Greenwich Maritime Institute – Page 10 – Greenwich Maritime Centre

Greenwich Maritime Institute Open Day

We are pleased to announce that staff of the Greenwich Maritime Institute (GMI) will be available at the Univeristy of Greenwich Open Day on Saturday 23rd February 2013 to discuss the following:

• The Importance of the Sea
• GMI Taught Masters Programmes: Maritime History; International Maritime Policy; Maritime Security; Short Courses
• GMI Research: Staff research projects and Mphil/PhD research
• Networking and Employability

If you are passionate about the sea and interested in finding out more about the GMI, we would love for you to come along to Greenwich and have a chat with us at our stand. All you have to do is register and we will see you on the day!.

We will also be available for online chat from 10am – 3pm GMT on Saturday 23rd February 2013 via the instant message facility on our facebook page:

If you are unable to attend one of the planned open days then we would also be very happy to make an individual appointment to come and meet with staff and students at other times.

Maritime Law Seminar on Chartering Tankers at Difficult Times

‘Chartering tankers at difficult times: description and the Waller Test’

25th February 2013, 18:00, City Univeristy London

The speaker, Filippo Lorenzon, is one of the most prominent names of the current maritime circle. He is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law at the Univeristy of Southampton and has been Director of tyhe Institute of Maritime Law since March 2010. He is an editor of ‘Shawcross and Beaumont on Air Law’ and he is a member of the following organisations: ICC (UK) Committee on Transport and Logistics; the Italian Maritime Law Association (AIDiM); the British Maritime Law Association (BMLA); the European Maritime Law Organisation (EMLO) and the International Bar Association (IBA).

His recent publications include:

Lorenzon, Filippo and Coles, Richard (eds.) (2012) The law of yachts and yachting, Zug, CH, Informa (Maritime Transport Library)
Lorenzon, Filippo; Baatz, Yvonne and Nicoll, Chris (eds.) (2011) Sassoon on CIF and FOB Contracts, Andover, GB, Sweet & Maxwell British Shipping Laws). (In Press).

Location: Room DLG08, Social Science Building, City University London, Whiskin Street, EC1R oJD

The seminars are free to attend and everyone interested is welcome to attend.

The London Universities Maritime Law and Policy Research Group (LUMLP) is a non-profit making collaborative network of London academic institutions with research interests in Maritime Law and Policy, to discuss, disseminate and develop research in Maritime Law and Policy. LUMLP members are drawn from a wide range of academic and research institutions, professional groups, commercial organisations and individuals sharing a common interest in maritime law and policy. The Directorate includes representatives from City University London, London Metropolitan University and the Greenwich Maritime Institute (University of Greenwich).

The Role of Classification Societies in the Maritime Regulatory System

Classification societies are maritime organisations that make and verify standards for the construction and operation of sea-going vessels and off shore rigs. Their genesis can be traced back to the 1700s when maritime insurers wanted to ascertain whether the ships they were underwriting were sound or not. Edward Lloyd established the first register of shipping in 1764 to satisfy the businessmen’s need.

The Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, as Edward Lloyd’s establishment was called, rated the construction and condition of a ship’s hull by conferring the grade A, E, I, O or U. – and graded equipment as G, M, or B – good, middling or bad. Hence, any vessel that received AG was thought to be in an excellent state to ply on sea. Today’s system is different: vessels are either in class or out of class (IACS, 2012).

As the classification systems developed and spread in the nineteenth century, their function changed from merely classifying to setting standards. Currently, there are well over 50 classification societies operating worldwide, some eminent, others obscure. The largest one in term of tonnage is the International Association of Classification Society (IACS). It has more than 90% of global tonnage. To date, it has thirteen affiliated members worldwide.

Classification societies’ cardinal business is to heighten safety of life and property offshore. Ideally, this role starts well before a vessel is built. The business person wishing to construct a ship selects a society, which authorizes the standards to which the new building should be constructed and supervises all facets of the construction, eventually ‘grading’ it before it sets sail. Thereafter, the society inspects it at regular intervals to make certain that it is seaworthy and ‘fit for purpose’. Indeed, classification societies are the hub of technical expertise in the shipping industry.

Unquestionably, a ship that meets internationally accepted standards gets classified quite easily by a reputable classification society. The reverse is true for a substandard ship. In fact, the owner of such a ship tends to stay clear of high quality classification societies – and this often dictates the type or cost of insurance he gets.

The requirements on which classifications are based are derived from a number major of sources, namely:
• National and regional requirements (i.e., EU regulations and directives)
• International/IMO statutory agreements (i.e., SOLAS and MARPOL)
• Rules created by classification societies
This latter category has given rise to ‘class hopping’ by ship owners and flag states. It has also given rise to an intense competition among classification societies (in much the same manner flag states compete).

It is worth noting that these societies do not cover how ships are being operated. This is intended, one may rightly argue, to discourage liability lawsuits.

An increasing number of flag states are engaging classification societies to inspect and certify ships in their fleets. This is particularly true in respect to tonnage measurement and load lines, the transportation of dangerous substances, SOLAS, MARPOL, among other key IMO guidelines. And this is proving to be a major source of income for these non-governmental – ‘non-profit’ organizations.
Insurance companies, flag states and governments continue to use the services provided by classification societies. However, we have to mention that the societies themselves do not have legal power of enforcement.

Gola Traub, MA International Maritime Policy Student

Train, boat or plane?

As the United Kingdom struggles and overreacts to cope with a few inches of snow, the relative resilience of land, sea and air transport has been put to the test.

On Sunday morning four Eurostar trains were cancelled and there were delays of about half-an hour on all the remaining services as the unfamiliar white stuff forced the 21st-century trains to go more slowly.
At least 300 flights from London’s Heathrow airport, more than a fifth, were cancelled as more snow fell in London. The disruption was set to continue into Monday as Heathrow’s management said it would reduce its capacity by ten percent – about 130 fewer flights.

And the ferries? Channel and North Sea ferry crossings were ‘unaffected’. In the far north, there were warnings of possible disruption to some Scottish ferry sailings off the west and north coasts of mainland Scotland, ‘due to adverse weather conditions’, but as of 10.00 hrs on Monday 21 January, no disruption has been reported.

Well, we’ve been trying to operate planes in snow and ice for about a hundred years, trains for 170 and ships for …perhaps 2,000 out of the 5,000 they have been in existence. When it snows, it clearly shows!

Chris Bellamy.

Public Seminar – The Legacy of the Thames Tideway Tunnel

The next GMI Research Seminar of the 2012/13 series will take place at 6pm on Wednesday 23rd January 2013.

‘Maximising the Legacy of the Thames Tideway Tunnel’ will be presented by Phil Stride, Head of Thames Tideway Tunnel at Thames Water.

The River Thames has become an environmental and public health hazard with untreated sewage regularly overflowing into it from London’s Victorian sewerage system. Built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette over 150 years ago, for a population of four million, this network of sewers still works today but is at capacity, unable to cope with the demands of a population that has now exceeded eight million. The Thames Tideway Tunnel will, if given approval, greatly reduce the amount of untreated sewage currently discharging into the tidal River Thames.

In addition to a cleaner, healthier river, the Thames Tideway Tunnel will secure long term benefits to the capital; providing a river fit for modern day London, whilst attracting business and tourism alike. The creation of 9,350 jobs will support local businesses and communities and create a training and skills legacy that will help inspire a new generation of engineers. In building the tunnel, new permanent public spaces along the river will add to the vitality of London.

For a map and a copy of the full seminar programme please see our website: http://www2.gre.ac.uk/about/schools/gmi/about/events/seminars

Location: Room 075, Queen Anne Court, University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London, SE10 9LS

Time: Tea and coffee will be available from 5.30pm, the seminar will begin at 6pm and a glass of wine will follow.

The GMI Research Seminars are open to everyone, they are free and no booking is required.

The Ancient Skill of Parbuckling or How to Re-float the Costa Concordia

Definition

1. A rope sling for rolling cylindrical objects up or down an inclined plane.

2. A sling for raising or lowering an object vertically.

tr.v. par·buck·led, par·buck·ling, par·buck·les

To raise or lower with such a sling.

Adaptation

To see the concept adapted for the Costa Concordia, click on this link:

http://www.theparbucklingproject.com/

then click on each sketch for more information. There’s even something about the environmental issues.

Implementation

Keep your fingers crossed!!

Dr Terry Lilley

GMI Interviews Women in the Fishing Industry

Researchers from the Greenwich Maritime Institute, Dr Minghua Zhao and Esther Copete, spent two weeks in Belgium and the Netherlands during August 2012, conducting fieldwork which investigates women’s role and contribution to fisheries in the EU. The research is part of a three-year, €4.6 million project, Geography of Inshore Fishing and Sustainability (GIFS), funded by Interreg Iva 2 Seas.

During the fieldwork the researchers had the opportunity to meet the president of the Women in Fisheries Network in the Netherlands who spoke about their activities and their concerns about the industry’s future.

More than 20 interviews were conducted in selected fishing communities in the two countries. In Breskens the team had the opportunity to interview three fisher wives who spoke about their lives and answered questions related to the components of social cohesion. They expressed their views on the women’s roles in their communities and their main concerns regarding their husbands’ jobs, providing the researchers with an insight into the community’s views of the fishing sector.

The researchers also had the opportunity to interview the female Sales Manager of a Breskens-based company supplying fish to wholesalers and retailers across Europe. They also met and talked to the only local fisherwoman in the history of Breskens and her family members who have continued with the business.

The School of Fishing is located in Vlissingen and several students were interviewed as well as their partners. This provided the team with an idea of the younger generation’s view of and level of confidence in the sector.

The GMI research team received strong support from the local partners in both countries. They would like to take this opportunity to register their most sincere thanks.

More information about the work of GIFS can be found on their website www.gifsproject.eu

Dr Minghua Zhao

Public Seminar – African Piracy: Is the Medicine Working?

The next GMI Seminar of the 2012-13 series will be taking place on Wednesday 7th November 2012 at 6pm in Room 075, Queen Anne Court. http://www2.gre.ac.uk/about/travel/greenwich

African Piracy: Is the medicine working?

In this seminar, guest presenter Ian Millen will address the current status and trends in both Somali and Gulf of Guinea maritime crime; the different models, the approaches used to mitigate the risk and the possible future outcomes. He will contrast the various types of crime practised either side of the African continent and look at how the risk is treated by regional and international actors. His talk will focus on the operational aspects of Somali piracy and Gulf of Guinea maritime crime, outlining the complexity of tackling the problem from the perspective of a commercial intelligence company.

Cdr Ian Millen RN (retired) is the current Director of Intelligence at Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd – a market leading commercial intelligence company that helps seafarers quantify and mitigate the risks posed by piracy and other waterborne crime. Ian has over 30 years’ of experience in the direction and conduct of national and multi-national intelligence operations. From strategic analysis, supporting policy and capability development, to direct operational support Ian draws upon a significant amount of intelligence experience and regional knowledge. After a 30 year career in the RN, Ian spent 4 years in the UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) where he was responsible for the development of information and intelligence systems. The combined experience of maritime intelligence and organised criminality made him a natural choice to lead Dryad’s intelligence effort in support of its wide shipping client base. Ian is a regular contributor to Lloyds List and other maritime publications.

Everyone is welcome to attend, the seminar will begin at 6pm, it is free to attend and no booking is required. Tea and coffee will be available from 5.30pm and a glass of wine afterwards.

http://www2.gre.ac.uk/about/schools/gmi/about/events/seminars

The GMI Seminar Series is sponsored by the Zhonghui Maritime Education Fund.

New Professor of Public International Law Joins University of Greenwich

A specialist in international security and maritime affairs, Steven Haines, has been appointed as the inaugural Professor of Public International Law. A former serving naval officer and member of the Central Policy Staff in the Ministry of Defence, his academic interests include international law relating to oceans and maritime affairs, as well as the use of force and the conduct of military and security operations.

Steven’s new post is based in the splendid historic setting of Sir Christopher Wren’s former Greenwich Hospital. Now home to the university’s Greenwich Campus, it previously housed the Royal Naval Staff College where Steven studied in both 1979 and 1993. “I really feel I am coming home” says Steven, “especially as my office is two doors down the corridor from what was my cabin in 1979!

“I am delighted to be in Greenwich because the university’s plans for developing postgraduate teaching and research provide a rare and genuinely exciting opportunity for us really to develop a distinctive identity for the Law School. It is a wonderful privilege to be a part of this.”

Most recently, Steven has been working as an academic international lawyer in Geneva, for the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and as an adjunct member of the Faculty at the Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.

He has just been appointed a Visiting Fellow of the University of Oxford’s Changing Character of War Programme and has also held academic posts at Royal Holloway College, University of London; St Antony’s College, Oxford; and Cranfield University. Recent publications include two contributions to International Law and the Classification of Conflicts published by OUP in August (edited by Elizabeth Wilmshurst). Currently, Steven is writing the commentary on maritime aspects of the Geneva Convention for a major OUP publication, and drafting international guidelines for the protection of education during armed conflicts.

Steven will also contribute to the School’s research interest in maritime law, working closely with colleagues in the university’s Greenwich Maritime Institute.

Story by Public Relations, University of Greenwich

Projecting Power from the Sea

At the beginning of the academic year 2012/2013, the GMI has started a new Masters programme. The MSc Maritime Security is the first course of its kind worldwide and offers insights into security aspects in the maritime world that are becoming more and more important.

Part of the new programme is a four-day field trip to the shores of Normandy where the projection of power from the sea became visible to the world on 6 June 1944. In the early hours of D-Day, soldiers from the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada were transported in a huge number of landing crafts, along with their equipment and the necessary vehicles.

Another important part of Operation Neptune, as the landing operation itself was codenamed, were naval bombardments of the coastal defences, set up by the German military. Even though almost 70 years have gone by, many remnants can still be seen along the Normandy coastline. Together with Peter Caddick-Adams, military historian and lecturer at the UK Defence Academy at Shrivenham, the GMI group discovered the challenges for the allied operations and the possible extent of landing operations.

One of the most interesting sights the group visited were the remains of an artificial port in the town of Arromanches. Known by its codename Mulberry it played an important role in supplying the allies with the necessary equipment during the first months of their campaign. Within only a few weeks, a port the size of Dover was constructed from parts, brought in place by tug boats over the Channel.

Although it seems unlikely that landing operations of a similar scale will be conducted again in the future, the Normandy trip provided many insights into the challenges of any such operation. Different ways to support military operations from the sea, the implications of sea and weather conditions on the whole campaign and many related aspects were discussed in great detail.

Dirk Siebels, PhD Student