Shipping firms asked to get tough on piracy (5/6/09)
Should shipowners/operators have primary responsibility for their vessels security or does the international community have a role to play?
WASHINGTON -- Commercial shipping companies need to take...
Classification Updates
The Malta Maritime Authority has recently released Administration Requirement 2.2. This requires all Maltese ships which have been issued with a MARPOL Annex IV Statement of Compliance to be provided...
USCG issues a "Direct Final Rule" re: IAPP certificates (May 8, 2009)
The US Coast Guard issued a direct final rule adding the International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) Certificate to the list of certificates a recognized classification society may be authorized to...
US House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee holds hearing on response to piracy off the Horn of Africa
The hearings were held on May 20, 2009 in response to the attacks on the Maersk Alabama and Liberty Sun under the chairmanship of Congressman Elijah Cummings. Your editors thought the following quote...
US Coast Guard announces new mailing address format for Headquarters
The mailing address and zip code for Coast Guard headquarters has not changed. The format change takes effect June 15 and mandates a very specific format lest your important missive gets lost in the...
Oil Record Book Violations - The Beat Goes On
After all the publicity, the fines, the probations, etc., etc. we still see crews dumping oily waste overboard and trying to cover it up.
The latest case involves the STX Pan Ocean vessel the M/V...
Europe raises pressure for ship emissions curbs
OSLO, June 9 - The European Commission is preparing measures to cap carbon emissions from shipping if the global maritime industry fails to come up with its own proposals soon, an official of the EU...
South Korea President-Elect Intends to Reinstate Maritime Agency
South Korea President-Elect Park Geun-Hye has announced plans to restore the country's Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs upon taking office.

The ministry was created in 1996 but its...
Sweden Reconsiders Tonnage Tax
Sweden is reconsidering implementation of a tonnage tax after seeing its fleet flag out to other Scandinavian registries.
The country's newest shipping policy, released Monday, seemed to avoid...
Belize Offers Registration Incentives
Building upon eight percent fleet growth in 2012 and a recent promotion to the Paris and Tokyo MoU Grey Lists, the Belize registry is offering incentives to attract quality tonnage.
IMMARBE will...