News

To promote safety of life at sea, Indonesia has ratified the 1988 Protocol relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 through decree No.57 of 2017 issued by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr.Joko Widodo, on 30 May 2017 in Jakarta.

Budd’s Algeria office warns all vessels calling in the port of Algiers that there has recently been an increase in fines issued against the Masters of vessels for a variety of alleged offences, in particular failure to sign either the deck or visitor’s log books in accordance with article 506 of the Algerian Maritime Code.

The Indonesia Directorate General of Sea Transportation (DGST) is hosting this year’s Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) at the port of Benoa in Bali, Indonesia from 15-18 May 2017.

Laboratory tests carried out in Kinshasa have confirmed the presence of the Ebola virus in two out of five blood samples taken from patients in from the Likati health zone of the remote Bas-Uele province. The virus has been identified as the Zaire sub-type.

The 8th Maritime Security Desktop Exercise was recently held at Manado, North Sulawesi in Indonesia from 8 to 11 May 2017. Sixteen of Indonesia’s neighbouring countries were in attendance: Australia, Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, Timor Leste, Singapore, Philippines, Pakistan, Maldives and Brunei Darussalam.

Following similar disturbances in January this year, the Ivory Coast once again found itself at the mercy of mutineers over the weekend.

On 30 April 2017, the Indonesian and Philippine governments launched a new Roll On-Roll Off (RORO) service linking Davao and General Santos Cities in the Philippines to Bitung in Indonesia.

On 10 April 2017 in Batam, the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation officially launched a Pilotage service for the Malacca and Singapore straits. These straits are among the most important channels in South East Asia. Around 60-80 thousand cargo and tanker vessels sail through these narrow channels which total 550 miles in length.

Myanmar’s biggest public holiday period is due to start on 13 April 2017 with the three-day Thingyan water festival immediately followed by the Burmese New Year from 17 to 21 April.

We have just been advised by our DR Congo offices that there have not been any disturbances during today’s civil servant strike.