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Legal advice to seafarers in form of answers to real asked questions. Both concerning contractual (work related) problems and questions of liability under ISPS with details as applicable under British Law.

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Ship Safety and Security

• US Congress is discussing 100% inspection of all cargo on passenger airplanes and container ships before they commence voyage to any US port (since Aug. 2006). The background to this is found in an interagency subcommittee ("working group") memorandum on Port Security: Shipping Containers.
  
  
• DVD Guide on Conventions relating to ship arrest and security of ship during arrest in different jurisdictions (countries) by Lloyd's Maritime Academy together with Shiptalk. Contact: sarah-jane.adams"at"informa.com for details on how to get your copy (instead of "at" you type: @).
  
  
• Safety info on individual ships currently in service. To be able to use this feature you have to register yourself first. Also a considerable number of links to authorities concerned with ship safety.
  
  
• Safety Management [ EHS, i.e. Environment, Health, and Safety ] free world wide regulations newsletter published bimonthly.
  
  
• On April 06, 2008, the UK "Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007" came into force (pdf, 0.5 MB). In combination with ISM code rules Designated persons may be made responsible for death onboard following an maritime accident.
  
  
• Port State Control summary with links to ship detention lists. The detention lists give the reasons why each ship has been stopped.
  
  
• IMO list of certificates to be kept onboard (pdf format).
  
  
• American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Guide for Ship Security ( ISPS ), free download (PDF-Format, 300 pages, 1.2 MB). If your computer doesn't support the Acrobat/pdf reader you can download Adobe Reader 8.0 for free ( 128 MB ).
  
  
• E-course for Certificate in Terrorism Studies ( 16 weeks ), including Maritime Terrorism and Security.
  
  
• US Coast Guard regulations for drug testing of seamen, ( including alcohol ), has been revised - Dec. 2005 - and concerns all persons ( including seafarers ) directly involved in a serious marine accident in US waters.
  
  
• The Liability Court case for MT Erika - which split in half and spilt 20.000 tonnes of oil on December 12, 1999 - was decided on January 16, 2008. The court considered that negligence by the owner, the operator, and the classification company were linked directly to the shipwreck and subsequent oil spill.
  
  
• Maritime Accident blog and podcast. English - Tagalog.
  
  
• Marine accident, near miss reporting, and other ISM code information.
  
  
• The Standard P & I Club has published "Guidance on anti-piracy measures".
  
  
• British House of Commons has published (July 2006) a report on Transport-Maritime Piracy, with recommendations for measures ( including Maritime Terrorism ).
  
  
• Australian Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003, as amended up to 03/2007 (pdf, 0.5 MB).
  
  
• Summary of International Ship & Port Facility Security ( ISPS ) Code.
  
  
• IMO list of circulars, guidelines, and articles on maritime security.
  
  
• IMO is undertaking a global investigation into safety issues on very large passenger and cruise ships (over 3.000 passengers and crew).
  
  
• ISPS training courses in UK. Under ISPS every foreign going ship with full certificates after Dec. 2004 have to have a Ship Security Officer.
  
  
• European Maritime Security Agency;
  
  • press releases (Maritime Security News), and
    
  • list of currently banned ships, and
    
  • list of banned flags.
  
  
• Singaporean Security Courses ( incl. ISPS ) available at times from "ST Education and Training Pte Ltd". Information by e-mail.
  
  
• IMO Code of Practice on Security in Ports: in English, Français, and Español.
  
  
• European Union "Green Paper" about future maritime policy for the European Union ( until about 2010 ) is intended to be an "all embracing maritime policy - in an environmentally sustainable manner". We can expect rules on "maritime good governance" as well as new skills development requirements in the Maritime sector.

Links to small boat safety and security on Boating-Superyacht Job Links