PANELS
- Home
- Events & Panels
- Regional Panels
- Asian Panel
Asian Regional Panel Report Oct 2016 Tokyo
21 October 2016
Click here to download the Asian Regional Panel Report Oct 2016 Tokyo
Meeting Report
from
INTERTANKO’s Asian Panel
Tokyo, 12 October 2016
INTERTANKO’s Asian Panel meeting held in Tokyo on 12th October 2016 was conducted in accordance with INTERTANKO’s Anti-trust and Competition Law Compliance Guidelines.
The meeting was Chaired by Mr. Kenneth Koo of the TCC Group. A list of attendees is provided in the Annex.
Regional Issues, Asia-Pacific
Liaison with Regulatory authorities in Asia
The Panel agreed that a greater degree of communication and dialogue between INTERTANKO and the regional and national regulatory agencies in Asia would assist the Panel in dealing with many of its regional issues. In order to achieve this greater communication the Panel agreed that members in each country should be encouraged to assist and provide guidance on establishing and developing communications with the relevant authorities in their home countries.
It was recognised that this would also provide a vehicle for members as well as Panels and Committees of INTERTANKO to be able to communicate with the relevant authorities on current and emerging issues in Asia.
Navigational Safety in China
Consideration was given to the progress of matters addressed in INTERTANKO’s Discussion Paper on Safety of Navigation in China. Following the dialogue between the Asian Panel and the China MSA at the Panel’s last meeting in Shanghai, the China MSA had requested some additional details to be able to assist INTERTANKO in dealing with the issues in the Discussion Paper.
Panel members added the following matters which the secretariat was requested to follow up on:
- The issuance of fake certificates for the delivery of waste oil to comply with the China Oil Pollution Regulation and the mandatory delivery of oily waste before departure in Chinese ports. Such certificates were issued when there was no waste to discharge. The issuance of these certificates could impact a vessel’s Oil Record Book.
- Phantom collision claims continue to occur and need to remain as an item in the China Discussion Paper.
- Noting the desire for the China MSA to receive more detailed information, a structured approach was desired by members in order to gather information from their vessels. In this respect, the secretariat was invited to draw up a standardised reporting form for near miss incidents in Chinese coastal waters. The form could be expanded to include items relevant to the China Discussion Paper such as outdated and inaccurate hydrographic information. The latter should also take into account INTERTANKO’s Terminal Vetting Database reporting platform and the likelihood of the TVD containing useful information on Chinese ports and terminals.
On the issue of pilotage in China as reflected in the China Discussion Paper, some members advised that they have implemented a system for taking Shanghai pilots on their vessels for single voyages. This assisted with future communications between the bridge team and the Chinese pilots.
The good communication established by INTERTANKO with the China MSA since the Panel’s previous meeting had also allowed information and clarifications to be gained on the China Domestic Emissions Control Area. Further dialogue between INTERTANKO and the China MSA was encouraged and the Chairman agreed to work with the secretariat in order to secure a meeting with the new head of the China MSA in Beijing in the new year.
The current draft of the China Discussion Paper is available on the Asian Panel section of INTERTANKO’s website.
Navigational Safety in Japan
The Panel noted that since its last meeting the Chairman and secretariat had engaged the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) on matters contained in the Japan Discussion Paper. Furthermore, during the preparations for the meeting with the JCG the secretariat had received additional input and guidance from members in Japan on the subjects raised in the Discussion Paper. As a consequence of this, the Panel were invited to review the Paper in more detail at the meeting and to note the comments received to date from members based in Japan. After briefly reviewing the paper the Panel agreed with the following proposed way forward:
- To circulate the Discussion Paper once more to members in Japan to solicit any final comments and recommendations.
- Revise the Discussion Paper based on this feedback and any guidance on the correct authority to communicate with on the topics in the paper.
- Work with the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) in initiating contact with the relevant authority identified in the Discussion Paper in order to commence work in addressing the matters raised.
The Panel also considered the increasingly common occurrence for instructions for fully laden vessels to drift outside port limits at various ports around Japan. Some vessels are being instructed to drift for up to 20 days. One solution proposed was to designate ‘drifting’ areas and have these marked on hydrographic charts. However, there was some concern raised by members that this would create another problem by concentrating the drifting vessels in one area which could actually lead to an increase in the risk of collisions.
The current draft of the Japan Discussion Paper is available on the Asian Panel section of INTERTANKO’s website.
36hr limitation for tankers in Singapore port waters
The Panel considered the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority’s (MPA) proposal to instruct tankers to leave port upon expiry of a 36-hour idle period (anchored without a valid reason), or alternatively, impose a monetary penalty for vessels that stay beyond this period.
There was no strong feeling against the proposal expressed by the members. However, it was felt that the increase in tankers waiting in or near Singapore port limits were for commercial reasons where charterers, predominantly traders, required vessels to proceed to Singapore and wait for orders. From a practical perspective, it was noted that there were options close to Singapore to safely and legitimately anchor tankers, for example, within the port limits of Port Dickson.
Cooperative Mechanism (Straits of Malacca and Singapore - SOMS)
The Panel was advised of the continuing desire by the Government of Indonesia to implement a mandatory deep water pilotage scheme for vessels transiting the Indonesian sections of the Traffic Separation Scheme. At present this still remains informally voluntary but there was some discussion at the recent Cooperation Forum meeting held in Yogyakarta relating to a possible submission to the IMO to formalise the recommendation by way of an IMO Recommendation.
Further information was provided to the Panel on proposals put forward by Indonesia and Malaysia to designate parts of the SOMS as either PSSAs or Special Areas. With no formal proposal for Associated Protective Measures as yet developed, the Panel agreed to a watching brief for the secretariat on this as well as the pilotage proposals as summarised above.
Security in Asia
The Panel was provided with an update on the piracy and armed robbery situation in Asia and noted that in general terms there had been a marked decrease in piracy attacks and armed robbery in 2016 compared to the same period in 2015.
The improvement in the situation has been attributed to:
- efforts by the shipping industry;
- more joint patrols by the littoral States, and;
- the work of ReCAAP ISC and its network of focal points.
There has also been a shift in the nature of attacks. Seafarers were abducted in 7 separate incidents between March and September 2016, with the attacks occurring mainly on tug boats in the waters off Eastern Sabah and Southwest Philippines.
Members agreed that there has been an overall improvement in the situation in Asia and also shared their concerns with regards to the crew abduction cases in the Sulu Sea area, particularly if the matter should escalate as it did so in the Gulf of Aden. It was agreed that members should be encouraged to report to the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) and to the Philippine Coast Guard when transiting that area.
Members also provided examples of incidents of armed robbery on ships in Kandla, India, where it is believed that such incidents were now becoming more frequent.
Some members advised that they were struggling to convince their Masters to report to the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) in Singapore as the Masters felt there was little information received in return from the IFC. This was particularly in the event that incidents were occurring close to member vessels but no alert is being issued by the IFC to vessels in the immediate vicinity.
In exchanging information on best practice when transiting areas with higher cases of incidents reported, it was noted that members are developing their own High Risk Areas based on their own vessel risk assessments. However, some charterers are now requesting members to provide a list of self-protection measures implemented on their vessels which were above and beyond those recommended in the BMP and the Regional Guide.
With regards to the application of the Regional Guide in Southeast Asia and while the vast majority of incidents reported to date have so far been confined to small tankers, tugs and barges, some members commented that we cannot discount the possibility of these attacks escalating to include large laden tankers. This would be particularly so in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore and the Nipa Anchorage. It was suggested that regional Governmental attention should be drawn to issues associated with large tankers especially in light of (1) confined and congested navigation routes; (2) multiple load and discharge ports in close geographical proximity; (3) terminal’s objections on cargo operations onboard security hardened vessels; and (4) utilization of Citadels.
The Secretariat’s report on Security in Asia is available on the INTERTANKO website.
Port State Control in Asia
Members in Asia and within other INTERTANKO Panels continue to raise concerns relating to port State control in Asia. The Tokyo MoU secretariat had kindly provided a presentation on statistics for tankers in the Tokyo MoU region which Panel members agreed should be circulated to all members. As the statistics were quantitative in nature the secretariat was requested to ask for more qualitative information about the deficiencies and detentions from the Tokyo MoU.
China Domestic Emission Control Area (ECA)
The Panel were provided with a detailed presentation on the implementation of the China Domestic Emissions Control Area (ECA). Panel members shared their experiences in complying with ECA requirements world-wide. The following matters were raised and considered:
- In regards to reports that the German River Police have been testing fuel from the service tanks the Panel were advised that the practice of taking samples from the fuel service tanks should be refused by the Master and Chief Engineer. Fuel in the service tanks is not representative of the fuel being used. There are proposals under consideration by the IMO which aim to amend MARPOL Annex VI to ensure the correct sampling procedures are carried out by all port States.
- It was noted that the fuel changeover procedures need to be carefully considered and that a well-documented vessel specific procedure and log should be implemented on members vessels to ensure that both the changeover is fully completed prior to entry into the ECA as well as to demonstrate to any enforcement agency that the changeover has been correctly undertaken as per the vessel’s specific fuel system. This would also assist owners when they are required to demonstrate to their charterers why such a long changeover period is required for certain vessels.
- Additionally, the Panel were advised that a number of class societies, engine manufacturers and testing laboratories had issued very comprehensive fuel changeover guides. OCIMF and INTERTANKO have issued advice on fuel changeovers but this focused only on the identification of hazards associated with the changeover procedure. A list of useful guides would be circulated to the Panel members following the meeting.
The Secretariat’s report on China Domestic Emission Control Area (ECA) is available on the INTERTANKO website.
International Issues
The Panel was provided with a report on INTERTANKO’s key issues by Katharina Stanzel. More detailed reports on ballast water management, greenhouse gas emissions, fuel quality and air pollution were also provided by the secretariat. All presentations are provided on the INTERTANKO website.
Ballast Water Management
On ballast water management, Panel members raised questions relating to: the de-harmonisation of the IOPPC surveys with other statutory surveys and certificates; the differences between the USCG type approval requirements and the new IMO type approval guidelines, G8, and; the ability for ship yards in Japan to meet the demand to retrofit ships with ballast water systems after entry into force of the Ballast Convention. In regards to the latter point, the Panel were advised by class society representatives present that most Japanese yards had previously focused on new build installations and allowing retrofitting work to be undertaken at other yards (outside of Japan).
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV)
Panel members echoed the concerns raised in the Secretariat’s presentation about the usefulness of the EEOI for comparing efficiency performances and emissions between vessel. It was noted that the EEOI was relatively ineffective as a measurement and benchmarking tool.
Oil Terminals Conditions of Use Letters
As a follow up from the last meeting, the Panel were advised that INTERTANKO’s safety and Technical Committee (ISTEC) is drafting a standard response for Masters to use when they are asked to sign Condition of Use (CoU) letters that exonerate the terminals from all responsibility. INTERTANKO through its Documentary Committee will also look into drafting a charter party clause which can allow shipowners to seek indemnity from the charterers and will seek acceptance of such a clause by P&I Clubs. The Panel was invited to provide feedback by way of examples of such letters and advised that all feedback and examples will be kept anonymous.
Pertinent Issues from other INTERTANKO Committees and Panels
Having noted that the Chairmen of INTERTANKO’s Panels and Committees had met in May 2016 and that they had agreed there was a need to improve the communication and coordination between Panels and Committees, the Panel supported the proposal to exchange information on pertinent and relevant issues at its meetings. It was also noted that this was already being done to a certain degree as the Hellenic Mediterranean Panel had expressed an interest in the Asian Panel’s work on Asian port State control issues while the Nautical Sub-Committee had been assisting the Asian Panel with the two safety of navigation Discussion Papers.
Date and Place of Next Meeting
The Panel agreed to hold its next meeting in Singapore in April 2017. The secretariat would revert with a specific date after the meeting.
Any other business
Panel members raised the following additional matters:
- It was commented that cyber security continues to be an area of interest for members. As such it was noted that the Round Table had issued Cyber Security Guidelines earlier in 2016. Furthermore, that INTERTANKO would be covering cyber security during a Gas and Marine Seminar due to be held on 20th October in Singapore.
- Australia has implemented a new Australian Biosecurity Act which covers both ballast water and biofouling. However, members were still unclear as to what exactly was being required by ships under these new regulations. Members had been advised of the implementation of the Biosecurity Act in a Weekly News article in June 2016 but the secretariat was requested to look into the issue and provide guidance to members on precisely what they were being required to do by the regulations.
- Members agreed that it would be useful to introduce a web-based Q&A platform for members attending such Panel meetings to submit questions and comments. Such a platform which can be accessed using mobile devices will be introduced by INTERTANKO at future meetings.
***
Annex
Attendance at INTERTANKO’s Asian Panel Meeting, Tokyo, 12th October 2016
First Name |
Last Name |
Company |
|
1. |
Kazuo |
Yamashita |
Bureau Veritas |
2. |
Ms. Mamiko |
Nayuki |
Bureau Veritas |
3. |
Ms. Kayoko |
Nakamuta |
Daiichi Tanker Co., Ltd. |
4. |
Yusuke |
Takasaki |
Daiichi Tanker Co., Ltd. |
5. |
Hitoshi |
Hosaka |
Japanese Shipowners Association |
6. |
Hiroyuki |
Yamagami |
Japanese Shipowners Association |
7. |
Santosh |
Rele |
K Line Ship Management Co. Ltd. |
8. |
Sasaki |
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. |
|
9. |
Akira |
Misaki |
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. |
10. |
Takuji |
Murayama |
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. |
11. |
Ryotaro |
Tani |
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. |
12. |
Hang-Je |
Cho |
Korean Register of Shipping |
13. |
Michinori |
Kurihara |
Lloyd's Register Group Limited |
14. |
Hiroyasu |
Kawai |
Lloyd's Register Group Limited |
15. |
Catalin |
Ionescu |
MISC Berhad |
16. |
Pavan |
Kumar |
MISC Berhad |
17. |
Capt Alok |
Kumar |
MMS Co. Ltd. |
18. |
Manish |
Srivastava |
MMS Co. Ltd. |
19. |
Toshitsugu |
Nozawa |
MOL |
20. |
Koji |
Kondo |
NYK Line |
21. |
Ryota |
Shindo |
NYK Line |
22. |
Hemant |
Pathania |
NYK Shipmanagement Pte Ltd |
23. |
Kenneth |
Koo |
TCC Group |
24. |
Vinay |
Patwardhan |
TCC Group |
25. |
Tommy |
Horuichi |
V.Ships / ISC Corporation |
26. |
Wellington |
Koo |
Valles Steamship (Canada) Limited |
27. |
Jian Feng |
Zhou |
Wah Kwong Maritime Transport |
28. |
Kathi |
Stanzel |
INTERTANKO |
29. |
Dragos |
Rauta |
INTERTANKO |
30. |
Tim |
Wilkins |
INTERTANKO |
31. |
Joyce |
Teng |
INTERTANKO |
32. |
Gil-Yong |
Han |
INTERTANKO |