BIMCO to launch new Maritime Digitalisation Network
BIMCO is preparing to launch a new Maritime Digitalisation Network, an initiative designed to bring the global maritime community together to help accelerate the industry’s digital transformation.
The network will serve as an open forum where members of the network can exchange ideas, share real-world experiences, discuss both successes and failures, and collaborate on practical solutions to the sector’s most pressing digital challenges.
The aim is to create a dynamic space that encourages innovation, helps identify new business opportunities, and strengthens professional connections across the maritime value chain. Through regular discussions, events, and knowledge-sharing sessions, participants will gain insights into emerging technologies and digital practices that can drive operational efficiency and more sustainable shipping.
Potential focus areas for the network include, but are not limited to:
– Electronic bills of lading- Voyage optimisation, including Just-in-Time Arrivals and Blue Visby- Vessel optimisation tools and techniques- Smarter, digitally-enabled contracts such as charter parties and management agreements- GoPaperless initiatives that make trade more efficient through digitalisation.
BIMCO publishes LNG fuel clauses for time charterparties
As the number of LNG-fuelled ships is growing, BIMCO has drafted LNG clauses for time charterparties covering matters related to LNG fuel quality, fuel delivery/redelivery, gas-freeing and cooling down and an operational clause. The following clauses have now been published:
• LNG Bunker Operational Clause for Time Charter Parties• LNG Fuel Delivery Clause For Time Charter Parties,• LNG Fuel Gas-freeing and Cool-down Clause, and• LNG Fuel Quality Clause
For dual-fuel ships the clauses are intended to be used together with the existing BIMCO bunker clauses for conventional fuel oils.
Sierra Leone To Implement IMO 2020 Penalties For Non-Compliant Fuel
From 1 September 2021, ship owners and operators calling at ports in Sierra Leone risk penalties of up to USD 15,000 if they carry fuel with a sulphur content exceeding 0.5 percent.
Ships or members experiencing problems related to enforcement of MARPOL Annex V or unavailability of compliant fuel are encouraged to inform BIMCO via email hsse@bimco.org with “IMO 2020” in the subject field.
Enforcement, compliance and monitoring of the IMO 2020 Sulphur limit fall under Regulations to Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). It states that nations that have ratified MARPOL and acceded to Annex VI are obliged to give effect to and enforce the provisions of the regulation.
Port states must therefore enforce the provisions of MARPOL by monitoring vessels within their territorial waters and reporting non-compliance to the relevant flag state. This reporting ensures that adequate amounts of compliant low-sulphur fuel are available within their jurisdiction and provides shore-based facilities for the receipt and removal of scrubber waste.
Against this background, the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, in consultation with the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, consented to implement this important international member state mandate in July 2021.
It is also important to note that Sierra Leone is 18 months behind the global mandate to implement the IMO 2020 statutory instrument. In view of the above, the Sierra Leone Ports Authority will serve as the consulting government agency to implement IMO 2020. Furthermore, the Port Authority will undertake a joint implementation of the regulation, together with a competent institution for efficiency and standardisation.
The Port of Freetown in Sierra Leone will extend a grace period spanning from 15 July 2021 to 31 August 2021 for vessels that are non-compliant. Penalties will not be instituted against defaulting or non-compliant vessels on or before 31 August 2021. However, a non-compliance report together with a warning letter will be issued to non-compliant vessels for corrective action to be taken prior their next call at the port and within this grace period as stipulated above.
The Port Authority will take appropriate measures to ensure compliance by initial inspections based on documents and other methods, including remote sensing and portable devices. If there are clear grounds to conduct a more detailed inspection, sample analyses and other detailed inspections may be undertaken. The samples to be analysed may be the representative samples provided with the Bunker Delivery Note.
From 1 September 2021, ship owners and operators risk penalties of up to USD15,000 should they continue to carry fuel with a sulphur content exceeding 0.5 percent. The IMO 2020 service charge will be implemented even for ships with an exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubber) installed. It is also important to note that tariffs and fines are subject to periodic reviews based on prevailing circumstances.
The IMO Implementation tariff is as follows:
Source: Bimco
BIMCO to develop standard contract for Security Escort Vessel employment
Building on the success of its widely used GUARDCON contract for the employment of security guards on ships, BIMCO is to develop a new standard contract for hiring the services of security escort vessels (SEV).
The need for a standard contract is spurred by the continuing attacks by Nigerian pirates, which take place primarily in international waters in the eastern Gulf of Guinea. Local laws, and sometimes just local enforcement practises, makes it difficult for shipowners to call ports in the region with “foreign” armed guards on board their ships. Some countries in the area also prohibit local armed guards from boarding foreign commercial vessels.
Consequently, private maritime security companies (PMSC) have developed security escort vessel services in these areas in partnership with local navies to comply with local regulations and practises. Typically, the escort vessels must carry a team of local naval armed guards sometimes accompanied by a liaison officer from the PMSC. At present there is no standard form of contract available to shipowners and PMSCs for hiring SEV services when operating in West Africa.
In response to demand from its members, BIMCO believes that a standard SEV contract will assist in harmonising terms and conditions for hiring escort vessels, which will make it easier and faster for shipowners and PMSCs to put contracts in place to protect ships.
BIMCO will invite representatives of PMSCs and shipowners operating in West Africa, together with P&I and legal experts, to assist in developing a standard SEV contract that fairly represents the interests of all stakeholders.
The project is due to begin during the second half of February/first half of March. Once a full draft has been developed it will be shared with the industry as part of a consultation process inviting comment and feedback.
BIMCO adopts new tug, barge and “floating hotel” contracts
BIMCO has extended its library of offshore industry standard contracts with the adoption of ASVTIME – a time charter party for accommodation support vessels. Updates of BIMCO’s ocean towage agreements – TOWCON and TOWHIRE – have also been adopted along with a new edition of its charter party for hiring unmanned barges – BARGEHIRE.
The four new contracts were adopted by BIMCO’s Documentary Committee at its meeting held on 25 January and will be published shortly.
ASVTIME is the first offshore contract written by BIMCO designed to meet the needs of two distinct sectors – oil and gas sector and renewables. The charter party is based on the widely used SUPPLYTIME form and was developed with input from renewable majors Ørsted and Siemens Gamesa together with the Italian oil company Eni. Wagenborg Offshore, Deme and Floatel International provided owners’ perspective, with legal and shipbroking input from Wikborg Rein and Hagland Shipbrokers. The contract provides a choice of optional services in addition to accommodation – these include the use of motion compensated gangways, cranes, offshore bunkering, and the use of daughter craft.
“Although the market for these ships is relatively small, ASVTIME will fill an important gap in BIMCO’s suite of offshore contract,” says Edwin de Vries of Wagenborg Offshore, who chaired the drafting group.
Revised editions of three of BIMCO’s most well-known offshore contracts – TOWCON, TOWHIRE and BARGEHIRE – were also adopted. It has been 12 years since these standard forms were last updated and so the new editions reflect changes in commercial practice and legal developments. The appeal of these contracts is their simplicity, brevity and familiarity. Every effort has been made to retain these characteristics while improving and clarifying the clauses.
New features of TOWCON include a provision for mid-voyage bunkering on longer tows, and a mechanism for calculating compensation due to slow steaming or deviation. The revised BARGEHIRE introduces much clearer wording dealing with off-hire surveys, repairs and redelivery – which has often been a source of dispute in the past.
“We have modernised BARGEHIRE and clarified the wording in clauses that are known to have caused disagreements in the past – particularly in relation to repairs on redelivery. The result is a much improved version of BARGEHIRE which I believe is a worthy successor to BAGEHIRE 2008,” says Dirk Kwantes of LKL Oceantrade, who chaired the two subcommittees, who revised the tow and barge contracts.
Dirk was assisted in the revision of TOWCON and TOWHIRE by Boskalis, Ostensjo Rederi, Boluda Towage, Clarksons, Gard and the Standard Club. The revision of BARGEHIRE involved Heerema, Subsea 7, Ugland, Cashman Equipment Services and the Shipowners’ Club.
BIMCO welcomes Danish move on navy in Gulf of Guinea
BIMCO welcomes the appointment of a Danish Special Representative for Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea, Ambassador Jens-Otto Horslund.
“While it is understandable that Nigeria does not want foreign navies in their territorial waters, we hope that Ambassador Horslund will be able to garner broad support for an antipiracy operation as mandated by the UNCLOS convention, i.e. in international waters just outside Nigeria’s 12 nautical mile limit,” says Jakob P. Larsen, BIMCO Head of Maritime Safety & Security.
BIMCO has been advocating for collaboration between Nigerian law enforcement and international navies for years.
“It is time for the international community to live up to the aspirations of the UNCLOS convention and suppress the piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which affects seafarers and companies from all over the world. International navies is an indispensable addition to regional efforts such as Nigeria’s newly acquired Deep Blue capabilities which we hope will reach full operational capability soon,” Larsen says.
BIMCO estimates that two helicopter equipped frigates with robust antipiracy mandates, plus one maritime patrol aircraft working from a base ashore, will have a significant deterrent effect on the pirates operating in the Gulf of Guinea.
5th BIMCO Report on the IMSBC Code Amendments entering into force – New Table of Characteristics
BIMCO started reporting from 30 September 2020, a series of articles, informing members of what to expect in the revised International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code (Amendment 05-19), which will come into force on 1 January 2021. This is the 5th article in the series. Today, BIMCO reports on a new table of physical properties and hazard classification for cargo entries in the IMSBC Code.
A typical user of the IMSBC Code would be familiar with a table that appears in every cargo schedule of the said Code, listing out the following characteristics of the cargo in question:
• Angle of repose• Bulk density• Stowage factor• Size• IMO class• IMSBC Code Group classification
The current table of ‘Characteristics’ – a sample shown below will remain valid till 31 December 2020:Current table of Characteristics until 31 December 2020
Under the new Amendment 05-19, the table of “Characteristics” has completely changed and this is how it will look on 1 January 2021:New Table of Characteristics with effect from 1 January 2021
Two things should be noted in this new table:
• The top half of ” Physical properties” comprising the properties of ” size”, ” angle of repose”, “bulk density” and ” stowage factor” is non-mandatory.• The bottom half of ” Hazard classification” comprising of “class”, “subsidiary hazards”, “MHB” ( materials hazardous only in bulk) and “Group” is mandatory. “Class” and “Subsidiary hazards” are the classification criteria used for dangerous goods under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods ( IMDG) Code, which are also applied for dangerous goods carried in solid bulk form. “Group” refers to the general classification criteria used for classifying solid bulk cargoes in the IMSBC Code.
To see the various IMSBC Code classifications for solid bulk cargoes, please click on the following BIMCO Cargo Group listings:
BIMCO’S IMSBC Code Group A listing of Cargoes
BIMCO’s IMSBC Code Group B listing of cargoes
BIMCO’s IMSBC Code Group C listing of Cargoes
BIMCO’s IMSBC Code Group A and B listing of Cargoes
Members should also view the BIMCO Solid Bulk Cargo section’s landing page
New BIMCO Ship Sale And Purchase Standard Heading For Industry Consultation
BIMCO’s Documentary Committee has positively received a new standard Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the sale and purchase of ships, thereby opening the doors to wide industry consultation before finalising and publishing the new standard next year.
At the Documentary Committee meeting that took place on 21-22 September, the new BIMCO MOA was presented for review, in line with BIMCO’s strategy to provide contracts for all sectors of the shipping industry. BIMCO has been working on the development of a clearly worded and comprehensive alternative contract for the sale and purchase market that reflects modern practice, and the standard is expected to be published in early 2021.
New structure, easy to navigate
The new MOA takes an innovative approach with captive clauses that spell out in plain English what is being agreed between the parties. It comes in BIMCO’s well-known box layout style with the main terms set out in the boxes of Part I, and the standard terms and conditions in Part II.
The clauses follow the sequence of events as they play out in practice. Three annexes accompany the new contract providing for lists of items that are included or excluded from the sale, and documents to be handed over at delivery by the sellers and buyers. The structure of the new form makes it easy to navigate and simplicity has been key for the drafting team.Some key features of the new form are:
Data added into the boxes will automatically appear in the appropriate places in the body of the contract, making it easier to read and not having to flip back and forth through the pages.
The first four clauses set out the framework and purpose of the contract, what the conditions for effectiveness of the contract are, what the purchase price is, as well as what is included in and excluded from the sale.
The following clauses address the delivery and sale process and follows the chronology of events as they take place in practice.
The balance between sellers and buyers has been carefully considered during the drafting process. The buyers have for instance been given a grace period of two additional banking days to lodge the deposit if it is delayed through no fault of the buyers. A definition has been created for “Technical Banking Event” referring to problems in the banking system. If the deposit still does not arrive within the grace period, the contract will be null and void.
Tailor-made sanctions and anti-corruption clauses have been included, in addition to the newly adopted BIMCO Law and Arbitration Clause.
Bimco: Η Έλενα Τασιούλα επικεφαλής στα νέα γραφεία στην Αθήνα
Την Έλενα Τασιούλα ανακοίνωσε ως επικεφαλής του νέου γραφείου της εταιρείας στην Αθήνα η Bimco. Η κα Τασιούλα θα αναλάβει καθήκοντα τον Ιούνιο και θα ασχοληθεί με τα υπάρχοντα, αλλά και τα εν δυνάμει μέλη της Bimco στην Αθήνα, με σκοπό να αυξήσει τον αριθμό τους.
«Είμαι ευχαριστημένος που η Έλενα θα ενταχθεί στην ομάδα μας. Έχει ξαναεργαστεί στο χώρο της ναυτιλίας αλλά έχει εμπειρία και σε άλλους κλάδους της βιομηχανίας και αυτό θα της επιτρέψει να δει τα πράγματα με μια πιο φρέσκια ματιά», επεσήμανε ο Erik Jensby, Επικεφαλής του Business Development της BIMCO.
Η BIMCO είχε ανακοινώσει τον περασμένο μήνα την πρόθεση της να ανοίξει γραφείο στην Ελλάδα προκειμένου να υπάρξει ισχυρότερος και στενότερος διάλογος με τα υφιστάμενα και τα δυνητικά της μέλη.
Σημειώνεται ότι η Bimco δεν έχει εγκατασταθεί ακόμη σε γραφεία στην Αθήνα.
BIMCO Hires Elena Tassioula as Manager For Athens Office
BIMCO has signed a contract with Elena Tassioula as manager of BIMCO’s new office in Athens, Greece. Elena will be engaging BIMCO’s current members in Athens and work to grow the membership in Greece.
“I’m very pleased that Elena will be joining our team. She has worked in shipping, but she also has experience from other industries, and that will enable her to look at how we do things with fresh eyes,” says Erik Jensby, BIMCO Head of Business Development.
BIMCO’s goal with an office in Athens is to have a stronger presence in Greece and a much closer dialogue with BIMCO’s existing and potential members.
BIMCO sees the services offered to members, such as the Support & Advice hotline, Shipping KPI and SmartCon as very valuable because of the increase in regulation, a very competitive market and – in general – a more complex shipping environment.
Elena will start her work at BIMCO in June.
At this point – BIMCO has not settled on an office location in Athens.