SOPEP Function In The Shipping World

Ships over 400 GRT are required to follow the rules International Prevention of Marine Pollution which ratification in MARPOL 73/78, especially with the ship sailing in the international ocean.

And one of the MARPOL 73/78 rule is MARPOL Annex 1, which discusses the International Oil Pollution Prevention. In the Regulation 37 of MARPOL Annex 1 states that each tankers over 150 GRT and vessels other than tankers over 400 GRT must have on board a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) approved by the Flag Administration or Classification in fact on behalf of the flag admin.

SOPEP in itself will be a guide line how the response of the ships crew in case of oil pollution and how to report, who will be report and what should be report. It also gives a guide line to control discharge action (which consideration based on Navigation Measures and Seamanship Measures).

Oil pollution itself is divided as probably and actual spill. Actual spill is a oil discharge caused damage of vessels body or equipment or to secure the safety purpose vessels or Saving Live at sea or discharge of oil during operation ships, which caused a oil discharge exceeding 15 ppm and in a very excessive amount that will be result ecosystem contamination of sea, coastline and communities with the voyage itself.

Probable spill is a more to direct if immediate action by ship crew is not done secure the system in which failure will cause the oil spill, for example equipment failure (broken oil Hose), failure of operation management, hazard to shipping (rich Dangerous Goods) and going collision.

If the reaction on the situation and condition of the improvement is not made soon will increase the oil spill in the ship and cause loss of strength Structural integrity and make its navigation hazard for traffic flow mentioned vessels.

In the other section in SOPEP also discussed about the prevention measures that must be done before the occurrence of Operational Spill, when bunker oil, or if pipe line leakage occur, tank overflow, hull leakage, spill caused by equipment in Machinery Spaces.

To overcome the operational problems usually in ships should be provided spillpaks in addition to the oil dispersant.
At Spillpak, there are:
Absorbent socks 76 cm. He x 1.2 m (6nos)
Absorbent socks 76 cm. He x 3.66 m (3nos)
Absorbent pads 41 x 51 cm (125nos)
Pillows absorbent (46 x 46 cm) 6nos
and PPE required + disposal bags and manual instructional.
Beyond that usually also in the machinery room in the ship 2x provided Multi purpose absorbent (which can be used as, Pad, Sock, wipe and roll) of cause this tools used prior to oil spill.

In addition to oil spill can caused casualties some of the following:
- Ship grounded / stranded
- Fire and Explosion
- Collision
- Hull Failure
- Excessive Listing
- Ship submerged / foundered / wrecked
- Hazardous vapor release
- Transfer of Bunker / Lightening

In SOPEP advisable to take precautions ekskalasi of that Incident. Immediate action must consider the possibility of a fire and explosion and contamination of crew from the toxic gas because the spill.

SOPEP also include Mitigating Activities action as follows:
- Assessment of the situation and monitoring requirement
- Personnel Protection Issue (Protection equipment, Health and threats to safety, Isolation Procedures, decontamination of personnel, and disposal of removed Oils and clean-up material.

SOPEP also gave guide who should in the report, what the content of report and share responsibility for running ship crew to perform its role in case of oil spill.

Monitoring Vessel in Laptop

Computer have been appliance and can not dissociating in daily activity especially in Shipping activity for monitoring of vessel and cargo.
Several computer programs have been created for use with AIS data. The AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a system used by ships and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) principally for identification and locating vessels. AIS provides a means for ships to electronically exchange ship data including: identification, position, course, and speed, with other nearby ships and VTS stations. This information can be displayed on a screen or an ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System is a specific form of computer-based navigation information system) display. AIS is intended to assist the vessel's watchstanding officers and allow maritime authorities to track and monitor vessel movements. It works by integrating a standardized VHF transceiver system with an electronic navigation system, such as a LORAN-C (LOng RAnge Navigation Version C) or Global Positioning System receiver, and other navigational sensors on board ship (gyrocompass, rate of turn indicator, etc.).

The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requires AIS to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with gross tonnage (GT) of 300 or more tons, and all passenger ships regardless of size. It is estimated that more than 40,000 ships currently carry AIS class A equipment.

With the information available on laptop computer and can get a lot more functionality out of it. The laptop can alert you when a new ship has been found, it can alert you if you are going to be within a certain distance of a ship. You can also use NOAA's free ENC maps with the program, or make your own maps, or share the information over a local wireless network and publish it to the internet. The sky is the limit as compared to a stand-alone read-out that will be less versital and only have minimal charts if any

A laptop computer, also known as a notebook computer, is a small personal computer designed for mobile use. A laptop integrates all of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a trackpad, or a pointing stick) and a battery into a single portable unit. The rechargeable battery is charged from an AC/DC adapter and has enough capacity to power the laptop for several hours.
With the major computer manufacturers are becoming increasingly power-conscious, laptop users can now be power users. Increased competition among computer companies like Sony, Apple, HP, Dell, Toshiba, etc, has forced them to lower prices and offer greater flexibility in design and specifications of laptops. User can custom order a laptop to suit your specific needs

Laptop or Notebooks use general-purpose operating systems, either a custom version of a GNU/Linux or Windows XP Home Edition. Many advanced users can be found heavily active on Internet forums discussing the installation of their choice of operating system such as Ubuntu Notebook Remix or Windows XP Professional (now Microsoft have release new operating system Window Vista). Various notebook manufacturers are said to be catching on, and now pre-installing Ubuntu Notebook Remix. Notebooks are capable of running full office applications; however, users often rely on applications and services available on the Internet (known as cloud computing) instead, as there are usually fewer hardware requirements.

Choose the best laptop computer for your reference

Charter Party in Sea Transport

Regarding the parties that are going to carry out goods transport by sea, other than using the services from shipping companies, they can lease or charter the ship for that purpose. Ship for that leasing agreement between the ship owner and the party who leases it is called Charter Party.

A contract of affreightment, signed between the shipowner and the charterer whereby the former hires the vessel to the letter for the carriage of goods, etc., either for a period of time known as time charter or demise or bareboat charter or voyale charter.
In the demise or bareboat charter the whole management and runing expenses of the ship are automatically handed over to the charterer until the expiry date of charter.
In some charters the insurance is the owner's responsibility, in other the payment of premiums is equally shared. The charterers have a free hand as to where and how to do business, including limitation of voyage so long as they honour the contract. Charter rate is calculated on a lump sum basis or on a calender month or annual basis depending on the lenght of the charter time.
The vessel is to be returned to her owner's in the same condition as she was when delivered to the charterer's. Therefore surveys are effected on delivery and redelivery. Surveys are done before delivery and immediately after redelivery to assess any repairs which may be necessary. In time Charterers the Ship's cargo capacity is temporarily allotted to the charterers for a fixed time and committed to limited ports of call while trading. Insurance remains the responsibility of the owners . Food, stores bunkers, port expenses, etc., are to be borne by the charterers. Charter rate is calculated on a lump sum basis per month or so much per deadweight ton per calendar month.
In a voyage charter all expenses are provide and paid for by the owners unless otherwise agree upon by the parties. There are numerous code form of charterparties and each one is used in relation to the particular trade and are allocated

There are 3 kinds of Charter Party, Namely;

1. Voyage Charter is the ship leasing agreement from a port to another port for a single trip. The Expense is determined between the ship owner and the charterer. In this case the charterer acts only as shipper without being charged with other responsibilities.

2. Time Charter is the ship chartering agreement for a certain period of time
Chartering expenses are based on a number cases, including. A) Duration of charter. B) Fuel consumption. C) Size, kind and specification of chartered ship.
The above matters are being considered, because in time charter, the charterer is responsible for matters associated with load and fuel, while the ship owner is still responsible for the salary payment of the crew, ship insurance coverage and repair and service expense.

3. Bareboat Charter, also called Demise Charter is the ship charter agreement where the charterer is full responsible for the entire ship. This will bring consequences that the charterer shall provide the crew, pay the crew’s salary and bear other expenses. He shall act as if he is the ship owner. Bareboat charger shall last usually for one (1) year minimum.

This kind of Charter Party is usually carried out by the government of a State in order to fill the gap of urgent or emergency ship space, for example in war time and in order to overcome congestion at the port.

Port and the other supported

Port as terminal for vessel discharging and loading activity.

Port as terminal is very needful for vessel stay or stop-over or transit when call for activity and many kind of vessel braked to the sea like passenger ship, fishing ship, bulk cargo ship, containers ship, tanker, battle ship etc and of cause will call to the port.

Catchword of the Shipping Business Company "VESSEL IN THE PORT IS LOST" therefore Portstay vessel at terminal is very decided that a shipping Company is success when operated of vessel, means each of vessel when arrive at port terminal should be can direct berthing at jetty, quick discharging/loading the cargoes and quick dispatch to avoid high cost incur at terminal port.
But it will be depend from port supported competence facility for berthing, discharging, loading, leaving, etc including bureaucracy with the supported instance, like:
- Port Administrator
- Harbour Master
- Custom
- Immigration
- Port Health Services
- Port Authority
- Port Securities
For fluency loading and unloading of vessel activity, the port & terminal should have to comprehensive of facilities like signal of traffic and much mooring buoy, depth sea to avoid aground of vessel once berthing, jetty, warehouse for cargoes storage when the vessels berthing for loading and unloading the goods, fuel bunker facility and water for vessels whenever necessary, electric power, large capacity of tools for loaded and unloaded the cargoes, pilot facility and tugboat for berthing or dispatching of vessel and labors.

And also shipping Company will need partnership for running of shipping business activity fluency.
The partnership Company of shipping business activity for Cargoes Vessel, that is Stevedoring Company as kindness of unloaded or loaded cargo from/to vessel, Warehousing Company for stow the goods, Shipper/Exporter as supplier the goods and Consignee/Importer as receiver the goods, Cargo Surveyor Company for surveying the goods before loaded that will need if any claim, Ship Chandler as supplying of vessel necessary, Container depot for shipment with containerize, Forwarder or Customs Broker etc.