MINUTES OF IF STS 2012- ONLINESTS.NET WELCOMES 3 NEW MEMBERS IN IT'S SERVICE

IF STS 2012, the international Forum on Ship to Ship transfer operations organized by DYNAMARINe and its service onlineSTS.net took place at Piraeus on 18th May 2012. Panel speakers presented topics associated with the following:

? STS Service providers? operational preparedness and changing of responsibilities after 1st April 2012, by Shipload Maritime Ltd and SafeSTS,
? Statutory compliance of ship owners and beyond by Lloyds Register of Shipping,
? P&I: Indemnities and other issues by Thomas Miller UK P&I,
? Owners liabilities in STS Operations on the basis of IMO resolution and charter parties, by John G. Hadjis & Partners Law Firm,
? Screening, Risk Assessment and OSIS database by DYNAMARINe.

The forum was a first initiative towards assembling STS industry representative bodies together and discuss the concerns of new guidelines implemented after 1st April 2012. The role and responsibilities of the POAC, statutory compliance of ship owners and associated liabilities that will eventually burden the shipowners engaged in STS operations are highlighted as the most critical issues that will govern the industry stakeholders in STS. Service providers usually issue LOI?s towards masters and/or shipowners in order to keep away from liabilities arising from bridge of safety and pollution. Although the procedure of producing LOI?s is not accepted by the P&I clubs since this would extend the limit of owners? liability beyond to their contractual commitment with the clubs, on the other hand Service Providers claim that they offer a service which is not rewarded to an extend that could justify liabilities for oil pollution, ship damage etc. Therefore a reasonable question arise in this respect: If the owner is liable for the safety of the STS Operation, then should the owner participate in the decision making of the STS Service provider?

Owners? liability was analytically presented in the forum as well as the Screening and Risk assessment methodology and OSIS database which covers their liability by supporting ship owners in exercising their due diligence towards STS Stakeholders while they maintain practical statistical data for past STS Operations.

Companies that participate in the onlineSTS.net service for almost a year now have been audited by oil majors who in their turn recognized the system for STS Screening as a very positive point towards safety and hence towards ship owners reputation.

OnlineSTS.net service welcomes three companies in their Screening system. Those are NAVIOS TANKERS MANAGEMENT INC., ATHENIAN SEA CARRIERS LTD, and MARE MARITIME CO. SA.