Funnel:

• A Funnel or Stacks is a chimney on a vessel used to discharge engine and boiler smoke.
• Lifting of the exhaust gasses, clear from the deck, is the constitutional purpose of the Funnel.

Accommodation:

• The accommodation area is the house for crews and lives. It has all the amenities along with offices, gym, crew cabins, hospital, salon, recreation room, common rooms, laundry and galley.
• It is a key part of the ship and consists of the garbage disposal system, fresh water system, sewage treatment plant, refrigeration system (domestic) and air conditioning for accommodation block.
• It is a necessary part of a ship, and facilitates space for relaxing, medical facility and food courts.

Funnel Deck:

• Funnel releases exhaust gases into the atmosphere from engine exhaust room of the ship. It has a similar function to chimneys in factories.
• Nowadays extra care has been taken in discharging shoot from the funnel to preserve the atmosphere from pollution.
• These funnels are never installed straight but inclined at a certain angle toward the aft so that the flue gases will not cause hindrance to the deck and navigation bridge of the ship

Boat Deck:

• Ship hull structure is covered by the deck floor. There can be multiple decks or deck sections on a ship. The deck at the top which bears maximum exposure to weather is referred to as the main deck or weather deck.
• On the basis of the position of a ship’s deck, decks are of six main types; main deck, poop deck, upper deck, lowers deck, weather deck and foredeck.
• The boat deck’s main function is holding the hull structure and providing floor to work, and standing and guard them against outside weather.

Mast:

• The mast is a rangy spar arrangement which is elevated more or less vertically to the Centre line of a ship.
• It has several purposes which include carrying derricks and also giving fundamental height to the navigation light, salient yards, radio or radar aerials and scanners.

Flying Bridge:

• It is an extended area on top of a weather deck or an open area of the superstructure which provides an unobstructed view of the fwd and aft along with the sides of the vessel to the navigational officers.
• It also serves as an operating station for the officer and crew of the watch.
• It also contains a duplicate set of controls which is of vital importance for the master, ship’s officers and pilot for berthing and unberthing of the vessel.

Stem:

• Front-most part of the boat or ship’s bow is termed as Stem of the ship.
• The keel itself is extended up to gunwale to form the curved edge called stem of the ship.
• These stems can be of two styles viz. raked and plumb stems, where former is inclined at some angle to the waterline and later is perpendicular to the waterline.

Forecastle:

• The forecastle is one of the foremost parts of the ship of length less than 7% of total deck length.
• It was initially used in military vessels, in which the soldiers used forecastle to take defensive positions.
• But, today, forecastle serves many functions such as holding, anchoring and securing the major parts of the ship.

Foredeck:

• The foredeck is the forward part of a weather deck, between the superstructure and the foc’sle superstructure.
• Basically, it is a part of the vessel forward of the forward mast.

Bulbous Bow:

• It is a jut out bulb at the bow of the vessel just below the W/L.
• It cuts the water and tweaks the water flow around the hull, increasing the vessel’s speed, fuel efficiency and stability.
• 12-15% of better fuel efficiency is observed in the vessel with the bulbous bow.
• It also increases the buoyancy of the onward part of the vessel, which results in the reduction of pitching up to some extent.

Stern:

• The stern is aft end structure and designed to provide low resistance, high propulsion efficiency and avoid vibrations.
• It is the rearmost part of a ship which keeps the water out. Rudders and propellers are hanged to the stern.
• The stern can be shaped flat, canoe-like, tapered, sharp to serve the purpose of cutting the water in its way.

Poop Deck:

• It serves as a roof to the cabin constructed in the aft of the ship.
• It facilitates the captain and helmsman to supervise the entire working crew.
• But in modern ships, the poop decks are provided either in the centre of the ship or on the starboard.

Side Thrusters:

• These are somewhat like a propeller and fitted on either side of the bow of the ship.
• It helps in manoeuvring ship under slow speed in congested waters near ports or canals. These are also referred to as tunnel thruster.
• Side thrusters influence the total running cost of a ship to a greater extent. These are either hydraulically or electrically powered.

Rudder:

• Without steering, we can’t move a vehicle in the desired direction; so the propeller propels the ship and rudder steer the ship. The rudder is a flat hollow structure, housed in the aft of the propeller.
• It consists of following parts: rudder trunk, moveable flap, main rudder blade, hinge system, links and rudder carrier bearing. Rudders are of three types: balanced type, semi-balanced type and unbalanced type rudder.
• As a vital part of the ship, the rudder is provided with a steering gear system which controls the movement of the rudder. It works on Newton’s Third Law of motion.

Related Read: Types of Rudders 

Propeller: 

• It is a mechanical device having blades fitted on a central shaft. These blades rotate and their rotational energy is converted into pressure energy and due to this, the propeller produces thrust required for propulsion. It pushes the sea water backwards and, in turn, the sea water helps the ship in moving forward.
• Engine, shaft and propeller together constitute propulsion unit. The propeller should be made up of materials like aluminium, bronze, manganese etc which are excellent corrosion resistant alloys. There can be one, two or three propellers.
• It is the most important part of the ship without which a ship can’t move. So, the main function of propeller is to propel the ship in the forward direction by producing thrust on water. Its working principles are Newton’s third law of motion and Bernoulli’s theorem.

Paint Room:

• A small onboard area is required in marine vessels to handle and store paint. This room is known as the Paint room.
• Special provisions are there for the paint room to cater explosion and release of chemical gases and vapours from these enamels.

• There should be LED lighting in the paint room to reduce cost and brackets should be available to provide flexible mounting and storage of paints.

Emergency Generator Room:

• When the main supply goes out of order then small separate generator supplies electricity for emergency loads. This is called an emergency generator. 
• It is located above the topmost deck, away from main and secondary machinery and collision bulkhead, and has its own switchboard in its surroundings.
• This generator should be easily operable and can be started at even 0°C

Ballast Tanks:

• The compartments maintained specially to carry water, which serves the purpose of ballasting and stabilizing the vessel, are termed as Ballast Tanks.
• These tanks should be provided with proper care to prevent them from corrosion, as sea water is highly corrosive.
• These tanks are revolutionary to the marine industry as before their evolution solid ballast was used and their discharging is quite difficult as compared to easier pumping of liquid ballast.

Related Read: A Guide To Ballast Tanks On Ships

Bunker tanks:

• The tanks on the ships which are used to store fuel and lube oils on ships are known as bunker tanks
• These lube oils are required for safer machinery operations and the fuel is used for emergency or regular operations.
• As these tanks store sludge, diesel, oils etc. which can catch fire immediately, they are provided separately and far from ignition prone areas.

Related Read: The Ultimate Guide to Fuel Oil Bunkering Process on Ships

Duct Keel:

• Duct keel is a hollow structure which consists of two longitudinal girder and solid plates and is welded to form box type structure, which is generally provided in double hull ships.
• The duct keel should provide a watertight passage along the ship length. It consists of sounding pipe for leakage detection.
• This is a multi-functioning part of the ship for performing several functions like provide resistance to loads, carry water pipeline, ballast pipelines, oil pipe, etc.

Related Read: Importance Of Ship’s Keel and Types Of Keel

Ship Cargo gear (Derrick/Cranes etc):

• Derricks (Cranes) are used to lift and carry the safe working load on a ship.
• These are electrically or hydraulically operated equipment for easier operations.
• The capacity of ship cargo cranes and gears for handling cargos is 15 tons to 4000 tons per hour.

Samson Post/King Post:

• It is a heavy vertical post which supports the cargo booms.
• It rests on the Keelson and supports the deck beam of a vessel.

Cargo hold:

• Enclosed space to retain and store cargo or freight container carrying coal, grain and salt is referred to as a cargo hold.
• The cargo hold is located under the deck of the ship and has a holding capacity ranging from 20 tons to 200000 tons.
• The main function of the cargo hold is to preserve cargo when it is transported to the destination.

Hatch Cover:

• To prevent the cargo storage from any kind of spoilage, especially to make storage spaces air as well as watertight, hatch covers, are required. Generally, to save the food items ( or any other cargo) transported by ship from rain during the voyage.
• The design of hatch cover changes according to the type of the vessel, but the only requirement is that it should be quick enough to provide faster cargo handling processes.
• In the past, these hatch covers were crane or winch driven, but today, mainly hydraulically driven hatch covers are used.

Related Read: Different Types And Designs of Hatch Covers Used For Ships

Freeboard:

• Freeboard can be defined as the distance measured from the waterline to the higher edge of the freeboard plating/deck plating at sides of it amidships.
• The minimum freeboard calculation for a vessel must be approved by the classification society.
• The calculation of freeboard plays a very critical role in defining the load line marks of the vessel, which in turn, is directly related to the cargo carrying or the earning capacity of the vessel.

Hull:

• The hull is a watertight body of a vessel which may be open or may be partially covered with a deck.
• Hull has several watertight decks and bulkheads as the major transverse membrane.
• The intermediate member of the hull consists of girders, webs and stringers.
• Depending on the structural arrangements, there may be minor members too called longitudinal.

Related Read: Methods For Designing Ship’s Hull – A General Overview

Deck House:

• It is a house-like structure on the upper deck.

The ship, an important source of trading through seaways, may be made up in different styles and sizes. Some parts are called essential parts which are common to all ships but others are just accessories to provide luxurious or improved shipping.

All the parts which form the ship should be checked for proper working and precautions should be taken for risky equipment.

Three necessary parts of the ship are hull (the main body of the vessel), navigation bridge (helps in directing the ship in the proper direction) and engine room (propels ship or helps in moving). However, today modern ships are equipped with the most modern equipment and technologies to its different parts to improve voyage at sea.

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

https://www.marineinsight.com/guidelines/parts-of-a-ship/

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 14, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Those photos are taken at Shanhai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co, Ltd

QC හදන තැන I. #Share
#ZPMC

Those photos are taken at Shanhai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co, Ltd, Changxing branch and it will showing the "Massive Strength" of ZPMC network.

Annual production count is over 200QCs !
World while over 86 branches !

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 14, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Port Of Felixstowe / Harwich Pics By Jeff Welch

All pic credits to Jeff Welch

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 14, 2019 09:00 AM

July 13, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—Maersk’s one hundred years in the USA

PETER MÆRSK departing New York on the USA-Asia service.

By Henning Morgen, Maersk's Historian

The first Maersk company in the United States was established on 7 July 1919 by ship-owner A.P. Møller. One hundred years. From steamships with a capacity equal to 325 containers to ultra large vessels with a capacity of 20,000 containers. From one office in Denmark to global representation. 

Every decade of the past one hundred years has delivered milestones to the Maersk history – here’s a short run down of the most important developments in the United States.

In 1913, LAURA MÆRSK was the first Maersk vessel to call a port in the United States when she called Galveston, Texas, on 2 December – on charter to today’s Hamburg Süd. The first active engagement in the inter-American trade was established with two Maersk vessels in 1917, managed from Copenhagen.

Two years later, A.P. Møller teamed up with his cousin Hans Isbrandtsen and formed The Isbrandtsen-Moller Company Inc. Initially, ISMOLCO – the trading name – focused on chartering and brokerage, but the aim was to “settle down into permanent trades”.

It took nine years until the first major contract with a shipper was made. In 1928, Maersk Line was established based on an agreement with the Ford Motor Company about moving car parts to their assembly factory in Yokohama.

The first voyage on a Maersk Line service started on 12 July in Baltimore. By 1934, Maersk Line was making fortnightly sailings, but did not expand into new trades.

While representing the company interests outside Denmark during the Second World War, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller established Interseas Shipping in 1943, later renamed Moller Steamship Company, which in turn was renamed Maersk Inc. in 1988. Moller Steamship Company became the general agent for Maersk Line in 1946.

In 1955, Los Angeles was opened as the first office outside New York. New agencies continued to be opened to win more market share. Pier 11 in Brooklyn, New York, was inaugurated as the first proprietary Maersk Line terminal facility in 1958.

The new and modern Pier 11 supported Maersk Line’s focus on efficient cargo handling and service to the greater New York area in the 1960’s but had to be abandoned when Maersk Line’s USA-Asia service was containerized in 1975. 

ADRIAN MÆRSK departed from Pier 51 at Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, on 5 September 1975 carrying 385 containers and Maersk Line had taken the step into containerization. The 45 acres at Pier 51 became the first container terminal for the exclusive use of Maersk Line.

Maersk Line Limited had been set up in 1947 to be the company behind the new Maersk Line offices in Japan. As the Maersk organisation expanded, the company lost its role – but that would change in 1983 when Maersk Line Ltd. received its first contract in support of the Military Sealift Command. Since then Maersk Line Ltd. has provided United States Flag transportation services to the United States Government. 

Container transport grew by 20% during 1975-1985 and land-based operations became part of the service offering. Bridge Terminal Transport obtained license to operate in 48 states and was responsible for Maersk Line’s road-based container distribution. The first departure on the dedicated Maersk Line train connection Tacoma-Chicago-New York took place in 1985.  

Supply chain management became possible with the use of IT. In 1990, Maersk signed its first integrated supply chain management contract with a United States retailer. A staggering 11,000 TEU were shipped for the one customer during 1991.

Building on the close cooperation in the vessel sharing agreement-setup since 1995, A.P. Moller – Maersk acquired Sea-Land’s ocean, logistics, rail and terminal activities in 1999, which were then integrated into the Maersk organisation. 

With the addition of the terminals from Sea-Land to Maersk’s existing portfolio, it was decided to establish APM Terminals in 2001. Its first major deliverable was Pier 400 in Los Angeles; in 2002 Pier 400 was the world’s largest proprietary terminal.

To strengthen our market position in the Americas, the Sealand brand was revitalized for the North, Latin and South American markets in 2015.

Read more about Maersk Line and our history here:

https://www.maersk.com/maerskline-at-90

https://www.maersk.com/about/our-history

https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2019/07/10/maersk-one-hundred-years-usa

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 13, 2019 04:51 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Robin Pridmore

 Pic credits to Robin Pridmore

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 13, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—The World's Shortcut: How the Panama Canal Works

Wendover Productions

Published on 2 Jul 2019

SUBSCRIBE 2M

Learn with Brilliant for 20% off by being one of the first 200 to sign up at http://Brilliant.org/Wendover

Listen to Extremities at http://ExtremitiesPodcast.com Subscribe to Half as Interesting (The other channel from Wendover Productions): https://www.youtube.com/halfasinteres... Get the Wendover Productions t-shirt: https://standard.tv/collections/wendo... Support Wendover Productions on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wendoverprodu... Youtube: http://www.YouTube.com/WendoverProduc...Instagram: http://Instagram.com/sam.from.wendoverTwitter: http://www.Twitter.com/WendoverProEmail: sam@wendover.productions Reddit: http://Reddit.com/r/WendoverProductions Animation by Josh Sherrington Sound by Graham Haerther (http://www.Haerther.net) Thumbnail by Simon Buckmaster Special thanks to Patreon supporters Adam Chelminski, Arkadiy Kulev, Charles Zilinski, Chris Allen, Connor J Smith, Daddy Donald, Etienne Dechamps, Eyal Matsliah, Hank Green, John & Becki Johnston, Kyle, MyNameIsKir, Plinio Correa, Qui Le, Remi_Scarlet, Tom Dooner, Tyler Hamm, and Vaughn Mudrick Music by http://epidemicsound.comSelect footage courtesy the AP Archive References: [1] https://maritime-connector.com/wiki/p...[2] https://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/...[3] https://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/...[4] https://www.maritime-executive.com/ar...[5] https://www.maritime-executive.com/ar...[6] https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/fu...[7] https://www.pancanal.com/eng/op/tarif...[8] https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Suez...[9] https://www.economist.com/united-stat...[10] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pa...[11] https://www.constructiondive.com/news... https://www.wsp.com/en-US/insights/ba...[12] https://www.economist.com/business/20...[13] https://www.americanshipper.com/news/...[14] https://en.caucedo.com[15] https://www.economist.com/americas-vi...[16] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/cl...

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 13, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—OOCL KOBE - IMO 9329526

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKhpIfJemZQmN3FuXwi_Gog 

Robin Pridmore

Published on 9 Jul 2019

SUBSCRIBE 65

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 13, 2019 09:00 AM

Felixstowe Dockers—MSC HAS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SHARK-FIN CARRIAGE MSC Statement

Following a reported shark fin discovery earlier this year, involving a booking by another container carrier, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is taking the opportunity to clarify and raise awareness of its zero-tolerance position on shark fin carriage.

MSC is proud to be implementing since several years a complete global ban on consignments of any type of shark fin and of endangered shark.

Sharks are an important part of marine ecosystems around the world and MSC supports regulations and standards imposed by competent authorities to preserve populations of these animals. MSC totally rejects the practice known as “shark finning”, which involves removing and retaining the fins of a shark before returning it to the sea.

Those involved in this abhorrent practice do from time to time try to use container carriers to deliver shark fins to market. MSC therefore scrutinizes customer bookings using special key words, customer names and customs codes to try to detect possible attempts to circumvent its ban.

We believe it is important that carriers work together to limit the abuse of the shipping and logistics sectors by shark fin traders and, where necessary, enhance vessel-sharing agreements to reflect relevant policies and procedures.

MSC is committed to operating a responsible, sustainable business and, together with other global carriers, is a supporter of numerous initiatives driven by environmental associations for the protection of marine wildlife across the world.

In line with the Buckingham Palace Declaration, an initiative of United for Wildlife, MSC encourages a zero-tolerance policy on illegal wildlife trade. The company also continuously improves systems of detection and information-sharing on suspicious activities related to a variety of wildlife and supports customs and other enforcement agencies.

MSC also implements its own ethical initiatives to support wildlife protection, for example, banning the carriage of animal hunting trophies.

For further information, journalists may contact: media@msc.com

MSC customers may contact their local MSC representatives with any questions.

Any statements and/or information provided in this section or in any press release published into it, is solely for general information purposes. Specifically statements and/or information provided are not meant as and cannot be construed to contain any legally binding offer by or on behalf of MSC that is open for acceptance.

https://www.msc.com/gbr/press/press-releases/2019-july/msc-has-zero-tolerance-for-shark-fin-carriage

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 13, 2019 09:00 AM

July 12, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—Felixstowe Dockers Blast From The Past

A Blast From The Past - Felixstowe Dockers

Clive Wyards son Des has sent me a load of pics from the past at Felixstowe Docks. Made me laugh out loud at some of them. Posting them on Saturday at 17.30pm

Posted by Felixstowe Dockers at 21:09:00 No comments:  

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

SATURDAY, 22 JUNE 2019

A Blast From The Past - Felixstowe Dockers

Big John Smith / Ronnie Caris / Bob Baldry / Clive Wyards brother in law Dirty Dave Donnerly showing his arse

 Mick Potter & Kevin Long

 Before my time ;

Hi - I enjoyed the photos. Sad that we are now seeing them. The photo where you wrote “before your time” is from a gang on NSQ. Left to right is Eric Foulger (seated) Dennis Last, (big) Al Thrower and (stumpy) Richard Dixon. All the best Kevin Long

Dave Smith R.I.P old friend

Kevin Long and Johnny Lloyd " ginger "

Sanky ? / Darryl Vineyard & Kev Long again

Peter Squirrel R.I.P & Paul Doughty

Kev Long  / Hamish Maule / Jim Feviour & Ronnie Caris

Dave Sayers / Paul Procter / Tich Pooley & Gareth Jones


Thanks to Des Wyard who sent me these pics. Taken by his dad Clive Wyard who was cruelly taken away last year R.I.P

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 12, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Real Life Accident: Ship’s OS Dies Because Of Poor Mooring Practice

Credits: nautinst.org

Before arrival, the Master conducted a meeting to brief officers on the mooring plan and the constraints at the port. The vessel, an 85,000 ton bulk carrier, is provided with 16 mooring lines on mooring drums. As it was, the vessel was not accommodated along her full length of 287 metres at the berth; her aft section was to overhang the end of the berth by about 20 metres. The plan was to berth the vessel 6-3-3 forward and aft. This mooring could be achieved by doubling the existing ropes and the mooring plan agreed with the pilot.

The lead of all mooring lines was relatively short as the vessel was not berthed with her full length alongside the berth. The Master protested to the agents and charterers immediately after berthing about the inadequacy of moorings and the unsafe conditions for rigging the gangway.

Sometime after berthing it was observed that the vessel’s bow had come off the berth by about one metre. The third mate and an OS proceeded to the forecastle deck and the second mate and one AB proceeded aft. To bring the bow alongside, the third mate heaved on the starboard breast line and second mate slackened the stern lines. Then third mate proceeded to heave up a head line and the OS was asked to heave up the starboard breast line. Within 10-15 seconds of the OS being asked to heave up the starboard breast line a loud sound of parting rope was heard. The third mate immediately came to the starboard side where he observed the OS, prone and bleeding between the mooring winch and the control stand.

The broken mooring rope was a 70mm diameter polypropylene monofilament 8-strand plaited rope and on visual examination found to be in general good condition. The rope was found to have parted at a point about 14 metres from the eye. As a result of being hit on the head by the parted breast line the OS was declared dead at the hospital that same evening.

Contributing factors

• The OS, although holding a qualification as an Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) and having been given awareness training for the mooring equipment on this vessel had only recently been promoted to OS from steward. He had little experience of tending to the moorings of a large vessel in such difficult environmental circumstances.
• The plan of mooring equipment at forecastle deck shows that the breast line is passed through the pedestal roller fitted aft of the mooring winch on deck. In this arrangement the winch operator’s position is in the snap back zone of the breast line.
• It is likely that the OS did not realise that he was standing in the snap back zone for the rope he was hauling as the snap back markings were no longer clearly marked on deck.
• The head line that the third officer was hauling was approximately twice the length of the line that the OS was working, already pretensioned during initial efforts to bring the ship back alongside. Although the ropes were of similar materials it is likely that the shorter length of rope acting as the breast line began taking on a breaking load while the forward head line was still taking up the elasticity of the rope.
• The lead of all mooring lines was relatively short. This reduced the length of wharf available. The vessel was also unable to heave on her stern lines and bow lines simultaneously to keep the vessel alongside as the overhang would have resulted in the stern moving in and the bow moving out.
• Coordination between the terminal, pilots and the vessel was poorly managed and did not provide for safe berthing of the vessel. The issues with inadequate mooring arrangements, safe access and egress and the commercial pressures of starting cargo operations all stretched senior management onboard. This resulted in confusion, incomplete preparation and inadequate shore-to-ship coordination. This failure also carried over to the following evening when another rope failed at the next high flood tide. This time the rope was not being attended to.
• Given the size of the ship, reduced wharfage and tidal currents, the most appropriate action would have been to have a tug standing by during the manoeuvres.
• 
  

Actions taken

• The snap back zones have been re-established and now include the pedestal fairlead position. All fairlead rollers at the forecastle deck have been de-rusted and painted to smooth the surface.
• Crew educated on the snap back zones at forward and aft mooring stations.
• A campaign on mooring safety has been carried out in the company fleet. Every vessel in the fleet reviewed their mooring arrangement and prepared a risk assessment for mooring as per fitted mooring arrangement and in normal weather conditions. The countermeasures to these hazards were also identified. The quality and quantity of mooring ropes required for each vessel must be identified and documented.

Reference: nautinst.org

https://www.marineinsight.com/case-studies/ships-os-dies-because-of-poor-mooring-practice/?

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 12, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Experts ABP Humber Handle Cranes Being Exported to Finland

Two Weldex cranes join additional project cargo in the hold for an export shipment to Finland

ABP at the Port of Immingham has expertly handled a number of heavy lift components for export to Kemi in Finland.

ABP stevedored the project cargo operation of crane components totalling almost 2000 tonnes, across three days.

The cranes, owned by Weldex (International) Offshore Ltd, were transported by road to, Immingham, the UK’s largest port. The cranes, once reassembled overseas, will be used to construct onshore wind turbines.

The company, Martin Bencher International Project Freight Forwarder, who specialises in oversize and heavy cargo, was responsible for the ship chartering and project management execution. Project Manager, Martin D. Valsted, attended the Port of Immingham to oversee the operation.

Martin said: “It was a well-planned and executed operation that was carried out efficiently, including excellent communication and teamwork by all parties involved. As per Martin Bencher requirements, cargo was loaded safely with background in method statement and risk assessment”.

Meticulous planning was required from all parties involved in the ABP operation to ensure that each piece fitted perfectly within the vessel hold and the discharge operation in Finland would go with ease.

Simon Bird, Regional Director for ABP Humber said: “We’re pleased to work alongside companies such as Martin Bencher to successfully handle such unique cargo. Our operatives’ professionalism and willingness to adapt to various commodities means that we are able to handle all types of specialist cargo.”

www.abports.co.uk

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 12, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—CSCL MARS - IMO 9467287

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKhpIfJemZQmN3FuXwi_Gog

Sun bathing on beach end

Robin Pridmore

Published on 10 Jul 2019

SUBSCRIBE S65Sun bathing on beachS

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 12, 2019 03:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—MAIDEN VOYAGE COSCO SHIPPING AQUARIUS IMO - 9789623

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKhpIfJemZQmN3FuXwi_Gog

Robin Pridmore

Published on 12 Jul 2019

SUBSCRIBE 66

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 12, 2019 09:00 AM

July 11, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—Through a friend situated nearby, we understand that an industrial truck (a large forklift) operator lost his life today at an intermodal container depot located in Kemari (Karachi port), Pakistan.

Through a friend situated nearby, we understand that an industrial truck (a large forklift) operator lost his life today at an intermodal container depot located in Kemari (Karachi port), Pakistan.

The information coming to us indicates that during the process of hoisting an empty 40 foot open top container the machine's mast failed and then fulcrumbed backwards, crushing him as he sat in the machine's operator's seat.

Photographs we've been provided allow us to conjecture the fundamental causal elements of this accident, and we provide a couple of those photographs here to permit members of the "Longshore Safety" to exercise their own conjecture.

Ron Signorino

to Longshore Safety

President at The Blueoceana Company, Inc.

Member/Honorary Member at International Longshoremen's Association

Can we all assume that the maintenance schedule was carried out in the correct manor on this machine R.I.P Brother

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 11, 2019 10:09 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Portugal // António Mariano from SEAL on combating precariousness, building organization and the eternal struggle of capital against unions

Image by Duarte Guerreiro

By Duarte Guerreiro

This interview was originally conducted in late December, 2018. A now famous stevedores’ strike picket at the entrance to the port of Setúbal had only recently occurred.

At the time, the government, bosses and State locked arms in order to import scabs and break the picket and the strike of the precarious stevedoresdemanding long-term contracts. However, after facing the prolonged resistance of the precarious stevedores and the solidarity of their colleagues in other ports, the companies’ reticence in commiting to a deal to end precariousness in Setúbal was overcome.

Now that a collective work contract for the port of Setúbal has been won, we take the opportunity to publish this interview, as it deals with many aspects of the struggle which lead to obtaining the CWC. It also covers many other matters pertaining to SEAL’s (Stevedores and Logistical Activity Union) work. The interview was edited to be more clear and succinct. 

Contents

1. Stevedoring work
2. Trade unionism in crisis?
3. Decision making and communication in SEAL
4. Defamation campaigns
5. Answering campaigns
6. Setúbal as a diversionary maneuver
7. National solidarity
8. International solidarity
9. Stevedoring and global commodity flows
10. Organization a bigger concern for companies than precariousness
11. Precariousness as a national policy
12. The return of the language of class conflict
13. The impositions of political correctness

Duarte Guerreiro // A stevedore gets up in the morning and…

António Mariano // And he heads to a workplace that, even if it is pleasant, by the waterfront, it is also quite dangerous. We go into an environment in which we are surrounded by steel, dozens of vertically suspended tons and extremely heavy machinery circulating all around us. On land or aboard ships, we have the notion that we can’t afford distractions from what we are doing.

It is a teamwork labor, where everyone is responsible for everyone else. That is where our spirit of unity begins. Our distraction may cause accidents for others, our comrades.

That is one reason why you must be prepared in order to do this job, and hence our struggle to prevent it from being performed by workers who appear around here sporadically. It is not a matter of corporatism. In fact, we are struggling precisely so that the number of professional port workers with dignified conditions can increase.

What capital intends and what results from the current law is that you only need to work one hour to be a stevedore. But you need preparation to be a stevedore, and I’m not even talking about the matter of the productivity demanded by bosses, I’m talking about obligatory basic notions. That is why we fight against extreme precariousness, in which we have to keep looking at the inexperienced colleague working next to us, who doesn’t even know the danger they are in.

DG // It is also an exhausting work, with companies asking for double shifts that lead to 16 hour work days.

AM // Or 24 hours. It is a matter of poor resource distribution coming out of a work model based on precariousness. Capital’s way of not creating permanent work positions is to excessively resort to overtime, especially during vacation periods, when fewer workers are available. As we usually say, giving everything to some and nothing to others. Some end up with good salaries, even if they are precarious workers, working non-stop. Others don’t even get enough to cover the needs of their family.

Our objective is precisely the contrary: to have a better work distribution, even if with some supplementary work to manage increased or reduced labor needs.

The conditions in which we work are also not the most pleasant. We have to work inside equipment with interior temperatures of over 50ºC during summer, or even in winter, due to inadequate cooling.

We work in environments which are similar to the bottom of a mine, surrounded by ore and coal, or around cereals covered in toxic preservatives while using inadequate masks. Other times we work 15 meters high, risking a fall which sometimes means a deadly accident.

All of these adverse conditions have no sympathy for the work models which capital wishes to impose.

DG // Trade unionism is in crisis in Portugal and all over the world, with low membership numbers and lot of disbelief by workers regarding the possibility of improving their lot by unionizing. How does SEAL counteract this tendency?

AM // First we have to recognize that the crisis of trade unionism is greater in some countries than in others. Internationalism is one of the things which defines us, with constant solidarity and communication with other countries. Examples from outside aren’t always of severe de-unionization like we experience in Portugal, sometimes it is the opposite. 

In Portugal, there is a brutal and systematic process of poisoning public opinion against unions, which renews itself with each new struggle. Whatever the reasons or motivations for the conflicts, that is where the controlled social communication directs the conversation.

A little video we put together to exemplify the news coverage bias against workers

Though we also have to recognize, in some cases, that the lack of independence of the trade union movement in relation to other agendas, has not been helpful in making worker’s struggles autonomous from other political processes. We have always been an independent union, with over a century’s worth of history. Although we do see ourselves more in line with CGTP [the main trade union confederation in Portugal] in terms of practical action.

Maybe the fact that there are so few positive examples is a reason for the low union membership numbers. Despite the fact that I don’t like to talk about “victory processes”, I usually say they are stoppages of capital’s wishes regarding labor.

When it comes to stevedores, our team work in close proximity, as we operate in very concentrated geographical zones with restricted access as ports are, might permit us to better organize and have membership rates approaching 100% at any port.

I would not like to talk a lot about a war between unions, but it is evident that we also deal with such things in the port sector. There are situations, such as in the port of Leixões, where companies count on the local union – if we can call it such a thing – to agree to everything they want implemented.

We fight against everything that represents. That might explain our growth. In the last two years, we have doubled our membership. It was around 360 as of the 2016 Lisbon process, which ended in a deal.

By the time the stevedores got around to their big protest during the 2016 Lisbon process, a deal had been reached. The demonstration was instead turned into an anti-precariousness protest.

Today we are approaching 700 members in various ports. The workers identify more with what we do and our demands. One of them is about the generational question; workers of the current generation should not have conditions inferior to those of previous generations. 

Globally, in terms of salaries, stevedores had a better situation in the past than the ones which are, on average, practiced today. The way we see it, if less professionals are needed because there is automation, heavy equipment and a different productivity in moving containers, nothing justifies that, despite the fact that there are fewer workers in the ports, their salaries are a half or a third of those of older workers. That can only be justified by capital’s wish to cut salary expenses in order to increase profits.

The trade union movement also ends up being harmed by the way legislation deals with collective hiring, unbalancing the forces between capital and labor. For example, in the way unions have been weakened in favor of workers committees. These are all ways to take away power from workers collective organization.

DG // And in terms of union organization, how are decisions and communications handled? There appears to be a big emphasis on plenary decision processes.

AM // Capital and governments usually get a bit irritated with this position of ours. In the 2016 Lisbon and 2018 Setúbal agreements, we always insisted on the fact that our “shareholders” are the ones at the base, they will make the decision. We are only their representatives.

In 2016, the deal was only ratified at 2am, after we talked with the workers in Lisbon. In Setúbal, the deal was discussed until midnight, and at 7am we were there with the workers for it to be approved. It was only signed the following day during the early morning.

This close work relationship is not limited to the moment of reaching an agreement, but extends to the whole process of getting there. The agreement managed to get 56 workers hired in Setúbal, with 37 others having priority in further hirings, and the remaining having priority over those not yet around. Ultimately, it is a way to shield those workers. That was never done before, they were always expendable. They only had to miss a day’s work to disappear from the lists, if that was what the bosses wished.

Naturally, we can’t demand that 150 workers be placed somewhere which can only absorb 100, because we realize that might make companies unsustainable. In order for that not to happen, a work division is being implemented among everyone, which will prove that there is additional employability in the port relative to what currently exists.

The matter of distributing work throughout daily shifts before resorting to overtime was one of the things demanded by workers and which we later took to the negotiation table. I can say it was one of the provisions which capital wanted to remove until late. It did not want to put it into writing, but it is applying it in practice. If it does not, we might have some confrontations over it.

There is a permanent dialog between the union leadership, the delegates and the directors we have on the different ports. We have a decentralized ground level union network with which we communicate and organize frequent plenaries via online conference, especially in ports with greater potential for developing conflicts.

The stevedores participate in the decision process trough that fluid communication we have established, with respect for everyone’s opinions, often with a lot of debate. But that is also what allows, as it was possible to observe in the last few years, for a stevedore to walk up to a camera and be able to explain what is happening and why he is fighting. This is something which goes beyond the union leadership, this spirit of everyone realizing that they are fighting for a cause which is also theirs.

Having said that, this is only if not deviating a lot from our principles. It is evident that, as a union, we won’t allow for more selfish and individualistic ideas to impose on the will of the collective.

DG // Are there any other elements, regarding the internal organization of the union, which might have been important?

AM // Speaking of communication, I think it was a terrain where the stevedores have always been massacred. We are an easy target for capital because stevedoring is isolated from the world, as if a barrier existed between society and the port, especially because access is becoming more closed off – it is an international territory, like a border. You need a permit from the Foreigners and Borders Service just to work there.

Additionally, there have been impressive campaigns against stevedores and their forms of struggle. Maybe because a lot of money moves around in ports, a lot of capital, a lot of liquidity, and so it is possible for these campaigns to appear. And they have shocked public opinion a lot, with a few very effective ways of doing so.

What we have been doing is the work of taking these campaigns apart.

DG // Before we talk about the reply, what are some examples of these campaigns? For example, during the fight in Lisbon, the supposed 5000€ salaries of the stevedores were much talked about. Since you have already observed several of these campaigns, what is their anatomy?

AM // That is an easy way to talk. A lot of times, the ones who talk of 5000€ have 50 000€ to run that campaign. Or salaries of 10 or 20 000€. But nobody asks them what their situation is.

The matter of numbers is not only used here. I remember that, two years ago, they were also used in Spain. It is a way to pull the population, such as in Portugal, subject to very low salaries, to the abyss of 600€ – not even the 1000€ which were talked about before – by saying that any profession who has managed to fight for superior conditions is privileged. That is the pettiness that such campaigns toy with.

I have difficulty in judging the value of each profession. I think each one must fight for itself collectively, by organizing. The salaries practiced in ports are the result of decades of struggles.

When asked about it, I usually replied to the matter of the 5000€, that if I did the work of three stevedores, I might be able to get such a paycheck. That is the question. The truth is most stevedores in Portugal, right now, and despite the qualitative jump in the port of Setúbal, are being payed much less than 1000€. Or even 800€.

When we hear those campaigns about high salaries, there probably is someone who is holding a receipt for that amount in their hands, except you don’t know how it was made. If it was by working 16 or 24 hours per day, which has happened in certain functions. It is not as important to communicate that most stevedores who move cargo in ports have miserable salaries and work under daily contracts, something we previously only had until 1979. From 1993, it was reintroduced in ports. That is omitted to try to turn the population against us.

There is another aspect. It is not only the matter of high salaries. Just today I heard it said that unions control the admission of labor. That only sons and friends get in. I’m probably part of the last generation – I got in in 1979 – when such a bosses’ union existed which effectively had control over the selection.

In 1980, when we started having indefinite contracts and tripartite entities (State, bosses and unions), that control disappeared. Private capital companies have been carrying out the selection, recruitment and training processes for over 20 years. The unions do not have anything to do with it for decades. At least ours. I can allow that in the port of Leixões, the so-called model port, that it might still be true. That is not the union model we defend, but we are the ones attacked because another is the model example.

What we are concerned about is avoiding victims in these processes resulting from conflicts. For example, in Setúbal there are 10 people who buckled and signed contracts before there was an agreement. They are most certainly not the best professionals in that port. That obviously caused other good professionals to be left behind. What we wished was to have the possibility, regarding those workers they selected, that we could reconsider some situations of greater seniority, or of workers who were more visible during the process and which could be left behind for speaking their mind in front of the television cameras.

That last part did not actually happen, but there are some injustices regarding seniority situations. Workers with half a dozen months on the job were picked, yet workers with 17 or 20 years of seniority were not.

What we did was, in order to not delay the process further and get to the next stage, we ended up abdicating from choosing anyone. All the choices which exist today on the ground were by employer option. We still don’t have anything to do with it, excepting a list which was sent without preferences in which we said “If you won’t send preferences, we have seniority as the only criterion we can use”. We can’t say that someone who has been working for 10 years has a right to an indefinite contract and someone who has been working for 20 does not.

DG // And in answering these campaigns, what has the union’s strategy been?

AM // On the one hand, as I said, it is to have the whole of the stevedore world be well informed about what is going on. They start off informing friends and family about reality. But of course, the campaigns against us are so massive that we also must try to answer on the same scale.

We have been using social networks for some time now as the most effective way to make our message reach the greatest number of people. Not only Portuguese, as the matter crosses borders. We follow the struggles in Chile, Greece, Sweden, and they follow our struggles and what we write.

Internally, we have a press office in which we have been investing more and more for the past few years. I was making comparisons the other day and we have as much communication as all the other union movements in Portugal put together in terms of social networks.

On the other hand, there is a quick and efficient link between the press office and the conventional social communication network. There we try to act very quickly regarding attacks against us. In many cases we try to create the agenda of what is happening ourselves, as sometimes it is important to stay ahead and not have to correct ideas thrown out there. We believe we have become more effective, and today the idea people have of stevedores in Portugal is clearly not the same idea they had 10 or 15 years ago.

DG // I think that was quite visible in terms of the support that this last strike received, especially on social networks, by other unions and by parties. Is this also a strategy conceived by the union, or something which arose spontaneously?

AM // If we did a little flashback, the 2016 process was a veritable bombardment upon us, and we trailed behind. The 2018 process, here and in the whole country, which is still ongoing and ended with an accord in Setúbal but not in all other ports, was precisely the opposite.

There was an attempt by the State, the government and capital to almost make this strike on overtime work invisible. Up until it was impossible to keep hiding the dimension of the problem being created due to the fact that we were only doing a single daily shift. It is not easy for capital to fight back against this kind of strike.

Well, we kept following our path, denouncing and informing about what was going on. Until things exacerbated when capital made a strategic option to divert attention to Setúbal. In Setúbal we were working every day, 180 workers doing their shift. Thus, there was not any kind of blockade on Autoeuropa [a Volkswagen plant in Setúbal]. There was an accumulation of Autoeuropa vehicles due to engine certification, not because of the stevedore strike – the automobiles kept moving out, as did all other cargo.

That was when we really had to use all means of information and clarification at our disposal, during the conflict and until we reached an agreement. And even after reaching an agreement, we still had to explain what was going on because the other side kept not wanting to follow the strategy that the workers practically forced upon them, regarding hirings and everything else still left to negotiate in ports, like an end to the harassment of our associates.

This is why I do not like to talk about victories, there was a good result in a battle, but we continue to follow closely what is happening because capital still does not want what we stand for, which is to have port labor be mostly permanent. It wants to keep abusing precarious labor. We are going to have a continuous war about that.

DG // Regarding solidarity from outside groups, was that part of an active strategy by the union or something that arose spontaneously?

We are conscious that we have some specificities at our workplace, as I said. It is not as easy to carry out a teachers’ plenary, as they are spread all over the country, in the same way it is possible to do so with stevedores. But today we already have the technological means to do so. Therefore, in fact, it is perhaps a matter of organization.

First of all, it is obvious that we are focused on solving the problems of stevedores in the various national ports. That is, let us say, *laughing* our core business. We also do not ignore that what we are doing is increasingly seen as an example by other sectors and social struggle movements, who convey to us that recognition.

For example, journalists themselves. We know there is a very similar fight against precariousness going on at RTP [the State’s broadcaster]. They accompanied us at the port of Setúbal and with local stevedores. They are hundreds of workers who are also in a situation of precariousness. Anyone talking of RTP can talk of other activity sectors.

It would be pretentious to act as teachers and educators. The truth is that, as I said at the Assembly of the Republic, this fight is against the precariousness which is only permitted due to excessively permissive legislation. It has no reason for existing; we have a model in the port of Lisbon which practically dispenses with precariousness in the future.

We managed to prove that precariousness is not necessary and that this kind of work by daily contract does not have to exist, as it does not allow people to have any quality of life. We recognize that what we are doing is being observed by other sectors and individual workers, who must take steps towards their own organization, mobilization and construction of efficient and active structures.

I’m thinking of strike funds. They are, fundamentally, an insurance that workers build so that in conflict situations they might resist capital. And we have followed that practice for many decades now.

DG // In terms of solidarity, we previously touched upon the matter of international coordination between stevedores. How is this coordination achieved and what is its potential and limits?

AM // We already have practical examples of that support in our processes. It was determinant during the 2014 process. A ship loaded by scabs in Lisbon was blocked. During the Setúbal process, there were also a few ships which were intervened, especially in Spain and also in Germany. These are one-off situations. In terms of international solidarity, it all depends on whether it is possible to act within each countries’ legislation.

A Nordic country or a southern country often have different ways of showing support, in formal terms, in legal terms. In some cases, political solidarity actions are allowed, in others they aren’t. It is undeniable that the possibility of providing support to a labor conflict in another country and another port, is always something which has its weight in a balance of forces which does not usually exist between capital and labor. But, there you go, economic groups keep getting bigger. In the port sector, terminals are increasingly in the hands of a smaller number of global groups.

Such is the case in Portugal as well. The Turkish group which controls most of the shipping container terminals in Portugal is now almost one of the top 10 biggest terminal managers in the world. If on the one hand that gives great power to capital, on the other hand our organization also allows us to give an answer regarding conflicts going on somewhere else, even on another continent. That happened a lot in the past between the United States of America, Australia and South Africa. It is something that unions must look at as a way of fighting with more equal weapons.

When we moved towards organizing at the national level, it is precisely because there is no other way to have some balance between us and the companies present in every port. That can’t be fixed with fragmented local unions. That was the practice in Portugal. In the past we managed to have over 20 unions in Portuguese ports.

We don’t want to be the sole union, but we want to show what it is we defend that is different. If, in the end, that leads us to be the sole union, that is OK. Now, what we can’t accept is for small unions, which many times are built by the bosses themselves, to be used to sign whatever contracts bosses want signed. That we will always fight.

At the national level, we want a force which is capable of facing the big economic groups present all over the country. At the international level, the principle is the same. If we can’t fight them using only the force we have in Portugal, then – both resorting to outside support but also providing it – when we are asked to give support we will do so, as was the case for a process in Spain two years ago, when we said we would not load any ships diverted from Spain while the conflict was going on.

Many times, the pressure comes from outside the European Union. In the Spanish case, some terminals are being bought by COSCO, Chinese companies. We will have the same problem in Portugal in the short term. Big groups and great powers are going to want to install themselves, probably with bad conditions, salaries and contractual links. That is how Portuguese ports are still being advertised.

We will keep fighting to ensure that does not happen.

DG // We talked about a series of advantages and disadvantages specific to stevedoring. It also has the advantage of being super important within the current economic model. Everything is planned to make sure that commodities arrive just in time, to reduce storage expenses. If you put a break on that transportation line, you jam factories, commerce, everything.

Cargo ships waiting out the 2015 Los Angeles’ port strike. Photo by Mike Kelley.

Are these advantages somewhat misleading about the potential of the organizational model, if it was transplanted to another sector?

AM // Yes, such a direct and immediate effect is missing. We stand at a crucial point in commodity circulation, and thus of globalization. As you said, with factories on zero stock and dependent on a container arriving with parts or raw materials. That evidently helps, as does the fact that the container which we loaded is going to be unloaded by our comrades in another port. Here we have an almost direct and emotional relationship – other stevedores are going to handle the same container which we put in place, or which a scab worked – and they have the capacity to refuse to handle it.

But the truth is that every sector, be it education, health, transportation, some more than others, can achieve results when organized and willing to resist. I say again that it also requires them to have reserves, because processes can drag on. And the surrounding solidarity in international terms is still important. Several kinds of production are increasingly concentrated – not all – and thus doing something in one country accompanied by action in another ends up having an enormous weight.

The distribution economic groups, either from the energy sector or others, are increasingly a part of global networks serving the interests of capital. Therefore, I think it is possible. Of course, it depends on each sector studying at each moment what is the best way to act.

We ourselves don’t have the same conditions in every port. Some economic groups are present in all ports, but others have their particularities. We must always think of a strategy for each port.

Each sector must also analyze, think and decide on its internal national articulation. Without looking for disaggregation and fragmentation, as I don’t think that is the way to go. The workers must choose the best teams to head organizations, that is fine. But I don’t think things will be solved by the atomization of structures.

There are also adequate means, even inside the country, of speaking with all the professionals in each trade. If I was here today representing an activity spread all over the country, it would only be a matter of saying “everyone be online Tuesday, so we can talk”. And in the case of international connections, today we can talk with the whole world at almost no cost.

Therefore, people must dedicate themselves to that. They must dedicate a part of their time to organize at other levels in order to contact people and achieve visible results beyond the confines of the desk or the room where they usually work.

DG // Going back a bit to a topic we touched upon previously, how has the relationship with the companies evolved, as well as their anti-union practices?

AM // That question probably leads us to the reasons behind the latest conflicts. There are two phases – one in which the unions merged in order to have a regional representation, and from there we reached a phase in which we are more organized in territorial terms than capital itself.

As I said, companies merged into economic groups. Today we have 3 or 4 in national ports; the State of Singapore in Sines, the Sousa group in the Madeira connections, a national group called ETE and the Yilport group which bought Tertir’s entire business from Mota-Engil.

Those are the 4 groups that essentially dominate the national port scene. We had a strategic vision that we must go national in order to have a possibility of some equilibrium in the talks between labor and capital.

From there, the problem of high precariousness in the port of Setúbal, which was really absurd, started to get resolved. It was also promised that the matter of the harassment of SEAL members in Leixões and Madeira would be resolved. But it was easier to fix the problem of precariousness than fixing the question of harassment.

When capital harasses workers for their union choice, that means they do not want to see the union organization grow, even if they need to violate the law. Our members’ salaries are half of those of other local workers. Capital is saying “you people, SEAL, can’t grow”. This is the tug-of-war which is not visible but is behind the entire process. You can solve situations of precariousness, because we are going to solve them all sooner or later, but you can’t stop persecuting our members.

The 2018 stevedores’ demonstration in Lisbon was against precariousness, but also against the persecution of its members in ports like Leixões. One of the stevedores who gave a speech mentioned that the bosses had sent people to film them during the protest.

DG // Speaking of precariousness, I think the Setúbal struggle revealed how precariousness is a national policy. There is a plan that spans governments, in which the country must function on the basis of precariousness and low salaries. This was demonstrated by the government’s willingness to poison public opinion on social communication and make available the repressive apparatus to remove the workers carrying out the strike picket at the port of Setúbal.

AM // It also had the merit of showing, and perhaps this wasn’t in their plans, that precarious workers, with some support, even if only moral, of those with permanent contracts who are taking less chances, can organize and fight this scourge. I think that in symbolic terms, what happened in Setúbal was very good. The 150 workers, who in fact control the factory production which is the port, had the capability of saying enough and it stopped.

Well, that struggle could only be perverted by what happened, the intervention with the use of force and the illegalities which were committed, or through intimidation processes, to try and break that unity. Because otherwise, they managed to stop the factory. After that it is only a matter of time until we have a deal.

DG // And regarding the idea of precariousness as national policy?

AM // As could be noticed ever since we started selling the idea in China and its whereabouts that Portugal is a country of low salaries and precariousness, that sooner or later we were going to be pushed in that direction. Our struggle is exactly against these aspects; to prove that precariousness is not necessary and that with some overtime the oscillations in demand in ports can be accommodated.

Operestiva was in parliament the other day. They were asked how many hours the workers did at present. They didn’t answer, right? I answered yesterday. They did on average 1500 hours during the year 2018. Permanent workers did. Meaning, if there was no strike on overtime, they would have reached December with 2500 hours. That is what companies want, to give some all and others nothing. Keeping precariousness while the other workers are accommodated with good salaries resulting from having no personal life because they are working for the company around the clock.

In the last few years, governments have done everything possible to make those situations happen, by creating the legal possibility of hiring like this. In practice, if we go to court on a case by case basis, the court is going to say that there is nothing illegal there. The worker was hired for that turn, even if he does the same thing for 20 years; probably no case has ever won, so the legislation is what’s wrong. A legislation which was created to allow exactly what is being announced in the East; come invest in Portugal, because precariousness is a given and we are going to take care of low wages next.

As I say, in 1993 we were all employees, with permanent contracts. Our wage levels were where they are today. At around 2000€, in round figures. Why is it that these future generations must work for 700€ when fewer stevedores are needed for operations? This is a rational matter. Of course, capital is not rational, capital wants to squeeze out more and more. Our fight is to say that the legislation must change, it can’t allow what it does right now in port work, things which it does not allow in other sectors of activity.

It got to the point that a law was approved in 2012, 2013, saying that port labor recruitment companies can recruit in temporary labor companies. This is not possible in other activity sectors. It is a crime. Yet here they go so far that even that is possible.

In order to take precariousness to the extreme, any kind of contract is allowed: intermittent work, by the day, by the hour. The legislation permits all. That must change. It shouldn’t exactly be union organizations that then have to keep entering into conflicts, carrying out strikes and other processes. Because that is the only way they have to defend themselves from the legislation which is made exactly to push workers into the unacceptable situations which are not worthy of the XXI century. Not in human terms, not in social terms.

DG // I’ve noticed that in your interventions on social communication, the somewhat absent language of class struggle has reappeared. In the union sphere as well, theoretical tools are needed to interpret what is happening. A few years ago there was still an embarrassment in talking about capital, about labor…

AM // About scabs.

DG // Has the union done any theoretical work to recover those analytical tools?

AM // Today SEAL is more than one person, even more than the team which heads it. There are many workers that, in their workplace and even as precarious workers, already have this notion of reality and who gave excellent interviews during this process. I was listening to them live from a distance and recognizing their capability to respond clearly about the situation. But none of them has ever studied Marx. Neither have I. If I studied something, it was in engineering.

What we do is coldly analyze what is going on. As such, the conclusion that we are all maybe arriving at is that independently of the more or less political and sociological education we might have, we are facing concrete questions, and those don’t depend on great theorizing. They are processes of class struggle.

Here is an example: the law we currently have was introduced by the initiative of PSD, but it was approved by PS. I’m not going to say that there are no differences between Right and Left, I don’t want to enter into that debate. Naturally, I understand that they exist. What is going on right now is a fight between labor and capital. Capital is increasingly concentrated, which gives it much more power.

In the port sector, they even call themselves cartels. Whether at the level of shipowners or of port terminal management, they increasingly want to concentrate more and, when they unable to, they ally. What we have is an increasingly organized capital on the one hand, and what we intend is to have labor increasingly organized on the other. And there is a collision, right? There is a collision, and it becomes stronger and harder but we still think that organized labor has a lot of strength, independently of the kind of capital it is facing. As we usually say, we can also choose to work or not work.

In that attempt to simplify discourses during the more habitual conflicts, class struggle words appear, like talking about mercenaries who replace striking workers, it all ends up becoming much more simplified in our language. Not because of our education, but by confirming that things end up being simpler on the ground. You don’t need a big degree to figure out what is happening in this area.

DG // By osmosis, people end up understanding these relationships.

AM // I would put like this: these processes are so intense, so absorbing, and at the same time so creative, that we end up focusing exactly, in each situation, on what needs to be done, or the best strategy to do it. We don’t have time to read books, we have time to consult the base, understand what is the best scenario for each conflict and find the best solutions, find a strategy, have a direction.

Others study this, and we are naturally grateful that they do it. We ourselves often can’t reach all the conclusions and interpret everything going on because we are the ones building that process.

DG // One last question, perhaps somewhat malicious. How do you look at a certain image policing, coming from the Right but also visible on the Left; this idea that stevedores curse and have an uncouth appearance, as if to say their demands are void because they don’t present themselves as…

AM // As politically correct, let’s say.

DG // Yes. I mean, if someone has been screwed for 20 years, with no workplace rights, I think the last thing that should occur to anyone is to be bothered because they insulted the minister or the prime-minister or whoever.

AM // Yes, well-behaved children we shall never be, also because of our historical roots. Because of our activity, in conclusion – isolated as we are, with our own way of talking – once we even had our own vocabulary. Naturally, we don’t like it when limits are crossed, because that can turn against us, individually and collectively. But to be honest, we don’t take much action regarding that.

Stevedores from all over Europe bothering tourism in Lisbon with their rude manners (2012)

One things we do know; by representing other stevedores, especially in a few ports: Setúbal, Lisboa, Figueira, almost all in fact, we also represent workers from different political quadrants. It is also as part of this process that we must function. On the one hand we want to be independent and we invest in that, because we know that any more direct connections, in political, ideological terms, also leave out or sets against the collective certain constituencies. We must take those precautions.

On the other hand, as I say, while not defending the extremes, we also understand that our somewhat rebellious image, of some provocation, sometimes with some language excesses – this was even referred to in court judgements – can be understood as part of the stevedoring language, as part of a demonstration of force. Be it because of color or movement.

I would put it like this: I would not like a well-behaved stevedoring. We have an image, and that is not something we are going to change. I don’t think we have to be politically correct, because the fact of the matter is that the politically correct are very incorrect with working people, for decades now. It would be best if they thought about that and stopped going around trying to denigrate the image of a collective which might just be right about everything it demands.

The work of the Stevedores and Logistical Activity Union can be followed at their blog and Facebook page.

https://guilhotina.info/en/2019/07/10/antonio-mariano-seal-interview/?

Dockers Hangarounds - Svein Lundeng

Dockers Hangarounds - Svein Lundeng

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdOCWUgwiWs

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 11, 2019 05:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—40 reasons why we need a dual carriageway Northern Bypass

Orwell Ahead hopes a northern bypass would ease this kind of congestion in Colchester Road, Ipswich. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

As Suffolk County Council - in partnership with other local authorities - starts the consultation process over plans for a new northern route for Ipswich to ease traffic in the area and stimulate new development, campaign group Orwell Ahead has set out 40 reasons why the town needs a full Northern Bypass.

The group says that while it sympathises with those impacted and understand the environmental concerns raised over the Northern Route, it is still backing the bypass.

It says every one of its statistical statements is sourced; generally from three Local Plans (Ipswich Borough, East Suffolk, Babergh & MSDC) and from council prospectuses, industry sources (including the Port of Felixstowe website).

The group states: "Orwell Ahead campaign believe that a dual carriageway "inner option" northern route (Claydon to Martlesham) must be the number one priority and objective for Suffolk Chamber, Suffolk County Council and all stakeholders in the region."

To keep the Port of Felixstowe viable 

1. 1982: 300,000 container moves crossing the new Orwell Bridge

NOW 3 Million+

2. 1982: Container ship optimum size 1,800 containers per vessel, discharging 300-400 TEUS per port call

NOW: 22,000 container vessels, discharging 6,000 containers per port call

3. The Port of Felixstowe is the only major container terminal in northern Europe NOT connected by a motorway. Post Brexit deep sea trade will grow significantly, our country depends upon it.

4. Around 30,000 logistics jobs are directly and indirectly dependent on the local and regional infrastructure (rail and highways) in and around Ipswich.

5. The Port of Felixstowe is facing an increasing threat from London Gateway.

6. London Gateway has 120 miles of motorway to the "golden triangle" (the key midlands distribution hubs). The South East LEP is promoting a Lower Thames Crossing which will alleviate the worst of congestion affecting London Gateway.

7. From Felixstowe you must travel 120 miles before reaching motorway on route to these hubs. The journey is on a badly congested A14 with major bottle necks and weak points, like the Orwell Bridge which is already creaking with 3m containers crossing each year.

To serve a successful and growing area

8. Ipswich is one of the country's largest and fastest growing economies with £4.5bn GVA per annum.

9. The Greater Ipswich area has a combined GVA of around £8bn pa. It is the heart of the greatest economic zone in Norfolk and Suffolk. We take it for granted at our peril.

10. Norwich and Norfolk secured £400m-plus of spending for upgrades to the A11 and A47, and sensibly concluded that there must be a dual carriageway northern bypass for Norwich. The Norwich Northern Distributor Road on its own is coming in at around £185m. 

11. Ipswich is very similar in population size to Norwich and Cambridge. Our urban centre has a higher population than Norwich. Our "greater urban area" and "Office of National Statistics Travel to Work" area is also similar.

12. By 2031, Suffolk's population is expected to grow by 27% (195,000). Much of this growth will be in the Ipswich to Felixstowe peninsula.

13. A complete inner option Northern Bypass will unlock massive economic benefits for the Port of Felixstowe, BT Martlesham, south and east Suffolk and Greater Ipswich.

14. A complete inner option Northern Bypass will assist the flow to/from east Suffolk. Being the final link in a "Greater Ipswich orbital road system" it would provide clockwise and counter clockwise options to navigate and enter/exit East Anglia's biggest city economy.

15. A complete inner option Northern Bypass could provide at least five more key routes to/from/through Ipswich.

To form a Greater Ipswich Orbital allowing for movement to/from/across the town 

16. 1982: Ipswich Borough's population 110,000.

NOW: 133,000. FORECAST: 150,000

17. 1982: Kesgrave, Martlesham and Trimley once villages 

NOW: Suffolk Coastal District Council (now East Suffolk District Council) putting 51% of its housing south of the Deben like an "Ipswich Mark II", disjointed new towns and massive planned estates with no joined up infrastructure to serve them.

18. 1982: Greater Ipswich travel to work (TTW) area population 180,000

Ipswich Northern Bypass: For and Against

Paul Geater from the EADT / Ipswich Star explains the arguments for and against an Ipswich Northern Bypass or relief road.

Volume 0%

Watch more great local videos

Ipswich Northern Bypass: For and Against

New plans for Upper Orwell Crossings in Ipswich

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce reacts to Orwell Bridge improvements

Ipswich special needs school gets Outstanding rating from Ofsted

Suffolk Police launch their Summer Drink & Driving Campaign with Ipswich Buses

The Ipswich gaming lounge helping young people with additional needs

NOW: 250,000 (TTW ONS)

19. 1982: Estimated 40,000 vehicle moves per day 

NOW: reaching 70,000 vehicle moves per day in and around the town

20. The traffic congestion in the town centre and surrounding roads will get worse. Increased journey times are deterring people from driving into Ipswich for work, business, retail or tourism.

21. Noise and poor air quality around the queuing traffic within Ipswich is increasing. The health of residents in Ipswich will suffer and this will add further cost to the public purse.

22. There is no contingency should the Orwell Bridge need major repair or become structurally compromised. The whole of east and south Suffolk would be economically at risk.

To allow a proper bypass option

23. Of 70,000 daily moves around 15% are Port of Felixstowe related, plus another 15% from South West Suffolk to/from North East Suffolk which have to go through Ipswich or over the Orwell on route.

24. This route also serves the entire east Suffolk economy, including Sizewell A and B (and possibly C).

25. This route is key to a possible Cambridge Ipswich Tech Corridor (Adastral park), and future jobs that Norwich is actively targeting.

26. There is a significant percentage of people who live in Ipswich and work out of town, and vice versa. Accessing a northern bypass or Ipswich orbital would relieve stress on our interior roads, which would improve transport across the town.

27. 12,000 new homes are planned across 3 local authorities to the north and east of Ipswich.

28. SCDC (now East Suffolk District Council) is putting 51% of their new houses in the north and east Ipswich and Felixstowe area (around 4 to 6,000 homes), Babergh and MSDC a large number too (around 3-5,000 new houses) on the western Ipswich fringe. Ipswich Borough also plans 4,000 extra houses within the ancient and outdated borough boundaries on the northern Ipswich fringe. A perfect Suffolk storm is heading this way.

To better serve villages to the north of Ipswich

29. We doubt anyone is still objecting to - or would be without - the southern bypass or Orwell Bridge now.

30. With a massive planned expansion of housing and a possible post Brexit boom for deep sea cargo the villages north of Ipswich face becoming trapped in cul-de-sacs.

31. Areas like the Crofts, Northgate, Bixley, Kesgrave and Martlesham will become gridlocked.

32. Villages like Brightwell, Bucklesham, Wherstead, Levington, Nacton, Sproughton, Bramford, Claydon are no less attractive places to live by being close to the A12/A14. Quite the contrary, they benefit from having excellent links, accessibility and local economy.

33. With 12,000 new homes planned west, north and east of Ipswich the very villages historically opposed to a bypass are now most in need of one.

34. This is an Ipswich, South Suffolk, East Suffolk, East Anglia and national issue. It could take six to 10 years to deliver, so we must start now to ensure that this part of Anglia has the infrastructure needed for the next 50 years.

Orwell Ahead campaign backs a dual carriageway (such as the A12 east of ipswich or Norwich NDR): a dual carriageway with roundabouts; from Claydon junction to Martlesham junction

35. A full "expressway"/"motorway" (A14/A12) northern bypass with major junctions is not financially achievable at this time.

36. A single carriageway Northern Relief Road will be overwhelmed when the bridge is closed. It will quickly be compromised in the short term by natural growth and too expensive to upgrade it at a later time.

37. A second bridge on the Orwell will be subject to the same problems as the current bridge. It will not address the greater needs of the local area or wider region, or provide the same level of benefits as a northern route. 

38. A tunnel under the Orwell will be too expensive. It wont be able to cater for over-width or hazardous cargo, the depth and incline would not meet the needs of long container vehicles.

39. A second southern route will only put more volume of traffic into an area that is already congested. It will not provide any economic advantage for east Suffolk. It will not provide any benefit or solution for the 12,000 additional houses planned to the north and east of Ipswich.

40. The southern bypass was planned 50 years ago, built 35 years ago, and yet we haven't even started planning highway expansion for the next wave of growth in population and freight.

Suffolk is invited to have its say on the potential options for the newly-named Ipswich Northern Route when the consultation officially begins on July 5, 2019. 

You can have your say here and the Orwell ahead campaign invite anyone who supports their campaign to use any or all of these points below when completing the online formal consultation.

https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/40-reasons-for-ipswich-northern-bypass-1-6150848

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 11, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Port Of Felixstowe By John Cooper

     All the above photo credits to John Cooper

John Cooper

@TheSuffolkMan 

John Cooper from Kesgrave, Suffolk. Photos and Forums on Suffolk here http://Suffolk.activeboard.com/ http://RAFinSuffolk.activeboard.com/ 

Kesgrave

flickr.com/photos/1280193…

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 11, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—The largest drugs seizure in Greece: 10 million pills of Captagon hidden in a container at Piraeus Port

Photo: Greek Ministry of Finance 

Greek authorities seized 10 million pills of Captagon, hidden in a container at Port of Piraeus. Greek authorities, collaborating with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) representatives at the US embassy in Athens, also seized another two containers.

The three boxes were from Latakia, Syria. Their final destination was China. 20 pallets of Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) were included in each one.

During the investigation, a hidden shipment of Captagon was founded in one of the three containers, which included a total of 10,018,260 pills weighing 1,590 kilos.

It’s the largest drugs seizure of all time in Greece and one of the largest in Europe.

The investigation of the other two containers is ongoing. There is also investigation on people involved in the shipment.

Photo: Greek Ministry of Finance

Photo: Greek Ministry of Finance

Source: Greek Ministry of Finance

https://container-news.com/largest-drugs-seizure-greece/

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 11, 2019 03:30 PM

Maritime Union of Australia—Melbourne: community rally to support striking DP World wharfies

Trade unionists and community activists will converge on Swanson Dock tomorrow to throw their support behind striking wharfies who are battling to protect jobs and conditions at Australia’s largest stevedore. More than 600 wharfies are currently taking part in a four-day strike at the DP World container terminal, along with more than a thousand colleagues taking industrial action at ports in Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle.

by Mua communications at July 11, 2019 10:00 AM

Felixstowe Dockers—ANNOUNCING MSC’S ENHANCED BALTIC TO UK EXPRESS SERVICE

We are pleased to announce our Baltic to UK Express service, connecting the UK to Poland and Russia.

Key benefits of the new service include:

• Introducing MSC’s first direct weekly call to/from London Gateway, Bristol, Greenock and Liverpool
• Highly competitive transit times to London Gateway from St Petersburg (5 days) and Gdynia (3 days)
• Higher security and future sustainability by shipping with sea freight
• Better green efficiencies, using half the emissions of a trailer
• Expert guidance from MSC’s dedicated UK-based Short-Sea, Baltic and global specialists
• Door-to-door service via MSC’s dedicated intermodal operations via road, rail and sea
• Unrivalled rail connections in Poland via 10 inland rail terminals

FIND OUT MORE

If you’d like to discuss this new service and how this can benefit your business, please contact your usual MSC representative or phone 01473 277 777 and a member of our team will be happy to assist.

Mediterranean Shipping Company (UK) Ltd.
Medite House, 10 The Havens, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9SJ
+44 (0) 1473 277777
uk.hello@msc.com

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 11, 2019 09:00 AM

July 10, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—ABP first UK port operator to adopt women’s personal protective equipment

Tina Raleigh, ABP Quality and Environment Systems Manager, Compliance wearing new women’s PPE

During Maritime Safety Week (1-5 July), Associated British Ports (ABP) is pleased to announce it has become the first UK port operator to provide employees with an exclusive range of women’s personal protective equipment (PPE). The news represents an important milestone in ABP’s efforts to support the role of women in maritime, whilst also further improving safety standards and choice for its workforce.

The rollout of the new PPE range follows an extensive employee consultation process and successful trials. It is also part of ABP’s wider commitment to Maritime UK’s Women in Maritime Charter, an initiative which ABP helped launch in September 2018 to promote the role of women in the maritime sector.

The issue with traditional PPE in the sector was that many products had been primarily designed to fit men and were often too large, too heavy and poor fitting when worn by women. 

This new range of specially-designed protective clothing, which also includes maternityfocused products, is lightweight and further improves safety, whilst also promoting greater inclusivity across the business and encouraging more women to consider a career in maritime.

To deliver this milestone, ABP teamed up with specialist manufacturer, Anchor Safety, to create the new range of PPE, which has been manufactured using the highest quality materials available, ensuring maximum visibility, breathability, weatherproofing and comfort.

Benedicta Moxon, ABP Compliance Business Manager, said: “It has been fantastic to be part of a project that will make a tangible difference to how comfortable and safe women feel at work. At ABP we are committed to creating a workplace which makes everyone feel valued and empowered to thrive. This enhanced range of PPE will achieve these goals, while combining great design with maximum functionality.”

Throughout Maritime Safety Week, ABP is also running a number of safety workshops, covering subjects such as Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)’s Managing Safely, Cargo Handling in Ports and First Aid at Work, to promote health and safety during the week.

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 10, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Good Old Fashioned Dock Work

‎Lee Davies‎ to Ships of the Mersey

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 10, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—APM Terminals Marks Opening Of Second Terminal At Medport Tangier

Image Credit: apmterminals.com

APM Terminals second terminal in Morocco, MedPort Tangier was inaugurated this week. Part of the Tanger Med Port complex, it has an annual capacity of 5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalents).

With this new capacity, Morocco is establishing itself as one of the most important transhipment locations in the world. Tanger Med Port is already ranked as the leading African port and is amongst the world’s top 50 container ports due to its prime location along key trade lanes and increasing cargo flows, to and from Africa.

The construction of the state-of-the-art APM Terminals MedPort Tangier facility took two years and a total investment of USD 800m. This new transhipment terminal is designed, constructed and operated by APM Terminals, and will join existing hub facilities servicing Maersk and its partners. Built utilizing the latest technology, the terminal is set to be one of the most efficient and safest in the world.

Morten H. Engelstoft, Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals commented: “APM Terminals has a long-term relationship with Morocco and we are proud to be operating the second container terminal in the Tanger Med Port complex. APM Terminals MedPort Tangier is a key junction in our global network allowing us to serve our customers better and further facilitate global trade.”

Image Credit: apmterminals.com

The new facility will support Tanger Med Port to increase its annual throughput capacity to nine million TEUs, helping to improve Moroccan connectivity and further support global trade.

Morocco has seen GDP growth of 4.1% and has a positive outlook for containerized imports and exports with significant growth expected in the years to come. Approximately 200 cargo vessels pass through the Strait of Gibraltar daily, with major liner services linking Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa. With a quay length of 1,200 meters and a draft of 16 to 18 metres, APM Terminals MedPort Tangier is able to facilitate the largest vessels.

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/apm-terminals-marks-opening-of-second-terminal-at-medport-tangier/

Reference: apmterminals.com

Tags: APM Terminals

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 10, 2019 09:00 AM

Maritime Union of Australia—Position Vacant: Safety and Training Officer

Permanent Full Time Position

An exceptional opportunity is available for a self-starter who is interested in taking a lead role in safety and training with one of Australia’s most effective, respected and influential trade unions, the Maritime Union of Australia, a Division of Construction Forestry Maritime Mining & Energy Union.

Based in Sydney and working across Australia, you will be the primary Safety Officer and have responsibility to develop and coordinate training programs across the Union.

by Mua communications at July 10, 2019 12:23 AM

July 09, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—The Dooley Pub Felixstowe - A few Dockers Might Recall This Boozer

Kenneth Rogers The top photo looks like before my Grandad Percy Downing kept the pup,mum went home to have her 1st darling new born.

Sue Sullivan Wow! Love it! How interesting. I do remember propping up bar in Dooley with my lemonade and crisps when I was 3 but didn't know there was a family connection. But makes sense as that was near to brickfields

What a wonderful day for sitting in a pub garden complete with children’s play area and toys 😊plans after school or after work???? Tag a friend and come along.all very welcome xx

The Dooley inn Felixstowe many years ago! If you look closely enough we still have lots of the original features with the top bay window and the brick outside wall,chimneys and lots more,tag anyone that this photo would bring some memories too! Xx

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 09, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Robin Pridmore

 Pic credits to Robin Pridmore

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 09, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Customs officials seize vessel used in record-breaking Philly cocaine bust

BY MICHAEL TANENBAUM 
PhillyVoice Staff

Authorities found $1.3 billion of cocaine onboard the MSC Gayane when it docked at the Port of Philadelphia on June 17, 2019. The ship has been seized by the U.S. government as part of an ongoing international investigation. Six crew members from the ship face drug smuggling charges. 

U.S. Customs officials at the Port of Philadelphia have taken the uncommon measure of seizing the cargo ship that was found last month carrying nearly 20 tons of cocaine, authorities said Monday. 

An inspection of the MSC Gayane on June 17 resulted in the discovery of 39,525 pounds of cocaine stored in seven shipping containers. The drugs were given an estimated street value of $1.3 billion. 

On July 4, Customs & Border Protection officials executed a search warrant of the ship that led to its seizure under the direction of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 

“The MSC Gayane is the largest vessel seized in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s 230-year history and follows the record seizure of almost 20-tons of cocaine discovered on the vessel,” said Casey Durst, CBP’s director of field operations in Baltimore. “Seizing a vessel of this size is an unusual enforcement action for CBP, but is indicative of the serious consequences associated with an alleged conspiracy by crewmembers and others to smuggle a record load of dangerous drugs through the United States."

U.S. Attorney William McSwain called the seizure of the vessel "unprecedented," but added the action was appropriate given the circumstances of the case. 

Six crew members aboard the vessel face conspiracy charges in connection with the smuggled cocaine. Five of them remain in federal custody. 

Authorities said MSC Gayane's previous ports of call, prior to reaching Philadelphia, were the Bahamas on June 13, Panama on June 9, Peru on May 24 and Columbia on May 19.

The vessel belongs to the Mediterranean Shipping Company, a Swiss company that boasts the world's second-largest shipping line in terms of vessel container capacity. 

MICHAEL TANENBAUM 
PhillyVoice Staff

tanenbaum@phillyvoice.com

https://www.phillyvoice.com/msc-gayane-seized-cocaine-bust-philadelphia-customs/

MSC GAYANE INCIDENT IN PHILADELPHIA

MSC Customer Advisory

Re: update on cargo onboard MSC Gayane, voyage NX922R, NWC-USA-SAWC service; MSC services in the USA

Dear Customers,

This is an update following the recent law enforcement drug trafficking operation on MSC Gayane in Philadelphia.

As a result of that operation, MSC Gayane has been under U.S. government control since 17 June while the authorities conduct investigations. MSC is assisting and cooperating in any possible way with the authorities and is not the target of the investigation.

How does this affect cargo on this voyage?

MSC Gayane was en route to northern Europe at the time of the incident, with calls scheduled at Rotterdam, Antwerp and Le Havre. Aside from a small number of containers, which have been held by the authorities as part of their ongoing investigations, all cargoes on the MSC Gayane have been transshipped to other MSC vessels and sent on to their respective destinations.

Your local MSC representative will inform you proactively by sending you Notices of Arrival with the updated ETA of your cargo, but please feel free to contact your local MSC office for more information if you wish to.

MSC regrets this delay and thanks you for your patience. Please understand however that we must follow the instructions of the authorities when such serious abuses of our services are being investigated, whether in relation to the vessel or its cargo.

What about other MSC services?

Our NWC-USA-SAWC service is functioning normally and all other MSC services are calling at U.S. ports as usual.

You may have seen that MSC’s C-TPAT certification was temporarily suspended following the incident. We are actively seeking to assure the authorities that our certification can be reinstated as soon as possible.

Notwithstanding this temporary status, MSC continues to comply with all the requirements of the C-TPAT programme and security criteria for ocean carriers including, but not limited to, the screening of customers, maintaining container and vessel security, and the vetting of employees, agents and business partners in accordance with C-TPAT requirements.  

Drug trafficking is a serious issue which impacts the entire shipping and logistics sector. MSC remains grateful to the government officials in the U.S. for their proactive work and has offered its continued support, building on a longstanding track record of good cooperation with the authorities.

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 09, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—National waterfront stoppages as DP World attacks wharfies conditions - Brisbane Today

Posted by Mua communications on July 08, 2019

Wharfies are striking for 48 hours at DP World’s Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle container terminals, and for 96 hours in Melbourne, to fight against automation, outsourcing, cuts to income protection insurance, and dishonest bargaining by the company which is trying to use change provisions in existing agreements to secure outcomes it cannot bargain into new agreements.

The two day strike, which begins Monday morning in Brisbane, is the first in a series of 48 to 96 hour work stoppages planned for container terminals in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Fremantle run by Australia’s largest stevedore. Sydney and Fremantle workers will strike this Thursday and Friday, and Melbourne will be out from Wednesday until Sunday morning.
Workers have also imposed a range of indefinite work bans, including bans on upgrades, overtime, and shift extensions. DPW challenged the rights of the Maritime Union of Australia to use bans in the Fair Work Commission, with a decision pending on Monday.

This restriction on utilising the legally protected bans has forced workers into strike action as their legal rights to use the bans was effectively removed by the company and FWC.
The industrial action follows the expiry of a three month cease-fire agreement between DPW and the MUA, which saw the company press ahead with a savage agenda of job cuts and attacks on rights and conditions. Income protection for workers remains as a target of the company.

The strikes will proceed after their protected status was confirmed by the FWC on Friday, when the company sought 418 orders to stop workers using strike action. Fair Work Commissioner Paula Spencer dismissed DPW’s application and reaffirmed the legal and protected nature of the strikes, stating that they could continue.

MUA Queensland Secretary Stephen Cumberlidge said DPW management were also insisting on including provisions in a new workplace agreement that could see waterfront jobs lost to outsourcing and automation.

“Our members have shown incredible patience in an attempt to reach resolution with DP World, including by agreeing to hold off on any form of industrial action for three months, but despite that good will management are refusing to budge on these key issues,” Mr Cumberlidge said.

“This major escalation of industrial action is about sending a clear message to management that the safety, dignity, and job security of wharfies are absolutely non-negotiable.

“We are fully committed to reaching an agreement as quickly as possible, however we will not sell our conditions, compromise our core claims, or undermine industry standards to do it.

“Our members have delivered huge increases in productivity to DP World in recent years, which resulted in substantial profits, and all workers want is to receive a fair reward for those efforts.”

MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said the company had unnecessarily escalated the conflict earlier this year when it unilaterally stripped workers of income protection insurance.

“Management initially used the wellbeing of workers and their families as a bargaining tool, and wharfies don’t take kindly to that kind of corporate bullying and intimidation,” Mr Smith said.

“The attacks on wharfies have been escalated by DPW beyond income protection, with outsourcing, automation and downright dishonest bargaining processes by DPW being targeted by workers.

“We will not roll over and accept an unfair agreement, we won’t accept unilateral attacks on workplace rights and conditions, and we won’t stand by while outsourcing and automation are used to axe quality jobs from the Australian waterfront.

Media contact: Tim Vollmer 0404 273 313

http://www.mua.org.au/national_waterfront_stoppages_as_dp_world_attacks_wharfies_conditions_brisbane_today?

DP World Australia Calls for End to Industrial Action

zoomIllustration; Image Courtesy: DP World London Gateway

DP World Australia (DPWA) has called for an end to industrial action across its terminals that escalated after the expiry of a three month cease-fire deal between the terminal operator and the union.

The company said that it is “disappointed” that the Australian Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) escalated their industrial action across a number of terminals, particularly at a time when shipping lines are reviewing stevedore contracts.

“The industrial action will cause significant disruption to DPWA customers and importantly the broader supply chain of shippers, exporters and importers. DPWA employees will also be unnecessarily and avoidably impacted by these lost earnings,” Andrew Adam, Chief Operating Officer at DPWA, said.

During the recent 12-week bargaining period, the union did not make any material concessions to their initial 50 claims, DPWA said, adding that the claims included a wage increase well above CPI, without any willingness to support the needs of DPWA. The company further said that the union continued to demonstrate an alarming refusal to acknowledge the commercial reality of the intense competition from automated competitors.

“The company has put forward its position and the union must now make appropriate concessions to their extensive list of claims,” Adam said.

Share this article

0

Follow World Maritime News

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Newsletter
• RSS

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 09, 2019 11:00 AM

Felixstowe Dockers—Vadero Highlander commences bunkering operations with the heavily laden OOCL Germany. 5th July 2019

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKRRePXC8Ht1kPDQzoiaPmA

Deano C

Published on 8 Jul 2019

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 09, 2019 09:00 AM

July 08, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—World’s largest boxship featuring 24 rows across is delivered

 SAM CHAMBERS

The world’s largest containership has been delivered this week by South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries.

The 400 m long MSC Gülsün is the first boxship in the world to feature 24 rows across giving it up to 1,500 extra container capacity compared to the existing largest container vessels. The 61.5 m wide vessel is the first of 11 giants MSC is set to operate when they deliver from South Korea in the coming nine months.

The 23,000 teu MSC Gülsün will embark on its maiden voyage on a Silk/AE10 service operated with 2M partner Maersk on July 8 from Xingang to northern Europe.

Containership size records have repeatedly been broken in recent years, climbing above the 20,000 teu mark for the first time in 2017. South Korea’s HMM has a series of twelve 23,000 teu ships which will start delivering from the second quarter of 2020 and will likely rival MSC’s record-breakers for size.

Commenting on this week’s big ship delivery, Andy Lane, a Singapore-based container shipping consultant, referred back to the delivery 13 years ago of the Emma Maersk, which back in 2006 was a record-breaking 14,770 teu in capacity. “That ship was three metres shorter than the MSC Gülsün but only featured 21 rows across, and with a single island had a far lower cargo height profile. All things being equal, MSC Gülsün will require an additional four days of port time per rotation compared to Emma Maersk, which might result in either longer transit times or faster steaming,” Lane observed.

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 08, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—How ????

Terminal Experts

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 08, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—43 containers fall overboard as ship battles rough Bay of Bengal.

43 containers fall overboard as ship battles rough Bay of Bengal.

A local cargo ship has lost 43 containers after being caught in bad weather near the Hatia Channel of the Bay of Bengal.

The containers on board the ‘KSL Gladiator’ fell overboard near the Bashanchar area around 8:30 am on Sunday, according to officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, or BIWTA.

The ship was headed to Dhaka’s Pangaon from Chattogram carrying 83 containers when encountered rough seas in Bashanchar and shed the containers, said Mohammad Selim, deputy director of BIWTA in Chattogram.

“The containers were floating towards the shores of Bhashanchar. It has not affected the travels of other ships sailing in the channel.”

The BIWTA official added, “The ship’s authorities have been asked to monitor the movement of the containers. We are also keeping an eye on it.”

The authorities, however, could not provide information on the contents of the containers.

The ‘KSL Gladiator’ of Karim Group’s Karim Shipping Lines, transports cargo both at home and abroad.

News Source - bdnews24

File Photo: Robiul Dewan‎

Join Our Group THE VESSEL FINDER'S JOURNAL, BANGLADESH

The Joy of Ship Spotting

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 08, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Wharfies Organize Waterfront Stoppages at DP World Terminals

Image Courtesy: DP World

Wharfies at DP World’s Brisbane, Sydney, Fremantle and Melbourne container terminals have launched a series of strikes against automation, outsourcing, cuts to income protection insurance and dishonest bargaining, according to the Maritime Union of Australia.

A two day strike began in Brisbane in the morning hours of July 8, the first in a series of 48 to 96 hour work stoppages planned for container terminals run by Australia’s largest stevedore. Sydney and Fremantle workers will strike this Thursday and Friday, and Melbourne will be out from Wednesday until Sunday morning, the MUA informed.

Workers have also imposed a range of indefinite work bans, including bans on upgrades, overtime, and shift extensions. DP World reportedly challenged the rights of the Maritime Union of Australia to use bans in the Fair Work Commission, with a decision pending on Monday.

“This restriction on utilising the legally protected bans has forced workers into strike action as their legal rights to use the bans was effectively removed by the company and FWC,” MUA said.

The industrial action follows the expiry of a three month cease-fire agreement between DP World and the MUA, which saw the company press ahead with an agenda of job cuts and attacks on rights and conditions. Income protection for workers remains a target of the company.

The strikes will proceed after their protected status was confirmed by the FWC on Friday, when the company sought 418 orders to stop workers using strike action. Fair Work Commissioner Paula Spencer dismissed DP World’s application and reaffirmed the legal and protected nature of the strikes, stating that they could continue.

MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said DPW management were also insisting on including provisions in a new workplace agreement that could see waterfront jobs lost to outsourcing and automation.

“This major escalation of industrial action is about sending a clear message to management that the safety, dignity, and job security of wharfies are absolutely non-negotiable,” Smith added.

“We are fully committed to reaching an agreement as quickly as possible, however we will not sell our conditions, compromise our core claims, or undermine industry standards to do it.”

https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/279677/wharfies-organize-waterfront-stoppages-at-dp-world-terminals/

Share this article

0

Follow World Maritime News

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Newsletter
• RSS

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 08, 2019 11:30 AM

Felixstowe Dockers—Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Gary Davies

Gary Davies

@MaritimePhotos 

Freelance photographer providing creative imagery with a nautical twist. I also specialise in 360° panoramas. Naval writer for Ships Monthly magazine.

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 08, 2019 09:00 AM

July 07, 2019

Maritime Union of Australia—National waterfront stoppages as DP World attacks wharfies conditions

Wharfies are striking for 48 hours at DP World’s Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle container terminals, and for 96 hours in Melbourne, to fight against automation, outsourcing, cuts to income protection insurance, and dishonest bargaining by the company which is trying to use change provisions in existing agreements to secure outcomes it cannot bargain into new agreements.

by Mua communications at July 07, 2019 09:18 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—WATCH: China’s Three Biggest Automated Ports

China is the strongest country in the maritime world, boasting six out of the ten busiest ports in the world and close economic connections with the three of the remaining four – Singapore, Busan and Hong Kong.

It is also spending close to US$1 trillion on its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the biggest infrastructure project in history that looks to connect ports and trade hubs from the Pacific to Northern Europe.

As part of its drive towards becoming a trade and commercial powerhouse, China has invested heavily, and continues to do, in automation technology in ports and terminals.

Richard Aguilar, a YouTuber who reports on major technological innovations in China, has published a video in which he explains how the country’s three biggest automated ports are utilizing technologies such as 5G and AI to accelerate growth.

In it, Aguilar shows how the ports of Qingdao, Yangshan and Ningbo-Zhoushan are at the centre of China’s economic growth and future ambitions.

Qingdao, for example, Asia’s first fully-automated port, holds the global operational efficiency record, with each crane handling more than 30 containers per hour, which means it can unload a cargo ship faster than any port in the world.

Being fully-automated, the port can keep working at night, which means it retains its volume throughput levels at all hours, thanks largely to what has become known as the ‘Super Brain’, its large computing system.

Video Credit: Richard Aguilar. See more from his YouTube channel here

https://www.porttechnology.org/news/watch_chinas_three_biggest_automated_ports

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 07, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—We are now ready to offer performance-based contracting with Kalmar OneTerminal.

We are now ready to offer performance-based contracting with Kalmar OneTerminal. Over the last year, Kalmar has been focusing on new business models and ways of innovating in the cargo handling market. "Customers don't just need the machines and software, but a deeper service commitment from Kalmar” says Günter Schmidmeir SVP, Sales and Marketing at Kalmar. Read more from our latest article:

 https://www.kalmarglobal.com/news--insights/2019/20190625_kalmar-offers-performance-based-contracts-for-oneterminal-customers/

Kalmar Global

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 07, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—The article below chronicles a fatal accident that occurred at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium on Monday.

The article below chronicles a fatal accident that occurred at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium on Monday.

In that accident, a worker engaged in container repair activities was run over by a large industrial truck used to move containers throughout the facility.

The relevant Google Translate version of the article (from the original Dutch) is set out here:

"Fatal industrial accident at Antwerp Container Repair: man ends up under heavy forklift

A dramatic industrial accident occurred on Monday afternoon at Antwerp Container Repair (ACR) in the Waasland port. A man ended up under a heavy forklift truck and died on the spot. The public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation. Shortly after the fact, a fellow dock worker became involved in another traffic accident on the E34. The man knew the victim and was possibly overwhelmed by the emotions.

The accident happened at the Antwerp Container Repair (ACR) quay at the Blikken in Verrebroek. The company rents a parcel from Antwerp Euro Terminal (AET) and is engaged in the repair of damaged sea containers and the storage of empty containers. Nothing is known about the precise circumstances, but the victim was run over by a heavy forklift for containers. The fire department, two ambulances and a mosquito team came to the scene. The emergency services undertook another resuscitation attempt, but unfortunately this did not help. The victim died on the spot from his injuries. Some of the man's colleagues were in shock and were taken care of on the spot. The forklift driver, who was handling a container at the time of the accident, was taken to the hospital in shock. The labor prosecutor investigates how the accident could happen. No one was available for comment on Monday at the company."

Ron Signorino

to Longshore Safety

President at The Blueoceana Company, Inc.

Member/Honorary Member at International Longshoremen's Association

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 07, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Heavily laden OOCL Germany arrives to the Port of Felixstowe, planned port side to Berth 9 05/07/19

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKRRePXC8Ht1kPDQzoiaPmA

Deano C

Published on 6 Jul 2019

SUBSCRIBE

Category

People & Blogs

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 07, 2019 11:00 AM

Felixstowe Dockers—Port Of Felixstowe / Harwich Pics By Jeff Welch

All pic credits to Jeff Welch

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 07, 2019 09:00 AM

July 06, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—Eyes on Iran as Britain seizes oil tanker over Syria sanctions

 Kate Holton and Jonathan Saul, Reuters 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Royal Marines seized an oil tanker in Gibraltar on Thursday accused of bringing oil to Syria in violation of EU sanctions, a dramatic step that could escalate confrontation between the West and Iran.

The Grace 1 tanker was impounded in the British territory at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea after sailing around Africa from Middle East.

Shipping data reviewed by Reuters suggests it had been loaded with Iranian oil off the coast of Iran, although its documents say the oil is from neighboring Iraq.

The authorities in Gibraltar made no reference to the source of the oil when they seized it under the authority of European sanctions against Syria that have been in place for years.

But the likelihood that the cargo was Iranian drew a link between the incident and a new U.S. effort to halt all global sales of Iranian crude, which Tehran has described as an illegal "economic war" against it.

European countries have tried stay neutral in that confrontation, which saw the United States call off air strikes against Iran just minutes before impact last month, and Tehran amass stocks of enriched uranium banned under a 2015 nuclear deal.

In a statement, the Gibraltar government said it had reasonable grounds to believe that the Grace 1 was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Baniyas refinery in Syria.

"That refinery is the property of an entity that is subject to European Union sanctions against Syria," Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said. "With my consent, our port and law enforcement agencies sought the assistance of the Royal Marines in carrying out this operation."

"SO PUBLIC, SO AGGRESSIVE"
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed Gibraltar's move, though the incident could also signal some tensions within Europe.

Spain, which challenges British ownership of Gibraltar, said the action was prompted by a U.S. request to Britain and appeared to have taken place in Spanish waters. Britain's Foreign Office did not respond to a request for comment.

While Europe has banned oil shipments to Syria since 2011, it had never seized a tanker at sea.

"This is the first time that the EU has done something so public and so aggressive. I imagine it was also coordinated in some manner with the U.S. given that NATO member forces have been involved," said Matthew Oresman, a partner with law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman who advises firms on sanctions.
"This is likely to have been meant as a signal to Syria and Iran - as well as the U.S. - that Europe takes sanctions enforcement seriously and that the EU can also respond to Iranian brinkmanship related to ongoing nuclear negotiations."

Iran has long been supplying its allies in Syria with oil despite such sanctions. What is new now is U.S. sanctions on Iran itself. They were imposed last year when President Donald Trump pulled out of an agreement that guaranteed Tehran access to world trade in return for curbs on its nuclear program.
Those sanctions have been tightened sharply since May, effectively forcing Iran off of mainstream crude markets, making it desperate for alternative ways to sell oil and more reliant on its tanker fleet to store supplies it cannot sell.

The U.S.-Iranian confrontation has escalated in recent weeks, taking on a military dimension after Washington accused Tehran of attacking tankers in the Gulf and Iran shot down a U.S. drone. Trump ordered air strikes but called them off at the last minute, later saying too many people would have died.

European countries opposed Trump's decision to exit the nuclear deal last year, and they have promised to help Iran find alternative ways to export. But they have so far failed to offer ways to ease the impact of U.S. sanctions in practice.

Iran has said it wants to keep the nuclear deal alive but cannot do so indefinitely unless it receives promised economic benefits. This week it announced it had accumulated more low-enriched uranium than the deal allows, and it says it will refine uranium to a greater purity than permitted from July 7.

By restricting Iran's ability to move oil, U.S. sanctions have choked off Tehran's Syrian allies, causing fuel shortages in government-controlled areas. In May, Syria received its first foreign oil for six months with the arrival of two shipments, one from Iran, a source said at the time.

Earlier this year, Reuters revealed that the Grace 1 supertanker was one of four tankers involved in shipping Iranian fuel oil to Singapore and China, in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Ship mapping records from data firm Refinitiv show that in the latest case the Grace 1 sailed to the Mediterranean around the southern tip of Africa, instead of via Egypt's Suez Canal.

The 300,000-tonne, Panamanian-flagged tanker is registered as being managed by Singapore-based IShips Management Pte Ltd. Reuters was unable to establish contact with them for comment.
It was documented as loading fuel oil in the Iraqi port of Basra in December, though Basra did not list it as being in port and its tracking system was switched off. The tanker then reappeared on tracking maps near Iran's port of Bandar Assalyeh, fully loaded.
Homayoun Falakshahi, Senior Analyst at London-based energy data firm Kpler told Reuters the ship had loaded Iranian crude in mid-April from Iran's export port of Kharg Island.

A maritime intelligence source said the ship may have made the journey around Africa to avoid the Suez Canal, where such a large super-tanker would have had to unload its oil and refill after passing through, exposing its cargo to potential seizure.
(Reporting by Kate Holton and Jonathan Saul in London; Additional reporting by Tom Miles in Geneva, Tom Perry in Beirut and Roslan Khasawneh in Singapore; writing by Mark Heinrich and Peter Graff; editing by Jon Boyle)

Volume 0%

 

iran sanctions iran so far away

https://taskandpurpose.com/iran-oil-tanker-seized

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 06, 2019 09:33 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Maersk: Imagine if a restaurant was like shipping (video)

Maersk published a video on its YouTube channel, in which customers face many and various challenges and difficulties in a nightmare-restaurant. For instance, a couple “enjoys” its dinner outside the restaurant, in the rain, while a man is blindfolded as he pays the bill.

With that way, the Danish shipping giant wants to underline that the current container booking processes are too complicated and totally unfriendly to customer and to introduce its new Maersk Spot.

Maersk: Imagine if a restaurant was like shipping…

https://container-news.com/maersk-imagine-if-a-restaurant-was-like-shipping/

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 06, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Ships in Huge Storm largest Waves in Ocean

World of the wild

Published on 28 Jun 2019

SUBSCRIBE 69K

Subscribe to the channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFgM... TOP 5 TOP 10 The most interesting thing in the world https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Composed by: BrunuhVille Album: Aurora https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEf_x...

Category

Cars & Vehicles

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 06, 2019 04:00 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Passage on ferry STENA GERMANICA, Kiel - Göteborg (Stena Line)

JustFerries

Published on 29 Jun 2019

SUBSCRIBE 9.4K

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 06, 2019 03:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—Fatal Fall: Lack of Conviction About Safety Procedures On Board

Ramp and hatch opening

BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE  

The U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch has released its report into the death of a seafarer on the Cyprus registered ro-ro freight vessel Seatruck Pace saying work practices on board indicated that adherence to the vessel’s safety procedures was based on routine rather than of understanding and conviction. 

The assistant bosun died as a result of a 4.5-meter (15-foot) fall through a vehicle ramp hatch. He was working alone and preparing to paint the leading edge of the open ramp hatch cover. He was found shortly after 0820 on December 17, 2018 on the ramp between the main vehicle deck and the lower hold, having apparently fallen, along with a heavy metal trestle. Several crew heard the sound of the trestle landing, but there were no witnesses.

The assistant bosun was treated at the scene by the ferry’s crew and paramedics and then taken to hospital. He died three days later.

The investigation identified that to fall the man must have crossed a temporary rope barrier on to a narrow section of deck between the ship’s side and the open ramp hatch on which several trailer trestles were stowed. It was not known why he moved into this area; his allocated work did not require him to do so, and he was not wearing fall protection equipment. The investigation also identified:
• Although the risk of falling was apparent, it was accepted by the assistant bosun, who had probably taken similar risks in the past.
• Work practices adopted by other deck ratings during hatch cover maintenance two days earlier indicated that adherence to safety procedures was more a matter of routine and compliance, rather than conviction.

Seatruck Ferries Ltd, the ferry’s manager, has taken actions aimed at preventing similar accidents, ensuring safe systems of work and gauging and improving the safety culture among its crews.

The report is available here.

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/fatal-fall-lack-of-conviction-about-safety-procedures 

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 06, 2019 09:00 AM

July 05, 2019

Felixstowe Dockers—Svitzer at Felixstowe Video

Svitzer Global

SUBSCRIBE

Here is the final cut on the video that we developed for the UK Chamber of Shipping summit held this week. The aim was not to develop a brand video but rather an "objective" video showcasing what we do and the value we deliver to ports, clients and other stakeholders.  

Hope you will enjoy...

 Pic credits Robin Pridmore

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 05, 2019 04:30 PM

Felixstowe Dockers—ScottishPower Renewables celebrates first turbine being installed for East Anglia ONE windfarm

The successful installation of the first East Anglia ONE turbine represents a significant milestone for a project bringing an economic boost to the East of England and wider UK.

Completed on 22 June, installation of the 7MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbine is a major milestone for the windfarm, marking the start of the final phase of the construction process following ten years of work and development.

Located 43km off the Suffolk coast, East Anglia ONE is creating hundreds of jobs for local people within the supply chain as well as harnessing a significant amount of UK content.

All of the turbine components are being pre-assembled and loaded out from Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, following ScottishPower Renewables’ £5million co-investment in the port to prepare it for construction and marshalling activity. The components, consisting of 75-metre fibre glass blades, tower sections and nacelles (the head of the turbine), have been on view along the Great Yarmouth seafront and skyline as the 90 metre-high towers have been constructed and stood on the quayside.

This is the first of 102 turbines being installed for £2.5billion East Anglia ONE windfarm. Demonstrating ScottishPower Renewables’ commitment to spending over 50% of East Anglia ONE’s project investment in the UK, a significant amount of the wind turbine components have been produced in Britain. Each of the 306 fibre glass turbine blades have been manufactured by Siemens Gamesa at its specially built factory in Hull, while some of the towers are being produced in Machrihanish, Scotland, by CSWind UK. The work taking place at Peel Ports is being supported by several local companies and employees.

“The installation of East Anglia ONE’s first turbine is a very important milestone for the project and a huge step forward towards completion of the windfarm,” said Charlie Jordan, East Anglia ONE Project Director for ScottishPower Renewables.

“East Anglia ONE is already providing a significant boost to the local economy with over £70million being committed to date to companies across the East of England* and further opportunities as the project becomes operational. Through the development of East Anglia ONE, we are not only providing cleaner energy but an array of training and job opportunities for this generation and the next.”

Andrew Elmes, East Anglia ONE Senior Project Manager at Siemens Gamesa, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside ScottishPower Renewables again, to manufacture, install and commission the turbines for East Anglia ONE.

“Drawing on our considerable experience in offshore wind power, the maturing of this excellent direct drive product, a UK supply chain and great collaboration between Siemens Gamesa and ScottishPower Renewables will ensure East Anglia ONE delivers reliable clean energy for generations to come.”

Richard Goffin, Port Director Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, said: “It is fantastic to see the investment into offshore renewables being made in our region. With the industry booming, and recent announcements made by the Crown Estate on potential future expansion, Great Yarmouth is at the forefront of the offshore sector, with tremendous potential to grow.

“To date, Peel Ports have invested £12million to extend the outer harbour to supply offshore projects, with further expansion planned. We are proud to support the growth of the sector by providing a platform for projects such as East Anglia ONE.”

Cllr Carl Smith and Cllr Trevor Wainwright, the political group leaders at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, added: “Great Yarmouth is at the forefront of £39billion energy investment over the next 20 years and is fast becoming an epicentre of the rapidly-growing offshore windfarm industry, which is of huge importance to our borough and region.

“The borough council has worked closely with Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, with excellent support from the County Council, to maximise the opportunities for Great Yarmouth across the energy sector. The first turbine being installed at East Anglia ONE is a great opportunity to celebrate the jobs and prosperity being brought to Great Yarmouth with the construction and marshalling being managed from the port.”

Councillor Graham Plant, deputy leader of Norfolk County Council and cabinet member for growing the economy, said: “This new windfarm is a powerful symbol of how we are all working together on a green industrial revolution which will transform Great Yarmouth’s future, boost Norfolk’s economy and play our part in tackling climate change.”

Chris Starkie, Chief Executive of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Never before has the future of energy been so high on the global agenda. Norfolk and Suffolk are one of the world’s busiest and most densely packed energy regions in the world. Having ScottishPower Renewables’ new wind farm East Anglia ONE is an important milestone in growing our clean energy offer.

“The development over the past 10 years have brought new jobs and business growth for local companies. This sector is growing and will help boost our economy which is essential to be competitive in the global market.”

ScottishPower Renewables has also invested £25million in Associated British Ports’ Hamilton Dock, in Lowestoft, with the construction of a start-of-the-art operations and maintenance base. Building work is set to be complete by the end of the year and, once operational, the hub will be a hive of activity with 100 full-time employees managing the day-to-day running and maintenance for East Anglia ONE.

The East Anglia ONE project will see 102 Siemens Gamesa turbines deployed, each with a capacity of 7 megawatts; which could in total provide enough clean energy to power the equivalent of more than 630,000 homes annually**.

East Anglia ONE is the first of four offshore windfarms ScottishPower Renewables is developing in the region. For more information about East Anglia ONE visit: www.spreastanglia.co.uk

To find out more on Great Yarmouth port please click HERE.

To find out more on our offshore capabilities, please click HERE.

https://www.peelports.com/news/2019/scottishpower-renewables-celebrates-first-turbine-being-installed-for-east-anglia-one-windfarm

by Felixstowe Dockers at July 05, 2019 04:00 PM

Footnotes

Info

Last updated:

July 17, 2019 05:00 PM

Powered by:

Export:

• 
• 

Subscriptions

• Felixstowe Dockers
  • Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Robin Pridmore
  • Truck Drivers: How to Drive a Lorry Properly (1965) | British Pathé
  • Port Of Felixstowe From The Past
  • Collision and sinking of m.v. "TRICOLOR" On Dec 14, 2002
  • Rotterdam Introduces the Moselle Express
  • 10 STS Cranes On One Vessel
  • MSC LAUSANNE - IMO 9320398
  • A history of the Port of Felixstowe (Region 2)
  • How Ship’s Engine Works?
  • 10 Largest Ship Graveyards in the World
  • MSC RIFAYA - IMO 9767388
  • IMPORTANT: Meet Natasha and Brendan. They make chocolate at the Cadbury factory in Tasmania
  • Container Ship "MAERSK LOTA" - Berthing "BUENOS AIRES" - LUIGI BOCCHERINI - Musica Notturna delle..
  • Different Parts Of A Ship Explained
  • Those photos are taken at Shanhai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co, Ltd
  • Port Of Felixstowe / Harwich Pics By Jeff Welch
  • Maersk’s one hundred years in the USA
  • Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Robin Pridmore
  • The World's Shortcut: How the Panama Canal Works
  • OOCL KOBE - IMO 9329526
  • MSC HAS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SHARK-FIN CARRIAGE MSC Statement
  • Felixstowe Dockers Blast From The Past
  • Real Life Accident: Ship’s OS Dies Because Of Poor Mooring Practice
  • Experts ABP Humber Handle Cranes Being Exported to Finland
  • CSCL MARS - IMO 9467287
  • MAIDEN VOYAGE COSCO SHIPPING AQUARIUS IMO - 9789623
  • Through a friend situated nearby, we understand that an industrial truck (a large forklift) operator lost his life today at an intermodal container depot located in Kemari (Karachi port), Pakistan.
  • Portugal // António Mariano from SEAL on combating precariousness, building organization and the eternal struggle of capital against unions
  • 40 reasons why we need a dual carriageway Northern Bypass
  • Port Of Felixstowe By John Cooper
  • The largest drugs seizure in Greece: 10 million pills of Captagon hidden in a container at Piraeus Port
  • ANNOUNCING MSC’S ENHANCED BALTIC TO UK EXPRESS SERVICE
  • ABP first UK port operator to adopt women’s personal protective equipment
  • Good Old Fashioned Dock Work
  • APM Terminals Marks Opening Of Second Terminal At Medport Tangier
  • The Dooley Pub Felixstowe - A few Dockers Might Recall This Boozer
  • Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Robin Pridmore
  • Customs officials seize vessel used in record-breaking Philly cocaine bust
  • National waterfront stoppages as DP World attacks wharfies conditions - Brisbane Today
  • Vadero Highlander commences bunkering operations with the heavily laden OOCL Germany. 5th July 2019
  • World’s largest boxship featuring 24 rows across is delivered
  • How ????
  • 43 containers fall overboard as ship battles rough Bay of Bengal.
  • Wharfies Organize Waterfront Stoppages at DP World Terminals
  • Port Of Felixstowe Pics By Gary Davies
  • WATCH: China’s Three Biggest Automated Ports
  • We are now ready to offer performance-based contracting with Kalmar OneTerminal.
  • The article below chronicles a fatal accident that occurred at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium on Monday.
  • Heavily laden OOCL Germany arrives to the Port of Felixstowe, planned port side to Berth 9 05/07/19
  • Port Of Felixstowe / Harwich Pics By Jeff Welch
  • Eyes on Iran as Britain seizes oil tanker over Syria sanctions
  • Maersk: Imagine if a restaurant was like shipping (video)
  • Ships in Huge Storm largest Waves in Ocean
  • Passage on ferry STENA GERMANICA, Kiel - Göteborg (Stena Line)
  • Fatal Fall: Lack of Conviction About Safety Procedures On Board
  • Svitzer at Felixstowe Video
  • ScottishPower Renewables celebrates first turbine being installed for East Anglia ONE windfarm
• International Longshore and Warehouse Union
• Maritime Union of Australia
  • Melbourne: community rally to support striking DP World wharfies
  • Position Vacant: Safety and Training Officer
  • National waterfront stoppages as DP World attacks wharfies conditions
• Maritime Union of New Zealand