Download the EU SHIPSAN ACT JA - Newsletter: Issue 4 in .pdf format

Editorial

Mauro Dionisio
Ministry of Health, Italy


I’m writing my editorial while still moved by the emotion for the successful removal of the Costa Concordia, dislodgment that you probably have followed on all international media.

During the last 16 months, on behalf of the Minister of Health, I’ve been assigned to a monitoring Observatory settled by the Italian Government.

Hard work has still to be done but we are confident that after having overcome the most difficult operation of the parbuckling, the ship will be removed from Giglio island.

This experience strengthens my belief about the significant importance of team working with a multidisciplinary approach. SHIPSAN ACT too, as you know, represents a situation where many fields of interest are involved and, consequently, team working is of primary importance, from epidemiology to informatics, from teaching to occupational medicine. 

Obviously we cannot compare a complex recover operation, like Costa Concordia removal, to a program of international cooperation like SHIPSAN ACT, but as it has happened in Giglio Island where high professional levels - from environmental controllers to ship engineering- from all over the world - have worked in team to solve problems and find solutions, also SHIPSAN can reach a common goal with the contribution of a large and international community of professional people in several fields.


News from the leadership

Since the latest issue of the newsletter, the partnership has been very busy in conducting inspections, disseminating and collecting questionnaires as part of the State of the Art report, preparing the forthcoming training course for seafarers in Italy and in implementing the national dissemination plans. The first SHIPSAN ACT JA training course titled “Hygiene & Health Practices on Passenger Ships: A training course for professional seafarers” was conducted in progress in Tivoli Terme, Rome, Italy. An update of the course proceedings will be published in the next issue of the Newsletter.

During these last two months, our partners did an excellent job presenting the activities of SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action to four meetings/conferences:

• Association of Port Health Authorities United Kingdom Conference, 10th – 12th September 2013, United Kingdom
• ACROPOL project conference, 11th September, United Kingdom
• Public Health England conference, 10th – 11th September, United Kingdom
• Central scientific meeting of the port health doctors, 9th September, Germany

Moreover, important surveys are currently underway led by the National Centre of Epidemiology ISCIII in Madrid, Spain. The results of these surveys will be compiled in a report and disseminated to different actors. Questionnaires have been disseminating to the partners and competent authorities aiming to collect information on:

• authorities responsible for responding to chemical and radiological events on any type of ship and at ports among the European Union (EU) countries
• current practices regarding chemical and radiological events on any type of ship and at ports among the EU countries
• current practices on reporting requirements, hygiene standards and inspection practices related to fishing vessels among the EU countries
• the identification of training needs related to core capacities as per IHR (2005) at the points of entry (ports) among the EU countries

Two more surveys will be conducted within the next months led by the Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine in Hamburg, Germany. The two surveys aim to collect information on:

• current practices and responsibilities of Port Health Authorities along the European waterways regarding the International Health Regulations (IHR) 
• competent authorities’ on the implementation of ILO 2006 Labour Convention

Prof. Christos Hadjichristodoulou, SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action Coordinator
Dr Barbara Mouchtouri, SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action Manager


People from the project

Dr. Thomas von Munster

Today we would like to introduce Dr. Thomas von Munster as one of the new faces seen at the kick off meeting in Athens.Having studied Medicine in Berlin, Germany and Tromso, Norway, Thomas started his medical career in the field of anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine. Graduated as specialist in anesthesiology he spend one year in Intensive Care Medicine at Guys and St Thomas Hospital, in London, UK. In 2012 Thomas joined the Hamburg Port Health Center. He is now specializing in Occupational Health. On behalf of the Institute of Occupational and Maritime Medicine UKE Hamburg he will be responsible for Work Package 9 of SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action.



Thematic Sections

Occupational health on ships

“Every year in the fall season it is the meeting time for the Port Health community in Germany. The scientific meeting takes place in one of the port cities of the country. This time: Bremerhaven. Most port health inspectors and port health doctors of the country come together to exchange views and to listen to the presentations. One of the presentations was delivered by Christoph Sevenich. He talked about two issues: First he informed about the dangers of radioactive contamination of scrap. He showed ways how to measure radioactive contamination and ways to be protected. On the other hand he informed the audience on the SHIPSAN Information system for recording and issuing Ship Sanitation Certificates under the International Health Regulations 2005 for all types of ships sailing in European Union. It was easy for him to convince even more of the attendants to use this truly European Information system for recording and issuing Ship Sanitation Certificates under the International Health Regulations 2005 for all types of ships sailing in European Union. Talking about SHIPSAN: The talk of Christoph Sevenich made it an easy task for me, Martin Dirksen-Fischer, to inform the crowd about another SHIPSAN ACT activity: the questionnaire dealing with hygienic aspects of inland waterway vessels, especially cruise ships. The audience was most interested to discuss this field of maritime medicine as well as they were eager to hear about the ongoing inspections taking place at the moment under the SHIPSAN auspice all over Europe. When Peter Husing finished the meeting with a summary it was easy to agree: another “Hafenarzttagung” has successfully taken place.
 
P.S: Next time we will meet in Neuss! It is an inland waterway harbor by the way! Ask me for details! Be there!

Dr.med. Martin Dirksen-Fischer, Behorde fur Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz, Institut fur Hygiene und Umwelt
Hamburg Port Health Center


Chemical and radiological issues on ships

The CRCE PHE team visit the Port of Felixstowe

Key Message: The Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards (CRCE) of Public Health England (PHE) has the responsibility to develop best practice guidance for competent authorities to support risk assessment and response for managing chemical and radiological incidents on ships where passengers or cargo may be affected and where there is a need to protect public health.

The CRCE is keen to engage with relevant stakeholders (i.e. port authorities, Maritime Coastguard Agency and local authorities) to learn more about current working practices to ensure that these are incorporated in the guidance that is currently being developed to assist with dealing with such incidents.

From left to right: Eirian Thomas (PHE), Ehi Idahosa-Taylor (PHE), Raquel Duarte-Davidson (PHE), Mark Griffiths (PHE), Tiberio Cabianca (PHE), Martin Walker (Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority) Alison Jones (PHE).

As part of a fact finding exercise, CRCE staff visited the port of Felixstowe, kindly hosted by Martin Walker a port health officer (PHO) for Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority. The port of Felixstowe is an approved UK designated point of entry and a Border Inspection Post where staff carry out essential inspections to ensure that imports into the UK, particularly those for human use and consumption, meet statutory requirements.

The team gained an insight into some of the responsibilities that PHOs have in carrying out risk assessments on vessels that pass through the port, such as inspecting vessels at port in order to issue ship sanitation certificates. PHOs are also well placed to identify potential chemical, biological or radiological hazards. Consignments that come into the port are checked and the frequencies of checks are carried out following a risk based approach.

Some products, such as peanuts imported from China are subject to special import controls and the frequency levels for these checks are determined by EU legislation. One out of every five consignments imported into the UK from China are sampled to test for the chemical aflatoxin, a naturally occurring mycotoxin produced by the Asperigillus flavus and Aspergillus species of fungi. Aflatoxins are commonly found in grains, nuts and cereals as the fungi producing these mycotoxins contaminate these foods before harvest and during storage.

Like other points of entry in the UK, the port of Felixstowe has the facility to routinely screen for radioactive materials that may be present on passengers, cargo or vehicles that pass through the port. Where there is any cause for concern, goods can be detained for inspection and released once it has been determined that the levels of radiation do not exceed the permitted levels for human exposure.

Over the coming months the CRCE project team will continue to engage stakeholders and competent authorities who are involved in carrying out risk assessments and responding to chemical and radiological incidents on ships. We would like to thank Martin Walker for taking the time to show us around the Port of Felixstowe.

Recent Publications

Relationships between work environment factors and workers' well-being in the maritime industry.

Nielsen MB, Bergheim K, Eid J.
Int Marit Health. 2013;64(2):80-8.

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether physical and psychosocial work factors are related to the levels of job satisfaction and intentions to leave in the maritime industry, and to determine whether there exist cross-cultural differences in work factors, job satisfaction and intentions to leave between European and Filipino crew members.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using a cross-sectional survey design, the variables were assessed in a sample of 541 seafarers from 2 large Norwegian shipping companies. Work factors included safety perceptions, leadership, job demands, harassment, and team cohesion.

RESULTS: The findings show that physical and psychosocial work factors are important correlates of both intentions to leave and job satisfaction, with safety perceptions, job demands, and team cohesion as the strongest and most consistent factors. As for cross-cultural differences, the findings show that European and Filipino respondents differ with regard to safety perceptions, laissez-faire leadership, authentic leadership, exposure to harassment, team cohesion, and intentions to leave. No differences were established with regard to overall job satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings support occupational stress models which emphasise the importance of situational factors in the understanding of well-being among workers. Shipping companies should therefore always take these factors into consideration when developing and implementing interventions aimed at improving employee well-being.

Risk analysis system for the transport of hazardous materials.

Van Raemdonck K, Macharis C, Mairesse O.
J Safety Res. 2013 Jun;45:55-63. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2013.01.002. Epub 2013 Feb 4.

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In this paper, a literature study on risk analysis systems for the transport of hazardous materials was conducted.

RESULTS: The insights that resulted from this literature review have led to the development of a refined approach to map the risk of hazmat transport in Flanders based on historical accident data. The proposed framework allows setting up an overall risk map for hazmat transport by different transport modes. Additionally, a methodology to calculate a local accident risk, which takes local infrastructure parameters and accident data into account, is being introduced. In the presented framework one of the general principles is that the risk of a catastrophic hazmat incident can be divided into two parts, which can both be validated on the basis of accident data: (a) the calculation of the general probability of the occurrence of an accident based on international accident data of transport of hazardous materials--this is the basis for the global risk map, and (b) the calculation of the local probability of the occurrence of an accident based on accident data and infrastructure parameters of the complete available freight transport in Flanders--this is the basis for the local risk map. The ratio between these two results in a locality parameter, which represents the local specific circumstances that can lead to an accident.

CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation framework makes it possible to estimate the risks of hazmat transport along a specific route for transport by road, rail, inland navigation and even pipelines.

Microbial dynamics in acetate-enriched ballast water at different temperatures

Stehouwer, P.P. , van Slooten, C. , Peperzak, L.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Volume 96, 1 October 2013, Pages 93-98

Abstract:
The spread of invasive species through ships' ballast water is considered as a major ecological threat to the world's oceans. For that reason, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set performance standards for ballast water discharge. Ballast water treatment systems have been developed that employ either UV-radiation or 'active substances' to reduce the concentration of living cells to below the IMOs standards. One such active substance is a chemical mixture known as Peraclean® Ocean. The residual of Peraclean® Ocean is acetate that might be present at high concentrations in discharged ballast water. In cold coastal waters the breakdown of acetate might be slow, causing a buildup of acetate concentrations in the water if regularly discharged by ships. To study the potential environmental impact, microbial dynamics and acetate degradation were measured in discharge water from a Peraclean® Ocean treatment system in illuminated microcosms. In addition, microbial dynamics and acetate degradation were studied at -1, 4, 10, 15 and 25°C in dark microcosms that simulated enclosed ballast water tanks. Acetate breakdown indeed occurred faster at higher temperatures. At 25. °C the highest bacteria growth, fastest nutrient and oxygen consumption and highest DOC reduction occurred. On the other hand, at -1. °C bacterial growth was strongly delayed, only starting to increase after 12 days. Furthermore, at 25. °C the acetate pool was not depleted, probably due to nutrient and oxygen limitation. This means that not all acetate will be broken down in ballast water tanks, even during long voyages in warm waters. In addition, at low temperatures acetate breakdown in ballast water tanks and in discharged water will be extremely slow. Therefore, regular discharge of acetate enriched ballast water in harbors and bays may cause eutrophication and changes in the microbial community, especially in colder regions. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

News and forthcoming dates

• National Conference in Hygiene and preventive medicine, Taormina (Sicily) 18th October 2013, Italy
• Annual Congress of the Spanish Society of Travel Medicine and International Health (SEMTSI), 6-8 November 2013
  Spain 

What’s new on the website

www.shipsan.eu

News and Events
 
Check out the news and events section for a summary from the Central scientific meeting of the port health doctors in Germany

Inspector’s Corner

Check out the inspector’s corner in the Inspection section of the website for articles related to ship inspections practices.
We will be happy to receive news, scientific and technological advances or articles sharing your experiences on ship inspections.

Trainers’ forum

A forum was created in the restricted area of the SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action website for the SHIPSAN ACT trainers.
 
The forum contains information on the forthcoming training courses, training material, prospectus and other important information related to the SHIPSAN ACT training activities.

The forum will give the opportunity for users to exchange ideas and experiences and to have access to all the information they may require in relation to the SHIPSAN ACT training activities.



Quiz

Which day of the week reflects the Vikings contribution to naval hygiene?

Dr. Thomas von Munster, Hamburg Port Health Center, Germany

Answer to Issue 3 quiz:

James Lind & the Salisbury

Lind began his study after two months at sea when the Salisbury was afflicted with scurvy. He divided twelve patients into six groups of two. They all received the same diet but, in addition, group one was given a quart of cider daily, group two twenty-five drops of elixir of vitriol (sulphuric acid), group three six spoonful’s of vinegar, group four half a pint of seawater, group five received two oranges and one lemon, and the last group a spicy paste plus a drink of barley water. The treatment of group five stopped after six days when they ran out of fruit, but by that time one sailor was fit for duty while the other had almost recovered. Apart from that, only group one also showed some effect of its treatment.

Congratulations to:

• Saskia Tejland (Ship Sanitation Inspector at the port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
• Mario Cassar Senior Principal Environmental Health Officer (Reg. No. 047) Units & Legislation, Malta
• Ana Guerra Neira, secretary of state of public administration, Ministry of the Finance and Public Administations, Spain

Port in focus

Antwerp, an inland seaport.

Shipping traffic to and from Antwerp goes back to the 12th century when Englishmen craving for German wine used the port of Antwerp to ship the lively spirit to England.


It was also at this time that the first passengers boarded vessels to England, but it is not known whether the wine survived the lengthy trip.

This era marked the start of a blooming economic activity that never diminished even though there were some minor setbacks along the way.

Three hundred years later most of the wine had made it safely to England and in the meantime 10 piers and eight inland harbors had appeared near the Antwerp skyline. They stand at the upper end of the tidal estuary of the Scheldt. The estuary is navigable by ships of more than 100,000 Gross Tons as far as 80 km inland. The inland location means that the port of Antwerp enjoys a more central location in Europe than the majority of North Sea ports.



Roads, railroads and canals make sure that valuable goods can quickly reach the interior of Europe (the important Iron Rhine Railway to Germany had been finished in 1879). As a result the port of Antwerp has become one of Europe's largest sea ports, ranking second behind Rotterdam. It is a major asset to Flanders economy.

Such a good positioning also makes Antwerp also very vulnerable; a fact that our dear northern neighbors (the Dutch) realized very well when they blocked the western branch of the river Scheldt, in 1585. As it lasted for two centuries, Antwerp was a seaport no more, wine quickly dried out in England and many uncomfortable things happened that pointed out that without its port, Antwerp is a dead city.


The port was by then in the middle of the city center, vessels moored at a few hundred meters away from the Grote Markt (famous square in Antwerp). Along the dockside a vast line of pubs lined up to meet the wary sailors and each nationality had its own pub.

The biggest expansion of the port came when Napoleon Bonaparte took his right hand out of his pocket and pointed out to where the first dock was to be built, in 1811.



After that he could hardly keep his hand in because one expansion followed after another, allowing each time bigger vessels to access the docks. Its location proved crucial for Allied Forces during the two World Wars.

Sadly its expansion had a cost: whole villages were expropriated to make way for the new docks and changed the coast line forever. As a remembrance the church towers were kept. One of them is still there, boldly standing in the middle of a container terminal. And today the cruise vessels lay their anchor in the shadow of the Cathedral of Our Lady.

The small village of Lillo welcomes tourists each year with a beautiful square where some pubs and a museum still exist. From this little hamlet a passenger ferry transports tourists in the summer to the ghost town of Doel, a small town that has soon to make way for the next expansion, the Saeftinge-dock. This dock will be next in line after the Deurganck-dock as largest tidal dock in the world.

The port of Antwerp is bigger than the city of Antwerp by now, unfortunately for those same wary sailors looking for the cosy city center, pubs, shops and … other ‘’nightly entertainment’’ as there is now as far as 20 miles or 36km from their vessel to the lively center.

2013 is a special year for Antwerp, as it is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Scheldt Free, when passing ships no longer had to pay the toll, imposed by the Dutch. When the Belgian revolution broke out in 1830, it seems that the Dutch were tempted to blockade the Scheldt again. The river Scheldt has always been and will always be the lifeline to Antwerp in particular and Belgium in general. The Dutch knew this all too well when they instead choose to impose a toll to any ship that sailed the river Scheldt to Antwerp. On 16 July 1883, the toll was bought off with the support of Britain, who believed the existence of an economically viable Belgium would be beneficial to Britain (could it be the wine again??)

As a final conclusion, some figures for all the people who are into figures. The port of Antwerp handled 184.13million tons last year. 120,000 tons of solid bulk, 104 million tons of containers, 45 million of liquid bulk, excluding wine. So that means there is a 35 million of liquid bulk unaccounted for, and one could wonder if the 12th century story is repeating itself….

Dirk Van Reusel, Antwerp Port Health Authority
Raf Van den Bogaert, Antwerp Port Health Authority