Bryant’s Maritime Blog – 2 June 2009

Headlines: Meeting of Contact Group on Piracy; Piracy update; Reducing CO2 and other emissions from shipping; Massachusetts Bay – safety zone; Stealth ship availability for donation; and Coos Bay – meeting re proposed RNA.

Bryant’s Maritime Consulting - 4845 SW 91^st Way - Gainesville, FL 32608-8135 - USA

Tel: 1-352-692-5493 – Email: dennis.l.bryant@gmail.com – Internet: http://brymar-consulting.com

Note: This blog is one section of the Bryant’s Maritime Consulting website. Visit the site for more extensive maritime regulatory information. Individual concerns may be addressed by retaining Dennis Bryant directly. Much of the highlighted text in this newsletter constitutes links to Internet sites providing more detailed information. Links on this page may be in PDF format, requiring use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Comments on these postings are encouraged and may be made by clicking the envelope that appears at the end of each posting. Be aware that the daily blog entry is a single posting, even though it contains a number of individual items.

DOS – meeting of Contact Group on Piracy

The US Department of State (DOS) issued a news release containing the agreed statement from the Third Plenary Meeting of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The meeting was held in New York on May 29. The parties endorsed the creation of an International Trust Fund to help defray the expenses associated with the prosecution of suspected pirates. During the meeting, representatives from the Bahamas, the Republic of Liberia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Panama signed the New York Declaration, an obligation to ensure that vessels of their registry have adopted and documented appropriate self-protection measures in their Ship Security Plans as part of their ISPS Code compliance. (5/29/09). These items were brought to my attention by Will Watson of the International Registries, who represented the Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Contact Group meeting.

EU MSC(HOA) – piracy update

The European Union – Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa [EU MSC(HOA)] issued a news release stating that three merchant ships recently came under piratical attack, including for the first time one attack on a ship in the Red Sea. In all three cases, the attacks were unsuccessful due to countermeasures taken by the merchant ships. (6/1/09).

UK – Reducing CO2 and other emissions from shipping

The Environmental Audit Committee of the UK House of Commons issued a report entitled: Reducing CO2 and other emissions from shipping. The report contends that emission of greenhouse gases from shipping is a serious problem for international climate change policy and that little progress has been made at the IMO. The report advocates a unilateral approach by the UK Government, but then points out that it should be technically feasible to establish an international emissions control regime that would accurately charge (or require carbon permits from) each ship according to its actual emissions, and securely enforce and verify compliance. In sum, the report highlights the various possible approaches to air emission control for ships and advocates that something be done soon. The authors, in effect, acknowledge that there are no easy solutions. (6/1/09).

Massachusetts Bay – safety zone

The US Coast Guard has established, through June 10, a temporary safety zone on waters of Massachusetts Bay around the wreck of the F/V Patriot. The safety zone will move with the wreck while it is refloated and safely moored. 74 Fed. Reg. 26297 (June 2, 2009).

USN – stealth ship availability for donation

The US Navy issued a notice stating that the test craft ex-Sea Shadow (IX 529) and the Hughes Mining Barge (HMB-1) are available for donation to qualified applicants. Applications should be submitted within 60 days. 74 Fed. Reg. 26375 (June 2, 2009).

Coos Bay – meeting re proposed RNA

The US Coast Guard issued a press release stating that it will conduct a meeting on Coos Bay, Oregon on June 2 to receive comments from the public concerning the proposed regulated navigation area (RNA) along the Oregon and Washington coasts. (6/1/09).

If you have questions regarding the above items, please contact the editor:

Dennis L. Bryant

Bryant’s Maritime Consulting

4845 SW 91^st Way
Gainesville, FL 32608-8135

USA

1-352-692-5493
dennis.l.bryant@gmail.com

http://brymar-consulting.com

© Dennis L. Bryant – June 2009

Redistribution permitted with attribution