WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

The new office building in Rendsburg

Reederei Hans Peterson & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

2

Introduction

Dear seafarers and readers, I am writing the introduction of the latest edition of our WesterShip News whilst travelling from Manila to Singapore. After sailing with MV Westermoor from Singapore to Port Keelang, I had the opportunity to visit Hanseatic Shipping Inc. in Manila in order to discuss several crew related issues. During my stay on board I had again the opportunity to chat and discuss and/or share sorrows or challenges with officers & crew of MV Westermoor. Presently, I am looking forward to my visit of MV Westerems and MV Westerland, both at Singapore. It is always of great benefit to me to share a part of the actual life of our seafarers in order to better understand their needs. The year nearly passed already and a good economical situation in shipping allows a positive outlook, even for 2005. Jobs for seafarers are safe and two more ships for our company will be in service next year. I am wishing you all a nice Christmas time wherever you are around the world and may there be always god’s protection for you, your families and relatives. Kind regards,

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

3

Inauguration of our office building Cleaning, scrubbing, screwing – brief getting everything to shine was the motto the days before Friday, August 27th, 2004. Then, the inauguration day for our new office building came and about 250 people gathered in and around our new “flagship”.

The entrance hall with the Peterson – logo.

Mr. Manthe and his wife showing the guests around

To the right you see Mr. Strohschein, engine officer on watch

After everybody had the chance to explore the new rooms and taste some of the fingerfood, people moved over to the big tent outside, which saved us from the pourring rain that day. The “Storyville Jazzband” of Rendsburg was playing and the overall maritime atmosphere seemed to please everyone.

The speech was held by Mr. Rother who gave everybody a good laugh having the international guests welcomned in their homelanguages like norwegian, greek, swedish, danish, finish (Mr. Rother’s favorite!) and such…-!-

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

4

Mr. Bernd Peterson and his wife Karin Peterson were also amused by the speech.

Here Mr. Breitner, the mayor of Rendsburg, rose to speak, thanked for the good cooperation and gave his best wishes us.

On the left you see Mr. Mesecke, our Company Security Officer (CSO) and to the right, Mrs. Stephanie Peterson in charge of finance & controlling. After the speeches the traditional meal loscouse (Labskaus) amongst other things was offered and people got the chance to talk to each other. It has been a very special event and we like to express our thanks for the numerous flowers, gifts and congratulations.

Thoughts of the month WHY do we call things “buildings” when they’re already finished?

Shouldn’t they be called “builts”? WHY do we call things “apartments” when they’re attached? WHY do scientists call it “research” when they are looking for something new?

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

5

Green Ship equipment New IMO conventions

New Convention on Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems The International Convention on the control of harmful anti-fouling systems on ships, which will prohibit the use of harmful organotins in anti-fouling paints used on ships and will establish a mechanism to prevent the potential future use of other harmful substances in anti-fouling systems was adopted on October 5th , 2001 at the end of a five-day Diplomatic Conference held at IMO Headquarters in London. The new convention will enter into force 12 month after 25 States representing 25% of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage have ratified it. Annex I attached to the Convention and adopted by the Conference states that by an effective date of January 1st 2003, all ships shall not apply or re-apply organotins compounds which act as biocides in anti-fouling systems. By January 1st 2008 (effective date), ships either shall not bear such compounds on their hulls or external parts or surfaces; or shall bear a coating that forms a barrier to such compounds leaching from the underlying non-compliant anti-fouling systems.

Alien invaders in ballast water International Conference on Ballast Water Management: February 9th – 13th , 2004 A new international convention to prevent the potentially devastating effects of the spread of harmful aquatic organisms carried by ships’ ballast water has been adopted at an international conference held from February 9th to 13th 2004 at IMO.

The Convention will require all ships to implement a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan. All ships will have to carry a Ballast Water Record Book and will be required to carry out ballast water management procedures to a given standard. Existing ships will be required to do the same, but after a phase-in period. Parties to the Convention are given the option to take additional measures which are subject to criteria set out in the Convention and to IMO guidelines yet to be developed. The Convention will enter into force 12 month after ratification by 30 States, representing 35 percent of world merchant shipping tonnage.

Revised ship sewage regulations adopted Revised regulations for the prevention of pollution of the oceans by sewage from ships were adopted by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), which met for its 51st session from March 29th to April 2nd 2004.

Amendments to MARPOL 73/78 – Annex IV The revised MARPOL Annex IV containing regulations for the prevention of pollution by sewage from ships was formally adopted in April 2004 and is expected to enter into force on August 1st , 2005. Annex IV contains a set of regulations regarding the discharge of sewage into the sea, ships’ equipment and systems for the control of sewage discharge, the provision of facilities at ports and terminals for the reception of sewage, and requirements for survey and certification. It also includes a model International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate to be issued by national shipping administrations to ships under their jurisdiction.

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

6

The revised Annex will apply to new ships engaged in international voyages, of 400 gross tonnage and above or which are certified to carry more than 15 persons. Existing ships will be required to comply with the provisions of the revised Annex IV five years after the date of its entry into force. The Annex requires ships to be equipped with either a sewage treatment plant or a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system or a sewage holding tank. The discharge of sewage into the sea will be prohibited, except when the ship has in operation an approved sewage treatment plant and is discharging comminuted and disinfected sewage using an approved system at a distance of more than three nautical miles from the nearest land; or is discharging sewage which is not comminuted or disinfected at a distance of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land.

Indentification and protection of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas The MEPEC in April 2004 approved in principle the designation of three new Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs):

he Baltic Sea area, except Russian waters;

the Galapagos Archipelago (Ecuador); and

the waters of the Canary Isles archipelago (Spain).

The proponents of the three PSSAs stated that they would submit detailed proposals for Associated Protective Measures (APMs) linked to the PSSAs to the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation (NAV) in 2005 for subsequent consideration by the MEPC. When an area is approved as a PSSA, specific additional measures can be used to control the maritime activities in that area, such as routeing measures; mandatory ship reporting systems; and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS).

There are six existing PSSAs: the Great Barrier Reef, Australia (designated a PSSA in 1990); the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago in Cuba (1997); Malpelo Island, Colombia (2002); the Florida Keys, United States (2002); the Wadden Sea, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands (2002); and Paracas National Reserve, Peru (2003). The MEPC approved in principle that the current PSSA Guidelines would be reviewed, provided that there are specific proposals, as well as justification, submitted to a future session of the Committee.

Air pollution rules to enter into force in 2005 Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships are set to enter into force on May 19th 2005, following the ratification by the Independent State of Samoa Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78). The 1997 Protocol to the MARPOL Convention, which includes Annex VI, enters into force 12 months after beeing accepted by 15 States with not less than 50% of world merchant shipping tonnage. Samoa, the fifteenth State to ratify the instrument, deposited its ratification on May 18th 2004. Annex VI sets limits on sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts and prohibits deliberate emissions of ozone-depleting substances.

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

7

Introducing Officestaff In our last issue we announced already Mrs. Kwaukas colleague:

Karen Wulf

She started her career with an apprenticeship as an office clerk at a deaconry institution which she completed in 1989. Afterwards she continued to work within this domain and gained experiences at various companies. In addition to that she attended an evening class to become a certified secretary and increased her English knowledge. Since 1996 Mrs. Wulf works part-time since she has a litte son and as some of you might know, this can be sometimes also a full-time job…! Mrs. Wulf joined our company in April 2001 and started out as a secretary. After about two years she took to evening classes where she improved her accounting skills and came to support Mrs. Kwauka. In her freetime Mrs. Wulf likes to go jogging and is a member of the local volley ball team. During this summer she found a new hobby…

which had sore muscles as consequence but brought a lot of laughter to us:

Waterskiing !!

Funny tales A FARMER was being troubled by some local children who were sneaking onto his land at night and eating his watermelons. So he posted a sign in the field saying, "Warning. One of the watermelons in this field has been injected with cyanide." When they saw the sign, the children ran off and made their own one, which they posted next to the farmer's sign. While the farmer was looking over his field the next day he was pleased to see that there were no watermelons missing, but that there was a new sign next to his. It said, "Now there are two." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TWO field athletes meet for a training session. One says to the other, "Are you a pole vaulter?". The other says, "No, I am German and how did you know my name?"

WesterShip News No. 12, December 2004

8

BRASIL - Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes

Catholic Chuch opposite of Itajai in “Navegantes” The two main popular festivals of the year, besides Carnaval, take place either in or near the Igreja do Bonfim in Itajai, Brasil. On New Year's Day the Procissão no Mar, the "Sea Procession", sees statues of the seafarers' protectors, Nosso Senhor dos Navegantes and Nossa Senhora da Conceição, carried in a decorated nineteenth-century boat across the bay from the old harbour to the church of Boa Viagem, on the shore down from Bonfim. The boat leaves at around 9am from Praça Cairú, next to the Mercado Modelo in Cidade Baixa, and hundreds of schooners and fishing boats wait to join the procession as the statues' boat passes: one can buy a place on the phalanx of boats that leaves with the statues, but the crowds are thick.

*Pictures contributed by Mr. Weber

On the shores of Boa Viagem, thousands wait to greet the holy images, there's a packed Mass in the church, and then Nossa Senhora da Conçeicão is taken back by land in another procession to her church near the foot of the Lacerda elevator. The celebrations around both churches go on long into the night and is an impressive

spectacle. Soon afterwards, on the second Thursday of January, comes the Lavagem do Bonfim, "the washing of Bonfim", second only to Carnaval in scale.

Hundreds of baianas, women in the traditional all-white costume of turban, lace blouse and billowing long skirts, gather in front of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, and a procession follows them the 12km along the seafront to the Igreja do Bonfim, with tens of thousands more lining the route.

At the church, everyone sets to scrubbing the square spotless, cleaning the church and decorating the exterior with flowers and strings of coloured lights, and that evening, and every evening until Sunday, raucous celebrations go on into the small hours, the square crowded with people.