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Jens Boysen disembarked one of the world’s largest container ships on Thursday after 167 days at sea when he has acted not only as captain but also as doctor, dentist, mental coach and entertainment director for his stressed-out crew.Almost 200,000 seafarers like Boysen are stuck onboard merchant ships, some for more than a year, because coronavirus travel restrictions make it almost impossible to rotate crews, according to the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization (IMO).The crews, who come from all over the world to meet their ships, suffer the mental stress of not knowing when they can return home, their plight worsened by a lack of access to medical treatment.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index was unchanged on Friday, as gains in panamax and supramax vessel rates offset losses in capesize rates, although it was set for its first weekly decline in eight.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities and reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, was flat at 1,810. For the week, the index shed 4.4%.The Baltic capesize index lost 53 points, or 1.6%, to 3,333 and dropped 23.7% this week.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport cargoes of 170,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes, including iron ore and coal, was down by $437 at $27,664.

Bureau Veritas (BV) has opened a new remote survey center in Singapore, with more new locations to follow, as the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services provider continues its digital transformation and push to prove remote class services amid travel restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. The newest site joins existing BV remote survey centers in Rotterdam, Piraeus, Istanbul and Dubai.Classification societies and other marine services providers have long striven to increase remote services in an effort to boost efficiencies and reduce costs.

Mediterranean shiprepair facility Gibdock reports it completed a two-vessel drydocking and maintenance and repair project for Shearwater GeoServices.The Gibraltar-based repair and conversion specialist worked on the seismic research vessels Oceanic Sirius, drydocked for 14 days in Dock 1, and SW Empress, which remained in Dock 2 for 26 days before being moved to South Mole for testing and sea trials.Built in 2011 and sailing under the Norwegian flag, the 12,550-gross tonnage Sirius measures 106 by 28 meters and features solid streamer for accurate data collection. Shearwater’s Empress, also registered to Norway, was built in 2015 and has a gross tonnage of 10,146.

Collaboration between risk management and insurance sectors will focus on education, training and guidance to reduce maritime cyber riskABSG Consulting Inc. (ABS Consulting), a subsidiary of ABS focused on safety and risk management, and American Steamship Owners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, Inc. (the American Club) have joined forces to provide education, training and insurance guidance that address maritime cyber security.As digital transformation in the maritime industry brings both opportunities and new challenges, owners and operators are relying more on smart technologies and operational data to drive decisions and run their businesses.