seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

COVID drives big demand for crew-change specialists
07/10/2021

Crew change specialists are in big demand from shipping companies struggling to get seafarers on or off vessels because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, an industry figure has revealed.

Authorities around the world have either closed ports or introduced entry measures to prevent potential coronavirus carriers from entering their country – making it difficult for ship owners to get crew in or out, according to Peter Smit, Co-CEO of Boers Crew Services.

Kenya: 'I Am a Muslim but I Had to Eat Pork' - Kenyan Seafarers Claim Mistreatment on China Vessels
Winnie Atieno 4 October 2021 https://allafrica.com/stories/202110050139.html

Kenyan seafarers have revealed unbearable working and living conditions and suspicious business activities aboard Chinese fishing vessels operating in the Indian Ocean.

They cited torture and mistreatment, including being forced to engage in illegal business and being barred from communicating with their families.

Gov't urged to address travel woes as PH starts losing global seafarer market share
Oct 06 2021 https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/06/21/ph-losing-global-seafarer-mar...

MANILA— The government should address bottlenecks preventing Filipino seafarers from going back to ships as firms shift to other nationalities with workers who are easier to bring onboard, an industry group said Wednesday.

Australia Bans Bulk Carrier for Six Months Over Maritime Labor Breaches
Mike Schuler October 5, 2021 https://gcaptain.com/australia-bans-bulk-carrier-for-six-months-over-mar...

Australian maritime authorities have banned a Singapore-flagged bulk carrier from the country’s port for six months for breaches of the Maritime Labour Convention related to underpayment of the ships crew who were also working under expired employment contracts.

Marina holds consultations to resolve issues on OBT
October 6, 2021 https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/10/06/business/maritime/marina-holds-co...

The virtual public consultation conducted recently by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on the long-overdue guidelines that will regulate the one-year required onboard training (OBT) for aspiring marine officers was met with strong opposition from some quarters.

Taking a stand against ambulance chasing
October 6, 2021 https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/10/06/business/maritime/taking-a-stand-...

A broad united front consisted of the country's biggest seafarers' union, a global non-government organization, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), and five other agencies under the Labor Department, is formed to check on the rampant practice of ambulance-chasing by unscrupulous individuals.

Seafarer situation improving slowly Neptune Indicator shows
October 4, 2021 https://shipinsight.com/articles/seafarer-situation-improving-slowly-nep...

Improving seafarer vaccination rate, suggests Neptune Indicator. The Crew Change Indicator points to a small improvement of the situation and a significant increase in vaccination rates, nonetheless many of the challenges the industry has been facing in repatriating and sourcing crew still remain.

How China’s power crunch is affecting every strand of shipping
Sam Chambers October 1, 2021 https://splash247.com/how-chinas-power-crunch-is-affecting-every-strand-...

Whether its LNG, dry bulk, containers, car carriers, tankers or shipbuilders, the extreme power shortages being experienced in China at the moment are affecting almost every strand of shipping.

Coca-Cola is so desperate for freight space it’s importing ingredients on coal ships
Nicolás Rivero October 5, 2021

Like almost every global manufacturer, Coca-Cola normally moves its goods in shipping containers. That’s become the standard way to move things through the global economy for a reason: Packing goods into equally-sized metal boxes makes it easy to transfer them between trucks, trains, and ships, alleviating logistical headaches and keeping transportation costs low.

BOC seizes large boat ‘illegally discharged’ from cargo ship
Ferdinand Patinio October 4, 2021 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1155533

MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday reported the seizure of a vessel that was discharged from a carrying vessel that arrived at the Port of Manila (POM) from the Port of Iloilo.