Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Equasis is now working again
It was out of order for a long time, but I was probably out of touch for longer.
Which Club had this entry?
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Francisco, on March 6, 2007, Twighlight Marine, Ltd., pleaded guilty to grossly negligent operation of a vessel and was sentenced to pay a $50,000 criminal fine, $100,000 in restitution to be added to the restoration fund, and ordered to comply with an Environmental Compliance Plan.
[When did that become a crime, as opposed to a P&I claim?]
Twighlight Marine is a Maltese corporation and owner of the motor vessel Warrior (“M/V Warrior”), a 38,880-ton ocean-going bulk cargo ship, registered in Malta.
In pleading guilty, Twighlight Marine admitted that in September 2006, the M/V Warrior crossed the Atlantic Ocean, traveling toward North America. During this crossing, several sailors onboard the M/V Warrior identified several small cracks and rust holes in the starboard side deck of the M/V Warrior. The crew immediately welded these cracks and holes. Soon after, several sailors identified two large cracks, each approximately three feet in length, on the port side deck of the vessel. Instead of directing that the cracks be welded, the vessel’s Master ordered these cracks to be covered with tape and painted over to blend in with the painting on the deck. Twighlight Marine admitted that it knew its vessel was in a hazardous condition during the Atlantic crossing in that these two cracks were not properly repaired.
[Maybe the crime is failing to repair the cracks after the Atlantic crossing.]
In November 2006, the M/V Warrior arrived in the San Francisco Bay. On November 22, 2006, the Coast Guard boarded the vessel to conduct an inspection. During this inspection, the Coast Guard discovered the two large cracks on the Port side of the deck which Twighlight Marine failed to disclose.
[Or is it the failure to disclose the cracks? It does make you wonder when they planned to repair the vessel.]
[When did that become a crime, as opposed to a P&I claim?]
Twighlight Marine is a Maltese corporation and owner of the motor vessel Warrior (“M/V Warrior”), a 38,880-ton ocean-going bulk cargo ship, registered in Malta.
In pleading guilty, Twighlight Marine admitted that in September 2006, the M/V Warrior crossed the Atlantic Ocean, traveling toward North America. During this crossing, several sailors onboard the M/V Warrior identified several small cracks and rust holes in the starboard side deck of the M/V Warrior. The crew immediately welded these cracks and holes. Soon after, several sailors identified two large cracks, each approximately three feet in length, on the port side deck of the vessel. Instead of directing that the cracks be welded, the vessel’s Master ordered these cracks to be covered with tape and painted over to blend in with the painting on the deck. Twighlight Marine admitted that it knew its vessel was in a hazardous condition during the Atlantic crossing in that these two cracks were not properly repaired.
[Maybe the crime is failing to repair the cracks after the Atlantic crossing.]
In November 2006, the M/V Warrior arrived in the San Francisco Bay. On November 22, 2006, the Coast Guard boarded the vessel to conduct an inspection. During this inspection, the Coast Guard discovered the two large cracks on the Port side of the deck which Twighlight Marine failed to disclose.
[Or is it the failure to disclose the cracks? It does make you wonder when they planned to repair the vessel.]
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Pool Claims
I updated the website today with Pool claims data from Tysers 2006/07 Annual P&I Report. I had wanted to see whether the projections I made in 2004 were at all accurate, and I'm not crushed by the results. I overestimated the losses in 2001, but in retrospect, that looks like an anomalously low year, and my projection for 2002 seems to be on track.
I'm a little surprised, however, that there hasn't been more development since 2002. The old stairstepping pattern isn't there anymore. That can either mean that Clubs are putting up higher numbers at the outset, or that they are sitting on reserve increases that they are going to delay advising for as long as possible.
Thanks to Martin Hubbard for the new data, and to Bow Wave for telling me about Tysers' excellent report.
I'm a little surprised, however, that there hasn't been more development since 2002. The old stairstepping pattern isn't there anymore. That can either mean that Clubs are putting up higher numbers at the outset, or that they are sitting on reserve increases that they are going to delay advising for as long as possible.
Thanks to Martin Hubbard for the new data, and to Bow Wave for telling me about Tysers' excellent report.
Monday, December 11, 2006
The British accent
Britons seem to have the advantage of accent: their exotic pronunciation can make even dubious observation sound like unimpeachable truth. They are also experts at the art of speaking coherently and with authority on topics they know little or nothing about. “Every Englishman can talk for 15 minutes on any subject without a note,” Norman Mailer has been quoted as saying.
Sarah Lyall, New York Times, December 11, 2006
Sarah Lyall, New York Times, December 11, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
The American Club's new website
The American Club has completely revamped its website, and not before time, as they are probably saying across the pond. And even though the site is new, the home page text describes the Club as it stood in mid-2005. Wassup with that, dude?
Okay, the site looks better than it did; it uses CSS, and it has drop-down menus. But it still doesn't validate as XHTML. (Tip: use the entity for the ampersand in "P&I".)
It's good you spruced up the site, but get an editor, guys.
Okay, the site looks better than it did; it uses CSS, and it has drop-down menus. But it still doesn't validate as XHTML. (Tip: use the entity for the ampersand in "P&I".)
It's good you spruced up the site, but get an editor, guys.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Criminalization of marine liabilities
A hot topic these days. Joe Hughes touched on it when he spoke to the MLA Marine Insurance Committee. The Average Adjusters have made it the subject of their Annual Seminar this coming October. I wrote a bit about it here a while ago. More to come.
Average Adjusters Spring Luncheon
The Association of Average Adjusters of the United States held its annual spring luncheon at Moran's last Thursday, and the brokers didn't show. Attendance was way down, and folks are now worried about the likely turnout for the Fall Dinner.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
MLA Spring Dinner
The MLA held its Annual Spring Dinner at Pier Sixty on the Hudson River last Friday night. The food was good, and the service was slow, but I had a great time. The weather, the deck above the river, and the company combined to create a lot of good feeling among the members of a professional association that has seen much better times.
I heard that the shipping industry itself is prospering right now, with the high demand for bulk commodities, but the lawyers who used to serve the industry in this country are looking elsewhere for work.
I heard that the shipping industry itself is prospering right now, with the high demand for bulk commodities, but the lawyers who used to serve the industry in this country are looking elsewhere for work.
History of the American Club
Because people remarked on it this week, I thought I should spruce up my history of the American Club. I put it in a more readable template, did some overdue editing, and added a little material. Please let me know if I've got anything wrong.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Elysian Insurance Services
Can anyone tell me what happened to Elysian? Their website was a favorite of mine, but it has not been updated since last September, and that has me wondering whether they are still interested in the P&I business.
News and events - May 2006
The MLA Committee on Marine Insurance and General Average has invited Joe Hughes, the chairman of the managers of the American Club, to speak on the business of P&I Clubs on Wednesday, May 3 around 10:30 am at 40 Wall Street, 7th floor. Joe is a very good speaker in the British tradition, and he knows more about the P&I business than anyone else in this country. He gets around a lot, so you may have heard him before, but if you have not had the chance to hear him speak generally about P&I, come to the meeting.
The business meeting of the MLA will be held on Friday, May 5 at 9:30 at the City Bar Association on W. 44th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Attending this meeting is an excellent way to catch up on a year's worth of developments in maritime law.
The business meeting of the MLA will be held on Friday, May 5 at 9:30 at the City Bar Association on W. 44th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Attending this meeting is an excellent way to catch up on a year's worth of developments in maritime law.
Welcome
This blog is meant to supplement the marine insurance and maritime law website I maintain at www.johnsandercock.com. The website has documents, essays and links for people interested in the P&I business, marine insurance, maritime law, and litigation in New York.
I have been looking for ways to keep the website current, and especially for a way to post news. Blogger looks like an easy way to do that. Please let me know how I can make the blog (or the website) more useful.
I have been looking for ways to keep the website current, and especially for a way to post news. Blogger looks like an easy way to do that. Please let me know how I can make the blog (or the website) more useful.
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