seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

China Focus: China's maritime economy expands by 7.5 pct in recent five years
Xinhua| 2018-01-21 http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/21/c_136913316.htm

BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- The gross production value of China's maritime industry grew by 7.5 percent annually on average in the past five years, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the country's GDP, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) announced Sunday.

IRANIMEX2017 confirms position as the Middle East’s largest maritime event
23/01/2018 http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/iranimex2017-confirms-position-as-th...

The scale of emerging maritime market opportunities, following Iran’s re-engagement with global trade partners, was brought into sharp focus at IRANIMEX, powered by Europort, which took place on Kish Island, Iran, between 12-14th December 2017.

U.K. Sets Minimum Wage for Seafarers
2018-01-21 https://maritime-executive.com/article/u-k-sets-minimum-wage-for-seafare...

All seafarers working in U.K. waters must be paid at least minimum wage rates, the government has warned in new guidance.

The move comes after concerns about unfair competition, following reports that some ships registered abroad were underpaying their workers in U.K. waters, undercutting U.K. crews.

Ship at centre of wages controversy to return to sea after a year in Aberdeen harbour
Lee McCann 20/01/2018 https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/ship-stuck-at-harbour-for...

A ship that has been detained in the North-east for more than a year is expected to leave next week.

A new crew is expected to depart Aberdeen Harbour on the vessel formerly known as the Malaviya Seven.

K Line, MOL and NYK receive conditional approval for shipping JV
19 January 2018 https://www.ship-technology.com/news/k-line-mol-nyk-receive-conditional-...

Japan’s three major container shipping companies, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), have received conditional approval from local competition authorities to launch their newly formed joint venture (JV) known as Ocean Network Express.

Abandoned Ferry Drifts at Sea as Gale Force Winds Sweep Greece
Tasos Kokkinidis - Jan 18, 2018 http://greece.greekreporter.com/2018/01/18/abandoned-ferry-drifts-at-sea...

The Greek coast guard is struggling to bring under control an abandoned ferry that drifted off to sea just outside the port of Piraeus, south of Athens on Thursday morning.

7 missing after fishing vessel collides with cargo ship near Hong Kong
Xinhua| 2018-01-22 http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-01/22/c_136913390.htm

HONG KONG, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were still missing one day after a fishing boat collided with a cargo ship near China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Government Flying Service (GFS) of Hong Kong said on Sunday.

Digitalization and Ship Connectivity in 2018
Stephen Conley 2018-01-20 https://www.maritime-executive.com/blog/digitalization-and-ship-connecti...

Lyttelton Seafarers’ Centre in Lyttelton provides free internet access so seafarers

Personal remittances for the first 11 months of 2017 reach US$28.2 billion
January 17, 2018 http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1004139

MANILA, Jan. 17 -- Personal remittances from Overseas Filipinos (OFs) reached US$2.5 billion in November 2017, 3.2 percent higher than the level posted in the same month in 2016.

This brought the cumulative remittances for the first 11 months of 2017 to US$28.2 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 5.1 percent, BSP Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. announced on Monday.

Human element hits again?
19 January 2018 https://www.safety4sea.com/human-element-hits/