Tag: Lloyd’s List

From the importance of fuel efficiency to the merits of a maritime career, here are the stories that interested us this week.

Fuel efficiency tops list of shipping concerns –Fuel efficiency has emerged as the leading strategy for shipping companies to meet the challenges posed by tough market conditions, according to a new survey from law firm Norton Rose.  As Lloyd’s List reports, 69% of shipping businesses believe that the industry should concentrate on developing more cost-effective means of managing fuel consumption in order to cope with the challenging economic conditions that Norton Rose describes as the “new normal”, with 42% identifying increased financial restraint as the most significant change to their business over the past two years.  The survey – Norton Rose’s fourth annual survey of the transport industry – also identifies London as the key financial centre for the shipping industry, with 40% of respondents choosing London as their most favoured financing hub, although the growing competition from New York and Asia was also noted.

The Nautical Institute was named the winner of the 2012 Training Award, at the Lloyd’s List Global Awards last week, for its free Alert! vodcast service. The annual awards ceremony celebrates the best that the shipping industry has to offer, awarding innovators and visionaries of the maritime world.

The judges were impressed by The Nautical Institute’s “progressive and inventive approach to training”, viewing the series of free video podcasts as “a valuable and innovate advance.”

The ‘vodcasts’ aim to raise awareness amongst maritime students of Human Element issues and are designed to be shared via a wide range of social media and networking sites. A range of vodcasts can be viewed on the Alert! Website at: www.he-alert.org

We recently launched our brand-new Admiralty website, which gives you fast access to an array of information about navigation including a range of products, case studies, news and a chance to talk to our experts.

We’ve also redesigned the blog in line with the design of the new Admiralty website. As regular readers will know, the blog explores the issues the maritime industry faces on its transition to digital navigation; from legislation and communications on-board to crew training and welfare.

From international maritime training exercises to the green ship of the future, we’ve been keeping an eye on the industry’s most interesting stories. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

ECDIS training not up to standard – According to Lloyd’s List, there is mounting concern that navigation cadets are not receiving the necessary training for electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS). ECDIS units are becoming mandatory on board all vessels covered by the Safety of Life at Sea Convention of the International Maritime Organization, and all navigators must be fully trained on ECDIS. The article asks how, with training taking place at maritime colleges and on independent courses all around the world, the maritime industry can be sure that all seafarers are adequately prepared?

From fuel costs and consumption to low sulphur fuel availability; we’ve been keeping an eye on all of the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

Smart ships can reduce fuel consumption by 20 per cent – Fuel is one of the highest single costs for ships. Safety4Sea has reported that ABB, a Swiss engineering conglomerate, is developing a complete suite of software products that will reduce fuel consumption by 20 per cent. This is significant when you consider that reducing fuel consumption by just one per cent would result in an annual saving of £300,000 for a large container ship. The company is close to making these energy savings a reality through its development of software products that will monitor, control and optimise all energy consumption process during vessel operation.

From social media to a helpline for seafarers, we’ve been keeping an eye on all the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

Ongoing maritime training is needed – With technology, regulations and actual onboard operations constantly changing, the need for regular training within the maritime industry has never been more pressing, argues Captain Richard Madden on gCaptain. Currently, once mariners have received their license or seaman’s papers no further training is required for at least five years. Though more information is available in manuals, guides, and textbooks than ever before, there’s a danger of overloading mariners with information which they don’t take on board. Training is essential to making sure everyone who works in the shipping industry is fully up-to-speed with all things maritime.

From growing shipping traffic to the new president of the Nautical Institute, we’ve been keeping an eye on all the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

New Nautical Institute president – Sivaraman Krishnamurthi is the first president of the Nautical Institute from outside the EU, reports Lloyd’s List, but he agrees with previous incumbents on key global maritime issues. Capt. Krishnamurthi referred to several of these issues in his recent acceptance speech, including marine safety, upgrading competency, and the importance of sharing knowledge. However, the strongest emphasis was placed on crew welfare and the need to change the hostile way in which seafarers can sometimes be treated.

From satellite tracking to sniffer bees, we’ve been keeping an eye on all the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

New satellites will track ships & mariners globally – Orbcomm has announced a contract to provide the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) with satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, reports gCaptain. The information is used for ship tracking and maritime navigational and safety work, and the EMSA plans to use it to improve European vessel traffic monitoring. Additionally, Satellite AIS will soon allow not only governments to access historical tracks of ships and people, but will also provide real-time updates across the internet enabling friends and family to receive the latest information on the progress of individual sailors as they cross oceans.

From computer-based training to sustainable development, we’ve been keeping an eye on all the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

Computer-based training – Shipowners, technology companies and training providers are still uncertain about the level of computer-based training that will be permitted on board ships for learning about specific ECDIS equipment, Lloyd’s List reports. While training is imperative for those using ECDIS, many maritime training colleges do not provide type-specific training, therefore many manufacturers are creating their own CBT training. The IMO will discuss the validity of CBT when its Standards of Training and Watchkeeping sub-committee meets later this year.

From ECDIS to fuel savings, we’ve been keeping an eye on all the most interesting stories from the maritime industry. Here’s a selection of articles from the past week:

Advice from shipping gurus – A group of top figures from the shipping industry gathered at Lloyd’s List’s inaugural business briefing at Posidonia. The group provided advice for the next generation of maritime professionals including a call to ‘learn Chinese’ – highlighting the increasingly important role Asia will play in the maritime industry’s future.