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Piracy – a threat to seafarers
and world trade 
Although piracy seems to show a downward trend with 205 attacks reported globally in the first nine months this year compared to 251 attacks in the same period last year, there has been a significant rise in attacks in one hot spot. Since the 15th of March, 32 attacks by pirates off the Somali coast have been reported to the International Maritime Bureau, the IMB.
Shipping must offer flexibility
in LPG market
Mild weather and high LPG prices appear to have put a lid on any extra demand for the time being. LPG FOB prices began to increase in late summer, reaching a high in early October at USD 592 for butane and USD 585 for propane before easing-off a bit to below USD 550 in the face of faltering demand.
Danish ports adjusting
to the security code
The Danish Ministry of Transport is about to make the security around a number of Danish ports much more lax than at present, and still have these ports rated as safe and secure.
The new way of conducting the security measures comes one year after the magic date 1st of July 2004. In the meantime, the association called Danish Port and the Ministry of Transport via Kystdirektoratet as the competent authority have been negotiating to ease the burden of the smaller ports in particular with few international calls per year.
Marita Scott.
Wista appointed new president
Marita Scott, partner in NorthEgde Risk Services, was elected new president of Wista, at its annual meeting in Hamburg on the first of November. She has been one of the driving personalities behind Wista Norway, which has regular gatherings in Oslo and Bergen. Since 2003 she has been the president of Wista Norway.
A turn-key solution
for shipboard health care
Historically, health care for seafarers serving on vessels on the high seas has been an issue not always given the highest priority. An increasing focus on work environment and personal safety issues, not least from unions and shipping organisations, has however made both shipowners and managers more aware and crew welfare and health care have been given a higher priority.
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 Röda Bolaget’s Voith-Schneider tug “Bob” in action in its homeport Göteborg. A new one is due at the end of the year. Photo: Bent Mikkelsen
More escort tug services
in the future
Escort tugs will be around in much larger numbers in the future. This statement can be heard all over when asked about future safety precautions for operating tankers in narrow waters. Even today, a couple of Norwegian oil and gas terminals have rules including a compulsory use of escorts tugs. The same goes for Göteborg and Brofjorden in Sweden, and such rules are expected for the terminal at Stenungsund as well sometime in the near future.
Fatigue behind many
accidents at sea
Fatigue is an increasing cause for accidents at sea. Director Leif Nordlund of Alandia Marine thinks that a dialogue between owners and insurance companies is important for turning this development.
There are several studies showing that there is an increased risk for accidents in connection with night work. The work of a deck officer on a ship includes highly irregular work hours.
Maritime round table updates
flag performance ranking
The round table of shipping associations (Bimco, Intercargo, ICS/ISF and Intertanko) have updated their Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table. The table covers around 100 flag states and shows their performance based on 18 indicators covering aspects such as port state control performance, non-ratification of international conventions, acceptance of non-IACS classification societies, the fleet’s average age, reports and attendance at IMO meetings.
 Out of the Baltic with a cargo of crudeoil and with a Danish pilot. “Romea Champion”, 159,999 DWT, is owned by Sovcomflot. Photo: Bent Mikkelsen
Pilot or no pilot in Danish waters
The issue of compulsory pilots for Danish waters has been debated for years. The vulnerable waterways between the islands connecting the Baltic and the North Sea have been the concern of politicians, authorities and shipowners for years. Especially during these last years, when the amount of oil exports coming from Russian ports has reached a high level.
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2005
