"We also found time in this short month to agree an update to the look, feel and style of our website, presentation materials and publications."
Director’s Log
Where did February go? What a busy month it turned out to be. The re-organised sub-committee structure of the International Marine Organisation (IMO) got into full swing with rapid progress being made in the drafting of the new Polar Code, among other things.
The OCIMF sub-committees and working groups were equally busy with several meetings being held and great progress being delivered in a number of areas, one detailed here this month. OVID passed a significant milestone. There are now 48 OCIMF member companies who have embraced OVID as part of their offshore vessel quality assurance process.
I was also very pleased to hear from colleagues in Petrobras that they had successfully carried out their first ship-to-ship transfer of LNG at their newest terminal in Brazil with procedures developed from the newly published consolidated STS Transfer Guide. We at the Secretariat really enjoy receiving articles like this for inclusion in the newsletter so please keep them coming.
We also found time in this short month to agree an update to the look, feel and style of our website, presentation materials and publications. More to follow on this in the near future.
Enjoy the February edition!
Successful transfer at Petrobras' newest marine terminal
Petrobras is pleased to announce that is has safely completed its first liquefied natural gas ship to ship transfer at its newest marine terminal. The transfer took place on the 20 February at Petrobras’ 28th terminal – located in the State of Bahia, northeast of Brazil.
OVID hits new milestone
The 7,000 vessel registered to the Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID) on 25 February 2014.
The 7,000th vessel was the SBM Installer, owned by Single Buoy Mooring (SBM).
2013 was an excellent year for OVID which saw a 35% vessel increase in registrations from 2012; and it seems there is no slow down as yet in 2014.
We have also recently surpassed 400 OVMSA users with over 220 published, this again another great achievement and continues to demonstrate the long-term viability and acceptance of OVID as a world class inspection programme.
News from the IMO
2014 saw the introduction of the new IMO sub-committees.
Three sub-committees have met so far:
- Ship Design and Construction (SDC).
- Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR).
- Human Element Training and Watchkeeping (HTW).
The most important was SDC which combines the former Design and Engineering, Fire Protection and Stability Load lines and Fishing Vessels committees.
During the first session the most important item at the agenda was the Polar Code, with the IMO secretariat indicating an aim to adopt by the end of this year.
There are a number of stages that will need to be completed before the code can be adopted, and the schedule is very tight, but the Code being a major objective of the Secretary General for 2014, it could well happen – watch this space.
The two other sub-committees were more standard affairs, with the first PPR meeting characterised by quite a short agenda.
IMO meeting summaries are available via the following links:
- Ship Design and Construction (SDC)
- Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR)
- Human Element Training and Watchkeeping (HTW)
For more on the Polar Code click here.
The Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre within the Gulf of Guinea region
The Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre within the Gulf of Guinea region (MTISCGoG) will provide mariners trading or working within the region with valuable information and advice on the latest security situation and normal patterns of life in these waters. The team have spent much of February in Ghana preparing to open the centre in March.
David Cotterell took the opportunity to visit the centre at the end of February (following his presentation on the capabilities of the centre at the AFSEC 14 Conference in Casablanca on 25 February). He met and thanked the many people who have provided invaluable assistance to the team over the course of the project.
The watchkeepers will be the first to man the centre. The team will assemble in Ghana on 14 March and commence their training in the Regional Maritime University the following week. Under the watchful eye of experienced mentors they will familiarise themselves with the newly installed equipment before the centre becomes operational at the end of March.
The team includes Lieutenant Commander David Kpetigo of the Ghanaian Navy, who will be the first Officer in charge of the MTISCGoG. He will be assisted by Captain Marc McShane of Shell, who adds his recent experience as Merchant Navy Liaison Office in UKMTO Dubai.
In addition there will be six watchkeepers (providing a 24/7 service) including naval watchkeepers from Gulf of Guinea nations and mariners from OCIMF member companies who are active in the region. The MTISC staff will also include an Interpol Liaison Officer.
As the centre becomes operational the MTISC GoG website and a British Admiralty Maritime Security Chart will be released.
Guidelines for Marine Terminals Impacted by Ice or Severe Sub-Zero Temperatures
The Ports and Terminals committee has tasked a working group to produce guidelines for Marine Terminals Impacted by Ice or Severe Sub Zero Temperatures (MTISZT).
The MTISZT WG had its first meeting in London on the 13 February 2014. During the initial meeting, the group began work on defining the scope of work and has proposed a terms of reference for approval by the Ports and Terminals committee. It is anticipated that the group will complete its task within 18 months.
Andrey Voloshin (Primorsk Oil Terminal) and Frédéric Hannon (Total) were elected chairman and vice chairman respectively.
And the winner was...
Thank you to everyone who entered last month's competition. We had some fantastic photo's and content sent in - all of which are still available to see here.
Our winner, Dana Woodruff, was kind enough to send in this picture.
Guide to Purchasing High Modulus Synthetic Fibre Mooring Lines
The latest OCIMF information, written in partnership with SIGTTO, is now available.
The guidance is provided with the aim of increasing the understanding of the particular properties of the HMSF mooring lines and to encourage the adoption of improved specifications and quality assurance processes.
The guidance has been developed by a working group comprised of representatives from OCIMF and SIGTTO member companies.
In addition, rope manufacturers and suppliers, represented by the industry associations Cordage Institute and the European Federation of Rope, Twine and Netting Industries (EUROCORD), have provided valuable technical contributions.
Upcoming OCIMF meetings
- NARSUC • 5 March, London
- OMOG • 12 March, Milan
- OFG • 13/14 March, Milan
- GPC • 18/19 March, Singapore
- APRP • 20 March, Singapore