March-April 2023 – Page 2 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Seattle Port Leaders Pledge Against Human Trafficking

The Port of Seattle in January launched its Port Allies Against Human Trafficking (PAAHT) pledge. During January’s National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the port called on its partners and tenants to raise awareness of the signs and behaviors of human trafficking with their employees. At its Jan. 10 meeting, the Port of Seattle Commission approved a proclamation recognizing January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The port said that the pledge represents the next step in the port’s efforts as a regional leader in anti-human trafficking work—including awareness messaging and trainings—that began in 2018 with Commission passage of the port’s…

The Elephant in the Room at the COP 27 Climate Conference

The agenda of the recent U.N. Climate Conference held in Egypt this past November leaves out a very big emissions source that could prevent meeting the 2050 deadline for a net “Carbon Zero” global economy, and that is transportation. The reason that transportation was left off the agenda is because there is seemingly no solution to a fossil fuel-based transportation sector when accounting for maritime shipping, rail transportation, commercial aviation and long-haul trucking. These four parts of the transportation sector simply cannot be electrified because electrical storage technologies are simply not energy dense enough for large-scale practical applications. Each of…

Winning the Battle Against Rust in the Maritime Industry

Anyone who works with exposed ferrous metal (iron or steel) knows that it’s going to rust, it’s a fact of life and science. Even rock star Neil Young knows: rust never sleeps. All it takes is metal exposure to oxygen, water, or humidity. It’s the enemy of steel and iron, causing damage and deterioration. In the maritime industry, all metal surfaces exposed to salt water and outside moisture need rust remover before any repaint process begins. In the industrial workplace, there are several factors to consider and questions to ask when choosing to remove rust versus replacing metal parts and…

Another Seaport Under Cyber Attack

The Port of Lisbon in Portugal is attacked by LockBit ransomware. Put yourself in this manager’s shoes: It’s Christmas Day. You’re in the middle of the extended family meal of roast turkey with all the fixings. Suddenly, you’re interrupted by an urgent call from your seaport duty officer. She informs you that the website is down, and all the computer screens are showing an alert from a ransomware attacker extorting your port. Operations seem to be okay, but the ransomware alert is threatening. This is essentially the scenario faced by the Port of Lisbon on Dec. 25 last year. The…

Global Piracy Hits Lowest Level in Decades: IMB

The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in mid-January called for efforts to be sustained worldwide as maritime piracy and armed robbery attacks reached their lowest recorded level in almost three decades. The ICC IMB’s annual report recorded 115 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2022—compared to 132 in 2021—with half of them occurring in Southeast Asian waters, particularly in the Singapore Straits, where incidents continue to rise. Perpetrators were successful in gaining access to vessels in 95% of the reported incidents broken down as 107 vessels boarded, two vessels hijacked, five attempted attacks and one vessel fired…

Ocean Network Express Acquiring West Coast Container Terminals

Japan-based shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) on Dec. 27 revealed that it has signed agreements to acquire a 51% stake in two terminal operators—TraPac LLC and Yusen Terminals (YTI), which are both currently held by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.—and a shipping company, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, commonly known as NYK Line. TraPac is a container terminal operator and vessel stevedore that provides container terminal services in Los Angeles and Oakland. YTI is a container terminal operator and vessel stevedore that provides container terminal services in Los Angeles. “These acquisitions are part of the integration of the container shipping businesses…

Container Vessel Catches Fire While Transiting Panama Canal

A containership transiting the Panama Canal in late January caught on fire, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed Jan. 30. The container vessel Cape Kortia, while moving toward the PSA port in the Pacific, reported a fire outbreak in the engine room, the Authority reported. “Due to this incident another vessel was affected,” the Authority said in a statement. “The Cape Kortia remained briefly on its way to the Pacific Access Channel until it (was) removed by the Panama Canal staff.” “These maneuvers occurred during its regular transit window and did not cause delays to vessels transiting the Panama Canal,” the…

IMO Extends West Coast Vessel Lanes, Adopts Whale Protections

Commercial vessels along the California coast are to begin lining up for port entry farther west and away from the continental shelf in an effort to protect endangered whales beginning this summer, NOAA announced Jan. 5. The International Maritime Organization has adopted a proposal by the U.S. to expand the area that ships should avoid to allow more protected space for endangered blue, fin and humpback whales. The proposal is expected to go into effect after the spring. The 13-nautical-mile vessel traffic lane extension means that ships would line up for port entry farther west. It also means that the…

Billion-Dollar Chinese-Owned Seaport Opens in Lagos

In late January, Nigeria opened the new Lekki Deep Sea Port, a billion-dollar Chinese-built port in Lagos, which is expected to ease container traffic congestion and become an African hub for handling cargoes in transit to destinations around the world. The port is 75% owned by the China Harbour Engineering Co. and consumer goods company Tolaram Group. The remaining 25% is shared between the Lagos state government and the Nigerian Ports Authority. While addressing the media during the official commissioning of Lekki Port by Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari on Jan. 23, Du Ruogang, the managing director of port promoter Lekki…

Coast Guard Pursues Civil Penalty for Columbia River AIS Violation

The Coast Guard in late January stated that it’s pursuing a civil penalty with a maximum punishment of $41,000 against a commercial fishing vessel for violating Automated Identification System (AIS) regulations near the mouth of the Columbia River. AIS is a maritime navigation safety communications system adopted by the international community to help save lives and facilitate safe transit of navigable waterways. It automatically transmits vessel information to shore stations, other ships and aircraft. That includes vessel identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status and safety-related information. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River has said that on Dec. 3, 2022, a…