from a local market in Wuhan, China but soon the new coronavirus spread around the globe. The outbreak saw an overwhelming number of deaths occur around the globe and the WHO declared COVID-19 as pandemic on March 12. Overall, the maritime industry keeps struggling with the implications of the pandemic in many fronts. For example, the COVID-19 has disrupted routine on-board inspections and now many seek alternative solutions such as remote inspections. What is more, crew change is a key issue not resolved yet; many seafarers are confronted with obstacles that prevent their repatriation, meaning that mental health issues are increased more than ever.
2. Industry Action in Crew Change Crisis
Bans forced by governments following the COVID-19 outbreak left thousands of seafarers quarantined onboard ships, unable to return home, even after their contract had ended. From the early days of the global lockdown, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim requested from the UN to support its request to governments to declare seafarers, and other crucial maritime workers as key personnel, in order to safeguard global trade flow. In particular, IMO issued the Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14 including recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of industry’s key actions against the crew change crisis include:
- The European Commission proposed Member States to designate several ports in the Union for fast-track crew changes.
- ITF, ETF, Nautilus International, INTERCARGO, IFSMA, ISWAN, ECSA, all repeatedly vowed the importance for governments to enable crew repatriations.
- In May, InterManager launched Maritime Champions Club to recognize crew repatriation efforts.
- The IMO released a 12-step roadmap for 174 member states to ensure safe movement of seafarers and allow some exemptions for them to join or leave ships, in early May.
- In late May, ICAO, IMO and ILO jointly asked support of governments to facilitate crew changes by designating all marine and aviation personnel as key workers, regardless of nationality.
- This year’s Day of the Seafarer, June 25, paid tribute to all maritime workers for their key role during the pandemic, spreading the message across social media with the hashtag #SeafarersAreKeyWorkers. On the occasion of the day, several organizations announced their support to the world’s seafarers through calls and initiatives.
- In early October, a group of leading shipping organizations sent an open letter to Asian governments, calling them to allow temporary visa waivers and a visa free transit area in Asia for seafarers. Moreover, they expressed their appreciation on the opening of the Ports of Manila, Port Capinpin in Bataan and the Port of Subic, in Zambales for crew change purposes, as well as The “Green Lane” adopted by the Philippines to make possible crew change for foreign seafarers.
- In October, Chile became the first country in South America to permit international crew change operations in line with the IMO protocols while at same month, NYK car carrier arrested in Melbourne over crew change violations.
- In late November, major shipping organizations sent an open letter to Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, urging him to take a stand for the 400.000 seafarers stranded at sea. In particular, BIMCO along with INTERCARGO, ICS and INTERTANKO urged Amazon CEO to use his influence as the world’s leading retail entrepreneur and take a stand for the crew change issue.
- Major shipping and labour stakeholders jointly issued a statement urging all United Nations Member States to take action and resolve the crew change crisis, suggesting 15 key measures to the Governments to remove barriers and facilitate crew changes.
3. Rise of Digitalisation in Shipping
Due to physical distancing, digital tools and solutions became more important than ever. Many classification societies, including DNV GL and Bureau Veritas, are now using technology to conduct remote inspections and surveys. Similarly, ABS launched, in an industry first, ten remote survey options, with an overall of 28 surveys and audits able to be conducted remotely, to assist the industry in this challenging environment.
USCG launched a port state control (PSC) guidance, ensuring that supply chains remain open, vessel surveys are conducted and related certificates are issued.
Another solution that came to the surface and has been widely applauded by the shipping industry is the digital certificates. Seafarers’ certificates have been an issue the past months, making seafarers unable to update or acquire their certificates.
4. Shipping in EU ETS
The maritime transport had remained the only sector with no specific EU commitment to reduce GHG; however the appointment of Ursula von der Leyen as the new European Commission President, a year ago, marked the official beginning of negotiations for the inclusion of shipping in EU ETS. While MEPs agree that reporting obligations by the EU and the IMO should be aligned, they noted that the IMO has made insufficient progress in reaching an ambitious global agreement on GHG emissions.
As such, in September, the European Parliament voted in favour of including GHG emissions coming from the shipping industry in EU ETS from 1 January 2022 and set a new target of 40% reduction in shipping CO2 by 2030.
5. New BMP on West African piracy
Amid a complex and dynamic maritime security situation in West Africa, a new publication provides Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security off the Coast of West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea. This aims to help ships plan their voyage and detect, avoid, delay and report attacks.
6. New mental health awareness and wellbeing standard
Launched on 7 July, the new Seafarers’ Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing Training Standard sets a benchmark for training that aims to develop a keen awareness and appreciation of mental health and wellbeing amongst all types of seafarers, as well as those with an interest in seafaring. Many seafarers are feeling isolated. The Covid-19 crisis has made the situation for seafarers even worse, noted speakers of panel 2 of 2020 SAFETY4SEA Virtual Forum.
7. More efforts towards diversity and inclusion
In early 2020, five Danish companies, including shipping giant Maersk, Maersk Tankers, DFDS Group, Norden and Torm launched new “Charter for more women in shipping” initiative, to attract more women in the industry.
Ageism can be a form of unfair treatment at work and can occur in recruitment, training, promotion, pay, terms and conditions of employment, performance management, redundancy, retirement, dismissal and flexible working. In this regard, ICS issued a report providing guidelines to shipping on how to tackle age discrimination.
Furthermore, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) launched the so called ‘’ICS Diversity Tracker’’ which presents the results of an ICS survey on diversity conducted in Autumn 2019. ICS issued a guide which outlines key conclusions and gives recommendations for companies looking to build a diverse workforce.
During this year’s European Shipping Week, in February, ECSA took the opportunity to express its support, highlighting the importance of promoting of gender diversity. With the cooperation of ETF, ECSA announced the launch of their new project called WESS, co-funded by the EU, which will help them to implement their joint declaration of intention on enhanced participation of women in the European shipping industry.
Also, supporting a more diverse workforce during June which is officially Pride month, Maritime UK founded an LGBT+ Network, seeking to connect individuals and companies across different sectors of maritime, with LGBT+ people both at sea and ashore. To this context, Carnival Corporation has been officially recognized as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality, showing a perfect score in its 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which rates US companies on their treatment of LGBTQ consumers, investors and employees.
Female appointments in leadership positions during 2020 include: Dorothea Ioannou became Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the American Club and Mary (Molly) Mc Cafferty appointed as Senior Vice President and Director of Claims for the Americas. Also, Sailors Society appointed Revd Hansa Khatun as new Southampton port chaplain and Sara Baade as new CEO.
8. New decarbonization project launched
IMO jointly with MPA Singapore introduced “NextGEN”, a concept for a collaborative global ecosystem of maritime decarbonization initiatives. The aim is to facilitate information sharing on decarbonisation initiatives across stakeholders such as IMO Member States, industry and academia, identify opportunities and gaps for decarbonisation in the global shipping ecosystem, and create important networks and platforms for collaboration.
9. World’s largest LNG vessels named
The world’s largest LNG bunker vessel was officially named at a ceremony held in Rotterdam, on 18 September. The 18,600-m³ GTT Mark III Flex membrane vessel has been named “Gas Agility”. Also, The CMA CGM Jacques Saade, the largest LNG-powered container ship, joined CMA CGM Group’s fleet, after its naming ceremony.
10. New theme for World Maritime Day 2021
“Seafarers: at the core of shippingʹs future” will be next year’s theme, highlighting a clear need to raise awareness of seafarersʹ vital role in world trade and increase their visibility.
11. IMO moves forward with GMDSS modernization
In the 7th session of its Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR 7), that took place on 15-24 January, IMO finalized draft SOLAS amendments for the modernization of GMDSS, a critical tool for SAR at sea.
12. Singapore remains top maritime centre
According to the Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index, issued in July, Singapore tops the list for the 7th consecutive year, followed by London, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai.
13. New dates for CIC announced
Due to the pandemic, the Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU decided to postpone the CIC for 2020, which was about to focus on stability in general. Therefore, the schedule for CICs for the coming years will be:
2020 – No CIC
2021 – CIC on Stability (in general)
2022 – CIC on STCW
2023 – CIC on Fire Safety
#19 Industry urges EU to act on migrant issue
In August, Maersk Etienne took care of three migrants that jumped overboard and rescued 27 people in total; however it remained in the Mediterranean awaiting a decision by governments on which port will allow their disembarkation. ECSA, ICS, ITF and ETF sent an open letter to European Commissioners, including President Ursula von der Leyen, calling for prompt and predictable disembarkations of persons rescued by merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Maersk Etienne was the third incident in 2020 in which a merchant vessel had been stranded caring for people rescued at sea. In May, the Marina was delayed for six days with some 80 rescued people on board before being able to disembark, while in July, the Talia took four days out of its scheduled journey to care for 50 people who were finally allowed to disembark in a place of safety after 4 days.
14. Cyber security guidelines Version 4.0 now available
As we are counting down for 2021, which signals a new era for ship operators since from January 1st, cyber security will be included in SMS, as per IMO Requirement, industry published updated cyber guidelines for vessels
The fourth version takes into consideration the threat as the product of capability, opportunity, and intent, and explains the likelihood of a cyber incident as the product of vulnerability and threat. Thus, the improved risk model offers explanation as to why still relatively few safety-related incidents have unfolded in the maritime industry, but also why this should not be misinterpreted and make shipping companies lower their guard.
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Source: Safety4sea
