We have been notified that the Gabonese Health Authorities are boarding ships calling at Port Gentil and Owendo. It would appear that not only will medicine, food, drink or other products with an expired validity date be destroyed, but the ship may also be subject to a "fine".
We are advised that since the instigation of the ISM Code on the 1st July 1998 the Mercantile Marine Dept in Mormugao Harbour has been undertaking more regular and strict inspections of vessels. Particular interest is being taken in the following :
Following a decision in Febuary 1999 in the supreme court (Cour de Cassation) in France, it has been decided that under article 19 of the French Act dated 3/1/69 a shipowner must bear all the costs and expenses for injury caused to a pilot except when it can be proved that the pilot was negligent.
Further to Bulletin 51 6/98 in relation to pollution matters in Singapore, we have been advised that in a recent minor oil spill during bunkering the court has ordered that it would not be acceptable for the ship's agent to represent the Master in court, due to the seriousness of the potential penalty - a maximum of S$ 500,000 (approx. US$ 297,900) or two years jail. As a consequence the Master has to attend in person - even though a guilty plea may have been been entered.
70 - 11/98 - Theft from Containers on Board
01/11/1998
We have recently had problems with a ship discharging scrap steel in Ambarli, Turkey. During discharge, problems were encountered which required an inspection of the cargo. This inspection revealed several shells, believed to be anti-tank ammunition, lying on top of the cargo. Whilst most appeared inert, one later was found to be a live practice round. Investigations are still continuing to try and verify the origin of the shells but it is not impossible that they might have been placed on board at the discharge port for ulterior motives. There have been recent reports of this type of thing happening with other scrap steel cargoes out of the former Soviet Union.