Thursday 5th March – The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has issued brand new guidance for the global shipping industry to help combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The comprehensive 22-page document has been produced in collaboration with prominent international bodies.

Information about Corona, COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2.

What events and meetings for Maritime Pilots are scheduled? Which events are canceled or postponed?
An overview on Marine-Pilots.com:

The Dutch freighter "Eemslift Hendrika", which was in distress at sea, was secured on Thursday night. Salvage crews succeeded in boarding the ship and connecting it to two tugboats. This was announced by the Norwegian Coastal Administration. It will now be towed to the harbour of the Norwegian city of Ålesund.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, with its e-Navigation, will contribute to the global maritime ICT. It established and announced basic and implementation plan on the 1st Korean e-Navigation service.

Today Captain Peter Dann (President AMPI) has published an open letter about concerns regarding simulation in lieu of on-water training and the situation in Brisbane.

The operators of Egypt's Suez Canal say technical or human error could have caused a huge container ship to run aground. Engineers are working round the clock to refloat the Ever Given. The vessel has been blocking one of the world's busiest shipping lanes for the last five days. The chairman of the canal authority hopes a dredging operation will free the ship in the next few days.

In fact, the pivot point that we “see” is a trick of the eye, it looks like the ship is rotating about this point but in fact it is elsewhere, a point that you cannot see.

Arrivée au Havre de la pilotine Hirondelle de la Manche

The article was written by Allen Garfinkle, Executive Director – Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun