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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Global: Do you live near a dam holding mine waste? 6 questions to ask

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles MacRobert, Associate Professor, Stellenbosch University

    Mining is essential to modern lifestyles. Copper, iron and other mined products are vital to the products many people take for granted, like electronic devices. Being able to buy these goods quite easily may give a person a false sense of how difficult it is to extract the elements they’re made of.

    Mining involves the removal of mineral-rich rock from the ground and processing it to extract the high-value minerals. Depending on the mineral, this quantity can be as low as a few grams in a tonne of rock.

    For example, removing a tiny quantity of platinum from rock requires finely grinding the rock. The fine material that remains once the platinum is removed is known as tailings.

    Every mining operation produces tailings. This can be coarse, like instant coffee granules, or fine, like cocoa powder. Tailings are typically mixed with water to form a liquid slurry that can be pumped and transported easily.

    Slurry is kept in specially designed tailings dams. The designs are unique and depend on what is being mined and the local area.

    Unfortunately, the history of mining is stained with examples of poorly managed dams that collapse, spilling the slurry, which is sometimes toxic. This can cause serious environmental, social and economic damage.

    One such mine disaster happened in February 2025 in Zambia at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine. Over 50 million litres of toxic waste flowed over the dam’s wall into the Mwambashi River. From there it flowed into one of the largest and longest Zambian rivers, the Kafue.

    The pollution travelled further than 100km from the dam, contaminating the river, and killing fish and livestock on nearby farms. The Zambian government had to shut down municipal water to the city of Kitwe to protect residents from consuming the polluted water.

    This should not have happened, because steps have been taken to ensure proactive management of dams. In 2020, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management introduced a new set of safety measures and standards.

    Many mines are proactively embracing these standards. This enhances community trust in tailings dams. But other mines are not engaging with communities that might be affected by dams. Or communities may feel unsure what to ask the mines.

    We are geotechnical engineers who have studied tailings dam collapses. Here, we outline six questions people living near mines should ask mine management to ensure they understand the key hazards and risks in their communities.

    1. How far will the slurry flow?

    Each tailings dam has a zone of influence. This is determined by analysing what would happen if the slurry breached the dam walls and started to flow out. It is an estimate of the area which would be swamped by tailings if the dam failed.

    Generally, tailings disasters have caused significant damage up to a distance of 5km from the dam. If the tailings slurry gets into a river, it can flow hundreds of kilometres downstream.



    Read more:
    Burst mining dam in South Africa: what must be done to prevent another disaster

    Zones of influence are often determined for extreme events, like once in a lifetime storms or large earthquakes. But zones of influence could also include places affected by dust or water pollution from the mine.

    If you can see a tailings dam from where you live or work you should consider yourself within the zone of influence.

    2. Who is responsible for the dam?

    Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for day-to-day operation should be in place in every mine. There should be suitably qualified engineers appointed to carry out monitoring and maintenance of the dam. There need to be enough qualified people to cope with the size of the dam.

    The management structure should set out how day-to-day issues related to the tailings dam are discussed between workers on the ground in mines and top management, and how solutions are found. Mines should also keep audit and inspection reports on their tailings dams, and records should be kept over the long term (because tailings dams are often operational for several decades).

    3. What about the environment?

    Mines should have plans to reduce the impact that tailings dams have on the environment. These would have been informed by public participation. The plans must state what monitoring is in place to measure the impacts of dust and water (groundwater and surface water).

    The true extent of impacts only becomes apparent once the mine starts operating. So, the public should hold mines accountable for commitments made. Mines should satisfy communities that monitoring is continuing to identify and track the dam’s environmental impacts.

    Closure plans should also be continuously communicated to mining-affected communities. This will assure the community that when the miners leave, they won’t be left with a dangerous dam near their homes, with no one to look after it.

    4. Will the tailings dam be safe when it rains?

    A common way that tailings dams fail is when water or slurry washes over the dam sidewalls. This washes away the support. It is known as overtopping, and can happen in storms or if too much tailing is pumped into the dam.

    Overtopping is best managed by keeping the water a certain distance below the dam wall. Mine management must measure this regularly and control how much tailing they pump to the dam. Their task is to make sure that even in a severe storm the level will stay well below the top of the dam wall.

    5. Has the dam always behaved as expected?

    Small failure incidents such as sloughs, slides and bulges where dam walls move but no slurry is released can occur. Mines should investigate and report these, detailing likely causes and mitigation measures implemented.

    Publicly available satellite imagery can easily show where mine tailings dams are becoming unstable. Mines should be transparent and provide explanations for these to avoid any speculation over whether the dam is stable or not.

    6. What alterations have been made?

    Sometimes dams must be changed to accommodate changes in mining or the extraction process. These changes could include how fast the dam is being built, moving the position of the dam wall, or placing material at the base of the wall to stabilise it.

    The unexpected consequences of alterations to a tailings dam could be water seeping out and creating damp spots, leading to dam walls sagging or cracking. If left unchecked this can lead to structural failure.

    When substantial changes are made to a dam’s design, mines need to demonstrate that sufficient consideration has gone into making these changes.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Do you live near a dam holding mine waste? 6 questions to ask – https://theconversation.com/do-you-live-near-a-dam-holding-mine-waste-6-questions-to-ask-256517

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Christine Lagarde: Earning influence: lessons from the history of international currencies

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, at an event on Europe’s role in a fragmented world organised by Jacques Delors Centre at Hertie School in Berlin, Germany

    Berlin, 26 May 2025

    Over the past 80 years, the global economy thrived on a foundation of openness and multilateralism – underpinned by US leadership. By championing a rules-based international system and anchoring the dollar as the world’s reserve currency, the United States set the stage for trade to flourish and finance to expand.

    This global order proved immensely beneficial to the European Union, whose founding liberal principles aligned seamlessly with it. But today it is fracturing.

    Multilateral cooperation is being replaced by zero-sum thinking and bilateral power plays. Openness is giving way to protectionism. There is even uncertainty about the cornerstone of the system: the dominant role of the US dollar.

    All else equal, this fracturing can pose risks for Europe. Our economy is deeply integrated into the global trading system, with exports accounting for close to one-fifth of our value added and supporting 30 million jobs.

    Any change in the international order that leads to lower world trade or fragmentation into economic blocs will be detrimental to our economy.

    But – with the right policy responses – there could also be opportunities. The changing landscape could open the door for the euro to play a greater international role.

    Today, the euro is the second global currency, accounting for around 20% of foreign exchange reserves, compared with 58% in the case of the US dollar. Increasing the international role of the euro can have positive implications for the euro area.

    It would allow EU governments and businesses to borrow at a lower cost, helping boost our internal demand at a time when external demand is becoming less certain.

    It would insulate us from exchange rate fluctuations, as more trade would be denominated in euro, protecting Europe from more volatile capital flows.

    It would protect Europe from sanctions or other coercive measures.

    In short, it would allow Europe to better control its own destiny – giving us some of what Valéry Giscard d’Estaing called the “exorbitant privilege” 60 years ago.

    So, how likely is this change to happen? History suggests that it is far from guaranteed. The euro will not gain influence by default – it will have to earn it.

    For the euro to increase its global status, history tells us that we need to build on three foundations – each of them critical for success.

    First, Europe must ensure it has a solid and credible geopolitical foundation by maintaining a steadfast commitment to open trade and underpinning it with security capabilities.

    Second, we must reinforce our economic foundation to make Europe a top destination for global capital, enabled by deeper and more liquid capital markets.

    Third, we must bolster our legal foundation by defending the rule of law – and by uniting politically so that we can resist external pressures.

    Before we explore each of these three foundational components, let us observe what recent history can teach us.

    Shifts in the global currency landscape

    Shifts in the global currency landscape are not unprecedented in monetary history. There have been previous episodes where the world’s leading reserve currency issuer has taken steps that have called that leadership into question, without ultimately jeopardising it.

    For example, the US dollar took over from the pound sterling as the world’s leading reserve currency in the mid-1920s, with its share in foreign exchange reserves rising to 64% by 1931. But this leading position did not stop the United States taking measures to unilaterally change the international monetary order.

    For instance, in 1933 President Roosevelt suspended gold convertibility to fight the deflationary forces of the Great Depression. He dismissed European demands for fixed exchange rates with the argument that “the sound internal economic system of a nation is a greater factor in its well-being than the price of its currency”.[1]

    Then again in the 1970s President Nixon ended the Bretton Woods system by unilaterally suspending dollar convertibility to gold and imposing a 10% import tariff.

    Faced with growing imbalances between US current account deficits and the surpluses of western Europe and Japan, Treasury Secretary John Connally declared that “no longer can considerations of friendship, or need, or capacity justify the United States carrying so heavy a share of the common burdens.”[2]

    On both occasions, there was a decline in the standing of the US dollar as a foreign reserve currency. In the 1930s, it fell from over 60% to around 20% of global foreign exchange reserves. In the 1970s, it fell from about 70% to 50% two decades later.

    But on neither occasion was there a robust alternative currency that could take over at short notice. In the 1930s, the pound sterling was already declining, while in the 1970s the Deutsche Mark and the Yen were backed by markets that were too small.

    So, instead, investors flocked to gold. The share of gold in foreign reserves increased by about 20 percentage points in the 1930s to 97% and almost doubled to 60% in the 1970s.[3]

    Today, there is a key difference compared with previous eras. With the euro as the world’s second-largest currency, there is another international currency alongside the dollar. But this has not yet convinced investors.

    Over recent years, the dollar’s share in global foreign exchange reserves has fallen, with its current level of 58% being the lowest since 1994. In parallel, central banks have been accumulating gold at a record pace – almost matching the levels seen during the Bretton Woods era.[4] The share of gold in global foreign reserves[5] has reached around 20%, surpassing that of the euro.[6]

    As previously mentioned, we can identify three essential foundations for international currency usage, without which a currency cannot succeed on the global stage. And in each case, we can see that Europe has many of the key ingredients for success, but we need to bring them together to reinforce the foundations. Action is in order.

    The geopolitical foundation

    The starting point is a credible geopolitical foundation – which rests on both a country’s role in global trade and the strength of its military alliances.

    A currency’s exposure to trade is especially important, as it provides the initial pathway to wider international use. In the mid-1920s, for example, the dollar overtook the pound sterling as the leading form of trade credit before it became the leading reserve currency.[7]

    Once a currency captures a larger share of trade invoicing, its role in international banking and finance, and ultimately as a reserve asset, becomes self-reinforcing. Higher demand for the currency enhances its role as a store of value and further encourages investors to hold it.[8]

    As a major actor in global trade, Europe already has a key ingredient of a strong geopolitical foundation, creating the potential for a virtuous circle of euro internationalisation to unfold.

    The EU has the largest network of trade agreements in the world. Europe is the number one trading partner for 72 countries, which together represent almost 40% of world GDP.[9] And this status is reflected in the share of the euro as an invoicing currency, which stands at around 40%, more than double its share as a reserve currency.

    Europe can press home this advantage by continuing to forge new trade agreements. And we should make clear that we support a win-win approach to trade, ensuring that we are the most attractive partner to make deals with.

    The ECB can also help make the euro more attractive for euro-denominated trade. We are working on a potential digital euro and pursuing initiatives to enhance cross-border payments in euro, which could potentially facilitate international cross-border transactions in the future.

    And by extending swap and repo lines to key partners, we safeguard against euro liquidity shortages abroad disrupting the smooth transmission of our monetary policy – which in turn encourages those partners to transact more in euro.

    But there is a limit to how much a currency can grow simply by virtue of being open to trade. In fact, the euro’s share of global export invoicing is already as large as that of the US dollar, but we are not closing the gap in reserve currency status.

    This is because investors – and especially official investors – also seek geopolitical assurance in another form: they invest in the assets of regions that are reliable security partners and can honour alliances with hard power. So a credible geopolitical foundation must also rest on robust military partnerships.

    This dual strength is essentially what we can learn from the US dollar’s dominance. It is not just a product of economic fundamentals but it is also powerfully reinforced by US security guarantees. These guarantees not only deepen trade ties[10], but have been shown to boost a currency’s share in foreign reserves by up to 30 percentage points.[11]

    We are now seeing a major shift in Europe towards rebuilding our hard power, with important initiatives underway at the national and EU levels. And we should be clear that following through with this effort is a precondition for the euro to become more widely used.

    The economic foundation

    Trade and military power are important for establishing demand for an international currency. But to satisfy this demand, investors need appropriate assets to invest in.

    This is why a strong economic foundation – one that provides opportunities for growth and opportunities to invest in growth – is equally essential.

    There is a virtuous circle between growth, capital markets and international currency usage. Growth generates robust rates of return, which make investors want to hold assets in a particular currency. And capital markets provide investment opportunities and channel funds back into growth.

    At the same time, if capital markets provide a sufficient supply of “safe assets”, investors can hedge their exposures efficiently. When a shock hits and riskier investments lose value, safer assets rise in value. That provides a complete ecosystem for investments in the currency.

    The US dollar’s rise to dominance in the interwar period was certainly driven by this virtuous circle. The development of US capital markets boosted growth – with each 1 percentage point increase in market capitalisation yielding 0.5 percentage points more growth[12] – while simultaneously establishing the foundation for dollar dominance. The depth and liquidity of the US Treasury market in turn provided an efficient hedge for investors.

    Europe has all the elements it needs to produce a similar cycle. But so far, we have not been able to put all the pieces together.

    Despite our large single market, we have fallen behind the US in terms of growth performance and market returns. Since 2000, US labour productivity per hour has grown twice as much as in the euro area, mainly driven by the tech sector, and US markets have delivered returns that are around five times as high as those of European markets.[13]

    Despite our large savings, we have made little progress in integrating our capital markets to channel more of our funds into growth. 60% of household equity investment goes into home country markets even though there may be greater opportunities abroad.

    And despite our strong aggregate fiscal position – our debt-to-GDP ratio is 89%, compared with 124% in the United States – we provide relatively few safe assets. Recent estimates suggest that outstanding sovereign bonds rated at least AA are just below 50% of GDP in the EU and above 100% in the US.[14]

    The conclusion for Europe is clear: if we truly want to see the global status of the euro grow, we must first reform our domestic economy.

    That means moving forwards with the priorities identified in recent reports: completing the Single Market, enabling start-ups, reducing regulation and building the savings and investment union. And it means avoiding a piecemeal approach, where we make progress where it is easy and dither where it is hard, else we will never kick-start the positive cycle.

    Moreover, in this new geopolitical landscape, the case for acting in a European way has never been stronger.

    Each individual country of course needs to make sure that its national policies support growth. But we also need to be mindful of self-defeating fragmentation. For example, we all agree that Europe needs to build up its strategic industries to avoid excessive dependencies – as Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta emphasised in their recent reports. But we will not succeed if we have 27 different policies for these industries.

    Nowadays there are also more policy goals that qualify as European public goods, notably strengthening European defence. But due to the free-rider problem, defence is a good that is likely to be undersupplied. Moreover, joining forces to procure equipment and develop new technologies – leading to economies of scale and more interoperability – will result in greater operational effectiveness than if all 27 Member States go it alone.

    Economic logic tells us that public goods need to be jointly financed. And this joint financing could provide the basis for Europe to gradually increase its supply of safe assets.

    The legal foundation

    Geopolitical strength and faster growth can go a long way towards strengthening the euro’s international role. But maintaining demand for the currency will also depend on our ability to uphold a robust legal and institutional foundation.

    Ultimately, currencies achieve and maintain their reserve status if the institutions and policies backing them consistently safeguard investor confidence in their long-term value.[15]

    For example, historically, the US dollar’s pre-eminence has rested on the strength and stability of US fiscal and monetary institutions. The Federal Reserve System’s credible commitment to controlling inflation, combined with the unparalleled liquidity of the US Treasury market, created a perception of minimal sovereign risk. This made the dollar a safe haven during global economic turbulence and recessions.[16]

    Since 1970, there have been 34 instances of simultaneous sovereign debt and financial crises globally, but the US has remained immune to such “twin crises”.[17]

    However, when doubts emerge about the stability of the legal and institutional framework, the impact on currency use is undeniable.

    These doubts have materialised in the form of highly unusual cross-asset correlations since 2 April this year, with the US dollar and US Treasuries experiencing sell-offs even as equities fell. The same doubts are also cited by investors who are turning to gold: two-fifths say they are doing so as a hedge against rising geopolitical risk.[18]

    Given this context, the EU has a legitimate reason to turn its commitment to predictable policymaking and the rule of law into a comparative advantage.

    This commitment is baked into how the EU works. The positive side of our often slow and complicated decision-making processes is that checks and balances are always respected. We have also enshrined into law the independence of our key institutions, like the ECB, in ways that are hard for politicians to threaten.

    But relying on the fact that our bureaucratic systems are hard to change is not enough. In the current geopolitical environment, we are facing increasing external pressures to take actions that jeopardise the rule of law. And we will only be able to resist these pressures if we are more politically united and able to speak with a single voice.

    As we potentially enter a renewed era of great power rivalry, with countries being asked to take sides, we are likely to find ourselves under pressure to make decisions that are not necessarily in our own interest.

    But if we take this opportunity to unite and, preferably, to reform our institutional structure by enabling more qualified majority voting in areas where a single veto has often held back the collective interests of the 26 other countries, that would enable us to act decisively as a united Europe. We would then be in a much stronger position to defend and uphold our values and, as a result, to defend and uphold global confidence in our currency.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    In the history of the international monetary system, there are moments when the foundations that once seemed unshakeable begin to shift.

    The Belgian-American economist Robert Triffin described this with great clarity. He observed that nations’ confidence in the international monetary system depends on the reliability of the reserve currency, which, in his words, is “highly dependent on individual countries’ decisions”.

    But moments of change can also be moments of opportunity. The ongoing changes create the opening for a “global euro moment”.

    This is a prime opportunity for Europe to take greater control of its own destiny. But this is not a privilege that will simply be given to us. We have to earn it.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Japan

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    26 Maggio 2025

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, had a telephone conversation today with the Prime Minister of Japan, Shigeru Ishiba.

    The conversation highlighted the shared satisfaction with the path undertaken to constantly strengthen bilateral relations. In this context, President Meloni confirmed her intention to pay an official visit to Japan in the coming months in order to further deepen the fruitful dialogue between Rome and Tokyo and, while there, to also visit the Italian pavilion at the Osaka Expo.

    The two leaders also discussed the main international issues, including the war in Ukraine, the Middle East  and the Indo-Pacific, agreeing to remain in close contact ahead of the upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Education on Standardization meeting

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    Background

    The START-Ed Initiative was established by the decision of the Working Party 6 in November 2012. The START-Ed Initiative has the following two major tasks:

    (1) Promotion of standards-awareness in the educational establishments with the elaboration of the 15-module programme on standardization developed in 2012

    (2) Assisting in sharing best practices in teaching standards to different audiences.

    Expected attendance: WP.6 Bureau, members and observers, and secretariat 

                                

    Draft agenda

    Item

    Subject

    Timing

    1a

    Roll call

    0

    1b

    Reminder of WP.6 procedures

    5

    1c

    Approval of the agenda

    5

    2

    Guest speaker: Prof. Kayo Ito (Chubu University, Japan) [Bio & PPT] – 30 minutes (15 minutes presentation followed by discussion / QA) on “Student Oriented Education about Standardization.”

    30

    3

    Future activities of the initiative

    25

    4

    Update from the secretariat

    10

    5

    Any other business

    15

    Next meeting: 11 November 2025 hybrid, Geneva

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Education on Standardization Initiative meeting

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    Background

    The START-Ed Initiative was established by the decision of the Working Party 6 in November 2012. The START-Ed Initiative has the following two major tasks:

    (1) Promotion of standards-awareness in the educational establishments with the elaboration of the 15-module programme on standardization developed in 2012

    (2) Assisting in sharing best practices in teaching standards to different audiences.

    Expected attendance: WP.6 Bureau, members and observers, and secretariat 

                                

    Draft agenda

    Item

    Subject

    Timing

    1a

    Roll call

    0

    1b

    Reminder of WP.6 procedures

    5

    1c

    Approval of the agenda

    5

    2

    Guest speaker: Prof. Kayo Ito (Chubu University, Japan) [Bio & PPT] – 30 minutes (15 minutes presentation followed by discussion / QA) on “Student Oriented Education about Standardization.”

    30

    3

    Future activities of the initiative

    25

    4

    Update from the secretariat

    10

    5

    Any other business

    15

    Next meeting: 11 November 2025 hybrid, Geneva

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches first environmental inspections under new regulations

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 26 — China has initiated the fourth phase of the third round of central environmental protection inspections, the first since a new set of regulations on ecological and environmental protection inspections came into force.

    The inspections, approved by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, will cover five provincial-level regions and three centrally-administered state-owned companies, said the central leading group for the inspection work of ecological and environmental protection on Monday.

    Inspection teams will be dispatched to Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Ningxia. The teams will conduct both regional inspections and coordinated inspections of the Yellow River Basin.

    They will also inspect China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd., China Datang Corporation Ltd., and State Power Investment Corporation Limited.

    The inspections will last about one month. During the period, each team will establish dedicated telephone hotlines and postal mailboxes for the public to submit reports and complaints regarding any environmental protection issues related to the inspected entities.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Moody’s affirming ratings offers positive reflection of Chinese economic prospects: ministry

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Moody’s affirming ratings offers positive reflection of Chinese economic prospects: ministry

    BEIJING, May 26 — Moody’s decision to affirm China’s A1 ratings on Monday is a positive reflection of the improving prospects for the country’s economy, the Chinese Ministry of Finance said.

    Since the fourth quarter of last year, the Chinese government has implemented a series of macroeconomic policies, economic indicators have improved, market expectations and confidence have stabilized, and the medium and long-term sustainability of debt has improved, the ministry said.

    The global economy is facing multiple risks and challenges, including insufficient momentum, escalating geopolitical conflicts, and a volatile international economic and trade order, leading to increased uncertainty in regard to economic performance, it noted.

    Against this backdrop, China’s economy has secured a strong start, with high-quality development trending positively. Production and consumption demand are steadily rising, and the stability and coordination of economic operations are improving, demonstrating strong resilience and vibrant dynamism, it said.

    Moving forward, a series of incremental and existing policies will work in concert to provide solid support for high-quality economic development, the ministry said.

    Regardless of changes in the external environment, China will remain confident and focused, concentrating on managing its own affairs well, it noted.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Prosecution a reminder, recreational skippers’ must take simple steps to prevent collisions

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    The sentencing of a recreational skipper in the Christchurch District Court yesterday afternoon [Tuesday, November 21] is a reminder to skippers of recreational boats – there are simple steps they must take to prevent collisions and keep others safe.

    The sentencing followed a collision between a recreational power boat and a kayak in Lyttelton on 14 January 2023.

    The skipper of the power boat did not operate the vessel as required under Part 22 of the Maritime Rules, causing the collision with a kayak and serious injuries to the paddler.

    Maritime NZ’s Manager General Regulatory Operations South, John Drury says the Maritime Rules to prevent collisions are practical ways to help keep all vessels – and the people on them – safe. All recreational (and commercial) skippers must understand them.

    The Maritime Rules include: keeping a proper look out at all times, travelling at safe speed, using all available means to determine if there is a risk of collision, and powered vessels keeping out of the way of vessels under oars or sail. This means taking account of the harbour conditions, adjusting your speed and ensuring you can see adequately in front of you – particularly when you know there are a high number of recreational water users in the area.

    “You can’t assume it is safe but instead, you must make sure it is safe,” Mr Drury says.

    “Always keep a proper look out, and if there is any doubt, then the skipper must act as if they might collide with another boat or a swimmer in the water – slow down, be ready to stop, and power boats give way.”

    Maritime NZ recommends those heading out on the water undertake a day skipper’s course, understand the Maritime Rules and local bylaws and fully understand how to manage the vessels they are in charge of.

    The collision prevention and navigation Maritime Rules can be found on the Maritime NZ website, and local bylaws are published by the local regional authority.

    Sentencing notes

    Last month, the skipper of the power boat pleaded guilty to one charge under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act of operating his power boat in a manner that caused unnecessary danger or risk.

    Yesterday, the court sentenced him to a $5,200 fine and ordered him to pay $13,473 reparation. In doing so, the Judge noted the significant injuries suffered by the victim, the risk of more serious harm occurring, and the inherent vulnerability of small craft water users.

    The Judge also acknowledged the skipper’s guilty plea, his remorse and the steps he took immediately after the incident to assist the victim, including applying his maritime knowledge and taking the victim directly to the boat ramp where an ambulance was able to meet them.

    Incident summary

    The collision occurred at about 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. The conditions were sunny, with a moderate breeze of around 15 knots, and waves of about 20cm. The harbour was busy with other recreational users, typical of a mid-summer weekend in Lyttelton.

    The 7.4m power boat was travelling at round 18 knots (33 kmph) with two people on board returning from a fishing trip.

    Four kayakers in three kayaks were paddling west towards Governor’s Bay. The group was spread out, padding in white kayaks wearing high visibility clothing. The skipper of the powerboat did not see the kayakers and collided with the victim directly. 

    The skipper immediately stopped his powerboat and provided assistance to the badly injured victim, transporting him to the nearby boat ramp where an ambulance met them.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Maritime NZ’s response to TAIC’s report on safety at ports

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Health and safety on ports is a major priority for Maritime NZ.

    “Everyone has the right to be safe when they go to work,” Maritime NZ’s Director, Kirstie Hewlett says.

    “Any incident on a port is one too many, and everyone at Maritime NZ extends their thoughts to those who have been injured at ports, as well as to the friends and families who have lost loved ones.”

    TAIC makes a number of recommendations aimed at improving safety standards on ports. Currently, Maritime NZ and WorkSafe share designation overseeing health and safety at ports, several of the recommendations are directed to the two regulators.

    From 1 July 2024, Maritime NZ will take over the designation as the sole regulator on ports.

    “We partially accept two of the recommendations that have been directed to us by the Commission, and fully accept the other two” Ms Hewlett says.

    “It recommends the regulators aim to take a more proactive role in driving safety on ports. We partially accept this recommendation, as we believe our assessments focused on critical risks on ports, with WorkSafe NZ, is proactive monitoring activity and looks at individual operators. We agree that there is always more opportunity to work proactively and we welcome the additional funding that comes with our designation extension from 1 July 2024, so we can carry out more proactive monitoring on ports.

    We are proud of the proactive work we have done with the sector through the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group. This group, made up of both regulators, and Chaired by Maritime NZ, has port and stevedore chief executives, the Port Industry Association, and unions and has built a relationship of trust and made significant progress on health and safety on ports.

    The Leadership Group earlier this year released a Port Sector Insights Picture and Action Plan to make ports safer. The insights pictures shows where, and why harm is happening on ports. The Plan was created from operator and regulator incident and notification data, and also worker perspectives. It outlines actions to address these harms. Significant progress has been made on implementing some of the actions since it was released.

    Two of these actions show the Commission’s recommendations are already being implemented. Work is continuing to develop more consistent safety standards on ports, with a draft Approved Code of Practice for loading and discharging cargo on ports and on ships currently out for consultation.

    The Leadership Group also has actions underway to continuously improve safety and share good practice. This includes completion of a platform where people can access new safety technologies, and the development of a work programme on good practice guidance that will sit under the ACOP. The Leadership Group is working to ensure this information is accessible for the industry and the workers.

    A further action under the plan is to improve workforce training, capability and understanding of risks. This includes whether future standards will be backed by the regulator (Maritime NZ), as recommended by TAIC. Decisions on this potential backing will need to be made by the relevant ministers.

    “The critical thing for us all to remember is that Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility and we want there to be a culture in the sector that reflects the need to take a safety-first approach to operations. We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with operators and workers on ports to improve safety,” Ms Hewlett says. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fishing company to offer watchkeeping training following enforceable undertaking

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    An enforceable undertaking between Maritime NZ and a North Island fishing company is helping to fund a range tools to help improve safety knowledge in the commercial fishing sector, and assist in training of rescue organisations.

    Following the grounding of the Bilyara, on Ohinau Island off the Coromandel in April 2020 Maritime NZ started an investigation into the incident.

    The investigation found the grounding put the lives of the crew and the environment at risk.

    It was established that the Penwarden Holdings owned vessel grounded due to the crew failing to properly keepwatch. 

    “We know watchkeeping issues contribute to a significant number of incidents for commercial operators,” General Manager Investigation, Pete Dwen says.

    An enforceable undertaking is an agreement between Maritime NZ and a duty holder (vessel owner or operator) made under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA).

    It is entered into voluntarily by the duty holder following a breach (including an alleged breach) of HSWA and, once in place, is legally binding.

    It is generally used as an alternative to prosecution. It must include appropriate amends to victims and commitments that would promote health and safety at that work place, the wider industry and the community.

    The near $190,000 undertaking will see Penwarden Holdings develop training modules for personnel in the industry. These resources will be used by both the company and the wider sector. The training is expected to be available in about 12 – 18 months’ time. The modules will be advertised via industry publications.

    Pete Dwen says the enforceable undertaking was agreed to as it proposed a range of benefits for a variety of different groups.

    “The nature of the proposals demonstrate benefits to the workplace, community and industry. In particular the resources to be developed in respect of watchkeeping, aligns with Maritime New Zealand’s strategic focus,” he says.

    As well as the development of the modules, Penwarden Holdings will supply a vessel for training exercises to the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, and donate $35,000 to the response charity.

    “Response agencies such as ARHT play a significant role in helping those in need, and we know being able to undertaking a training exercise on a vessel such as those operated by Penwarden Holdings will be hugely valuable,” Pete Dwen says. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Port of Auckland Limited sentenced over fatal 2020 incident

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Sentencing of major port company a reminder of the risks on New Zealand’s ports.

    Today, Port of Auckland Limited (POAL) was sentenced after pleading guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. The charges were filed by Maritime NZ after stevedore Pala’amo Kalati was killed by a falling container on 30 August 2020.

    Following the death of Mr Kalati, a comprehensive investigation was undertaken by Maritime NZ. Everyone involved and the staff at Maritime NZ wish to extend their condolences to Mr Kalati’s family and to his co-worker who was in the vicinity with him at the time of the incident.

    Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett says his death was a manifestation of the risk caused and contributed to by POAL’s failures around stevedore safety.

    “Those failures were long standing and systemic, putting many stevedores at risk for an extended period of time,” Ms Hewlett says.

    Changes were also made to processes around the time of the incident due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This lessened the oversight while undertaking work such as what was occurring when the incident happened.

    Prior to the incident occurring, Mr Kalati and a colleague were working on board as lashers discharging containers from the MV Constantinos P. A crane was operating adjacent to the two men. It was lifting pairs of containers off the vessel when a third container was accidentally lifted as well. The third container detached and fell, killing Mr Kalati.

    “While nothing can bring Mr Kalati back to his family or change the impact on his co-worker, who was also present. This tragic incident as well as two other fatal incidents in April 2022, highlighted the need to review and make changes to health and safety on New Zealand ports.

    “It is good to see POAL take responsibility for its actions and pleading guilty.

    “Over the last 20 months, Maritime NZ alongside our partners in the Port Health and Safety Leadership Group has undertaken a significant programme of work to reduce harm on New Zealand’s ports.

    “Since the Leadership Group was set-up POAL has and continues to be a key contributor in the work to bring down instances of harm on New Zealand ports.

    “We want there to be a culture in the sector that reflects the need to take a safety-first approach to operations.

    “Port workers need to be safe at work,” Kirstie Hewlett says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Prosecution follows April collision between power boat and ferry near Russell

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Following a collision between a twin-engine recreational power boat and the ferry, Waitere, in Russell earlier this year, Maritime NZ has charged the power boat’s skipper.

    The collision occurred at about midday on 13 April 2023, when Waitere (also known as the Blue Ferry ) was travelling from Russell to Paihia.

    Maritime NZ’s Deputy Chief Executive Regulatory Operations, Deb Despard, says Maritime NZ personnel undertook a thorough investigation in response to this incident.

    “Investigators carried out interviews, examined the scene, reviewed documents and gathered other relevant evidence connected to the incident,” she says.

    The ferry’s skipper was severely injured, some of the passengers suffered lesser injuries and the ferry was badly damaged. It sunk a few hours after the collision. There was some damage to the power boat, but no one on board it at the time was injured.

    Ms Despard says one charge has been filed in the Auckland District Court against the skipper of the power boat. The charge has been filed under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994.

    As the matter is now before the Court, Maritime NZ cannot make further comment.

    Editors’ notes:

    • Section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act makes it an offence to operate a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk to any other person or property.
    • Maximum penalties the Court can impose against an individual are a fine of up to $10,000 or a prison term of up to one year.
    • Maritime NZ will not be releasing documents while the matter is before the Court. Some documents might be available from the Court on application in accordance with the District Court (Access to Court Documents) Rules 2017. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Health chief attends HA convention

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau today attended the opening ceremony of the Hospital Authority (HA) Convention 2025 and met multiple high-level delegations from the Mainland and overseas for in-depth exchanges on healthcare co-operation and development.

    At the opening ceremony, Prof Lo witnessed the successful national accreditation of the Queen Mary Hospital Chest Pain Centre, making it the first chest pain centre in Hong Kong established in accordance with the national accreditation standards.

    He said the establishment of a chest pain centre can improve the efficiency of acute chest pain diagnosis and speed up the time for patients to receive cardiac surgery, thereby lowering the death rate, shortening the hospitalisation period and reducing the hospital readmission rate.

    The health chief also noted that the adoption of the national accreditation standards by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will also facilitate integration into the overall national development by fully utilising Hong Kong’s advantage of having the motherland’s  strong support and close connection with the world, with a view to demonstrating the excellence of the national healthcare standards to the international community, and helping promote the development of the national accreditation standards of chest pain centres into an internationally recognised standard.

    Over the course of the convention, Prof Lo met multiple delegations from the Mainland and overseas and attended various events, taking the opportunity to promote medical co-operation and exchanges.

    Among others, Prof Lo met Guangdong Health Commission Director-General Liu Liqun and his delegation to explore the exchange of healthcare talent between the two places, and to discuss healthcare collaboration projects, such as the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme and the cross-boundary use of electronic health records.

    After the meeting, both sides attended the welcoming ceremony for the Mainland Healthcare Talents Visiting Programmes.

    Prof Lo was pleased to note that since the 2022 launch of the visiting programmes, 80 outstanding doctors and two batches of about 170 nurses in total from the Mainland have come to the HA on exchange, while more than 25 specialists have also been arranged by the authority to conduct exchanges at public hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.

    Afterwards, Prof Lo and the Consul General of France in Hong Kong & Macau Christile Drulhe jointly witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Intent between the HA and the National Conference of University Hospital General Managers of France.

    The signing of the declaration formally establishes a strategic collaborative partnership between the two organisations in deepening mutual exchanges, promoting the joint development of hospital services and exchange of medical expertise.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Police appeal for urgent help to find missing vulnerable man

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Officers are appealing for assistance to help find a vulnerable 35-year-old man who has been missing for two days.

    Bashir Marhoon, from Russell Square, Camden, was last seen by his carers at his home, on Saturday, 24 May at 18:00hrs.

    Police are becoming increasingly worried about his safety due to the challenges Bashir has with day-to-day tasks.

    Bashir is 5’8, of medium build, with black hair and wears glasses. He was last seen wearing a navy baseball style shirt, with a red image on the front, dark navy jogging bottoms and black trainers.

    He walks with a limp and is known to sometimes engage with strangers, though lacks the capacity to understand fully what he may be doing.

    Officers believe he may be travelling across London using public transport. He has an Oyster card and is fascinated with public transport.

    Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Kaur from the Met’s Central North Command said: “We are very worried about Bashir’s safety and would urge anyone who may have seen him to contact police. Please approach Bashir with care as he may be confused and suffers with learning difficulties.

    “Bashir’s family are understandably incredibly concerned.

    “Local officers have been carrying out a number of enquiries in an effort to trace him and we are now turning to the public for help. Please get in touch if you have seen Bashir.

    “As time passes we are growing increasingly anxious about his welfare.”

    Bashir’s mum, Faridah, said: “We are very worried as he is very vulnerable and often rides the trains and buses to the end of the journey.

    “We urgently need the public’s help to find him. Please take a look at these images we are making public today and get in touch with the police if you have any information.”

    If you see Bashir, please call 999 providing the reference 5841/24MAY.

    If you believe you have seen him in the past two days, or have any other information about his whereabouts, please call 101 providing the same reference.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General meets the Prime Minister of Iceland

    Source: NATO

    On Wednesday, 28 May 2025, the NATO Secretary General, Mr Mark Rutte, will receive the Prime Minister of Iceland, Ms Kristrún Frostadóttir, at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels.

    Media advisory

    11:40 (CEST) Joint press conference by the Secretary General and the Prime Minister of Iceland

    Media coverage

    • Media representatives who have annual accreditation to NATO can attend the event in person.
       
    • Media representatives without annual accreditation and who are interested in covering the event should email NatoAccreditations@hq.nato.int. Please note that due to the short time to process applications, ad-hoc accreditation may not be guaranteed.
       
    • The press statements will be streamed live on the NATO website and on X @NATOPress. A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as photographs, will be on the NATO website.
       
    • The video can be downloaded from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.
       

    For more information:
    For general queries: Contact the NATO Press Office
    Follow us on X: @NATO, @SecGenNATO and @NATOPress

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European Week Against Cancer: supporting patients, from prevention to treatment

    Source: European Union 2

    This week marks European Week Against Cancer (25-31 May). Under its Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU has provided support to millions of people affected by cancer across the Union. It funds actions on cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment to improve patients’ outcomes.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Getting ready to support wildfire-hit countries during the summer

    Source: European Union 2

    The EU has put together teams of firefighters and aircraft to help European countries affected by wildfires during the upcoming summer. Throughout July and August almost 650 firefighters from 14 European countries will be strategically prepositioned in key high-risk locations.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister Smyth Promotes Ireland’s Digital and Innovation Agenda on Visit to Singapore for Asia Tech x SG 2025

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    26th May 2025

    Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth is undertaking a high-profile visit to Singapore this week at the invitation of the Singaporean Government to participate in Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) 2025, one of the region’s most significant technology and innovation summits.

    The summit, which gathers global tech leaders to shape the future of digital transformation, provides a platform for Ireland to showcase its strengths in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital trust, innovation, and skills development. Minister Smyth’s participation underscores Ireland’s commitment to being at the forefront of global digital dialogue.

    Speaking ahead of her visit, Minister Smyth said:
    “Ireland and Singapore share a forward-looking vision when it comes to technology, digital governance and innovation. My visit is a valuable opportunity to deepen ties with key partners, promote Ireland’s capabilities in emerging tech sectors and learn from Singapore’s pioneering work in digital transformation.”

    In addition to engagements at ATxSG, including attendance at the opening event alongside the President of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister Smyth’s programme features a series of bilateral meetings and strategic engagements, supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Singapore and the wider Ireland House team, including Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Bord Bia.

    Highlights of the Minister’s Programme include engagements with Irish Companies operating in Southeast Asia, showcasing the success of Irish enterprise abroad with support from Enterprise Ireland. A number of high-level meetings with representatives of AI Singapore and AI Innovation, exploring collaborative opportunities in responsible AI development are also on the itinerary.

    Minister Smyth will also participate in the Ministerial Roundtable on Digital Trust, where global leaders will examine AI risks and regulatory strategies. Bilateral talks will also take place with key international counterparts, including a Singaporean Minister for Digital Development & Information, Professor Max Tegmark, President of the Future of Life Institute, Baroness Jones, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Future Digital Economy and Hon Judith Collins KC, New Zealand’s Minister for Digitising Government Tourism policy meetings, reflecting the Department’s expanded remit, with senior figures from Gardens by the Bay, Singapore National Stadium and the National Association of Travel Agencies Singapore are also scheduled.

    Strategic discussions with Skills Future Singapore and Design Singapore, offering valuable insights into how nations are preparing their workforces and industries for the digital age, are another feature.
    Minister Smyth will conclude her visit by meeting with members of Singapore’s vibrant Irish community at an event hosted by the St Patrick’s Society, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary in the city-state.

    Minister Smyth highlighted how:

    “This visit is a strong demonstration of Ireland’s commitment to international digital cooperation, innovation diplomacy, and supporting Irish enterprise across Southeast Asia.”

    ENDS

    Back to Department News

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Tourism Strategy Set to Drive Sustainable Growth in Perth and Kinross

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The Perth and Kinross Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030, developed by the Perthshire Tourism Partnership, sets out a bold vision for the future of tourism in the region.

    The strategy focuses on four key areas: area promotion and destination marketing, investment and infrastructure, market development and internationalisation, and industry growth and resilience. Together, these priorities aim to increase visitor numbers, attract inward investment, develop new tourism products and experiences, and support local businesses to grow and thrive.

    With a strong emphasis on recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan outlines a clear path towards sustainable growth in the tourism sector, ensuring it continues to play a vital role in the economic and cultural life of Perth and Kinross.

    Tourism monitoring data for 2023 revealed that the region welcomed 2.3 million visitors, generating £703 million in direct and indirect economic activity. The total economic impact for local businesses and communities was £641 million, supporting approximately 8,200 full-time equivalent jobs. Compared to 2022, this represents an 8.8% increase in economic impact, a 15.4% rise in visitor numbers, and a 1.5% increase in total visitor days and nights.

    The strategy also explores other funding opportunities to support future investment in tourism infrastructure and services.

    Councillor Eric Drysdale, Convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said: “The Perth and Kinross Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030 is an important blueprint for our region’s economic prosperity.

    “By focusing on sustainable growth, we are not only enhancing our local economy but also ensuring that Perth and Kinross remains a vibrant and attractive destination for visitors.

    “This strategy will help everyone involved in tourism in Perth and Kinross navigate the challenges ahead and seize new opportunities, ultimately benefiting our communities and businesses alike.”

    The Perthshire Tourism Partnership, established in 2005, brings together tourism businesses, local associations, collaborative groups, and public sector agencies, including Perth and Kinross Council. The partnership plays a key role in shaping strategic direction and fostering collaboration across the tourism sector.

    David Smythe, Chairman of the Perthshire Tourism Partnership, said: “I thank Perthshire Tourism Partnership members and the tourism industry leaders who all contributed to shaping the new Tourism Strategy, which sets a clear path forward for this economically vital sector in Perth and Kinross.

    “Getting the tourism balance right through sustainable growth and focusing on the key themes is important to help keep our communities vibrant as they embrace the opportunities visitors bring to our lovely part of Scotland.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytech is a participant of the international exhibition “Metalworking – 2025”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Today, the exhibition “Metalloobrabotka – 2025” opened in Moscow, in which the Polytechnic University is taking part. This is a traditional industry event, which for 40 years has regularly brought together the best specialists and largest companies from Russia, the CIS countries, the Middle and Far East and other regions of the world. The exhibition has been held in Moscow since 1984 and is recognized as the largest project in Russia and the CIS in the field of machine tool building. This year, over 1,200 companies are presenting advanced solutions for industry on an area of 50,000 sq. m. The number of participants is about 50,000 people.

    “I am glad to welcome all participants of the International Exhibition “Metalloobrabotka – 2025″, one of the largest and most authoritative professional platforms in the field of machine tool building in Russia and the CIS countries. For all exhibitors, partners of the exhibition and guests of Expocentre, this is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the most relevant industrial trends and advanced production technologies,” said SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy. – At the end of 2024, the Government of the Russian Federation completed work on the formation of eight national projects of technological leadership, and the most important of them is dedicated to the industrial sector: the national project on means of production and automation, the main subjects of which are machine tool building in metalworking, technological equipment, additive technologies. These are the topics that are the focus of both the business program discussions and the key exhibits of the exhibition, in which Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, a traditional participant with many years of experience in developing and implementing high-tech technologies in various industries and acting as an executor of the main federal programs for technological development, is a traditional participant. I invite all colleagues to a dialogue on the thematic tracks of the exhibition and to further productive cooperation.”

    The main topics of the 25th anniversary exhibition are innovations in machine tool building, automated production lines, modern tools and materials. The focus is also on digital solutions: software for production management, robotic systems, artificial intelligence technologies. The business program of the exhibition will be focused on applied tasks of industry and issues of strategic development.

    “It is a great honor for us to be part of this forum, where traditions and innovations of the industry meet. Our institute has been a flagship in the field of mechanical engineering and materials science for many years. We actively develop metalworking technologies, introducing modern solutions in turning, milling and casting processes. Our developments are successfully used at enterprises of the aerospace, automotive and energy industries, ensuring high precision and reliability of products, – noted the director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport of SPbPU Anatoly Popovich. – We pay special attention to additive technologies, which open up new horizons for industry. Together with industrial partners, we create unique methods of 3D printing of metal components, reducing production times and reducing resource costs. It is important that we not only improve technologies, but also train personnel capable of working at the intersection of disciplines. Our students and researchers are actively involved in projects that combine classical metalworking and digital innovations. I am confident that the exhibition will become a platform for fruitful dialogue, and the synergy of experience and new ideas will help us move the industry forward together.”

    SPbPU will demonstrate not just scientific developments, but technological solutions ready for implementation. This year, our university will present a wide range of advanced developments in key areas of modern production – from 3D metal printing to robotic welding and the creation of intelligent materials.

    Additive manufacturing

    Polytechnic University takes metal 3D printing to a new level: from developing heat-resistant nickel powders to laser synthesis of critically loaded components. The university has more than ten domestic SLP printers with a multi-laser system, which allows creating complex parts for gas turbines and aviation. Thus, the VPLS “Mercury” installation developed by SPbPU jointly with ZAO “Biograd” allows printing gas turbine components from heat-resistant nickel alloys at a heating temperature of up to 1300 degrees Celsius. A powerful laser (1000 W) and precise control of the material structure provide high performance. This is no longer a prototype – it is a response to import substitution in aerospace and energy. In addition, multi-material synthesis, plasma and flame spraying technologies have been implemented. They print not only with alloys – SPbPU has piezoceramics, carbide ceramics, and high-entropy composites in its arsenal. All this is in the interests of import independence and accelerated implementation in real production.

    The Polytechnic University is also equipped with stationary and mobile technological complexes for direct laser deposition, laser cladding, laser and hybrid laser-arc welding of thick metals, and laser welding of thin metals (up to 100 microns).

    Electric Arc Growing (WAAM)

    SPbPU offers a full cycle of WAAM implementation — from design to integration into production processes. The technology of layer-by-layer wire surfacing using an electric arc is used to create large-sized and complex-shaped products from titanium, steel, aluminum and other metals. Robotic complexes are adapted to the tasks of specific customers, providing up to 6 kg/h of printing and full automation. The robotic complex (RC) for additive electric arc growing is a robotic cell that has everything necessary for electric arc growing. In addition, the Polytechnic University supplies the systems with its own software that allows monitoring the status of the manipulator and peripheral equipment, as well as generating control programs for the implementation of the electric arc growing technology. Unique examples: gas turbine engine impellers and wheel rims, which have passed strength tests and demonstrated competitiveness compared to cast products.

    Design and manufacture of laser technological complexes

    Polytechnic University develops turnkey laser systems — from foil welding to repair and manufacturing of components for power and mining equipment. The arsenal includes robotic laser cladding systems, mobile units, robotic systems with 5-kW lasers, direct laser deposition with powders and wire, as well as hybrid systems with an inert atmosphere. Using a robotic laser welding system for thin metals (up to 100 microns), serial welding of fuel elements of a hydrogen energy source for Russia’s first passenger ship, Ecobalt, was implemented.

    The university developed a technology for surfacing a porous coating with a thickness of 600 microns with an open porosity of 60-80% and the ability to control these parameters. The cups successfully passed preliminary clinical tests for integration and toxicity of the surfacing layer with bone material.

    Repair of power equipment components was carried out: nozzle and working blades Man Turbo, SGT-700, TV 3-117, VP2500, VPT-50-2, Man Turbo, MARS100, Taurus 60, Man Turbo, MS5002E, TV 3-117, NK-12ST, DR59L, GPA GTK-10I, MS3142J.

    As part of cooperation with the company JSC UK KER-Holding, the Polytechnicians created and delivered a technological complex for direct laser growth.

    Together with TsNIITMASH, a demonstration separation module of a power plant was created using direct laser growth. The result is a reduction in the number of welding operations, an increase in anti-corrosion properties and reliability in extreme Arctic conditions. The university is conducting projects with Rosatom, Gazprom and other industrial giants, offering customers not just equipment, but fully adapted technological solutions.

    Friction stir welding (FSW)

    SPbPU is one of the few in the country that uses STP and TSTP on a large scale: both in spot and seam configurations. This is a solid-phase welding technology that does not involve melting, but has high strength, minimal deformations, and the ability to weld even dissimilar materials — aluminum with copper, composites with metals. The university produces seams up to 8 meters long, develops its own equipment, and trains customer personnel. The use of STP is relevant for aviation, shipbuilding, energy, and military equipment — wherever precision and durability are important.

    We invite you to the Polytechnic stand 1A25, where you can see and evaluate the latest technologies and innovations from SPbPU in the field of metalworking.

    Exhibition address: Moscow, Krasnopresnenskaya embankment 14, Expocentre Central Exhibition Complex

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexey Likhachev became an Honorary Doctor of SPbPU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    A solemn ceremony of presenting the mantle and diploma of the Honorary Doctor of SPbPU to the General Director of the State Corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev took place at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

    The ceremonial event opened with the performance of the Polytechnic University anthem by the SPbPU youth choir “Polyhymnia”.

    It is especially gratifying that this important event is taking place in the year of the 80th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry, to the development of which Polytechnicians made a significant contribution. Such names as Abram Fedorovich Ioffe, Isaak Konstantinovich Kikoin, Abram Isaakovich Alikhanov, Yuliy Borisovich Khariton, Nikolay Leonidovich Dukhov are inscribed in gold letters in the history of the development of Russian science. Today, Polytechnic University and Rosatom, under the leadership of Alexey Evgenievich, closely cooperate for the benefit of the development of Russian nuclear technologies: both in education and in science. By order of Rosatom, our Institute of Power Engineering annually graduates more than 250 specialists in the field of nuclear energy, thermal power engineering, electric power engineering and power engineering. Together with Rosatom, we are successfully implementing the project of the advanced engineering school “Digital Engineering”, acting in the interests of the technological leadership of our country, – emphasized the rector of SPbPU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Rudskoy.

    The members of the SPbPU Academic Council unanimously voted to award the title to Alexey Likhachev on April 28 this year. The Scientific Secretary of the Polytechnic University Dmitry Karpov presented the new honorary doctor.

    If we try to pick three key words that would define the spirit of modern scientific and technological development in Russia, these words should be: professionalism, leadership and Victory. And these are the words that come to mind when we talk about the State Corporation Rosatom. For the Polytechnic University, whose history is closely connected with the nuclear project, participation in the development of nuclear energy is one of the key, strategic areas of work. And scientific and industrial cooperation with the national leader in several related industries at once is a great honor and responsibility for the university, – noted Dmitry Karpov.

    Cooperation between the Rosatom State Corporation and SPbPU, which is one of the flagship universities and its long-term strategic partner, is actively developing. This is a significant amount of work carried out by the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, the Institute of Power Engineering, the Physics and Mechanical Engineering Institute, the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” and other university structures. This is significant international cooperation, in particular, in the interests of the Turkish and Egyptian nuclear energy. This is the training of specialists in a wide range of engineering and technical areas of training – primarily in nuclear, energy, mechanical engineering and construction specialties. This is a cell of the Rosatom Student Council, whose activists participate in organizing meetings with representatives of the corporation’s enterprises, technical tours of production facilities, strategic sessions as part of the university’s career events and other activities. In the context of the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry, about 40 events are planned at the Polytechnic University, covering more than 4,000 people.

    Dmitry Karpov named several completed projects. An optimal design of a vibrating screen for cleaning drilling mud was developed by order of NPO Centrotech. The project was a real breakthrough in the industry: with a target vibration acceleration of 7 g, engineers from PISh SPbPU designed a product that exceeded these parameters in just six months. The results of digital modeling were confirmed from the first factory test of the prototype – the vibration acceleration was 8.2 g. The product and its modifications have been successfully used for many years now.

    A digital twin of the VVER-1000 fuel assembly with an anti-debris filter and mixing grids was developed by order of JSC TVEL. Due to digital design and additive manufacturing, the filtration efficiency has been increased tenfold, and the created models, virtual test benches and testing grounds will significantly reduce costs and improve the quality and speed of further developments.

    At the request of the Mayak production association, for the first time in engineering practice, the architecture of a highly adequate multiphysical digital model of a furnace for vitrification of high-level radioactive waste has been developed.

    By order of JSC TsKBM, key proprietary technological equipment for the ODU-150 hydrogen production unit was developed. The design solutions of the created key hydrogen technology devices are the starting point in the development of a new generation of equipment and future medium- and large-tonnage devices for the hydrogen, petrochemical, and nitrogen industries.

    At the request of the composite division of Rosatom, a technology for the production of filaments from continuous carbon fiber was developed, and the customer received pilot equipment. On the official website of the corporation, this installation is listed among the most important achievements of Rosatom in 2024.

    At the enterprise of the State Corporation Rosatom — JSC Proryv — the URANIA data and process management system for computational and experimental scientific research was put into operation. It is based on the CML-Bench® Digital Platform — an in-house development of the Engineering Center of our university.

    In 2023, under the leadership of Alexey Evgenievich, the State Corporation approved the Unified Digital Strategy, which became the most important step towards accelerating the digital transformation of the industry, including ensuring import substitution. In this regard, Dmitry Karpov noted that specialists from SPbPU and the All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics developed the national GOST “Computer models and modeling. Digital twins of products. General provisions” – the world’s first document regulating the relevant activities.

    The scale of the projects of the State Corporation Rosatom is truly astounding. And it is quite obvious that the management of such a system is the lot of rare leaders and true professionals. This entire vast field – from the development and implementation of advanced technologies, solving the most complex multidisciplinary problems of the world level to the transfer of unique competencies and the organization of expert discussion platforms – all this and much more became possible, including thanks to the personal professionalism and leadership of Alexey Evgenievich. Perhaps, being a leader is destiny. Destiny to be born in Arzamas-75 – Sarov, the city-forming enterprise of which is the Russian Federal Nuclear Center. And, having gone the way of an engineer, politician, adviser and Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, still to head the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom. And to become a leader, ensuring its brilliant victories, – emphasized Dmitry Karpov.

    Students in the uniform of the Polytechnic University of the early 20th century brought in a doctoral robe and cap, the Polyhymnia choir performed the Gaudeamus anthem. Andrei Rudskoi presented Alexei Evgenievich with a book about honorary doctors of the Polytechnic University, which has a page dedicated to the CEO of the state corporation Rosatom.

    It is a great honor for me to receive this title from one of the leading technical universities in the country, which stands at the origins of the Russian engineering school. St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is a forge of personnel for the nuclear industry, and we highly value the contribution of its teachers, scientists and students to the development of advanced technologies. I am confident that our partnership will continue to contribute to breakthrough achievements in nuclear energy, medicine and new materials, – said Alexey Likhachev in his response speech.

    Alexey Likhachev also met with students studying at the Institute of Power Engineering. He spoke about the development of the State Corporation’s systemic cooperation with universities, how contacts with students are built, and shared Rosatom’s corporate values. The Polytechnicians spoke about the activities of the Rosatom student council cell, asked questions about the prospects for the development of nuclear science and the training of personnel for the corporation’s high-tech projects.

    You are the future not only of Rosatom and the nuclear industry, but of the entire country. It is you who will manage enterprises, represent the industry on the international stage and develop our technological power. Therefore, such meetings with students are of particular value: we get to know each other better and understand to whom we are transferring responsibility for the future, Alexey Likhachev emphasized.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: International tournament Inter Football Cup: sport, friendship, Vyshka!

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    © Higher School of Economics

    On May 18, the Higher School of Economics hosted the international football tournament Inter Football Cup, in which HSE students and staff from all over the world took part for the third year in a row. This event became a real holiday not only for football fans, but also for everyone who wants to make new acquaintances and immerse themselves in an atmosphere of friendship and unity.

    The football tournament is held with the support of Directorates of Internationalization And Department of Physical Education HSE University. Opening the event, department lecturer Artem Yemelyanov congratulated everyone on the sports festival and wished them to demonstrate their best sports skills and team spirit. Director Center for Support and Career of International Students and Graduates Zhanna Sorokina noted that for the first time, not only student teams are participating in the tournament, but also a team formed from international specialists – foreign teachers and research staff of the university.

    This time, 12 teams met on the field, bringing together representatives of more than 50 countries – from Australia to Ethiopia, from Italy to India. Each match was a real battle, full of emotions and excitement. The participants not only demonstrated their football skills, but also shared the cultural traditions of their countries, which added a special flavor to the tournament. “This is not just football, it is a great chance to take a break from studying, warm up and relax, and also meet our friends and students from other faculties,” shared Ikenna Mbatha (Nigeria) from Institute for Statistical Research and Economics of Knowledge HSE. His team, despite losing in the semi-finals, had unforgettable impressions and made many new acquaintances.

    “This is not my first time participating in the tournament, and it is one of the best events that the university organizes for international students,” says Bernard Baako (Ghana) Faculty of Economic Sciences“Such drive, such emotions – it’s an amazing release!”

    As the tournament organizers note, the number of participants increases every year, which indicates a growing interest in the sporting event. “We are glad to see how students from different countries unite through sport. This is important not only for their socialization, but also for creating a friendly atmosphere at the university,” noted Zhanna Sorokina.

    Marco Mellina (Italy), Research Fellow Schools of Historical Sciences, said that he was a big football fan and, having just learned about the tournament, persuaded his colleagues to participate. The team of international specialists was extremely happy to spend the day at the stadium and impose a fight on their opponents. Even the rain that began during the final games did not spoil the mood of those gathered. The players’ passion in the fight for prize places was uncontrollable, once again confirming the truth of the classic formula of big-time sports: “The match will take place in any weather.”

    The tournament ended with a spectacular finale in which the team Faculty of Social Sciences defeated the team Institute of Cognitive Neurosciences — another debutant of the tournament. But, as many participants noted, the main thing is not the victory, but participation and the opportunity to meet new people.

    Benjamin Sarpong (Ghana), captain of the winning team, boasted that he has won the cup for the second year in a row: at the Inter Football Cup 2024, he was a prize winner as part of the team of the preparatory department for foreign citizens. “Today I personally scored two goals, and they determined the outcome of the final game! I am absolutely happy!” admitted Ben.

    The HSE Inter Football Cup has once again proven its importance as a platform for cultural exchange and friendship, and the participants are looking forward to the next tournament.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Multiple watchkeeping related failures identified in 2020 vessel grounding

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    The dangers of watchkeeping failures are being yet again highlighted following the 2020 grounding of a commercial vessel.

    Watchkeeping is a crucial job for crews on vessels. Anyone tasked to keep-watch has to look out for risks and potential hazards, to ensure the vessel does not ground or hit other boats or other objects in the water.

    All vessels are legally required to keep watch at all times.

    The skipper of the Sidina, Ralph James and the head of the fishing company’s operational planning, Nino D’Esposito were last week sentenced in the Napier District Court, for their parts in the grounding of the vessel along the coast of Chatham Island’s in December 2020.

    It grounded after the skipper fell asleep, he was then woken by the impact of it grounding.

    Maritime NZ’s John Drury says ensuring watchkeeping is adequately managed and staffed is a significant priority for Maritime NZ.

    “Every year we see several incidents relating to vessels failing to properly keep-watch. These can result in collisions and groundings.

    “The skipper needs to ensure proper watch is kept at all times, and that the vessel is operated within the rules, including having the correct number of personnel working while at sea.  

    “Depending on the collision or grounding, these incidents have the potential to put those on the vessel, in the water or other boats at risk of serious injuries or death.

    “There is also the potential for a vessel to cause environmental issues through a grounding or collision.

     “A boat could spill oil or other potentially hazardous substances into the water,” John Drury says.

    A key role on any commercial operation and in turn its management, is to ensure there are appropriate resources and procedures to manage fatigue, make sure the crewing levels are correct and appropriate for the journey being undertaken. Management also need to understand their operating procedures.

    “As the person with oversight of the work, Mr D’Esposito did not correctly manage the personnel resourcing for the vessel, did not ensure there was oversight and management of the risks of fatigue, and as a result left the crew vulnerable to an incident such as what occurred.

    “Ensuring the correct people with the right skills and qualifications are on-board vessels is hugely important when undertaking commercial operations such as what the Sidina was doing when it grounded.

     “It is disappointing these obligations were not given the focus they required,” John Drury says.

    After the vessel grounded, it had to be towed back to Napier to be repaired.

    Editor’s Note:

    Ralph James was sentenced under S65 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 and fined $4,125.  

    Nino D’Esposito was sentenced under S48 charge of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, for a breach of duty as an officer (at the time he was working as a consultant, leading the company’s operational planning). He was fined $11,900.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Now’s the perfect time to get prepared to head out on the water

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    When planning a trip on the water, safety starts at home, and now is the perfect time to make your checks before a busy few months on the water.

    Whether you are planning on heading off shore on a power boat, or looking to get on a paddle board or a kayak. There are several checks you need to make to ensure you and others on your vessel are safe. An easy saying to remember is prepare your vessel, check your gear and know the rules before heading out.

    Long range forecasts for spring and summer show conditions are likely to be hot up and down the country.

    This is likely to see a significant number of people out on the water.

    “That is why it is important to make sure you have made the right checks and have the equipment now, instead of realising you don’t have what you need right before you head out,” Maritime NZ’s Principal Advisor Recreational Craft, Matt Wood says.

    He is recommending boat users undertake a full clean of their vessel, service their engines annually and check other safety equipment they have on-board.

    The first step is to check your lifejackets, make sure there is no damage and they are still fit for purpose.

    “Old lifejackets can fail in an emergency.

    “Most manufacturers recommend lifejackets are replaced every 10 years, or if there is noticeable damage, while inflatable life jackets should be serviced every year,” he says.

    Checking expiry dates on key pieces of equipment is also important.

    “Once purchased a lot of people forget about items such as beacons and fire extinguishers after purchasing and then putting them on their vessels.

    “However, you want them to be fully functional and working should something go wrong,” Matt Wood says.

    “Checking all batteries are fully charged, radios, ropes and flares will ensure you can hit the water with peace of mind next time you head out.

    “Salty water can speed up the degradation process of items, causing the lifespans to shorten if they are often exposed,” he says.

    Spending a couple of hours doing these checks now will pay off when you do go out again.

    “With extra daylight saving having just occurred there are some extra hours of light now available, so the time is right to make the checks on your vessel,” Matt Wood says.

    Maritime NZ also recommends you make sure you have the necessary resources on your vessel, including (among other things):

    • Boat hook and throwing line
    • Warm clothing
    • First aid kit
    • Navigation equipment
    • Bailing system
    • Waterproof torch
    • Alternative power (a spare outboard, oars or paddles).
    • Spare fuel

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Maritime NZ completes its investigation into fatal capsizing of the i-Catcher

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Following a comprehensive investigation into the capsizing of the i-Catcher south of Kaikoura in September 2022, Maritime NZ’s investigation into potential prosecution following the incident is now complete.

    On 10 September last year, the vessel with 11 people on-board departed South Bay, Kaikoura. The 10 passengers were members of a Nature Photography Society of New Zealand. About two hours into the excursion, the vessel capsized. Five of those on-board were trapped under it and sadly passed away, after being exposed to petrol fumes.

    Maritime NZ would like to acknowledge this tragedy and the lives lost on 10 September last year. Our thoughts are with the survivors, and family members of those who lost their lives that day.

    Following our investigation, Maritime NZ has decided not to take any prosecution action against any individuals, organisations or PCBUs.

    “The investigation undertaken by Maritime NZ specialist investigators was complex and fulsome,” Maritime NZ’s Deputy Director Regulatory Operations, Deb Despard says.

    “It involved visiting the scene, reviewing the conditions from that day, interviewing witnesses, commissioning an independent survey of the vessel, checking the safety equipment for the vessel, collating and reviewing the operator’s documentation.”

    The survivors, families of the victims, and those involved have been informed of the decision not to prosecute any of the parties involved.

     “The investigation looked at the potential cause for the vessel to capsize, the fuel leak and how the organisations and individuals involved managed their responsibilities,” Deb Despard says.

    After reviewing accounts from survivors, receiving feedback from witnesses in the area and technical analysis of the force required to cause a vessel of this size to roll over, the Maritime NZ investigation has identified the likely cause of the capsize was a whale impacting the i-Catcher as it came up to the surface.

    The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has released a preliminary report, with a full report to come in due course.

    In its preliminary report, TAIC raised issues about how vessels’ fuel systems are inspected by maritime surveyors, particularly the parts of the system that cannot be seen and easily accessed because they are under decks or behind bulkheads.

    “We are currently prioritising work on guidance for the industry to remind them about considerations raised in the August TAIC report,” Deb Despard says.

    “This includes working with recognised maritime surveyors to ensure they are looking for the right issues when surveying vessels.

    “Our targeted advice to the sector and surveyors will make a difference by improving the understanding of potential risks around fuel systems,” Deb Despard says.

    This will build on the work Maritime NZ is already doing with recognised maritime surveyors, including holding a regular surveyor conference, seminars, proactively engaging with surveyors around rule changes, providing clarification on the intent of rules and safety updates, and promoting an understanding of best practice.

    As part of the follow up work post this incident, Maritime NZ is looking at on-the-water safety initiatives skippers and crew on trips such as this can undertake to assist those on-board should something the vessel encounter trouble.

    “Our people are currently working on advice and we expect it to go to the sector in the coming months,” Deb Despard says. 

    While this marks the end of the Maritime NZ investigation, this is a potentially stressful period for those connected to the incident.

    “We understand this may be an emotional time for those involved. Maritime NZ wishes to extend its condolences to those impacted by this tragedy, Deb Despard says.”

     Editor’s Note:

    Recognised surveyors are authorised by the Director of Maritime NZ to undertake surveying work, however, they are not employed directly by Maritime NZ.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reducing Harm and Saving Lives: Safer Boating Forum Recreational Craft Strategy 2023-2025

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    The Safer Boating Forum (Forum) is launching its new Recreational Craft Strategy 2023-2025 to reduce harm and save lives, as part of the 10th annual Safer Boating Week.

    The Safer Boating Forum is a network representing a cross-section of national and regional government agencies, local body groups, organisations and the marine industry, involved in promoting recreational boating safety in New Zealand.

    Sharyn Forsyth, Chair of the Forum, says the strategy launch on October 17 is a significant achievement that will reduce harm among the two million recreational craft users in New Zealand each year.

    “The aim of this strategy is to reduce harm and ultimately to save lives,” says Sharyn. “It’s a big step forward for the 26 organisations in the forum, which have collaborated on the strategy, as it focuses on interventions that are informed by intelligence and insights. The Strategy will increase alignment between the Forum members and the wider water safety sector to focus on the primary causes of harm and working in partnership to find effective solutions.”

    Over the next two years the strategy aims to influence significant year-on-year increases in recreational craft users using lifejackets, carrying two forms of waterproof communication, and checking the marine forecast. It also aims to reduce per capita preventable fatalities by 25 percent by 2025.

    “I’m excited that we can launch this strategy today as I know it will help the sector take the right steps towards reducing harm among recreational craft users,” says Sharyn.

    Over the past 10 years, 18 people on average have died in recreational craft incidents annually. The majority of these fatalities occur when small craft under six metres suddenly capsize and those on-board have little time to put their life jackets on. Failure to wear a life jacket, or wearing of an ill-fitted life jacket, is the number one cause of death in recreational crafts.

    People taking to the water on unseaworthy craft, in unsuitable weather conditions, and without adequate equipment are also significant contributing factors to harm.

    Peter Busfield, Executive Director NZ Marine Industry Association says “removing unseaworthy craft from circulation is vital”.

    “Boating is a way of life for two million New Zealanders and it is important they know the importance of having a seaworthy boat with the correct safety equipment on board. The education and promotion campaigns the Forum delivers are key to getting this message through. As part of our communications strategy we’re looking to gain the support of boating and marine retailers to deliver safety messages so people come home safe from a day out on the water,” says Peter.

    An agency that often sees the impact of what happens on the water is CoastGuard.

    CEO, Callum Gillespie of Coastguard NZ, says having the strategy will help the sector work together to achieve the same goals: “This strategy shows that as a sector we are aligned and working together to reduce harm”.

    “We all want to see the numbers of preventable incidents of injury and death reduced; everyone in the forum wants people on the water to be able to come home safe.”

    The strategy is a practical piece of work that spreads right from national regulatory action through to local council bylaws.

    Pete Thomas, Deputy Harbour Master Northland Regional Council and Forum leadership group member, added that strategy initiatives would shape a consistent approach to council bylaws.

    “Across the motu, there are different bylaws regarding life jacket wearing and this can be confusing for the public. The Forum is committed to encouraging regional councils to strengthen bylaws and make life jacket wearing compulsory, especially for craft under six meters,” says Pete.

    A key component of the new strategy is its work to understand the needs of different communities and water users.

    Dr Ngahuia Mita, Forum Kaihautū (leader) says the strategy will reduce harm by coordinating work to understand where improvements can be made and promoting collaboration.

    “We know Māori and Pacific communities are over represented in fatalities and the Forum needs to work in partnership with these communities to develop effective solutions together.”

    Dr Ngahuia says it is important we have conversations with communities so we know how to ensure safety is at the front of mind.

    The Forum’s Recreational Craft Strategy supports the outcome in the Water Safety NZ Water Sector Safety Strategy and supports Maritime NZ’s strategy. Daniel Gerrard, CEO of Water Safety NZ, has welcomed the development.

    “As a sector it’s essential we’re all travelling in the same direction and working together effectively. We’re talking with similar people and encouraging them to be safe in the water, so it’s paramount that we are joined up and working as one,” says Daniel.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Safer Boating Week: A plea to everyone hitting the water

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Come home safe.

    Maritime NZ and its Safer Boating Forum partners want every recreational craft user to put steps in place to ensure they return home from their time on the water with good memories, not injuries, or, even worse, fatalities.

    MNZ and the Safer Boating Forum, want everyone who heads out to come home safe.

    Safer Boating Week is about getting safety to the forefront of the minds of recreational craft users as they start flocking to the water.

    Maritime NZ’s 2022 Recreational Fatal Accidents report states that last year 17 people died tragically, or were reported missing and never found.

    “This is a sobering statistic, and one the Safer Boating Forum and our members are dedicated to bringing down,” Sharyn Forsyth, Chair of the Safer Boating Forum, says.

    “Our Forum members span right across the recreational craft space, from jet boating through to stand up paddle boarding, and each activity has its own risks to manage.

    “Through Maritime NZ’s community grant funding, organisations all over the country are running programmes to bring down instances of harm.

    “In 2022 we saw fatal incidents occurring on powerboats, dinghies, kayaks and jet skis, and it is important a targeted approach is taken to preventing harm on recreational crafts.”

    Almost all of these fatal incidents occurred one nautical mile from shore, or on lakes and rivers.

    “It doesn’t matter whether you are close to shore, tragedy can strike anywhere and that is why it is critical to prepare before heading out onto the water,” Maritime NZ Harm Prevention Lead – Recreational Craft Victoria Slade says.

    “If you’re planning to head out on the water make sure to check the marine forecast, take two forms of waterproof communication to call for help, and always wear a properly fitting lifejacket.”

    Thirteen of the 17 fatalities occurred when people were capsized or thrown overboard, which is why it is very important to wear a properly fitting life jacket.

    “New Zealand is an island nation and conditions can quickly change. A day can start calm, causing a false sense of security. This has especially been the case for users of low powered or human powered vessels,” Victoria Slade says.

    Canoers and kayakers represented nearly a third of those who died in recreational craft incidents in 2022.

    “Just because you are going out in a small vessel near to shore doesn’t mean you are immune to risks. The weather can change quickly so you need to regularly assess the weather conditions and head back to shore if conditions change. Smaller crafts such as kayaks can easily capsize in larger waves and be battered by high winds which can make situations very dangerous,” Victoria Slade says.

    “Of the 17 people who died or went missing in recreational accidents in 2022, 16 of those were male. The ‘she’ll be right’ attitude of a lot of NZ males needs to be left at home when heading out onto the water. Remember, your family needs you home safely.”

    For more information about how to plan before you head out, ways to be safe on the water, how to maintain your boat, and how to safely use different types of recreational crafts saferboating.org.nz

    Come home safe. Kia Mataara.

    Key water user and 2022 fatality report statistics:

    • 2022: 17 deaths (spread across 16 incidents)
      • The 17 fatal accidents that occurred in 2022 placed that year approximately at the 10 year average of 18 deaths
    • Of those who died in recreational craft incidents last year:
      • 17 of the 16 people were male
      • The median age was 53 years old
      • 12 were not wearing a lifejacket when they entered the water
      • 12 of 17 people died in spring and summer
      • All fatalities occurred in a vessel that was 6m or less in length
    •  nine deaths of the 17 were due to a capsize, a further four was overboard
    • Basic vessel type:
      • six deaths on a Kayak/Canoe
      • five deaths on a dinghy
      • four deaths on a power boat
    • Only seven percent of those surveyed say they create detailed plans of their trip. 31% don’t do any planning at all.
    • Things considered before and during trips to ensure saftey:
      • 42% have lifejackets
      • 38% know/ check the forecast
      • 11% have a phone

    Note to editors:

    The Safer Boating Forum (Forum) is a network representing a crosssection of national and regional government agencies, local body groups, organisations and the marine industry, involved in promoting recreational boating safety in Aotearoa New Zealand.
    The purpose of the Forum is to work together to develop and implement a recreational strategy for Aotearoa to support agreed safety policy, communications, education, compliance and regulation activities.
    Maritime NZ leads the Forum and works with Forum members to coordinate safe boating activities.

    Maritime New Zealand
    Auckland Transport
    Coastguard New Zealand
    Drowning Prevention Auckland
    Environment Canterbury
    Greater Wellington Regional Council
    Insurance Council of NZ
    Jet Boating New Zealand
    Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers
    Metservice
    New Zealand Marine Industry Association
    New Zealand Police
    New Zealand Search and Rescue Council
    New Zealand Sport Fishing Council
    New Zealand Underwater Association
    NZ Stand Up Paddling
    Northland Regional Council
    Queenstown Lakes District Council
    Rowing New Zealand
    Surf Lifesaving New Zealand
    Swimming New Zealand
    Te Manatu Waka
    Waikato Regional Council
    Waka Ama New Zealand
    Water Safety New Zealand
    Yachting New Zealand

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Adriana D Kugler: Assessing maximum employment

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Thank you, Francine, and thank you to the Central Bank of Iceland for the invitation to speak to you today.

    My subject is the Federal Reserve’s mandate of maximum employment. In the Fed’s monetary policymaking, maximum employment and stable prices are linked in the mandate assigned to the Federal Reserve by U.S. law, which we refer to as the dual mandate. Icelanders, I know, are a seafaring people, and those here will understand what I mean when I say that the dual mandate is our “lodestar,” a word our two languages share. It is our goal and our guide in setting monetary policy.

    There is an important distinction between our dual-mandate goals. For reasons that I will explain, while the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has defined “stable prices” as 2 percent annual inflation, such numerical precision is not possible in defining maximum employment.

    To achieve price stability, the Fed adopted a numerical target for inflation in 2012 that hasn’t changed. It has remained unchanged because the Committee has repeatedly reaffirmed the judgment that it made in 2012 that 2 percent inflation is the rate most consistent with its statutory mandate. In contrast, the Federal Reserve has not spelled out a numerical goal for the unemployment rate or some other measure of employment because maximum employment can move up and down over time and is not directly measurable, and also because the different factors that determine it are either difficult or impossible to measure in real time.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Klaas Knot: A true treasure – why we need diversity and inclusion in the financial industry

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Welcome dear colleagues! Welcome to the conference and welcome to our renovated building.

    After several years of construction, De Nederlandsche Bank returned a few months ago to this updated version of our historic home. It is not only energy-efficient and sustainable, but also – quite unusual for a central bank – partially open to the public: on the ground floor, visitors can walk in to have a coffee, work, study, or simply look around.

    Look at our extensive art collection – as you can do later today – or visit the vault where we used to store our gold bars and our money. Now we call it the New Treasury and use it as an exhibition space where visitors can learn more about our role and responsibilities and explore our collection of historic banknotes, with a lot of European pre-euro examples. I hope you take the opportunity to visit the exhibition. 

    Of course I am convinced that the introduction of the euro was a positive change – I am the president of the Dutch Central Bank, after all – but despite everything we gained in this monetary union, we also lost something.

    In our banknotes we lost colour, individuality, diversity. Because the pre-euro banknotes all tell their own story. Of national identity, cultural heritage, time and place. They differ in colour, imagery, size; even in the feel of the paper.

    The Italian lira, with historic painters and sculptors: ornate and expressive.
    The German mark, with scientists and writers: inventive and efficient.
    The Dutch guilder, with colourful birds and sunflowers: bold and modernist.

    To name only a few.

    These banknotes remind us that diversity is not disorder.

    It is depth.
    It is opportunity.
    It is strength.

    The banknotes remind us that it is never one person, one idea that makes us strong.

    Our strength as nations, as the European Community, as financial institutions, is always the product of a flock of ideas, a blend of people, a collection of perspectives. 

    At De Nederlandsche Bank, our vision is ‘connected and diverse’. We believe that to safeguard financial stability and promote sustainable prosperity, we must reflect the society we serve – one that is increasingly complex, international, and indeed, diverse. That is why we aim for a workforce that mirrors the richness of our society.

    Diversity for us is sometimes broad and visible: diversity in gender, age and cultural heritage. But it can also be less visible: diversity in physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, faith, background, education. We don’t pursue diversity for appearances sake. We pursue it because it sharpens our thinking, deepens our dialogue, and improves our decision-making. Complex challenges – like climate risk, digital transformation, and geopolitical uncertainty – demand diverse perspectives. 

    That is not an abstract mission, but a commitment to tangible goals. We are aiming for full gender balance in our workforce and leadership by 2028.

    We are not there yet, we hope to hit our target if we can continue improving by 2% per year. Currently, women make up 43% of DNB’s management, and we are still working on this. We are using the updated definitions from the Dutch Statistical Office to improve cultural representation, with the aim of having 26% of our employees and managers come from a migrant background.

    We have achieved this on the work floor, but not yet in management, where the figure is currently just over 13%; so this is also a work in progress.

    We are making all this happen by translating our ambition for diversity and inclusion into our policies and daily work processes.

    And by keeping track of our progress. We believe – obviously – that data drives progress. What gets measured, gets managed.

    So we have established a Diversity Board to guide and accelerate our progress, and we measure our progress with a Diversity Dashboard. Recently, we published our Out & Proud Statement, in which we explicitly express our support for LGTBIQ+ inclusion and speak out against intolerance. Because there is a world to be gained, and in some cases, regained when it comes to LGTBIQ+ inclusion.

    I am saddened to see that LGTBIQ+ inclusion has declined in recent years in European countries and across the world. Statistics show decreasing support for LGTBIQ+ inclusion – also among younger people.

    We are seeing more frequent physical, verbal and online violence, and politicians are rolling back previously attained rights for LGBTIQ+ couples.This declining support and safety affects LGTBIQ+ people throughout society, including those working at central banks and other financial institutions.

    For our employees to reach their full potential, for them to make the best contribution to our work and mission and – not least – for us to fulfil our potential as an employer, our employees must feel safe, must be able to express themselves. That’s why we have to work together to become – and stay – diverse and inclusive organisations. And that requires the involvement of all of us.

    At DNB, we encourage this by empowering our internal networks, like Young DNB, DNB Pride, DNB International, Blended and Female Capital, but we also try hard to involve every employee outside those networks. Because only by involving everyone can we ensure that every colleague – regardless of who they are – feels seen, heard and valued.

    This is my call to action to you today:

    let’s talk, let’s exchange experiences, let’s exchange ideas to make this happen. For instance by ensuring that – where that is not already happening – we create space for internal networks, for LGBTIQ+ employee resource groups. And, even better, let’s create an international network for these groups, so they can strengthen each other, and by doing so, strengthen our organisations.

    Do you know what this is?

    After the introduction of the euro, we shredded all those beautiful old banknotes. We packed the shreds in small bags, which we handed out as souvenirs to visitors of DNB. One of our doormen used to say, with a big wink and a smile: “It’s a jigsaw puzzle.”

    But of course there is a lesson here: creating a diverse and inclusive workplace is a human-made jigsaw puzzle that we can only put together through human-made solutions.

    We have to look for and connect the diversity of our people. We have to ensure that human uniqueness is not just tolerated, but treasured in our financial institutions.

    Because only then can we truly claim to be resilient. Only then can we speak credibly in the public debate. Only then we can see the full picture: a financial sector that not only serves society – but represents it. 

    And our banknotes?

    There is good news on that front: the European Central Bank is preparing to introduce a new generation of euro banknotes. The ECB is consciously seeking to reflect more of the identities, histories and cultures of the people who use them.

    So once more – I hope – the designs will be colourful, representative and diverse. Because diversity does not weaken unity, it strengthens it. Not only in the European Union, not only in the financial sector, but for all of us.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Sabine Mauderer: Price stability and climate change

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Check against delivery 

    1 Introduction 

    Ladies and gentlemen. 

    I am delighted to have the opportunity to open this conference today.

    I am sure, we all agree: climate change alters the environment in which central banks operate. 

    According to the NGFS long-term scenarios, unmitigated climate change leads to losses in global GDP of almost 15 % by 2050 – relative to a scenario without climate change. This is a conservative estimate, as it does not yet account for key risks, such as sea level rise and climate tipping points.

    Given the context of this conference, there is no need to give you any further examples about the relevance of climate change. Instead, allow me to briefly recap why and how we as central bankers need to deal with climate change: In doing so, I will focus on some of the most important aspects. 

    2 Physical impacts and climate policies

    Let me turn to the two dimensions of what we call “climate change” for short: the impacts of climate change itself, and the effects of our attempts to mitigate it. 

    Central banks monitor both dimensions because of their relevance for output and prices. This is why I highly appreciate that the impacts of physical risk and transition risk on inflation are at the core of today’s conference. 

    Let’s start with physical risks. 

    In addition to the consequences of gradual shifts in temperature patterns or sea level rise, acute physical risks such as hurricanes, droughts or floods can damage the economy, with impacts lasting beyond the short-term. As the timing, location and magnitude of such shocks are largely unpredictable, central banks are on high alert. 

    In theory, the direction of price developments depends on the balance between supply and demand. Severe weather events could affect either side. Supply-side disruptions tend to cause higher prices whereas a reduction in demand tends to entail lower prices. 

    Without pre-empting the work presented at this conference: As outlined in a recent technical paper by the NGFS1, the emerging empirical work on the linkage between weather shocks and inflation suggests that the upward pressure from the supply side dominates, for instance, for agricultural production.

    One key finding is that food prices tend to rise in the aftermath of a weather shock – associated with negative supply impacts – with some spillovers into overall inflation.2 Moreover, the specific nature of the shock matters, with nonlinear inflationary effects being documented in the case of heatwaves.

    The type of damages can differ as well: while heatwaves tend to impact labour and agricultural productivity, leaving the capital stock unaffected, severe storms tend to impair infrastructure, housing, and the capital stock of an economy.3

    There is also the second dimension – transition risk. Many jurisdictions have committed to decarbonise their economies. This goes hand in hand with substantial structural changes that can also pose risks for price stability. 

    But the picture emerging here is more mixed: the impact of a green transition on inflation depends on its drivers and how it unfolds in the economy. 

    Moreover, short and long-run effects can differ.

    What are these drivers? Let me briefly elaborate. 

    Depending on the policy mix, the pace of technological progress, changes in preferences and the role of international trade relations4 – to mention just a few main aspects – the transition will affect the supply and demand side of the economy in multiple ways. 

    Hence there is no straightforward answer to the question whether inflationary or disinflationary effects will dominate. A higher carbon price, for example, makes carbon intensive products and businesses more expensive. As a result, consumer price inflation may rise in the short-term. 

    Over the medium to long run, however, higher costs of brown products will make it more attractive to shift to greener production processes – and invest in innovative green technologies. 

    Green innovations, efficiency gains and maturing technologies, together with an increasing usage of clean energy, can drive energy costs and prices down over time.5 Therefore, inflationary pressures are likely to remain contained in the medium to long run, especially in the event of an orderly transition with predictable carbon prices.

    Along the way, central banks will have to make sure that inflation expectations remain well-anchored, as maintaining price stability is their core mandate.

    Accelerating the green transition is up to our governments, but price stability and a sound financial system are important facilitators of this process.

    3 Conclusion

    Ladies and gentlemen. 

    Our economies are facing multidimensional, unprecedented structural changes. The green transition is just one aspect. 

    At the current juncture, the approaching threats of climate change are overshadowed by other topics. We are all witnessing the shift in attention to artificial intelligence, tariffs and trade wars, and the rising geopolitical uncertainties.

    The many unknowns associated to these topics make strategic long-term decisions particularly challenging for policymakers, firms and households alike. 

    Yet, climate change is and remains an urgent issue that involves answering complicated questions. The physical principles of climate change have not changed. Climate change will not simply disappear if we try to ignore it.

    But we will get closer to a solution every day – if we tackle these questions courageously and analytically. 

    Events like this conference are important to keep the attention on the problem and to improve our understanding of climate risks.

    In this spirit, I wish you a successful and productive discussion.

    MIL OSI Economics –