Dark ships are vessels that have turned off or disabled their AIS (Automatic Identification Systems). As a result, they are not normally visible to satellites/ public monitoring systems, although they are still visible on radar. The practice of switching off AIS... Read more >
Whilst all eyes in the UK are on Boris Johnson’s recent announcement to bring forward the ban on sales of diesel and petrol vehicles to 2030, ship owners will be taking note of recent IMO proposals to amend the MARPOL Convention. These changes would force ship owners... Read more >
Cargo liquefaction can have serious and deadly consequences. One needs to look no further than the tragic and sudden capsize of the Bulk Jupiter in January 2015. The vessel had loaded bauxite ore in Malaysia for ports in China and all but one of the crew members... Read more >
The upcoming MARPOL Annex VI requirements as of 1 January 2020 are expected to create a number of operational, technical, financial and legal challenges for Owners and Charterers. From 1 January 2020 (the “Effective Date”) vessels not fitted with scrubbers will no... Read more >
The IMO reckons that ships produce about 3% of global CO2 emissions, hence the move to reduce the current cap on sulphur emissions from 3.5% (in effect from 1 January 2012) to 0.5% as of 2020. In addition to this, European shipping activities will come under the EU’s... Read more >