SEAFARERS: REFRESHER TRAINING GUIDE FOR SEAFARERS ON SHIPS IN AUSTRALIAN WATERS

In case you missed hearing about this earlier AUSMEPA is now providing its member companies and others with the Association's latest electronic publication titled ' A Refresher Training Guide for Seafarers on Ships in Australian Waters'.  It has been produced in collaboration with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA).

Australian waters cover an area of approximately 14 million squares kilometers and feature a wide variety of climatic, oceanographic and geographical characteristics. They hold a rare biodiversity of terrestrial and marine species, together with the world's largest 'living organism' - the Great Barrier Reef, our natural wonder that has been evolving for more than one million years. The Great Barrier Reef must be navigated safely with respect and care, given that Australian depends on the shipping industry for the transportation of approximately one billion tonnes of raw materials and products each year both imports and exports through our ports.

Besides outlining the requirements of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the Guide also incorporates information on relevant Australian legislation and MARPOL, requirements regarding ship tracking and reporting systems, navigation in the inner routes of the Great Barrier Reef, ballast water management, biofouling and the permissible draught of ships in Torres Strait. 

"The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. It is a combination of two treaties adopted in 1973 and 1978 respectively and updated by amendments through the years."  (as taken from the IMO website here)

AUSMEPA's intention is that the new Guide will also facilitate ad assist all seafarers transiting Australian waters, in their effective cooperation with AMSA for the promotion of the common goal of safe navigation and pollution prevention, especially in the sensitive marine areas of this vast continent. It is available in Chinese, English, Greek, Japanese, Russian and Ukrainian.

The refresher training package is presented to every ship calling in at an Australian port. The objective is to assist ship Masters and their crews to meet their obligations in preserving our Australian marine environment.  The refresher training package contains a short video in several languages, a guide to seafarers sailing on ships in Australian waters and a number of educational power point presentations. 

Copies of the Guide are available through AUSMEPA and AMSA.

For further information contact – info@ausmepa.org.au

www.ausmepa.org.au

AUSMEPA eNewsletter Spring 2011

Spring is an exciting time and this issue of AUSMEPA E-News has some of very special items for teachers.

§   School grant opening

§   New Rockpool unit of work

§   AUSMEPA AGM & news from the Board

§   AMSA education materials

§   Ocean Whispers

NOW OPEN - Rhondda Alexander Memorial Education Grant 2012 

Following Rhondda Alexander's tragic death in July 2010, the Australian Marine Environmental Protection Association (AUSMEPA) Board agreed to establish a memorial to Rhondda in the form of an annual Grant.  AUSMEPA is proud to announce the second round of grant nominations is now open. We invite schools around Australia to submit applications. The 2012 closing date for applications will be in midway through Term 1, and received by close of business Thursday 1st of March.

To find our more about the grant please visit our website here and to request an application form please email  education@ausmepa.org.au

MEDIA RELEASE:  ROCKPOOLS

Executive Director of AUSMEPA, Mr. Michael Julian said today how pleased he was to announce the release of the latest free educational resource about investigating rockpools, which is available to schools from the AUSMEPA websitewww.ausmepa.org.au/other.asp?pageId=33  

To see the full media release click here

AUSMEPA AGM AND NEWS FROM THE BOARD

At AUSMEPA's 10th AGM on 21 October, members re-elected Captain Conrad Saldanha (Origin Energy) as the Chairman and  also re-elected the same Board as for last year, namely Warwick Norman (RightShip) as Deputy Chairman, Karen Shaw (ASA) as Treasurer, Jim Huggett (MSQ) as Secretary, Michael Julian as Executive Director, and Kerry Dwyer, Ben Burns (SVITZER Australia) and Toby Stone (AMSA) as Board Members.

At the following Board and Advisory Committee meeting the budget for 2011/2012 was approved as was the recommendation to establish two working groups to develop  a three year strategic plan for AUSMEPA, covering its marine environment educational services to schools and seafarers. The AUSMEPA Board is keen to provide more information and marine environmental training services to seafarers. The Board also set up a small group to fully evaluate and assess the nominations for the AUSMEPA Environmental Award 2011/2012, which it will announce before the end of the year.

AUSMEPA is very pleased to welcome Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics as a new Gold Sponsor and looks forward to a strong partnership with them. To find out more about this major international shipping company which is one of the world's leaders in operating their ships in a very 'environmentally friendly' way see their website www.2wglobal.com 

FOR TEACHERS:

Great education resources at Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)  
The trouble with acronyms is that you may find more than one. When doing an internet search on AMSA you may just turn up the Australian Marine Sciences Association rather than the national government authority, Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The Authority has some interesting and fun resources for both kids and teachers.

AMSA have several resources one is a page for kids here

Teachers page here

Fact Sheets

·   Ship Pollution Regulations

·   Oil Spills from Ships - Who Pays? [ PDF: 180Kb]

·   Australia's National Plan to Combat the Pollution of the Sea from Oil and Other Noxious and Hazardous Substances

·   How Australia responds to oil and chemical spills in the marine environment

·   Disposal of dry bulk cargo residues in Australian waters

·   Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas [ PDF: 171Kb]

OCEAN WHISPERS

Find links to the latest Ocean Whispers articles below

Media releases:

·   Rockpools – A new free educational resource for schools

Conservation action:

·   Australia's Sustainable Seafood Guide

·   Wetland Info

·   REPORT CARD: South East Queensland Healthy Waterways 2011

Education:

·   Sustainable Fishing Interactive Models

·   Introduction to Underwater Environmental Noise Course, Brisbane Nov 24 & 25

·   Integrated Water Management Scholarship

See also Investigating Rockpools here

Grants and awards:

·   Rhondda Alexander Grant Now Open

·   Rhondda Alexander Memorial Education Grant (RAMEG) awarded to Palm Beach Currumbin Senior High School

Shipping news:

·   Queensland; Pacific Adventurer Oil Spill Update

Ocean and animals:

·   ABC Science: Great Garbage Patch exposed

·   Investigating Rockpools       

·   TED TALK: Camille Seaman: Haunting photos of polar ice

·   REDMAP NEWSLETTER; What's on the move in Tasmania?

Organisations and events:

·   SPOTLIGHT ON: Reef Guardians and the Reef Beat Series  

·   Introduction to Underwater Environmental Noise Course

·   SPOTLIGHT ON: Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre, Terrigal NSW

·   GLOBAL OCEAN FORUM, RIO+20 Friends of the Ocean

Conferences:

·   STAVCON –  La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC. 28 & 29 Nov 2011

·   World Oceans Summit Capella Singapore 22-24 Feb 2012

·   RIO+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Brazil 4-6 June 2012

If you've been involved in something that helps keep our oceans healthy feel free to send an article and photo to education@ausmepa.org.au so that we can help celebrate with you.

www.ausmepa.org.au

Queensland; Pacific Adventurer Oil Spill update

Photo courtesy of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council

A major oil spill in Queensland coastal waters affected beaches and estuaries from the Sunshine Coast to Moreton Island between March 10 and March 13, 2009. The incident was the subject of a court order during October 2011. 

The Pacific Adventurer was compromised when 31 containers fell off the ship and breached the hull releasing 270 tonnes of heavy fuel oil. Conditions on the sea at the time of the accident were cyclonic.

"Clean-up operations continued for two months. A total of about 2,500 people were deployed for the entire clean-up including workers from many agencies including Maritime Safety Queensland, the Department of Environment and Resource Management, local regional councils, Emergency Management Queensland, as well as workers from QR, Road Tek, Skilled and private contractors, the State Emergency Service, Queensland Police Service and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. AMSA personnel as well as 72 members of the National Response Team from all States/NT, the oil industry and contractors also providing assistance during the period. At the height of the response operation 400 response personnel were working on Moreton Island each day"   (See full AMSA article here)

The ship's registered owners, Bluewind Shipping and Swire Navigation pleaded guilty. They were fined $1.2m having already paid $17.5 million in liability, made a $7.4m donation to an environment trust and also paid $1.8m to help with the clean up. 

www.ausmepa.org.au

Mariners and Masters: DVD about Australia for your information

Dateline: WORLD MARITIME DAY 2009

WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA, protecting our marine environment

The Australian Marine Environment Protection Association (AUSMEPA) has marked World Maritime Day 24 Sept 2009 by announcing the launch of the 2nd edition of its seafarer educational DVD, Welcome to Australia protecting our marine environment.

The DVD describes the importance of Australia’s unique marine environment and reminds ship masters and their crews of their obligations under The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

The DVD was jointly produced by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and AUSMEPA. A copy of the DVD will be placed on every ship, when it first arrives in Australia, by its agent. Supplies of the DVD will be available through the Australian Shipowners Association (ASA) and Shipping Australia Ltd. (SAL) and in selected ports from the Apostleship of the Sea’s Stella Maris Seafarer Centres.

The English version (one of seven language variations of the DVD) can be viewed on the AUSMEPA website by following this link http://www.ausmepa.org.au/australian-marine-environment-protection-association-dvd.htm