Japan to increase usage of Mombasa Port

Japan to increase usage of Mombasa Port

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He was leading a delegation of senior Japanese officers from the Ministry of Transport, Foreign Affairs and defense on a fact finding mission to Mombasa recently. The delegation which was received by the KPA Managing Director Mr. Gichiri Ndua was inspecting the port’s capacity to handle both containerized and general cargo.

"We are here to assess the port capabilities in terms of infrastruc-ture and equipment before the Japanese Government can make a final decision", said Maj. Tominaga.
Major Tominage revealed that his Government was planning to ship a lot of materials including construction equipment and gen-eral merchandise to the region and in particular for the develop-ment of South Sudan. He said most of the cargo will be shipped in 40ft containers. he port of Mombasa is set to experience a rise in Japanese cargo in the near future, Major Atsushi Tominaga from the Central Transport Management Command camp has said.
M essages of Congratulations are still being received fol-lowing the recognition of the Kenya Ports Authority as a top ten distinguished corporate tax payers in the country.
KPA was presented with a trophy and certificate through the CEO Mr. Gichiri Ndua during the 8
The selection criteria were based on absolute amount of tax paid, outstanding growth in revenue commensurate to revenue remitted, Voluntary compliance, timeliness, accuracy and cooperation in the last financial year.
The Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General Michael Waw-eru said the ceremony was marked on the third day after Mashujaa day to signify the importance of the occasion. Waweru said tax com-pliance is the best gesture of patriotism and heroism th year old ceremony organized by the Kenya Revenue Authority and presided over by his Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya. Safaricom and Kenya Breweries took position one and two respectively.
This is a testimony that KPA has continued to play a crucial role in National development through offering of efficient port services and substantial contribution to the exchequer.

MARINE BASED DAMAGE CONTROL PLAN

On Board Damage Control

This Classification News is intended to clarify the requirements for damage control plans and damage control booklets on board ships. To date, the SOLAS Convention has required damage control plans and booklets to be carried on board: • passenger ships, regardless of size, since at least 1974 • dry cargo ships over 100 metres in length, constructed on or after February 1, 1992 • dry cargo ships over 80 metres in length, constructed on or after July 1, 1998, and • all ships, regardless of length, constructed on or after January 1, 2009. The text of the current requirement (applicable to all ships constructed on or after January 1, 2009) can be found in SOLAS Chapter II-1, Part B-4, Regulation 19. Further guidance on what the damage control plan and damage control booklet should contain is provided in circular MSC.1/Circ.1245. The previous circular on the subject, MSC/Circ.919, gave similar information for ships which had to provide these documents under the earlier requirements.

General

1. Scope of Damage Control
   1. Damage control comprises the entire system of maintaining watertight integrity, controlling stability, repairing damage, providing for defense against gas, and caring for injured personnel. It deals with material, personnel, operations, methods and organization.
2. Importance of Preparation
   1. The control of damage is dependent, to a great extent, upon the measures taken prior to action to reduce and localize the effects of collision, grounding, or the casualties of battle. The prevention of the spread of water, fire and gas within the ship by closing all openings and the elimination of inflammable material is greatly aided by the care with which the damage control preparation for war and battle is made as covered by the Strip Ship Bill and the Clear Ship for Action Bill in later sections of this chapter.
3. Responsibility for Organization
   1. All heads of departments and division officers are responsible for the phases of damage control coming within the limits of their departments and divisions. The Damage Control Officer, however, is the coordinator of the various phases of damage control and he shall be responsible under the supervision of the Executive Officer for satisfactory organization and a master bill for carrying out efficiently all phases of damage control. Heads of departments and division officers shall cooperate to the fullest extent with the Damage Control Officer in all matters relating to damage control.
4. Compartmentation Integrity and Stability Control
   1. Watertight, airtight and fumetight integrity are important functions of damage control. Watertight integrity insures the buoyancy and stability of the ship, and the maintenance of minimum list and proper trim. Airtight and fumetight integrity contribute to the necessary protection against gas attack.
   2. In connection with watertight integrity the Damage Control Officer coordinates the various phases of stability control. In battle he is in direct charge of the control of stability. He shall assemble all pertinent data in Damage Control Central. He shall maintain the Construction Department personnel in an efficient state of training relative to the handling of water in the ship to meet the needs of stability control.

Pirates hijack Greek tanker "ELMIRA"

Pirates hijack Greek tanker

Related

• Nato forces free hijacked Italian ship | 11/10/2011
• Spanish aid workers abducted in Kenya | 14/10/2011
• S Korean forces storm hijacked ship | 22/01/2011

Somali pirates have hijacked a Greek-owned chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden with a crew of 22 people on board including an unarmed guard, a regional maritime expert said today.
The Marshall Islands-flagged Liquid Velvet  was seized yesterday in the Gulf of Aden, said Andrew Mwangura, maritime editor of the Somalia Report .
The 11,599 DWT vessel is owned by Greek firm Elmira Tankers, according to the firm's website.
"It was taken yesterday. It was going from Suez and heading to India. Crew members are 21 Filipinos and one unarmed security guard," Mr Mwangura said.
Increasingly well-armed and violent Somali pirate gangs are expected to ramp up attacks as the monsoon season ends and the seas off the Horn of Africa flatten.
A pirate who gave his name as Khalif told Reuters he had heard of a hijacking but could not confirm details.
"We had alarm calls of a hijacking ... from our frends. They told us they have boarded a tanker ship but we didn't get further details from them," he said from the pirate haven town of Dhanane.
Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean costs the world economy billions of dollars a year. British prime minister David Cameron has said British merchant ships off the coast of Somalia will soon be allowed to carry armed guards.
Pirates operating from the shores of Somalia have raked in millions of dollars in ransoms from hijacked ships, including oil tankers.

KENYA MARINE FISHERIES LAUCH NEW WATER CRAFTS

KMFRI launches state of the art reseach vessel –
Fisheries Development Minister unveils RV Uvumbuzi
The minister for Fisheries Development and MP for Funyula Honarable Dr. Paul Otuoma unveiled Sh75 million state-of-art research vessel— RV Uvumbuzi — acquired by KMFRI to promote research programmes in Lake Victoria on the 4th of June 2010.   The colorfull ceremony was held in Kisumu. In attendance included Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch, Fisheries PS Prof Michemi Ntiba accompanied the minister.

‘R.V. UVUMBUZI” is a modern research vessel for aquatic research and is expected to undertake research providing information leading to informed management  decisions for Lake Victoria fisheries and environmental management.  Research undertaken using this vessel will strengthen collaborative work already going on within the East African Community. 
The ship is fitted with Multi-parameter limnological equipment including state of the art water quality monitoring system – CTD with a multi-parameter CTM 90 probe and fluorometer proxy sensor capable of self contained operations up to depths of 100 meters. A SIMRAD EK 60 dual frequency hydro-acoustic scientific echo-sounder provides real time on-board laboratory download displays of distribution and density of fishstocks.  Hydro-acoustic information is supplemented by data from mechanized pelagic (mid water) and bottom trawls.  Research undertaken using this vessel will strengthen collaborative work already going on within the East African Community.

The new stat of the art research vessel has the following additional features:

• On-board analytical laboratory
• 15 days resilience for prolonged stay off-shore
• Adequate rest cabins for crew and scientists
• State of the art communication equipment including VHF, SSB radios and satellite phones
• State of the art Navigation equipment and Radar
• Eco-sounders
• Samples storage chambers for frozen and toxic substances

 

Marine Fisheries Resources

This includes the 12 nautical miles territorial waters and the 200 nautical miles EEZ. The marine resources have considerable quantity and range of coastal and offshore marine fisheries resources with good potential for economic development.
The Kenyan marine zone is bordered by a coastline measuring some 420 km in length in a straight line, expanding to some 880 km when taking into account the actual coastal landscape. Two main river systems, the Sabaki, just north of Malindi and the Tana about 80 km further north reach the coast. 
Outflow from these rivers enrich the local fishing grounds, which in turn support commercial concentrations of shrimps (prawns). Much of the coastline is fringed by mangrove forest and swamp. The total area of the Kenyan EEZ is about 230,000 sq km.
Kenya’s known marine inshore fishing grounds include the rich inshore grounds around Lamu Archipelago, Ungwana Bay, North Kenya Bank and Malindi Bank. The inshore fisheries zone is an important part of the Kenya fishery.  The zone is exploited predominantly by artisanal fishermen who operate some 4,800 mostly un-motorized boats to produce around 6,000 – 7,000 Mtons of fish annually, valued at over KShs 500 million. Annual catches have fluctuated between 4,000 and 10,000 Mtons over more than a 20-year period.
The prawn fishery from which approximately 400mt are landed each year are fished by commercial trawlers from the two fishing grounds with brackish waters.
The offshore waters of the Kenyan zone yield catches of large tunas, billfishes and pelagic sharks to foreign fishers.
The offshore fisheries zone is exploited by vessels from Distant Water Fishing Nations (DWFNs).  The main species sought are the highly migratory tunas including skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna. Some of the fish landed in Kenya and transhipped overseas.  Others are landed directly in the Distant Nations. License fees from this earned the Government around KShs 30 million per year approximately US $ 400,000).  The fees charged are 20,000 US$ for purse seiners. 

Inland fisheries

Kenya is endowed with extensive inland waters, covering in all an area of between 10 500 and 11 500 km2 (depending on rainfall/year), Inland fisheries account for about 96 percent of annual total national production. However it is the country's 6 percent share of Lake Victoria that accounts for almost all of the national freshwater capture fishery catch. Other lakes and rivers of fisheries significance include; Lake Turkana, Baringo and Naivasha. Major rivers include the Tana, Nzoia, Kuja, Yala and Athi/Sabaki. The fisher exploiting this resource are generally small scale Planked canoes, often equipped with dhow-rigged sails, are the usual forms of fishing craft. Gear kits are primarily based on gill nets, long lines, beach seines and 'mosquito' nets.

Aquaculture

Kenya has great potentials for aquaculture growth. It is endowed with climatic diversity, natural features and resources that favour the culture of a wide variety of aquaculture species. However, though not yet quantified, only a small portion of these resources are utilized. Aquaculture in Kenya can be categorized into three broad divisions. These are;

• Warm fresh water aquaculture dominated by the production of various species of tilapia and the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) mainly under semi intensive systems using earthen ponds.
• Cold fresh water aquaculture involving the production of rainbow trout (Oncorynchus mykiss) under intensive systems using raceways and tanks.
• Marine water aquaculture (mariculture) which is underdeveloped

The Tilapine species constitute about 90% of aquaculture production in Kenya. Polyculture of the Tilapines with the African catfish is sometimes done to enhance productivity under mixed sex culture systems. The production of the Tilapines and the African catfish is characterized by low pond productivity mainly due to employment of low pond management practices. The result has been stagnation of National aquaculture production over the past few decades. Because of the poor perception of aquaculture as an economic activity, it has been difficult to promote its commercialization, as most potential investors are not convinced that aquaculture can be a profitable enterprise.
Aquaculture contributes about 1% of the total national fish production. Currently the total area under aquaculture stands at 722.4ha which include dam aquaculture. The production from this utilized area stand at an average of 4,300,000 Kgs per year.

Kenya Ports Authority tariffing services

Kenya Ports Authority

TARIFF

PREAMBLE

The Minister responsible for Kenya Ports Authority has approved the tariff contained in this publication. The tariff shall be effective from the 1^{st day of February 2008.}

It is notified for general information that the Board of Directors, in pursuance of the powers of Section 30 of the Kenya Ports Authority Act, CAP 391, 1978 has prepared and published this Tariff as approved by the Minister.

These charges shall apply equally to all port users (individuals, persons, firms or corporations engaged in or responsible for handling vessels and cargos including and not limited to cargo agents, charterers, brokers, freight forwarders, Shippers or consignees).

Charges and dues appear in Sections I-IV of this Tariff. In the event of any inconsistency or contradiction between the provisions of this Tariff and the provisions of the Act, the latter provisions will prevail.

The whole Tariff has been denominated in United States of America Dollar (US$). The Kenya Ports Authority Management may allow payment to be made in Kenya Shillings (Kshs.) and reserves the right to prescribe the currency of payment and the exchange rate to be applied.

Wharfage

Exemption from Compulsory Pilotage

i. Ships owned or operated by the Government other than those engaged in commercial trade.

ii. Ships owned or operated by the Authority.

iii. Authorized ferries plying as such exclusively within the Harbour limits.

iv. Ships of less than 500 Gross Tonnage

v. Ships trading exclusively between Ports in Kenya.

vi. Dredgers or similar vessels whose ordinary course of navigation does not extend beyond the Port limits.

(bb) Exemption from Light Dues

i. Naval Ships on courtesy calls and Government vessels not engaged on trading voyages.

ii. Passenger/ Cruise vessels.

iii. At the sole discretion of the Authority, vessels entering a Port on account of distress, weather, with mutinous crew or entering when disabled or for medical assistance (provided they do not stay in Port longer than 48 hours.) For any period in excess of 48 hours, such vessels shall pay the normal rate specified under CLAUSE 4 of this Tariff.

Exemption From Port /Harbour Dues

The following vessels are exempted from payment of these Dues:-

i. Naval Ships on courtesy calls and Government vessels not engaged on a trading voyage.

ii. Vessels entering the Port solely for bunkers, fresh water or provisions provided that they do not stay in the port longer than 24 hours.

(dd)

Laid Up Vessels

The Owners or Agent(s) of a vessel in Port intending to lay it up shall give Notice of such intention to the Authority and provide proof that: -

i. The Ship has no cargo on board and is not used for storage purposes.

ii. The articles of agreements with the crew thereof have been closed other than for the following who must remain on board during the entire period of lay up to maintain the Ship and facilitate safety;

• An Engineer to man the generators

• One Deck Officer

• 2-3 Seamen to deal with any emergency that may arise.

iii. The Ship has been surveyed and certificate of seaworthiness issued by a competent Authority.

On receipt of the notice and proof as above, the Authority may at its discretion grant consent and declare the date on which such vessel shall be treated as a "laid up" vessel.

(ee)

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i. Standby attributed to delay in opening or closing hatches by Ship crew.

ii. Standby attributed to delay in rigging Ships gear by crew (This delay is only applicable if advance notice of requirement of Ship gear was given to the vessel).

iii. Standby of gangs allocated on the next Ship planned for a berth attributed to failure by a completing vessel to sail on appointed time if the Authority did not contribute to the delayed sailing of the completing vessel.

iv. Standby of labour attributed to failure by Ship to provide loading/discharging instructions or stowage/bay plan.

v. Standby of labour attributed to poor supply of empty containers delivered directly to vessel from depots outside the Port.

Chargeable Delays he following delays occasioned during operations shall be paid for parties causing the delay;

NOTE

(ff)

Dangerous Cargo

i. Dangerous goods are all those substances listed in the I.M.D.G. Code published by the International Maritime Organization. (IMO)

ii. It is mandatory for Ship operators to declare all dangerous goods on board in the form prescribed under the IMDG Code. Trade names of dangerous goods are not acceptable.

iii. It is mandatory for all Ship’s Agents and Clearing and Forwarding Agents to declare all dangerous cargo by class on all documents required in the clearance process.

Waste Reception Facilities Vessels can only discharge their garbage, sludge and Ship waste into designated Waste Reception Facilities in accordance with the requirements of International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution at Sea (MARPOL), on payment of appropriate published charges. Salvage Operations

Vessels within the Port limits are obliged to accept salvage services offered by the Authority. These services shall be charged separately from normal Marine Charges. The charges shall be based on the nature of salvage or as per the Lloyds Open form.

(gg)

(hh)

All chargeable delays are subject to 15 minutes free period from commencement of the delay as booked in the supervisor’s working report or any relevant document. :

(cc)

The following vessels may be exempted from compulsory Pilotage provided that such exemption will assure safety to Harbour installations, vessels or other crafts:- Wharfage charges shall be raised on all cargo passing over the quays, wharves, jetties and buoys except Transhipment cargo which is exempted.