DCN October Edition 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF
Qld minister declares war on Asian honey bees
The Queensland government has launched a new eradication program targeting
Asian honey bees and the varroa mite.
Minister for agriculture Mark Furner said Biosecurity Queensland had eradicated
a 2016 AHB incursion in the local government area. However, another incursion
was detected at the Townsville port in May this year.
“A new $2.1m nationally cost-shared program will allow Biosecurity Queensland
staff to ramp up efforts to eradicate the pests,” Mr Furner said.
“We will fight them in the port, we will fight them in Townsville, we will defend Queensland’s
biosecurity - Asian honey bees have been beaten and they will be beaten again.”
Mr Furner said learnings from the successful 2016 program were crucial to the early
detection of the new incursion.
“Biosecurity Queensland staff discovered the new swarm as part of routine
surveillance activities,” he said.
“The nest was confirmed to be carrying the potentially devastating varroa mite,
but because staff found it early, I am happy to report there have been no further
detections of AHB or varroa mite in the port or greater local council area.
“Despite the early detection, we must still be vigilant and the National Varroa
Mite Eradication Program will ensure the fight against the varroa mite will
continue, with two key staff leading a team of 12 departmental officers until 2021.”
Singapore cargo terminal
Law firm HFW has announced the hiring
of Christopher Metcalf as a partner for its
Singapore office, part of an effort to boost
its shipping practice.
Mr Metcalf is described as an expert on
dry shipping and is ranked by The Legal
500 and Chambers as one of Singapore’s
leading maritime lawyers.
He is set to join HFW in September from
Clyde & Co, subject to regulatory approvals.
HFW recently hired former shipbroker
Chris Jones and ship finance partner
Siri Wennevik, while also relocating
admiralty and crisis management partner
Toby Stephens and ship finance partner
John Forrester from London to Singapore
in 2017.
Singapore head of shipping Toby Stephens
Shipping a focus
of HFW’s new
Singapore hire
said Mr Metcalf was “one of the top
shipping lawyers in Singapore”.
“He brings considerable dry shipping
expertise to complement our existing
strength in wet shipping and ship finance,
and further enhances our ability to offer
specialist advice to clients across the
shipping and maritime industry,” Mr
Stephens said.
The head of HFW’s Singapore office Mert
Hifzi said this hire was part of an ongoing
drive to expand and diversify in the Asia-
Pacific region.
“We’ve now added six new partners in
Singapore over the past 20 months, and
will continue to seek opportunities to
bolster our offering to clients across our
core sectors and services,” Mr Hifzi said.
SVITZER ANNOUNCES
NEW GENERAL
MANAGER FOR WA
Svitzer Australia has announced
the appointment of Jodie Ransom as
its general manager – west following
Peter Ernst’s departure to join the
Port Authority of NSW.
Ms Ransom has 30 years of
maritime experience, having worked
on both the principal and ship owner
side of the industry.
She began her career with BHP
as a cadet, serving on several BHPowned
vessels before moving into
a variety of management roles,
both operational and commercial,
including Alcoa, CBH Group and MUR
Shipping Australia.
Most recently she has been
working as Principal Logistics for
South32.
She is also on the Board of Port
Hedland Port Authority.
In a statement, Svitzer Australia
said Ms Ransom’s experience made
her ideal for the role.
“We are thrilled that she has
agreed to join us, to continue the
great work done by Peter Ernst with
our people and customers in South
Australia, Western Australia, the
Northern Territory and Papua New
Guinea,” the Svitzer statement read.
Jodie Ransom is to be based out
of the Fremantle office and is to join
Svitzer on October 14.
Igor Chus; Travelerpix
14 October 2019
thedcn.com.au