Ocean MC

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) is launching a revised portfolio with Unitor and Nalfleet product brands as the first part of their strengthened chemicals offer today. When this scheme has been fully rolled out it will offer an increased product range, enhanced customer service, specialist support in the form of an innovative new customer portal and an improved global logistics network.
Graham Hunter, Business Director Marine Chemicals says;

A summary of real time prices on Baltex, the Baltic Exchange’s Multilateral Trading Facility for dry freight derivatives, will be made available to Baltic members from 14 March 2012.  The move follows continuing volume growth on Baltex and opens up FFA prices to a further 287 companies not currently trading FFAs on Baltex. However, only Baltex members will be allowed to trade on the screen. Currently 33 companies are members of the FSA regulated Baltex platform, including some of the largest traders in the market.

Baltic Exchange Chief Executive Jeremy Penn said:

As it prepares for Sea Japan, Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has reported strong growth in the number of owners in Japan and North East Asia signing up for its’ Ships Agency Re-Defined (SARD) offer.

Every shipping company will know that July 2012 marks the beginning of the rolling programme that makes the fitting of ECDIS on most large ships compulsory under SOLAS regulations. Admiralty’s free Digital Integration Workshop entitled “Are you ready for the new ECDIS regulations?” has been designed in conjunction with Captain Paul Hailwood, Master Mariner, who has significant experience in the Merchant Navy and Maritime Industry and is a renowned expert on ECDIS and integrated bridge operations. Each Workshop is due to last approximately 2 hours and includes refreshments.

The operation to remove the remaining 24,000 litres of fuel oil, along with oily water and other hazardous materials from the grounded vessel ‘Carrier’ was completed yesterday evening.

The vessel, which ran aground on 4 April near Llanddulas in North Wales, remains aground and is resting against concrete dolosse blocks on the beach close to the North Wales Expressway (A55).
The owners of the vessel have declared it a Constructive Total Loss.

The Chamber of Shipping has today launched guidelines to assist shipping companies in the development of anti-corruption policies, with particular emphasis on the problem of facilitation payments.

The document has been produced by the Chamber’s Legal, Insurance and Documentary Issues Committee as general guidance available for anyone who wishes to access it. The guidelines set out a range of issues which could appropriately be considered including:

Helen Deeble (Chief Executive of P&O Ferries) and Kenneth MacLeod (Chairman of Stena Line (UK)) were today elected President and Vice President of the Chamber of Shipping at its Annual General Meeting.

In her inaugural address, the President described the stability of the industry’s operating environment as being of “paramount importance”, both in terms of tax and employment.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mike Penning): The appropriate provision of marine aids to navigation preserves life at sea and protects our coasts from pollution, a task the Government entrusts to the three General Lighthouse Authorities for the United Kingdom and Ireland. However, we must balance this responsibility against the efficiencies demanded of all public sector organisations and our continued drive to minimise cost.

Regional report from WSS prior to Asia Pacific Maritime in Singapore.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has reported year-on-year growth in South East Asia - despite what WSS Area Director Niall Denholm describes as a ‘stressed market’ for the shipping industry. “Our products and services portfolio is expanding and we see that our business within the region has continued to grow, largely due to the investment we have made across Asia Pac in terms of capability, network offices and staffing”, he says.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) - the principal international trade association for shipowners representing all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world merchant fleet - has responded to the outcome of the intergovernmental conference on Somalia hosted by the United Kingdom on 23 February.