Shipping

Emirates Shipping Line experts visit SLPA

Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama, Chairman of SLPA (second from left), welcomes Martin B. Wandfluf, Senior Vice President/Head of Finance of Emirates Shipping Line DMCEST, while Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Managing Director of SLPA (fourth from left) and Noel Rattam, General Manager Operations of Emirates Shipping Line DMCEST look on.

A high-powered delegation from Emirates Shipping Line visited the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on Monday, as a part of its plan to augment and enhance the competitive strength of their presence in the region.

Emirates Shipping Line received the accolade by winning the coveted Supply Chain Management (SCM) Logistics Excellence Award in 2008 and was nominated as one out of four finalists for 'Dry Cargo Company of the Year' at the Lloyd's List Middle East and Indian Subcontinent Awards in the same year.

The delegation had deliberations with SLPA top brass including Chairman, Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama and the Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola on how to strengthen the partnerships between the SLPA and Emirates and to explore hitherto untapped high potential business areas to achieve a win-win situation for both the organizations. Operated by a team rich in experience in managing maritime trade, Emirates Shipping Line has a focused goal of attaining superior service quality and customer intimacy.

Annual Export Awards ceremony

CEO of Sunrise Global Logistics PLC Damith Maiarachchi presents the sponsorship package to Vice President NCE Sarath de Silva. Executive Director NCE Rasa Weerasingham looks on.

Sunrise Global Logistics Plc is the principal sponsor of the 17th Annual Export Awards ceremony which will be held on September 25, at the Hilton Colombo as a logistics service provider.

The Chief Executive Officer of Sunrise Global Logistics PLC Damith Maiarachchi said, "we are delighted to be associated with the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka and be a principal sponsor of the 17th Annual Export Awards ceremony, as a logistics service provider. We believe the importance of recognizing and rewarding the enormous contribution by Sri Lankan exporters to our economy".

He outlined the importance of safeguarding the interest and boosting the moral of our exporters in the backdrop of a global recession and a financial crisis.

"We combine our experience and expertize in the transportation and logistics industry for the simplest to the most complex movement of cargo throughout the world, be it by air, ocean, rail or road we thrive to convert the challenges and present the real competitive advantage to our customers," said Maiarachchi.

Implementing ILO Convention

A workshop on the implementation of 'International Labour Organization' (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention 2006 was held by Germanischer Lloyd Colombo (GL CBO), for the Sri Lankan shipping community recently at the Hotel Galadari.

Germanischer Lloyd Colombo is a subsidiary of the Germanischer Lloyd of Germany which is the leading classification society for container vessels world over and one of the leading classification societies in the world in the maritime industry and other Industrial services including wind power generation.

Germanischer Lloyd also provides expertise with thousands of exclusive surveyors in designing, building and maintaining safe and environmentally clean vessels for the off shore and sea going industry. This ranges from workshop approvals to IT software for management level.

The Colombo Port

The ILO MLC 2006 convention brings in a new array of standards for the seafaring community. Though late in coming into recognition yet it improves the life of a seafarer even at a latter stage, ensure the fundamental rights of the seafarer, and to agree on international minimum standards for maritime working and living conditions.

The Seafarer is a person who has to endure long periods of virtual isolation while yet maintaining high standards of work to guard against environmental pollution and to maintain high safety and quality standards onboard. This will no doubt help the future generations of seafarers to reap the benefits of this convention, the majority being from the developing world.

The Convention brings about laws and guidelines for owners and managers of vessels in regard to the rights of the seafarer.

The Convention which was adopted in 2006 will enter into force 12 months after ratification by 30 Member States and 33 percent of the world gross tonnage.

The latter has already been achieved with 44.3 percent of the world GRT already ratifying it.

Namely, Bahamas (5.7 percent), Liberia (9.5 percent), Marshal Islands (4.5 percent), Panama (22.4 percent), Norway (2.2 percent) which makes up the 44.3 percent of the worlds GRT.

The EU has the member states to ratify called upon same by the end of 2010 which would add a further 27 countries and 25 percent GRT.

Sri Lanka which has emerged from the scourge of terrorism is seeing a rapid growth of local ship owners and hence it is an appropriate time for this important seminar to upgrade the knowledge of the local owners, operators and managers.

The seminar was attended by all leading ship owners of Sri Lanka and management companies as well as officials from the Merchant Marine Division of the Ministry of Ports and Aviation of Sri Lanka.

The Seminar was organized by the Country Manager for GL Colombo, S.R.L.de Silva and was presented by Waldemar Kramff of GL Academy Germany.

Sharaf Shipping partners SEAL Security Solutions

Maritime piracy and terrorism have emerged as a formidable threat in the world, impacting negatively on sea-borne trade and commerce. With the modern day grid-locking of international markets and the great dependence of global economies on steady supplies of energy, goods and merchandise, the recent upsurge in acts of piracy against commercial shipping off the Somalia coast is a matter of concern.

Continuing with the SSA tradition of providing pro-active and cost-efficient services to the maritime community for more than three decades, Sharaf shipping agency has joined hands with SEAL security solution to provide professional and protective security solution for vessels transiting through the Gulf of Aden.

The alliance between Sharaf shipping and SEAL Security, brings together the resources, expertise and reach of Sharaf Shipping with SEAL Security, a US based company which provides customized security solutions to a broad spectrum of industries working in hostile and difficult environments.

The core features of our service are a highly trained security team comprising six men and four assault dogs, around the clock observers (1 HIGH and 1 LOW) using advanced optics and technology, 24-hour patrol team on deck and a tactical leader in radio communication with all personnel. The emphasis is on avoidance and prevention of boarding by pirates. The services also include training of the crew on safety and lock-down procedures in the event of an attack, full co-ordination with the master to take preventive measures on sighting of pirates and coordination with international and coalition maritime task forces. The security teams are available for embark/ disembark at strategic locations of Fujairah, Salalah, Djibouti, Red sea ports and Egypt.