Bryant’s Maritime Blog – 17 February 2010

Headlines: DOJ – Italian company agrees to plead guilty to price-fixing; St. Lawrence Seaway – opening of 2010 navigation season; CBP – cogongrass seeds found on marine container; CBP – Asian gypsy moth egg masses found on containers; Alaska – cruise ship wastewater permit; Texas – OSPR newsletter; IMO – piracy reported during November; IMO – provisional categorization of liquid substances; Australia – investigation into engine room fire; and Philippines – Coast Guard Law of 2009.

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DOJ – Italian company agrees to plead guilty to price-fixing

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a news release stating that an Italian company has agreed to plead guilty and pay a fine of $2.29 million for participation in a conspiracy to rig bids, fix prices, and allocate market shares of marine hose sold in the United States and elsewhere, including to the US Department of Defense. (2/16/10).

St. Lawrence Seaway – opening of 2010 navigation season

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System issued a notice stating that the 2010 navigation season will commence on March 25. The maximum allowable draft for ships in the Montreal/Lake Ontario section will be 80.0 dm until the south shore is ice-free or April 15th, whichever occurs first. (2/16/10).

CBP – cogongrass seeds found on marine container

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a news release stating that cogongrass seeds were found on the refrigeration unit of a container offloaded in the Port of San Diego. The container was loaded with bananas. Cogongrass has been designated as a federal noxious weed because it forms dense stands, crowding out native plants. (2/11/10).

CBP – Asian gypsy moth egg masses found on containers

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a news release stating that Asian gypsy moth egg masses were discovered on two shipping containers that arrived in the Port of Oakland from China. (2/11/10). Note: This item and the one directly above were brought to my attention by John Bennett of Maritime Protective Services.

Alaska – cruise ship wastewater permit

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) posted its draft Large Commercial Passenger Vessel Wastewater Discharge General Permit. A permit allows large cruise ships operating in waters of southeast Alaska to discharge treated sewage, treated graywater, and other treated wastewater, subject to the conditions in the permit. An accompanying Information Sheet explains the new permit and how it differs from the 2008 version. (1/31/10).

Texas – OSPR newsletter

The Texas Office of Oil Spill Prevention & Response (OSPR) released the Winter 2010 edition of its Facility and Maritime Affairs (FAMA) newsletter. This edition discusses, among other things, the latest Texas Coastal Oil Spill Planning and Response Toolkit. (1/31/10).

IMO – piracy reported during November

The IMO issued a circular summarizing reports it received during November 2009 regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. A total of 34 such reports were received during the month. MSC.4/Circ.146 (12/14/09).

IMO – provisional categorization of liquid substances

The IMO issued a circular providing an updated provisional categorization of liquid substances, in accordance with regulation 6.3 of MARPOL Annex II. MEPC.2/Circ.15 (12/17/09).

Australia – investigation into engine room fire

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) issued a notice stating that it has commenced an investigation into the engine room fire on board an Australian registered bulk carrier off Gladstone, Queensland that occurred on 16 February 2010. (2/16/10).

Philippines – Coast Guard Law of 2009

The Philippines Coast Guard issued a news release stating that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed into law the Coast Guard Act of 2009 (RA 9993). This law transfers the Coast Guard from the Department of National Defense to the Department of Transportation and Communication, while maintaining its status as an armed and uniformed service. The Coast Guard will have authority to enforce regulations on maritime safety standards within Philippine territorial waters, as well as ensuring marine environmental protection. (2/16/10). Note: The linked text is to an earlier version of the legislation. The final version as signed into law is not yet available.

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 – February 2010

Redistribution permitted with attribution