marine kenya

MOMBASA fish landing sites

2015-10-28T02:51:00.002+03:00

More than 30 fish landing sites in Mombasa county have been grabbed, a report by the Haki Yetu Organisationindicates.The reportwas presented to the Mombasa Assembly Agriculture Committee on Friday. In the report committee chairman and Mikindani MCA Duncan Onyango said they will name and shame the grabbers in

the assembly on Thursday.

He said landing sites have been grabbed by powerful people in and outside
the county. The report, despite being near the ocean, Mombasa only provides six per cent of the fish in the Kenyan market. It says the county has the potential to provide more than 50

per cent of the fish requirement. According to the report, there are 50 landing sites in the county, 14 of which are gazetted and the rest are awaiting formal recognition. “Sadly, none of the sites, gazetted or otherwise, has a title deed or any form of documentation,” reads the report in part. It says rogue land officials and employees of the defunct Mombasa Municipal Council took advantage of the vacuum and took illegal possession of the sites. The report titled ‘Nowhere To Land’ was prepared in February.

Haki Yetuboss Fr Gabriel Dolan told the Star on Saturday, the county government needs to invest m ore in fishing.

“There is also no investment in fishing. We are encouraging them (county government) torepossess the grabbed sites,” he said. Haki Yetu programme coordinator Sebastian Menza said thewhole Coast region, with a coastline that stretches more than 800km, comes third, producing just more than 8,000 tonnes of fish annually. Lake Victoria leads in fish production with more than 110,000 tonnes a year, while fish ponds, most of which are in Central Kenya produces 20,000 tonnes.

“Mariculture (sea fishing) is yet to be fully exploited, compared to freshwater aquaculture. Government-funded
Economic Stimulus Programme saw fresh water fish production grow by 10 per cent
between 2000 and 2010. Fish farming in the ocean was ignored,” Menza said.

There is only one cold storage in the county, which is in Old Town. The only fish market in Mombasa is in Likoni.

Ref:- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/30-mombasa-landing-sites-grabbed-haki#sthash.6kezer4d.dpuf

MOMBASA, KENYA: A Mombasa-based civil society organisation has called for the repossession of grabbed or blocked fish landing sites in Mombasa county.
In its latest report complied in February but released in Mombasa on Monday, Haki Yetu Organisation which is associated with the Bangladesh Catholic Church Parish in Mombasa, listed 51 fish landing sites which it says have been grabbed or are in danger of being acquired by the speculators.
The report indicates that 18 sites were grabbed by individuals and institutions while more than 30 sites have not been gazetted and hence exposed to grabbers.
The report urges the National Land Commission (NLC) and Mombasa county government to carry out a survey and ensure all landing sites are issued with title deeds in the name of registered Beach Management Units (BMUs). It also calls for immediate revocation of titles of the grabbed sites.
The report has been released by the Haki Yetu director and priest in charge of the Bangladesh parish Father Gabriel Dolan.
Father Dolan notes that the coast region annual catch stands only at five percent of the 174,000 metric tonnes of fish produced in the country because of neglect of the coastal fisheries and corruption.
"The report shows that at the heart of unproductivity is corruption. Fishermen have seen their landing sites disappear one by one to hotels, industries, churches, beach plots and foreigners," Father Dolan noted.
The report is titled "Nowhere to land: The case of grabbed, inaccessible and neglected fish landing sites in Mombasa county."
It says that at the Kibarani landing site, Kenya Railways plot number VMN/508 under a 99-year lease with effect from January 1 1966 has been subdivided and transferred to a private company for Sh30 million.
However the report notes that files for various landing sites are missing at the land offices.
Ref:http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/article/2000162789/report-51-fish-landing-sites-in-mombasa-grabbed

marine kenya: Lake Victoria Accident

2015-08-05T21:35:00.001+03:00

marine kenya: Lake Victoria Accident: Lake Victoria Accident: At Least 30 Feared injured After Boat Capsizes Near Remba Island, Kenya heading to Sori. Two children died w...

Lake Victoria Accident

2015-08-05T21:34:00.001+03:00

Lake Victoria Accident: At Least 30 Feared injured After Boat Capsizes Near Remba Island, Kenya heading to Sori.

Two children died when a passenger boat capsized after colliding with a fishing vessel in Lake Victoria in western Kenya.

A local official said fishermen responding to distress calls had rescued 21 of the 23 people on board the passenger boat and recovered the children's bodies.

There were no casualties on the fishing vessel, which also capsized.

The accident happened at about 02:00 on Wednesday morning (Tuesday 23:00 GMT).

A Kenya Red Cross team has been helping in the rescue effort and giving first aid to survivors.

Fishing boats are often to be found on Lake Victoria in the small hours because the waters are calm at that time, Kenyan media say.

Earlier reports had suggested the passenger boat was carrying 200 people.

But a local government official downgraded that figure to 23, and this was confirmed by a boat owner who responded to the distress calls.Both boats have now been recovered from the lake.

At least 30 people are feared dead after a boat carrying 200 passengers capsized early Wednesday in Lake Victoria near Remba Island, Kenya. In this photo, dated March 9, 2009, fishing boats move past the wreckage of an Ilyushin I-76 cargo aircraft that crashed into Lake Victoria shortly after taking off from Entebbe International Airport, 26 miles south of Uganda's capital Kampala.

Update as of 4 a.m. EDT: A boat that capsized in Lake Victoria was carrying 24 passengers and not 200, Capital FM Kenya, a local news network, reported citing an official. Two children died in the accident, according to reports.

“The bodies of the two children aged four and two years have been retrieved. The passenger boat was carrying 24 people while the fishing boat had four fishermen on board. Most of the passengers had life jackets and that is what helped in rescuing them,” John Omusanga, Homa Bay County commander, told the news station.

The boat was on its way to Sori in Migori County from Remba Island in Homa Bay County. An adult believed to be missing after the accident was found later.

Update as of 11:10 p.m. EDT: The Kenya Red Cross Society tweeted saying that it has sent a rescue team to Lake Victoria where a boat carrying 200 passengers capsized early Wednesday.

At least 30 people are feared dead after a boat carrying 200 passengers capsized in Lake Victoria near Remba Island, Kenya, according to Citizen TV Kenya, a local television network. The accident reportedly occurred early Wednesday.

Three bodies, of which two are children, have been recovered so far, local media reported. However, local fishermen at Nyandiwa Beach said that nine people were killed, Daily Nation newspaperreported. The cause of the accident is not clear, however, some local media reports said two boats collided resulting in the accident.

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake and its waters spread across Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. About 5,000 fishermen die each year due to storms on Lake Victoria, according to a report last month in New Vision, a Ugandan daily, citing a survey by Makerere University School of Public Health in Kampala, Uganda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiky0Pg81wE

MV KWALE FERRY AGROUND

2015-05-17T21:39:00.001+03:00

Hundreds of ferry passengers were stranded for hours as a ferry stalled in the Likoni channel.

It is believed that the MV Kwale which was headed to the Likoni mainland developed a mechanical problem midstream when it started drifting towards Florida area

The ferry, according to eyewitnesses, had stalled before it was 'pushed’ by raging waves off it course towards the deep sea.

Ms Ali said they tried to swim when the vessel was pushed by sea waves to the shallow waters at Mama Ngina Drive.

No other ferry could reach the stalled MV Kwale because of the shallow depth of the sea at the point it was grounded.

By 6.10pm most of the passengers had already left the vessel while only about 10 vehicles were left still in the ferry.

Panic gripped about 1,400 ferry passengers on board MV Kwale Saturday when the vessel was washed off its course by heavy currents at the Likoni crossing channel.

The ferry, according to eyewitnesses, had stalled before it was 'pushed’ by strong waves off it course towards the deep sea entrance to the port of Mombasa.

Two women, Ms Mwanakombo Ali, 22, and Rebecca Paul, 26, were rushed to hospital for medication after they dived and swam in the sea for fear of drowning.

Ms Ali said they tried to swim when the vessel was pushed by sea waves to the shallow waters at Mama Ngina Drive.

“We had to dive because it was a matter of life and death. We panicked for over three hours waiting in vain for rescue,” she said.

But contacted by phone, Kenya Ferry Services public relations officer Aaron Mutiso dismissed claims that the vessel had mechanical problems that caused it to be pushed by strong winds.

“The vessel was struck by strong sea waves that could not be controlled by the pilot. The waves pulled it towards the deep sea and docked in a cliff at Mama Ngina Drive where the passengers safely alighted,” he said.

According to him, no other ferry could reach the stalled MV Kwale because of the shallow depth of the sea at the point it was grounded.

SHALLOW WATERS

“We could not send a rescue ferry due to the shallow waters which could destroy the propellers of other vessels so the issue of passengers being rescued by MV Harambee does not arise,” he said.

The ill-fated vessel with capacity of 60 vehicles ran into trouble 10 minutes after leaving Mombasa Island to the mainland sparking panic among its passengers when it started drifting off course.

Another victim, Ms Caroline Anyango, 25, said the ferry started showing signs of mechanical problems before it started its trip to Likoni.

According to another eyewitness, the ferry started drifting at around 4.40pm.

“At around that time we heard screams from the ferry. The vessel was in the middle of the ocean and all we could see was the ferry rotating.

“It drifted and came to a halt after hitting the reef,” said Mr Philip Maingi, a photographer at Mama Ngina Drive.

He said the response to the crisis was so slow from both the ferry personnel and the security who did little in controlling the crowd.

Mr Maingi added that after 30 minutes, a second ferry came closer to MV Kwale where some people managed to move into it.

Speaking at the scene, Mombasa Deputy County Commissioner Salim Mahmoud, toldNation.co.ke that he got information and had to coordinate officers from the Kenya Ferry Services, the Navy and other officials to help secure the vessel.

“We only have two women who have been rushed to hospital and the others have successfully managed to disembark from the vessel,” Mr Mahmoud said.

By 6.10pm most of the passengers had already left the vessel while only about 10 vehicles were left still in the ferry.

LIKONI CHANNEL BRIDGE

2014-11-25T19:35:00.001+03:00

"Tourism stakeholders in the country have welcomed the government's plan to construct a new bridge at the Likoni crossing channel. Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers boss Mike Macharia yesterday said the move will open up the transport sector at the Coast. Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday said the government is looking to construct a new high bridge at the channel.

The bridge, the PM said, will be constructed in such a way that it will let big ships into the Mombasa port. “This will solve the many issues at the ferry,” said Raila. He added that the move will complement other plans of turning Mombasa into a special economic zone like Shanghai and Guangzhou in China. “I know of the Dongo Kundu bypass, but if the government is really serious about this issue, then it is good news for Mombasa and the Coast,” said Macharia.

Former Kenya Association of Tour Operators chairman Duncan Muriuki said the industry players have more faith in the government after it showed commitment in implementing most of its plans. “It is the best thing to happen in the tourism industry,” said Muriuki. Kenya Tour Drivers and Guides Association chairman Joseph Parpai said the bridge will fasten the linkage between the North and the South Coast thus redeeming the image of the Coast tourism sector.

Construction of the KES 25 billion bridge connecting Mombasa Island with the Kenyan South Coast will start in February next year.

The Government has announced construction of a bridge across Likoni Ferry channel to ease transport to South Coast. Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development, Eng John Mosonik said to provide a more reliable link to South Coast, plans have commenced for the construction of the Likoni bridge to replace the ferry. The Likoni Ferry, serviced by the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) has come under constant criticism over inefficiency particularly from tourism players who have had to grapple with long queues due to delays and ageing equipment. Eng Mosonik (pictured) said the government plans to develop a ring of roads and bypasses around Mombasa to decongest the city. He said designs are underway for the proposed Mombasa Northern Bypass linking Mazeras to the Mombasa—Malindi road in North Coast.

Other initiatives currently underway include a second Nyali Bridge under Public-Private Partnership arrangements. He added that the ministry is implementing one of the flagship projects under Vision 2030 – Mombasa Bypass project linking the West mainland to the proposed port at Dongo Kundu. “The project will play a pivotal role in development of untapped tourism potential in the South Coast,” he said. The Government received Sh25 billion loan from the Japan International Cooperation (JICA) for this project. The project will be implemented in three work packages. Severe traffic The first package is the —Miritini to Kipevu Link Road while the second package is the Mwache to Dongo Kundu, including construction of long –span bridges over the sea while package three involves the Dongo Kundu to Kibundani. He said tenders for work under package one have been evaluated and will soon be awarded with construction works expected to commence in early 2015, with a completion period of 30 months. “Packages two and three will be rolled out in 2015, and projected to be completed by 2018 and 2017, respectively,” he said. Eng Mosonik said through the support of the African Development Bank, the Department of Infrastructure has completed detailed designs and tender documentation for dualling the Changamwe roundabout – Jomvu- Miritini Highway in order to address the severe traffic congestion experienced on the highway. He said financing for the project is being sought. The PS said the design for upgrading and strengthening of the Malindi-Mombasa—Lungalunga roadÂ is at advanced stages, and will be implemented as a regional project under sponsorship from the East African Community.

Already two key border post facilities to enhance trade between the Coastal region and Northern Tanzania have been completed. He said that already regionally, the Mwatate –Taveta road (90 km) is ongoing , Kaloleni –Kilifi road (30 km) is also ongoing while the Maji Ya Chumvi- Bachuma Gate, which is 55 km work has commenced. And after more than five decades, Lamu residents can breath easy following plans by the government to upgrade the Garsen-Nyongoro – Lamu road to bitumen standards under the Roads 10,000 programme. The project is at tendering stage and is expected to be complete in two years’ time

Courtesy of: standardmedia.co.ke

WORLD FISHERIES DAY

2014-10-29T19:47:00.000+03:00

People everywhere depend on food from the sea, not only for their essential daily protein requirements, but also for special occasions such as holiday feasts. Celebrations of the winter holidays traditionally feature fish and other seafood. Italian-Americans famously celebrate Christmas with seven or more courses of fish or other seafood (Festa dei sette pesci). Kwanzaa celebrations by African-Americans often feature seafood gumbo, and the eight days of Hanukkah offer many opportunities for Jews to serve salmon, gefilte fish or other seafood recipes. But will the ocean always be able to provide the food that helps us survive and celebrate?

Feeding a world population of 9 billion people by 2050 is a daunting challenge. Fish can play a major food security role as long as fisheries and aquaculture are managed effectively and sustainably and with an eye to challenges like climate change and disease. This new report by the World Bank, FAO and IFPRI highlights the changes in global demand for fish and the extent to which that demand will be met by aquaculture versus wild capture fisheries.

The future of global food security hinges on the better management and sustainable development of the planet’s oceans and fisheries, a top United Nations official stressed today, adding that the world could not wait any longer to act on saving Earth’s marine environments.

Speaking at an event on the side-lines of the General Assembly in New York, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva urged faster action in implementing sustainable practices to protect the world’s “blue economy.”

“We have the know-how, we have the opportunity,” emphasized Mr. Graziano da Silva. “Now is the time to act.”

The event, “Our Ocean: Next Steps on Sustainable Fishing and Marine Protected Areas,” brought Mr. Graziano da Silva together with other leaders, including United States Secretary of State John Kerry, to discuss the importance of the world’s marine environments, both for the health of the planet and for the well-being of those who depend on them.

According to FAO, the livelihoods of 12 per cent of the world’s population depend on the fishing sector. On average, 17 per cent of global animal protein intake comes from fisheries and aquaculture, and demand for fish protein is expected to double in the next 20 years. Yet some 28 per cent of global stocks are already overfished.

In its latest report, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Rome-based organization warned that the fisheries and aquaculture sector was, in fact, facing major challenges, ranging from harmful fishing practices and weak governance to poor management and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

In response, Mr. Graziano da Silva pointed to FAO’s new “Blue Growth” initiative which, he said, had “the potential to be a leading programme on the major issues related to oceans and their resources.”

This new initiative would seek to provide technical and capacity-building support to governments, particularly those of vulnerable small island developing States, and farmers to develop national strategies for aquaculture development; disseminate and adopt better management and governance policies and best practices that increase productivity; and reduce environmental and disease risk to stimulate investment.

Marine research and conservation, </body></head></html></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p> </o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOz1wRHTC2WgHehWcGj2qanon8SuB2dJcaco4nzd-VBplBx9Y-6TUWPv0OcAs4EAcjlsrfMVY0HFyFt-hJdNBZb65y6R6NUJ5HFRe4lcAE2u95LVHZkmV9PI0N7CaqfGRMfCpm4dNi-8Ii/s1600/fifi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a></div>

AIDS TO NAVIGATION IN LAKE VICTORIA

2014-10-20T13:56:00.000+03:00

AIDS TO NAVIGATION INSTALLATION LAKE VICTORIA

Establishment of navigational aids.

Of obvious importance to the safety of shipping is the establishment of navigational aids such as light houses, lightships, buoys and radar beacons on the Lake. As regards the Seas, an obligation is laid down by the SOLAS Convention on states Parties to arrange for the 23establishment and maintenance of such aids to navigation as, in their opinion, the volume of traffic justifies and the degree of risk requires, and to arrange for information relating to these aids to be made available to all concerned13. Under sections 10(g) and 11(2)(e) of the Act, this obligation is the responsibility of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and the Maritime administrative Units respectively of the partner states. However the Act is ambiguous in as far as it does not give a criteria and guidelines for the establishment of such aids. Further, it does not provide for mechanism through which this is to be achieved the source of funding as well as a time frame within which states should discharge this obligation. The questions as regards how, when and what happens in case the concerned Authorities do not discharge this obligation is left unanswered. There is a need for redress of this void if safety is to be improved upon in the region.

Moreover, according to the project documents of the Project on Enhancement of the Safety of Navigation on Lake Victoria which are available from the offices of the East African Commision Secretariat at Kisumu, it has come to light that in the past there were approximately 30 navigation aids in the form of visual marks with lights on Lake Victoria. Today there are virtually no aids to navigation on the lake as they have either disappeared or fallen into disuse due to poor maintenance or have been vandalized. The sailing directions, last revised in 1972 are still being used but are rather outdated. So are the available navigation charts of the lake which were last updated in 1956. In addition, nautical surveys were last created between 1900 -1906.

The duty and or obligation to improve safety on the lake is a two way responsibility. That is ship operators on one hand and the responsible contracting governments as well as concerned authorities on the other. It is the responsibility of the three governments of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to put in place navigational aids as well as make available updated navigational maps and charts to the Lake users. This is a necessity which cannot be postponed.

In the past years, there were approximately 30 lit and unlit Aids to Navigation but they have almost all disappeared. Today there are no “officially” sanctioned aids to marine navigation on Lake Victoria.

On 12th June 2014 Comarco were awarded the contract to plan, design, supply, install and commission new ATN at the following locations:

· Jinja Port – Uganda

· Kisumu Port – Kenya

· Musoma Port – Tanzania

· Mwanza North Port – Tanzania

· Mwanza South Port – Tanzania

· Kemondo Bay Port – Tanzania

· Bukoba Port – Tanzania

· Entebbe Port – Uganda

· Port Bell - Uganda

Lake Victoria

Located at 1.134m above the sea level, Lake Victoria, with a surface of 20,000 square nautical miles, is the second largest lake in the world. It should be considered as a sea from the point of view of the safety of navigation. The equator crosses it and the length of its coast is about 2.000 nautical miles. It is shared between the three Member States of the EAC: to the North-East, 6 % of the surface belongs to Kenya, to the North and to the West, 43 % belongs to Uganda, and all the Southern part (51 %) belongs to Tanzania.

It includes many islands of which approximately 200 are inhabited. There are numerous vessels plying the lake, cargo, vehicle, rail and passenger ferries. Nevertheless fishing constitutes a significant economic resource as it is estimated the some 2 million receive income directly or indirectly from fishing. It follows that the fishermen are possibly the major navigators on the lake and that often times take greatest risk as some fish from no greater vessel than a canoe.

Three very big urban areas border the Lake: Kisumu which is the third largest city of Kenya, Entebbe/Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and Mwanza which is the second largest city of Tanzania.

OSIL install two data buoys to monitor environmental concerns in Lake Victoria, Kenya

OSIL recently completed the installation of two data buoys along Lake Victoria in Kenya to help manage the local environment monitoring various environmental concerns including hyacinth menace and contamination of the lake water.

In addition to monitoring atmospheric components of the lake, such as moisture, oxygen levels and temperature, the sensors on the data buoys will also measure wind direction and levels of potentially harmful chemicals in the lake. By better understanding the environment, one benefit is that fishermen will be provided with real-time information on wind patterns helping them to avoid being trapped by regions of floating hyacinth which is blown across the lake.

The 5m tall data buoys measuring 2.6m in diameter were designed and built to be robust and protected from the local wildlife to ensure the security of the data collected. This real-time data will be relayed to base stations at 15 to 30 minute intervals where the data will then be analysed and studied trending changes to the lakes environment.

Richard Williams, Managing Director of OSIL, said: “We are delighted to help support the Kenyan authorities. These innovative buoys are designed by our specialist team in the UK to capture invaluable data which will help preserve Lake Victoria for future generations”

BLACK TIGER HAS SUNK

2014-10-17T07:23:00.000+03:00

MT BLACK TIGER HAS SUNK

Its a general purpose craft registered at Dares-salaam flying Tanzanian flag.

it was build in 2004 with an length of 29 meters and width of 7 meters having a GRT(gross tonnage of 221 T and manned by six personnel.

It was reported on 16.10.2004 by network of sailors within the east African region the it has sunk south of Dares salaam port between Ras ndege and Ras kimbiji. all crew managed to abandon the vessel safely.

Is a a tapering piece of land projecting into a body of water, less prominent than a cape in the country of Tanzania.

Its center lies at a latitude of -6.8666700 and longitude of 39.4833300and it has an elevation of -9999 meters above sea level.

Ras Dege also goes by the names, Ndege Point, Ras Dege, Ras Ndege

Tanzania ports expansion

2014-10-08T17:40:00.000+03:00

Construction of the USD 11 billion Bagamoyo megaport has been pushed forward by the government of Tanzania from January 2015 to the last trimester of 2014, following the successful negotiations with Chinese officials, Global Construction Review reports.

________________________________________
China Merchants Holdings International, the world largest independent port operators, are to develop the Bagamoyo port, starting with the quay, the container yards, the cargo terminals and all dredging work, which is expected to be completed by 2017.
The port’s facilities are then to be further developed over a period of 30 years, with the ultimate goal of 20 million container per year capacity. The plan is to turn the Bagamoyo port into the largest port on the east coast of Africa, allowing it to accommodate ships with a 10,000 TEU capacity. The zone is expected to be fully developed by 2024.
Apart from establishing firm arrangements on the Bagamoyo port project, Chinese officials have taken advantage of their visit to Tanzania to officially start works on a Chinese-financed, 150-acre logistics hub next to the busy port of Dar es Salaam.
Abdallah Kigoda, the Tanzanian minister for industry and trade, said that the Chinese side would provide USD 412.5 million for the project, located in the Kurasini area of Dar es Salaam.
According to the Yiwu-Africa International Investment Corporation, the Chinese partner in the project with the Tanzanian Export Processing Zones Authority, the new hub will have five zones: a commodity exhibition area, a warehouse, a technical training center, a support services area and an import-export processing zone.

Tanzania: Ministry mulls tuna fishing deep sea port
The [Tanzanian] government is planning to construct a fishery port, in a move aimed to manage, control and increase revenues collected from the fishery industry especially from tuna fishing industry in the country.
Currently tuna fishing is conducted by large fishing companies in the deep sea fishing zone where small scale fishermen cannot reach, even with surveillance by our patrol boats tracking them is often out of reach.
Dr Yohana Budeba, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, told different stakeholders gathered in Bagamoyo, Coast Region that currently experts from the ministry are conducting a feasibility scan of the area on where such a port would be installed.
He said currently the government has set aside Sh300million to conduct feasibility studies along the coast and the findings will be used for further implementation.
Experts will come up with terms of reference of the study as to where the port will be put up and the actual cost of the project before tenders are advertised for bidding, he further noted.
“We have areas like Kilindi, Kilwa, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Pangani, Somanga, Mtwara and Mafia that can be used as deep sea fishing port of call but experts will identify a place that will be favourable to put up such a facility on the basis of their findings,” he stated.
Detailing, he said the government will collect more revenues from anchor fees, by cadge charges from deep sea shipping vessels and from fueling ships anchored at the port while loading or offloading cargo.
He expressed concern that the government fails to obtain plenty of revenues that would be collected from deep sea fishing vessels, in which case such a facility would help curb tax evasion.
The government will also increase revenue collected via licenses issued to such vessels or their companies operating within our fishing zone, in like manner as other countries do.
Fatuma Sobo, assistant director at the Ministry, said the tuna fishing management strategy will help to supervise exploitation of economic zone marine resources, including tuna fishing.
Implementing the strategy will not remove marine surveillance needs but boost efforts to ensure that tuna fishing and its administrative control is properly conducted along the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
“The aim of the government is to ensure that tuna fishing is controlled, developed and benefits the stakeholders and the entire country.
I kindly ask the small and medium scale fishermen to unite so as to have enough capital to compete with large scale fishermen who have actual control of deep sea fishing where tuna is available,” the director urged.
Marine resources including tuna fishing are controlled by large scale fishermen, making it helpful that the government puts up concerted efforts to ensure that small and medium scale fishermen enter into the industry, she said.
Stakeholders agreed in their two days discussion to work together to ensure that the strategy launched benefits both the government and the various stakeholders based on regulations and marine legislation, she added.
Source: Guardian on Sunday

OFFSHORE OIL EXPLORATION LAMU TO KWALE

2014-10-06T21:28:00.000+03:00

“We are exploring offshore Kenya, and apparently it has the same kind of prospects as offshore Tanzania and Mozambique,” Christophe de Margerie told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. “There might be oil too, we are not just looking for gas. We have acquired the seismic results, but until you drill, you don’t know.”BEIJING (Dow Jones)–French oil and gas major Total AS (TOT) plans to drill its first offshore East Africa exploration well early next year, hoping to emulate huge gas discoveries made by other oil majors offshore Tanzania and Mozambique, the company’s chief executive said Sunday

Onshore in Africa “we have been acquiring a lot of blocks in Kenya, have acquired part of the shares of Tullow Oil PLC (TLW.LN) in Uganda and have acquired blocks in Congo on the other side of Lake Albert, and we will be able to start exploring sooner or later in South Sudan.”

Offshore West Africa, Total will drill by end-2012 for the first time in an Ivory Coast block acquired two years ago, he noted.

Total has said it plans to grow its oil and gas output by 3% this year and 2.5% annually through 2014, assuming crude price stay around $100 a barrel.

Pancontinental Oil & Gas and its wholly owned subsidiary Afrex Limited together with partner FAR has received approval from the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum for the farm-out of the onshore portion of Kenyan exploration area Block L6 in the Lamu Basin. Block L6 is partly onshore and partly offshore.

Block L6/L8

Under the terms of the farm-in with Milio E&P Limited and Milio International (“Milio”), Pancontinental will be fully funded through the drilling and testing of a high impact onshore exploration well in Block L6 expected to spud in H1 2015.

Pancontinental will also be fully funded through the acquisition, processing and interpretation of a regional onshore 1,000 kilometre 2D seismic survey. This is expected to confirm a number of prospects in onshore L6 as drill targets. This seismic program is expected to commence in April 2014.

Pancontinental retains a 16% interest in the onshore part of Block L6 and also preserves its 40% interest in the highly prospective offshore part of Block L6 which operator FAR has estimated to contain substantial prospective resources. FAR is also currently in discussions with parties to farm-in to drill an offshore well in Block L6.

Block L6 is well situated in relation to Kenyan coastal communities and infrastructure.

An onshore oil or gas development has the potential to contribute significantly to Kenya’s growing near-term energy needs.

Two of the main Prospects covered by 3D seismic offshore L6 are the Kifaru and Kifaru West Miocene Reef prospects, which share similar characteristics to the Sunbird Prospect currently being drilled by Pancontinental and its joint venture partners in offshore Kenya area L10A.

Barry Rushworth, CEO and Director of Pancontinental commented:

“We are very pleased that the Kenyan Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has approved the farm-out agreement announced on 4 February 2014. Pancontinental retains a healthy 16% free-carried interest onshore and additionally has the benefit of retaining its 40% interest offshore where we are also seeking a farminee for drilling. This farm-in deal secures funding for evaluating the significant potential of the onshore part of Block L6 and to help unlock the potential of the wider Lamu basin in which Pancontinental has a very large acreage position of some 20,000 square kilometres gross.

“The offshore area already has several Prospects covered by 3D seismic and ready for drilling including the large Kifaru and Kifaru West Miocene Reef Prospects. A number of other reefs have also been tentatively identified on 2D seismic.”

Block L17/L18

Working interest	100%
Operator	EAX*
Net prospective resources	1,088 mmboe
Work programme	Seismic acquisition and exploration drilling
* EAX is a wholly owned subsidiary of Afren Plc

Overview
Blocks L17 and L18 are in the Lamu Coastal Basin, offshore south-east Kenya, covering an area of approximately 4,881 km2. They are situated in water depths varying from a few feet along the shoreline to up to around 2,625 ft in the Pemba Channel. There are several potential source rocks for the Tertiary and Cretaceous plays in the southern areas of the basin including the Permo-Triassic Karoo interval, the Middle Jurassic and high Total Organic Carbon (TOCs) are recorded within the Eocene section in the Pemba-5 well. There are oil seeps in the Lamu Basin and Pemba Island linked to a Jurassic source which implies that the structures in Blocks L17 and L18 are most likely oil bearing. The hydrocarbons are expected to have been generated in the deep Pemba trough south of Block L18 and in the Tembo Trough to the east. In January 2012, Afren completed the acquisition of 1,207 km of additional 2D seismic data targeting the deeper water portion of the blocks. Interpretation of the data has identified four new highly encouraging prospects, in addition to the previously mapped prospects in the shallow water. These prospects represent a major new play and together have increased mean prospective resources on the blocks, from 94 mmboe to 2,021 mmboe, sincethe Black Marlin acquisition. As a result Afren, in close consultation with the Ministry of Energy, completed the acquisition of 1,006 km² 3D seismic during December 2012, in lieu of the well commitment, to better understand the deep water prospectivity prior to exploration drilling. In addition, we commissioned an onshore 2D seismic survey of 120 km in September 2012 to simultaneously continue maturation of the shallow water/onshore play. This survey was completed in December 2012. Interpretation and rock property studies on the 120 km onshore 2D seismic and the1,006 km²offshore 3D seismic are underway. The seismic data has highlighted an expansive shallow-water/onshore trend called the Mombasa High.

Outlook
Preparations are underway for the 2015 two well drilling campaign on the Mombasa High anticline which extends over 80 km from Mombasa to the Shimoni Peninsular. This giant structure sits on the western margin of the Tembo Trough which has recently been tested by BG Group on the Sunbird-1 oil discovery, Block L10A. The Sunbird-1 well encountered a 46 ft oil column in a Miocene reef and is the first oil discovery offshore Kenya. The confirmation of an oil prone petroleum system within the Tembo Trough has significantly derisked Afren’s prospects on the flanks of this basin.An airborne gravity and magnetic survey was acquired over the Mombasa High structure in Q2 2014 to allow the optimal positioning of a 250 line km 2D seismic survey which will be acquired later in the year. The seismic survey will be used to define the location of the exploration wells.

Ref: http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/kenya-govt-approves-pancontinental-lamu-basin-farm-out/ http://gcaptain.com/late-never-total-play-offshore/

Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Kenya and Tanzania

2014-10-01T16:26:00.001+03:00

A massive gap in the effective search and rescue coverage along the east coast of Africa and out into the Indian Ocean is to be filled with the inauguration (on 5 May 2006) of a new Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Mombasa, Kenya. The MRCC is to be commissioned by IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos during an official visit to Kenya and Tanzania.

The regional search and rescue system that has been put in place is the result of a resolution adopted by the IMO Conference on search and rescue (SAR) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), held in October 2000 in Florence, Italy, proposing the establishment of five sub regional MRCCs in western, southern and eastern parts of Africa. A second MRCC under this initiative is expected to be inaugurated in Cape Town, South Africa, before the end of this year, while three more, in West Africa, are currently at the planning stage.

Along with its associated Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs) in Victoria (Seychelles) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), the site of which Secretary-General Mitropoulos will also visit during his stay in Tanzania, the Mombasa MRCC will provide search and rescue coverage in what had previously been identified as one of the areas suffering unduly from a lack of adequate SAR and GMDSS facilities.

LONDON (Dow Jones)–The first of three information-sharing centers, or ISCs, has been commissioned in Kenya, to facilitate practical measures to suppress piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, the United Nations’ maritime agency said Friday.

Two additional centers have been set up Dar es Salam, Tanzania and San’a, Yemen.

“The centers have been established to facilitate practical measures for the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships, by ensuring the coordinated, timely, and effective flow of information,” the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, said in a statement.

The Mombasa ISC will be co-housed with the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, which operates on a 24-hour basis and covers extensive areas of the western Indian Ocean, the IMO said.

The Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Kenya will all report to the Mombasa ISC.

The Mombasa ISC will exchange information concerning the movement of pirates with the centers in San’a and Dar es Salam, as well as with the European Union Naval Force, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations and the Maritime Liaison Office Bahrain, the IMO said

The Mombasa MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), also known as the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC) was officially inaugurated by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos on 5th May, 2006. The centre was established to coordinate maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) emergencies in the Eastern Africa Search and Rescue Regions (SRR). Watch keepers in the centre monitor distress frequencies, relay distress messages, acknowledge distress calls and assist in SAR mission coordination.

The Mombasa MRCC is operated by Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and covers the search and rescue regions of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Somalia.

Information sharing centre

The RMRCC is now officially operating as a Piracy Information Sharing Centre (ISC) under the Djibouti Code of Conduct to which Kenya is a signatory. The Code aims at repression and deterrence of Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in waters of the West Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The centre which is operated by Kenya Maritime Authority became the first of three information sharing centres to be commissioned by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos on 31st March, 2011. As a designated focal point and piracy information exchange centre, the RMRCC together with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres of Tanzania and Yemen facilitate practical measures for the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships by ensuring coordinated, timely and effective flow of information. The centres also receive and respond to piracy alerts and requests for information or assistance at all times

Maritime search and rescue (SAR)

Since its establishment, the Government of Kenya, through the Kenya Maritime Authority has continued to develop SAR operations-supporting infrastructure through acquisition of modern satellite and global communication systems that support the current and future plans of the rescue centre.

Channel of communication

The Mombasa MRCC provides a communication center where seafarers can call in for help in cases of distress while at sea, in a large area covering Tanzania, Seychelles and Somalia. The centre has an efficient and effective communication system that enables it receive distress messages from any vessel within our Search and Rescue Region.

The Centre is always on a 24 hour watch to ensure prompt receipt and dissemination of distress messages from ships plying the Search and Rescue region.

The RMRCC operational role

The aim of the RMRCC's 24 hour basis operations is to:

Receive, acknowledge and relay notification of distress from vessels on a 24hour basis;
establish and implement the National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan;
coordinate the activities of KPA, Kenya Navy and other organisations when engaged in search and rescue operations both at the coast and inland waters;
Enforce the Search & Rescue(SAR) plan for the national and regional area of responsibility;
Request assistance from other Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCC’s) as appropriate;
Keep case files for every SAR incident;
Maintain inventories of Search and Rescue (SAR) facilities held by public, military and private agencies that are accessible to conduct search and rescue when need arises.
Disseminate and share piracy information with relevant authorities;
Protect the marine environment by monitoring oil spills. In addition coordinate and manage the National Marine Oil Spill Response Contingency Plan for both coastal and inland waters;
Conduct regular SAR exercises and coordinate oil spill response drills and exercises

Our partners

We value the great support offered by our partners in the execution of timely search and rescue operations within the region.

Seychelles MRCC
Dar-es-salaam MRCC
The Kenya Navy
The Kenya Ports Authority
Kenya Revenue Authority
The Maritime Police Unit
The Kenya Wildlife Services
National Disaster Operations Centre
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority

For More Information please write to:

The Regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination
Centre (RMRCC)
P.O. BOX 95076-80104
MOMBASA, KENYA
Website: www.kma.go.ke

Email: info@kma.go.ke
rmrcc@kma.go.ke

24HR TELEPHONE CONTACTS

General: +254(041)2131100/6
Wireless: +254-020-8007776
Mobile: +254-0721-368313
+254-0737-719414
Fax: 0208007776

SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

INMARSAT Fleet 77(IOR)
: 00870-764626657
: 00870-764626655
INMARSAT C (IOR): 463400071
INMARSAT C (AOR-E) :463400070

A maritime rescue coordination centre (MRCC) has been launched in Dar es Salaam to oversee the rescue of people in distress at sea. The centre, located in the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) traffic control tower, has been established by Tanzania’s Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) in line with requirements of international conventions on maritime search and rescue and safety at sea. Mariners can call for assistance or report others in distress on +253 (0)774 886295, (0)715 886295 and (0)783 886292.

ACCIDENT IN SUEZ CANAL NEAR PORTSAID

2014-10-01T14:37:00.004+03:00

ACCIDENT BETWEEN TWO VESSELS IN SUEZ CANAL IN PORTSAID

Two container ships collided on Monday morning in Egypt's Suez Canal, reported Al-Ahram's Arabic news website.The German Colombo Express was coming in from the Mediterranean Sea
when it hit the Singaporean ship Maersk Tanjong half a kilometre from the Port Said port, Al-Ahram said.
Both ships sustained minimal damage; four containers fell into the canal, which the Canal Authority retrieved. Navigation along the canal was temporarily interrupted for three hours.
The SCA sent vessels to lead both ships to the Al-Balah bypass so they could continue their journeys.

MAERSK TANJONG	COLOMBO EXPRESS
IMO: 9332511	IMO: 9295244
MMSI: 565510000	MMSI: 21143300
Call Sign: 9VDR9	Call Sign: DIHC
Flag: Singapore (SG)	Flag: Germany (DE)
AIS Type: Cargo	AIS Type: Cargo
Gross Tonnage: 94193	Gross Tonnage: 93750
Deadweight: 107269 t	Deadweight: 103800 t
Length × Breadth: 332m × 43.3m	Length × Breadth: 335.07m × 42.87m
Year Built: 2007	Year Built: 2005
Status: Active container vessel	Status: Active container vessel

The 324-metre container vessel Colombo Express has collided with the 332-metre container vessel Maersk Tanjong in the Suez Canaloff Port Said. The accident occurred today at 5:33 UTC.

The Maersk vessel was clearing the Suez Canal Container terminal to join the second convoy, whilst the Colombo Express was proceeding through the convoy. The collision resulted in a 20-metre dent to the left side of Colombo Express and three fallen containers.

The second southbound convoy has been interrupted. The container ships will be moored at the canal lakes until the investigation and the repairs are completed.
Colombo Express (IMO number 9295244 and MMSI 211433000) was built in 2005 and is registered in Germany. The container ship has a deadweight of 103,800 DWT.

Maersk Tanjong (IMO number 9332511 and MMSI 565510000) was built in 2007 and is registered in Singapore. The vessel has a deadweight of 107,266 DWT.

AZAM MARINE EAST AFRICAN FAST FERRIES

2014-09-19T18:11:00.000+03:00

Azam Marine and Coastal Fast Ferries operate passenger ferry boats between the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and mainland Tanzania. Azam operates a fleet of five vessels – three catamarans, and one RIB Passengers speed boat. The speedboats are popular among local people and foreign tourists visiting Tanzania. As international tourists discover the magnificent destination of Tanzania, Azam Marine and Coastal Fast Ferries are moving with the times to provide them with swift and comfortable ferry services.
The Tanzanian companies are pursuing a vigorous policy of modernizing and maintaining its fleet in line with fast-moving developments in the world of water transport. The air conditioned catamarans were built in Australia to Azam’s specifications to provide that best possible services for Tanzanian travelers, international tourists and businessman.

The entire fleet of vessels has up to date communication and navigation instrumentation along with stringent safety equipment on board. The crews are well trained and experienced.

Azam Marine and Coastal Fast Ferries are the first passengers ferry company in Tanzania to deploy a modern online ticketing system. Our system can be used from anywhere in the world as long as the user has access to the internet.

Catamarans

We boast a fleet of 8 vessels with a spreed range from 25 knots up to 58 knots allowing passengers to be in Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam within 40 minutes! Our newly launched Sea Rocket Limousine is a speed and comfort machine. We believe in servicing our customers with the best options and convenience available, beginning from VIP to economy class, we are driven by our customer satisfaction. With the capability to carry minimum and maximum (around 300 passengers), we facilitate our services at all times

Kilimanjaro IV

Vessel Type: Catamaran Total Capacity: 620 Seats Capacity Breakdown: VIP: 84 Seats Business Class: 86 Seats Economy Class: 466 Seats Speed: 35 Knots

MV Kilimanjaro

Vessel Type: Catamaran Total Capacity: 425 Seats Capacity Breakdown: VIP: 4 Seats First Class: 100 Seats Economy Class: 217 Seats Speed: 25 Knots

Kilimanjaro II

Vessel Type: Catamaran Total Capacity: 410 Seats Capacity Breakdown: Premium Club: 60 Seats First Class: 40 Seats Economy Class: 206 Seats Economy Sundeck: 104 Seats Speed: 28 Knots

The Kilimanjaro III

Vessel Type: Catamaran Total Capacity: 540Seats Capacity Breakdown: VIP: 74 Seats Economy Class: 466 Seats Speed: 32 Knots

Terms Of Travel:

· Permitted Luggage is 25 Kgs per person. Any additional will be chargeable.

· Consumption and carriage of Alcoholic beverages is highly restricted.

· No refund policy on missed travel date or time. In case of cancellation, office should be informed 2 Hours prior to departure.

· For ticketing== www.azammarine.com/schedule/ http://booking.azammarine.com/book/NewBooking.aspx/SearchJourney

All foreign passengers (none Tanzanian citizens) are required to carry their passports when traveling between the islands of Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.

Foreign passengers are required to pay for their tickets in United States Dollar (USD$). We do however accept payments in UK Pound Sterling (Stg?) and Euro (€). All other currencies are not acceptable.

Foreigners with resident permits or exemption certificates are allowed to pay for their fares in Tanzanian Shillings and will be charged the normal fares applicable for citizens.

Tanzanian citizens are encouraged to carry some identification to prove their citizenship.

TSUNAMI TEST INDIAN OCEAN NATIONS

2014-09-10T08:56:00.001+03:00

PARIS, September 5- A decade after the strongest tsunami in living memory, 24 countries spanning from Australia to South Africa will take part in a UN backed simulation exercise next week to test their capacity to forecast and tackle similar disasters.

The exercise, organized by UNESCO, will simulate a 9.1 magnitude earthquake south of the Indonesian island of Java beginning September 9.

A second 9.0-magnitude quake will be simulated at the Makran Trench south of Iran and Pakistan.

“Both scenarios will simulate tsunami waves travelling across the Indian Ocean,” UNESCO said in a statement.

The test is designed to examine an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system put in place after the December 24, 2004 disaster which killed over 230,000 people, displaced more than one million people, and left a massive trail of destruction along the coasts of the affected countries.

It will check the efficiency of communication flows between the 24 countries, general readiness and the efficiency of emergency procedures.

Many of the countries involved will also stage evacuation exercises for coastal populations.

An evaluation will be conducted after the exercise to identify gaps and weaknesses in the system.

The participating countries are Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, East Timor, the French overseas department of La Reunion, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Yemen

Indian Ocean-wide tsunami exercise to test readiness ten years after the 2004 disaster

Ten years after the strongest tsunami in living memory in 2004, 24 countries of the Indian Ocean Rim* will participate in a large scale simulation exercise organized under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO on 9 and 10 September to test the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System. The goal is to measure the capacity and response times of the various stakeholders involved to address such rare but potentially destructive events.

The exercise, known as “IOWAVE14”, will comprise two scenarios: the first simulates an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 south of Java, Indonesia, on 9 September (00:00 UTC); the second simulates an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 in the Makran Trench south of Iran and Pakistan. Both scenarios will simulate tsunami waves travelling across the Indian Ocean. The exercise will be conducted in real time. The Indian Ocean Regional Tsunami Service Providers (Australia, India and Indonesia) will issue notification messages to National Tsunami Warning Centres alerting them to the simulated threats.

The test is designed to assess the effectiveness of communication flows between the stakeholders involved, country readiness and the efficiency of emergency procedures. Several countries will also include public evacuation exercises of coastal populations. An evaluation will be conducted after the exercise to identify gaps and weaknesses so as to improve the System.

The Indian Ocean nations called for the establishment of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWS) in the wake of the 2004 catastrophe. An Intergovernmental Coordination Group was established with the support of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO to provide a governance mechanism for the new System, which became operational in 2011.

*To date: Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France (Réunion), India, , Iran,Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, IndonesiaMalaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Yemen.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/indian_ocean_wide_tsunami_exercise_to_test_readiness_ten_years_after_the_2004_disaster/#.VA_nDWN2Hgk

DISAPPEARING ISLANDS OR NOT

2014-09-08T19:18:00.002+03:00

DISAPPEARING ISLANDS

So many islands across the globe are facing extinction. Two theories surround why this is happening; rising sea levels due to global warming or the islands are simply sinking into the ocean. Whichever the case, the fact is that these islands and the people who inhabit them are losing the battle against nature

a paper in New Scientist by Paul Kench and Arthur Webb entitled Shape-shifting islands defy sea-level rise (behind paywall here) actually found that far from being inundated, the majority of coral islands are actually growing not shrinking – they can adapt to sea-level

Reported by Australia’s ABC here

1. CARTERET ISLANDS, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Referred to by many as a “sinking paradise”, over a thousand people originally lived on these islands. Over the last decade the Papua New Guinea government has been gradually relocating families, making Papua New Guineans the first climate change refugees. Like many other atolls throughout the Pacific Ocean, this one is very low-lying and its main constituent, the coral, needs to be covered in water most of the time. The islands are expected to disappear completely by 2015.

UPDATE: Papau New Guinea’s islands are perhaps in the worst situation of all islands facing this threat. In addition to Carteret, Mortlock, Nuguria, Tasman, and Nissan are also facing sinking below the depths of sea level. Families continue to be relocated to four cities; Tinputz, Tearuki, Mabiri and Tsimba. Unfortunately the efforts are slow and the island is dissipating. Now the food supply is in jeopardy due to the high salt content of the soil. Neighboring islands are selling surplus food to them, but as an island with little revenue it is not easy for the people. On the bright side PNG (Papau New Guinea) is now inline to receive funds from the American Climate Change. This island has been relying on the good will of organizations such German Church groups like Misereor and Bread for the World.

2. KIRIBATI

Coconuts are no longer on the menu on Kiribati; they’ve stopped growing on the trees of some islands, as fresh water areas are being flooded with salt water instead. Vegetation is starting to die off and the shorelines aren’t far behind. This central, tropical Pacific Ocean nation has already lost some of its islands to rising sea levels, and the remaining 33 are estimated to sink completely in the next 100 years.

UPDATE: The people of Kiribati (like all these islands) have fought to keep their home, but unfortunately mother nature is winning the war. The highest point on the island is just three meters, and if you stay at a hotel here you will be given a life jacket just in case. Most recently hitting headlines is the story of Iaone Teitiota, a native to the island who is fighting to stay in New Zealand under refugee status. New Zealand law says he doesn’t fit the bill (pun intended) and should be deported. This case is making way for new legislation regarding climate refugees. Most recent guesses indicate the island has 25 to 35 years left before it is no longer above sea level. In the meantime though the food supply and fresh water shortages are a current issue and the island may be uninhabitable long before the 35 year prediction.

3. SOLOMON ISLANDS

Islands don’t tend to disappear overnight, but the warning signs of coastal erosion and salt water damage have started to make a serious impact here. These stunning islands (numbering close to a thousand) are a sovereign state of Oceania ; divers flock here to explore coral reefs, lagoons and underwater volcanoes. Apart from rising sea levels, cyclones and flooding are chipping away its shorelines.

UPDATE: Salt water continues to embed itself within the island, contaminating water supplies and making it very difficult to grow food. No timeline has been estimated about how long the island has left, but the food and water resources may make it a state similar to Kiribati where habitation won’t be possible due to the lack of resources.

4. SARICHEF ISLAND, ALASKA

This traditional Eskimo village has seen some of the world’s harshest weather conditions threaten its existence. The Chukchi Sea which surrounds this long narrow island is normally frozen from mid-November through to mid-June, protecting the island from storms and wave surges. Shown below is the village of Shishmaref where many are losing their homes due to erosion.

UPDATE: We tend to think that disappearing islands only affect warm areas, but this is not true. Sarichef Island’s seaside is eroding quickly. One storm can see 5 feet of the islands edge disappear. Over the past 10 to 20 years more than 30 feet of shoreline has dispersed.

5. TUVALU

Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu is midway between Hawaii and Australia and it looks like paradise. It is a real shame that this Polynesian island nation is predicted to be completely under water within 50 years. Climate change and high tides have been known to ravage the low lying shores; if the unthinkable does happen, 11,000 people that live here will not only lose their homes, but their whole country.

UPDATE: Vete Sakaio, Deputy Prime Minister of Tuvalu recently addressed the UN general Assembly with a plea to address climate change and save their country. His point was that this is not just a Tuvula problem it is a worldwide issue. Perhaps his partying words were the strongest though: “Save Tuvalu in order to save yourself.”

7. FIJI

Fiji is an island nation in Melanesia. As much these islands are all about sunny relaxation and snorkeling its spectacular reefs, global warming is starting to chip away at Fiji’s shores. With inches of the islands’ beaches eroding each year, the coastlines are taking a serious hit. There is a current debate about whether the Pacific islands are adapting to rising water levels or will succumb to the watery depths altogether.

UPDATE: The WWF is actively fighting against the erosion of Fiji by building resilience in tropical mangroves, in hopes to preserve the coastline. Fiji is not slated to disappear from the map, but the serious concern lies in its water supply. If the fresh water becomes diluted with salt water it would potentially become uninhabitable because no food could be grown or water consumed. Flooding, droughts, shoreline erosion, and extreme weather are other worries that climate change has brought to life. Tourism is an important discussion right now, as finding ways to keep this economic must in play while balancing it with sustainability and environmental efforts is vital.

8. MARSHALL ISLANDS

1,156 islets make up this Micronesian nation, but things could look very different in the not so distant future. Some scientists predict that the Marshall Islands will start to be swallowed up by the Pacific Ocean in the next 50 years. The main culprit? Extreme weather conditions. In 2008, extreme waves and high tides caused widespread flooding in the capital city of Majuro and other urban centers, located at 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) above sea level. According to the president of Nauru, the Marshall Islands are the nation ranked as the most endangered due to flooding from climate change.

UPDATE: The Marshall Islands do not view climate change as a distant threat, it is an actual and current one. This year they have seen extreme weather conditions from severe droughts to floods a few weeks later. recently their president Christopher J. Loeak wrote an open letter on the opinion page of the New York Times titled “Climate Change Has Reached Our Shores”.

9. SEYCHELLES

The Seychelles is made up of about 115 islands in the Indian Ocean some 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) east of mainland Africa, surrounded by spectacular coral reefs. The coral is what stops beach erosion; unfortunately, rising water temperatures are resulting in one of the worst coral die offs ever seen. Some scientists have predicted that most of the Seychelles will be under water in 50 – 100 years.

UPDATE: Seychelles has been developing policies to protect the island, food supply, and people against climate change for several years now. The results are unclear as most of the legislation is in regards to evaluating and not so much how to solve the problem. However, they have certainly taken a pro-active and hands on approach.

10. TOKELAU

Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand that consists of three tropical coral atolls. Located in the South Pacific Ocean, this tropical haven looks heavenly, but could disappear from view before the century is out. Rising sea levels and water temperatures are threatening the coral reefs and coastlines. Just four metres above sea level at its highest point, the odds are against this beauty spot surviving beyond 2100.

UPDATE: The government of Tokelau is facing eroding and disappearing island head on. Tokelau is the first place in the world to operate 100% on renewable energy, this means there are no more fossil fuels, just solar energy.

Ref: http://www.myvacationpages.com/travel-lounge/disappearing-islands/

Ref: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25086963

Lying just two metres above sea level at its highest points, the island nation of Kiribati is the poster child for climate change, with predictions that many of the 32 islands in the group could be lost to the sea in the next 50 years.

But what is it really like? Julian Siddle from BBC Science reports from South Tarawa, Kiribati's main island.

The stereotypical image of Kiribati is of classic pacific atolls, palm trees, coral reefs and people living a simple lifestyle, able to fish in abundant seas. But it is threatened by rising sea levels and facing the full force of climate change.

All that is real, but in addition this island nation is one of the most populated places on earth. Current estimates suggest around 110,000 people live here, and half of these in South Tarawa - a chain of small islands, sharing a lagoon and coral reefs now linked by concrete causeways topped with a dusty road.

The population has boomed since the island obtained independence from Britain in the late 1970s. Villages are now joined, forming a near continuous strip of urbanisation along the roadside and down to the sea.

A shortage of land means there is very little agriculture and the population is now heavily reliant on imported and predominantly processed food.

Many people come from the rural outer islands to the urban centre of South Tarawa. This has been a largely economic migration, though a loss of land to the sea has also provided a push.

"The outer island communities have been affected, we have a village which has gone, we have a number of communities where the sea water has broken through into the freshwater pond and is now affecting the food crops," says Kiribati's president, Anote Tong.

"That is happening on different islands, it's not an isolated event, serious inundation is being witnessed. These are the realities we are facing, whether they are climate change induced or not."

The less populated Island of Abaiang to the north of Tarawa is where a village disappeared beneath the waves. This island has a much lower population than Tarawa, approximately 10,000.

---

Climate scientists have expressed surprise at findings that many low-lying Pacific islands are growing, not sinking.

Islands in Tuvalu, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia are among those which have grown, largely due to coral debris, land reclamation and sediment.

The findings, published in the magazine New Scientist, were gathered by comparing changes to 27 Pacific islands over the last 20 to 60 years using historical aerial photos and satellite images.

Auckland University’s Associate Professor Paul Kench, a member of the team of scientists, says the results challenge the view that Pacific islands are sinking due to rising sea levels associated with climate change.

“Eighty per cent of the islands we’ve looked at have either remained about the same or, in fact, gotten larger,” he said.

“Some of those islands have gotten dramatically larger, by 20 or 30 per cent.

“We’ve now got evidence the physical foundations of these islands will still be there in 100 years.”

But, the article continues [bold mine]:-

Dr Kench says the growth of the islands can keep pace with rising sea levels.

“The reason for this is these islands are so low lying that in extreme events waves crash straight over the top of them,” he said.

“In doing that they transport sediment from the beach or adjacent reef platform and they throw it onto the top of the island.”

But Dr Kench says this does not mean climate change does not pose dangers.

“The land may still be there but will they still be able to support human habitation?” he asked.

Adelaide University climate scientist Professor Barry Brook says he is surprised by the findings.

So just why are the Kiribatians looking to relocate? Is it a real problem? Is it just “give us the cash”, or is it some other problem?

Many of these smaller Island Nations are doing a fantastic trade in tourism, indeed the Maldives is building airstrips right, left and centre. Kiribati has two international airports (Godzone only has three or perhaps four).

As Willis points out, water appears to be a big issue, as is coral mining and fishing (yes fish can upset the coral atoll growth). Others point to rubbish – simply put they are running out of places to dig holes and bury the stuff.

"These two factors mean that seas rise a tenth of an inch annually, eroding about 580 acres of Maryland a year."

A combination of geological forces and climate change have raised water levels in the Chesapeake Bay in recent decades, forcing residents to leave once-habitable islands

Holland Island was one of the largest: Historians say it had more than 360 people around 1910, with two stores, a school and a baseball team that traveled to other islands by boat. But the inhabitants' luck, and their land, would not hold. Sea levels in the Chesapeake, scientists say, are rising faster than they are in some other coastal regions of the United States. One reason is ancient: The land here has been slowly sinking for thousands of years, settling itself from bulges created by the weight of Ice Age glaciers. The weight of glaciers to the north pushed the Earth's crust down, and the crust in this area went up like the other end of a see-saw. Now, the whole region is slowly sinking again.

The other reason is modern: climate change. The Earth's oceans are rising, scientists say, because polar ice is melting, and because warmer water expands. They have noticed the effect of climate change more in the past couple of decades, government scientists say. These two factors mean that seas rise a tenth of an inch annually, eroding about 580 acres of Maryland a year, according to the state. The loss of land is all around the bay but is most noticeable on the low islands. Holland Island was especially hard-hit: Like other Chesapeake islands, it was made of silt and clay, not rock, so its land eroded readily. Today, the ragged piece of marshy land is smaller than Holland's outline in colonial times. "It's just like a dipstick," said Michael Kearney, a professor at the University of Maryland. "The water goes up, it just gets drowned." - Washington Post.

Tangier Island lies in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and is 92 miles (148km) southeast of Washington, DC. This small piece of land is barely above sea level and its 500 residents are fighting for its survival. First settled in 1686, the island at times had over 1,200 residents and during the War of 1812 it served as a staging area for British soldiers. Now fishing restrictions, erosion and rising sea levels have resulted in most of the younger members of this tightly knit community looking for opportunities elsewhere. - BBC.

WATCH: BBC's Franz Strasser went to Tangier Island to see how the remaining islanders are coping with a difficult future.

PASSENGER FERRY SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS

2014-09-08T16:54:00.001+03:00

passenger ferry safety recommendations

Wall St. Ferry Crash Spurs NTSB Safety Recommendations

By Eric HaunTuesday, July 08, 2014, 1:44 PMSeastreak Wall StreetThe National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation into the allision of passenger vessel Seastreak Wall Street with Pier 11, Lower Manhattan, New York early last year has led the board to issue a safety alert regarding stairway hazards during docking and undocking.Of the 331 people on board when the vessel allided with the dock on January 9, 2013, 79 passengers and one crewmember were injured, four of them seriously. As the vessel approached the pier, some passengers stood in the ferry’s five stairways providing passenger access between three deck levels as they anticipated arrival. When the vessel unexpectedly struck the dock, passengers lost their balance and fell, causing head injuries, fractured ribs and cuts and bruises. The most severely injured passenger fell down a stairway and suffered a broken neck, brain hemorrhage, lung collapse, facial fractures and lacerations and nerve injuries. He spent more than five weeks in a hospital.The NTSB advises vessel passengers to avoid unrestricted stairways during docking and undocking as a momentary loss of balance can cause falls and serious injuries.

To additionally reduce the risk of injuries, NTSB recommends passengers remain seated or hold onto a handrail or seat back during docking and always be prepared for unexpected vessel movement.To further reduce the risk of serious injuries, the NTSB recommends vessel operators develop procedures to control passenger access to stairways during docking and undocking

— at Mombasa Likoni Ferry — at Kigamboni Ferry Terminal, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

They rarely reach passenger capacity, however, notwithstanding the spectacle of the terminals/dock overflow of crowd happen mostly during peak hours

Still, counting people is important. Captains need to know when their vessels exceed the magic number of passengers . That's how many people they can strap into life vests and fit on lifeboats.

The number of people per boat can exceed the lifesaving capacity, since help from other vessels is readily available on most runs, but the Coast Guard must be alerted, along with other vessels on the same route and boats on adjacent routes that will be expected to help in an emergency. Most ferries have a maximum passenger capacity of 1,500 people.

Ferry terminal staff provide counts for each trip, as accurately as possible with the tools available

It makes the master more comfortable," in the case of an emergency how he is going to use his personnel and what equipment to use to save lifes.

The first three things the Coast Guard will want to know in an emergency is the nature of the problem, the location and how many people are on board. The goal from a search-and-rescue perspective is to recover everybody possible. You need the count to accomplish that."

Tsunami Programe (ICG/IOTWS)

2014-09-06T11:42:00.001+03:00

Tsunami Warning Focal Points (TWFPs)

The Tsunami Warning Focal Point (TWFP) is a 7x24 contact person, or other official point of contact or address designated by a government, available at the national level for rapidly receiving and issuing tsunami event information (such as warnings). The Tsunami Warning Focal Point either is the emergency authority (civil defense or other designated agency responsible for public safety), or has the responsibility of notifying the emergency authority of the event characteristics (earthquake and/or tsunami), in accordance with national standard operating procedures. The Tsunami Warning Focal Point receives international tsunami warnings from the Regional Tsunami Service Providers (RTSPs) for the IOTWS. The role of the TWFP is summarised as follows:

• Reception of the messages transmitted by the Regional Tsunami Service Providers

• Evaluate and issue national warnings in accordance with the National Emergency Plan

• Transmission of warning messages to the National Emergency Authorities

• Operating 24/7

About the Tsunami Programme

The Indonesian coast, between Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, after the earthquake and the tsunami of 26 December 2004. Photo by Evan Schneider © UN Photo

UNESCO supports Member States in improving capabilities for tsunami risk assessment, implementing early warning systems and enhancing preparedness of communities at risk. UNESCO works closely with national institutions and promotes inter-institutional and regional cooperation. Specialized regional centers provide tsunami information that, together with national analysis, is the basis of the warnings issued for the public. In addition, UNESCO promotes community-based approaches in the development of response plans and awareness campaigns which strongly involve education institutions and end-users.

Upcoming Events

Exercise Indian Ocean Wave 2014
9 - 10 September 2014

Regional Workshop on Tsunami Warning and Emergency Response for the North-Eastern Atlantic, Medtierrannean and connected seas
23 - 24 September 2014
Morocco

TOWS Inter-ICG Task Team on Hazard Assessment Related to Highest Potential Tsunami Source Areas, 2nd session
4 - 5 October 2014
Rhodes, Greece

Third Session of the IOC Sub Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States
8 - 10 October 2014
Nairobi, Kenya

TOWS-WG Inter-ICG Task Team on Tsunami Watch Operations
21 - 22 October 2014
Japan

Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System

2014-09-06T11:33:00.003+03:00

The Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS) was formed in response to the tragic tsunami on December 26th 2004, in which over 250,000 lives were lost around the Indian Ocean region. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) received a mandate from the international community to coordinate the establishment of the System during the course of several international and regional meetings, including the World Conference on Disaster Reduction (Kobe, Japan, 18 – 22 January 2005), and the Phuket Ministerial Meeting on Regional Cooperation on Tsunami Early Warning Arrangements (Phuket, Thailand, 28 and 29 January 2005). The IOC Assembly, during its twenty-third Session (21-30 June 2005), formally established the ICG/IOTWS through Resolution IOC-XXIII-12.

Chairperson

Mr Rick Bailey (Australia)

Vice-Chairpersons

Dr Prih Harjadi (Indonesia)

Dr Srinivas Kumar Tummala (India)

Working Groups

The Intergovernmental Coordination Group meets regularly to establish and implement working plans in the Indian Ocean region. To address specific technical issues it has formed three working groups and two task teams:

Working Group 1 - Tsunami Risk Assessment and Reduction - Chair: Dr Sam Hettiarachchi(University of Moratuwa, Department of Civil Engineering, Sri Lanka)

Working Group 2 - Tsunami Detection, Warning and Dissemination - Chair: Dr Satheesh Shenoi (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, India)

Working Group 3 - Tsunami Awareness and Response - Chair: Dr Harkunti Rahayu (Research Center for Oceanography; Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Indonesia)

Secretariat

The Secretariat for the ICG/IOTWS is based in the IOC-UNESCO Regional Programme Office in Perth, Western Australia and is hosted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Head of Secretariat: Mr Tony Elliott

Secretariat Support: Ms Nora Gale

Phone: +618 9226 0191

Email: iotws@unesco.org

ICG/IOTWS Membership

According to IOC Resolution XXIII-12 membership in ICG/IOTWS includes:

- Member States of the IOC bordering the Indian Ocean.

- Observers from other IOC Member States.

- Invited observers from other organizations (including NGO’s), programmes and projects in accordance with the IOC rules and procedures.

Member States establish Tsunami National Contacts that represent the country in the coordination of international tsunami warning and mitigation activities.

Tsunami National Contacts (TNCs)

The person designated by an ICG Member State government to represent his/her country in the coordination of international tsunami warning and mitigation activities. The person is part of the main stakeholders of the national tsunami warning and mitigation system program. The person may be the Tsunami Warning Focal Point, from the national disaster management organization, from a technical or scientific institution, or from another agency with tsunami warning and mitigation responsibilities.

Australia

Dr Ray Canterford, Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Bangladesh

Mr Md. Shah Alam, Bangladesh Meteorological Department

British Indian Ocean Territory

TNC not established

Comoros

Mr Hamid Soule, National Documentation and Science Research Centre (CNDRS)

Djibouti

TNC not established

France

Mr Emmanuel Cloppet, Météo France

India

Dr Satheesh Shenoi, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)

Indonesia

Dr Prih Harjadi, Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency of Indonesia (BMKG)

Iran

Dr Vahid Chegini, Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science (INIOAS)

Kenya

Dr Joseph Mukabana, Kenya Meteorological Service

Madagascar

Ms Che Gayah Ismail, Malaysia Meteorological Services

Maldives

Mr Mohamed Admed, Ministry of Defence and National Security

Mauritius

Mr Suresh Chandra Seeballuck, Prime Minister’s Office

Mozambique

Mr Mussa Mustafa, Mozambique National Institute of Meteorology

Myanmar

Dr Hrin Nei Thaim, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology

Oman

Mr Aldul Rahim Salim Al-Harmi, Ministry of Transport and Communications

Pakistan

Mr Zahid Rafi, Pakistan Meteorological Department

Seychelles

Mr Alain De Comarmond, Department of Risk and Disaster Management

Singapore

Ms Patricia EE Gek May, Meteorological Service Division, National Environment Agency

Somalia

TNC not established

South Africa

Mr Ken Terry, National Disaster Management Centre

Sri Lanka

Maj. Gen. Gamini Hettiarachchi, Disaster Management Centre

Tanzania

Dr Agnes Kijazi, Tanzania Meteorological Agency

Thailand

Gp. Capt. Sonsak Khoasuwan, National Disaster Warning Center

Timor-Leste

Mr Francisco Do Rosario, National Disaster Management Directorate

United Arab Emirates

TNC not established

Yemen

Mr Majed Al-Refai, Yemen Ministry of Water and Environment

ROBOT PATROLS FOR PORTS

2014-09-06T10:29:00.002+03:00

Robot patrols for ports

AUV being put through its paces at the Port of LisbonImagine robots that patrol beneath port waters, able not just to notice and then identify security threats, but also able to keep tabs on water pollution, silting up of vulnerable areas and inspect the integrity of underwater assets.Sounds like sci-fi, but the first incarnation of these Autonomous Underwater Vessels (AUVs) has just been demonstrated at the ports of Lisbon and Piraeus. Lisbon’s first issue was closing the gap in the security on the waterfront.Daniel Roythorne of BMT Group explained to MJ: “Landside security measures can be relatively simple to deploy, but the waterfront remains an easier target.” The potential threats from both organised crime and terrorism are many and varied, however, as Mr Roythorne explains: “While the risk is difficult to quantify, underwater attacks have been carried out in Sri Lanka with evidence that Al Qaeda has also considered using this tactic.”These small, robust 1.8m torpedo-shaped AUVs connect with modems seated below the surface to link with the brains of the outfit onshore. Since the modems can be strung out on a chain across the port, handing over the data link from one to another, the AUVs can remain connected even when far from base, keeping up a harbour patrol day and night. As the AUVs can be controlled in three dimensions, being able to rise or submerge with the help of vertically aligned thrusters, the units can thread through the water below the hulls of smaller craft, ideally at about 10m depth – bigger ships have AIS signals to allow them to be avoided - scanning the area with sonar and/or cameras. If it finds an anomaly it will quietly head toward it to investigate. Mr Roythorne explained the AUV heads in to scan over the object of interest four or five times, a process that at present takes 20 to 30 seconds “but this is a figure we can improve on”. Further, the battery system is quiet, so there may be little to give the AUVs presence away, a useful ‘stealth’ characteristic.

What has made all this possible are the giant strides in computing power and programming: the software can differentiate between a diver and a dolphin at a distance of up to 100m, partly through movement patterns and certain kinds of consistency in the signals.Although the operatives on shore can direct the AUV for in-depth investigation it remains capable of autonomous work patterns: one very interesting development that is only a handful of years away is the ability to find a ‘plug’ on the seabed and head for it for an inductive recharge. For the moment, however, the robots are reliant on a change of batteries.It’s not just security that can be answered by this kind of AUV, other ports are interested in continuous environmental monitoring and a previous project developed robotic fish that could sniff out pollution. Another element could be the checking of the integrity of submerged structures, saving the need to bring in experts unless something shows up that requires more in-depth analysis.Further, as Mr Roythorne explained, some ports are plagued by shifting silt. “One port had a recent issue with a floating crane that kept grounding: it meant an expensive emergency dredge. If it had managed to be tipped off earlier as to what was happening below the surface the remedy wouldn’t have been so costly.”Which brings us to money: happily it’s not as expensive as some might imagine. In fact, this element has been kept down to the bedrock and is the reason for not simply reinventing the high pressure oil and gas support ROVs: a single, basic AUV may come in at about EUR30,000 while a whole system, with modem transmitters, deployment and a couple of AUVs thrown in should only set a port back EUR100,000. In fact much has been omitted to give a fundamentally affordable system: “For example, an off-the-shelf mechanical sonar has been used as it costs a fraction of a multibeam device,” he explains. “We did a lot of research just to source a readily available unit, the one we’ve used was just one of two that came in at around EUR7,000.” Even the signalling stations are based on established, off-the-shelf modem technology.Likewise there has been a careful carving out of the propulsive power. Mr Roythorne points out the AUV is made of a robust and lightweight fibreglass (a useful safety feature if it does actually come into contact with some other craft) and so at present the units are fitted with relatively low-power thrusters. This means while the AUVs can deal with calmer waters, this incarnation might have a harder time fighting against strong tidal flows.He explained it goes further than the budget, it is also about the overall power balance: “Yes, we can fit more powerful thrusters, but go too far and then the battery power becomes an issue. The fact is, it’s always going to be a compromise between power, operational time and payload.”Still, the AUVs have flexibility at heart, and from this foundation the AUVs could be tailored to fit a many kinds of operation: a port interested in very detailed mapping might want to raise this capability, or if it wants to inspect structures, it may consider a higher spec camera. Underpinning this the software architecture has been kept as open and generic as possible to allow a change of sensors, cameras or other devices, so while not quite ‘plug and play’, the AUVs are fundamentally flexible enough to answer a number of needs – both present and future.By Stevie Knight

— at Port of Lisbon, Portugal

SEAFARERS UNIONS

2014-09-04T12:24:00.001+03:00

SEAFARERS UNIONS

A trade union (British English and Australian English – trades union is also used), labour union (Canadian English) or labor union (American English) is an organization of workers who have united together to achieve common goals such as protecting the integrity of its trade, achieving higher pay and benefits such as health care and retirement, increasing the number of employees an employer assigns to complete the work, safety standards, and better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members (rank and file members) and negotiates labour contracts (collective bargaining) with employers. The most common purpose of these associations or unions is "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment".[1] This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies.

Unions may organize a particular section of skilled workers (craft unionism),[2] a cross-section of workers from various trades (general unionism),[3] or attempt to organize all workers within a particular industry (industrial unionism).[3] The agreements negotiated by a union are binding on the rank and file members and the employer and in some cases on other non-member workers. Trade unions traditionally have a constitution which details the governance of their bargaining unit and also have governance at various levels of government depending on the industry that binds them legally to their negotiations and functioning.

Originating in Europe, trade unions became popular in many countries during the Industrial Revolution. Trade unions may be composed of individual workers, professionals, past workers, students, apprentices and/or the unemployed.

Since the publication of the History of Trade Unionism (1894) by Sidney and Beatrice Webb, the predominant historical view is that a trade union "is a continuous association of wage earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment."[1] Karl Marx described trade unions thus; - “...the value of labour-power constitutes the conscious and explicit foundation of the trade unions, whose importance for the […] working class can scarcely be overestimated. The trade unions aim at nothing less than to prevent the reduction of wages below the level that is traditionally maintained in the various branches of industry. That is to say, they wish to prevent the price of labour-power from falling below its value” (Capital V1, 1867, p. 1069).

A modern definition by the Australian Bureau of Statistics states that a trade union is "an organization consisting predominantly of employees, the principal activities of which include the negotiation of rates of pay and conditions of employment for its members

The Seafarers Union of Burma (SUB) is a trade union in exile from Burma (Myanmar). It represents an estimated 20 - 30,000 workers in the international shipping industry, many of whom work on Flag of Convenience ships and suffer from poor work and pay conditions.

Founded in 1991 by the Burmese seafarers who are in trouble and get contact with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and its affiliated maritime unions around the world and supported by the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma (FTUB) in opposition to the government sanctioned "Myanmar Overseas Seafarers Association" (MOSA), SUB remains banned in Burma (Myanmar) but is recognized as the legitimate representative of Burmese sailors by other maritime unions, and is a member of the International Transport Workers' Federation

KENYA SEAFARERS UNION

https://www.facebook.com/easeafarers

https://www.facebook.com/pages/marine-kenya/1439717492947512https://www.facebook.com/pages/marine-kenya/1439717492947512

Kenya Seafarers are comprised of 3,280 skilled and experienced maritime staff.

The Seafarers consist of Shipmasters, Deck and Engineer Officers, Electrical and Electro-Technical Officers, Divers, Fish Workers, Deck and Engine room Ratings and off-shore gas/oil rig staff.

Owing to the lack of a National Merchant Fleet and STCW Certificates, only 20% are currently employed aboard Coastal and Foreign Ocean-going vessels.

Majority of the Merchant Navy and Engineer Officers are Britain, Egypt and South Africa trained.

With the assistance of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), 48 Kenyan Seafarers underwent a six week STCW training in South Africa at the UNICORN Tankers Training School while 900 under took STCW training at Bandari College, Kenya.

Due to the absence of legally established manning agencies for Seafarers in Kenya, there is no proper replacement and recruitment of Seafarers in the Country. All replacements and recruitment of Seafarers in Kenya are carried out in close shop system, which is contrary to government directive on recruitment of seamen.

The Government directive of recruitment of Seafarers states that all recruitment of Seafarers are subject to Government control under the Office of the Merchant Shipping Superintendent.

We know that work is the best route out of poverty. But we cannot legislate employment in and poverty out. It is long and complex process requiring all elements of society to work together.

Therefore, there’s a need to harness the unique power of the office of the Merchant Shipping Superintendent, Ship Owners and Seafarers Union of Kenya to a concerted efforts in creating employment to Kenyan Merchant Mariners.

Tanzania seafarers`union

(TASU) is the seafarers’ trade union of its kind to be set in the country. Established under the Trade union act No 10 of 1998 and as amended on the Employment and Labour Relation Act, No. 6 of 2004, the union has registration number 008 issued by the Registrar of Organization.

TASU is affiliated member of Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) based in London.

The union representing seafarers workers who are working in marine engineering, shipbuilding and marine maintanance others are working in ferry boats which are owned by the Government of Tanzania, others are working with foreign going ships and coastal ships. We have more than 1,250 members all over the country but more than 4,000 are potential members in marine industry

OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN

2014-09-04T11:20:00.003+03:00

OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN (news)

Executive Summary
Section 5 of the Kenya Maritime Authority Act, 2006 establishes the KMA as Kenya’s competent oil spill authority. In this regard, KMA has the responsibility to develop, co-ordinate and manage a national oil spill contingency plan for preparedness to respond to oil spills in coastal and inland waters. In 2009, the Authority commenced the development of the National Oil Pollution Contingency Plan (the Contingency Plan), which provided for, among other things, biennial review. Due to emerging trends in the in the shipping and the oil and gas industries and the coming into effect of a new constitutional dispensation in Kenya, the Authority commenced a major review of the Contingency Plan in 2013.
The purpose of this review is to align the Contingency Plan to the Constitution, bridge the gaps identified in the 2009 Contingency Plan and incorporate best practices on marine spills contingency planning into the current Contingency Plan.
In line with KMA’s principle of stakeholder involvement in its governance process, KMA has organized a Stakeholders Workshop at the North Coast Beach Hotel from 11th to 12th September 2014. The Purpose of the workshop is to discuss the Draft Contingency Plan with a view of adopting an all-inclusive marine spills response operational framework for marine spills in Kenya.

By John Oyuke of standard newspaper Kenya on Thursday, June 24th 2010 at 00:00 GMT +3

Kenya has revised its National Oil Spill Response Contingency Plan (NOSRCP) to ensure proper management and handling of any emergency spills. Kenya Maritime Authority ( KMA) says the revised and updated document would be ready for approval before the end of the year. The emergency plan document spells out the use of oil dispersants and lists Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) that show all the coastal sensitive resources and which of these sites would have to be prioritised for protection

KMA Director General Nancy Karigithu said the updated emergency plan has defined the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders. "The NOSRCP for Kenya has an own emergency plan which contains a spill management structure with trained specialists and well defined policies and strategies," she said. Minimum Side Effects The emergency oil spill plan for Kenya is revised yearly to address recurrent changes in personnel and in responsibilities of agencies at Governmental level. Karigithu said Kenya is preparing a coastline marine atlas of all ESA to enable marine authorities handle an oil spill with minimum side effects to marine flora and fauna. The Atlas will show mangroves, estuaries, aqua culture sites, reefs, dunes, birds and turtles. "Each item will be assigned an Environmental Index to indicate its importance," said Karigithu, adding that policy on the use of oil dispersants would define where they might be used in the event of an emergency oil spill. The use of the dispersants, she explained, would depend on the location of the spill, prevailing climatic conditions, ocean currents, the depth of the water, marine species present at that location and on the need to prevent the oil from reaching the coastline, where important resources need to be protected Karigithu was speaking on the sidelines of a GEF-Western Indian Ocean Marine Highway Development and Coastal and Marine Contamination Prevention Project workshop in Mombasa. The workshop held last week drew participants from South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Reunion Island. All countries are required under international laws to have a NOSRCP to provide a national framework for responding to oil spills and protecting the coastal resources.

Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000012361/kenya-ups-marine-oil-spill-preparedness

http://www.ehs.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/pictures/Spill%20Response%20Procedures.jpg

2014-09-03T10:29:00.000+03:00

Ferry sinks in central Philippines near Burias Island

A ferry carrying around 60 people has sunk in the central Philippines, leading to at least one death.

The vessel MV Lady of Mount Carmel sank near Burias Island early on Friday.
Coastguard reports say 34 people have been rescued so far, but the rest remain missing. The coastguard and navy are searching for survivors.
The cause of the sinking is not clear. The ship's captain said in an interview that the weather was calm at the time of the accident.
The ferry sank at around 05:00 local time (21:00 GMT).
Regional civil defence chief Raffy Alejandro told AFP news agency that the captain said most passengers were wearing life jackets.
"We expect many more will be rescued. We were able to respond quickly," he said.
Maritime accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago because of tropical weather, badly maintained passenger boats and weak enforcement of safety regulations.
The world's worst maritime disaster in peacetime occurred in the Philippines in December 1987. More than 4,000 people died when the Dona Paz ferry collided with a tanker.

WORLD MARITIME DAY

2014-09-03T10:27:00.001+03:00

https://www.facebook.com/events/1683961648495559/

Every year IMO celebrates World Maritime Day. The exact date is left to individual Governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work.

IMO has, over the years, built up an enviable track record for developing and adopting new international conventions, some 53 in all, aimed at ensuring that international shipping keeps up to date with technical and technological advances in safety, that it addresses the ever increasing number of environmental challenges and concerns of Member Governments and that it facilitates the payment of compensation in appropriate situations.

Nevertheless, adoption alone is only the first step of the treaty-making process; to be effective, adoption must be followed by entry into force and, subsequently, widespread implementation of the measures put in place by the conventions.

Events

The traditional diplomatic reception to celebrate the Day will be held at IMO Headquarters on 25 September 2014.

World Maritime Day Parallel Event

The World Maritime Day Parallel Event will be held in Morocco on 27 to 29 October 2014. For detailed information please see www.worldmaritimedaymorocco.com/.

For the World Maritme Day message from IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu and background paper in English, click here.

http://www.imo.org/About/Events/WorldMaritimeDay/WMD2014/Pages/WMD-message-2014-.aspx

MARINE PARKS AND RESERVES

2013-02-08T14:11:00.002+03:00

MARINE PARKS AND RESERVES

A marine park is a park consisting of an area of sea (or lake) sometimes protected for recreational use, but more often set aside to preserve a specific habitat and ensure the ecosystem is sustained for the organisms that exist there. Most marine parks are designated by governments, and organized like 'watery' national parks.

The largest marine park used to be the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in Australia, at 350,000 km² until 2010, when the United Kingdom announced the opening of the Chagos Marine Park or Chagos Archipelago. Although for many uses it is sufficient to designate the boundaries of the marine park and to inform commercial fishing boats and other maritime enterprises, some parks have gone to additional effort to make their wonders accessible to visitors.

These can range from glass-bottomed boats and small submarines, to windowed undersea tubes. In New Zealand a marine reserve is an area which has a higher degree of legal protection than marine parks for conservation purposes.

In New South Wales, there are planned marine parks which will stretch along the coastline of the entire state.

Marine National Parks and Reserves in Kenya

 MOMBASA.

 KISITE-MPUNGUTI.

 KIUNGA.

 MALINDI.

 TANA DELTA.

 WATAMU

Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve is a marine park and national reserve in Mombasa, Kenya. The park is 10 km² (2,500 acres) while the reserve is 200 km² (49,400 acres).[1] It is located on the coast near tourist areas and is a popular beach and snorkeling and diving location. It is the most heavily visited of Kenya's marine parks. It has coral reefs in its waters. It was established as a Marine Park in 1986, and encloses part of the lagoon, back reef and reef crest habitats of the Bamburi-Nyali fringing reef. The Marine park is characterized by warm tropical conditions varying at the surface between 25°C and 31°C during the year, stable salinity regimes and moderate nutrient levels.

The marine park is located in Mombasa town along the Kenyan coast. The park comprises of the sea waters, mangroves, sea grasses, and sea weeds. The park is home to variety of marine life e.g. Crabs, Sea urchins, Sea cucumbers, Sea Stars/Starfish, Sea Jellies. Other spectacular attractions include the sand beach and coral gardens. The park is a popular snorkeling and diving location.

Wildlife Code

• Respect the privacy of the wildlife, this is their habitat.

• Beware of the animals, they are wild and can be unpredictable.

•Don't crowd the animals or make sudden noises or movements.

• Don't feed the animals, it upsets their diet and leads to human dependence.

• Keep quiet, noise disturbs the wildlife and may antagonize your fellow visitors.

• Stay in your vehicle at all times, except at designated picnic or walking areas.

• Keep below the maximum speed limit (40 kph/25 mph).

• Never drive off-road, this severely damages the habitat.

• When viewing wildlife keep to a minimum distance of 20 meters and pull to the side of the road so as to allow others to pass.

• Leave no litter and never leave fires unattended or discard burning objects.

• Respect the cultural heritage of Kenya, never take pictures of the local people or their habitat without asking their permission, respect the cultural traditions of Kenya and always dress with decorum.

• Stay over or leave before dusk, visitors must vacate the Park between 6.00 p.m. - 6.00 a.m. unless they are camping overnight. Night game driving is not allowed.

Marine Wildlife Code

• Check local weather and sea conditions before entering the marine park.

•Some marine life is dangerous; do not touch anything under water.

•Do not damage or remove corals. It is a living organism which takes many years to form and is host to many rare and endangered species.

• Do not remove shells, starfish or any other sea – flora or fauna. Removal is illegal, seriously disrupts the eco system and some marine life is dangerous. The areas outside the parks and reserves is threatened by excessive shell collection. Empty shells provide homes for hermit crabs and some fish.

• Do not buy shells and other marine animal products as souvenirs as this encourages further plundering of the reefs and beaches.

• Never dispose of litter on the beach or in the sea. It is illegal and environmentally unfriendly. Marine turtles can confuse clear plastic waste with jelly fish and will die if they eat it.

• Hand – feeding of fish is discouraged. It disrupts normal feeding patterns.

• Hook and line fishing is allowed in the Marine Reserves but prohibited in Marine Parks. Spear guns are not permitted for use in either.

• Environmentally friendly activities such as snorkelling and diving are encouraged, under the supervision of the Kenya Wildlife Service wardens, who work closely with tour operators and hoteliers to ensure strict adherence to this code of practice.

• Avoid restaurants that serve undersized crabs and lobsters as this contributes to their rapid demise.

• Support traditional coastal livelihoods and do not give money to children on the beach, as this can encourage them to stay away from school.

• Sited in the city of Mombasa the park can be reached by road from the city centre, and then connected by boat from the Mombasa Beach

• Roads: From Nairobi mainly use the Nairobi- Mombasa Highway

• Air: It is a 45 minute flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Mombasa SIZE / LOCATION

• Over 200 km2

• Mombasa District, Coast province CLIMATE

• The Coast is humid with mean annual temperatures ranging from 22-34 C. rainfall is about 500mm pa. The climatic conditions are hot and humid. SAFARI CARD REQUIRED?

• At present the park does not operate on smart card system. Entry is by cash only (KSH or US$) MAJOR ATTRACTIONS:

• Beach

• Coral gardens MARINE LIFE

• Prolific marine life includes crabs, corals, sea urchins, jellyfish, sea stars, and sea cucumbers. Different varieties of coral species comprise of Acropora), Turbinaria and Porites BIRDS

• A variety of off shore birds can be seen. WHERE TO STAY

• There is Currently no accommodation in the reserve. Visitors can stay in Mombasa town which offers various accommodation options. There are lots of luxurious, comfortable and culturally rich hotels and lodges to choose from in close proximity to the Mombasa Marine National Park. ACTIVITY OPTIONS • Wind surfing • Snorkeling

• Water skiing • Sunbathing

• Diving WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU • Footwear, e.g. sandals or flip flops (to protect your feet from the reef) • T-shirts (to protect your body from sunburn)

• Snorkel, mask, fins, all of which are available for hire

• Camera, hat, sunscreen, insect repellant • Guide books

• Plenty of drinking water

• A friend(s)

Park Contacts

Phone: +254 41-2312744/5 +254 57-2500136 Email: msamarine@kws.go.ke Postal Address: Mombasa Marine National Park Box 82144 Mombasa

likoni channel ferry and track accident

2013-02-04T09:08:00.000+03:00

Likoni Ferry Accident

-Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - The driver of the truck that rammed into ferry users in Likoni on Saturday has denied charges pressed against him. The deadly accident saw 11 people die and left scores of others in critical conditions.

Appearing before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate Irene Ruguru, Mr. Ali Abdullahi denied the allegations of causing death through dangerous driving saying that he lost control of the lorry.

Abdullahi is still in police custody until the mentioning of the case on February 21^st.

Eleven people are dead and several others are injured after a lorry crashed into passengers waiting to board the likoni ferry early this morning. The driver of the lorry is said to have lost control of the truck as it approached the ferry entrance. Earlier on our reporter ferdinand omondi spoke to eye witnesses and the immediate former area mp hassan joho this is what they had to say.

-More than ten others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to various hospitals in Mombasa.

Coast Provincial Police boss Aggrey Adoli confirmed the accident saying police suspect the driver lost control of the lorry after its brakes failed and rammed into the passengers in the 7am incident.

Confirming the incident, the Kenya Ferry Managing Director Hassan Musa Hassan feared that the number of deaths might increase due to the nature of injuries sustained by some of the victims.

Commuters at the scene claimed that the driver of the truck had not been signaled to get onto the ferry.

Transport Assistant Minister Hassan Joho said that his ministry will liaise with the Kenya Ferry Services to cater for the expenses for those injured.

The injured were rushed to Coast General Hospital, Likoni District Hospital and Msambweni District Hospital.

-A truck headed for South Sudan killed four people at the Likoni crossing on Saturday morning. The lorry

was carrying perfumes and cosmetics in 3,000 cartons worth of millions of shillings in a 40 feet container.

The truck was from from Tanzania, where it had loaded the goods, shipped from Dubai. The driver lost control and rammed into MV Likoni ferry killing three people on spot. The fourth person died while receiving treatment.

Three women were crushed to death by the container, while an 8-year-old boy succumbed to injuries at the Aga Khan Hospital. Scores of people were also injured.

Kenya Ferry Service management said 31 people were injured. Eight of them were rushed to Aga Khan Hospital. Ten to Coast Provincial General Hospital. Eight to Likoni District Hospital. Two to Navy Hospital, two to Savannah Hospital and one to Nyali Children’s Hospital.

Questions are now being raised as to how the lorry was allowed to pass through the Lunga Lunga border. The border post has recently become notorious for smuggling of goods right under nose of the security officers manning it.

KRA regional coordinator and communication officer Fatuma Yusuf admitted that Lunga border is porous. “We have a porous border. We are trying our best to keep it under our close watch. We call on wananchi to give us information on the movement of goods at the border," said Fatuma.

The driver of the ill-fated truck, 28-year-old Mohamed Bishar Ali, a Kenyan of Somali origin, may face murder charges. He was rescued by police, as rowdy commuters bayed for his blood. His other two colleagues escaped.

Coast traffic police boss Joshua Omukuta said the lorry's brakes failed as it waited in the queue. It knocked down commuters who were getting into the ferry.

“Our report show that the accident was caused because of careless driving," said Omukata. "We are have arrested the driver and will charge.”

KFS MD Hassan Musa said that they are looking into the accident and when the casualties are recognized the Insurance Company will compensate all those injured and the bereaved..

“We have insurance cover and we want to assure all that we have sent our representatives in all hospitals to confirm the reports and they will be compensated for the losses,” he said.

The truck had to be plunged into the water to ease traffic and avoid a stampede. Several politicians including Jubilee presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta ,William Ruto ,Chirau Mwakwere ,Ali Hassan Joho and Suleiman Shahbal are among those who consoled the injured. They sent their condolences to the bereaved families.

Speaking at Coast Provincial General Hospital, Uhuru called the for speedy completion of proposed Sh28.9 billion Dongo Kundu bypass project from Mombasa to the South Coast.

“It’s unfortunate that we continue to lose lives at Likoni channel. The project should be stepped-up to ease congestions at the busy channel,” said Uhuru.

He said the channel needs a bridge. Joho announced stringent laws to foster safety at the ferry but urged commuters should be careful at the channel when crossing.

“Be warned that we shall put in place strict rules to curb the same accidents happening in this place, people should be extra careful when at the ferry and observe the rules set.” he warned.

Ref: Source: Standard Digital/Google

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ktn/video/watch/2000063320/News-Likoni-ferry-tragedy

http://www.citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/local/item/7476-4-dead-scores-injured-in-likoni-ferry-accident

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWA7uVs3eGg