Shipbreaking policy a top priority

Written by johnhansen Tuesday, 05 January 2010 20:04

Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladeshi government will formulate a policy for the hazardous shipbreaking industry "immediately". The prime minister's statement, at the national convention of the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Chittagong, comes in the wake of deaths of four workers in an explosion at a shipbreaking yard last month and continued environmental concerns regarding the industry.

"We (the government) are not against the shipbreaking industries, but that should not be at the cost of environment."

Environmentally Sensitive Drilling Solutions

Written by johnhansen Thursday, 31 December 2009 13:20

Photo courtesy Statoil

Statoil is the first operator in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico to adopt the Riserless Mud Recovery (RMR) system that reduces discharges to sea. This environmentally sensitive drilling solution has been used on the Discoverer Americas drill ship on the Statoil-operated Krakatoa prospect.

Final approval won by OceanSaver Ballast Water Management System

Written by David Tran Friday, 31 October 2008 03:20

OceanSaver reveals that its ballast water management system was granted final approval from the IMO at the latest meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 58) in London this month.

Report of the seventh meeting of the GESAMP-Ballast Water Working Group

Written by David Tran Thursday, 11 September 2008 01:17

1. The seventh meeting of the GESAMP-Ballast Water Working Group (GESAMP-BWWG) was held at IMO Headquarters from 30 June to 4 July 2008 and its report regarding approval of ballast water management systems that make use of Active Substances to treat ballast water prior to discharge into the marine environment.
   
2. The main purpose of this meeting was to review the remaining three proposals, which had been submitted before the deadline established for MEPC 58 (i.e. 21 March 2008) and which could not be reviewed during the regular meeting of the Group held from 19 to 23 May 2008. The reviews of the proposals evaluated by the Group are shown in annexes 4 to 6 of the attached report.
3. The Group noted that the quality of the information submitted by the applicants has, in general, improved, however, effective communication with the applicants during the meeting week was time consuming and not always possible. The Group reiterated the need to provide the full data set, in accordance with the existing Methodology, at the time of the submission of the application dossier.
4. The Committee is invited to:

• agree that Final Approval should be granted to the OceanSaver® Ballast Water Management System (OS BWMS) submitted by Norway in document MEPC 58/2/1 (see annex 4);
• agree that Basic Approval should be granted to the Ecochloroo Ballast Water Treatment System submitted by Germany in document MEPC 58/2/2 (see annex 5);
• agree that Final Approval should not be granted to the NK-03 BlueBallast System submitted by the Republic of Korea in document MEPC 58/2/3 (see annex 6); and approve the report in general.

SHI stumps up $107m for Hebei Spirit spill

Written by David Tran Friday, 29 February 2008 11:30

SOUTH Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries said today it will set up a fund worth $107m to assist residents and fishermen in areas hit by the country’s worst oil spill, following a collision between one of its barges and the oil tanker Hebei Spirit in December 2007.

Trafigura, Probo Koala master get court summons

Written by David Tran Wednesday, 20 February 2008 11:59

TRAFIGURA, the master of the Probo Koala, the City of Amsterdam and waste handling company Amsterdam Port Services have all been summoned by the Dutch public prosecutor to appear before an Amsterdam court in June.

Tchibo aims to take lead on greener shipping

Written by David Tran Thursday, 14 February 2008 11:59

GERMAN coffee and retail chain Tchibo, the fourth largest coffee producer in the world, is trying to lead the way with its new environmental protection programmes by putting the pressure on its contracted container carriers and forwarders.

EPA Pressured to Cut Ship Pollution

Written by David Tran Thursday, 14 February 2008 05:03

Diesel pollution spewed from the world's largest ships is increasing in U.S. ports and coastal areas even as regulators rein in car and truck emissions.

Arrest threat over Sea Diamond

Written by David Tran Thursday, 14 February 2008 04:48

Row brews as Greek government official tells owner to raise wreck or face arrest. THE number two in Greece’s shipping ministry has threatened to arrest executives of the country’s largest cruise operation in a bid to force the owner of the sunken Sea Diamond to raise the wreck, which is intermittently portrayed as an environmental time bomb.

Green light for India's first environmental shipbreaker

Written by David Tran Thursday, 14 February 2008 04:47

ANEW green ship recycling facility is to begin operations in India’s ship breaking region of Alang, as the industry tries to shed its dirty and unethical image.