Updates

From 1 January 2019 vessels must switch to fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.50% prior to entering China’s territorial sea.

As discussed in our previous article, the practice of “beaching” vessels at the end of their useful lives is not illegal in all places and for all shipowners. Indeed, far too many commercial vessels are currently dismantled in environmentally unsound and unsafe conditions. Gard’s Manager for Sustainable Business, Live Jacob Sydness, explores a market driven approach to promote sustainable ship recycling.

While the IMO has given shipowners and operators until 2021 to incorporate cyber risk into ships’ safety management systems, cyber criminals are already at work. Data is an asset and protecting it requires a good balance between confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Cyber security depends not only on how shipboard systems and processes are designed but also on how they are used - the human factor.

While all major Ukrainian ports are operating normally, ships destined for Ukraine’s Azov Sea ports may experience delays due to inspections carried out by the Russian authorities.

Following the Mumbai terror attacks in 2011, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS)in India banned the use of “Thuraya, Iridium and other such satellite phones” in Indian waters.

Amendments to the IMSBC Code will enter into force on 1 January 2019. In this article, Penelope Cooke of Brookes Bell LLP explains how the upcoming amendments will affect vessels carrying coal cargoes. For all details of the IMSBC Code amendments, please see IMO Resolution MSC.426(98).