ruben.maritime

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has a new information resource on piracy (full text, pdf, 375 KB). The document includes references to key IMO Assembly resolutions, as well as other IMO documents related to the topic.

Guia sobre la Piratería Marítima de la OMI: (full text, pdf, 375 KB)

Etiquetas: IMO piracy "maritime piracy" piratería OMI

IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos has urged the Government of Nigeria to intervene to help reduce the incidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Gulf of Guinea and in the waters off the coast of Nigeria. Mr. Mitropoulos took the opportunity of a wide-ranging meeting with Nigeria’s new Minister of Transport, Mr. Ibrahim Bio, which took place today (20 February 2009) at the IMO Headquarters in London, to stress that urgent action was needed to assure the international maritime community of Nigeria’s commitment to address the problem on a priority basis.

Mr. Bio pledged to pass the Secretary-General’s message on the issue to the Nigerian President. He also informed Mr. Mitropoulos that, as part of Nigeria’s efforts to resolve the problem, the Government had created a special Ministry - the Niger Delta Ministry - which had been given full powers to address, among other topics, the problem of militancy and piracy. He added that, in 2008, Nigeria had organized an international conference on piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Niger Delta region and that an action plan, agreed at the Conference, was currently being implemented.

The visit, the first to IMO by the newly-appointed Transport Minister, was convened to help strengthen the working ties between Nigeria, an IMO Council Member, and the Organization. It covered a broad range of topics.

Mr. Bio took the opportunity to outline some of Nigeria’s key maritime programmes in the areas of safety, security, marine environment protection and the human element. He reiterated Nigeria’s resolve to continue implementing and enforcing the IMO instruments which it had already accepted, as well as its intention to ratify all outstanding treaties. So far, Nigeria has ratified over thirty IMO conventions.

Nigeria is, he said, working hard to implement the Long Range Identification and Tracking of Ships system and to complete the audit of its maritime training institutions, in line with the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978. To help address the worldwide shortage of seafarers, Nigeria had also commenced training young school leavers to take up seafaring as a profession, under a National Seafarers’ Development Programme.

The Minister also confirmed that Nigeria had commenced a self-assessment and internal audit process, with a view to presenting itself for audit under the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme in the near future.

Responding, Secretary-General Mitropoulos expressed his appreciation for the visit and confirmed the very productive working relationship between Nigeria and IMO.

The Minister was accompanied on the visit by the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Dr. Dalhatu S. Tafida.

Etiquetas: IMO piracy "maritime piracy" piratería OMI

Se publica hoy en el BOE la Orden CIN/354/2009, de 9 de febrero, por la que se establecen los requisitos para la verificación de los títulos universitarios oficiales que habiliten para el ejercicio de la profesión de Ingeniero Naval y Oceánico.

Etiquetas: bolonia educacion "ingenieria naval y oceanica"

El Ingeniero Naval Rubén Pulido impartió el pasado 27 de noviembre en la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos de Madrid la conferencia titulada “El inicio profesional del Ingeniero Naval
en la OMI (Organización Marítima Internacional) de las Naciones Unidas”.

Iba dirigida a todos los estudiantes de Ingeniería Naval así como a todos los recién titulados que tuviesen interés en desarrollar una carrera bien en la OMI en Naciones Unidas, bien, trámite ésta, en la Administración Española.

El mismo Rubén Pulido, tras trabajar más de 5 años para la OMI y para Naciones Unidas, ha accedido recientemente por oposición al Cuerpo Superior de Administradores Civiles del Estado, antiguamente conocido como Cuerpo Superior de Técnicos de la Administración Civil del Estado (TAC). Es así mismo miembro de la Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) del Reino Unido.

Todo ello se hizo en el marco de promoción de la plaza que como Asesor Técnico del Representante Permanente de España ante la OMI (REPER-OMI) oferta el Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Océanicos de España en conjunción con la Dirección General de la Marina Mercante del Ministerio de Fomento del Gobierno de España. Esta plaza la gestiona el Grupo de Seguimiento de la OMI del mismo COIN (grupo PAT-14).

En la Conferencia participaron Jesús Valle, miembro fundador del PAT14, e Ignacio Zumalacárregui Luxán, Decano Territorial de Madrid del COIN, ambos Ingenieros Navales de gran prestigio y larga y prolífica trayectoria.

Una reseña de la misma ha aparecido en el número de Enero de 2009 de la Revista Ingeniería Naval.

El artículo puede descargarse aquí.

Fotos de la Conferencia se pueden ver aquí.

Etiquetas: "Ingenieria Naval" COIN PAT-14 OMI DGMM ONU "Organizacion Maritima Internacional"

Hoy se presenta en sociedad la nueva web del Instituto de la Ingeniería de España (IIE - www.iies.es).

También se presentan en sociedad los nuevos Comités del mismo, entre ellos el Comité Internacional al que pertenezco.

Lugar del Evento: Sede del IIE, calle General Arrando 38, Madrid, a las 18:30

Etiquetas: IIE, ingenieria, ingeniería naval

HAPAG-Lloyd in Germany is rumoured to be negotiating two 120-m long polar expedition cruise ships with domestic shipyard Meyer Werft.

Etiquetas: cruise lines, cruise market, destinations, new buildings, shipbuilding

DISNEY Cruise Line has signed a letter of intent to build two 122,000-gt, 2,500-passenger cruise ships at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Delivery will be in 2011 and 2012, with operations likely to be outside the Caribbean. Disney’s current fleet consists of the 83,000-gt Magic and Wonder, built in 1998 and 1999; those 1,754-passenger ships were built at Fincantieri.

Etiquetas: cruise lines, new buildings, shipbuilding

LAKE BUENA VISTA 23 February – Disney Cruise Line is finally expanding its fleet with two new post-Panamaxes after six growth-free years. Parent Walt Disney Company has signed a letter of intent with Germany’s Meyer Werft for construction of two 122,000-gt, 2,500-passenger vessels for delivery in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Currently, Disney's Fincantieri-built 83,000-gt, 1,754-passenger Disney Magic and Wonder (launched in 1998 and 1999) primarily sail Caribbean voyages, but have sporadically ventured into seasonal deployments on the US West Coast and Mediterranean. These non-Caribbean voyages “have recently set booking records and booked 30-50% faster than the existing itineraries at higher prices,” said Disney in a statement, strongly implying where the expanded future fleet will position. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo affirmed: "With a larger fleet, we'll have greater flexibility to offer a variety of itineraries.” Given its massive parent company and built-in brand recognition, Disney Cruise Line was originally viewed as a potentially major force in the cruise industry. That sentiment waned on the company’s growth stagnation since its debut, but the newbuilding announcement could herald greater market significance in the future.

Etiquetas: cruise lines, cruise market, cruises

Interesting post in cruisecritic.com



Carnival Passenger Defends Cruisers from Armed Robber

On Cruise Critic's boards, a thread called "Who Thinks Carnival Should Dump Costa Rica?" was prescient. ABC News this morning told viewers that Carnival has now replaced all port calls in Limon with a stop in Honduras. The locale in Honduras was unidentified but is most likely the island of Roatan.

Carnival has not immediately responded to a request for confirmation.

As Cruise Critic (and just about every other media outlet in the world) reported yesterday, a dozen passengers from Carnival Liberty, docked at Limon, on Costa Rica's east coast, had been taking a tour of the area when three young men, one armed with a gun and another with a knife, targeted the group. A scuffle ensued and a 70-year-old passenger, a former Marine, subdued the gunman by putting him in a headlock; ultimately the 20-year-old burglar's neck was broken. The attacker's accomplices ran away.

According to an AP report, the passengers put the injured man into their tour bus and took him to the hospital; he later died. The passengers were then interrogated by police before being permitted to return to the ship, acknowledging that the Marine was acting in self defense. Carnival Liberty sailed away that evening. The ship will return to Ft. Lauderdale as scheduled tomorrow (Sunday).

That this incident prompted Carnival to cancel calls by all ships in the fleet at Limon is no surprise to members of Cruise Critic's boards who've engaged in debate about the port change.

"In Costa Rica we had a wonderful time," writes RU Cruzin. "We walked all over town, sat in a local bar and talked with a man who kept buying us beers. We played street soccer for at least an hour with four little boys, while their mothers watched ... and undoubtedly laughed at how ridiculous we looked.

"I don't think I'm tempting fate. I have a genuine concern, and interest in the people, not just the tourist attractions. Maybe we have been lucky, but I truly believe that there are way more good people on this earth than there are bad. We hear so much about the bad that we are afraid to open ourselves to the experiences that are waiting to change our perception."

Many others echoed RU Cruzin's sentiments. PaulMedik, in particular, captured the general tone of the travelers responding. "Costa Rica didn't seem to be as dangerous as many other ports I've been to. I saw the greatest potential for problems in Panama and more armed locals in Jamaica. Miami is likely more dangerous than all three combined, and the danger there can come from any direction."

Adds PaulMedik, "We can't go through life avoiding areas that are potentially dangerous; we just have to be aware of what potential exists and alert for any signs that danger is imminent.

"If anyone really should learn a lesson from this week's 'violence' in Costa Rica, it is the thugs who would do harm to apparently helpless tourists. As the Costa Rican thugs learned, appearances can be deceiving!"

Even Cruise Critic's own profile of the port of Limon warned travelers to beware. "It is not crime-free, though, so it still pays to take care in its towns and streets."

It's quite possible that other cruise lines will follow suit and cancel calls at Limon; we'll keep you posted.

--by Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor

Etiquetas: cruise lines, cruise market, cruises

LA CORUNA 19 February– Spanish maritime safety agency Salvamento Maritimo is evacuating the eight remaining crew members of the stricken Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship Ostedijk, before an attempt is made to flood the ship’s burning cargo of fertiliser. The ship is under tow and will be taken to about 10n-miles of Estaca de Bares, near Cape Viveiro, Galicia, where a tug will pump water onto the ship. The salvage operation will take place in sheltered waters and not at a port, the Salvamento Maritimo spokesman added. Four Filipino crew members suffering from the effects of gas intoxication were airlifted off the Ostedijk yesterday afternoon. This new crisis off the coast of Galicia started when the Dutch-operated, 7,300dwt ship called for emergency assistance in the early hours of Saturday. It is reported to have been en route from Norway to Valencia. The ship was towed to around 14 miles off La Coruna where it was later allowed to continue sailing. However, it made a second emergency call little more than 12 hours later, on Sunday morning, from around 34n-miles off Cape Vilan. The crew members have since been released from hospital but have complained to local media that they should have been evacuated after the first emergency call was made.

Etiquetas: maritime incident, spain

NEW ORLEANS 16 February – Carnival Corp is delaying its second deployment to New Orleans because of weak demand. The 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph was originally slated to join the Fantasy in New Orleans in August, but will instead stay in Miami until at least April 2008. “There are lingering misperceptions by the vacationing public as to the recovery of New Orleans’ tourism infrastructure, which has necessitated a re-evaluation of our timeline,” said Carnival president Bob Dickinson in a statement. During Carnival’s last quarterly call, chairman Micky Arison dubbed New Orleans “one of our best homeports prior to the hurricane and one of our worst now”. Other lines that returned after Hurricane Katrina are Norwegian Cruise Line, with the Norwegian Sun (switching to Norwegian Spirit in 2007-2008) and Royal Caribbean with the Grandeur of the Seas (which moves to Tampa next year). Royal Caribbean president Adam Goldstein declined to comment to Fairplay on the Grandeur’s performance, but said in general that a mix of factors are impacting Gulf Coast-homeported demand, including “the recovery of New Orleans”, perception issues on Cozumel, and general macroeconomic factors. Before Katrina, New Orleans thrived as a homeport due to the popularity of pre-and-post hotel packages, but the city’s leisure sector has since been hit by spiralling crime, with 21 murders in the first 42 days of 2007.

Etiquetas: carnival, cruise lines, cruise market

NEW YORK 15 February – Cruise lines are hiking winter sailings from New York to the Caribbean, with Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 the latest entrant. Today Cunard announced a new series of 14 NY-homeported Caribbean itineraries between 3 October and March 2008. The resurgence of wintertime NY cruising after an absence of several decades was pioneered by Norwegian Cruise Line, which offers voyages aboard the Norwegian Spirit and Norwegian Dawn this winter and will place its newest vessel, the Norwegian Gem, into that market next winter. NCL was followed by Holland America Line with the Noordam, while Royal Caribbean will offer winter sailings out of Port Liberty, New Jersey in 2008. Despite harsh weather conditions, the growing NY trend is being fuelled by demand from drive-to-port customers in the lucrative "Tri-State" source market. RCCL regional vice president Michael Ronan earlier saidthat the increase in NY-homeported cruises has changed the Caribbean deployment equation, with such routes favouring Eastern Caribbean ports because ships travelling down the US Eastern Seaboard have limited range to sail the islands before returning north. “The Freeports of the world, which are very low on the call list, are picking up traffic because of their location,” Ronan explained.

Etiquetas: carnival, cruise lines, cruise market

NEW ORLEANS 12 February – Carnival Cruise Lines’ Fantasy is undergoing repairs today to mend a 10-m gash sustained in a collision with a barge on Saturday as the vessel was on its final homeward leg up the lower Mississippi towards New Orleans. No injuries or pollution were reported in the accident at Mile Marker 88, Fairplay was told by Coast Guard Lt Cmdr Cheri Ben-Iesau and the Panama-flagged cruise ship was allowed to finish its voyage on its own power to the Erato Street Terminal, where returning passengers disembarked. On arrival, company and USCG inspectors reviewed the damage and immediately cancelled the outbound cruise and Ben-Iesau says the vessel will be laid up for eight days for repairs and certifications. The 2,050 outbound passengers were allowed to board, told they could stay aboard ship – as a floating hotel while visiting pre-Mardi Gras New Orleans, Ben-Isau added. Passengers were given full refunds for that trip and 25% discounts on a future three- or five-day cruise. "We didn't want to leave people sitting on the piers," Carnival spokesman Tim Gallagher said. "We feel terrible that these folks are losing their vacation. We know it's not just matter of money, but a matter of time and people do lot of planning." Minor damage was reported to the rice laden barge, one of a string of six being pushed downriver by the towboat Repentance. An investigation is underway into the collision and Fantasy’s next cruise – set for next Thursday – will also have to be shortened or cancelled, Ben-Iesau added. An initial statement from Carnival blames the incident on the towboat, asserting that its ship “was struck” and that the tow operator “lost control and collided with the Fantasy”.

Etiquetas: cruise market