Jane Bugler

The threat to maritime security from piracy, terrorism, criminal acts, and hostage and kidnapping threats continues to pose challenges to ships’ owners, masters and crew members, and has resulted in  the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) (Booth S16 at OTC) publishing ‘Security Measures and Emergency Response Guidance’ (IMCA SEL 037, IMCA M 226).

“Safety is of paramount importance, and our document aims to provide guidance to masters, company and ship security officers and other crew members and staff, on security measures and emergencies onboard vessels when underway, at anchor or alongside in their own or another country, and also for staff in shore side offices,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler. “It is intended to reinforce and support existing company and vessel security procedures or provide a framework around which these can be developed where they are not yet in place, such as for new build vessels.

“This is in line with IMCA strategic goals of promoting the tools and information to help members undertake all aspects of risk management across all areas of their operations. The guidance is based on a ‘layered defence’ philosophy which embraces the concept of using a number of different but collaborative and co-ordinated security measures to deal with security threats proportionately and effectively. The guidance is not only relevant to current existing high risk areas (HRA) as defined by government bodies, but can be applied at any stage where for whatever reason, security measures might need to be adopted.”

Running to nearly 40 pages, the Guidance covers general security guidelines and security levels; ship protection measures; STCW security training requirements; risk assessment; building security measures; and cyber security measures, before a six-page section on terrorism, piracy and violent criminal acts. This section encompasses the actual situation; layered defence, ships/installations, terrorism, piracy, security measures for ships, communications; vessel ship to shore; medical treatment; citadel procedures; and firefighting.

Moving on to hostage taking and kidnapping, there are specific sections on kidnap and ransom plan, kidnap process, confinement; family support; outside agencies; legal aspects; kidnap response strategy; and disclosure of information.  Other sections deal with stowaways; bomb threats; and sources of information and guidance. And the appendices cover recommended cyber security measures; and an example of telephone bomb threat – aide mémoire.

The guidance can be downloaded free of charge from the IMCA website by members and non-members alike and printed copies are available for £5:00 for members; and £10:00 for non-members from publications@imca-int.com and from IMCA at 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AJ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7824 5520; Fax: +44 (0)20 7824 5521.

Further information
Further information on IMCA and its work on behalf of its 1000+ member companies in over 60 countries is available from Booth S16 at OTC, from www.imca-int.com and imca@imca-int.com. The association has LinkedIn and Facebook groups and its Twitter handle is @IMCAint
 
About IMCA

• IMCA is an international association with well over a thousand members in more than 60 countries representing offshore, marine and underwater engineering companies. IMCA has four technical divisions, covering marine/specialist vessel operations, offshore diving, hydrographic survey and remote systems and ROVs, plus geographic sections for the Asia-Pacific, Central & North America, Europe & Africa, Middle East & India and South America regions. As well as a core focus on safety, the environment, competence and training, IMCA seeks to promote its members’ common interests, to resolve industry-wide issues and to provide an authoritative voice for its members.
• IMCA Vision & Strategy. As a result of work and collective input in 2013, IMCA has redefined its stated core purpose to be “Improving performance in the marine contracting industry”. To achieve this goal, IMCA’s Vision & Strategy has been devised with two elements in mind: Core activities and ways of working.
• IMCA publishes some 200 guidance notes and technical reports – many are available for free downloading by members and non-members alike. These have been developed over the years and are extensively distributed. They are a definition of what IMCA stands for, including widely recognised diving and ROV codes of practice, DP documentation, marine good practice guidance, the Common Marine Inspection Document (CMID) – now available electronically as eCMID, safety recommendations, outline training syllabi and the IMCA competence scheme guidance. In addition to the range of printed guidance documents, IMCA also produces safety promotional materials, circulates information notes and distributes safety flashes.

About the industry IMCA serves
The marine contracting industry plays a vital global role. Its vessels account for 4% of the world’s maritime fleet. Collectively IMCA members employ some 350,000 people and have an annual turnover of around $150bn. They work in all the world’s major offshore areas, delivering large offshore oil and gas and marine renewables projects around the globe that quite literally fuel the global economy.

The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) Announces the Release of “An Educator’s Guide to the Marine Environment”

May 11^th, 2015 – NAMEPA recently released “An Educator’s Guide to the Marine Environment,” a learning guide designed to provide maximum flexibility for educators in both formal and informal settings when working with students to understand the marine environment. The Guide contains STEM and NGSS objectives and has lessons for students K-12 on ocean acidification, ocean exploration, the marine industry and ecosystem health.

The Guide contains twelve lessons in total, and is the second learning guide released by NAMEPA, the first being “An Educator’s Guide to Marine Debris.” The Guide includes a scavenger hunt, a lesson on vessel sound signals, a food web lesson, and more. The Guide was created to provide educators with a tool to help students become more informed on the marine environment and encourage environmental stewardship. NAMEPA, an organization comprised of marine industry professionals – who help carry 90% of the world’s goods and energy – is committed to working with the public to help “Save Our Seas.”

The Guide can be downloaded for free online at www.namepa.net/education. For additional information and to inquire about receiving hard copies, contact Elise Avallon, Education and Outreach Manager at e.avallon@namepa.net.

________________________________________________________________________

The North American Marine Environment Protection Association is a marine industry-led initiative that operates as a voluntary, non-profit and nongovernmental organization committed to preserving the marine environment through educating seafarers, port communities and students about the need and strategies for protecting this important global resource. NAMEPA engages maritime businesses, government and the public to “Save Our Seas” by promoting sound environmental practices. NAMEPA was named winner of the “Environment Award” at the Inaugural Lloyd’s List North American Maritime Awards held in Houston, Texas.

​The Polar Code covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in waters surrounding the two poles. (Photo: Mark Garten)

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), 68th session, 11-15 May 2015

Ships trading in the Polar Regions will have to comply with strict safety and environmental provisions specific to the harsh conditions in the Arctic and Antarctic, following the adoption of the environmental part of the International Code for ships operating in polar waters (Polar Code) and associated MARPOL amendments to make the Code mandatory by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The MEPC was meeting for its 68th session from 11 to 15 May 2015, at IMO Headquarters in London.

The Polar Code covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in waters surrounding the two poles.

The newly-adopted environmental provisions cover:

• Prevention of pollution by oil: discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures from any ship is prohibited. Oil fuel tanks must  be separated from outer shell;

• Prevention of pollution by noxious liquid substances: discharge into the sea of noxious liquid substances, or mixtures containing such substances is prohibited;

• Prevention of pollution by sewage; discharge of sewage is prohibited unless performed in line with MARPOL Annex IV and requirements in the Polar Code; and

• Prevention of pollution by garbage: discharge of garbage is restricted and only permitted in accordance with MARPOL Annex V and requirements in the Polar Code

The adoption of the environmental provisions  follows the adoption, by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), in December 2014, of the safety-related requirements of the Polar Code and related amendments to make it mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).  The complete Polar Code, encompassing the safety-related and environment-related requirements, is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2017.

The Polar Code will apply to new ships constructed on or after 1 January 2017. Ships constructed before that date will be required to meet the relevant requirements of the Polar Code by the first intermediate or renewal survey, whichever occurs first, after 1 January 2018. ​

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IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

Web site: www.imo.org

MIO-ECSDE: winter 2015 results of a transborder marine macrolitter survey in the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea

Due to the basin shape and the high demographic pressure of the surrounding countries, the Adriatic Sea can be considered at risk for the amount of marine litter that enters the marine waters both from land and sea activities. For this reason, and within the framework of the IPA Adriatic funded DeFishGear project, MIO-ECSDE and the Accademia del Leviatano have undertaken a year-long monitoring action on the abundance, composition and distribution of marine macrolitter (items greater than 20cm) that floats in high sea waters between the Adriatic and the Ionian sea. According to Dr. Thomais Vlachogianni, MIO-ECSDE Programme Officer, “the project will set up an important baseline on the quantity of macrolitter present in the Adriatic. Systematic monitoring in the coming years will allow to assess whether the programmes of measures undertaken by the Adriatic countries will be successful in reducing waste ending up in the sea”.

Macrolitter can fragment into smaller parts, becoming microlitter, which can be ingested by a large variety of organisms, with potential adverse effects that vary from physical damage of their digestive tract to toxic effects from inherent contaminants leaching from microplastics, or extraneous pollutants adhered to microplastics. Macrolitter can impact marine life, including cetacean and turtles as these animals can be entangled or can ingest floating plastic. Dr. Luca Marini, one of the researchers involved in the project, declares how “the conjunct monitoring of floating plastic and marine life distribution can help in identifying areas were the impact could be higher; marine turtles and cetaceans present in the region are all protected under the Habitats Directive and it is important to report not only on the range and the population but also on possible threats”. Monitoring was done from ferries allowing the researchers to repeatedly sample high sea areas, which are usually difficult to reach with smaller vessels. The litter monitoring protocol from ferries has been specifically developed by an international network that monitors in the Mediterranean Sea cetaceans and their associated threats (FLT Med Monitoring Network), while the litter items categories have been recorded in accordance with the DeFishGear floating litter monitoring protocol.

Winter results, based on more than 2.800 km of survey tracks, showed that in the investigated area the number of floating items per square Km is 3.8 in the Adriatic Sea and 2.5 in the Ionian Sea. Plastic accounts for more than 87% of the items. The most common litter categories detected are plastic bags, bottles and polystyrene boxes, the latter ones presumably coming from fishing boats; also ghost nets, like net and lines, were recorded several times.

“Jo”

Dimitris Mitsatos, John Coustas and Radm Paul F. Thomas

At a full house in Athens’ Metropolitan Hotel, Rear Admiral Paul F. Thomas, assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, US Coast Guard delivered a slides presentation on “Issues related to foreign flag vessels visiting the US”.

He was introduced by HELMEPAs Chairman Dr. John Coustas. Many interested questions followed and discussions continued well at the reception offered by Helmepa’s Associate Corporate Member Chandris (Hellas) Inc; who wasn’t there!

Viewers can log on in the PDF herebelow:

USCG Presentation_P_Thomas

From November 2nd-7th, 2015 in Lomé, Togo

LOME, Togo, June 5, 2015/ – With six months left until the African Union summit dedicated to maritime security begins (http://www.african-union-togo2015.com), Togo held a press conference, on Tuesday June 2nd, around the preparations for this special event to share the challenges, strategy and vision of what could be a determining point for the African continent.

The announced goal is that the Member States of the African Union will agree on a common framework on the maritime safety of the continent, as there is currently no text on the issue.

From November 2nd-7th, 2015, the heads of State of the African Union will meet in Lomé to discuss cooperation on issues of maritime security as well as the maritime domain as a factor of economic development for the continent, which has 38 coastal countries.

The Togolese Government, through Prime Minister Arthème Kwesi Ahoomey-Zunu and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Robert Dussey, reiterated its commitment to make this Summit a success and the starting point of a new reflection on the practical, legal, and financial means to make the African maritime domain a development tool.

Far from being purely technical, the Summit will analyze the factors of maritime insecurity (poverty, maritime piracy,…) but also the benefits of smooth and secure management of the sea with preservation of its seabed.

The conference also marked the launch of the Summit website which will offer all the information around this major continental event which will bring together 54 African countries and their partners.

Togo proposed this initiative with support of the AU’s member states as a result of the constant increase in maritime traffic, experienced through Lomé’s port and its associated negative consequences (such as maritime pollution, piracy, and illegal fishing,..) to engage rapidly a concrete African reflection of its kind to propose and implement tangible solutions for the benefit of the entire African population.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Richard Attias & Associates.

Richard Schiferli

At its 48th meeting last month, the Paris MoU Committee approved the 2014 inspection results and adopted new performance lists for flags and Recognized Organizations. These lists will take effect from 1 July 2015.

The “White, Grey and Black (WGB) List” presents the full spectrum, from quality flags to flags with a poor performance that are considered high or very high risk. It is based on the
total number of inspections and detentions over a 3-year rolling period for flags with at  least 30 inspections in the period.

On the “White, Grey and Black list” for 2014, a total number of 72 flags are listed: 43 on the “White List”, 19 on the “Grey List” and 10 on the “Black list”. In 2013 the number of flags listed totalled 75 flags, namely 46 on the “White List”, 19 on the “Grey List” and 10 on the “Black List”.

The “White List” represents quality flags with a consistently low detention record.
Compared with 2013, the number of flags on the “White List” has decreased by 3 flags to a
total number of 43 flags. New on the “White List” is India, which was on the “Grey List” last
year.

France has been placed highest on the list in terms of performance for the third year in a
row. The next in line of the best performing flags in 2014 are Hong Kong, Bahamas,
Norway and Sweden.

Flags with an average performance are shown on the “Grey List”. Their appearance on
this list may act as an incentive to improve and move to the “White List”. At the same time
flags at the lower end of the “Grey List” should be careful not to neglect control over their
ships and risk ending up on the “Black List” next year.

On this year’s “Grey List” a total number of 19 flags is recorded. Last year the “Grey List”
also recorded 19 flags. New on the “Grey List” are Spain, Lithuania, Poland and Thailand,
which last year were on the “White List”.

Belize has fallen from the “Grey List” to the “Black List”. The poorest performing flags are
the United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Moldova, Togo, Cook Islands and Dominica.
2
For several years the Committee has closely monitored the performance of classification
societies acting as ROs or flags. To calculate the performance of the Recognized
Organizations, the same formula to calculate the excess factor of the flags is used. A
minimum number of 60 inspections per RO are needed before the performance is taken
into account for the list. In 2014 37 ROs are recorded on the performance list.

Among the best performing Recognized Organizations were:
 DNV GL AS (DNVGL)
 Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
 Lloyd’s Register (LR)
 American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
 China Classification Society (CCS)
The lowest performing Recognized Organizations were:
 INCLAMAR
 International Register of Shipping (IS)
 Bulgarian Register of Shipping (BRS)

Compared with last year’s performance level, a small shift in RO performance in 2014 can
be noticed. This year fewer organisations have been placed in the very low and low
performing parts of the list and more organisations have been placed in the medium part of
the list.

On 1 July 2015 the performance lists will be used for calculating the ship risk
profile and flags on the “Grey List” and “Black List” are subject to the more
stringent banning measures in force since 1 January 2011. More information can be found
in the 2014 Annual Report, which will be released in July 2015.

WGB & RO 2014 Press release 2015

24/06/2015  A project to identify potential sea areas in South East Asia which could be put forward for designation as Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) is gaining traction with the holding of a second regional meeting in Hanoi, Viet Nam (24-25 June). 

A PSSA can gain extra protection through the adoption of associated protective measures, such as ship routeing systems. IMO’s Ed Kleverlaan is facilitating the meeting, which is being held under the auspices of a co-operation agreement between IMO and the Norwegian Development Cooperation Agency, NORAD. The meeting is being attended by around 20 participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam.

NAMEPA AND VESON NAUTICAL ORGANIZE A BEACH CLEANUP IN SOUTH BOSTON ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2015

Leading marine industry-led nonprofit NAMEPA and Boston-based commercial maritime software provider Veson Nautical continue to collaborate on projects related to marine environmental conservation and maritime safety

BOSTON, Mass., June 27, 2015 – The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) and Veson Nautical joined together for a beach cleanup at Carson Beach in South Boston. Representatives from both companies gathered at the beach with trash bags and gloves ready to walk the beach and pick up trash! We are proud partners on this important issue of marine debris by taking action with an organized beach cleanup. 

NAMEPA and Veson Nautical have enjoyed a long-standing partnership on the foundation of their shared values, including Veson’s commitment to “do the right thing for clients, colleagues, and community” and NAMEPA’s mission to engage with and educate members of the maritime community about pressing marine environmental issues and the imperative to “Save Our Seas.” NAMEPA and Veson Nautical look forward to continued partnership in 2015 and beyond, and to discovering ways that the two organizations can engage with one another.

The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is an independent, marine industry-led association that engages industry, regulators, environmental groups, educators and the public to “Save Our Seas” by promoting sound environmental practices. NAMEPA operates as a non-profit organization committed to preserving the marine environment through educating seafarers, port communities and students about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean resources.

Veson Nautical is the premier provider of commercial maritime software and services. The company’s integrated software products and services enable the world’s top tier shipping companies to transform the constant stream of information from vessels, the market, and more, into a strategic advantage. The company’s Integrated Maritime Operations System (IMOS), is fast becoming the de facto standard in the industry. Veslink is Software as a Service (SaaS) that sets a new standard for the collection, analysis, and sharing of maritime data. Together, IMOS and Veslink propel maritime commerce. With a focus on constant innovation and customer service, Veson Nautical serves over 7,000 users at more than 200 prominent maritime organizations worldwide. The company may be reached via the Web at www.veson.com or in their Boston headquarters at +1.617.723.2727.

Photograph taken at Oceanology International 2014. Credit to: Trevor Smeaton

Refreshed, and with ideas for presentations buzzing in their heads, vacationers from around the world are returning to their desks to find they have just days to submit their conference abstracts for Oceanology International 2016 – ‘give us more time’ is the constant plea.

Therefore Reed Exhibitions, organisers of the biennial event being held at London’s ExCeL, Tuesday 15 – Thursday 17 March 2016, have extended the deadline for the submission of abstracts for the global forum for marine technology and ocean science until Friday 16 October 2015.

“We are most impressed by the number of people who have just got back to their desks after their annual holiday and are asking for ‘just a little more time’ to submit their abstract for one or more of our 11 technical and industry conference streams, it seems only fair to grant them their wish,” explains Event Director, Jonathan Heastie.

“Every two years Oceanology International brings together voices from across the industry, and the world, to share best practice, technology updates and a wide range of case histories. The agenda-setting technical conferences highlight the role that ocean science and technology can play across the board. In 2014, 1,280 unique visitors, from 49 countries, (of our total attendance of 8,400 participants), attended the free conference sessions to hear from over a hundred experts about the latest marine technology, science, R&D and opportunities across the end user marine industries. Anyone seeking inspiration can find the presentations from Oceanology International 2014 online.

“I am delighted to be able to announce that Oceanology International 2016 is already a record-breaker,” he adds. “Indeed, we are looking forward to staging the largest Oceanology International in its history.”

Professor Ralph Rayner, Chairman of the Oceanology International 2016 conference programme lists the topics that will come under the conference spotlight in 2016: Unmanned vehicles and vessels; Ocean observing systems; Positioning and metrology; Hydrography, geophysics and geotechnics; and Marine renewables have long been core topics at Oceanology International, and Aquaculture figured on the programme for the first time in 2014. To these we now add: Handling big data; Oil & gas: What’s next for ageing offshore assets; Monitoring structural integrity: Understanding risk and reliability; Green shipping; and Near and far markets.

“Whether you are a technologist seeking to describe a new development, a scientist or engineer wishing to share a new application or a user of ocean data wanting to share experiences of your specific needs, the Oceanology International conference provides you with a unique opportunity,” he explains.

“We sincerely welcome your contributions to the Oceanology International 2016 conference programme and look forward to hearing from you.”

Session chairmen
Chairmen have now been announced for the vast majority of the Oceanology International conference streams:

Unmanned Vehicles and Vessels Showcase

• Dr Bob Allwood, Chief Executive, Society for Underwater Technology (SUT)
• Ian Gallett, Business Development  Executive, Society for Underwater Technology (SUT)

Ocean Observing Systems

• Zdenka Willis, Director, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) Program
• Justin Manley, VP of Business Development, Juliet Marine Systems

Positioning & Metrology

• Johnathan Davis, Manager Geophysical Operations, Survey & Geohazards, BP America
• Name tbc, Sonardyne

Marine Renewables

• Nick Murphy, Project Director, SeaRoc

Hydrography, Geophysics and Geotechnics

• Andy Hill, Marine Geohazard Technical Authority, BP Exploration

Aquaculture

• Professor Peter Davies of the Dept of Civil Engineering, University of Dundee, who has established a committee comprising:

• Richard Slaski, Secretariat, Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF)
• Alex Adrian, Aquaculture Officer, The Crown Estate
• Dr Kenneth Black, Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
• Dr Mark James, Marine Alliance for Science and Technology in Scotland

Oil & Gas: What’s next for ageing offshore assets? 

• Chairman tbc

Monitoring Structural Integrity: Understanding Risk and Reliability

• Tom Johnson, President, BMT Scientific Marine Services

Handling Big Data

• Chairman tbc

Green Shipping

• Dr Bev MacKenzie, Technical and Policy Director, IMarEST

Near and Far Markets does not, by its very nature, require chairing

Full details on all aspects of the Call for Abstracts is online at www.oceanologyinternational.com/Whats-On/Conference

Exhibition shaping up well
Individual exhibitors in the largest ever Oceanology International exhibition come from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, the UAE, United Kingdom and USA. Of these Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the USA have also all confirmed country pavilions.

Vessels and dock side demonstrations of equipment will once again be a popular feature. In 2014 vessel movements proved a record-breaker with 148 movements during the three days with 1198 people aboard and a record number of 13 visiting vessels. As at all Oceanology International events, networking will play an important role.

Further information on all aspects of Oceanology International is available online at www.oceanologyinternational.com andOITeam@reedexpo.co.uk

About Oceanology International
Oceanology International is the global forum where industry, academia and government share knowledge and connect with the marine technology and ocean science community, improving their strategies for measuring, exploiting, protecting and operating in the world’s oceans. Established in 1969, Oceanology International features the world’s largest exhibition for marine science and technology, multiple agenda-setting technical conferences, and a visiting vessels and waterside demonstration programme.

The Oceanology International portfolio includes

• Oceanology International China 2015 (3-5 November 2015, CECIS, Shanghai, China). Developed with government and industry associations it provided organisations with the opportunity to capitalise on China’s rapidly growing offshore energy and marine industries. www.oichina.com.cn/en the Subsea Oil & Gas China exhibition will be held alongside. The 2014 show attracted 5 ,034 domestic and overseas professional attendees from 32 different countries and regions
• Oceanology International 2016 (15-17 March 2016, ExCeL London, UK): will build on the success of the 2014 show, which attracted 8,400 participants – an increase of 10% over 2012. Exhibitor figures at the world’s largest marine technology and ocean science show were higher than ever before with 528 exhibiting companies from 35 countries. www.oceanologyinternational.com
• Catch the Next Wave conference:  Now in its third edition, Catch the Next Wave is an exclusive conference taking place on 14 March, 2016, the day before Oceanology International 2016 at the prestigious Royal Institution, London.  The event takes a longer term view of the capabilities that will shape our future ability to explore, understand, exploit and protect the oceans.:  www.ctnwconference.com
• Oceansp@ce: Oceansp@ce is an online and free-of-charge resource which delivers hand-picked news from the world to the marine science and ocean technology community. www.oceanspacenews.com

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N.B:We are an hour ahead of BST – published at 07:52 hrs or 08:52 hrs BST

GAC EnvironHull’s eco-friendly HullWiper technology is now available at Valencia on the east coast of Spain, the first port in the Mediterranean to offer the benefits of a clean hull delivered safely and conveniently by the diver-free Remotely Operated Vehicle.

New HullWiper base in Valencia first in the Mediterranean

Valencia, 5 October 2015 – GAC EnvironHull has set up an operational base in Valencia to offer eco-friendly, diver-free hull cleaning solutions at ports in Spain, marking the debut of the HullWiper ROV system in southern Europe.

The development is in response to growing demand on the back of the recovering Spanish economy and increasingly stringent environment regulations in place.

Launched in late 2013 in the United Arab Emirates, the HullWiper Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) system has since been rolled out to other countries in the Middle East, Scandinavia and the Far East. It is now being offered to vessels at Valencia, through GAC EnvironHull’s local partner, Burriel-Navarro.

Valencia, Spain’s third largest city and one of the biggest ports in the Western Mediterranean, was selected due to its strategic location supporting numerous shipping routes and operators. From there, GAC EnvironHull will offer eco-friendly and efficient hull cleaning to ships sailing the Balearic Seas.

This move represents the company’s first step into the Mediterranean area, with further potential expansion in Spain and beyond in the pipeline.

“As in so many regions around the world, there is a growing demand in the Mediterranean for safer cleaning operations,” says GAC EnvironHull’s Managing Director Simon Doran. “This is the latest stage in the expansion of our operations to help meet that demand with HullWiper’s unique features.”

HullWiper delivers a safe, fast and cost-effective clean hull to optimise vessel performance with minimal impact on the marine environment. Despite its compact size of just 3 x 1.5 x 0.80 m, the high-speed ROV can clean up to 2,000 m² of hull per hour without causing any damage to anti-fouling surfaces, thanks to brushless technology which uses adjustable pressure water jets to remove marine fouling. As no divers are involved, cleaning can be done alongside during loading or discharging operations, and any risk to life is significantly reduced. HullWiper cleans about five times faster than conventional cleaning methods with divers, and hence, reduces cleaning time by approximately half.

The entire process is in line with the GAC Group’s stringent Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) and compliance policies, as well as all local and regional environmental regulations. Residues and harmful marine growths captured during cleaning are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner instead of being discharged into the sea as done using traditional methods.

Hull cleaning operations using the HullWiper will commence at Valencia 5 October 2015.

To see how HullWiper can help improve vessel performance and save money for operators, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xf3AknxRrE

About GAC Group

GAC is a global provider of integrated shipping, logistics and marine services. Emphasising world-class performance, a long-term approach, innovation, ethics and a strong human touch, GAC delivers a flexible and value-adding portfolio to help customers achieve their strategic goals.

Established since 1956, GAC employs over 9,000 people in more than 300 offices worldwide.

OI 2014 crowded aisles

OCEANOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2016 WELL SET FOR RECORD-BREAKING SUCCESS

With still over five months until it opens, Oceanology International 2016 (OI) being held at ExCeL London, Tuesday 15 – Thursday 17 March 2016, is well set to be a record-breaker. It has already matched the size of OI 2014 and, with hundreds of additional metres on reserve and due to be confirmed soon, the 2016 event will be the biggest OI of all time!.

“We are delighted that OI still boasts such great support and engagement from the global industry and immensely proud it is coming together en masse to make this the biggest event in OI’s history,” says Event Director, Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions. “Over 8,000m2 has already been sold to 326 exhibiting companies from 32 countries. It is always good news when returning exhibitors take more space and this has been the case with over a hundred exhibiting companies.

And, we are delighted to welcome 59 new exhibiting companies. No doubt when the names of companies sharing booked stands start to emerge we will find there are even more suppliers dipping their toes into the OI ‘water’ for the first time.

“We welcome Fugro, Teledyne, Keller and IXBlue as sponsors of key elements of next spring’s show, which is held in partnership with The Society for Underwater Technology, and with the Hydrographic Society UK, IMarEST, IMCA, the Marine Technology Society, and the Society of Maritime Industries as endorsing organisations.”

Conference deadline looms
Looking towards the OI 2016 conference Jonathan Heastie adds: “Now, with under two weeks to go before the call for abstracts closes (16 October) we are looking forward to being able to announce an innovative programme under our eleven topic headings: Unmanned Vehicles and Vessels Showcase; Ocean Observing Systems: Marine Technology and Services Sector Role in the Blue Economy; Positioning & Metrology; Handling Big Data; Marine Renewables; Hydrography, Geophysics and Geotechnics; Oil & Gas: What’s next for ageing offshore assets?; Monitoring Structural Integrity: Understanding Risk and Reliability; Aquaculture; Green Shipping; and Near and Far Markets.  I would urge anyone with case histories and news of innovative developments under any of these headings to complete our online abstract submission form with speed!”  Full details on all aspects of the Call for Abstracts is online at www.oceanologyinternational.com/Whats-On/Conference

A truly international event
There are Canadian, French, German, Irish, Dutch and US national group stands at OI 2016, as well as a diving pavilion; and individual exhibitors come from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK and the USA.

Vessels and dock side demonstrations of equipment will once again be a popular feature. In 2014 vessel movements proved a record-breaker with 148 movements during the three days with 1198 people aboard and a record number of 13 visiting vessels.  Those eager to participate in this year’s waterborne and demonstration areas are asked to contact Vessel manager Stephen Taylor Tel: +44 (0)17 3082 1661 Email: dandstayl@aol.com at the earliest opportunity. As at all Oceanology International events, networking will play an important role.

Further information on all aspects of Oceanology International is available online at www.oceanologyinternational.com andOITeam@reedexpo.co.uk

About Oceanology International
Oceanology International is the global forum where industry, academia and government share knowledge and connect with the marine technology and ocean science community, improving their strategies for measuring, exploiting, protecting and operating in the world’s oceans. Established in 1969, Oceanology International features the world’s largest exhibition for marine science and technology, multiple agenda-setting technical conferences, and a visiting vessels and waterside demonstration programme.

The Oceanology International portfolio includes

• Oceanology International China 2015 (3-5 November 2015, CECIS, Shanghai, China). Developed with government and industry associations it provided organisations with the opportunity to capitalise on China’s rapidly growing offshore energy and marine industries. www.oichina.com.cn/en the Subsea Oil & Gas China exhibition will be held alongside. The 2014 show attracted 5 ,034 domestic and overseas professional attendees from 32 different countries and regions
• Oceanology International 2016 (15-17 March 2016, ExCeL London, UK): will build on the success of the 2014 show, which attracted 8,400 participants – an increase of 10% over 2012. Exhibitor figures at the world’s largest marine technology and ocean science show were higher than ever before with 528 exhibiting companies from 35 countries. www.oceanologyinternational.com
• Catch the Next Wave conference:  Now in its third edition, Catch the Next Wave is an exclusive conference taking place on 14 March, 2016, the day before Oceanology International 2016 at the prestigious Royal Institution, London.  The event takes a longer term view of the capabilities that will shape our future ability to explore, understand, exploit and protect the oceans.:  www.ctnwconference.com

Researchers from the south coast of England have established a small network of monitoring instruments in Christchurch Harbour and associated rivers to study the effects of weather events on water quality, and to better understand the magnitude and spatial/temporal variation of macronutrient fluxes – nitrogen (N), carbon (C) and phosphorus (P). The project, which is financed by a Natural Environmental Research Council grant, has involved the installation of three continuous monitoring stations; one in the harbour itself, a second in the river Avon and a third in the river Stour. Each monitoring station includes a Xylem YSI EXO2 multiparameter water quality monitoring sonde and a Xylem Storm3 Data logger that wirelessly transmits the data to the Storm Central  ‘cloud’ hosted data collection platform so that readings can be viewed on the project website www.christchurch-macronutrients.org.uk.

With over a year of data, project lead Prof. Duncan Purdie says: “We were fortunate with the storms that took place over the winter of 2013/14, because we were able to gather excellent high frequency data on nutrient fluxes and water quality during severe weather, which has dramatically improved our understanding of the effect extreme river flows have on nutrient fluxes into the estuary. The monitoring systems worked very well during this period and we were particularly impressed with the performance of the EXO2 sondes and the Storm loggers.”

Background

Human activities have enhanced global cycles of N and P by around 100% and 400% respectively since the industrial revolution, and this is having a major impact on the world’s water resources, resulting in serious detrimental effects on water habitats leading to algal blooms and eutrophication. However, our knowledge of macronutrient fluxes through estuaries is limited and estimates are often based on low sampling frequencies leading to large-scale approximations, so there is a need to better understand fluxes of N and P through estuaries and how their behaviour is impacted by processes operating over a range of temporal and spatial scales.

In addition to monitoring macronutrient fluxes, the project has investigated  the  eutrophication status of  the estuary with summer reduced river flows leading to longer water residence times resulting in algal blooms , that can cause reduced  dissolved oxygen levels which threatens migratory fish, for example. The project has also sought to determine whether high river flows during the winter affect the estuarine benthic habitat and local fisheries.

Historically, most water quality monitoring in rivers and estuaries has taken place at fixed time intervals that are spaced too far apart to capture severe weather events, so there is a heightened demand for instruments that are able to operate unattended for extended periods. This means that they must be robust, resistant to fouling, and able to operate on low levels of power without requiring frequent recalibration. Low power remote telemetry capability also reduces the frequency of  site visits and thereby further lowers operational costs.

Monitoring sites

Christchurch Harbour is a particularly interesting and important water resource. It was chosen for this project because it is a relatively small and constrained estuary with easily accessible sites for monitoring. The estuary has two main rivers (the Stour and Hampshire

Avon) feeding into it and exchange with coastal waters is provided by a narrow (~45 m) channel at Mudeford. The two river catchments have similar characteristics; both containing high proportions of chalk in the upper and middle reaches and tertiary sands and gravels in their lower sections. The River Avon is designated as a Natura 2000 site because it supports internationally rare species such as floating water crowfoot and starwort; and fish species such as brook lamprey, migratory salmon, sea lamprey and bullhead. The Hampshire Avon is one of the most important chalk river systems in the UK, with over 180 species of river plant, one of the most diverse fish populations, and a wide range of river invertebrates. In addition, the river is important for its populations of water vole and otter. All of these species are affected by river water quality.

The Environment Agency is already working with local water companies to implement improvements to sewage treatment works that will reduce phosphate levels in the discharges from these plants. However, there is also a requirement to lower macronutrients from other sources (eg farming) , so it is convenient that a further project is being conducted in the upper reaches of the Avon, also involving continuous water quality monitoring. Known as the Avon Demonstration Test Catchment project (Avon DTC), this seeks to test the hypothesis that it is possible to cost-effectively reduce the impact of agricultural diffuse water pollution on ecological function while maintaining sustainable food production through the implementation of multiple on-farm mitigation measures. As a result, the knowledge gained from the Avon DTC project will complement that from the Christchurch Harbour Macronutrients Project.

The Christchurch Harbour project is one of four consortium projects funded by the NERC Macronutrient Cycles Programme. The project’s consortium is made up of a team of scientists from the Universities of Southampton, Portsmouth and East Anglia, and the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton. The monitoring equipment was first installed in late 2013 and early 2014, and is due to run for 3.5 years. In conjunction with modelling, the monitoring data will enable the scientists to produce an accurate assessment of the impact of nutrients entering the estuary during short-term storm increased flows in the two rivers.

Data from the study are being used to create a powerful statistical model of the distribution of excess phosphates and nitrates, how they transfer from rivers, through estuaries and into the coastal seas and the role that storms play in this process. The team anticipates that this will allow policy makers to make more informed decisions about how to reduce nitrate and phosphate pollution in estuaries.

Continuous monitoring equipment

The Xylem EXO2 sondes are designed to run on low power for long-term deployments. Each sonde is able to accommodate a large number of sensors and in this project they included dissolved oxygen, conductivity, temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll, depth and pH. The EXO sondes contain internal batteries and can be deployed on their own, but in order to provide near real-time data to the ‘Storm Central’ website, they were each connected to a Storm datalogger with a solar powered battery pack.

A novel ‘lab on a chip’ nitrate sensor also forms part of the monitoring system. Developed by engineers and scientists at the NOC, the nitrate monitor sensor performs miniature colorimetric nitrate analysis at programmable hourly   intervals, with a serial output to the Storm datalogger. Consequently the nitrate data, which reveals complex daily cycling and response to storm events, has been incorporated with that from the EXO sondes.

The EXO sonde at the Christchurch Harbour pontoon was also fitted with a fDOM sensor (Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter) which provides greater insight into water quality; typically displaying an inverse relationship with salinity revealing high DOM levels in the freshwater entering the estuary.

The monitoring system has the ability to output alarms when pre-set conditions occur, including relationships between different sensors. Alarms can trigger emails, and text messages are also possible with minor additional equipment, however the alarm function was not enabled for this project. Automatic water samplers were also employed by the project, taking samples at pre-set intervals, but if necessary the samplers could be set to initiate sample collection when certain conditions occur, such as a lowering of river conductivity caused by a surge of fresh water.

“The technology employed by this project, whilst highly advanced, was relatively simple to set up,” says Xylem’s David Goldsmith. “The creation of the ‘Storm Central’ webpage certainly added a great deal of value to the monitoring system; providing quick and easy access to the data for anyone, from anywhere, at any time. Furthermore, data from all sites are viewable from a single map webpage. All of this significantly reduced the amount of time that would otherwise be spent travelling to the different sites.”

Summarising Prof. Purdie says: “We are obviously very pleased with the Xylem monitoring equipment; we found good correlation between the macronutrient concentrations in the frequently collected water samples and NOC’s lab on chip nitrate monitor with the continuous data from the EXO sondes providing key water quality parameters at 10 minute intervals over a period of more than a year so far. As a result, we have been able to capture continuous data throughout the life of the project and this has provided tremendous insight into the estuarine behaviour of macronutrients throughout all seasons and during all types of weather. The monitors are still operational, so we hope to extend the project for a longer period and further improve the models that have benefited from the data so far.”

Xylem Analytics UK manufactures environmental monitoring instruments and systems. Formerly known as YSI, the group is a market leader with a reputation for high levels of accuracy and reliability. The company’s water quality measuring instruments are designed for both laboratory and field use. In addition to bench top and hand-held instruments, Xylem Analytics also builds monitoring systems and wireless networks that are able to operate in remote locations and challenging environments. The company’s water quality monitoring sondes can be fitted with a wide variety of sensors including dissolved oxygen, PH, temperature, turbidity , conductivity, salinity, ORP, chlorophyll, open-channel flow, vented level, ammonia, chloride, rhodamine, depth photo synthetically active radiation.

Xylem brands represented include YSI, SonTek, Aanderaa, MJK and WTW.

12/10/2015

Parties to the treaties which regulate the dumping of wastes at sea are meeting at IMO Headquarters this week (12-16 October). The meeting is expected to agree updated guidelines for the application of the de minimis (exempt) concept when it comes to radioactive wastes, to include recognition of effects of radiation on marine fauna and flora. The meeting will also review ongoing work in relation to the disposal of mine tailings, marine geoengineering, development of a strategic plan to encourage ratification of the London Protocol and the 25-year scientific review of all radioactive wastes and other radioactive matter. The Thirty-seventh Consultative Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Convention and the tenth Meeting of Contracting Parties to the London Protocol were opened by IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu. The meeting is being chaired by  Captain Ibraheem Olugbade (Nigeria).

Michael Cramer

Firefighting led a stream of topical debate at trade association Interferry’s 40^th annual conference in Copenhagen last week – but not before a record 342 delegates came under fire from a leading Green politician claiming that ‘shipping is currently one of the unaddressed areas of air pollution’.  

Michael Cramer, German chair of the European Parliament’s transport and tourism committee, delivered a stinging opening address demanding that the ferry and shipping sectors become more environmentally sustainable. He said ‘most vessels are like hazardous waste incinerators because they burn heavy fuel oil which should be processed as highly toxic waste but is usually exhaled without sufficient filtering’.  He alleged that, according to recent studies, this caused 50,000 premature deaths per year in Europe at an annual cost to society of 58 billion euros.

Mr Cramer conceded that the carbon footprint of a tonne of goods carried by ship was lower than any other transport mode.  He also acknowledged that some shipowners had already acted to reduce emissions, but called for the industry to explore further technological and operational measures – a plea answered in several subsequent sessions devoted to innovation.

CEO bids farewell

Len Roueche

In another conference highlight, Interferry CEO Len Roueche earned a standing ovation after disclosing his decision to retire next March.  During his 14 years in the post, the association has won IMO consultative status, set up a dedicated IMO and European Union affairs office in Brussels, become a founder member of the new UN high level advisory committee on sustainable transport and grown membership to more than 200 companies in 35 countries.  Mr Roueche pointed to Asia and Africa as the next growth areas – next year’s conference will be in Manila – and urged continuing support for Interferry’s ‘voice of the industry’ role in helping to shape safety and environmental regulations.

Interferry chairman Mike Grainger – managing director of Liferaft Systems Australia – paid tribute to Mr Roueche’s outstanding leadership and announced that Darrell Bryan, retired former president and CEO of Seattle-based fast ferry operator Victoria Clipper, will be Interferry’s interim CEO pending the appointment of a permanent successor.

Transport chair’s challenge: ‘must do better’

Michael Cramer illustrated his concerns over shipping’s ‘decisive role’ in air pollution with a string of statistics.  He said that 70% of global maritime emissions came within 400km of coastlines, with vessels operating at EU ports accounting for up to 30% of worldwide CO₂ shipping emissions.

Global shipping produced more than one billion tons of CO₂ per year.  This amounted to 3% of world greenhouse gas emissions and was expected to reach 6% by 2020 unless an ambitious framework was set at the highest level.  “The IMO proves that significant steps are possible,” said Mr Cramer.  “At the same time, the larger the forum is, the more difficult it gets to establish common standards.”  Expressing ‘sincere regret’ that Europe did not emulate the US and Canada in establishing Emissions Control Areas legislation for the whole continent, he stressed: “Every next step we take has to be decided if not on a global then at least on a common European level…the sooner the better.”

He suggested that Europe could show the world what was possible, pointing out that a European Commission-inspired monitoring, reporting and verification system for CO₂ emissions was set to come into force in 2018 for all ships over 5,000gt calling at EU ports – with an anticipated 2% per voyage emissions reduction.

Future improvements in environmental performance would depend on strong control mechanisms and a fundamental change of outlook on mobility – which Mr Cramer summarised as moving from oil-based fuels to zero-emission renewables such as solar and wind power, allied with better route planning, distribution and capacity utilisation.  He said existing technologies could lower CO₂ emissions by 75% while simply reducing speed by 10% could cut energy use by some 19%.

Remarking that ‘complaining is part of your trade’, Mr Cramer argued that the industry’s regulatory worries had not been confirmed.  In fact, as shown by the need to adapt to the sulphur rules, they had inspired ‘something in the shipping sector we have missed for many years – the spirit of innovation’.  He said the EU was providing record financial support for smarter transport projects – 26 billion euros up to 2020 – including ‘a lot of money’ for shipping.

He concluded: “I see great potential in the shipping sector to contribute to changed mobility, especially in the ferry sector.  We will do our best to encourage you further by supporting your innovative ideas on getting shipping more sustainable and promoting further integration to other transport modes.”

Interferry regulatory affairs director Johan Roos told delegates: “I think Mr Cramer and his EU colleagues have their hearts in the right places but where we differ is how to get there.  If fuel prices hadn’t dropped it would be a different picture right now.  We have seen the EU’s political will to push on with its plans and we have to be ready for that.”

In a later statement he added: “We are working closely with EU officials to agree realistic solutions to our shared long-term aims on emissions.  However, realism can be forgotten when our proposals go before the politicians.  Their unpredictability is truly frightening because all too often decisions ignore    the vast real-world cost implications for our industry.  Companies could definitely go out of business and, ironically, a key element of the transport infrastructure would be dangerously weakened to the detriment of green goals.”

Regulations: ‘let’s talk’

The battleground over environmental regulations in northern Europe was mapped out in a panel debate representing owners and authorities.

Patrick Verhoven, secretary general of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations, complained that operators had invested in scrubber equipment in good faith only to find that another EU department was questioning whether it was allowed.  He criticised the ‘eternal dilemma’ about the EU wanting to add another level to international regulations with ‘little appreciation of what is going on at the IMO’.  He went on: “We need to explain much better the good work being done there and take away the distrust among members of the European Parliament.”  Politicians had forgotten that shortsea shipping was meant to be an alternative to road transport – it was a mode that could help in the sustainability story but there was ‘definitely not a level playing field’.

DFDS sustainability director Poul Woodall asked: “Is it fair that we are saving 300,000 tonnes of sulphur emissions in Europe but it’s costing 30 million tonnes of CO₂ instead?  And how many non-invasive species are we going to kill under the ballast water convention?”

Leanne Page, an environmental policy specialist at the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency and lead advisor on ballast water management, said: “It doesn’t have to be confrontational, we have to have cooperation. The bar was set high ten years ago and the challenges were testing, but the equipment is now available and we are in a much more positive place.”  Asked whether economic impact was taken into account on such issues, she countered: “You have to broaden your understanding of this, it’s not just about yourselves.  Shipping companies’ idea of a benefit is different to our assessment of the value to society as a whole, such as the reduced burden on health services.”

Emphasising the health benefits of reduced emissions, Danish Maritime Authority deputy head Christian Breinholt urged shipping not to forget there were good reasons for such regulations.  “It’s a gain for society but a pain for owners,” he confessed.  “Don’t fight against it.  You put all your efforts into avoiding regulations.  Don’t waste the first five years – get in early in the regulatory cycle and help shape it with a positive attitude.”

Fighting fire: lessons and solutions

A series of presentations on fire safety started with an update on the investigation into last December’s fire on the ro-pax vessel Norman Atlantic, when at least 18 died on a crossing from Greece to Italy.

Fabio Croccolo, head of Italy’s marine investigations directorate, stressed that the final report was not due until Christmas but the most likely cause looked like abnormal demand on electricity supply for trailers.  The blaze spread throughout the ship from vehicle deck 4 – where the average temperature soared to an estimated 1,000C – and left some lifesaving equipment destroyed or inaccessible, leading to a call for enhanced passive protection.

Other possible causes included a reefer unit electrical fault and unauthorised use of heating and cooking equipment by truck drivers or stowaways staying illicitly on the vehicle deck, which Mr Croccolo said should be countered by frequent patrols and use of CCTV.

He added that propagation of the fire was assisted by the deck’s large side windows and open stern, which allowed the smoke plume to be diverted away from smoke detectors in winds of at least 40 knots.  He suggested that semi-open cargo spaces should not be permitted on ropax newbuilds, encouraged development of an emergency system to seal open spaces on existing tonnage and also advocated the fitting of thermal detection systems.

In addition, investigators had found that the wrong drencher system valves were opened – for deck 3 rather than deck 4 – and some trucks had not been properly lashed.  Mr Croccolo observed that the shipowner had supplied the Italian deck and engine crew but lashing and other ‘commercial actions’ were performed by the charterer’s Greek crew on what was only their third voyage on the vessel.  He urged a ‘one crew from the same company’ manning policy to reduce familiarisation and language problems on charters and also said a minimum distance between vehicles should be considered.

Paolo Moretti, general manager marine at classification society RINA, recalled that open ro-ro spaces had been introduced in 1981 to help facilitate the safe carriage of livestock and certain dangerous goods.  Confirming that wind posed a major threat to the performance of heat, smoke and flame detectors and water spray systems, he said RINA had introduced a condition based monitoring system including hot spot assessment in machinery areas and electrical equipment surveys in ro-ro spaces.

Anders Tosseviken, principal approval engineer in DNV GL’s fire safety and lifesaving section, noted that cargo rather than ship systems was the main cause of vehicle deck fires, with 80% of incidents linked to reefer units.  Tests had shown that fire intensity rose from 3MW on one car to almost 40MW across 13 cars within 15 minutes.  “At this level it is really difficult for firefighters,” he warned.  “In short you have five to ten minutes to react before you’re gone.”  Regular crew training involving realistic scenarios with unexpected events was vital.

Paul Nichols, a Lloyd’s Register lead specialist in passenger ship newbuild support, explained the EU-funded industry wide Lynceus project to develop unobtrusive tracking of people in an emergency.  A bracelet-mounted location sensor could also monitor conditions such as heartbeat to help prioritise assistance, and a lifejacket sensor could be detected by an unmanned aerial vehicle.  The three-year, €3.3 million first phase of the project was completed in April and now a €10.5m second phase involving 16 partners is working to bring the concept to market via demonstrations on large ships.

Tommy Hertzberg, fire research section manager at Sweden’s SP Technical Research Institute, discussed the use of lightweight fibre reinforced polymer composites instead of steel within ship structures.  Based on proposals for the conversion of two Stena Line ferries, he said the weight of top level superstructure could be halved.  With a self-extinguishing surface, composites offered much better fire containment properties than steel but were more prone to structural collapse.  Initial cost was higher but could be set against advantages such as easier repair or replacement after a fire.

Roberto Havier Herbon, managing director of Australia’s CBG Systems, revealed: “In 2014, 75 large ships were lost worldwide and fire was the third cause after collision and foundering.  We have to think outside the square and invest for those incidents with very low probability but very high impact.”                  His company offered a lightweight panellised passive fire containment solution as an alternative to traditional fibrous blankets wrapped around beams and stiffeners.

Innovations: vision with payback potential

A review of some of the latest innovations in ship technology attracted wide attention from conference delegates keen to learn about the money-saving potential of cutting edge developments.

Oskar Levander, VP for innovation, engineering & technology at Rolls-Royce Marine in Finland,  surveyed the prospects for unmanned remote-controlled ships – notably small ferries and cargo vessels – which he argued would make operations safer and more efficient while reducing crew costs.  “Unmanned is a trend and, as we have seen with drones, metro systems and cars, society is getting ready to accept it,” said Mr Levander, who emphasised that ‘this is not just a prediction, it’s on the drawing board today’.

Looking ahead, he confided: “It’s not going to happen overnight and we are still some way from big ocean-going ships with no crew.  Meanwhile local and then coastal applications provide a road map, but this also depends on getting regulations through because it’s not allowed now.  We must work to make sure it’s covered in the next revision of SOLAS.”  The most challenging aspect of remote control would concern safety management – ensuring that the onboard systems are so reliable that they need never be touched.

Ships would be operated from a remote control centre with a 360 degree screen highlighting traffic movements.  “Instead of 20 people you could do it with two,” Mr Levander continued, adding that the next level of technology – autonomous operation – would then allow many more ships to be handled at one time.  He stressed that remote control did not necessarily mean unmanned – crew would concentrate on customer-focused, safety and emergency duties.        

Anders Orgard Hansen, managing director and owner of Denmark’s OSK-Ship Tech, explained how 3-D printing would transform the industry by enabling more consistency in steel-based production with zero labour costs.  “Siemens has predicted 50% cheaper and 400% faster in the next five years,” he revealed.  “In future we will have local production and distribution in all countries so it’s a totally different modality – collect on your bike!”  Mr Hansen said the process would enable spare parts to be supplied without delay and with minimal delivery charges, noting that 27 Dutch companies in the Port of Rotterdam have set up a 3D spares printing consortium.

Tuomas Riski, CEO of Finland’s Norsepower, described his company’s tower-shaped Rotor Sail, an auxiliary wind propulsion system for large vessels that saved up to 50% of service power and required ten times less area than other sail systems to provide equivalent forward thrust.  He said the system was installed in seven hours on the Bore Line ro-ro Estraden last November for trials that had verified a 1.1 tonnes per day reduction in fuel consumption – equivalent to 5% less fuel per year – and a payback period of five years.  Mr Riski projected fuel savings of up to 10% for typical ferry configurations.

Bruno Bouckaert, commercial director of Netherlands-based Hull Vane, presented case studies on the fuel-saving beneficial lift force of the company’s hydrofoil-type, stern-fitted wing device, which is aimed at the ferry, small cruiseship and offshore markets.  Three installations to date had proven resistance reductions of 8-20%.  A current study for the P&O Ferries Irish Sea ro-ro Norbank indicated a 7% cut in resistance at 22 knots, annual fuel savings worth €270,000 and payback in 2 to 2.5 years.

Electric ferries: eco-friendly costcutters

A session dedicated to electric ferries underlined major cost and environmental benefits.

Eliza Gagatsi, senior project manager at the Hellenic Institute of Transport, introduced ‘a game-changing approach to medium range ferry connections’ – the fully electrified E-ferry, a €21.3m EU-backed project featuring the world’s largest maritime battery pack, with energy derived from wind power or other renewables.  Nine partners are developing a demonstration vessel that is due to be trialled on two routes in the Danish Baltic from 2017 to validate competitive speed, capacity and reliability.

Ulf Tudem, general manager of Norway’s Effect Ships International, outlined another multi-partner EU-backed initiative, the BB Green project, in which his company has developed the concept for the world’s first air-supported 30 knot electric commuter ferry.  Mr Tudem claimed that, compared with diesel power, the vessel could cut annual energy costs by more than €400,000 on a typical service.  A demonstrator due for launch in late October will be tested for two years in Sweden, Norway and The Netherlands.

Cees de Waal, managing director of Dutch service operator TESO, described the CNG battery hybrid ferry being delivered next year for the route between Den Helder and the island of Texel.  Designed for ‘cost savings while greening the operation’, the vessel features solar panels providing 10% of energy requirements, a heat recovery system and reduced ‘hotel load’ consumption through the use of lighting sensors, energy saving lamps and high efficiency ventilation.

Fast ferries: future looks bright

A panel debate among three leading shipbuilders suggested a strong market for fast ferries despite familiar concerns over fuel costs.

Austal technical manager James Bennett declared: “We have seen a massive rise in enquiries over the past year, helped by lower fuel prices and the improving economy in Europe, and we are looking to go up to five orders per year for large vessels.  There are routes in the world where only a fast ferry will work.”   Incat founder and chairman Robert Clifford added “We’ve never had it so good” and Damen product director Henk Gunstra pointed to three deliveries this year to South Korea – although he admitted: “The fuel issue will come back, so there is no doubt that composites have a big future.”  Mr Clifford echoed that ‘going light’ was key because lighter ships did not push so much water, which he claimed made them more efficient than conventional vessels.

Asked about the fuel of the future for fast ferries, Mr Gunstra foresaw the use of LNG on large vessels but said diesel would be around for a long time on smaller ships due to weight and space limitations.  Mr Bennett agreed that diesel would dominate in typical markets but said his company was looking into LNG for large ships in response to numerous enquiries.  As for the chances of electric or hybrid propulsion, he said: “It’s a really interesting prospect for slow speed but weight is our enemy so at the moment it’s way out in the future and not for our industry.”               

World economy: big changes ahead

Major implications for shipping were flagged in a wide-ranging review of the global economic outlook by special guest speaker Peter De Keyser, chief economist at international bank BP Paribas Fortis.

“We are entering a period of turmoil in which interest rates are going to be higher – making funding more expensive – and growth in emerging markets is throttling down,” he warned.  “There are downgrades for growth all over the planet and recovery is slow.  Right now we are only just recovering to 2008 levels and that makes a big difference to investment decisions.”

The recent fall in oil prices had been a huge boost to the West but would create more political turmoil, he added, citing a predicted 20% budget deficit in Saudi Arabia this year.  The need to raise interest rates in a ‘humming’ US economy would cause more uncertainty, while in Europe a 5% contraction in the economy since the recession had been compounded by the Eurozone crisis.

Mr De Keyser suggested that long-term growth would be fashioned by sweeping demographic changes affecting production and trade patterns.  By 2100, the population would rise by 340 million in India, 750 million in Nigeria and from 1.1 to 4.4 billion in Africa.  Meanwhile, in the next two decades, India’s share of world production would rise from 5 to 11% and Africa’s share would treble to 9%.  “Currently the  most important element of world trade – 50% of the total – is between developed OECD countries but that will fall to 25%,” he concluded.  “You will miss out if you don’t trade with developing countries.”

Border controls: ‘dogma breeding disruption’

Border controls imposed at UK ports due to migration and security concerns is causing major disruption to ferry operations according to another special guest speaker, Tim Reardon, the UK Chamber of Shipping taxation, ferry and cruise policy director.

“There is a constant flow of new laws regarding the capture of passenger and freight data,” he lamented.  “The government sees passengers flows riddled with threats that can be solved by technical solutions such as pre-travel screening, biometric matching scanners and electronic gates.  It’s all based on establishing identity rather than watching for odd behaviour, and it assumes everyone is law abiding, has a passport and will willingly present it – but that is a mismatch between dogma and reality.”

Furthermore, Mr Reardon suggested, the controls were derived from ‘one at a time’ airport processes that were not practical for handling ferry passengers in cars and coaches.  This added another element – ‘open the vehicle and see what’s inside’ – leading to long queues and dislocated schedules.  With freight trucks, he added, the focus was not on the driver but on who was hiding inside.  Technical solutions for this were huge and very expensive so it had become a time-consuming physical search exercise causing ‘impossible problems’ due to the size of vehicles and volume of traffic.

Charter party: a first for ropax

Details of the first trade-specific charter party for the ropax sector were showcased by Robert Almstrom, contract manager at Sweden’s Stena RoRo, who chaired the BIMCO sub-committee responsible for developing ROPAXTIME – launched in June to reduce the negotiation time and avoid the legal risks of having to use heavily amended dry cargo forms.

Highlighting a major benefit, Mr Almstrom said it was traditional for charterers to be responsible for cargo loading but they frequently asked owners to do the lashing and this was now covered.  The tailor-made initiative also includes hotel clauses relating to issues such as service equipment, cleaning, laundry, catering and the making good of bulkhead holes following the removal of gaming machines, video systems and communications equipment for the ship’s redelivery.

For conference papers go to http://www.interferry.com/conference/2015-conference-papers/

Five days until UNEP’s first MOOC on Marine Litter starts, sign up today!

Did you know that coastal boarder countries produced 2.5 billion tons of waste in the year 2010 and 275 million tons was plastic, the most abundant type of marine litter?

To address the global challenge of marine litter, UNEP in collaboration with The Open Universiteit in the Netherlands, will launch the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on marine litter onOctober 26th, 2015.

The free course provides lectures, examples and case studies that will inspire leadership at all levels, thereby increasing awareness of and stimulating creative solutions to the marine litter challenge.

Features of the course:

l to r: Fred Kenney (IMO), Dee Taylor (Liskow and Lewis), Harry J. Fafalios chairman GSCC and director Fafalios Shipping, Michael Lund – BIMCO chairman and moderator Peter Hinchliffe sg of ICS

The 5th Capital Link Shipping & Offshore CSR Forum in London

Now, what an event that was earlier today! It wasn’t just the showcasing of the Best Industry practices leading to the operational excellence on shipping and all that surrounding CSR’s competitive advantage; it was more than that! It wasn’t the honouring of Nikolas P. Tsakos who made all stakeholders admire his success when he received the Maritime CSR 2015 Leadership Award! It was the very open debate and the participation of many from all sectors in the industry with questions, statements and positions, and had there was more time allocated in the Q&A’s of all sessions, it was going to be the best ever event of Shipping in the Square Mile!

Dr. Abdul Rahim presenting his paper

Nicolas Bornozis and his team made the impossible to have senior executives from 23 shipping and offshore companies, as well as charterers and financiers to discuss how the implementation of Best Industry Practices translates into tangible commercial, operational and financial competitive advantages. The Forum explored the best Industry Practices across several areas such as fleet management, technological innovation – Dr. Abdul Rahim from ClassNK unique presentation, crewing, energy efficiency and the environment – a difficult task, but successfully performed by BV’s Dr. John Kokarakis for chairing same, safety & security – tough times for Richard Meade of Lloyd’s List but well “confronted”. It also discussed the demand for Best Industry Practices by charterers and the response and initiatives by shipping and offshore companies.

Prof. Costas Th. Grammenos awarding Nikolas P. Tsakos in the presence of Nicolas Bornozis

All the above issues took place in the presence of dozens of shipping people from all over Planet Ocean, including Rt.Radm (HCG) Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, Secretary-General Emeritus of the IMO, the Cypriot Shipping Minister Marios Demitriades, the Chairman of the GSCC Harry J. Fafalios – who also participated in the first panel, and more importantly from students!

Very touching for Professor Costas Th. Grammenos to present the Award to one of his most successful ever university students, very touching for the members of his companies present at the ceremony, the members of Intertanko that he currently chairs, the Greeks present and in particular those who also emanate from the Island of Chios, as well as the message he has passed for all intents and purposes!

Dr. Aleka-Mandaraka-Sheppard on question time

We will update you on the deliberations of this event and upload the speeches of the speakers when same are available. Dr. Aleka Mandaraka-Sheppard, Dr. Nicolas Mikelis, Hans Christian Jensen, Bridget Hogan, Milton Gonzales and George A. Tsavliris where amongst those who made their presence felt vis-à-vis their questions and statements.

A down to earth George D. Gordomichalis with his charismatic speaking flair and David Scott from Lloyd’s Register also contributed to the event.

from the coffee break networking: GMS’s Dr. Nikos Mikelis with Byron N. Vassiliades from Antipollution S.A.

Despite being a man’s arena, women too had their say; Kate Willoughby from DP World delivered an excellent speech on supporting a global approach to community investment and measuring; Dee Taylor from Liskow and Lewis a great contributor in the first panel; the moderator from panel six, Maria Bruun Skipper from the Danish Shipowners Association. Even the absence of Angie Hartmann from Starbulk SA and WISTA-Hellas president due to a sudden bad cold, was discussed! Worth mentioning the many women present from all sectors and for the first time comprising the 25 centum of the participants/delegates in such a forum!

Who said shipping is a man’s world? Joe Hughes, chairman and CEO of the Shipowners Claims Bureau with Niki Tiga, Maria Mavoudi from the American Club’s Piraeus office and Jessy Carvalho on the right from the Club’s London office

A great networking event in all three occasions – morning coffee break, luncheon and cocktail reception which lasted more in comparison with other Capital Link events; excellent!

Lastly, many congratulations to all the sponsors, supporters, partners and devotees who made possibe this event, needless to say a big thank you to all at Capital Link in presenting such an excellent programme with specialist themes, international speakers and participants.

We were very fortunate to interview live* Nicolas Bornozis at the end of a very special day for him which despite… the drillings, created the drill-issue** message for all on the CSR; log on herebelow to listen what he says:

* Video by Anny J. Zade

**Drill; one of the most important safety matters in shipping, onboard, ashore and …offshore. A successful drilling saves lives!!!!

During the COP21, in collaboration with the members of the Ocean & Climate Platform, Tara Expeditions will support a series of recommendations aimed at   including the ocean in the future climate regime.

“Taking action for a healthy ocean and a preserved climate”

On the brink of COP 21,  the Ocean Climate Platform discloses its recommendations

While COP 21 is inaugurating a new phase of commitment on climate, the Ocean Climate Platform disclosed the content of its advocacy at the November 12th 2015 press release- in the presence of Ségolène Royal, French Minister of Ecology- in order for ocean and coastal zones related issues to be gradually taken into consideration via specific measures and included in the various axes of negotiation.

Oceans are a major global climate regulator: they cover 71% of the surface of the Globe, they produce over 50% of the oxygen in the air we breathe, they absorb approximately 30% of the CO2 and 93% of the excess heat generated by human activity.

Limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, or even 1.5 degrees Celsius, is essential to maintain the regulation capacity of oceans and to limit the current changes.

In support of an ambitious universal and legally binding agreement, the Ocean Climate Platform points out that, Oceans remain the forgotten piece in the climate negotiation puzzle.  

9 TANGIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS IN FAVOR OF THE OCEAN 

This appeal presents 9 tangible recommendations in favor of the ocean- keystone of the adaptation to climate change- because it is now urgent to fix this inconsistency change :

1.     Provide decision-makers with a state of science on suitable concerns and measures regarding oceans and climate change, including via an IPCC Special Report on Oceans.

2.     Consider the importance of healthy and functional ecosystems to face climate change, by catalyzing the implementation of a consistent and resilient network of marine protected areas.

3.     Acknowledge the role of marine and coastal ecosystems as natural carbon wells (blue carbon).

4.     Develop Marine Renewable Energy (wind-power, hydro-power, tidal-power and wave-power) while preserving marine biodiversity.

5.     Guide maritime transport energy transition and develop innovative technological solutions for safer and more environmentally friendly vessels.

6.     Support in priority adaptation measures for the most vulnerable regions, including coastal zones in developing countries, territories and Small Island Developing States.

7.     Strengthen transfer of technology towards the most vulnerable coastal and oceanic states and regions. International cooperation must include marine ecosystems adaptation and protection projects.

8.     Explicitly dedicate part of the Green Climate Fund to marine and coastal projects (protection of mangrove, wetlands and vulnerable areas with an extremely high CO2 storage capacity).

9.     Improve consistency of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change with existing ocean related agreements, including “Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)”.

#OCEANFORCLIMATE DAYS FROM DECEMBER 2 TO DECEMBER 6 2015


The launch of the Ocean and Climate Platform appeal is also an introduction to a significant mobilization during COP 21 with the “#OceanforClimate Days”, fromDecember 2nd to December 6th 2015, at Le Bourget- at the heart of the climate negotiations- and in the center of Paris. Debates, side-events, documentary films will take place during the 5 days dedicated to ocean-related climate issues awareness toward decision-makers and the general public.

Program on www.ocean-climate.org

About the Ocean and Climate Platform

The Ocean and Climate Platform was established as an alliance of non-governmental organizations and research institutes, with support from the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission on June 10th 2014 during the World Ocean day.

Today the Platform includes scientific organizations, universities, research institutions, non-profit associations, foundations, science centers, public institutions and business organizations, all acting to bring the ocean to the forefront in climate discussions.

Follow us on social media @Ocean_Climate with our hash tag #OceanforClimate

The Ocean and Climate Platform appeal (full text) is available by clicking here

Click here for the « #OceanforClimate Days » agenda.

Photograph taken at Oceanology International 2014. Credit to: Trevor Smeaton

The “what’s when” of the Oceanology International 2016 (OI 2016) conference programme has been announced, (15-17 March 2016, ExCeL London) with ten separate conferences making up a highly topical and relevant programme over the three days at the world’s largest ocean science and marine technology exhibition and conference.

“We’ve a packed programme, getting off to a flying start on Tuesday 15 March with day-long conferences on Ocean Observing Systems: Marine technology and services sector role in the Blue Economy; Positioning & Metrology; Marine Renewables; and a half day devoted to Green Shipping,” explains Event Director, Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions.

“Then on Wednesday 16 March we move on to full day programmes on What’s next for ageing offshore assets (for the offshore oil and gas industry); Monitoring Structural Integrity: Understanding risk and reliability; Handling Big Data; and Aquaculture. Thursday’s (17 March) day-long conferences feature Hydrography, Geophysics and Geotechnics; and the Unmanned Vehicles and Vessels Showcase.  The full programmes for each conference will be available by mid-December. Registration for OI 2016 will open early December and admission to both the exhibition and conference is, as ever, free of charge to all with a business/professional interest in our wide range of topics.

“Additionally, in our show floor theatre, Near and Far Markets, “international trading” sessions, will be a feature throughout the show; and we look forward to announcing other events in that theatre, our programme of associated events and networking opportunities; and details on visiting vessels and waterside demonstrations before long.

“On Thursday 17 March OI will once again host ‘Careers Day’ when we welcome graduates and undergraduates from universities around the country to find out about the exciting opportunities open to them in ocean science and marine technology.

“We are delighted to welcome Fiberpro, FMC Schilling Robotics, Fugro, Geosoft, GeoXYZ, IXBlue, Keller, SMD, and Teledyne as sponsors of a variety of event features, with other opportunities still available; and that exhibit space in the record-breaking exhibition continues to sell like those proverbial ‘hot cakes’. Over 8,000m2 has been sold to organisations from 32 countries making it the largest OI in its long and distinguished history; there are fewer than 30 stands now available. We enjoy working with exhibitors to ensure they make valuable business connections, and can use OI to grow their businesses.”

There are Canadian, French, German, Irish, Dutch and US national group stands at OI 2016, as well as a diving pavilion; and individual exhibitors come from Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK and the USA.

OI 2016 is staged in partnership with the SUT and with The Hydrographic Society UK; the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST); the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA); the Marine Technology Society (MTS); and the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) as endorsing organisations.

Further information on all aspects of Oceanology International is available online at www.oceanologyinternational.com andOITeam@reedexpo.co.uk

More information on the conferences

• Tuesday, 15 March
• Ocean Observing Systems:  Marine technology and services sector role in the Blue Economy will provide perspectives from government, industry, societies and associations on how the marine technology services sector can influence and be part of the Blue Economy.  It will be chaired by Zdenka Willis, Director, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) Program, and Justin Manley, Founder, Just Innovation LLC who ask: “How is your observing system, product, service, research participating in the Blue Economy so that we can do this in a sustainable way?”
• The Positioning & Metrology conference chaired by Johnathan Davis, Survey & Geospatial Data Management Team Lead, BP AGT Region, and Malik Chibah, INS Group Manager at Sonardyne will look at the latest techniques and technologies for deep water positioning and underwater metrology.
• Marine Renewables: This conference strand will focus on technology to safely install, survey, monitor and maintain offshore renewable energy installations and especially the reliability challenges associated with taking renewable energy systems in deeper and more challenging environments.  It will be chaired by Nick Murphy, Project Director, SeaRoc; and Tony Hodgson, Global Business Development Manager – Renewable Energy, Fugro
• The afternoon half-day Green Shipping conference chaired by Dr Bev MacKenzie, Technical and Policy Director, IMarEST and Richard Burt, Chairman, AMSI will look at the technologies required to support green shipping and effectively monitor and manage the environmental impact of uptake and discharge of ballast water, fuel consumption optimisation, emissions control and waste management.
• Wednesday, 16 March
• Oil & Gas: What’s next for ageing offshore assets?  With a maximum decommissioning spend forecast for 2017, this conference will explore the market opportunities and the technology requirements for such projects, in terms of engineering skills, environmental surveys, positioning, logistical planning and purpose built equipment.   Under the chairmanship of Karen Seath, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Decom North Sea, it will also look at life extension issues and alternative uses for abandoned fields and structures.
• Monitoring Structural Integrity: Understanding Risk and Reliability will focus on technology used to monitor structural integrity as a contribution to remote monitoring, increased efficiency and reduced risk in offshore operations.  It will be chaired by Tom Johnson, President, BMT Scientific Marine Services; and Feargal Brennan, Director of Energy, Cranfield University
• Handling Big Data: This two part conference strand, chaired by Keith Haines, BMT Professor of Marine Informatics, University of Reading and Harvey Stoelinga, General Manager, Teledyne RESON BV and Teledyne PDS Software Development,   will look at the latest technologies for managing, communicating and utilising large marine data sets including issue surrounding delivery of data in near real-time.
• Aquaculture: Following the success of OI 2014’s first conference on Aquaculture, the 2016 conference will look to further explore the technology needs of the aquaculture industry under the chairmanship of members of the specially convened committee: Professor Peter Davies, Department  of Civil Engineering, Dundee University; Richard Slaski, Secretariat, Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF); Alex Adrian, Aquaculture Officer, The Crown Estate; and Kenneth Black, Researcher, Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
• Thursday, 17 March
• The Hydrography, Geophysics and Geotechnics conference, chaired by Andy Hill, Marine Geohazard Technical Authority, BP Exploration, will focus on offshore site investigation, foundation behaviour and associated areas of geophysics, geology, geotechnics and the offshore environment.
• Unmanned Vehicles and Vessels Showcase,Organised with the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and co-chaired by their Chief Executive, Dr Bob Allwood and Business Development Executive, Ian Gallett, this conference follows on from the previous highly successful Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Showcase, now addressing not only developments in ROVs and AUVs, but also the emerging field of autonomous surface vessels.

Show Floor Theatre

• Near and Far Markets (across 15-17 March)

As a truly international event boasting attendance from 82 countries, Oceanology International 2016 will also be introducing “international trading” sessions for attending organisations who are looking to build their export potential.  Content will be delivered by an assortment of Trade Commissions and Regional Trade & Industry groups, showcasing commercial opportunities within their country/region; support mechanisms provided to assist trade with their country/region; and any organisations from the country/region who are eager to establish international trading partnerships.

About Oceanology International
Oceanology International is the global forum where industry, academia and government share knowledge and connect with the marine technology and ocean science community, improving their strategies for measuring, exploiting, protecting and operating in the world’s oceans. Established in 1969, Oceanology International features the world’s largest exhibition for marine science and technology, multiple agenda-setting technical conferences, and a visiting vessels and waterside demonstration programme.

The Oceanology International portfolio includes

• Oceanology International China 2015 – the fourth show in the annual series will be held 9-11 November 2016, CECIS, Shanghai, China. Developed with government and industry associations it provided organisations with the opportunity to capitalise on China’s rapidly growing offshore energy and marine industries.www.oichina.com.cn/en
• Oceanology International 2016 (15-17 March 2016, ExCeL London, UK): will build on the success of the 2014 show, which attracted 8,410 participants – an increase of 10% over 2014. Exhibitor figures at the world’s largest marine technology and ocean science show were higher than ever before with 528 exhibiting companies from 35 countries. www.oceanologyinternational.com
• Catch the Next Wave conference:  Now in its third edition, Catch the Next Wave is an exclusive conference taking place on 14 March 2016, the day before Oceanology International 2016 at the prestigious Royal Institution, London.  The event takes a longer term view of the capabilities that will shape our future ability to explore, understand, exploit and protect the oceans.:  www.ctnwconference.com
• Oceanology International North America (February 14-16, 2017, San Diego Convention Center). The launch of this biennial conference and exhibition is in line to attract more than 2,000 marine energy professionals and 250 paying conference delegates. www.oceanologyinternationalnorthamerica.com