Importers of goods through the port of Mombasa, especially those from neighbouring countries that have in the past threatened to withdraw from over rising insecurity, could soon rest easy with the installation of an integrated security system to protect the port from loss of cargo through theft and threats of terror.
Recently, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) awarded an Israeli firm, Magal S3, a contract to instal the system, which was to start immediately and is expected to last for the next 18 months.
The security system will automate entrances to the port and allow for surveillance of the entire area, such that it will be easy to monitor every activity taking place at the port.
CCTV cameras will be installed on the port perimeter wall, both on sea and land. All port users will be expected to obtain digitalised security cards to gain access to the port.
"The new security system will also help the port address the problems of labour productivity by monitoring all sections," Mr Gichiri Ndua, KPA’s managing director said.
The value of the project stands at $21 million ( Sh1.6 billion). World Bank will provide 56 per cent of the cost with the rest coming from KPA, Mr Ndua.
The installation is in line with international security standards. Following the 9/11 terror attack in the US, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted the ISPS Code to improve and mitigate against threats in ports serving international trade all over the world.
The Mombasa port security assessment was done in 2002 by an international security consulting firm Aviation and General Security Consultants (AGSC), which identified several threats and risks facing the port and recommended installation of an ISS to address the threats.
"The scope of the proposed ISS covers the Kenyan seaport of Mombasa and the two inland Container Depots in Nairobi and Kisumu," Mr Ndua said, adding that the training of security personnel and awareness will be part of the deal.
Survey Findings: Greek Officers Suffer Declining Productivity
Greek shipping companies tend to trust Greek officers more, but the number of available Greek candidates is decreasing. This is a key finding of the shipping crew performance management systems survey, conducted by PwC in Greece and in Cyprus, from January to April 2010.
The survey analyses data collected from twelve leading shipping companies based in Greece, Cyprus, Denmark and Sweden. The methodology used was semi-structured interviews with general managers, fleet personnel and human resources managers. The survey covers 39,500 seafarers and 1,320 ships.
Performance management systems provide valuable information for corporate management. Their purpose is to align the performance of every employee with the corporate strategy and objectives. Decisions for HR issues such as rewards, training and development, career planning and promotions, are taken based on results of the performance management systems.
Performance management systems are a challenge for the shipping industry, considering the unique attributes and working conditions of the crews.
All the companies who participated in the survey have a performance management system for their crews, but ten out of twelve apply different systems for seafarers and shore-based personnel. Usually there is no connection between the two, although in some cases both systems are based on the same corporate values.
The survey key findings are interesting both from shipping and HR perspectives.
Shipping companies leverage performance management systems to select crews as well as to evaluate re-hiring
Ten out of the twelve companies which participated in the survey use the data from their performance management systems to design crew manning in order to achieve team collaboration and avoid conflicts during trips. In addition, decisions for re-hiring seafarers are taken based on their performance appraisals.
It is striking that a limited number of the survey participants, most of them based abroad, stated that they take decisions on salaries, rewards, benefits and incentives based on performance appraisals.
Training and development
More than half of the survey participants said that they link their performance management systems with employee training and development. Also performance appraisal is a key component for the officers’ career planning and development.
In the long run, this situation is becoming a risk factor for the Greek companies, considering that they tend to trust Greek officers more. On the contrary, there seems to be no lack of staffing for the rest of crew positions. Most shipping companies have premises in East Asia and Eastern Europe to find cheaper labour.
Another key finding is that many incentives and benefits are given to the officers in order to retain them within the company. This is due to a general lack of officers in the shipping sector.
SHIPTALK: A GLOSSARY OF SHIPPING AND MARITIME TERMS
ASTERN – Behind or a backward direction in the line of a vessel’s fore and aft line. When a vessel moves backwards it is said to move astern; opposite to ahead.
BALLAST – Heavy substances loaded by a vessel to improve stability, trim, sea-keeping and to increase the immersion at the propeller. In the days of sail rocks and sand were used. Modern ships use seawater loaded in ballast tanks placed at the bottom of the ship, or in some cases on the sides called wing tanks. Tankers admit ballast water into the cargo tanks to submerge the vessel to a proper trim. When ballast tanks are not connected with the cargo system they are referred to as SEGREGATED BALLAST TANKS.
BOATSWAIN (BOSUN) – The highest unlicensed rating on the ship with charge of all deck hands and who in turn comes under the direct orders of the master or chief mate or mate.
CARGO PLAN – A plan giving the quantities and description of the various grades carried in the ship’s cargo tanks, after the loading is completed.
CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY – Private organisations that undertake inspections and provide advise on the hull and machinery of a ship, also supervise ships during their construction and afterwards in respect to their seaworthiness. Ships are then referred to as being ‘in class’. Although not compulsory, an unclassed ship will find it difficult to attract insurance.
DOUBLE BOTTOM – General term for all watertight spaces contained between the outside bottom plating, the tank top and the margin plate. The double bottoms are sub-divided into a number of separate tanks which may contain boiler feed water, drinking water, fuel oil, ballast, etc. Now becoming common on all tankers.
FORCE MAJEURE – Clause limiting responsibilities of charterers, shippers and receiver of cargo
FORECASTLE – The raised part of the forward end of a ship’s hull, taking its name from the days of sailing ships where the forecastle was effectively a ‘castle’ on the ship’s prow used for defending the ship. On some ships this area may be used for crew accommodation or quarters but on most new ships the space is used for the storage of paints, tackle, deck and engine stores, tarpaulins, etc.
GANGWAY – a narrow portable platform used as a passage, by persons entering or leaving a vessel moored alongside a pier or quay.
HARD AGROUND – A vessel which has gone aground and is incapable of refloating under her own power.
HATCH – An opening, generally rectangular, in a ship’s deck providing access into the compartment below.
JACKUP – A deck with legs that can be jacked up or down. During operations, the legs rest on the seabed. When the rig is moved, the legs are retracted, leaving the rig floating. A jackup has Normally no propulsion machinery of its own.
LOOKOUT – A member of the crew stationed on the forecastle, bridge, or in the case of sailing vessels, the crow’s nest at the top of one of the main masts. His duty it is to watch for any dangerous objects or for any other vessels approaching .
OBO SHIP – A multipurpose ship that can carry ore, heavy dry bulk goods and oil. Although more expensive to build, they ultimately are more economical because they can make return journeys with cargo instead of empty.
Sailor rescued after being thrown overboard
A Thai crew member has been rescued by an Indian warship after surviving being thrown overboard from a highjacked vessel near the Lakshadweep Islands off India.
The vessel concerned, the PRANTALAY 12 was reported pirated some months ago and was being used as a mother ship by Somali pirates to operate in waters close to the Indian sub-continent. An Indian warship, INS KRISHNA had noticed the Prantalay 12 and was keeping the vessel under observation when the seafarer was thrown overboard by the pirates. The seaman has been taken to Kochi. It is thought possible that the man was tossed overboard to delay the Indian warship from following the pirates, who by that stage were making way westward at full speed.
Recently the captured ship POLAR was observed in the area approaching the Indian coast and being used as a mother ship by pirates. The Polar has since moved away back towards Africa.
WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT
13.12.2010:
0026 LT: Posn: 10:14.5N – 107:28.8E, Vung Tau outer anchorage, Vietnam.
Four robbers boarded a wood chip carrier ship at anchor. Alert crew noticed the robbers and raised the alarm. The robbers escaped with the stolen ship stores. Port control informed.
13.12.2010:
1920 UTC: Posn: 13:52.4N – 051:07.1E, Gulf of Aden.
Armed pirates in three skiffs chased and attempted to board a bulk carrier underway. Anti piracy preventive measures employed by Master ensured that the vessel was successfully able to evade the attempted boarding.
13.12.2010:
2200 UTC: Posn: 05:28.5S – 039:58.9E: around 10nm off Pemba Island, Tanzania (Off Somalia).
A product tanker underway spotted two skiffs at a distance of 6.5 nm approaching her at high speed. The tanker increased speed, raised alarm and instructed all crew to muster in safe room except bridge crew and security team. Warship in vicinity informed. At a range of 3.5 nm the speed boats opened fire at the tanker. When warship arrived at the location, the skiffs aborted the attack and returned to mother vessel.
13.12.2010:
1000 UTC: Posn: 13:09N – 048:29E, Gulf of Aden.
Five pirates armed with guns and RPG in a skiff fired upon and attempted to board a tanker underway. One of the skiffs managed to come alongside the tanker but due to the evasive manoeuvres and increasing speed the boarding failed. The tanker was part of a naval convoy when she was attacked.
14.12.2010:
0800 UTC: Posn: 18:15N – 061:37E around 436nm NE of Salalah, (Off Somalia).
Pirates armed with guns and RPG in 2 skiffs chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway with intent to hijack. The ship was able to evade the attack due to preventative measures.
14.12.2010:
0300 LT: Posn: 06:00.7S – 106:54.2E, Tanjung Priok anchorage, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Five robbers armed with long knives boarded a container ship at anchor. They took hostage the duty watchman and threatened him with knives. Three of the robbers entered the accommodation and stole ships property from the safety locker. The robbers escaped in a waiting speed boat.
14.12.2010:
2205 LT: Posn: 05:33.6S – 106:59.2E, Indonesia.
Pirates in an unlit wooden boat attempted to board a bulk carrier underway equipped with razor wires as a defence. Ship raised alarm and crew directed searchlights towards the boat resulting in the pirates moving away.
15.12.2010:
0215 UTC: Posn: 12:09N – 060:23E: around 350 nm off Socotra island, (Off Somalia).
Two skiffs with four pirates armed with machine guns and RPG chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Vessel enforced anti piracy measures resulting in the pirates aborting the attack. Vessel sustained some damages.
15.12.2010:
0304 UTC: Posn: 06:00.6N – 003:33.5E, approximately 25 nm off Lagos, Nigeria.
A suspicious vessel approached a drifting container ship. At a distance of 2.1 nm the vessel stopped and launched a skiff with seven armed pirates. The skiff chased and fired upon the ship with intent to board. Master raised alarm, increased speed and crew activated fire hoses, smoke signals and fired rocket flares at the skiff. The pirates made several attempts to board the ship and finally aborted the attack due to the effective anti piracy measures taken by the ship including rigging of razor wires and electric fence.
16.12.2010:
0315 UTC: Posn: 16:10N – 068: 20E: around 300nm SW of Mumbai, India (Off Somalia).
Pirates in a skiff approached a tanker underway and opened fire with automatic weapons. The tanker evaded the boarding. Further details awaited.
Maersk calls for carbon distance labelling
Maersk Line said in a statement Thursday that it is encouraging political leaders to create standards so customers and consumers “can follow the carbon footprint of the products they buy.”
Saying the United Nation’s Conference of Climate Change, COP 16, is unlikely to reach political consensus, Maersk said it was responding to a UN call for key industries and companies to give ideas on how to fight climate change.
“To tap into shipping’s low carbon potential, COP 16 should create carbon transparency and embrace the concept of ‘carbon distance,’ ” said John Kornerup Bang, lead climate advisor for the AP Moller – Maersk Group.
“The actual distance traveled by a product is not important. What’s important is the CO2 emissions resulting from the transport and the societal value of the service provided. That is the essence of carbon distance.
“Businesses are stepping in to fill the political void. This initiative is a testament to the fact that the UN sees businesses as solution providers. It’s good to see that shipping is seen as part of the solution,” Bang said.
Antarctic Tragedy: 22 Seamen Feared Dead As South Korean Vessel Sinks
A South Korean fishing boat has sunk in freezing waters near Antarctica, with 22 sailors feared dead.
Twenty men working on the 614-tonne toothfish boat No 1 In Sung were rescued from the water by nearby fishing boats. At least five were confirmed dead, including two Indonesians, two South Koreans and one Vietnamese.
The boat sank at 6.30am (1730 GMT)on Monday, about 620 miles north of Antarctica and 1,700 miles south of New Zealand, the country’s Rescue Coordination Centre said.
It was not known what caused the ship to sink and no distress call had been made, the centre said.
South Korean media outlets reported that high waves in the area were hampering the rescue operation.
Two New Zealand and three South Korean vessels were searching for survivors. A New Zealand air force aircraft may be sent, but it would take about 8 hours to get there.
The water temperature is about 35F (2C) which means someone would survive for about 10 minutes without proper equipment, the centre said.
South Korea asked New Zealand to help rescue the missing sailors, the ministry said in a statement. On board the boat were eight South Koreans, eight Chinese, 11 Indonesians, 11 Vietnamese, three Filipinos and one Russian, the statement said.
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