STS Seminar at Clyde&Co "Is an STS disaster waiting to happen?"

On 17/11/2014 an STS Seminar entitled ?Is an STS disaster waiting to happen?? took place at London Clyde&Co premises. About 70 delegates attended the seminar from several sectors of the industry. The event was organised by CLYDE & CO in association with INTERTANKO. Participants at the panel where Mr. Ajay Gour ? INTERTANKO, Dr. Alexander Glykas ? OnlineSTS.net DYNAMARINe, Capt. Bob Gilchrist ? Safe STS, Mr. Eamon Moloney ? North of England P&I, Ed Mills-Webb ? Clyde & Co LLP, Capt. Keith Loffstadt ? Fendercare.

The Seminar was chaired by Mr. Martyn Haynes, Clyde & Co LLP.

No presentations from the panelists took place. Instead, the chairman and delegates put forward questions to the panelists with issues associated to practical and legal concerns on STS such as:

• Should STS Service Providers confirm the examination of vessel STS plan prior each STS operation?
• Should the Master rely on POAC advises?
• Should Tanker owners sign the LOI presented by the service provider etc.?
• On what grounds could a tanker vessel be rejected for participation at an STS operation?
• Should two POAC attend an STS Operation instead of one?
• Should charterers request for clearance of Service Providers in the same way they request clearance for participating vessels?
• Are the rest hours of POAC taken into account during the planning phase of an STS Operation?

The answers provided by the panelists commented on best practices, liabilities, incurred logistics and statutory facts. The overall outcome from the Seminar is the fact that STS operations, as regulated by the MARPOL chapter 8 of ANNEX 1, have an increased burden on tanker owners? liability, who should exercise their due diligence in order to protect their reputation and actions.

Service Providers are organizations that provide an essential service to cargo owners in order to have such operations fulfilled. The experience and level of advisory control of the POAC is a factor that contributes to the safety of the operation to the same extent of the competency, training and preparedness of crew. The Master should respect and take into account the experience and advises of the POAC; however he should not rely on POAC.

The integrity and effectiveness of Bridge-Team management is an essential part of STS operations, which builds the anticipated trust between senior officers and the POAC. Presentation of LOI?s from the service providers to the Master is an ?annoying? procedure which does not contribute in an effective relation between bridge team. Tanker owners do not have a contractual relationship with the service provider, thus such LOI?s do not have a substance.

The review of the STS Plan by the POAC should be part of the Joint Plan preparation and tanker owners should ascertain that such information is made available to the provider, well before the commencement of the operation.

The participation of DYNAMARINe ? onlineSTS.net at the seminar provided an insight of the complexities of STS operations that could set reputation of Tanker owners in jeopardy. The procedures of onlineSTS.net screening service set the principles of a methodology of standardized, however adaptable actions towards ensuring safety and vessel suitability. The key element in all STS operations is the post assessment of STS records and to what extent those are incorporated in the clearance and planning phase.

Below is a presentation of the onlineSTS.net concept as of 20/11/2014.

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DYNAMARINe would like to thank CLYDE & Co. for their invitation to participate among the panel.

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onlineSTS.net team

For any further information please contact us

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