The latest Middle East addition to the container terminal industry, Oman International Container Terminal (OICT), is to have its international launch at the region’s premier maritime event in Dubai next month.
OICT’s brand new facilities, part of Oman’s US$ 12 billion Sohar Port development project, will be unveiled to a global audience at Seatrade Middle East Maritime (SMEM), at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 4-6.

‘The terminal is ready for business with a capacity of 800,000 TEU, and the capability to go up to six million if required,’ said Jan Meijer, CEO of port operator Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC). ‘The terminal will receive her first vessel just before SMEM.’

OICT has commenced commercial operations ahead of schedule, transforming the former greenfield site into a world-class container handling facility.

Its ‘landlord’ business proposition combined with the adjacent deep-sea Sohar Port is expected to win substantial backing not only from SMEM’s extensive visitor base but from within its wide geographic exhibitor spread which this year encompasses over 250 companies from 32 countries.

Sohar’s geographical position in the booming triangle of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat combined with the ‘landlord port’ concept are seen as key selling points.

‘This is a distinctive concept within the region, global examples of which are in Rotterdam, Antwerp, New York and Singapore, and regionally in Saudi Arabia, Iran and India’ said Meijer.

‘This model maximizes the involvement of the private sector in port operations like tugs, pilotage, linesmen, stevedoring and warehousing. Because these companies are specialized they can offer quality and competitive rates while SIPC can concentrate on issuing rules and regulations and establishing the framework for health, safety, environment, emergency and security,’ he continued.

Sohar is being transformed into a thriving maritime and industrial hub. The port and container project is one of the largest of its kind in the world and forms a new chapter for a city with a rich maritime history. Eventually, the Port of Sohar will employ approximately 6,000 people directly and over 24,000 people indirectly.

SMEM 2006 is to be the largest in the history of exhibition and conference - now among the world’s fastest-growing maritime industry events with first-time participation from France, South Korea, Singapore and Bangladesh.

‘SMEM’s growth mirrors the maritime industry’s rising fortunes both internationally and regionally. The Middle East industry’s development is evidence by the fact that this year nearly 53% of exhibitors are from this region,’ commented Chris Hayman, Managing Director of Seatrade - the international maritime publisher and events organiser behind SMEM.

‘SMEM 2006 has grown by 23% on the 2004 edition and encompasses the vast spectrum of maritime activities and features new pavilions from the French, German and Pakistani industries.’

A three-pronged conference programme will run alongside SMEM 2006 which will include dedicated segments for the cruise, general shipping and SuperYacht sectors.

Meanwhile, the third Seatrade Dubai International Maritime Awards (DIMAs) will be presented at a gala dinner to coincide with SMEM 2006. The awards are the leading honours recognizing top industry achievers in West and Central Asia.

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Title issues in boat ownership records present heightened risks for lenders and buyers of pre-owned recreational and commercial vessels

RISMEDIA, November 28, 2006— A recent study conducted by First American Transportation Title Insurance Company, a subsidiary of First American Title Insurance Company, finds that more than 35 percent of recorded maritime vessel ownership records contain potential title issues. The October study evaluated more than 100 randomly selected commercial and recreational vessels listed on the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) registry.

Vessel abstracts of title, issued by the NVDC, are commonly relied upon in pre-owned vessel transactions to provide an outline history of a vessel’s title ownership from the time it’s built, or first placed under U.S. documentation. The abstracts contain various title events, including transfers, some claims-of-lien notices and mortgages. They also include several indicators of title risk, such as periods where the vessel is out of registry and unsatisfied claims.

First American found more than 27 percent of the vessels examined were deleted from NVDC documentation, or had been in state or foreign registries at one time. During these periods of non-NVDC documentation, important title events, such as vessel sales, liens or mortgages were not recorded in the Coast Guard’s ownership records.

In addition, the study found that nearly 8 percent of vessels examined had liens filed that were unsatisfied. “Where there’s smoke, there’s often fire,” said Victor I. Koock, general counsel for First American Transportation Title Insurance Company. “We’ve been writing vessel title insurance policies for more than five years, and we’ve found that vessels with unsatisfied liens often have hidden liens that are not recorded; thus, these liens are not listed in the NVDC abstract of title.”

“Maritime law does not require maritime liens to be filed with NVDC,” said Paul B. Erickson of the law firm Alley, Maass, Rogers and Lindsay. “That means a vessel buyer might not be aware of a valid and enforceable lien on the vessel until after purchasing it. The new owner is then faced with paying out-of-pocket expenses for issues incurred prior to their ownership or, in certain cases, losing the vessel.”

While current regulations and registry loop-holes present some potential risks to the consumer, the most frequent problems found in the survey related to delayed filings of documents. More than 88 percent of vessel ownership records studied contained one or more documents that were filed with the NVDC at least 30 days after the date of execution. More than 80 percent of vessels had delayed filings for important documents, namely bills of sale or preferred mortgages.

“This is a very serious potential problem for vessel purchasers and lenders involved in these transactions,” said John N. Casbon, president and chief executive officer of First American Transportation Title Insurance Company. “When buyers review vessel ownership records prior to purchase, these delayed filings mean they may not be aware of crucial documents relating to vessel ownership and the seller’s ability to transfer the title. First American’s vessel title insurance policies provide vessel buyers and lenders with protection against hidden liens, as well as protect against other title problems, including fraud, forgery and stolen vessels.”

First American Transportation Title Insurance Company, a subsidiary of First American Title Insurance Company, is the industry’s leading provider of title insurance for the aviation and maritime industries. Headquartered in New Orleans, the company has provided aircraft title insurance to owners and lenders for more than 30 years. In addition to providing the EAGLE Protection policies for vessel owners and lenders, the company offers 1031 tax-deferred exchange services.

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The Varna Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) promotes commercial enterprise as the main business association on Bulgaria’s northern Black Sea coast. It does so through a wide range of activities: it serves as a forum, league and network for companies; defends, lobbies and advocates on their behalf; and is involved with business-related projects and events.

The VCCI has about 200 registered members, according to Ivan Tabakov, the chamber’s current chairperson. Among them are industrial giants Devnya Cement, VAMO Engine and Navigation Maritime Bulgare; the collective Chamber of Tourism, and state institutions and non-profit organisations. Each member has a representative in the chamber’s general assembly, where they elect nine members to a management body.

The VCCI itself is one of 28 regional chambers under the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which in turn belongs to numerous global networks such as the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris and the Eurochambers in Brussels.

Membership is not mandated by law, and Bulgarian chambers operate as independent, non-governmental entities in accordance with legal statutes, a framework similar to those in the UK and other English-speaking countries. That said, more than 3000 other smaller firms use the chamber’s services, such as issuing certificates of origin, approval of invoices, preparing documents and business invitations for foreign business people.

Tabakov, a former electrical engineer, explains how many foreign investors and traders, particularly from Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Ukraine and Russia consult the chamber on such matters as taxes codes, regulations, hiring and the business climate. However, of the thousands of registered British businesses in Varna, meaning property owners, not one has paid him a visit.

On a larger scale, the chamber participates in multinational programs such as PHARE. A European Union-sponsored initiative designed for post-communist countries, it has advised and helped set up projects geared towards economic reconstruction and integration, including implementing quality management systems, for example.

Tabakov’s interview was interrupted by two businessmen who came in to get approval for HACCP — analysis of critical control points for the food industry. The VCCI also works with Lloyds of London and SGS, a Swiss outfit, in the certification of industrial standards of local enterprises.

For companies wanting to introduce or publicise new products, or services, the chamber can assist in organising exhibitions, seminars or conferences, including trade fairs, such as the one in which they recently took part in in Kavala, Greece.

“I have also led or joined Varna delegations elsewhere, and reciprocally hosted visits by my counterparts and business and government officials both from Bulgaria and abroad,” Tabakov said.

A staff of six workers carries out these tasks. They operate not out of a grand structure, but from a small rented building quietly tucked away on the fringes of the main square bordering the Sea Garden. Appropriately, the chamber is near the Economics University, founded in 1920.

The VCCI did start off with its own building when it was one of four chambers established in Bulgaria in 1895 by decree of Prince Ferdinand. It was closed by the state in 1948 and converted into the present Naval Headquarters, but reopened in 1991 in the former Czechoslovakian Consulate, where it has remained since. Tabakov would also like the chamber have its own building once again.

Tabakov says he looks forward to Bulgaria joining the EU, including the increase in international commerce that he expects to develop after membership and the appropriation of development funds that will flow from Brussels.

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Seaports around the country, especially Camden and Philadelphia, suffered mightily when the federal government imposed high tariffs on imported steel, according to a study released recently by Martin Associates.

More than 22 million hours of labor or $391 million in wages were lost between March 2002 and December 2003 when the tariff was lifted. The tariff was imposed to make the purchase of domestic steel more attractive.

“This study makes clear that trade protectionism has consequences for the health of the maritime industry,” said Dennis Rochford, president of the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay.

Because of the potential impact on dockworkers, Rochford said maritime interests “must have a seat at the table when trade policies are debated.”

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Oslo, Norway. Environmental groups allied with Friends of the Earth International are pressing for ships to abandon dirty bunker fuels and cut engine emissions by 70 to 90 percent using current pollution controls during international negotiations November 13 to 17 being led by the United States. Results from the weeklong session could mark a turning point in reducing toxic emissions from ocean-going ships, which are steadily escalating due to increasing global trade and poor pollution standards. Fuel and engine emissions reductions benchmarks developed this week are expected to be adopted and finalized by July 2007 for implementation beginning in 2010 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Several shipping nations support improved standards, but others beholden to shipping and oil interests could hamper reform of the shipping fleet. Ships carry 90 percent of consumer goods to market and the volume of trade is expected to triple in the next two decades.

“This is a critical time to make drastic cuts in ship smokestack pollution through international standards,” said Teri Shore of Friends of the Earth – US. “With more evidence of people getting ill and dying early due to inhaling diesel exhaust from ships, we hope shipping nations and industry groups will finally get serious about cleaner fuels and engines – and stop putting profits before people and the environment.”

David Marshall, Senior Counsel for the Clean Air Task Force, stated, “IMO must act now while this window of opportunity is still open. Shipping emissions are large and will only grow larger with increasing global trade The techniques to control shipping emissions exist— now the political will to use them must be found. If IMO can’t find it, then individual countries and states will be forced to do so on their own.”

Shipping emissions contribute to substantial human health and environmental problems. People living near ports experience higher levels of cancer, heart attacks, asthma, respiratory illness and other cardiopulmonary problems – as well as premature death. Shipping emissions also contribute to acid rain, climate change, and water pollution by deposition.

By 2020, shipping emissions are projected to exceed land-based emissions in Europe and parts of the U.S.
Ships are estimated to generate almost 30 percent of the world’s smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions and nearly ten percent of sulfur dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels.

A delegation of international, European Union and U.S. organizations, formally represented at the IMO by Friends of the Earth International, are pressuring the shipping industry to immediately switch to cleaner fuels and put air pollution controls on both new and existing ship engines that will drastically reduce smog-forming emissions and soot from diesel ship exhaust. The coalition includes: Clean Air Task Force (U.S.), Friends of the Earth – Bluewater Network (U.S.), Swedish Secretariat on Acid Rain (Sweden), North Sea Foundation (Netherlands), European Federation for Transport and Environment (Belgium).

Based on current technology and cleaner fuel supplies, environmentalists are urging the IMO to require:
– Reductions of 40 to 50 percent in smog-forming nitrogen oxides and sulfate-forming sulfur oxides by 2010
– Reductions of 70 to 90 percent in smog-forming nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides by 2015.
– Reduced sulfur content in marine fuels to 1.0 percent or less at sea by 2010; and switching to marine distillate fuel of .5 percent by 2015.
– Reduced sulfur content in marine fuels in Sulfur Emissions Control Areas to .5 or less.
– Prohibition on-board incineration in coastal waters.

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