Curtas do Bryant´s

Somali Basin – fishing vessel hijacked by pirates

The EU NAVFOR issued a press release stating that the South Korean fishing vessel Golden Wave has been hijacked by pirates in the Somali Basin off the Kenyan coast. (10/17/10).

Indonesia – robbers board crude oil tanker

UK – defence cuts lead to Navy Royal

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced the new Strategic Defence and Security Review, which will result in significant reductions in the armed forces. Among other things, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal will be decommissioned almost immediately. Construction of two new carriers will continue, but one will be immediately mothballed. The surface fleet will be cut from 23 to 19. The number of missile tubes on the Trident submarines will be reduced from twelve to eight. (10/19/10). Note: Because the UK naval arm has not been this small since the reign of Henry VIII, its name will revert to the one in use at that time: the Navy Royal.

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre issued an Incident Alert stating that a crude oil tanker was boarded by robbers as it transited Indonesian waters near Pulau Karimata. The six robbers, armed with long knives, stole cash and personal effects. (10/15/10).

ReCAAP – report for January-September 2010

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre issued its Quarterly Report stating that, during the period January through September 2010 a total of 118 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in the Asian region. There has been an increase in violence associated with these incidents as compared with the same period in 2006-2009. (10/18/10).

USCG – bulk solid hazardous materials

The US Coast Guard issued its final rule relating to carriage of bulk solid hazardous materials. The rule harmonizes US regulations with recent amendments to Chapters VI and VII of the SOLAS Convention that make the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargos (IMSBC) Code mandatory for carriage of bulk solid cargoes other than grain. The rule comes into effect on January 1, 2011. 75 Fed. Reg. 64585 (October 19, 2010).

Singapore – economic sanctions against North Korea

The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) issued a circular summarizing the various economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). These sanctions have been incorporated into Singapore regulations. Shipping Circular 18/2010 (10/14/10).