Daily Collection of Maritime Press Clippings 2008 – 296

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

Number 296 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Saturday 08-11-2008 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.

The NEFTEGAZ 61 pulls alongside the TSHD ORANJE in the Baydaratskaya bay (Russia) for a crew change, as can be seen the ORANJE is operating at present in temperatures of -11 C with a water temperature of -1,5 C Photo : M.Arnold ©

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IF YOU HAVE PICTURES OR OTHER SHIPPING RELATED INFORMATION FOR THE NEWS CLIPPINGS ?? PLEASE SEND THIS TO : [email protected] EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The STAINLESS DOLPHIN seen alongside the THIALF for bunkers along the West African coast Photo : Fedde Visser ©

Bakassi militia retracts report hostage killed

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A Bakassi militia group which kidnapped 10 mostly French oil workers from a ship off Cameroon last week said on Thursday all the hostages were still alive, retracting a report that one had been killed in a rescue bid. Ebi Dari, commander of the Niger Delta Defence and Security Council (NDDSC), said all 10 hostages were "fine", contradicting a statement he made to Reuters on Wednesday that one hostage had been shot dead in a failed rescue attempt by Nigerian marines. However, a man who gave his name as General A.G. Basuo and said he was directing the group's operations on the ground, said a French hostage whom militants first thought had been killed during a gunfight with the marines had in fact survived.

India ship owners lose millions due to piracy fears Indian shipping firms are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars every month as fears of piracy in the Gulf of Aden hold up ships and delay consignments, officials said on Tuesday.

Around 20 foreign ships, including the India-bound MT Stolt Valor, a chemical tanker with 18 Indian crew members, are being held by Somali pirates in the region. The Japanese-owned merchant vessel was hijacked by Somali pirates in September in the Gulf of Aden.

"The situation is grave and we are concerned about growing piracy as it is hurting trade," said Shashank Kulkarni, Secretary General of Indian National Ship Owners Association (INSA) told Reuters from Mumbai.

"The government must act before it becomes too late." Indian ships are losing $450,000 a month on cost overruns and delays in meeting deadlines, while crew members are reluctant to sail in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's most important sea trade routes. Around $100 billion of India's sea trade passes through the Gulf of Aden, INSA said after a series of meetings with government officials since last month. Last month, India sent a warship to guard its merchant ships from pirates, but the ship had to turn back due to a technical glitch, INSA officials said.

An Indian Navy spokesman said a replacement ship will patrol the area, but ship owners said it was not enough to instill confidence. Of the 24 Somali incidents recorded from April to June this year, 19 occurred in the Gulf of Aden, where at least eight vessels reported being fired on by pirates with rocket propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons.

International shipping federation last week urged governments around the world to do more individually and collectively through the United Nations, to counter piracy in the region. Source : africa.reuters EU LOOKS TO EXPAND MARITIME ROLE THE European Commission says it is taking the first step towards “establishing a comprehensive strategy for integrated maritime surveillance for Europe”. It has issued a report that is likely to stoke the fears of opponents of a federal-style EU coastguard. The report is used to justify EU expenditure on “two large-scale pilot projects to evaluate how member states can improve cross-sectoral exchange of surveillance data and carry out joint activities”.

The report, in the form of a Commission Staff Working Document, describes the current state of play as regards the surveillance, monitoring, tracking, identification and reporting systems put in place by EU Member States and EU Agencies. It also identifies the next steps it claims ought to be undertaken and the “challenges to be resolved in order to achieve an integrated maritime surveillance network for Europe”.

The Brussels document argues: “Such an integrated and cross-sectoral network would provide essential added value for national authorities in handling a range of challenges, such as trafficking in drugs, arms and people, illegal fisheries, pollution, piracy and terrorism. Greater systems integration would also help national authorities in charge of surveillance operations become more efficient and reduce their operating costs over time.” European Commissioner for Distribution : daily 5275+ copies worldwide Page 3 11/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Joe Borg claimed: "For maritime surveillance to work as well as it can, it needs to be comprehensive, cross border and cross-sectoral. We need systems which can draw on all available means.. The existing obligations in this area at EU level are many and varied, and our vessel monitoring systems are increasingly sophisticated. However, they tend to monitor a specific area focusing on one single activity instead of having a overall view on the many activities that are simultaneously carried out at sea. . We need to work towards the full interoperability of the various systems, and this new working document identifies precisely what needs to be done next in order to realise that vision."

The EC concedes that there is already substantial sectoral cooperation taking place at both EU and national level on specific matters such as border control, maritime safety and security, as well as fisheries. It says: “Specific examples which demonstrate the potential for coordinating resources across sectoral boundaries can be found in the 2008 inspection campaign mounted by the Commission and the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) for the bluefin tuna fishery. It can also be found in the launch of EU NAVCO initiative, last September, to coordinate monitoring and action to combat piracy against EU vessels in Somali waters.”

Nevertheless the Working Document argues: “further concerted work by all participants is required to move towards greater integration on a cross-sectoral level to achieve better added value and cost-efficiency benefits”. Source : Maritime Global Net

Boat people arrivals in the Mediterranean, Gulf of Aden already top 2007 Smuggling of people at sea is not, of course, confined to the Gulf of Aden. UNHCR and its partners have been working to help governments deal with this and other mixed migration issues, including through a series of regional conferences to address practical issues. The first of these conferences took place in Yemen in May, and another one is set for next week in Dakar, Senegal. UNHCR has also developed a 10-Point Plan of Action on Refugee Protection and Mixed Migration that sets out a number of areas where we believe initiatives are called for and where we can contribute some expertise.

Nevertheless, the number of refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden by sea in the first 10 months of 2008 is already higher than the total for the whole of last year is several areas, according to UNHCR estimates based on various official and unofficial sources.

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Nearly 30,000 boat people arrived on Italian shores by the end of October this year, compared to 19,900 during the whole of 2007. At the same time, the number of people reported dead or missing at sea on their way to Italy or Malta in the first 10 months of 2008 (509) is already higher than the total for 2007 (471). This is despite the laudable search and rescue efforts of the Italian Navy and Coast Guard.

In Malta, close to 2,600 boat people arrived in the first nine months of the year from North Africa, compared to 1,800 in the whole of 2007.

In the case of Greece, figures are available only for the first seven months of 2008, but they show the same trend as in Italy and Malta. An estimated 15,000 people arrived in the Greek mainland or islands in the Aegean between January and July of this year, compared with 19,900 during the whole of 2007.

Arrivals in mainland Spain and the Canary Islands up to the end of October this year (10,700) are also higher than during the same period last year (9,100 in the first 10 months of 2007), but still lower than during the whole of 2007 (18,000).

The number of refugees in these mixed movements of people, which also include economic migrants, varies widely from country to country and at different times of the year. In the case of Italy, one-third of those arriving irregularly by sea last year applied for asylum (some 7,000 people). On average, almost half of all asylum applicants in Italy are recognized as refugees or granted some other form of protection.

In Malta, roughly 80 percent of those arriving by sea apply for asylum and nearly 60 percent of them, on average, are recognized to be in need of international protection. They receive either refugee status or another form of protection.

In contrast to those reaching Italy or Malta, only around 3 percent of boat people reaching Spanish shores apply for asylum, despite information and counselling being available to new arrivals.

In addition to the Mediterranean, UNHCR has been drawing attention for some time to the humanitarian crisis in the Gulf of Aden, where every year tens of thousands of people flee the Horn of Africa – a region scarred by civil war, political instability, famine and poverty- in search of protection in Yemen or further afield.

During the first ten months of 2008, over 38,000 people made the dangerous crossing by boat from Somalia to Yemen. This represents a considerable increase from the 29,500 who made the same journey during the whole of last year. Over 600 people have been reported dead or missing so far this year in the Gulf of Aden. Last year, the death toll reached 1,400.

In 2007, an estimated two-thirds of those who reached Yemen alive sought assistance from UNHCR. Yemen has for years accepted Somalis as refugees on a prima facie basis but access to refugee protection has been more difficult for asylum seekers from Ethiopia.

UNHCR is beefing up its response by improving reception conditions for those who manage to reach Yemen and, at the same time, improving the living conditions of people with protection needs in the Horn of Africa so that they do not need to risk their lives by crossing into Yemen. Source : UNHC Ex-crew members tell of problems aboard ship Several former crew members of a fishing vessel that sank in the Bering Sea testified about problems they observed aboard the ship, though inspectors said they found no discrepancies when they looked at the boat.

The Katmai went down Oct. 22 in a storm off Alaska's Aleutian Islands, killing seven crewmen. Capt. Henry Blake III was one of four crew members rescued from a life raft. On Monday, a former Katmai engineer, Phillip Stromstad,

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criticized some of Blake's decisions during Stromstad's time aboard the vessel in July. He also said he felt the stability plan for the Katmai was in error and might cause the vessel to ride poorly in the water.

The hearing was part of an ongoing investigation into the sinking of the 93-foot vessel. Survivors testified last week in Anchorage, Alaska. The investigating marine board is composed of both Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board members. Former crew member Anne-Marie Morris said the boat often rocked heavily at sea. Another former crew member, Alex Vigil, said he had seen minor flooding and a few engineering malfunctions during his time aboard the ship in 2007.

Martin Teachout, a Coast Guard fishing vessel examiner who looked at the boat in December 2007, said the Katmai showed no discrepancies. His testimony mirrored that of Greg Thurston, a vessel surveyor for M A Stream & Associates Inc. Vessel stability expert Paul Schwitters, who performed a stability review of the Katmai in 2007, also said the vessel met safety and stability requirements at that time.

The boat was owned by Seattle-based Katmai Fishing Inc. The marine board will examine its evidence and could reconvene at an unspecified future date, Coast Guard Petty Officer Shawn Eggert said. Source : ap.google

The ARMADE TUAH 10 – Photo : Capt. Jelle de Vries © Nigeria - Govt Raises Alarm over Toxic Wastes Vessel Delta State government said yesterday that a Ukrainian vessel suspected to be carrying toxic wastes, has entered the country and is on its way to berth on its shores with the intent of dumping its hazardous substance. Special Assistant to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on Environment, Barrister Fred Majemite, who dropped the hint in Asaba, during a

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chat with pressmen, said the information is contained in a letter from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warning that the state should be on red alert.

“This is the letter we received from NEMA alerting us that a Ukrainian vessel, in connivance with some foreign companies, are looking for where to dump toxic waste in Nigeria and we suspect that they may come to Delta State, following the antecedents of the toxic waste dumping that took place in Koko few years ago, so we are on red alert.," he said.

Following this development, Majemite said plans had been concluded to set up a committee to monitor the environment and report any act of waste dumping, as well as check activities of oil companies operating in the state that are susceptible to oil spillage and report to relevant authorities. He frowned at what he termed the serious environmental pollution and degradation by oil companies and individuals alike, observing that when there is a spill, usually the onus is on the company to alert the state government or agencies involved. He said.” Once there are such spills, for reasons I do not understand, they dilly dally before letting us know. So most times, we get information through the communities that are involved.

"In time past, we’ve told them that they should maintain high standards in their operations. When there is a spill it takes longer time before they are able to clean up. When you meet them they tell you that the communities involved don’t allow them, that they want them to carry out proper survey may be with regards to compensation.

“But again too, I’m sure that they can curtail it. Maybe before you carry out your clean, you can curtail it. There is what we call bumps, you can use them to curtail it so that it does not flow to other communities.” Source : thisdayonline

Cruise liner hit by sickness bug Dozens of passengers on a cruise ship have been confined to their cabins after an outbreak of the norovirus sickness bug. About 60 passengers have been taken ill with it on the Princess Cruises' ship Diamond Princess in the Far East.

Those affected were unable to leave the ship when it stopped at Shanghai on a 16-day cruise which has included stops in Hong Kong and Singapore. A number of cruises have been hit by this bug in recent years.

Norovirus is the most common form of stomach upset and causes vomiting and diarrhoea. It normally lasts between one and three days. John Lloyd, 69, from Stevenage, England, told The Sun newspaper: "We're cooped up here with this virus. It has been hellish. It was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime."

A spokeswoman for Princess Cruises said the Chinese health authorities had confirmed the cause of the sickness as norovirus "which is currently circulating widely throughout certain parts of the world and which is extremely contagious".

She went on: "We are working closely with the Chinese health authorities who are sailing with the ship until her arrival in Xingang (in China) on Friday. "The ship is currently undergoing an extensive sanitisation to contain any further spread of the illness, and we have planned additional enhanced ship disinfection for the turnaround in Xingang." Source : BBC NEWS

Large numbers of Somali refugees still arrive in Yemen coasts An unidentified human smuggling ship has dropped almost 50 Somali refugees off the coast of Rudhum in the province of Shabwah. Coastguards have gathered the refugees to send them to a temporary refugee shelter in the province and noted that among the refugees were 16 women and children.

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Early this week, the Brum coast in the eastern province of Hadramout received 114 Somali refugees who were handed over to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which in turn sent them to the temporary refugee shelter.

Moreover, police in Abyan earlier found the bodies of 16 refugees including 4 bodies at the coast of Ahwar.

Many African refugees arrive in Yemen in daily numbers fleeing poverty and conflict in their hometowns.

Some of these refugees die drowning either as boats capsize or when they are sometimes forced by the smuggling boats owners to swim to reach Yemen coasts. Source : sabanews Over $11 million of heroin seized at the Port of Halifax First heroin seizure from a marine container in the Atlantic Region

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that its officers at the Port of Halifax have seized over 27 kilos of heroin with an estimated street value of over $11 million.

Border officers discovered the drugs on Oct. 22 while searching a marine container bound for Ontario from Pakistan. The container was identified by the targeting unit that examines the manifests of all containers arriving in the Port of Halifax and identifies those requiring full physical inspection.

Officers searched 430 boxes and suspected heroin was found in 81 cardboard boxes. Officers used x-ray technology to confirm dark images inside the boxes. The boxes were opened and searched revealing 161 packages totalling 27.8 kilograms.

“Our officers are the first line of defence in protecting Canadians from the devastating social impact and criminal activity associated with the smuggling of illegal drugs,” says Andrew LeFrank, director Nova Scotia District CBSA. “Seizing illegal drugs at our borders ensures that those drugs are kept off our streets.”

Once the drugs were identified, the CBSA with the assistance of the RCMP's National Ports Enforcement Team (NPET) in Halifax began a joint operation / investigation in order to apprehend the persons responsible for the importation of the drugs. This operation includes the RCMP Drug Section in Toronto who coordinated the controlled delivery of the container destined for Toronto.

On October 30th, this investigation led to the seizure of the drugs and the successful arrest of five individuals in the Toronto area. Source : halifaxnewsnet More calls for investigation into coastal erosion in UK www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk reports that a fresh call will be made for the UK Government to carry out an investigation into whether offshore dredging has contributed to large losses of land on the East Riding coast.

In the past year, unprecedented volumes of cliff have disappeared into the sea, prompting East Riding Council to write to the Government requesting an independent study into whether offshore dredging is a factor in the high rates of erosion.

However, officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said a series of studies have already been carried out and no link was made between the erosion and dredging.

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Monitoring of the region's coastal erosion has shown 89ft (27m) sections of land have vanished to the north and south of Withernsea. Now, East Riding Council has invited the new Environment Agency chairman, Lord Smith of Finsbury, to see first hand the effects of coastal erosion, and will ask for a research study to be commissioned.

According to the latest figures, 4.48 million tons of aggregates were dredged from the Humber region in the past year. Dredging takes place in a number of areas, including sites near Easington and Spurn Point.

A DEFRA spokesman said: "All dredging applications are rigorously assessed for any adverse effects and for potential contribution to erosion. There is no evidence that authorised aggregate dredging has had any impact on the coast." Source : Dredging News Online

2 Matador Sheerlegs seen discharging the RT MARGO from the PETKUM Photo : Aad van Zon ©

US Coast Guard crackdown on towing vessels The US Coast Guard is checking towing vessels to ensure crews onboard are properly licensed. The drive is part of Operation Big Tow, a safety drive by the Coast Guard in an attempt to prevent bunker spill incidents. The launch of the operation follows July's Mississippi oil spill, when an apprentice steersman was at the controls of a tug when the bunker fuel-filled barge it was towing was in collision with the tanker Tintomara. The barge was split in half, spilling around 10,000 barrels of heavy fuel oil into the river.

"While the majority of the towing industry operates safely and complies fully with licensing requirements, this comprehensive operation will allow us to identify any companies that may have problems," said Captain Verne B. Gifford, chief of prevention Eighth Coast Guard District. From November to January, the Coast Guard will be boarding vessels along the Gulf Coast, Mississippi River and Western Rivers to ensure crews have the correct credentials. To minimise the impact on vessel movement, the Coast Guard has said it will be conducting boardings and examinations at locks and dams, while vessels are tied up. Source: Sustainable Shipping

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Filipino seafarers get free net access aboard Japanese ships - report In addition to the handsome pay, Filipino seafarers serving in Japan’s merchant marine fleet are given free access to the Internet so that they can constantly communicate with their families, a report said on Wednesday. The report by government-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) quoted Yoji Fujisawa, president of All Japan Seamen’s Union (JSU), as saying Internet access is part of a seafarer’s compensation package for serving on a Japanese ship. He said that ship officers have been instructed to provide time for seafarers to access the free Internet aboard the ships and communicate with their families back in the Philippines in an effort to prevent and homesickness among the crew. In addition, the industry leader said seafarers aboard their ships are provided with free satellite phone access also to communicate with their families with a more “human touch."

Moreover, Filipino seafarers chosen to join Japan’s merchant marine fleet are given tax-free salaries, good accommodations, and two months paid vacations. Earlier, the International Mariners Management Association of Japan (IMMAJ) said Filipino seafarers have remained the top choice of Japanese ship managers and owners. In a speech before the International Migration for the Benefit of Workers: Best Practice from the Business and Professional World forum in Manila, Capt. Takao Manji said Filipino mariners are generally known to be "completely disciplined, hard-working, flexible and reliable."

The Philippines supplies one-third of the world’s shipping manpower with about 270,000 Filipino seamen employed by foreign maritime agencies, according to the Department of Labor and Employment. Of the number, over 50,000 work on Japan’s 3,000 merchant ships. The figure accounts for 65 percent of Japan's maritime personnel. An average Filipino seaman is paid between US$1,000 to US$1,250 monthly, while officers are paid around US$2,500 to US$3,000 a month, making them one of the biggest paid among the Philippines migrant work force. Recently, two Japanese shipping giants, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and “K"-Line, announced that they will be hiring more Filipino seamen to man their ships. "K"-Line shipping will be hiring around 3,2000 officers and sailors for its shipping expansion while MOL is planning to increase the number of its Filipino sailors from 14,000 to 17,800 by 2009. The company said that the proposed increase in Filipino sailor employment is based on the company's plan to increase its current fleet from 700 ships to 900 vessels by 2010, PNA reported. Source: GMA News Russian vessel rescues 67 would-be immigrants off Malta Ten would-be immigrants feared dead off Malta Valletta, Malta - A group of 67 would-be immigrants arrived in Malta Thursday after their vessel was rescued in rough seas by a Russian bulk carrier the day before. A woman in labour, and her four-year-old son, who had formed part of the group, had to be airlifted to Malta's hospital on Wednesday, the Maltese army said.

In the past other heavily pregnant African women have also been part of groups embarking on the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea. These trips, often made on unseaworthy vessels, have sometimes had disastrous consequences. Following the peak summer period, officials believe attempts to reach European shores from North Africa are trailing off as the northern hemisphere's winter approaches and the weather becomes more unpredictable. However, the clandestine nature of these journeys makes them almost impossible to monitor by authorities. Source:topnews.in Grounded ship to be removed before Christmas Distribution : daily 5275+ copies worldwide Page 10 11/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

Environment Bay of Plenty is finalising the plan for the removal of the wreck of the San Cuvier from the Opotiki coast.

The San Cuvier was grounded in July on a rocky stretch of coastline east of Opape and west of Torere.

The vessel’s owners Sanford and their insurers are responsible for the removal plan and they are working with an experienced salvage company who will remove the vessel. Under the plan the vessel will be cut up and scrap will be air-lifted to a safe place.

Last week Environment Bay of Plenty staff received a copy of the draft removal plan, which looks at ways of addressing the potential environmental risks associated with removing the wreck. Environment Bay of Plenty Group Manager Water Management Eddie Grogan said staff are finalising the details of the plan.

“Once the plan is approved and Environment Bay of Plenty is satisfied that everything has been done to minimise the impact on the coast then we give the authorisation needed to start the removal operation,” Mr Grogan said.

The operation could start within the next week and be completed before Christmas. Environment Bay of Plenty staff will oversee the removal to make sure the impact on the coastline is minimal.

During the past four months Eastern Bay of Plenty harbour master Brian Spake has regularly checked the coastline near the grounded boat and has seen no signs of contamination.

In total about 18,000 litres of liquids were successfully removed from the boat; about 11,000 litres of which was diesel fuel. All loose material has been removed from the boat by the boat’s owners.

“This stretch of coastline is special to many people living and working in the area. It has areas of significant conservation value with important resident wildlife and kaimoana gathering areas. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the harbour master team, the boat’s owners, local iwi and other organisations, the coastline has not been contaminated so far from the fuel on board the grounded vessel. It is a priority for us that the coastline remains uncontaminated,” Mr Grogan said.

'Seven Oceans' KNVTS Schip van het Jaar In aanwezigheid van circa 700 gasten reikte minister Maria van der Hoeven (Economische Zaken) donderdagavond vijf prijzen uit tijdens het Maritime Awards Gala in het World Forum te Den Haag. De KNVTS Schip van het Jaar- prijs ging naar het bij IHC Merwede gebouwde pijpenleg- en constructievaartuig Seven Oceans .

Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Wendy de Bruijn kreeg de VNSI Timmerprijs voor haar ontwerpmethode waarmee de marine snel en efficiënt een nieuwe generatie onderzeeboten kan ontwerpen. De HME Innovation Award is dit jaar voor de SafeWinch van Machine- & Lierenfabriek C. Kraaijeveld. Jachtarchitect Gerard Dijkstra won de strijd om de HISWA Excellence Award. De KVNR Shipping Award werd toegekend aan beide genomineerden: de Anthony Veder Group met de gastanker Coral Methane en Spliethoff's bevrachtingskantoor voor het Training 8 Vessel Project.

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Het bij IHC Merwede, Merwede's Shipyard gebouwde pijpenleg- en constructievaartuig Seven Oceans (157,10 bij 28,40 meter) is een van de drie genomineerden voor de KNVTS Schip van het jaar Prijs. IHC Merwede Offshore & Marine verzorgde het ontwerp, de bouw en de volledige integratie van alle systemen en componenten aan boord van het 11.000 ton dwt metende schip.

Het is samen met de eerder dit jaar opgeleverde Seven Seas, het meest complexe schip dat ooit door IHC Merwede is gebouwd. Het schip is bovendien in zeer kort tijdsbestek gebouwd, waardoor slechts dertig maanden na het tekenen van het bouwcontract de Seven Oceans haar eerste project in de Golf van Mexico al succesvol heeft afgerond.

De Seven Oceans is uitgerust met een Kongsberg Simrad SPD22 dynamisch positioneringssysteem, waarmee drie roerpropellers onder het achterschip, twee intrekbare roerpropellers onder het voorschip en een tunnelboegschroef in de boeg worden aangestuurd. Dit DP-systeem is bedoeld om het schip tijdens constructiewerk nauwkeurig op positie te houden en er tijdens het leggen van pijpen voor te zorgen dat de pijp op het van tevoren bepaalde pad (van slechts enkele meters breed) komt te liggen. Alle roerpropellers worden elektrisch aangedreven. Voor het opwekken van het elektrische vermogen staan in het voorschip zes Wärtsilä generatoren opgesteld, verdeeld over twee langsscheeps gescheiden machinekamers, met een gezamenlijk vermogen van 21.700 kW. Vrijvarend haalt het schip een snelheid van ruim vijftien knopen. Om onnodige vervuiling van de dieselmotoren en het milieu te voorkomen, kan tijdens DP- bedrijf worden overgeschakeld van zware olie op gasolie.

Het dynamische positioneringssysteem van het onder Lloyds gebouwde schip voldoet aan de eisen voor DP2, maar het schip is tevens voorbereid om te worden opgewaardeerd tot DP3. Een schip dat aan DP3 voldoet is bij volledige uitval van één van de machinekamers nog volledig inzetbaar, bij DP2 kunnen bepaalde componenten uitvallen zonder de inzetbaarheid te belemmeren.

Huisman-Itrec ontwierp en bouwde de complete pijpenleginstallatie op het in opdracht van Subsea 7 gebouwde schip. Achter de opbouw van het schip huist een 950 ton wegende haspel voor 3500 ton stalen pijpleiding. Deze enorme haspel is volledig in het schip geïntegreerd.

Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Het leggen van de pijpleiding gebeurt via een ruim veertig meter hoge pijplegtoren op het achterschip, waarvan de tensioners een houdkracht hebben van 300 ton. Voor het leggen van pijpen in ondiep water kan de toren zo voorover worden gekanteld dat de hoek die de pijp ten opzichte van de zeebodem moet maken niet te groot wordt. Zo kan het schip bovendien onder bruggen door. Het schip kan pijpen leggen tot een maximale diameter van zestien inch. In de toren kunnen PLET's (Pipe Line End Terminals) tussen leidingen worden geplaatst. Tevens kan een PLET dienen als eindpunt van de leiding. De PLET wordt vanaf dek door middel van een PLET manipulator in de ‘firing line' geschoven, zoals de lijn heet waarlangs de pijp in de toren naar buiten loopt.

Het opspoelen van nieuwe lengtes pijp gebeurt ook met behulp van de pijplegtoren. De toren ligt tijdens dit proces achterovergeklapt op dek, terwijl het schip met de achterzijde naar de kade gericht ligt. Vervolgens worden de pijplengtes door middel van een lier over het achterdek aan boord getrokken en aan de haspel verbonden, waarna het opspoelen kan beginnen.

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Aan bakboord is een zware offshore mastkraan van Huisman-Itrec geïnstalleerd. Deze deining gecompenseerde kraan heeft een hijs capaciteit van 400 ton en is operationeel tot dieptes van 3000 meter. Twee knikboom kranen, van respectievelijk veertig en twaalf ton, zijn geïnstalleerd voor dekservice en licht offshore constructiewerk.

Naast de grote haspel kunnen er op het schip eventuele additionele haspels worden geplaatst, de zogenaamde ‘piggy bag reels'. Daarmee kunnen, naast de hoofdleiding, hulpleidingen en besturingskabels worden gelegd (zogenaamde umbilicals).

Het schip is uitgerust met twee, door Subsea 7 zelf ontwikkelde, geavanceerde onderwaterrobots (ROV's) die observatie, inspectie- en constructiewerk uitvoeren tot dieptes van 3000 meter. Het gehele ROV-systeem is geïnstalleerd in een hangar, die in de opbouw van het schip is geïntegreerd. Aan bak- en stuurboordzijde van de romp is een geleiderails in de huid geïntegreerd. Deze zorgen voor het begeleiden van de ROV's tot onder de waterlijn. Dit gebeurt door middel van een hijsframe dat een trolley kan laten zakken langs de huid. Eenmaal onder de waterlijn kan de ROV worden losgekoppeld en vanaf afstand worden bediend.

Het schip is volledig ontworpen en gebouwd voor het leggen van pijpen en offshore constructiewerk tot op 3000 meter waterdiepte. De werf heeft alle systemen en componenten in het schip geïntegreerd, wat de functionaliteit en inzetbaarheid ten goede komt. ‘Ons proces en onze aanpak maken het mogelijk deze complexe schepen op tijd en binnen budget te leveren. Dat is vrij uniek', zegt Arthur de Boer van IHC Merwede Offshore & Marine. ‘Zeker wanneer je bedenkt dat pijpleggers tot nu toe vaak conversies van bestaande schepen waren. De Seven Oceans is één van de eerste nieuwbouw pijpenleggers, dus weinig kennis was op voorhand beschikbaar. Hier lag een grote uitdaging voor de werf, de onderaannemers en toeleveranciers.'

Harbour revellers were speeding before impact THE runabout that collided with a fishing boat on Sydney Harbour in May, killing six young revellers on board, was speeding when the collision occurred, independent tests have shown.

As detectives enter their seventh month of investigations, a series of tests and re-creations by the Office of Transport Safety Investigations shows the runabout - allegedly driven by the bartender Percy Small - was travelling at 12 knots (22kmh), a source close to the office has told the Herald. That is two knots over the established limit.

Longstanding marine regulations state a vessel must travel under 10 knots when passing within 30 metres of another craft. The tests also showed the fishing boat, Jordon's, was not exceeding the 10-knot speed limit.

The tests will form part of the police brief of evidence given to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, helping prosecutors to decide whether to charge anyone over the crash.

The homicide squad's coronial investigation team is investigating whether anyone is to blame for the crash on May 1.

It occurred when the two-man fishing boat heading out to sea and the runabout with 14 people aboard collided about 2.30am off Bradleys Head. Six people on the runabout died as a result of the crash.

The Herald has previously reported that charges against two people on the runabout - Percy Small and Matthew Reynolds - are possible. Mr Reynolds, 31, took the boat out for the night, but Mr Small, 24, was allegedly driving it when it collided with Jordon's, which was being driven by Peter Evans.

Mr Evans returned to work in the past fortnight. "We've seen him a couple of times only," said a commercial fishing boat skipper at the Sydney Fish Markets.

"He's just getting back into it, getting used to being on the water again. I mean, he didn't do anything wrong, but it's still a horrible thing to know you were involved in six deaths." Distribution : daily 5275+ copies worldwide Page 13 11/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

Jordon's is also back in working condition, and can be found moored during the day to a pier at the Sydney Fish Market. Neither Mr Small nor Mr Reynolds has consented to a police interview, but Mr Reynolds recently agreed to nominate who was driving the boat when it crashed. It is understood he said the driver was Mr Small.

At least one of the pair could face a charge of dangerous driving occasioning death if the Director of Public Prosecutions decides to prosecute. Police are understood to be seeking a second opinion from a marine expert. Once that is complete, an announcement about any prosecution is expected.

As well as the speeding tests, prosecutors will consider whether both boats were properly lit and if their skippers were driving safely and paying attention.

Six people died as a result of the crash: Mr Reynolds's girlfriend, Ashlie Ayres, a mother of two; Jessica Savanna Holloway, a social worker; Stacey Wright, a bar worker; Alexander Rumiz, a bar worker; Lizzie Holder, a hairdressing apprentice; and Alexandre Nikakis, a Balmain local. The seven-metre half-cabin runabout, a former navy diving vessel, was initially reported as having been taken without the knowledge of its owner, Sydney Ship Repair and Engineering, and as carrying 14 people although it was authorised for eight. The group had been drinking at a Balmain pub on the night of April 30, and Mr Reynolds had offered to take them for a cruise to Rose Bay and back.

The group made it safely to Rose Bay and at some point it is believed Mr Small took control. Then, about 100 metres off Bradleys Head, the boat collided with the Jordon's as it was heading to sea to begin its fishing run. Source : smh.com.au

CASUALTY REPORTING Nederlandse tanker ramt Duitse plezierboot Een Nederlandse tanker heeft donderdagochtend op de Rijn bij Bonn een Duitse plezierboot geramd. Het Duitse schip liep aanzienlijke schade op. Persoonlijke ongelukken deden zich niet voor, meldden Duitse media.

De politie vermoedt dat de kapitein van de tanker per ongeluk tegen het roer heeft gestoten, waardoor zijn schip tegen de Moby Dick botste. De tanker had 2000 ton stookolie aan boord.

MAST VAN MERCATOR GEBROKEN

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Donderdag morgen was lezer Jean- Francois op de scheepswerf IdP te Oostende die instaat voor het onderhoud en herstel van het voormalig schoolschip Mercator. Donderdag werd de laatste van de drie masten uit de romp gehaald. Dit was nog nooit sinds de bouw van het schip in 1932 gebeurd. Toen de fokkemast ( +/- 12 Ton ) in de stroppen hing en het van verticale naar horizontale toestand moet worden gebracht liep het mis. Het gevaarte brak in twee en plofte met een hels lawaai naast het schip op de kaai. Gelukkig kwam iedereen er met de schrik vanaf en zijn er geen gewonden.

Photo : Jean-Francois Berden ©

NAVY NEWS India, China aim to hold regular joint exercises Despite differences, the Elephant and the Dragon are getting all set for a full-fledged military tango now. India and China are stepping up the pace of their bilateral confidence building measures, with joint exercises and regular exchanges on the anvil.

On Monday, even as Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta hosted his Chinese counterpart Admiral Wu Shengli here, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal F H Major was in Beijing holding talks with his People's Liberation Army air force chief General Xu Qiliang to promote bilateral defence cooperation.

"The aim is to steadily expand bilateral military-to-military ties and strengthen mutual confidence between the two armed forces," said a top official. In keeping with this policy to "constructively engage" China in the military arena, the first-ever Sino-Indian military combat exercise on Indian soil — with counter-terrorism as its primary thrust area — will be held at Belgaum in December, as was earlier reported by TOI.

Moreover, IAF's Suryakiran aerobatic team will perform for the first time in China this week, displaying its dare-devil stunts at the Zhuhai Air Show near Shanghai. The Indian and Chinese armed forces have been incrementally building up their military ties, which in December 2007 led to the first-ever joint counter-terrorism exercise between the two armies at Kunming, with the return exercise to be held in India in December. Source : timesofindia

www.tos.nl TOS Rotterdam (+31)10 – 436 62 93 E-Mail [email protected] Distribution : daily 5275+ copies worldwide Page 15 11/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

French Navy set to test novel landing craft design The French Navy is set to begin an evaluation of a novel variable-draught landing craft known as the L-Cat, to assess its suitability as a potential future expeditionary watercraft.

Constructions Industrielles de la Méditerranée (CNIM) has funded the construction of the full-scale L-Cat demonstrator by the Gemelin shipyard in La Rochelle on France's Atlantic coast. The design is intended to meet emergent operational requirements for a fast ship-to-shore connector, combining the attributes of a deep-draught vessel and a landing craft to offer high speed, excellent manoeuvrability and increased payload.

The L-Cat concept achieves this by offering the flexibility to raise or lower a pontoon deck so as to enable operation in any one of three modes. In transit, the L-Cat is a catamaran - the pontoon deck is raised between the two hulls; in beaching mode the pontoon is lowered; and in dock mode the platform is totally or partially flooded.

CNIM argues that while the L-Cat concept is itself innovative, the underpinning technologies are all low-risk: the hull adopts standard naval architecture ratios and aluminium alloy structures; the propulsion system uses standard diesel engines and waterjets; and the hydraulic lifting rams are based on proven technology.

CNIM's naval adviser, retired Rear Adm. Thierry O'Neill, told me the weak link with landing docks is the landing craft itself, most of which date from World War II.

So CNIM last month launched the L-Cat landing catamaran it designed and built with its own funds, which has a revolutionary central platform which can be raised or lowered with four hydraulic lifts so that it has variable draft and remains stable in both cruise mode and landing mode.

The second drawing of the L-Cat shows the vessel with the platform raised in cruise mode where the hulls carry the central platform. All images: CNIM

The third drawing shows the L-Cat as a landing barge where both the platform and the hulls carry the ship.

The L-Cat roll-on/roll-off vessel, 30 metres long with a beam of 12.8 metres and 6.15 metres high, has a 145 square meter loading surface and can carry a payload of 130 tons.

“The main threats come from shore so navies want to keep their LHD's as far from shore as possible but this then entails a long shuttle from ship to shore so you need a landing craft which can move at high speed and is very maneuverable.”

The L-Cat can cruise at 20 knots at maximum load and 27 knots empty and can land at speeds of up to 10 knots.

“This is an innovative concept, however it uses no specific nor sophisticated technologies,” O'Neill explained, “as it is made using a standard aluminium alloy structure for the platform, standard diesel engines and waterjets and standard hydraulics.”

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O'Neill told me there were “market prospects all around the world” for the L-Cat and said as far as he knew there were no competitive designs from any other shipyard. Source : aviationweek.

Telephone : +31 (0) 10 283 14 60

US Navy presses ahead with combat ship program The U.S. Navy is moving ahead with plans to award combat ship contracts to Lockheed Martin Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. by early next year.

The service asked Lockheed and General Dynamics late Monday to submit bids to build five Littoral combat ships. The Navy envisions a winning contractor building three ships, while its rival builds the other two.

The Navy's request for bids follows the service's decision last month to scrap its original plan of awarding a third ship this year to one of the contractors. With a decision by Congress to cut funding for the third ship in the fiscal 2008 budget, which ended Sept. 30, the Navy had to go back and draw up new plans to award future ships.

"The Navy is moving as expeditiously as possible on future contract awards," Lt. Cmdr. Victor Chen said Tuesday. Both companies are expected to submit bids "soon," he added.

The service plans by January to award both contractors a ship each under the current budget, and will make separate awards for the three remaining vessels in fiscal 2010.

Lockheed spokesman Craig Quigley confirmed the company had received the bids request. General Dynamics representative deferred questions to the Navy.

Both companies have been waiting since April for a decision on the future of the combat ship program. The Navy last year canceled deals with both Lockheed and General Dynamics for second ships from each due to cost overruns. The service's latest cost estimate for the current ships being built is $550 million per vessel, more than double its initial estimate of $220 million.

Lockheed Martin delivered its first ship to the Navy in September. General Dynamics' ship, which was christened last month in Mobile, Alabama, is undergoing testing and integration.

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The Littoral combat ship is smaller than the Navy's next-generation surface combat ship and capable of operating in shallow, coastal waters that can move at "sprint speed" to get Marines safely out of enemy territory. The ships can travel at 57.5 miles per hour — compared with the average speed of 34.5 mph for other combat ships. Source : iht.com Navantia launches second Scorpene submarine Last month, the Cartagena Shipyard in Spain celebrated the setting afloat of the second Scorpene class submarine that is being built in conjunction with the French company DCNS for the Royal Malaysian Navy.

The submarine was christened by the country’s Queen Tuanku Nur Zahirah.

The ceremony was also attended by the King of Malaysia, the country’s Vice-Minister for Defence, the Spanish Secretary of State for Defence, the Government Delegate in Murcia, the Mayoress of Cartagena and the Chairman of Navantia, among other leading figures.

The Hispano-Franco consortium formed by Navantia and DCNS signed the contract on June 12, 2002 with the Malaysian Navy for the construction of two Scorpene submarines.

As far as delivery of the second Scorpene is concerned, this is planned to take place in October 2009.

The vessels measure 79.9 metres by 11.5 metres with a depth of seven metres. The vessels have a maximum speed of 22 knots. Source : Baird Online

US Navy outlines amphibious training plans for West Africa The US Navy's (USN's) amphibious transport dock, USS Nashville, is scheduled to arrive in the Gulf of Guinea in January 2009 to support the Africa Partnership Station (APS) on a five-month tour of duty.

APS is an initiative led by US Naval Forces Europe (NFE) under the auspices of the newly operational theatre command, AFRICOM, to promote maritime safety and security in West African states.

Nashville will be the second small deck amphibious vessel to join APS following the deployment of USS Fort McHenry in late 2007. However, the mission of the ship will be very different to its predecessor as it will provide advanced training in a select number of countries.

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Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon will host the 17,244-ton Austin-class ship, which has onboard training teams available to give lessons in basic seamanship, small boat handling, VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure) techniques, search and rescue, data management and how to run an operations centre.

While in the Gulf of Guinea, Nashville will send a Landing Craft Unit to Liberia with Seabees (USN construction battalions) and Marine Corps training teams on board to facilitate training and development, although Nashville itself will not visit. Source : defense-technologynews

SHIPYARD NEWS

The BW CIDADE DE CAO VINCENTE seen in Singapore Photo : Capt Neil Jonhston – Master SALVISCOUNT ©

Poolse werven moeten miljardensteun terugbetalen Twee Poolse scheepswerven moeten hun overheid zo'n 1,7 miljard euro staatssteun terugbetalen, zo heeft EU- commissaris Neelie Kroes (Concurrentie) donderdag besloten. Het geld mag komen uit de verkoop van de grote werven in Gdynia en Szczecin. De Poolse overheidssteun was bedoeld om de werven op te knappen en te verkopen, maar dat gebeurde niet. Het geld werd gebruikt voor alledaagse activiteiten. Kroes vindt de subsidie daarom ,,buitensporig concurrentieverstorend'' voor de werven in bijvoorbeeld Duitsland en Italië.

Kroes zegt dat het besluit ,,een van de moeilijkste besluiten uit de geschiedenis van de Europese Commissie'' was. De zaak ligt zeer gevoelig in Polen. De Poolse regering en vakbonden hebben mermalen geprobeerd Kroes op andere gedachten te brengen. Kroes gaf Polen daarop dit voorjaar nog een laatste kans. Het is met vier jaar een van de langstlopende geschillen op het vakgebied van commissaris Kroes.

Chinas largest luxury liner launched

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The largest Chinese-designed-and-built luxury liner----Bohai Zhenzhu vessel, funded by Shandong Bohai Ferry Co., Ltd for 350-million-yuan ($ 51 million), was launched at 10:28 on October 30 in Huanghai Shipbuilding Company, located in Rongcheng, a costal city in East Chinas Shandong Province. The liner will start her sailing voyage after a half-year period for interior decoration.

According to Yu Xinjian, the General Manager of Bohai Ferry, Bohai Zhenzhu ,is a magnificent vessel, weighing 20,000 gross tons,with a total length of 163.95m, a width of 25m, and room for 1630 people and more than 200 vehicles.

The vessel is equipped with two sets of fin-stabilizers, which guarantee that the vehicles on the ship are not moving or toppling in stormy weather, and also guarantee passengers a comfortable ride. Source : yourshipbuildingnews. IHC Merwede developing new range of trailers for Chinese market IHC Merwede in The Netherlands says it is developing a new standard range of trailing suction hopper dredgers specifically for the Chinese market.

The company says the components for these dredgers will be produced at its new facility in China.

Said the company in a statement: "Over the past few years our company has grown enormously and the turnover of IHC Merwede will exceed Euros 1 billion in 2008. We focus on two segments of the market, dredging and offshore. This growth means we need to expand throughout the world."

"Our new manufacturing facility in China opens up new perspectives. All kinds of components for the dredging and the offshore markets will be produced here for both exports and the Chinese market." Source : Dredging News Online Bollinger sells two speculation OSVs with plans to build ten more Bollinger Shipyards, USA, has sold two of its 193 Class OSVs to Odyssea Marine. The speculation vessels measure 58.8 metres by 12.2 metres by 4.5 metres and both vessels were built at Bollinger’s Lckport facility.

The first vessel will be going to work in the US Gulf on delivery while the second will be delivered in mid December.

Bollinger is also building ten 64-metre DP2 Solus OSVs at the shipyard in Louisiana. The first unit is scheduled to deliver at the end of March 2009, with additional deliveries every 45 days.

The vessels are being built on speculation and Robert Socha, Bolloinger’s executive vice president of sales and marketing said that the company was open to discussions with interested parties.

“But we are not in the position to give a firm fixed number, or an indication until we are near completion with the first hull.” The Bollinger 210 measures 64.01 metres by 17.07 metres by x 5.49 metres. It is classed ABS +A1, +AMS,Oceans Service, +DPS 2, Solas, Subchapter L Offshore Supply Vessel.

Liquid mud capacity is 6,300 barrels and dry-bulk capacity is 1,828 cubic metres. Source : Baird Online

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High ship prices push SHI profits to record levels The world's second-largest shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries revealed that profit rose 23% in the third quarter to a record as it built more vessels at higher prices, writes Bloomberg. Net income climbed to 174.2bn won ($138m) in the three months to Sept. 30 from 141.5bn won a year earlier, the Seoul-based company said in a regulatory filing today. Sales increased 16% to a record 2.6 trillion won, while operating profit climbed 20% to 142.5bn won.

Shipyards in South Korea, the world's biggest shipbuilding nation, are working to complete record orders won at higher prices with deliveries stretching into 2012. Future earnings will be boosted by softening material costs as the global financial crisis weakens demand for steel.

“The average price of vessels that are being built will increase as shipyards build more vessels bearing higher margins,'' said Lee Jae Kyu, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities Co. in Seoul. “Earnings will be better from the fourth quarter as material costs fall.'' Source : Seatrade Asia Poland accepts EU yard restructuring plan This Monday, Poland reacted to the demands from EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes regarding the privatisation of the Polish shipbuilding industry. The Polish government has accepted to sell the shipyard’s assets and use proceeds to pay off debt. After this, state aid amounting to EUR 1.5 billion is to be repaid. The then empty companies will then go into bankruptcy. After this, operations can resume with a fresh start, but the commission also wants to see additional production apart from shipbuilding. Poland however demands a respite for two to three months as this procedure requires amendments of Polish law. Source: shipgaz.com Aker Philadelphia Shipyard launches sixth product tanker Aker Philadelphia Shipyard , a leading U.S. commercial shipyard, launched its sixth product tanker in a series of twelve today representing the mid-point of the series. When completed, the 600 foot long vessel will be sold to American Shipping Company and bareboat chartered to OSG America. On the morning of Wednesday, November 5, the vessel was floated off its blocks in the 1,100 foot Building Dock and transferred by tugboats to the Outfitting Dock. In the Outfitting Dock, Testing and Commissioning of the systems and onboard work will continue, as well as preparations for the vessel to undergo sea trials where it will be tested prior to final delivery. This vessel is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2009. Please visit www.akerphiladelphia.com for a photo from the launch as well as updates on the three other vessels currently under construction at the yard. Aker Philadelphia Shipyard is a leading U.S. commercial shipyard constructing vessels for operation in the Jones Act market. It possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as the preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels with a track record of delivering quality ships. Aker Philadelphia Shipyard is a member of the Norwegian-based Aker family of global companies, leaders in global growth markets including energy technologies, energy resources, maritime technologies, seafood and marine biotechnology. American Shipping Company (AMSC) owns and leases world-class quality vessels for operation between ports in the United States. When the current series of twelve tankers is completed in 2011, AMSC will own the most modern product tanker fleet in the United States; and it will be the first company in the United States to own shuttle tankers for use in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Source: marketwatch ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

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REDWISE MARITME SERVICES B.V. Amersfoortseweg 12-E 3751 LK Bunschoten-Spakenburg The Netherlands Phone : +31 (0) 33 42 17 860 (24 hr) Fax : +31 (0) 33 42 17 879 - [email protected] www.redwise.com Busy week for Bisso Towboat This has been a milestone week for Bisso Towboat Co., Inc., New Orleans.

Bisso Towboat received ISM certification by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) of its Safety Management System pertaining to the operations of its office and tugs.

Bisso Towboat says that ISM Certification, which goes above and beyond the requirements of U.S. domestic regulations, is evidence of its systematic approach to safety and pollution prevention. It says it is the only Mississippi River based ship-assist company to achieve this certification.

Today, the hull of the Michael S. was launched for Bisso at Main Iron Works in Houma, La.

Michael S. is a 4.000 hp reverse Z-drive tractor tug that will be powered by two Caterpillar 3516B main engines driving two Ulstein Aquamaster US 205 MK2 Azimuthing Z-drives. T

Michael S. is slated for delivery in April 2009 and will be the third Z-drive tug constructed by Main Iron Works for Bisso in the past ten years.

Bisso has reached an agreement with Main Iron Works to begin construction of another 4,000 HP reverse Z-drive tractor tug, construction of which is set to begin in the summer of 2009.

Founded in 1890, Bisso Towboat Co., Inc. is the oldest continuously operating tugboat company on the Mississippi River and operates the most modem and powerful fleet of ship-assist tugs on the river, featuring three reverse Z-drive tractor tugs, two triple-screw tugs and seven twin-screw tugs. Source : MarineLog Indian - Ship-breakers face losses as scrap steel prices fall

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A sharp decline in scrap steel prices has adversely impacted domestic ship breaking activities. Almost all ship breakage firms are incurring losses on their stocks as price of scrap steel has dropped about 65% to $200/tonne from $750/tonne in two months.

Ship owners are not willing to sell their ageing ships as the fall in the price of scrap steel has depreciated the value of ships by almost 70%. The liquidity crunch and weak rupee have also added to their woes, Ship Breakers Association of India president Pravin Nagarsheth said.

"The price of the scrap steel has fallen drastically. By selling the scrap, just 30% of the value of the ship is recoverable. The same was once sold in profit,” he said. The problem has worsened by the prevailing liquidity crunch in the market. Banks are also wary of issuing the letter of credit (LC), an assurance letter, to the ship breakers.

"While the foreign banks have almost stopped issuing new LC, their Indian counterparts have become very cautious. Since, the value of the ships have fallen drastically, the banks fear that falling scrap value means the ship breakage firms will default in payment and even if the vessel is seized as security, the guaranteed amount would not be recovered," an industry sourcesaid.

The depreciating rupee has also added to the worries of the industry. The ship breakage firms usually have a 180-days payment period. In past couple of months, rupee has depreciated by as much as 25% to Rs 50 for a dollar which means that the payment amount has increased to honour the same LC.

"Most of the ships that come to India for breakage are from abroad. Whenever the payment is due, if the firms have not booked the dollars with their respective banks in advance, the banks charge the prevailing exchange rate. This means that there is more burden on the ship breakage firms," Mr Nararsheth said. Source : economictimes Maersk slashes 700 jobs in China AP MOLLER-Maersk is closing one of its two global customer service centres in China, slashing 700 jobs by mid-2009.

The group confirmed on Wednesday that it will close its “Global Service Center” in Guangzhou in a phased manner from now until the first half of 2009 while its service center in Shenzhen will continue operations and will expand.

“This development affects approximately 700 positions in Guangzhou GSC. A number of employees will be transferred to the service center at Shenzhen,” said the firm in an email replies to an enquiry from Lloyd’s List.

The group declined to disclose how much costs it can save with the move.

“This decision was driven by a number of factors, including the global economic slowdown which has affected our business volumes, as well as our ongoing effort to improve our systems and processes, especially over the past 12 months,” the group said.

“Analysis has revealed that the capacity in Guangzhou GSC is over the capacity required to sustain the healthy growth of our business as a whole,” it added.

Maersk’s Guangzhou global service center undertakes offshored activities in customer service, logistics and operational processes of the firm’s container business, according to a company spokesperson.

The firm said it would try to find alternative jobs for employees affected by the move through short-term secondments, cross-postings, or redeployment in other business units elsewhere within its network.

“Those staff, to whom we cannot offer alternative employment will be given a severance package, which is fully compliant with both Chinese law and industry best practices,” it added. Source : lloydslist

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Nippon Yusen cuts European service on falling demand Nippon Yusen K.K., Japan's largest shipping line, reduced container service between Asia and Europe by 10 percent last month on falling demand, following similar cuts by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. Nippon Yusen will maintain the reductions until at least March, said Atsuto Kato, a spokesman for the shipping line in a telephone interview. The Nikkei newspaper reported the capacity cut earlier today. Growth in Europe will slow next year after probably entering a recession last quarter, the European Commission said earlier this week. Kawasaki Kisen last month cut one of its 14 weekly sailings to Europe and reduced its service to North America along with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. as demand for moving Asian-made toys, computers and furniture wanes.

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Container traffic between Asia and the U.S. will likely drop 8 percent this year, the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement said last month. Traffic is unlikely to recover before the second half of next year, the shipping-line group said. Shipping rates between Asia and Europe dropped 61 percent in October from a year earlier as the global financial turmoil discouraged spending, the South China Morning Post reported Oct. 10. Neptune Orient Lines Ltd., Southeast Asia's largest sea-cargo box carrier, last month announced a cut in capacity and said it will lay up ships because of lower rates and falling demand.

Kawasaki Kisen, also known as K-Line, and Mitsui O.S.K. last week lowered their profit forecasts for this fiscal year as rates for shipping commodities such as iron-ore and coal tumbled. Nippon Yusen kept its forecast unchanged. The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of commodity-shipping rates, fell to its lowest since February 1999 yesterday as it declined for a 22nd day. Nippon Yusen gained 10 percent to close at 515 yen in Tokyo trading today. Mitsui O.S.K. advanced 11 percent to 535 yen and Kawasaki Kisen rose 13 percent to 435 yen. Source: bloomberg

Wave of losses looms for shipping industry Fears are growing in the shipping industry over the potentially big losses that could emerge this week on derivatives triggered by the October collapse in rates to charter dry bulk ships. Since short-term dry bulk charter rates plunged 71.9 per cent in October, traders and shipowners have worried that traders might be caught out by the speed and severity of the fall. Traders in forward freight agreements - derivatives based on short-term charter rates - could owe significant sums if they were betting on a rise in charter rates for ships carrying coal, iron ore and other commodities.

The sector's Baltic Dry index of charter rates started the month at 3,025 points and closed on Friday at 851. The 80 per cent of trades made through clearing houses were being settled yesterday, while traders who bought cash-settled products through private transactions, known as over-the-counter trades, have until Friday to settle.

The many shipowners participating in FFA markets could also face losses if their market positions went beyond simply covering the market exposure of their actual ships.

London-based, New York-listed Britannia Bulk, which has been hit by its exposure to speculative FFA trading, put its British operating subsidiary into administration on Friday. It is the first quoted shipping company to suffer such a blow during the current downturn.

Duncan Dunn, senior director in the futures division of London's Simpson, Spence & Young shipbrokers, said the market's very rapid fall would have left anyone betting on upward movements needing to make substantial payments. "If they're under strain, then that's only going to increase their problems," he said.

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Market participants' concerns have been heightened by the possibility of knock-on effects from failures of investors affected by FFA market losses. If investors facing FFA market losses hand back ships they had chartered early to owners, the ships' owners will earn considerably less than they expected. They could face problems servicing debt related to the ships.

Michael Bodouroglou, chief executive of Paragon Shipping, a Nasdaq-listed dry bulk shipowner, said that, even if a company had not participated in FFA trading itself, counterparties such as ship charterers might have done so. "Company failures may cause a domino effect," he said. Source: Financial Times

New Tug and Barge Design Contracts for Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) was recently awarded two substantial design jobs for two separate repeat clients from Puerto Rico.

Harbor Bunkering Corporation has commissioned BHGI to design another double hull oil tank barge. BHGI has designed two barges for the San Juan bunkering business in the past. "Bristol Harbor has been so responsive and has shown such attention to detail,” says Eric J. Rivera, Harbor Bunkering Corporation's Operations Manager, "the barges they have designed have really been just what we needed." In 2004, BHGI designed the 30,000 BBLS double hull oil barge ENTERPRISE for Harbor Bunkering Corporation, and in 2005 they designed a 60,000 BBLS barge that is still to be built.

The new barge for Harbor Bunkering is to be another 30,000 BBLS barge, based on the ENTERPRISE but with only ten tanks, corrugated bulkheads, and several other improvements. The builder is yet to be determined for this barge, and Harbor Bunkering Corporation is considering both Jones Act and non-Jones Act builders.

The other significant design contract recently signed is a 4,300 bhp Z-drive tug for South Puerto Rico Towing of Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. The vessel will serve primarily as a ship docking vessel, but will be outfitted with FiFi 1 capabilities, and will be capable of towing with a winch and pin system. BHGI has previously provided consulting services to South Puerto Rico Towing, and is excited about the opportunity to design their next vessel.

Bristol Harbor Group provides naval architecture, marine engineering and construction oversight services to a wide variety of customers. Their commercial work includes small passenger vessels, oil and deck barges, tugboats, patrol vessels and offshore supply boats. Recreational vessel work includes mega yachts as well as powerboats and sailboats. Source: Bristol Harbor Group Zeeuws Delta stapt in Rotterdamse gasterminal Het Zeeuwse Delta gaat gebruik maken van de Rotterdamse terminal voor vloeibaar gas LionGas. Het energiebedrijf heeft met terminalbedrijf 4Gas een principeakkoord getekend voor het gebruik van 1 miljard kubieke meter aan capaciteit per jaar. Distribution : daily 5275+ copies worldwide Page 26 11/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

De bedrijven maakten dat donderdag bekend. De overeenkomst gaat per oktober 2012 in, als de nieuwe terminal aan de monding van het Rotterdamse havengebied in gebruik wordt genomen. Delta wil met de overeenkomst de positie op de Nederlandse gasmarkt verstevigen en verwacht flexibeler te kunnen leveren.

De terminal krijgt een jaarlijkse doorvoercapaciteit van 9 miljard kubieke meter gas. LionGas heeft vergunningen voor uitbreiding naar 18 miljard kubieke meter.

GC RIEBER'S “SOLID FINANCIAL CAPACITY” NORWEGIAN specialist offshore shipowner GC Rieber Shipping posted a Q3 net profit of NKr27.6m (US$4.1m) up slightly on last year's corresponding figure of Nkr26.9m. A statement says: “The company has a solid financial capacity with NOK 623 million in cash and a contract backlog of NOK 1.058m.” CEO Sven Rongsasy: “ As everyone else, we have noticed that access to financing has become tighter, but in our position this situation create opportunities as much as challenges. We have an excellent liquid assets position, low gearing and solid customers, and whence are well prepared for further challenges in the global economy following a possible continuance of the financial turmoil.” The owns and operates six advanced multifunctional special purpose vessels for specific markets within the offshore subsea, ice research and support and seismic. The group is also in charge of ship management for 10 seismic vessels owned by PGS, CGGVeritas and Fugro, as well as project management and building supervision for four advanced seismic newbuilds for Arrow Seismic (PGS).

The company says it has “invested strategically in expanded involvement within subsea and seabed seismic”. Mr Rong says that he is convinced that these investments will be successful, despite the recent substantial decline in the oil price. He stresses: “ A lower oil price may short term lead to postponements of projects and delayed growth in these markets, but long term the oil price and exploration activity will increase as a consequence of diminishing oil reserves.” Source : Maritime Global Net

Kon. Wilhelminahaven zz 22 3134 KG Vlaardingen (Port No 650) The Netherlands www.mariflex.net tel (24 hrs) : +31 (0) 10 434 44 45 [email protected] Jumbo brengt derde schip J-klasse in de vaart

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De Nederlandse zware-ladingrederij Jumbo kan over anderhalve week beschikken over een nieuw schip in de vloot. De Fairplayer is onlangs afgeleverd door de werf van Damen Shipyards in Roemenië en ligt nu bij Huisman-Itrec in Schiedam voor de installatie van de kranen. Op 11 november gaat het schip op weg naar Italië om er te laden voor zijn eerste reis.

De Fairplayer is het derde schip in de J-klasse, de grootste schepen in de vloot van Jumbo. Net als de zusterschepen Jumbo Javelin en Fairpartner heeft het twee mastkranen met een gezamenlijk hefvermogen van 1800 ton. Het vierde schip in de serie, de Jumbo Jubilee, komt volgend jaar in de vaart.

Jumbo Shipping is gespecialiseerd in het vervoer van zware en omvangrijke stukgoedlading zoals reactoren, turbines en generatoren . De J-klasse schepen hebben één groot ruim van 83 meter lang, 17 meter breed en 12 meter diep (foto Links)

Dat ruim is als een ‘grote schoenendoos', zegt heavy lift specialist Richard Krabbendam van Jumbo. ‘Het kan door middel van tussendekluiken in een tweede laadvloer worden ingedeeld en een hoofddek. Daar kunnen we de grootste stukken lading op zetten, die niet in het onderruim passen. Op deze manier kunnen we efficiënt op drie lagen lading stuwen.'

De bevrachting is in Nederland uitbesteed aan Kahn Scheepvaart in Rotterdam.

Fairstar wins job transporting rig from Kirkenes to UK Fairstar Heavy Transport has entered into an agreement with LLC Gazflot to transport the drilling rig Energy Exerter from Kirkenes, Norway, to Invergordon, Scotland, in early December, using the semi-submersible heavy lifter Fjord.

The total value of the contract is approximately US$6.4 million. The transit, including loading and unloading, is expected to take 20 days.

Mario Kerssens, Sales & Marketing Director for Fairstar, said: “Fjord will be venturing above the Arctic circle to pick up a rig that poses some interesting loading challenges. Time is of the essence and we are committed to doing everything within our abilities to facilitate a safe delivery of this cargo for Gazflot”.

Philip Adkins, Fairstar CEO, added: “We welcome this opportunity to demonstrate once again the reliability and versatility of the Fjord. Fjord’s twin azimuth thrusters provide an important measure of redundancy and maneuverability."

"Recent unfortunate events have highlighted the risks of aged tankers with a single propeller. Fairstar’s shareholders have made a significant investment in Fjord and Fjell and we are confident that this is one of many future opportunities that will demonstrate our fleet will set the industry standard for reliability.” Distribution : daily 5275+ copies worldwide Page 28 11/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 296

Gazflot was represented by Worldwise Marine of The Netherlands. Worldwise Marine was responsible for organising the logistics and engineering work required for the mobilisation and demobilisation of Energy Exerter on behalf of Gazflot.

Fjord is currently en route to the Tombua Landana field in Angola. After discharging the two topside modules onsite, she will sail immediately to Kirkenes, load Energy Exerter, deliver the rig to Invergordon, discharge the rig and proceed immediately to Newcastle where it will load the floating dry dock and various other pieces of heavy equipment under the terms of its previously announced contract with Bharati Shipyards. Source : Offshore Shipping Online BC Ferries president surprised at US$17 million government pledge Following Premier Gordon Campbell’s announcement in late October to protect BC Ferries from economic fallout due to global market instability, the company’s president David Hahn has expressed his surprise while saying it would be good news for travelers.

Mr Campbell’s announcement on October 22 promised C$20 million (US$17.1 million) to cut fares by one third from December 2008 to January 2009. “I had no idea how far they were filling to go to fund additional sailings,” Mr Hahn was quoted as saying in the Times Colonist.

“We’re quite happy to do that because they’re a customer like everybody else.”

He explained that the price cut would apply to all fares, including cars, passengers, buses and trucks, and said that he expected to see a rise in the number of users during the time of fare cuts. Source : Baird Online Sale of anchor handling tug supply vessel "MAERSK MAHONE" “MAERSK MAHONE” has been sold in September to Glitnir, who were also the acquirers of “Maersk Bonavista”.

“MAERSK MAHONE” is currently on charter to Total Libya and will work on a last well for IEOC Egypt before being delivered to her new owners during the first quarter of 2009. “MAERSK MAHONE” and her crew have been doing an excellent job during the years she sailed under Maersk Supply Service’s colours and we will therefore be proud of re- using her name in the fleet in the coming years. Bron: Maersk Supply

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

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