Since being established in 2005, MARPOL Annex VI has gone through consistent change. Back at its inception, there were only Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECAs), not Emission Control Areas – and those areas were purely monitored for sulfur oxide emissions (SOx), with no restrictions on nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions.Successive changes in requirementsIn 2010, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) updated those laws to guarantee that ECAs monitored the...

On October 10th, the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) began providing customers with the ability to electronically search for the receipt status of paperwork, as a way of verifying that their documentation was received and entered into the computer system to await processing.How does it work?If you’d like to check your paperwork (work packet) status, follow these steps:1. Click the “Paperwork Status Inquiry” on the left pane of the National Vessel Documentation Center website.2....

The U.S. Coast Guard conducted an analysis of all the deficiencies that were recorded by Coast Guard Marine Inspectors of Small Passenger Vessels, with the goal of identifying the ten most common deficiencies that they could then share with small passenger vessel owners. Owners, being aware of these deficiencies, should correct any problems prior to their next Coast Guard examination. The deficiencies, as well as potential correction methods, follow.1. Dead End WiresAll wires or cables must be...

The INTTRA Technology Outlook Survey was released this week, identifying the top technology priorities and difficulties, as expressed by international logistics and shipping industry professionals from top carriers, shippers, and freight forwarders worldwide.Top technology priorityThis year’s survey identified “improving supply chain visibility capabilities to integrate higher quality data” as the top technological priority, highlighting the importance of having easy access to quality shipping...