Here is some graphic proof that LORAN is no longer.  The Coast Guard has demolished the 1350 ft tower at LORAN Station Port Clarence, AK.

From the USCG Press Release -

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard has establish a safety-zone beginning Sunday during preparation for the demolition of the 1,350-foot Long Range Aids to Navigation tower in Port Clarence currently the tallest structure in Alaska.

The safety-zone will include all waters within a two-mile radius of the tower and is being created as part of a project managed by the Coast Guard’s Civil Engineering Unit in Juneau which is responsible for taking down the LORAN Station Port Clarence’s radio transmitting tower in a controlled demolition.

The LORAN tower in Port Clarence is the tallest of its kind in the country but the condition of the tower is deteriorating and with no funding for repairs the tower is at ever-increasing risk of an uncontrolled collapse.  Alaska’s tallest man-made structure will be the tallest structure ever intentionally brought down with explosives in a controlled demolition.

The Coast Guard began decommissioning its LORAN infrastructure in response to direction from Congress provided in the 2010 budget.  LORAN Station Port Clarence ceased transmitting the LORAN signal February 8, 2010.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Shinn.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Shinn.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Shinn.

Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Shinn.

The following is a post by Jeff Raizner from the Maritime Law Firm Doyle Raizner LLP, one of our sponsors here at the Maritime.  Original article can be found here.

If you have experienced a maritime injury you may be out of work for a while. You may not know when you can go back to work and start making money again. Everyday your mail box gives you a small stack of bills that you take into your home and add to a larger stack that is beginning to accumulate quickly. You didn’t ask to be injured but now you are left with a painful injury that may or may not get better. Without your income the entire family will start to feel the strain. But you cannot go back to work with an injury.

When a maritime injury occurs you may worry about financial insecurity and wrongful termination. When you are injured you can no longer work to pay bills, pay your mortgage or rent, buy groceries, and more. Financial insecurity is common in any job without an injury but when you are injured you have no idea when you can make it back to work.

Because of the Jones Act you can receive payment for or reimbursed for your travel expenses, hospitalization, surgeries, tests, x-rays, and travel reimbursement to and from treatment. You can also receive payment for lost wages even if you are a seasonal employee. You may not be able to work full time but if you were injured you should be reimbursed regardless of your status.

After a maritime injury you may also worry about a wrongful termination. You never know when the employer will decide to open your position up and hire someone else.  It is illegal to terminate a Jones Act employee in retaliation for filing a claim or lawsuit. If you are feeling pressured into quitting your job you will need to speak to your lawyer about that. You should never feel pressured to sign any papers or terminate your position at work yourself.

You may not be able to avoid an accident but you can secure your finances by contacting a lawyer who specializes in Jones Act cases. They are familiar with maritime injuries and can help you get the compensation that you deserve. It’s not only enough to have your medical bills taken care of but you need your lost wages as well. A lawyer will help you get the compensation that you deserve.

It’s hard to tell if a employer will terminate your employment in order to hire someone else to take your place but if that happens you can report this to your lawyer and he or she will know that it is a wrongful termination and can help you with your case.

Remember to speak to your lawyer before making any decisions based on your injury. If you had not received an injury you would have continued to work without fail. The injury has changed your entire life and you want to get compensated fairly. Bills don’t stop coming in just because you are injured. You still need to pay them and you still need groceries and living expenses. Your lawyer will understand that.

The information provided on theMaritimeBlog.com is not intended to be legal advice, but merely conveys general information related to legal issues commonly encountered.

We came across these amazing photos of the PAN AMERICAN VICTORY as she transited the Panama Canal not too long ago.  She was on her final voyage from San Francisco, CA to Brownsville, TX for scrapping.  The Pan American Victory was the first of the last 4 remaining Victory Ships still owned by the U.S. Government to depart the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.  She was shortly followed by the Earlham Victory, Rider Victory, and the Winthrop Victory.

The Pan American Victory in the Panama Canal 12/24/09 (hendrik/shipspotting.com)

The Pan American Victory in the Panama Canal 12/24/09 (hendrik/shipspotting.com)

The Pan American Victory in the Panama Canal 12/24/09 (hendrik/shipspotting.com)

Associated Articles

The Maritime Executive

Salvage crews have reportedly raised the stern portion of the sunken naval corvette Cheonan in the Yellow Sea.

The New York Times brings us news on the raising of the sunken warship -

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea lifted its sunken warship Thursday in waters near the tense border with North Korea, about three weeks after it went down following a mysterious explosion with dozens of sailors believed trapped inside.

Bad weather and heavy seas have impeded efforts to locate the 44 missing crew and salvage the wreckage of the 1,200-ton Cheonan.

On Thursday, a huge naval crane hoisted the stern — where most of the missing sailors are believed trapped — a day after divers succeeded in tying the wreckage with chains.

Footage by TV broadcaster SBS showed the stern being hoisted about 10-13 feet (3-4 meters) above the sea surface. Salvage workers planned to board the stern later Thursday to search for the missing crew.

The stern was to be loaded onto a barge and moved to a naval base to investigate the cause of the explosion while the rest of the ship is to be salvaged as early as next week, military officials said.

Fifty-eight crew members were rescued shortly after the Cheonan split into two after exploding March 26 during a routine patrol. Divers have recovered two bodies.

No cause has been determined. There has been some suspicion but no confirmation of North Korean involvement in the sinking, which occurred near the two Koreas’ disputed western sea border — a scene of three bloody inter-Korean naval battles.

Read more

A giant offshore crane lifting up portion of the sunken South Korean naval ship Cheonan, off Baengnyeong Island, South Korea, on Thursday. (Im Hun-jung/Yonhap, via Associated Press)

A floating crane prepares to hoist the sunken Navy corvette Cheonan yesterday by lowering metal chains to loop under the bow portion of the wreck. The operation took place near the western inter-Korean border in the Yellow Sea. The Navy ship ripped in two and sank after an unexplained explosion on March 26. (Joint Press Corps)

The U.S. Navy has been actively involved in the both the search and rescue compenent of the recovery and the salvage efforts, primarily through the Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessel USNS SALVOR which is operated and crewed by civilian merchant mariners.

Once again, civilian U.S. Merchant Mariners are at the centerpoint of a global maritime response, with the most recent centerpoint being the work done in support of the Haiti relief effort.

Below are a few photos released on the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet Flickr photostream.

Video

You can view a video of the ship being raised at the BBC News site here.

You have to wonder what the pirates were thinking when they decided to fire on a gray warship.  Well, as you can imagine, the warship fired back, hitting the small skiff at setting it ablaze.  We need to see results like this more often.  In the past 10 days, the U.S. Navy has captured 21 pirates.  Will 2010 mark the end of the piracy crisis in the Gulf of Aden?

Here’s the story from the U.S. Navy -

From U.S. FIFTH Fleet Public Affairs

USS ASHLAND, Gulf of Aden (NNS) — At approximately 5:00 a.m. local time, the USS Ashland (LSD 48), was fired upon by a skiff manned by suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden, approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti.

During the attack, the Ashland received small arms fire on the port side from the six man crew of suspected pirates aboard the skiff. The Ashland, in accordance with her rules of engagement, returned fire.

USS Ashland fired two rounds at the skiff from her MK-38 Mod 2, 25mm gun. The skiff caught fire and the suspected pirates abandoned the skiff. The Ashland deployed her rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) to assist the pirates who were in the water near their skiff.

Once it was verified that the suspected pirates no longer had weapons on their person, all six were brought on board the Ashland where they received medical care. There is no apparent damage to the USS Ashland and there were no injuries to any members of her crew.

Captain John Bruening, commanding officer, Nassau Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), expressed the commitment of the ships in the Nassau ARG to ensuring the success of creating a stable and secure maritime environment.

“This is why we are here,” said Bruening. “It is so much more than just putting a stop to the illegal activities of only one pirate skiff. It is about fostering an environment that will give every nation the freedom to navigate the seas without fear of attack.”

Three events over the past ten days have allowed the U.S. Navy to capture a total of 21 suspected pirates. Two of these events were precipitated by attacks on the U.S. vessels, while the third was in response to a fellow mariner’s call for help. USS Nicholas (FFG 47) was attacked late in the evening by pirates on March 31, resulting in the capture of five, while today’s attack on USS Ashland netted an additional six. The third event, USS McFaul (DDG 74) responded to the distress call from M/V Rising Sun on April 5, helping thwart the attack and capture an additional ten suspected pirates. The U.S. Navy is now reviewing multiple options regarding these suspected pirates’ legal dispositions.

Ashland was conducting routine Maritime Security Operations in the Gulf of Aden, when the ship was attacked. Currently, Ashland is supporting 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit sustainment operations in Djibouti.

The Nassau ARG is comprised of ships from Amphibious Squadron Eight (PHIBRON including the Tarawa-class multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4), the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) and the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24 MEU) complete the group.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.

GULF OF ADEN (April 10, 2010) A suspected pirate skiff burns after being destroyed by the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Ashland while operating approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti, was fired upon from a skiff manned by suspected pirates. Ashland returned fire and disabled the skiff. USS Ashland is part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently supporting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

GULF OF ADEN (April 10, 2010) The burned out hull of a suspected pirate skiff drifts near the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Ashland while operating approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti, was fired upon and returned fire disabling a skiff manned by suspected pirates. Ashland deployed a visit, board, search and seizure team to rescue the suspects from the sea. USS Ashland is part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently supporting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

GULF OF ADEN (April 10, 2010) A visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team pulls suspected pirates from the sea for transport back to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Ashland while operating approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti, was fired upon from a skiff manned by suspected pirates. Ashland returned fire and disabled the skiff. USS Ashland is part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently supporting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

The last T-2 tanker, in the world is on the way to its final resting place.  The USNS Mission Santa Ynez is a Type T2-SE-A2 tanker, of the Mission Buenaventura Class.  She has been laid-up in the mothball fleet of Suisun Bay, CA since 1975, and in a few days will be departing the San Francisco drydock for her final voyage to Brownsville, TX for scrapping, under tow through the Panama Canal.

From the U.S. Navy Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Mission Santa Ynez was laid down 9 September 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract by Marine Ship Corp., Sausalito, Calif.; launched 19 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ralph K. Davies; and delivered 13 March 1944.

Chartered to Pacific Tankers, Inc., for operations, she spent the remainder of the war carrying fuel to our forces overseas. She remained in this capacity until 28 March 1946 when she was returned to the Maritime Commission and laid up in the Maritime Reserve Fleet at James River, Va.

Acquired by the Navy 22 October 1947, she was placed in service with the Naval Transportation Service as Mission Santa Ynez (AO?134). Taken over by the newly created Military Sea Transportation Service 1 October 1949, she was redesignated USNS Mission Santa Ynez (T?AO?134). Chartered to Mathiasens Tanker Industries, Inc., for operations, she still serves MSTS, the only ship of her class to serve MSTS continuously, since its establishment.

Below is an excellent slide show I found from somebody who helped participate in moving the vessel from Suisun Bay to San Francisco.

USNS Mission Santa Ynez moored in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, CA. (Flickr/Derell Licht)

More information:

MARAD News Release

Navy Times article – Ships to be removed from Calif. Ghost Fleet

U.S. Navy Oilers

NavSource Online

Here’s the complicated story of the Suisun Bay National Defense Reserve Fleet, and  the latest on its possible closure from the San Francisco Chronicle -

The federal government and environmental groups reached an agreement Wednesday that will mean the end of the ghost fleet of retired ships in Suisun Bay.

The vessels were once part of a mighty reserve fleet of warships and freighters, but time and neglect has turned them into what one environmental advocate called “a floating toxic waste dump.”

Only 52 ships remain of a fleet that once was as big as a good-size Navy, and these rusting old vessels will be removed and cleaned up for an ocean voyage to Texas, where they will be scrapped. The fleet will be reduced gradually, with 25 ships in the worst condition taken out within two years and the remainder by fall 2017. The settlement, which must be approved by a federal court in Sacramento, ends a long dispute over the ships, which have been a fixture in the bay just east of Benicia for generations.

After World War II, there were thousands of surplus ships, and, in 1946, the Maritime Administration began keeping the best of them in reserve. At one time, more than 350 ships were in the fleet, including cruisers, destroyers, supply ships, transports and tankers. Many of them were broken out for service in the Korean and Vietnam wars, but the rest stayed in Suisun Bay and gradually became neglected and obsolete – a fleet of ghosts tied up in rows, waiting for a call to duty that never came.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/01/MN5A1CO3VK.DTL#ixzz0kBUAq02g

Captain Richard Phillips, the Master aboard the Maersk Alabama during the hostage drama that played out on the high seas off Somalia in 2009 has written a book on the ordeal.

The 286-page hardcover, titled “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS and Dangerous Days at Sea,” hits bookstores Tuesday.

Capt. Phillips says he learned something from the experience – “Don’t make deals with pirates.”

Here is the description from the publisher:

It was just another day on the job for Phillips, captain of the “Maersk Alabama.” That all changed when armed Somali pirates boarded the ship. “A Captain’s Duty” tells the dramatic life-and-death tale of Phillips’ captivity and his daring escape.

Captain Richard Phillips knew the pirates were dangerous. And yet, it was originally just another day on the job for the fifty-three-year old captain of the Maersk Alabama, the United States-flagged cargo ship that was carrying food and other agricultural materials for the World Food Program. That all changed when armed Somali pirates boarded the ship. But they didn’t expect the sailors to fight back nor did they plan for Captain Phillips to end up as a hostage in the stead of his ship and crew, and ultimately, they didn’t bargain on the tough-as-nails everyman theytook on board their tiny craft. After the tense fie-day stand-off-including mock executions, deadly heat, and an escalating battle of wills-ended in a daring high-seas rescue, Captain Phillips said, “It never ends like this.” And he’s right. A Captain’s Story tells the dramatic life-and-death tale of the Vermont native who, in April of 2008, was held captive on a tiny lifeboat off Somalia’s anarchic, gun-plagued shores.

Captain Richard Phillips, Author of A CAPTAIN'S DUTY: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea (Hyperion; April 6, 2010; $25.99 hardcover)

Find the book on Amazon HERE.

This is the strange story of the forgotten Hawaii Super Ferry, the High Speed Vessel (HSV) Huakai.  For those not familiar with this ferry, it was originally built to provide inter-island high speed ferry service for the Hawaiian Islands.  Hawaii Superferry built two aluminum catamarans at Austal USA in Mobile, AL.  Upon starting service in 2007, the company faced fierce protests from residents and environmentalists on Maui and Kauai, and was eventually ordered to suspend service until a environmental impact statement was completed.  The state legislature later passed a law allowing high speed vessels to operate between ports on the Hawaiian Islands.  The law was later ruled unconstitutional, and the Hawaiian Super Ferry ceased service for a second and final time.  The company went bankrupt several months later in May of 2009. The vessels were declared abandoned and repossessed by MARAD and remained laid up until now.  This completed the strange first chapter for the Hawaii Super Ferry.

The Haiti earthquake happened and brought an urgent need for high speed transportation of equipment and supplies to the desperate country immediately following the quake.  MARAD turned to its new high speed ferry for help.  Operated by Hornblower Marine Services (HMS), the Huakai crewed up, and proceeded to Haiti.  Third hand reporting described the service aboard the Huakai as sketchy at best, as the ferry was not originally designed to house a permanent crew.  Crew members set up tents on the main passenger deck and shared the one shower available aboard the ship.

Its service in Haiti was well documented on the HMS Haiti blog.  Check it out HERE.

Below is a slideshow of photos provided by the crew of the Huakai documenting what they saw in Haiti.  For once, the Huakai, although odly out of place, found no protests, no court orders blocking its passage, but simply sailed as she was designed to do, and to the service of at least two thankful nations.

North American Emission Control Area to be established, while energy efficient ships remain on the drawing board.

The 60th session of the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) has concluded today in London.  Several important topics were addressed at the gathering, including a major amendment to the MARPOL Convention to establish an emission control area off the coasts of U.S. and Canada.

Read the final press release from the IMO on the conclusion of the session.

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) – 60th session: 22-26 March, 2010

More work needed despite GHG progress, IMO Committee concludes

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO has concluded that more work needs to be done before it completes its consideration of the proposed mandatory application of technical and operational measures designed to regulate and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from international shipping.

Meeting at the Organization’s London headquarters, the Committee’s 60th session agreed to establish an intersessional Working Group to build on the significant progress that had been made during the meeting on technical and operational measures to increase the energy efficiency of ships. The Working Group will report back to the Committee’s next session (MEPC 61), in September 2010.

Although the meeting was able to prepare draft text on mandatory requirements for the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new vessels and on the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships in operation, the Committee noted in particular, that, among other things, issues concerning ship size, target dates and reduction rate in relation to the EEDI requirements all required finalization.

The Committee agreed on the basic concept that  a vessel’s attained EEDI shall be equal or less (e.g. more efficient) than the required EEDI, and that the required EEDI shall be drawn up based on EEDI baselines and reduction rates yet to be agreed. The Committee noted guidelines for calculating the EEDI baselines using data from existing ships in the Lloyd’s Register Fairplay database.

With regard to market-based measures, the Committee agreed to establish an Expert Group on the subject to undertake a feasibility study and impact assessment of the various proposals submitted for a market-based instrument for international maritime transport – again, reporting back to MEPC 61.

Amendments to the MARPOL Convention

Among other items on a full agenda, the Committee adopted amendments to the MARPOL Convention to formally establish a North American Emission Control Area, in which emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter from ships will be subject to more stringent controls than the limits that apply globally.

Another new MARPOL regulation, to protect the Antarctic from pollution by heavy grade oils, was also adopted.

These amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 August 2011.

Implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention

The MEPC addressed issues relating to the implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 and adopted a resolution that requests Administrations to encourage the installation of ballast water management systems on new ships, in accordance with the application dates contained in the Convention.

The resolution also urges countries that have not already done so to ratify the Convention, which will enter into force twelve months after the date on which not fewer than 30 States, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute not less than 35 percent of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping, have become Parties to it. To date, it has been ratified by 22 countries representing 22.65 per cent of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping.

The Committee decided to grant “basic approval” to eight ballast water management systems that make use of active substances and “final approval” to five such systems, after consideration of the reports of the tenth, eleventh and twelfth meetings of the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environment Protection (GESAMP) Ballast Water Working Group, which met in September, October and December 2009, respectively.

Recycling of ships

The Committee continued its work on developing Guidelines for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling, and commenced the development of Guidelines for the development of the Ship Recycling Plan. Guidelines for the authorization of ship recycling facilities, for ship inspection and for survey and certification will also be developed in due course. Once adopted, the guidelines will assist ship-recycling facilities and ship operators to begin introducing voluntary improvements to meet the requirements of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which was adopted in May 2009.

The MEPC also agreed that there would be a need, in future, to develop guidance concerning the recycling of flag-less and non-Party ships by Parties to the Convention. The Committee agreed a timetable for the development of the guidelines and the intersessional correspondence group was re-established to progress the work and report to MEPC 61.

Garbage Special Areas

The MEPC agreed to establish 1 May 2011 as the date on which the discharge requirements for the Wider Caribbean Region Special Area under MARPOL Annex V Regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships will take effect.

This Special Area, which includes the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, was designated as a Special Area under MARPOL Annex V in July 1991.  Most countries in the region have now given notice that adequate reception facilities are provided in most relevant ports, so that the Special Area status can now be made effective.

In Annex V, Special Areas, disposal of all garbage into the sea, including plastics, is prohibited. Other special areas under Annex V are: the Baltic Sea (effective since October 1989); the North Sea (February 1991); the Antarctic area (south of latitude 60 degrees south) (March 1992); the “Gulfs” area (August 2008); the Mediterranean Sea (May 2009); the Black Sea (not yet effective); and the Red Sea (not yet effective).

The MEPC is carrying out a review of MARPOL Annex V and received the interim report of an intersessional correspondence group on the subject. The final report, including proposed draft amendments to the Annex and its Guidelines, is expected to be submitted to MEPC 61.

MARPOL Annex III Revision

The MEPC approved proposed amendments to replace the text of MARPOL Annex III Regulations for the prevention of pollution by harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form, with a view to subsequent adoption by MEPC 61.

The amended text is aimed at bringing the Annex up to date with the mandatory International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, specifying that goods should be shipped in accordance with relevant provisions.

Implementation of the OPRC Convention and OPRC-HNS Protocol

The MEPC considered the report of the tenth meeting of the OPRC?HNS Technical Group, which met in the week prior to the Committee’s session, and approved for publication the following texts developed by the Technical Group:  Manual on Oil Pollution, Section I – Prevention; Publication checklist for new IMO manuals, guidance documents and training materials; Guidance document on the implementation of an Incident Management System; and Guidelines for oil spill response in fast currents.

Secretary-General’s closing remarks

In his closing remarks to the meeting, IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos focused on the progress made in dealing with GHG emissions from ships and the challenges that still remain. Placing the Committee’s work in its wider context, he said, “Global issues demand global solutions. Let the world learn from the lessons of Copenhagen so that the same mistakes are not repeated in Cancun. At the same time, let us build on the undeniable successes Copenhagen has scored, by providing a forum for Heads of State and Government to listen to and understand each other’s problems, concerns, worries and sensitivities and, thus, pave the way for a more successful next round of consultations.” The shipping world, he added, should proceed, “not in a fragmented manner, but as responsible members of a community that has a role to play in this effort.”

Briefing 10, 26 March 2010

____

For further information please contact:

Lee Adamson, Head, Public Information Services on 020 7587 3153 (media@imo.org )

Natasha Brown, External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3274 (media@imo.org ).