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IMO Secretary-General condemns attacks against international shipping in Red Sea

Arsenio Dominguez underscored that ships must be allowed to trade worldwide unhindered and in accordance with international law when he addressed the United Nations Security Council.

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IMO Secretary-General condemns attacks against international shipping in Red Sea

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez on Thursday (4 January) strongly condemned attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea area, while reiterating the commitment of IMO to protect seafarers, ships and cargoes to ensure the safety and security of global supply chains. 

Addressing the United Nations Security Council during its first open meeting on the continuing attacks against commercial shipping in the area, Mr. Dominguez underscored that ships must be allowed to trade worldwide unhindered and in accordance with international law.  

He highlighted the importance of this vital shipping lane, which records around 15% of international shipping trade. 

“I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the call for de-escalation to ensure safety of our seafarers, freedom of navigation and stability of supply chains,” he said. 

Since the beginning of November 2023, a number of attacks have been launched against commercial vessels in the Red Sea area. While initial target ships were linked to Israel, this is no longer the case. At least 18 shipping companies have already decided to re-route their vessels around South Africa, adding 10 days to the journey, negatively affecting trade and increasing freight rates.  

IMO continues to closely monitor the situation, in collaboration with Member States, partners from the industry and navies. 

Mr. Dominguez commended the work of the members of the Djibouti Code of Conduct (DCoC), which held an Extraordinary Meeting on 18 December to discuss how to deal with increasing threats against international shipping in the Red Sea Area. He encouraged Member States to use it as a forum to ensure communication among all countries in the region.  

In addition, IMO has an EU-funded regional programme for maritime security in the Red Sea area, which aims to develop capacity in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. 

Under this initiative, IMO, INTERPOL, UNODC, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), continue to coordinate actions to promote adequate security and safety standards for maritime, port and land-based law-enforcement authorities across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.  

As a practical measure, Mr. Dominguez encouraged ships to continue sending initial reports when clearing Suez or when crossing boundaries in the Indian Ocean, which is covered under the Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operation Centre and other relevant centres in the region. 

The Red Sea crisis has reportedly caused shipping giants like Maersk to pause transits through the area until further notice and caused bunker fuel demand to increase. 

Manifold Times previously reported CPG Bunkering, a subsidiary of Civitas Partners Group, an investment and private project development group operating in Southern Africa since 2012 on Wednesday noting of a new increase in bunker fuel demand at the ports of Nacala and Maputo following the Red Sea crisis.

Arne Lohmann Rasmussen from Global Risk Management also reportedly said the demand for bunker fuels will increase due to longer voyages and possible higher speed of sailing following the Red Sea crisis. 

Note: The full video of IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez addressing the United Nations Security Council can be viewed here

Related: Maersk pauses all transits through Red Sea until further notice
Related: CPG Bunkering: New increase in bunker fuel demand at Nacala and Maputo following Red Sea crisis
Related: Global Risk Management on Red Sea crisis: Demand for bunker fuels will increase due to longer voyages
Related: MBC: Algoa Bay unable to capture bunkering opportunities from Red Sea crisis

 

Photo credit: International Maritime Organization
Published: 8 January, 2024

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Solomon Islands government joins landowners in compensation claim over 2019 oil spill disaster

Considered the biggest environmental disaster in Solomon Islands’ history, grounding of “MV Solomon Trader” and subsequent oil spill caused environmental devastation at Rennell Island, says government.

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Solomon Islands government joins landowners in compensation claim over 2019 oil spill disaster

The Solomon Islands government last month stated its support to the landowners of Kangava Bay, East Rennell by joining a compensation claim against international companies responsible for a monumental oil spill in February 2019.

Considered the biggest environmental disaster in Solomon Islands’ history, the grounding of Hong-Kong flagged bulk carrier MV Solomon Trader and the subsequent oil spill caused environmental devastation at Rennell Island. 

The vessel reportedly ran aground on 4 February and spilled more than 300 metric tonnes (mt) of heavy fuel oil into the ocean. 

“A first-of-its-kind claim in both collaboration and magnitude, the government and landowners have joined as co-claimants to pursue a group of international companies for environmental and other damages,” the government said in a statement. 

The compensation claim was filed in the High Court in Honiara on 31 January by the landowners of the Kangava Bay Community East Rennell Island and the Attorney General on behalf of the Solomon Islands government.

Acting jointly with the landowners in the matter, the Attorney-General Mr John Muria Jnr will lead the Solomon Islands government in the claim.

“We wish to ensure that companies act within local and international maritime and environmental laws and those that don’t need to be held to account,” said Attorney-General John Muria Jnr.

Solomon Islands Minister of Environment Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology Trevor Mahaga, points out that “while East Rennell is a remote area, its environmental importance cannot be overstated and significant damage was done to this important part of our country and despite the generous clean-up assistance from Australia and New Zealand at the time, the residents continue to be impacted.”

“Neither the Kangava Community nor the Solomon Islands Government have received any assistance or compensation from the parties that are allegedly responsible,” the government added. 

Related: Bunker spill at Solomon Islands continue, more help sent
Related: Bunker spill: “Solomon Trader” beached at Solomon Islands
Related: “Solomon Trader” disaster shows nowhere safe from HFO spills

 

Photo credit: Solomon Islands government
Published: 14 February, 2025

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Fuel leak from Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker “JAG” reported in Türkiye

Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety said the fuel leakage was caused by tanker “JAG”, leading to pollution at Ahırkapı Anchorage Area and sea surface was cleaned by its vessels following that.

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Fuel leak from Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker “JAG” reported in Türkiye

The Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety (KEGM) on Tuesday (11 February) reported a fuel leakage at Ahırkapı Anchorage Area.

KEGM said the fuel leakage was caused by Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker JAG, leading to pollution in the area. It did not specify how much fuel leaked from the vessel. 

Several media outlets have reported that the incident occurred during a bunkering operation at the anchorage involving JAG and oil products tanker Gokdeniz

In response to the incident, KEGM deployed two vessels, KEGM-3 and KEGM-4, its environmental barge and a tugboat accompanied by its Rescue Specialist. 

“The sea surface was cleaned after the work carried out by our teams,” it said.

 

Photo credit: Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety
Published: 13 February, 2025

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Singapore: Bunker spill leads to checks on all fuel pipes at other Police Coast Guard bases

Police said fuel pipes at the other three bases at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul are also being checked with inspections expected to be wrapped up on 10 February.

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RESIZED bunker tanker singapore

The recent oil leak incident at Police Coast Guard (PCG) Brani Regional Base has prompted checks on all fuel pipes at PCG’s three other bases for leaks, according to The Straits Times on Monday (10 February). 

Responding to queries from the local news provider, the police said all fuel pipes at Brani Regional Base were inspected on 6 February while fuel pipes at the other three bases at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul are also being checked with inspections expected to be wrapped up on 10 February. 

The police also said that a preliminary assessment on the cause of the leak might be due to micro cracks in a damaged fuel pipe as a result of repeated twisting of the pipe due to the movement of the pontoons caused by tidal changes.

On 6 February, Singapore authorities confirmed that a diesel oil leak was discovered at the Brani Regional Base on 5 February, at around 11.40am (Singapore Time). 

According to a joint statement by Singapore Police Force, Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and National Environment Agency (NEA), about 23 metric tonnes had leaked from a damaged shore fuel hose used to refuel patrol craft at Selat Sengkir. 

The leak was eventually isolated at about 3.40pm and there were no oil slicks observed.

Related: Singapore confirms bunker spill from damaged shore fuel hose at Brani Regional Base

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 11 February, 2025

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