DIGITAL SHIP NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER VERSION August 14, 2002 inside this issue CONTAINER SHIPPING TECHNOLOGY * Shipping lines must declare US shipments electronically before loading cargo * Second birthday for GoReefers MARITIME OPERATIONS * Strategic to integrate software with Microsoft and expand consultancy business * UKHO to sell standard size ENCs from Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain * Tideland Signal Singapore moves office * Transas completes Helsinki simulator complex * Free entry to EU maritime technology research conference in Sweden * Ex TEAMtalk exec set ups maritime data storage consultancy ______ THE VIRTUAL BOX: INTEGRATING THE CONTAINER SHIPPING SUPPLY CHAIN Hamburg, September 18-19, 2002 http://www.thedigitalship.com/containershipping.htm How shippers, forwarders, shipping lines, terminals and depots can integrate their processes most effectively DIGITAL SHIP 2002: SECURITY, SOFTWARE AND COMMUNICATIONS London, November 4-6, 2002 http://www.thedigitalship.com/digitalship2002.htm Day one, the shipowner's perspective on maritime security Day two, integrating the ship, office, ship suppliers and brokers Day three, innovation in ship shore communications DIGITAL SHIP SINGAPORE Singapore, December 12-13, 2002 http://www.thedigitalship.com/singapore.htm How can shipowners maximise their investment in ship-shore communications and software conference web pages are updated daily - check for the latest agenda ______ ***** CONTAINER SHIPPING TECHNOLOGY ***** Shipping lines must declare US shipments electronically before loading cargo http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/hot-new/pressrel/2002/0807-00.htm The US Customs announced proposed regulations requiring shipping lines to provide cargo manifests 24 hours prior to lading of cargo for shipments. The idea is that US Customs can somehow evaluate from the cargo manifest the risk that a terrorist can something nasty inside the container, before it is even loaded onto the ship. The manifest information will be analysed by US Customs officers posted at ports outside the US, to try to identify high risk containers. "I am determined to use every tool available under the law to protect the American people and the global trading system as a whole," said a US Customs representative. "It is a matter of urgency that Customs knows in advance what is in the containers destined for the United States." The regulation encourages non vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) to present the cargo manifest to US customs electronically. The move follows the US container security initiative, whereby the US government enters partnerships with other governments to target and screen containers coming into the US. Agreements are in place with Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany to implement CSI at the ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Le Havre, Bremerhaven, and Hamburg. U.S. Customs Service inspectors will be stationed at those ports in the coming weeks. Singapore has announced that it is also joining with U.S. Customs to implement CSI at the port of Singapore. ______ Second birthday for GoReefers http://www.goreefers.com Refrigerated cargo logistics service provider GoReefers has celebrated its second birthday, reporting 2002 turnover increase of 300 per cent over 2001 and an expected net profit for 2003. The company already employs 75 staff in offices in the Netherlands, southern Africa, China, New Zealand and South America. ______ ***** MARITIME OPERATIONS ***** Strategic to integrate software with Microsoft and expand consultancy business http://www.strategic.co.uk Shipbroking software house Strategic is gradually changing its business model from just selling its own software to also providing more of a support and systems design service, integrating its own products with other software companies, including Microsoft. The company has been gently working over the last 6 months to integrate its software with Microsoft Outlook, so it becomes possible to move messages, task lists and contact information from Strategic Software into Outlook. It's been a tough 12 months for Strategic Software. As has been widely reported the company had gotten into serious financial trouble, the CEO resigned and the owners have been forced to sell off some 75 per cent of the business to raise funds to keep alive. "What we've been through is no pleasure," comments Lawrence Royston, marketing director. "We've had to fight to continue developing our software. But we like developing software. We've been bogged down for the last year and we looking forward to getting back to producing the best software with the best service." ______ Ex TEAMtalk exec set ups maritime data storage consultancy agassociates@fsmail.net Alan Golob, former managing director of TEAMtalk Satellite, has established a consultancy to advise shipping companies on how to manage data storage and implement data backup programs, particularly onboard ship. This includes making sure that investments in storage are maximised and the data is accessible to the people who need it. ______ Tideland Signal Singapore moves office http://www.tidelandsignal.com.sg Marine navigation product manufacturer Tideland Signal has moved its Singapore office to a new building, combining office space, spare parts store and a repair workshop. The Singapore office handles Tideland Signal business in Asia and Pacific regions. ______ Transas completes Helsinki simulator complex http://www.transas.com Maritime software company Transas has completed the installation of a large-scale simulator complex at the Meriturva Seafarer Educational Centre in Helsinki, Finland, one of the largest maritime training establishments in Europe. The simulator was put together within the framework of the debt of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Finland based on the Russian-Finnish intergovernmental agreement of Nov 2000. The facility has 4 full mission bridges, a VTS operator station, engine room, GMDSS and liquid cargo handling simulators, and the oil spill response management simulator OilGuard. It also has several Transas electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS). The simulator ship model library has 60 different ships in it, including passenger vessels, high speed craft, container ships, tankers, fishing vessels, ferries and tugs, with sailing areas for the main navigational regions, straits and ports of the world. ______ UKHO to sell ENCs from Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain http://www.ukho.gov.uk The UK Hydrographic Office has launched a new service to sell official electronic navigation charts (ENCs). It will sell ENCs developed by hydrographic offices in Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, as well as the UK. The ENC cell sizes (chart coverage areas) are in standardised units, similar to the coverage of a single paper chart, which should make them easier to buy, use and manage. ENC prices, for chart data for an area covered by a standard size paper chart, range from GBP 25 for Germany to GBP 30.00 for the UK (the price variations are due to different prices set by different hydrographic offices). "ENC coverage is growing rapidly, as is the number of ships fitted with ECDIS, so we expect a significant increase in take up of ENCs over the next few years," says UKHO. "Our new ENC service has been designed to make the transition from paper to electronic navigation easier by taking a more integrated approach." The service will be distributed by existing UKHO distributors, with weekly ENC updates provided on CD. A remote ENC update service will be launched in Spring 2003. ______ Free entry to EU maritime technology research conference in Sweden http://www.wondermar.net If you wondered what the EU's maritime technology research euros were going on, the companies spending it are organising a free event in Malmö, Sweden, Sept 12, to tell you. Find out about their maritime specific research into subjects such as decision support tools, intelligent sales agents, shipbuilding e-procurement, ship routing decision support, project collaboration and contract tendering. Registration forms are available on http://www.wondermar.net. The event leads into the 11th International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding (ICCAS). ______ THANKYOU FOR READING DIGITAL SHIP NEWSLETTER Digital Ship Ltd 213 Marsh Wall London E14 9FJ UK http://www.thedigitalship.com tel (+44 207) 510 2315