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ANSI’s Fran Schrotter bags ASTM 2016 Cavanaugh International Award
- As Jo Cox, British Lawmaker, Dies After Shooting Attack
Fran Schrotter, senior vice president and chief operating officer, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in New York., was yesterday honoured with the prestigious ASTM International 2016 William T. Cavanaugh Memorial Award.
Schrotter is honored for her sustained leadership in the U.S. and global standards community, exemplifying a commitment to consensus, collaboration, and professionalism.
“Nearly everyone in the globalstandards community has been positively affected by Fran’s contributions,” said ASTM president James Thomas. “Clearly her work has supportedstandards that have improved the lives of millions of people in boththe U.S. and around the world.She truly embodies the spirit of the Cavanaugh Award.”
Schrotter has been with ANSI since 1976, working with a variety of domestic and international committees and organizations that develop standards in dozens of industries, includinginformation technology, homeland defense and security, nuclear energy, nanotechnology, and many more. As senior vice president, she is primarily responsible for ANSI’s activitiessupporting U.S. participation in domestic and international standardization activities.
In addition, she has held numerous leadership roles in other organizations. For example, she was a member of the U.S. Department of Justice National Commission on Forensic Science, and she was appointed to the U.S.National Institute of Standards and Technology Organization of Scientific Area CommitteesQuality Infrastructure Committee on Forensic Sciences.
With the Cavanaugh award, Schrotter is named as an honorary member of ASTM.
In the meantime, British lawmaker Jo Cox has died after being attacked in her district on Thursday, police said.
Cox, 41, was known for social-justice campaigns and seen as a rising star in the opposition Labour Party.
Britain’s prime minister called her death a “tragedy” and offered prayers to Cox’s husband and two small children, as did the U.S. ambassador to the U.K.
Cox was attacked in broad daylight shortly before 1 p.m. in Birstall, not far from the city of Leeds.
“I am now very sad to have to report that she has died as a result of her injuries,” West Yorkshire Police’s Acting Chief Constable Dee Collins told a news conference.
A man has been arrested and police are not seeking any other suspects in relation to the attack, Collins added.
Police said weapons — including a gun — were recovered at the scene but have not provided details on a possible motive or specified the nature of Cox’s injuries
However, both NBC News’ U.K. partner ITV News and the BBC said Cox had been shot and stabbed.
Cox was scheduled to hold office hours with constituents Thursday at the Birstall Library. Eyewitnesses suggested Cox may have been caught up in a scuffle between two men.
“The gun went off twice and then she fell between two cars and I came and saw her bleeding on the floor,” shop owner Hichem Ben Abdallah told ITV News.
Clarke Rothwell told the BBC that the suspect, who was wearing a baseball hat, lunged at Cox with a knife after he opened fire.
“People were screaming and running from the area,” Rothwell added.
Shortly before news of her death was announced, her husband posted a picture on Twitter of a smiling Cox posing along the river where the two shared a houseboat.
Brendan Cox later issued a statement on the beginning of a “more painful, less joyful, less full of love” new chapter for his family — but said his wife would have “no regrets” about her life.
“Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life with an energy, and a zest for life that would exhaust most people,” he said. “She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her.”
Cox entered Parliament in 2015. She is a graduate of Cambridge University and worked for international campaign organizations, including Oxfam, prior to entering politics.
She drew on her experiences in war zones in a recent interview describing why she has continued to campaign over issues such as the conflict in Syria.
“I’ve been in some horrific situations,” Cox told the Yorkshire Post. “That’s the thing that all of that experience gave me — if you ignore a problem it gets worse.”
Gun violence is rare in Britain, which has strict weapons laws. The attack comes amid a heated debate over whether Britain should exit the European Union — an issue Cox has spoken out against.
Both sides of the debate suspended their campaigns after the attack to mourn Cox’s loss.
News of the incident also sent shockwaves through the broader British political establishment, with lawmakers from all parties joining in to offer condolences and express their horror.
Jeremy Corbyn, head of the Labour Party, condemned the “horrific murder” and praised Cox’s “lifelong record of public service” and “deep commitment to humanity.”
“Jo Cox died doing her public duty at the heart of our democracy, listening to and representing the people she was elected to serve,” Corbyn said in a statement. “We have lost a much loved colleague, a real talent and a dedicated campaigner for social justice and peace.”
Cameron, the prime minister and the leader of the ruling Conservative Party, sent thoughts and prayers to Cox’s family over the “tragic and dreadful news.”
“We’ve lost a star,” he said.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that in the year Cox was in Parliament “she made more impact than others make in a whole” career.
“She was the best of politics,” he said in a statement. “I will miss her.”
American officials — still reeling from the recent massacre at an Orlando gay nightclub — added their voices to the chorus of grief and outrage.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Cox’s death was “an assault on everyone who cares about and has faith in democracy.”
“Our thoughts are profoundly with the family, her husband, her children and with all the British people,” Kerry said Thursday at a press conference in Copenhagen.
Gabby Giffords, the former U.S. representative who survived a 2011 mass shooting, said she was “absolutely sickened” to learn of Cox’s death.
“She was young courageous and hardworking,” Giffords said on Twitter. “A rising star, mother and wife.”
Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said in a statement that she was “horrified by the assassination” and that Cox was “a rising star.”
“It is cruel and terrible that her life was cut short by a violent act of political intolerance,” she said in the statement.
Oxfam, Cox’s former employer, said she was “a passionate advocate for humanitarian issues including the conflicts in Darfur and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
Cox worked for the organization between 2001 and 2009 and her husband while she worked there, according to a statement from the organization.
“She was an inspiring leader, really bringing the best out of all of us, always positive, always believing we could win, and always passionate for change,” Max Lawson, Cox’s former colleague, said in the statement.
Additional report from NBC
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WAIVER CESSATION: Igbokwe urges NIMASA to evolve stronger collaboration with Ships owners
…Stresses the need for timely disbursement of N44.6billion CVFF***
Highly revered Nigerian Maritime Lawyer, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Igbokwe has urged the Nigeria Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA) to partner with ship owners and relevant association in the industry to evolving a more vibrant merchant shipping and cabotage trade regime.
Igbokwe gave the counsel during his paper presentation at the just concluded two-day stakeholders’ meeting on Cabotage waiver restrictions, organized by NIMASA.
“NIMASA and shipowners should develop merchant shipping including cabotage trade. A good start is to partner with the relevant associations in this field, such as the Nigeria Indigenous Shipowners Association (NISA), Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Oil Trade Group & Maritime Trade Group of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).
“A cursory look at their vision, mission and objectives, show that they are willing to improve the maritime sector, not just for their members but for stakeholders in the maritime economy and the country”.
Adding that it is of utmost importance for NIMASA to have a through briefing and regular consultation with ships owners, in other to have insight on the challenges facing the ship owners.
“It is of utmost importance for NIMASA to have a thorough briefing and regular consultations with shipowners, to receive insight on the challenges they face, and how the Agency can assist in solving them and encouraging them to invest and participate in the maritime sector, for its development.
“NIMASA should see them as partners in progress because, if they do not invest in buying ships and registering them in Nigeria, there would be no Nigerian-owned ships in its Register and NIMASA would be unable to discharge its main objective.
The Maritime lawyer also urged NIMASA to disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF)that currently stands at about N44.6 billion.
“Lest it be forgotten, what is on the lips of almost every shipowner, is the need to disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (the CVFF’), which was established by the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act, 2003. It was established to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity, by providing financial assistance to Nigerian citizens and shipping companies wholly owned by Nigerian operating in the domestic coastal shipping, to purchase and maintain vessels and build shipping capacity.
“Research shows that this fund has grown to about N44.6billion; and that due to its non-disbursement, financial institutions have repossessed some vessels, resulting in a 43% reduction of the number of operational indigenous shipping companies in Nigeria, in the past few years.
“Without beating around the bush, to promote indigenous maritime development, prompt action must be taken by NIMASA to commence the disbursement of this Fund to qualified shipowners pursuant to the extant Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (“CVFF”) Regulations.
“Indeed, as part of its statutory functions, NIMASA is to enforce and administer the provisions of the Cabotage Act 2003 and develop and implement policies and programmes which will facilitate the growth of local capacity in ownership, manning and construction of ships and other maritime infrastructure. Disbursing the CVFF is one of the ways NIMASA can fulfill this mandate.
“To assist in this task, there must be collaboration between NIMASA, financial institutions, the Minister of Transportation, as contained in the CVFF Regulations that are yet to be implemented”, the legal guru highlighted further.
He urged the agency to create the right environment for its stakeholders to build on and engender the needed capacities to fill the gaps; and ensure that steps are being taken to solve the challenges being faced by stakeholders.
“Lastly, which is the main reason why we are all here, cessation of ministerial waivers on some cabotage requirements, which I believe is worth applause in favour of NIMASA.
“This is because it appears that the readiness to obtain/grant waivers had made some of the vessels and their owners engaged in cabotage trade, to become complacent and indifferent in quickly ensuring that they updated their capacities, so as not to require the waivers.
“The cessation of waivers is a way of forcing the relevant stakeholders of the maritime sector, to find workable solutions within, for maritime development and fill the gaps in the local capacities in 100% Nigerian crewing, ship ownership, and ship building, that had necessitated the existence of the waivers since about 15 years ago, when the Cabotage Act came into being.
“However, NIMASA must ensure that the right environment is provided for its stakeholders to build and possess the needed capacities to fill the gaps; and ensure that steps are being taken to solve the challenges being faced by stakeholders. Or better still, that they are solved within the next 5 years of its intention to stop granting waivers”, he further explained.
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Breaking News: The Funeral Rites of Matriarch C. Ogbeifun is Live
The Burial Ceremony of Engr. Greg Ogbeifun’s mother is live. Watch on the website: www.maritimefirstnewspaper.com and on Youtube: Maritimefirst Newspaper.
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Wind Farm Vessel Collision Leaves 15 Injured
…As Valles Steamship Orders 112,000 dwt Tanker from South Korea***
A wind farm supply vessel and a cargo ship collided in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday leaving 15 injured.
The Cyprus-flagged 80-meter general cargo ship Raba collided with Denmark-flagged 31-meter wind farm supply vessel World Bora near Rügen Island, about three nautical miles off the coast of Hamburg.
Many of those injured were service engineers on the wind farm vessel, and 10 were seriously hurt.
They were headed to Iberdrola’s 350MW Wikinger wind farm. Nine of the people on board the World Bora were employees of Siemens Gamesa, two were employees of Iberdrola and four were crew.
The cause of the incident is not yet known, and no pollution has been reported.
After the collision, the two ships were able to proceed to Rügen under their own power, and the injured were then taken to hospital.
Lifeboat crews from the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service tended to them prior to their transport to hospital via ambulance and helicopter.
“Iberdrola wishes to thank the rescue services for their diligence and professionalism,” the company said in a statement.
In the meantime, the Hong Kong-based shipowner Valles Steamship has ordered a new 112,000 dwt crude oil tanker from South Korea’s Sumitomo Heavy Industries Marine & Engineering.
Sumitomo is to deliver the Aframax to Valles Steamship by the end of 2020, according to data provided by Asiasis.
The newbuild Aframax will join seven other Aframaxes in Valles Steamship’s fleet. Other ships operated by the company include Panamax bulkers and medium and long range product tankers.
The company’s most-recently delivered unit is the 114,426 dwt Aframax tanker Seagalaxy. The naming and delivery of the tanker took place in February 2019, at Namura Shipbuilding’s yard in Japan.
Maritime Executive with additional report from World Maritime News