Bryant's Maritime Blog: Bryant’s Maritime Blog

Headlines: Indian Ocean – hijacking; Gulf of Aden – narcotics seized and destroyed; IMO – acts of piracy – first and second quarters of 2009 and July and August 2009; NTSB – recommendations re obstructive sleep apnea; PHMSA – proposal to harmonize hazardous materials regulations; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – temporary speed restrictions; Mariana Islands – training activities and marine mammals; Australia – preliminary report on ship-yacht collision; Singapore – electronic navigation conference; and IMO – corrigendum re SOLAS regulation III/19.

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Indian Ocean – hijacking

The NATO Shipping Centre issued an update stating that the M/V De Zin Hai was hijacked by pirates in the central Indian Ocean approximately 850 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. NATO recommends that vessels keep as far from the Somali coast as possible. (10/20/09).

Gulf of Aden – narcotics seized and destroyed

The US Navy issued a news release stating that one of its warships on counter-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden seized a skiff carrying approximately four tons of hashish. After the skiff was stopped and boarded by the warship’s visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) team, consisting of officers from the US Coast Guard and the US Navy, the drugs were thrown overboard. (10/20/09).

IMO – acts of piracy – first quarter 2009

The IMO issued a circular summarizing the reports it received during the first quarter of 2009 regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. Reports of 97 such acts (including 53 attempted attacks) were received during this period. During this period, about 144 crew members were held hostage, about five crew members were injured or assaulted, and two crew members lost their lives. Also during this period, eight vessels were hijacked. MSC.4/Circ.139 (9/22/09).

IMO – acts of piracy – second quarter 2009

The IMO issued a circular summarizing the reports it received during the second quarter of 2009 regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. Reports of 138 such acts (including 65 attempted attacks) were received during this period. During this period, about 303 crew members were held hostage, about six crew members were injured or assaulted, and no crew members lost their lives. Also during this period, 26 vessels were hijacked. MSC.4/Circ.140 (9/22/09).

IMO – acts of piracy – July 2009

The IMO issued a circular summarizing the reports it received during July 2009 regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. During this period, reports of 14 such incidents were received. MSC.4/Circ.141 (8/3/09).

IMO – acts of piracy – August 2009

The IMO issued a circular summarizing the reports it received during August 2009 regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. During this period, reports of 20 such incidents were received. MSC.4/Circ.142 (9/2/09).

NTSB – recommendations re obstructive sleep apnea

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent a set of three formal safety recommendations to the US Coast Guard concerning obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The NTSB noted that the pilots involved in the 1995 grounding of a cruise ship in Alaska and the 1997 allision of a container ship with a bridge abutment in San Francisco Bay both suffered from OSA and the chronic fatigue accompanying OSA may have been a factor in both casualties. The NTSB thus recommends that the Coast Guard modify its Merchant Mariner Physical Examination Report to elicit specific information concerning OSA; implement a program to identify mariners who may be at high risk for OSA; and disseminate guidance regarding identification and treatment of OSA. M-09-14 through -16 (10/20/09).

PHMSA – proposal to harmonize hazardous materials regulations

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) stating that it is considering amending the US Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) by incorporating various amendments to international standards and modal regulations, including changes to proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, and packaging authorizations. The goal is to harmonize domestic regulations with the various international requirements, such as the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. Comments on this proposal should be submitted by January 19, 2010. 74 Fed. Reg. 53982 (October 21, 2009).

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – temporary speed restrictions

The US Coast Guard has established, through November 15, a temporary regulated navigation area (RNA) on waters of the Piscataqua River near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The RNA places speed restrictions on all vessels operating near the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard between Henderson Point Light and Badgers Island Buoy 14. 74 Fed. Reg. 53885 (October 21, 2009).

Mariana Islands – training activities and marine mammals

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a notice stating that it received an application from the US Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training activities to be conducted in the Marianas Islands Range Complex. Comments on the application should be submitted by November 19. 74 Fed. Reg. 53795 (October 20, 2009).

Australia – preliminary report of ship-yacht collision

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released the preliminary report of its ongoing investigation of the collision between a bulk carrier and a yacht off Point Lookout, Queensland on 9 September 2009. Because the investigation is not yet completed, the report does not draw any conclusions regarding causation. It is ironic, though, that the incident (which clearly calls into question the adequacy of the lookouts on both vessels) occurred off a piece of land named Point Lookout. MO-2009-008 (10/20/09).

Singapore – electronic navigation conference

The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) issued a news release stating that it and the IK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) are jointly organizing the Third International Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) Conference and Exhibition in Singapore on 19-21 October. A major focus of the conference is the compulsory transition from paper nautical charts to e-navigation, scheduled for 2012. (10/19/09).