Monthly Archives: July 2021

Mark Assaf | Published: July 28, 2021 20:50:45

The maritime industry and ports are capital-intensive sectors. They've transitioned over the decades, based on the principle of economies of scale, massification and the integration of several key players into giant logistics supply chains.

The quest for optimisation has made the just-in-time concept "king of the game". The big question remains: Is this model relevant in responding to the current (exceptional) pandemic-induced circumstances and beyond?

Over the last few months, a series of negative shocks that have rippled in a short period at an unprecedented scale have exposed serious weaknesses in global supply chains.

The global transport and logistics system is built on taking advantage of optimal costs of inputs and creating added value around the world with the lowest possible maritime transport costs.

Moving components several times through different vessels on various maritime routes until they reach their final destinations has been the standard procedure since containerisation began in the 1960s.

The maritime industry has witnessed numerous disruptive factors created by the Covid-19 pandemic and the trade war between the United States and China.

These include trade imbalances, lockdowns (full and partial), quarantines, shortages of critical staff, scarcity of medical supply, high dependency on self-limited factories around the world, operational challenges beyond existing scenarios and sophisticated cyber-attacks.

Another challenge is the critical financial state of the world's shipping titans that need high volumes to justify their economic models and the sheer size of their operations at global scale.

But how much of it is a self-fulfilling prophecy and to what extent are some operators taking advantage of this window of opportunity to earn excessive profits during lean times for others?

So far, 2021 has fallen well short of growth and recovery expectations around the world except for China.

While the ongoing delivery of Covid-19 vaccines is good news, most economic operators are working below their production capacity and postponing activities in the hope of a miracle to solve their problems.

Every sector was hoping to bounce back in 2021 and recover lost profits. But looking at the lossesin the tourism sector that collapsed in the wake of the pandemic, it's certain that we haven't seen the bottom of it yet!

The knock-on effects of ongoing price hikes in the maritime industry and logistics transportation of everyday merchandise could continue for the rest of 2021.

Could a new dramatic event - such as the Evergreen-operated ship jamming the Suez Canal or the Port of Yantian (in China) being bypassed due to Covid-19 cases - send new shockwaves through the already overstretched logistics system?

Operators are now looking at alternative solutions such as developing air-sea transport models, loading non-container vessels, creating buffer stocks and areas. But supply chain transformation will not happen overnight. And in this case, size matters.

The one and probably only positive effect of the pandemic - increased digitalisation - will certainly improve operations and make the various and complex mechanisms of merchandise trade by sea more efficient in pure arithmetical terms.

Complex algorithms and models calculate optimal voyages and the related cargo movement through different operative modes. But this is not enough to mitigate the exceptional challenges facing the industry right now and likely to persist for a long time.

Frighteningly, no one knows if and when the world will be declared pandemic free and when we'd need to work backwards on the steps to get back on our feet.

The one road to recovery and to get over the worst effects of the pandemic is through learning to live with Covid-19 as fast as possible to give time for normal flows of international merchandise trade to operate in calm waters and alleviate the self-imposed constraints to the system.

We are all operating under one global system and there is no back-up!

The piece is excerpted from

http://www.unctad.org

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Turbulent prices on the high seas - The Financial Express BD

Miami (CBS)

A small fleet of Cuban-Americans and their supporters took off from Miami to the high seas on Friday. Five boats departed the Bayside Marina to stop at Key West, refuel, check in to the US Coast Guard, and then sail to Cuba. The group stops just 15 nautical miles from Havana as it shows support for the Cuban people.

U.S. Coast Guard Captain Atom Chammy tells CBS News Manuel Boyorquez that the trip is legal, but traveling to Cuba is not legal and will result in a fine of up to $ 25,000 and five years imprisonment. He said there was a possibility. There are also concerns about the tropical and unpredictable weather in South Florida.

When youre 50 miles off the shore, it may look like a pretty safe ocean just a few miles from the shore, but it looks a lot different, says Chami.

The group of boaters was supposed to leave on Monday, but the event was postponed until Friday. About 100 boats were expected to attend the event.

The planned trip announced new sanctions on the Cuban Defense Minister Alvaro Pesmiera and the Cuban Interior Ministry Special Brigade to curb the peaceful opposition to democratization in Cuba, which began on July 11th. I will come sometimes. About 500 people have been detained since the protest.

The Cubans have the same freedom of expression and the right to peaceful meetings as all, Biden said in a statement.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez argues that Cuba is not a priority of the Biden administration.

The Cubans protect themselves against guns and clubs with rocks and sticks, so they sought to be as dramatic as keeping the possibility of some military intervention off the table. Suarez said.

Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Institute at Florida International University, told Boyorquez that the Biden administration is trying to find a midpoint between the Obama administrations more open policies and the rapid reversal of former President Trump. rice field.

Most of the calculations about what to do next in Cuba are related to next years midterm elections here in Florida, and Im sure its part of the debate within the White House, said Duany. rice field.

Mr Duany also said the Biden administrations stated goal of restoring the Internet to Cubans reduced by the Communist government after the uprising could help protesters maintain momentum.

Five boats head to the high seas of the fleet to show support for the Cuban people

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Five boats head to the high seas of the fleet to show support for the Cuban people - Floridanewstimes.com

On July 25, Russia celebrated Navy Day (see EDM, July 26). With plenty of pomp and circumstance, naval parades were held at various Russian Military-Maritime Fleet (Voyenno-Morskoy FlotVMF) bases, from Petropavlovsk (Kamchatka) and Vladivostok (the main bases of the Pacific Fleet, in the east), to Baltiysk (headquarters of the Baltic Fleet, in Kaliningrad Oblast), in the west. The Russian Northern Fleet held its naval parade in its main base, in Severomorsk; the Black Sea Fleet celebrated in Sevastopol; and way south, in Syria, in the Russian naval base in Tartus, the Russian permanent Mediterranean naval operational task force held its own, separate display. Warships were anchored in parade lines for the high brass to observe, while naval jets and helicopters made the requisite flyovers. In 2017, President Vladimir Putin resumed the Soviet ritual of a Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg. The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop the Main Naval Parade in 2020, and Putin, unvaccinated and without a mask, observed it together with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. On July 25, 2021, both men returned to St. Petersburg, again unmasked, viewing VMF ships on the Neva River and an exhibition of submarines and larger surface vessels at the Kronstadt naval base on Kotlin Island, west of St. Petersburg (Interfax, July 25).

Since the novel coronavirus outbreak began, no one has been allowed to penetrate Putins clean zone bubble, whether indoors or outdoors, inside the Kremlin or traveling, without first spending up to two weeks under tightly monitored, total isolation (see EDM, July 22). And though, at this point, Putin has been fully vaccinated, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently confirmed, Precautionary measures are still being taken. Those measures may vary with different people, but they typically include a prolonged quarantine and intense testing (TASS, July 26).

With Russia currently being ravaged by the highly transmittable delta mutation of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the authorities forbade the public to gather on the embankments of the Neva or along the shoreline of Sevastopol Bay, asking Russians to watch the parade on TV. But lots of people came anyway; the usually brutal Russian police did not enforce the ban and allowed the public through. Large, mostly unmasked crowds lined the embankments. According to a recent poll, 51 percent of Russians do not believe a COVID-19 infection poses any threat, while some 38 percent think otherwise. Fewer than 20 percent of Russians have been fully vaccinated (Interfax, July 28). Putins unmasked public appearances, while secretly safe for him, seemingly defy the coronavirus threat and undermine the governments public health recommendations.

It is well known that Putin loves the navy. Growing up as a child in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad)the old imperial capital built by Tsar Peter the Great to be the center of Russian naval powerRussias future president may have been enthralled with the sea and the ships; nonetheless, he ended up graduating from the legal faculty of Leningrad University and enlisted in the KGB to become a spy. After taking over the Kremlin in 2000, Putin has many times been photographed or filmed donning a naval uniform and embarking on ships and even underwater, on a nuclear submarine, where he passed a submariner inauguration ritual: drinking sea water and kissing a hanging sledgehammer (Ytro.news, February 16, 2004). Last Sunday, Putin was visibly thrilled to observe the line of ships on the Neva and at Kronstadt. In an official speech at the Main Naval Parade, he declared the Russian VMF to be battle-ready and prepared to detect, defeat and destroy any enemy, anywhere, underwater, above water, in the air (militarynews, July 25).

The Northern Fleet sent to St. Petersburg Russias newest Borei-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). The K-549the first operational upgraded Borei-Asailed into the Baltic Sea through the Danish Straits on the surface, open for anyone to observe and record its unique sonic profile. The mode of survival of SSBNs is total stealth, hiding in their so-called Barents Sea fortress. But there it was, in the shallow Baltic, parked at Kronstadt for Putin to admire (Interfax, July 25).

Shoigu may have used the naval parade showcase to lobby Putin not to cut the defense budget. Still, the Russian VMF is deeply unhappy. After 2010, as Russian defense spending rapidly increased, the Russian navy had grand expansion and modernization plans, but many of them were rejected or withered. The services hopes included reviving the nuclear Kirov-class nuclear super cruisers, but only Admiral Nakhimov is being refurbishedat a staggering costwhile its two sister-ships are being scrapped (Militarynews.ru, February 18). The navy had also wanted to build nuclear-powered Lider-class super destroyersvessels almost as big as the Kirov-class cruisers, but better armed and equipped to take on the United States Navy on the high seas. Those construction plans have been postponed indefinitely (RIA Novosti, April, 15). Russias only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, is stranded without a propeller, its remont (repair and retrofitting) off schedule due to lack of an adequate dry dock to complete its renovation (Interfax, April 13; see EDM, June 15).

The Russian navy wants carriers, but plans to build them have been equally postponed. Still Russias admirals mostly resent (hate) being dominated by army (tank) generals. The top military commander observing the VMF parade in Sevastopol on July 25 was Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov. As commander of the Southern Military District, he is in charge of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla. Only the Northern Fleet today has the rank of a separate military district and is somewhat operationally independent of the Ground Forces. According to Admiral (ret.) Vladimir Komoyedov, the VMF is a neglected orphan: The naval command does not control the fleet operationally or its shipbuilding program (Gazeta.ru, July 24).

Ahead of Navy Day, Putin signed an ukaz (decree) stipulating the St. Andrews Cross flag as the Russian navy ensign, replacing a similar 1992 order by then-president Boris Yeltsin. The main difference is that Yeltsins ukaz additionally stipulated the design of naval flag-officers colors, while Putins ukaz does not mention them at all. The VMF leadership believes this may be a conspiracy by army (tank) generals to strip naval flag-officers of their personal ensigns, adding insult to injury (Moskovsky Komsomolets, July 24). Putin may have a mutiny brewing on his watch; but does he comprehend this from inside his safe bubble?

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Disgruntlement Grows Within Leadership Ranks of Russian Navy - Jamestown - The Jamestown Foundation

By Al Alexander| For The Patriot Ledger

With its Pirates of the Caribbean franchise out of gas, the bean counters at Disney are making movies about another theme parkride, Jungle Cruise. Their thought, obviously, was to incorporate the same formula as Pirates, but tweak it a bit by shifting the location from the 19th-century high seas to the Amazon River circa 1925. We still get a rickety boat for transportation, a goofy captain whose jokes arent quite as funny as he thinks they are, and a damsel who is hardly in distress. Oh, and yes, there will be unscrupulous ghosts aplenty, matey just none as entertaining as Johnny Depp'sCapt. Jack Sparrow.

Instead, we get Dwayne Johnson asskipper Frank Wolff, whose creaky riverboat, La Quila, is in hock up to its bow.

Ah, but salvation arrives in the nick of time via a brainy British beauty going by the regal name of Dr. Lily Houghton, an ostracized botanist in search of a legendary tree whose leaves, its said, contain vast healing powers.Problem is no one but the indigenous have ever seen it and theyre not talking, just cannibalizing the gullible white men seeking it, including one notorious conquistador in Lope de Aguirre. Thus, we have the claptrap set-up for Jungle Cruise, an overlong, over-plotted and underachieving adventure yarn in the vein of The African Queen by way of Raiders of the Lost Ark. It pains me to evoke such Hollywood classics as reference points for a summer blockbuster brimming with blockheads. But I see no other way. So, forgive me.

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Just think of Frank as (cringe) Humphrey Bogarts cranky Charlie Allnutt, Emily Blunt as Katharine Hepburns patronizing Rose Sayer, and the Amazon as the asp-infested Nile. Thats where the commonalities end and the rip-offs of Pirates of the Caribbean begin. Not the best role model. But Johnson and Blunt give it their best in the wake of mediocre direction (Orphans Jaume Collet-Serra) and a trio of tedious writers in Michael Green (Logan), and Bad Santa co-scribes Glenn Ficarraand John Requa. For the most part, the two luminous stars generate just enough wattage to light the screen with cheeky banter and faint touches of a potentially sizzling romance. Like Bogart and Hepburn, their hostility toward one another is a snarky facade for love. And for a while, you buy into it, as the sophisticated lady and her slightly chauvinistic guide spar on an up-river journey toward hell that will never be compared with Apocalypse Now.

Its more like the Amazon-set, river-cruise spoof Anaconda, but without the laughs. Not that Jungle Cruise isnt trying to be funny. Its just not succeeding at it. Although some of that must be excused given bad puns uttered by the skipper are an integral part of the Disneyland ride. But that doesn't mean lines such as, Were heading into beheading territory, which is a terrible place to be headed, don't elicit groans. Dont worry, Blunts Lily doesnt find it amusing, either.Nor, I suspect, does she enjoy Franks excessive passive-aggressive taunts, like referring to her as Pants because she never dons frilly frocks. Shes also 10times more book-smart than her escort, who holds the upper hand only when danger lurks. Which is around almost every bend, just like the amusement park ride on which the movie is based.

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Ah, the ride. It recently reopened on the Anaheim campus after closing for several years to be scrubbed of its many archaic depictions of women and minorities that passed muster when it opened in 1955, but are now considered sexist and racist. Alas, the movie it inspired still carries some of those liabilities, but not often. Rather, its refreshing to see Blunts water-fearing Lily acting every bit Johnsons equal, even when fisticuffs break out between our heroes and those whod like to see them dead, including an over-the-top Jesse Plemons as a crazed relative of Kaiser Wilhelm out to beat them to the legendary Tears of the Moon shrine in Peru. His use of a U-boat and other ridiculous weaponry while rolling up the river is bizarre to say the least.

Hes the equivalent of the Nazis in Raiders, but not the least bit scary, as Plemons is wasted almost as badly as Paul Giamatti as a richer, more sophisticated rival of Frank's. On the plus side is comedian Jack Whitehall as Lilys scene-stealing gay brother, MacGregor. His fussiness and fabulous luggage render him pretty much a negative stereotype, but Whitehall bites his tongue and sells it well, albeit cringingly. The kids, who are going to enjoy this discombobulated mess of a movie more than their bored parents, will surely get a charge out of Franks sidekick, a not-as-ferocious-as-he-looks jaguar named Proxima.

The movie, though, is a decidedly mixed bag of kicks and uninspired CGI tricks. What were seeing always looks fake and the writing is for the most part subpar. The costumes by Paco Delgado are period-perfect and Jean-Vincent Puzos production designs are sufficiently dark and creepy, although I could have done without all those slithering snakes. Yes, amid its many flaws, "Jungle Cruise" thrives on the substantial charisma of its two stars. They deftly channel these rough waters into something, as Frank would quip, you can take to the banks.

.

Movie review

JUNGLE CRUISE

(PG-13 for adventure violence.) Cast includes Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti and Jack Whitehall. In theaters and on Disney+ July 30. Grade: B-

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It's a bumpy ride with Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson on 'Jungle Cruise' - The Patriot Ledger

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are both sailing the high seas near St. Tropez, but who is staying on the nicer luxury liner?

Size-wise, J.Lo has the bigger boat, but as any Page Six reader knows, theres always more to yachts than meets the eye.

Hot-and-heavy couple Lopez and Ben Affleck are aboard the Valerie, worth a reported $140 million. The interior was designed by Pascale Reymond and takes inspiration from Claridges of Londonand Art Deco.

The 279-foot mega-yacht features six decks, nine cabins and can hold 17 guests and 27 crew members.

Features include a central bar and Jacuzzi, panoramic gym, a room for massages and beauty treatments, a steam room and Turkish Hammam. Boat Bennifer also houses a cinema and images from inside additionally show a Schimmel Pegasus Piano that costs around $100,000, in case the pop star is struck by inspiration while at sea.

Despite the fact that photos have emerged of the couple looking cozy while sunbathing on the deck, according to Boat International: Discretion and privacy are at the very heart of [Valeries] flowing exterior design [and] shields guest spaces from onlookers and hides all technical areas.

The pair are on the trip to celebrate Lopezs 52nd birthday.

Rodriguez who posted an aerial shot of him and pals doing the 54D workout on the deck is cruising around on the $32 million Ocean Paradise. He is celebrating his 46th birthday on Tuesday with a planned party on his boat, sources told Page Six.

The 180-foot boat has interior design by Mauro Izzo inspired by Zen gardens, and its six cabins can hold 12 guests and 12 crew members.

It also features a pool with waterfall jets, an indoor and outdoor gym, and a dance floor plus water skis and kayaks.

As of Monday, A-Rods boat was at the port in Monaco. Lopez was photographed shopping in the same luxe principality while wearing a necklace that said BEN, while the following day, her and Afflecks yacht hit the coast of Italy.

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In the battle of the mega-yachts, does Jennifer Lopez or Alex Rodriguez's come out on top? - Page Six

Kaiyuan Temple, featuring exquisite rooftop decorations, is the largest Buddhist temple in Quanzhou. CHINA DAILY

A centuries-old shipwreck off the coast of Guangdong province was finally salvaged in 2007, two decades after it was found completely by chance. Archaeologists named that famous shipwreck, dating to the Southern Song era (1127-1279), Nanhai One.

The ill-fated ship was carrying a full cargo when she, as is believed, sank shortly after setting off from Quanzhou, Fujian province, which was one of the world's busiest ports at the time.

While it was unfortunate for the vessel at the time, for today's researchers, the wreck is a perfect time capsule, sealing the prosperity of ancient maritime trade within its cabinsover 170,000 porcelain artifacts, many of which remain intact, have been found among its ruins. And it is estimated that about one-third of them are white glaze produced in Dehua, a county about 70 kilometers from what is today downtown Quanzhou.

The precious underwater treasure trove unveils one piece of a grand picture depicting the area's porcelain industry, which, according to archaeological findings, formed and blossomed over the course of 3,700 years.

According to Li Jian'an, a veteran researcher of ceramics, who is also the former director of Fujian Provincial Archaeology Research Institute, the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties represented the industry's peak in ancient China.

As "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China "newly gained the UNESCO World Heritage status, the site of Dehua Kilns, which is included in the inscription, is ready to tell stories of the booming trade on the high seas from the mountainous area inland.

"Dehua porcelain is an outstanding representative of ceramic varieties exported from ancient China," Li says. "Thanks to maritime trade, its development leapt between the 10th and 14th centuries," Li says. "It was aimed at the high-end markets overseas due to its refined nature."

In Europe, Blanc de Chine (the white from China) that was produced in Dehua became a popular variety and later influenced the renowned Meissen porcelain in Germany.

Without flamboyant decorations, the white glaze is usually printed or carved with simple but elegant floral patterns.

According to Li, articles including bowls, plates, boxes and vases are among the main types of products exported during the Song and Yuan periods (960-1368). The white porcelain was found in large quantities, not only aboard Nanhai One, but also among shipwrecks from Indonesia, Malaysia, and other areas across South China Sea. Samples of Dehua white porcelain have also been found at archaeological sites in West Asia and East Africa.

Crafting such exquisite products requires time. According to The Travels of Marco Polo, a book chronicling the 13th century Venetian traveler's adventure in China, the way to make the clay base for the porcelain is to take a particular variety of soil from a quarry, and spend 30 to 40 years exposing it to sunshine.

"Fathers take it, and only their sons can use it," the book says.

"White porcelain evidence proves the powerful industry and trading capacity of Quanzhou," Li further explains. "It also shows local people's continuous creativity."

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Elements of successearth, fire and water - Chinadaily.com.cn - Chinadaily USA

A Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan aircraft during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. (Photo: Jacqueline Forrester/Royal Australian Air Force)

The Australian Department of Defence announced that the role of the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) C-27J Spartan is being redefined to enhance the Departments support for humanitarian disaster relief, crisis response and regional engagements, allowing the country to better respond to natural disasters in Australia and its near region, regional engagement across the Indo-Pacific and the Australian Defence Forces military logistics and air mobility capability.

The Chief of the RAAF, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, said the Spartans capabilities were aligned with Defences strategic objectives to shape Australias strategic environment, deter actions against the nations interests and when required, respond with credible military force. The RAAF has been working for some years to introduce new capabilities on the C-27J, like the Compact Rescue Systems for Search And Rescue (SAR) missions, and already used the cargo aircraft during emergency scenarios like the bushfire crisis.

The Spartan demonstrated its specific capabilities during the 2019/20 Australian bushfire crisis by safely evacuating 2,400 fire-affected community members and resupplying remote communities that were inaccessible by larger aircraft, which included moving 300,000 kilograms of cargo, Air Marshal Hupfeld said. The Spartan conducted these missions at a range that exceeded the ability of Defence helicopters because of its flexibility and the inherent operational characteristics of a light tactical fixed wing aircraft.

The importance of the C-27J Spartan for the RAAF has been proved again recently both during international exercises and real contingency response missions where it provided assistance to regional neighbours. The use of the Spartan on exercises such as Arnhem Thunder and Talisman Sabre to deliver vital stores to expeditionary airbases, showcases its ability to reach remote and austere airbases, said the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts. And it has also recently transported medical supplies and equipment to Port Moresby to assist PNG in the fight against COVID-19; as well as contributed to Australias support to regional maritime security and fisheries protection on the high seas through deployments on Operations Resolute and Solania.

The No. 35 Squadron, based at RAAF Base Amberly, operates a fleet of 10 C-27J Spartan aircraft, the first of those arrived in Australia in 2015. The multi-mission military transport aircraft complements the larger C-17 Globemaster III and C-130J Super Hercules within the Australian air mobility fleet, conducting a wide variety of missions which span from the airlift of cargo loads, to the airdrop of paratroops, to the aeromedical evacuation and SAR support.

Needless to say, the humanitarian disaster relief support role of the RAAF C-27J is just one of the missions the Spartan can carry out. Its mission flexibility is proved by the wide variety of missions the aircraft conduct flying with several operators all around the world. Today Leonardos C-27J Spartan is considered one of the most effective multi-mission airlifters of its category, the only one specifically designed to support the last mile operations, with significant combat experience.

For instance, the JCA (Joint Cargo Aircraft) the US C-27J Spartan had its combat debut in Afghanistan in 2011, supporting coalition forces at forward operating bases with airlift and airdrop mission. As often explained here at The Aviationist, the Italian Air force is among the Spartan operators still successfully performing in the most hostile areas, flying as an airlifter in the Afghan and Iraqi theatres. Moreover, the EC-27J JEDI, a derivative version extensively modified to perform Electronic Warfare missions, is still deployed to Erbil, Iraq supporting the coalition against Daesh and last February the unit celebrated the achievement of 5,000 flight hours flown by EC-27J JEDI over Iraq since Aug. 10, 2016.

Also the Romanian Air Force operated their C-27Js aircraft in Afghanistan, while the Lithuanian Air Force, another operator that can rely on Spartans DASS defence system, further to Afghanistan and Iraq, deployed in 2014 its C-27Js in support to the French-led operation Sangaris, aimed at stabilizing the security situation in the Central African Republic. In addition, all of the above Air Forces use the C-27J as protected VIP transport, where particular safety care is needed.

David Cenciotti is a freelance journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of The Aviationist, one of the worlds most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written four books.

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The RAAF Redefines The Role Of The C-27J Spartan For Humanitarian Disaster Relief - The Aviationist

First look photos have been unveiled for Anything Goes as it continues its run at the Barbican!

Cole Porter and PG Wodehouse's classic musical is set on the SS Americana and follows two pairings that try to find love on the high seas. It features numbers such as "I Get A Kick Out of You", "You're the Top", "It's De- Lovely!" and "Anything Goes".

Kathleen Marshall, who directed and choreographed the 2011 revival, will return to helm a brand new version of the show. The creative team also includes set designer Derek McLane, costume designer Jon Morrell, music director and supervisor Stephen Ridley, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, sound designer Jonathan Deans, orchestrator Michael Gibson (with additions by Bill Elliott) and wig designer Campbell Young.

Dance arrangements are by David Chase, vocal arrangements by Rob Fisher, associate direction by Ian Waller, associate choreography by Carol Lee Meadows, associate set design by Ben Davies, associate costume design by Jan Bench, casting by Serena Hill, associate musical direction by Mark Aspinall, associate production management by Tom McEvilly and props supervision by Mary Halliday and Lisa Buckley

The production stars Robert Lindsay, Felicity Kendal, Gary Wilmot and Sutton Foster, as well as Samuel Edwards as Billy Crocker, alongside Nicole-Lily Baisden as Hope Harcourt, Carly Mercedes Dyer as Erma and Haydn Oakley as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

They are joined by Martin Callaghan (Ship's Purser), Jon Chew (John), Clive Hayward (Ship's Captain), Alistair So (Luke), Marc Akinfolarin, Simon Anthony, Georgie Ashford, Vivien Carter, Natalie Chua, Eamonn Cox, Jordan Crouch, Frances Dee, Charlene Ford, Selina Hamilton, Maddie Harper, Michael Lin, Robbie McMillan, Tom Partridge, Jack Wilcox, Alexandra Wright, George Beet, Gabrielle Cocca, Emily Ormiston and Liam Wrate.

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Anything Goes at the Barbican first look photos released - WhatsOnStage.com

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Galley Talk is back and so are some very familiar faces.

When Below Deck Mediterranean Galley Talk premiereson Friday, July 30 at 8/7c, it will feature the reunion of Ben Robinson (Below Deck Seasons 1-4, Below Deck Mediterranean Seasons 1 and 4) and Kate Chastain (Below Deck Seasons 2-7), The Daily Dishcan exclusively reveal. Fans first fell in love with the witty repartee between the chef and chief stew, respectively, when theystarted working together in Season 2 of Below Deck. Now, Ben and Kate will be one of four pairs watching and reacting to all of the buzzy moments of this season of Below Deck Med.

They will be joined by returning Below Deck Galley Talk duos Colin Macy-O'Toole(Below Deck MedSeasons 3-4) andBobby Giancola(Below Deck MedSeasons 1-2); Anastasia Surmava(Below Deck MedSeason 4) andAlex Radcliffe(Below Deck MedSeason 5); and Josiah Carter(Below DeckSeason 6) andJulia d'Albert Pusey(Below Deck MedSeason 1).

These alums will be offering their take on all the high seas drama in Season 6 of Below Deck Med, beginning with Episode 605, including what Ben really thinks of chef Mathew Shea's antics in the galley, their reaction to all the fun Mzi "Zee" Dempers brings to a crew night out, and why Alex calls deckhand David Pascoe "a cheeky motherf--ker."

From crew conflict to outrageous charter guests to unexpected emergencies, the Below Deck Mediterranean Galley Talk cast will have so much to say about the Lady Michelle yachties throughout the rest of this season of Below Deck Med. They'll also catch up with one another and share the latest on their post-Below Deck lives.

It all kicks off on Friday, July 30 at 8/7c. Get yourfirst look atBelow Deck Mediterranean Galley Talk, above.

Want more Below Deck Med? Season 6 airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo with early access to new episodes on Peacock.

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Kate Chastain and Ben Robinson Reunite for the Return of Galley Talk - Bravo

As Nova Scotias provincial election campaign has unfolded amid deadly heat waves in Western Canada and catastrophic flooding in Europe, the topic of preparing the province for its own potential weather disasters has been submerged by other issues.

Thats not surprising to David Kogon, the mayor of Amherst, the community that sits beside the potential ground zero of a Canadian climate change disaster.

Climate change should be a political hot topic, but I think people today in 2021 are probably more concerned about their personal health care as a problem than rising sea levels, he said in an interview Monday, two days after western wildfires brought haze and a reddish sun to the province.

Kogon, who is also a physician, wishes it werent so, given the importance of climate change adaptation to his town.

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Experts have for decades warned that the combination of a high tide with a powerful storm up the Bay of Fundy could overwhelm aging dikes and flood large portions of Amherst, as well as neighbouring Sackville, N.B. Meanwhile the sea level at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy has been rising at a rate of about 2.4 millimetres a year over the past century, even as the dikes and coastal land continue to subside.

If the disaster occurs, vital transportation and utility links could be severed for weeks, affecting the entire provinces supply of food, medicine and other essentials.

An engineering study looking at ways to prevent flooding is under review by the federal, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick governments, and the party that wins the Nova Scotia election will likely face major funding decisions within the next mandate.

Provincial politicians have to start planning for those expenses, because theyre going to be big, and theyre going to be necessary in the next four to five years, Kogon said.

A 2016 federal study looked at adapting the Chignecto Isthmus, a narrow, low-lying strip of land connecting Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, to climate change. It concluded possible costs ranged from $90 million to build up and alter the existing dikes to $345 million to completely reroute highways and railways. All the options needed at least five years to complete.

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Still, the major parties have only brief comments on climate adaptation in their platforms and no specific costing.

The Progressive Conservatives say they will build climate change adaptive capacity, and will ensure municipalities have sufficient resources to take immediate and long-term action on their adaptation priorities.

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The NDP doesnt specifically mention the isthmus in its 10-year vision document, but promises to partner with municipalities in establishing a fund for climate adaptation projects that would create local jobs and protect municipal infrastructure. A more detailed platform is expected before the Aug. 17 election.

In an interview Monday, party leader Gary Burrill said the public spending that is required to mitigate sea level rise in every respect is very, very important and that includes sea level rise in Cumberland County (the county on the Nova Scotia side of the isthmus).

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The Liberals have yet to provide a full platform. On Tuesday, leader Iain Rankin said his government has supported the study of the Chignecto Isthmus solutions, adding it is one piece of climate change strategy how we adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change and we will continue to be a partner in important infrastructure projects like that.

The Green party, which has no seats in the legislature, released a platform this week that states it would direct resources in all provincial departments towards adapting to climate change and provide adequate financial and resource support to municipalities for mitigation and adaptation.

Ottawa currently helps provinces with disaster mitigation projects through a special fund topped up in the most recent federal budget. However, Nova Scotia can expect competition for federal funds from other provinces, and the adaptation projects needed to protect the provinces coastline from rising seas may involve more than just the isthmus.

A study by a team of geographers at Saint Marys University has indicated that about 70 per cent of the 241 kilometres of dikes in the province could be overtopped in a severe tidal surge coming up the Bay of Fundy.

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Mimi OHandley, a spokeswoman for Nova Scotias major environmental group, the Ecology Action Centre, says the organization is glad to see the topic of adapting to climate disasters mentioned in platforms, but her group would like to see more detailed commitments from the parties.

She said in an email that as major storms increase in frequency and severity, the centre is calling for bold fiscal commitments for immediate and long-term adaptation actions.

Dr. Laurette Geldenhuys, a pathologist and chair of the local chapter of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, said in an interview Thursday that doctors who study the causes of illnesses are increasingly aware of the fallout from weather disasters like the one in British Columbia, where heat-related deaths shot up this summer.

In Nova Scotia, the existing shortfalls on coastal protection and municipal infrastructure could mean flooding disasters will lead to contamination of water supply and homelessness among the poor and vulnerable, she said.

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Meanwhile, without long-term investments in adaptation soon, she warns that cleaning up after disasters could drain budgets of funds politicians are currently targeting for health care.

I was a little alarmed of how climate was not front and centre in the party platforms, she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2021.

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