shippinglogistics The Malta Independent on Sunday JUNE 2018
2
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
Run away to sea Well just for a day or two at least and spend time this summer relaxing far from the crowded coasts. he Middle Sea Race will be held later this year, the 50th edition, and this should prompt anyone with the remotest interest in our sea-faring history to spend a bit of time sailing around the islands, living like a king, or queen in the fresh, sea air and enjoying all the fun of being a yachtie with none of the responsibility. Yes, it’s time to consider chartering or hiring a boat for a day. Imagine it. Will you choose an ‘antique’ sloop for your own Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy, a sleek cabin cruiser or sailing boat to ignite a tranquil, luxury island cruise experience, or a large, powerful craft to fill with friends for a day of partying? Well, there’s plenty of choice on both islands. You can even join fishermen on one of their trips, if you get up early enough. You can charter a boat for a day or more under various terms including: Bareboat chartering, where qualified people can rent a vessel from the owner with no crew or provisions provided, and are responsible for it and their passengers and crew. Whoever is going to skipper the boat will need to produce certificates of his mariner qualifications, obviously. Skippered yacht hire offers boats which include a skipper and possibly crew, according to the type of boat and the trip/s it will be taking. Boats for scuba diving, water skiing, hands on sailing or motoring around the Maltese Islands are all available. Plan your day, a cruise to Gozo followed by a sundown sail round Grand Harbour maybe, or hiding away in a private, sapphire blue cove, picnicking, swimming and snorkeling. One day at sea, waited on hand and foot, can be worth a week in a self-catering apartment!
T
Renting a boat offers a different and momentous experience. You will see our islands and shorelines from a totally different and striking perspective. It would make a wonderful honeymoon for couples who don’t have much time, or prefer not to travel too far away. You might even have a chance to take in some of Malta’s neighbouring islands. A boat for a day would make an original hen or stag party location. In fact, it would also be a wonderful setting for an actual wedding ceremony or small reception.
Divers are not the only people who can consider hiring a boat for a while. With the still days and calm seas we can expect in summer, artists, photographers and naturalists can enjoy their work or hobby by seeing the islands from another point of view. Taking advantage of all the places you can swim or go ashore, that are fairly inaccessible on land, will offer a sense of both adventure and privacy. And, however well you think you know the islands’ bays, you are sure to discover some hidden gems.
Get together with family, friends and loved ones, or just as a couple and decide what you want, from water sports, music and dancing, to a full food fest cooked by your own onboard chef, on a romantic cruise. It’s time to appreciate the fact that we have three-and-a-bit Mediterranean islands on our doorstep and discover another way to find out how beautiful they can be. One glance at our tourist areas is enough to remind us how many thousands of people have to wait from year to year for such a chance.
shippinglogistics
|
JUNE 2018
3
4
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
The urgency of curbing POLLUTION from ships, explained he International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency that regulates global shipping, is writing new rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 2050 as it implements other regulations that will mandate cleaner-burning fuels at sea by 2020. As researchers who study the shipping industry, we have determined that the benefits of greener shipping outweigh the costs. Yet global environmental rule-making, implementation and enforcement take a long time, creating delays that can endanger public health and the environment.
T
Heavy fuel oil
The more than 52,000 ships crisscrossing ocean trade routes will burn more than 2 billion barrels of heavy fuel oil this year. Heavy fuel oil, a crude oil byproduct, contains sulfur concentrations up to 1,800 times higher than the diesel fuel burned on U.S. highways. Ships contribute between 2 and 3 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, studies show. Unless the world takes action to control noxious air pollutants and reduce greenhouse gases, harmful pollution will grow in tandem with global trade in the coming decades. Atmospheric processes transform ship exhaust into toxic particles, which drift far from shipping routes. Originating along shipping routes, these pollutants endanger human health and acidify lakes and streams hundreds of miles inland.
Public health hazard
As part of an international team of scholars, we researched how sulfur-related pollution from ships affects human health. Our team found that ship pollution causes about 400,000 premature deaths from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease, and 14 million cases of childhood asthma each year. Maritime regulation requires cooperation among many, if not most, of the world’s nations, using their shared authority to verify compliance upon arrival in their ports. But at sea, most shipping companies operate relatively independently of the country where they are headquartered. The International Maritime Organization sets international shipping policies through consensus agreements that specify compliance requirements and leave enforcement up to national authorities. In 2008, governments and industries agreed to adopt cleaner fuels in 2020. Since then, we estimate that ship air pollution exposure contributed to more than 1.5 million premature deaths and aggravated asthma conditions for over 100 million children. Given the climate benefits of low-carbon shipping, we believe that the world can’t wait three decades to set and enforce shipping greenhouse gas targets. This article was originally published in The Conversation. Authors: James J. Winebrake, Professor of Public Policy and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Rochester Institute of Technologym; James J. Corbett, Professor, University of Delaware
Projected premature mortality from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease due to sulfur pollution from ships in 2020 unless emissions are cut. Study by James Winebrake, James Corbett and other researchers, CC BY-SA
shippinglogistics
|
JUNE 2018
5
6
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
Be SAFE at SEA nyone can own a yacht or small boat under the Maltese flag. To register a craft, you must have completed the training course by the MCAST Maritime Institute and or have a Nautical Licence, which can be obtained by attending a course on Basic Seamanship and Safe Boat Handling. You will also need this if you plan on driving a small boat, having an engine or engines with a combined power of 30HP or more, or if your boat will be used to tow waterskiers. A list of further documents boat owners will need, plus official recognised training facilities and instructors in Malta can be found online; and there are a number of excellent courses for sailors of wind-powered yachts as well. Our channels and coasts can be among the most dangerous in the Mediterranean and are not to be underestimated. Even the most leisurely weekend sailor should not even step ‘haul an anchor’ without being very aware of and prepared to use:
A
Basic safety awareness Even if you only plan to ‘potter’ around in a small boat or sailing dingy there are safety considerations you would be very foolish to ignore. At least two people on board should know how to handle the boat you are in, the rules of the sea, and navigation, how to spot changes in the weather, use of safety equipment and the engine, if there is one. Accidents, a sudden, unforeseen change in weather conditions, even sea-sickness could put you and your family or companions in serious danger. It is therefore essential that apart from being very sure how to handle whatever craft you are on, you also make certain it is in the best condition and has everything you could need in the way of working safety equipment on board.
Life jackets and harnesses A yacht must have sufficient lifejackets and harnesses to fit all shapes and sizes, including children and any pet dogs. The skipper is responsible for ensuring they are always worn or at least that everyone knows where they are stowed and how to put them on. There are numerous types of life jacket and it should be compulsory for everyone to have one, no matter how near they are to shore and how far they think they can swim. Neither of those factors are relevant when the sea decides to show who is boss. Hand in hand with a life jacket is a harness, especially for crew members on deck in rough weather.
Communication aids These are easier to lay hands on in the age of smart phones but don’t count on being able to get a signal, always having a fully-charged battery, remembering to ensure your location or tracker is on. In fact, never rely on a mobile phone. It is neither a safe nor reliable substitute for: A marine VHF radio for distress and safety calls. This will enable you to summon help by calling the Coastguard and alerting other vessels through the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. VHF radios equipped with Digital Selective Calling (DSC), will allow a distress alert to be transmitted at the touch of a button. These gadgets also have Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons, which can be activated manually or automatically to transmit a one-way distress signal. For instance, if a yacht sinks an EPIRB fitted with a Hydrostatic Release Unit will float free and automatically transmit a distress signal which relays its exact position to the nearest rescue centre. For all information about GMDSS contact the local Coastguard Maritime Rescue Centre. Even if you only intend to sail short distances and stay off-shore or in a harbour occasionally, this is a vital piece of equipment.
If there is an accident o board or someone falls sick it could be a life saver.
Lifebuoys These should be positioned around the deck in a way that they can be easily grabbed and flung out to a man overboard. They should be painted in reflective paint and marked with the boat’s name. There should also be the means to prevent them drifting away. A whistle to attract attention and an automatic light which projects a continuous beam or a strobe, and a day-glo flag are highly recommended too.
New initiatives keep MAERSK LINE at forefront of global transport service homas Smith, as the local agents for Maersk Line, are proud to bring Maersk Line’s sophisticated refrigerated technology to the Maltese market. A ground-breaking innovation, Remote Container Management (RCM), allows a user to monitor the conditions inside the container from the moment the goods are locked inside, right up to delivery at their final destination. This new initiative affecting globalisation and the world of perishables continues to reinforce Maersk Line’s statusas the pioneers in global transportation service. The RCM platform gives the user exclusive andcomplete insight into the state of the cargo, which increases the ability to act in case there are any inconsistencies during its journey. It helps create an alternative plan and reduce unnecessary costs and inconvenience. The RCM platform which is available for free as a basic service,provides a whole new level of transparency into the supply chain. Essentially it brings the user peace of mind when shipping fresh or frozen cargo – eliminating the risk of unexpected surprises when the container is opened upon arrival. Having pioneered refrigerated transport since 1936, Maersk Line has the knowledge, equipment and expertise to streamline logistics and the supply chain with optimal refrigerated transport solutions. Whether customers are shipping
window of up to 45 days and the arrival of the produce in perfect condition for a prolonged shelf life in the supermarkets.
T
Reducing food waste Maersk is investigating ways of helping to address the global challenge of food loss with a business solution, which can help reduce food loss across the value chain. This could be in the form of new packaging and preservation methods, improved information flow, tracking food conditions, new market opportunities or any other solution.
About Maersk Line
fruits and vegetables, bananas, fish and seafood, meat or pharmaceuticals, goods are safely transported from door to door in a sealed, remote-controlled environment to ensure it arrives in perfect condition.
Keeping bananas fresh After five months in existence, more than 1,200 customers are using RCM on shipments representing more than 55
per cent of Maersk Line’s total annual reefer volumes. Among their top customers are Chiquita, who were serviced with2500 Star Cool Integrated™ containers to transport their bananas. The containers are equipped with MCI’s market-leading Star Cool CA (Controlled Atmosphere) system, which effectively preserves the freshness of bananas during transit. By controlling the ripening, Star Cool CA ensures an extended transportation
Since 1928, Maersk Line has been known for its reliable, flexible and ecoefficient transportation and logistics services. Today, it provides end-to-end transportation to every corner of the globe, both by sea and by land. They number 630 vessels and 33,000 employees, with 306 offices in 114 countries. Thomas Smith Group was appointed as the local agent of Maersk Line in 2009. Maersk Line is the core container liner shipping activity of the A.P. Moller, Maersk Group, which is renowned internationally not solely for being the most secure and reliable container shipping company, but also the most environmentally friendly.
shippinglogistics
A
|
7
JUNE 2018
Summer on a Mediterranean island offers the perfect opportunity to set sail. But before you rush off to buy, or just hire your dream sea craft….. there are a few things you should know.
and bays seem to be accidents do happen. In which case it pays to have a basic knowledge of the sea version of our highway code; and use it with perhaps a little more attention than we see on land. To prevent collisions.
Life rafts
There should be enough to hold everyone on board and they should be serviced regularly, in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. It should be stowed where it is ready for immediate launching and there should always be someone on board who is familiar with and responsible for checking the equipment carried in the life raft, and the mechanism for launching it. Also on board should be: Flares Day and night distress flares stored in a suitable waterproof container. Crew members should know where they are and how to use them; there won’t be time to find out in an emergency. A fully equipped first aid kit, hopefully at least one crew member will have first aid knowledge. Fire extinguishers and fire blankets which are regularly checked and maintained in line with manufacturers’ recommendations, stowed correctly and easily reached. Every crew member knows when and how to use them. Emergency tools, spares for any gadgets, waterproof torch with functioning batteries, GRP repair kit, WD40, stainless steel knife, bolt croppers, bungs, heavy duty tap and should all be included as well. A healthy, clean, well-tuned engine. Do not leave harbour without it, plus spare fuel. For safety and sanity’s sake make sure it has been perfectly overhauled, by an expert, not a tinkerer. It needs to be the right weight and horse power for the boat it is powering and have any safety guards firmly in place. Finally, huge as the ocean is and safe as our harbours
Remember: Port ( left side, shows green light at night) )tack gives way to starboard (right side, red light at night) tack. Windward yacht keeps clear of leeward yacht. A yacht under power gives way to a yacht under sail; engine gives way to sail. Vessels under power approaching head-on should turn to starboard. When vessels under power are crossing, give way to vessels crossing from the starboard side. Port tack gives way to starboard tack. • Windward yacht keeps clear of leeward yacht. • A yacht under power gives way to a yacht under sail. • Vessels under power approaching head-on should turn to starboard. • When vessels under power are crossing, give way to vessels crossing from the starboard side. The skipper is responsible for keeping a good lookout at all times. An overtaking yacht must always keep clear. Do not impede vessels using a traffic separation scheme or confined to a narrow channel. Give way to vessels fishing, vessels not under command, vessels with restricted manoeuvre ability or vessels constrained by their draft. Avoid diving vessels that are flying the blue and white A flag meaning diver down. Be aware that divers may also be using surface marker bouys to indicate their position. Keep clear.
And before you sail off
Always check the weather forecast and be prepared to change your plans accordingly; better to take a differ-
ent trip than sail into heavy winds and high seas. Give ‘keen’ sailors specific duties. Have a regular supply of food that is suitable for all times of day or night and is nourishing and easily prepared; Appetites are often bigger at sea. And a near endless supply of drinking water will be necessary too. Make sure everyone has protective clothing and footwear, lifejackets and harnesses. Do not over estimate your boat’s speed or ability to deal with different conditions, when estimating the duration of a trip. Allow for strong currents and poor weather. Check all relevant charts and take the ones you need with you. Plan alternative strategies, including putting into safe havens en route. Leave details of a planned trip, including destination and route, expected times of departure and arrival, description of boat and contact names for everyone on board with a reliable person on shore. And keep shore contacts advised of any changes. Bon voyage!
8
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
See the WORLD Cruising has become a highly popular way to celebrate a special event or spend a family holiday. rom the days when most world travel was done by sea, and social divides dictated just how comfortable your trip would be the choice of cruises is now enormous. Vast liners like floating hotels compare with smaller schooners, river boats and even barges to provide everything from a floating holiday camp to a well-chosen boat specifically picked to offer special interest voyages for individual groups of travellers. There are chances to explore rarely visited ports and islands, or join a cruise with a theme, so today a cruise really can have something for everybody. And with many cruise companies operating from Malta you can book no-fly or fly/cruise breaks to and from other countries.
F
Finding your sea legs Even people who have no real desire to spend their holiday time on board a ship often admit to wondering if it is all it’s cracked up to be. They may love the idea of exotic ports of call, glamorous formal nights, romantic strolls on a starlit deck or chilling out in a stately cabin, imagining the ambiance of an age when cruising was almost a once in a lifetime event. Then again, visions of screaming kids in wet swimwear or fancy dress, charging from one eating station to another, informal dining rooms with all the charisma of a fast food outlet, dated ‘showbiz extravaganzas’ and toecurling, competition events may be enough to convince them never to book more than a one-night ferry trip on board a boat. The answer is to search for and plan a cruise very, very carefully. Talk to good friends, who have been on cruises themselves, for their honest take on how to get the best from the time at sea and the shore excursions which are available. One of the greatest advantages of a cruise holiday is the limited amount of packing and unpacking it requires and the extra baggage you can take, if you choose a no-fly cruise. Consider where you would like to visit and when then book the most comfortable cabin you can. Cruise ships often offer payment and free passage to personality entertainment guests or those who conduct workshops and give specialised lectures to passengers. These can often help tip the balance in favour of one cruise over another.
Land ahoy There is also more chance to explore on a cruise than you would imagine. If you decide to join a cruise in a foreign harbour allow a few days to explore the country before your ship sails. During the voyage, arriving in a new port offers a break from days on the waves. And a tour designed by experts will make sure you see as much of what each destination has to offer as possible without having to do all the planning. But, don’t be afraid to ‘jump ship’ and arrange your own itinerary, if you feel adventurous enough; just make sure you never miss the boat.
Booking your passage In general different cruise companies offer different types of cruise. The smaller, less famous ones are for travellers with a specialised trip in mind and can be found on line. The enormous floating cities are the ones with families in mind, or providing second homes for pensioners for half the year. To help you decide what kind of trip you need study images and adverts and online comments. Look out for terms like,’ child friendly’, ‘adult-only cruises‘, ‘synchronised swimmers‘, ‘Captain’s table’, ‘watch Tony Awardwinning shows‘, ‘recreational facilities onboard‘, ‘formal evenings’, ‘all you can drink‘, ‘children’s and youths’ programs‘,’ literary evenings’, ‘casinos, cinemas gyms’, ‘open dining hours’, ‘bridge, fitness, deck games and ballroom dancing‘, ‘expert-led lectures and tours ashore’, ‘privacy and relaxation’, ‘family water sports’, specialty dining options, ‘ full on-board hospital facilities’ and ‘virtual reality’; then make your choice accordingly. When you decide to take a cruise, bear in mind that facilities vary greatly from ship to ship. And, as the sea experience is a huge part of the holiday, you may want to give even more consideration to these than you would for a hotel, which you can leave whenever you like. In
shippinglogistics
|
9
JUNE 2018
D from the sea
other words, book the best cabin you can, especially if your trip lasts any longer than a few days. Make absolutely certain you have every single booking detail and everything your cruise includes in writing. Check any travel insurance requirements at the same time. It should be very clear precisely what any extra travel and on shore accommodation costs, shore visits, excursions, entertainment, food and drink and gratuities are included in the cost of your ticket. When you book well enough ahead, some companies offer up-grades and/or onboard spending money/credit to certain customers. Check what terms and conditions apply. They will be there, in print that needs a magnifying glass. Make sure that any information which is not completely straightforward is explained clearly. Misunderstandings could ruin your trip. There are so many cruises out there that passengers from babes in arms to those celebrating golden wedding anniversaries, people looking for a totally different life experience or wanting to revisit old favourite haunts and anyone who just wants all the hassle removed from a holiday will surely find one to suit them. And, all in all it’s very cost effective.
One of the greatest advantages of a cruise holiday is the limited amount of packing and unpacking it requires and the extra baggage you can take, if you choose a no-fly cruise.
10
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
EXPRESS TRAILERS’ WAREHOUSING SERVICE
When your own WAREHOUSE is a burden E
xpress Trailers is about to take third-party logistics to the next level as work on its new 2,800sqm warehouse is in its final stages. Located centrally in Qormi, this new warehouse centralizes all Express Trailers’ managed warehousing activity in one depot to cater for the increased business in this sector. “Express Trailers has always worked very closely with Maltese retailers and few understand the needs of these retailers as we do. We know that to operate and to remain competitive, one needs to be backed up with the right logistics setup and a robust IT platform. This is where Express Trailers can come in with its third-party logistics and warehouse management solutions,” explains Franco Azzopardi, Chairman and CEO of Express Trailers. “We ask businesses one simple question: how much more efficient would you be if you could focus on the core operations of your business without the hassle of having to manage inventories, storage and deliveries? It is a fact that so many companies have a lot of capital and human effort locked up in inventory management. We are proposing an innovative ‘pay-as-you-use’ system where Express Trailers provides companies with a fully-managed central warehousing facility and distribution operations, sup-
ported by a very robust IT system to handle all their imports, exports, storage, deliveries and distribution requirements. Express Trailers is currently finalizing an IT platform that whatever the commercial activity being operated, will be able to ‘talk’ to the retailer’s ecommerce software and handle all the orders and deliveries in real time. Through Express Trailers’ warehousing and distribution services, businesses are being offered a total solution where the stock, stored at Express Trailers’ warehouse is managed by a Warehouse Management System that picks, packs and delivers on behalf of the customer. “Bottom line, what we are offering is a scalable storage and distribution solution, a ‘pay-as-you-use’ system where merchants, instead of owning and managing their ancillary warehouses and being tied down with idle space and human resources, can avail themselves of the space they need thus cutting significant costs, especially when their stored stocks are at their lowest. All companies enjoy expert-
ise in their respective lines of business. What we are saying is that companies should concentrate on investing in their people and their core operations and leave the handling of imports, exports, deliveries and distribution to a company like us, who is the expert in transport and third-party logistics.”
“This latest investment in our new 2,800sqm warehouse in Qormi’s industrial estate is our company’s next important move. We are confident that this will be a concrete step that will cement Express Trailers as the leader in the local managed warehousing sector,” concluded Franco Azzopardi.
shippinglogistics
|
11
JUNE 2018
Working together towards a strong maritime sector INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Dr Ian Borg eing conveniently located at the heart of the Mediterranean’s commercial activity and possessing natural harbours gives our Island a uniquely strategic geographic position, and anybody who has worked in the maritime industry is highly aware of the benefits this has brought with it. Today, Malta has established itself as one of the leading maritime hubs and service centres in the region. No one can dispute that. One must, however, ask a pertinent question: are our geographic advantages the real reason for our success in this industry? I would argue that these advantages have rather catalysed our success, meaning that they have helped it along, however it would not have been possible without our ability as a nation to adapt, evolve and exploit gaps and opportunities which are overlooked by our major competitors. This, I believe, has had a major bearing on where Maritime Malta stands today; this decisive characteristic, influenced by Malta’s deep-rooted traditions with the sea, its hands-on expertise and its solid set of values, which have come together to be the driving force that transformed Maritime Malta. We have come a long way, but as always, we must keep our eyes on the horizon and look to the future, and a major prerequisite for Malta to further consolidate its position in this sector in the years to come is capacity-building. We need to ensure that this industry is supported by hundreds of well-trained and qualified professionals, which vary from seafarers and engineers to maritime lawyers and research analysts. Neither can we dismiss the importance of adequate training regarding the use of new technologies, especially in light of widespread digitalisation in the shipping industry and an overall increasing use of technology. Without quality training, investment in new technologies will not be sufficient to bridge the manpower gap or to achieve greater efficiency within the industry. We must also push for more visibility,
B
highlighting the importance of the maritime sector as an indispensable component for the future growth and sustainable development of Europe’s economy. Enhancing the image of shipping and careers at sea, as well as improving awareness of job opportunities, leads to the creation of additional employment opportunities while providing added value to the maritime industry as a whole. We recognise that at present, there are significant shortcomings in the maritime education sector with considerable employment skills mismatches. One of the biggest challenges we face, is finding young people who are interested in tak-
ing up a career in the shipping industry. This fact, coupled with Malta’s unemployment rate – which stands at nearly zero – makes it very hard to find a steady flow of local experienced and qualified personnel, and the employment of foreigners is therefore becoming the norm. This is why, as Government, we have made sure to introduce incentives to attract to the island the necessary expertise and competencies while at the same time focusing on maritime education. In our drive to create more visibility to added value job opportunities for our future generations, Transport Malta in collaboration with the Ministry for Education and Employment, is running
an initiative which goes by the name ‘Science Teen Café’. Through this initiative, professionals in the sector explain the various career opportunities within the maritime industry to secondary school students who are still in their formative years. The Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects did not stop there; we are exploring close partnerships with internationally recognised educational institutions with the aim of establishing relations at academic level, allowing for facilitated student exchange programmes and the sharing of information and knowledge. The establishment of a sound institutional framework and an international network of respectable educational organisations will ensure a constant pool of high level expertise, providing an ideal competitive edge for an island like Malta. One such arrangement has already been concluded with the World Maritime University based in Malmo, Sweden. It is also for this reason that last month, as Minister responsible for the maritime and shipping sector, I announced an investment of €3 million in a new maritime training facility by the Malta Maritime Pilots. The institute will offer a holistic approach that targets the entire maritime sector and will include both seafarers and shore based personnel. The maritime industry continues to be one of the top priorities for Government; we have worked hard over the years to achieve this success; however, we cannot lie on our laurels. To the contrary, we need to continue to strive to make our maritime and economic environment even more conducive, to attract more institutions to operate from Malta. Our guiding principle remains that of offering the most competitive and effective legal framework in the world. This can only be achieved through healthy cooperation with the private industry, together with a reliable and constant flow of human capital to strengthen Malta’s position in the blue economy and develop it into a leading maritime centre of excellence.
12
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
PLAIN How traditi SAILING deliver ZER On May 10, the 43.5-metre schooner Avontuur arrived in the port of Hamburg. This traditional sailing vessel, built in 1920, transported some 70 tonnes of coffee, cacao and rum across the Atlantic. CHRISTIAAN DE BEUKELAER writes he shipping company Timbercoast, which owns and operates Avontuur, says it aims to prove that sailing ships can offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to the heavily polluting shipping industry, despite being widely seen as a technology of yesteryear. Similar initiatives exist across the world. In the Netherlands, Fairtransport operates two vessels on European and transatlantic routes. In France, Transoceanic Wind Transport sails multiple vessels across the English Channel and Atlantic Ocean, and along European coasts. The US-based vessel Kwai serves islands in the Pacific. And Sail Cargo, based in Costa Rica, is building Ceiba, a zero-emission cargo sailing ship. Transporting cargo by sail is both a practical response to climate change and a contribution to a larger debate. These initiatives have an environmental objective: transporting cargo without generating greenhouse gas emissions. But are they really a viable alternative to today’s huge fossil-fuelled maritime cargo transport industry?
T
Shipping emission targets? On April 13, 2018, the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations body that regulates shipping, agreed for the first time to limit the sector’s greenhouse emissions. It’s targeting a 50% reduction by 2050 (relative to 2008 levels), with the aim to phase out emissions entirely. This was a breakthrough, given that both the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement exclude international shipping (and international aviation) from emissions targets, because these are so hard to attribute to individual countries. Conventional seaborne cargo transport is relatively energy-efficient. It emits less greenhouse gas per tonne-kilometre (one tonne of goods transported over one kilometre) than transport by train, truck or plane. But because 80-90% of all goods we consume are transported by sea, the total emissions of the shipping industry are immense. According to figures from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), shipping accounts for 2-3% of global emissions – outstripping the 2% share generated by civil aviation. As the global demand for goods increases, so does the need for shipping. As a result, the IMO has projected that the sector’s greenhouse emissions will
The Avontuur recently completed a sail-powered transatlantic cargo voyage grow by anything between 50% and 250% between 2012 and 2050, despite improvements in fuel composition and efficiency. More worryingly, a commentary on that report in Nature Climate Change warns that “none of the anticipated shipping scenarios even approach what is necessary for the sector to make its ‘fair and proportionate’ contribution to avoiding 2 of warming”. A recent report commissioned by the European Parliament raises further alarm bells, underscoring the fact that the sector’s huge growth is likely to swamp any carbon savings that come from improved operations. On top of this, the significant progress made in other industries means that the relative share of greenhouse gas emissions from cargo shipping is likely to increase from the current 2-3% to 17% by 2050. Yo ho ho, shipping rum the old-fashioned way aboard the Aventuur. Timbercoast
Zero-emission vessels? The OECD International Transport Forum is less pessimistic. It projects a 23% increase in the sector’s emissions between 2015 and 2035 on current trends, but also argues that it will be
possible to decarbonise maritime transport altogether by 2035, through the “maximum deployment of currently known technologies”. These emissions-reducing propulsion technologies include kites, solar electricity, and advanced sail technology. Some of them, such as Flettner rotors, are already in use. But these will not be scaled up and become viable unless there is strict regulation, even if some shipping companies have taken steps to reduce their emissions ahead of a binding IMO target. Electricity-propelled container barges operate in Belgium and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the IMO faced a tricky balancing act in juggling the priorities of different countries. Climate-vulnerable nations such as the Marshall Islands want shipping emissions to be cut entirely by 2035. The European Union has proposed a reduction of 70-100% by 2050, while emerging economies such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia and India have argued against any emissions target at all. Despite these differences, the IMO did agree on a 50% reduction target by 2050 in April 2018.
Sail cargo It took Avontuur 126 days to sail from
France to Honduras, Mexico, Cuba and home to Germany. But conventional container ships can cross the Atlantic in about a week. Avontuur was carrying more than 70 tonnes of cargo on arrival in Germany. But many cargo vessels now carry more than 20,000 standard shipping containers (TEU), each weighing more than 2 tonnes and able to hold more than 20 tonnes of cargo. Given the relatively small capacity of sailing ships, it is expensive and labourintensive to ship cargo this way. But despite these limitations, support for sail cargo initiatives is growing. A consortium of small North Sea ports, for example, will “create sail cargo hubs in small ports and harbours, giving local businesses direct access to ethically transported goods”. Ceiba, a new sailing vessel builds on traditional skills and incorporates new technologies to help attain global carbon emission targets. These initiatives signal the revival of sail cargo with an explicit environmental agenda, although this effort is dwarfed by the scale of the global shipping industry. But while they don’t stack up in logistical terms, these voyages can help us see the possibilities for a world without fossil fuels. Sail cargo
shippinglogistics
|
JUNE 2018
13
ional methods could RO-EMISSION shipping
aims to rethink not only the means of propulsion for cargo vessels, but the entire scale, economy and ethics of cargo transport. Traditional sailing vessels like Avontuur will not be able to compete with conventional cargo vessels on speed, scale or cost. But they help us focus on the underlying issue. We ship too much, too often and too far. The scale of shipping is unsustainable. That is why we need a change of mindset as much as a change of technology. Sail cargo initiatives raise awareness about the devastating environmental effects of conventional cargo shipping. And they do so by showing that an alternative is possible. Indeed, it has been around for thousands of years. This article was originally published in The Conversation. Christiaan De Beukelaer is a lecturer in Cultural Policy, University of Melbourne
14
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics
Managing Director, David Abela, and Her Excellency the President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca during a reception to commemorate the opening of Eurobridges new offices, in Qormi.
EUROBRIDGE
The award winning trailer operator ake a close look at our advert. It says ‘WE DELIVER’ but it doesn’t say just that. We took whole weeks to formulate those few words under that nice tagline because we wanted them to mirror exactly who we are. We deliver because we are a trustworthy partner for your business whatever your transportation needs. Take a look at the testimonials shown on our web-site. Those are real and they were written by a good number of our customers because they believe what they were writing when claiming that we ‘help them meet all their needs, especially deadlines’; or when we ‘manage to solve all their problems immediately’. In this latter case, the customer
T
might have exaggerated in claiming we solved all their problems, as we are probably useless when it comes to pet grooming or plumbing. But you get the idea. We deliver because we have the expertise. Our expertise is mainly groupage cargo, to and from Europe, and to copy another advert, we are probably the best Maltese trailer operator where it comes to this part of our job. We already have the best rates on the market and give daily accurate updates on all shipments. At the moment, we are investing in a new custom-made system that will give all our customers a great tool to manage their shipments on-line and make us even more efficient than ever before. When this system will go live, we might even have
the guts to remove the ‘probably’ in the above claim. We deliver because we have experience. All of us have been groomed from a young age in this job and are still young enough to have the energy and learn new ways to give our customers the best possible service. We are all under 40 here, but most of us have been working in shipping since our teens. We just love the job and wouldn’t trade it with any other job out there. Just try us and you will recognise the enthusiasm. We deliver because we are all the time investing in new trailers. We remember when, just eight years ago, the company invested in its first trailer with great trepidation. In these eight years, we have grown
together with our customers in such a way that we now own 30 and are constantly looking to increase the number, with all the new customers the sales department is bringing in! We deliver and this is proven by the accolades we are receiving. Besides the many testimonials by our customers, in less than a year we have won two prestigious awards. In 2016, we were the proud receivers of the ‘Outstanding Industry Contributor Award’ whilst in 2017, our Managing Director won ‘Best International Trade Entrepreneur’ of the year.We want to win even more that is why we continually strive to improve. In a nutshell, WE DELIVER because we are LOGISTICS PEOPLE TO COUNT ON.
OIL SPILL response gets more than a million euro of investment t can happen without notice, like thunder under blue skies. The seas around Malta could turn from blue to an oily black patch. If a big oil slick reached shore, the effects on Malta’s welfare and that of its people could be disastrous: from the availability of potable water produced from reverse osmosis plants, to the contamination of Malta’s shoreline and beaches, an oil spill could bring an economy to its knees. Averting tragedy and long-term calamity would depend on an efficient and effective oil response. The key to oil response is 24 x 7 vigilance and the right tools to efficiently handle specific situations. The ‘always be ready’ mantra is especially true for oil response; this
I
is the commitment made by Port Logistics Operations Ltd. (PLO). The organisation has built the required capacity to handle oil spills through a solid investment in its people and in its infrastructure. In fact, PLO has invested €1 million in the oil response vessel MV Moor, €100,000 in equipment to contain any oil spills that might occur, as well as a further investment of €10,000 in the training of personnel. Noel Galea, PLO Managing Director, emphasises the organisation’s commitment to a fast and effective oil spill reponse: “With the investment made, Port Logistics Operations can deploy its reponse team for the ports of Valletta and Marsaxlokk in a mere two hours for a Tier 1
or Tier 2 spill. We have also achieved much better capabilities in the case of spills outside the port. If the oil spill is within territorial waters, mobilisation time is four hours. This excludes area 3 and area 6, where a maximum mobilisation time of six hours would be required. Naturally, substantial external resources would then be needed in case of severe Tier 3 spills. We are confident that the investment we have recently made will enable us not only to keep vigilant, but also to make sure that any oil spill will find us ready and able.” Port Logistics Operations is now also equipped to assist the European Maritime Safety Agency in case of oil spills ouside Maltese territorial waters.
shippinglogistics
|
15
JUNE 2018
MaritimeMT
Nurturing excellence in maritime careers W
ith the launch of the new brand MaritimeMT, the Malta Maritime Pilots are making a bold commitment – that of safeguarding and sustaining the continous growth of the Maltese maritime
sector. The MaritimeMT brand is not simply a public relations exercise. The project includes the development of a holistic curriculum built around the needs of the various employers in the sector. It also aims at bringing together various stakeholders and adds to the efforts of ongoing initiatives,nurturing interest amongst the younger generations towards the martime world. The brand aims at becoming a one-stop-shop for all those individuals and entities that require guidance in relation to maritime training and education. All this is fronted by the construction of a brand new, 3 million euro training centre facility that will house classrooms, an engineering workshop, a seamanship room and various state-of-the-art maritime simulators. This new setup bridges the needs of past, current and future seafarers and shore based personnel, enabling MaritimeMTto provide them with the necessary support to build and advance further in their careers. It also ensures that the training they are receiving is recognised and duly accredited as requested by the Authority of Transport in Malta and the International Martime Oraganisation (IMO).MaritimeMT
is infact accredited with the Authority of Transport in Malta and our operations are verified and accredited by DNV-GL. MaritimeMT offers STCW certified courses in accordance with the IMO guidelines. The curriculum on offer includes the Basic Safety Training Courses required by the STCW convention as well as the more specialised courses, depending on the person’s chosen career path, be it merchant shipping or commercial yachting.It also caters for seafarers who want to focus their career on Super Yacht interior and hospitatlity needs as well as other passenger-specific vessels. The organisation also offers courses that follow the Commercial Vessels Regulations of Malta (CVR). This is a set of regulations that governs the commercial operations of vessels within the 12NM territory of Malta. MaritimeMT is currently accepting applications for enrolment to the next intake of participants of the MATE/MASTER Combined Certification. In the coming weeks MaritimeMT will also be launching the rest of the CVR Certification Courses. Apart from a wide-ranging variety of courses, MaritimeMT is committed to effectively achieve quality in what it does and in what it offers. MaritimeMT ethos is firmly based in the Development of Excellence! For further information please visit www.martimemt.com
16
JUNE 2018
|
shippinglogistics