DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2017 – 237

Number 237 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Thursday 24-08-2017 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.

The OFFSHORE WENDUINE inbound for IJmuiden – Photo : Jan Plug (c)

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The NAVE ATROPOS aproaching the IJmuiden locks assisted by the Port Towages Amsterdam Operated tug VENUS photo: Peter Maanders Port Towage Amsterdam © OOCL celebrated the christening of hull of OOCL Germany OOCL celebrated the christening of Hull H2173, a 21,413 TEU newbuilding constructed at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard on Geoje Island. Named as OOCL GERMANY, this mega containership is the second of the six 21 thousand TEU class vessels on order at the shipyard and they are an important part to enhancing the competitiveness and efficiency of OOCL modern fleet, the company announces in its press release. As with many of OOCL newbuildings, extra efforts have been made to ensure that they are operationally efficient and meeting the highest environmental standards. In fact, the OOCL GERMANY, , and her sister vessels, are designed with many advanced green features that can help meet future environmental requirements. For instance, the energy efficiency of these containerships not only satisfies the current Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) baseline requirement, but is 48% better than the EEDI level required by the International Maritime Organization in 2025. The OOCL GERMANY will be serving the Asia-Europe trade lane on the LL1 service and her port rotation is: Shanghai / Ningbo / Xiamen / Yantian / Singapore / via Suez Canal / Felixstowe /

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Rotterdam / Gdansk / Wilhelmshaven / Felixstowe / via Suez Canal / Singapore / Yantian / Shanghai in a 77-day round trip.“Orient Overseas Container Line” and “OOCL” are trade names for transportation provided separately by: Orient Overseas Container Line Limited (“OOCLL”) and OOCL (Europe) Limited respectively and both are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Orient Overseas (International) Limited, a public company (0316) listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Headquartered in Hong Kong, OOCL is one of the world's largest integrated international container transportation and logistics companies, with more than 330 offices in 70 countries. Linking Asia, Europe, North America, the Mediterranean, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and Australia/New Zealand, the company offers transportation services to all major east/west trading economies of the world. OOCL is one of the leading international carriers serving China, providing a full range of logistics and transportation services throughout the country. It is also an industry leader in the use of information technology and e-commerce to manage the entire cargo process. source: Portnews

The VOS SATISFACTION inbound for the IJmuiden locks heading for Beverwijk Photo : Joop Marechal ©

The Swedish Club Secures Further Solvency Strength The Swedish Club returned a solid performance in the first six months of the accounting year, following the release of its half year results. Despite its decision to offer a discount of 4 % to all P&I members 2017/2018, the Club delivered an operating surplus of USD 19.0 million for the period in question Free reserves are now at a top level of USD 213.8 million, reinforcing the

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Club’s commitment to meet members’ needs while also allowing for further growth of the business. The combined ratio of 94% continues to show a stable performance, below 100 % on an eight-year average. Lars Rhodin, Managing Director of The Swedish Club, said: “Our growth remains firmly in line with our agreed plans and has exceeded 70 million GT combined owners’ and charterers’ P&I entries.” He added: “This year is a special year for the Club with the celebration of its 145 years in the marine insurance business. The Asian market remains one of our key markets and we are also very proud to celebrate 35 years in Hong Kong this year.” At the 145th Annual General Meeting in June, the Club had the honour of welcoming three new Board members; Mr. Chen Wei from Cosco Shipping Lines, Shanghai; Mr. Jude Correa from Seaspan Ship Management, Vancouver; and Mr. Lu Jian from Winning Shipping in Singapore. Van Oord wins contract for Deutsche Bucht offshore wind farm Van Oord has been awarded the Balance of Plant contract to build the Northland Power Deutsche Bucht offshore wind farm, the Rotterdam-based company said in a statement. The Deutsche Bucht offshore wind farm is located in the German Bight, 95 km northwest of the island of Borkum. The scope consists of the design, engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the foundations, inter array cables and offshore high voltage station, and the transportation of the wind turbines. The project was originally developed by Highland Group Holdings. Van Oord will deploy amongst others its offshore installation vessel Aeolus, and cable-laying vessel Nexus. The offshore installation is envisaged to start in the second half of 2018. Deutsche Bucht will be operational by the end of 2019. The offshore wind farm will consist of 31 eight MW wind turbines and will have a rated power of 252 MW. This is enough to provide more than 178,000 homes annually with sustainable energy. Once completed, the offshore wind farm reduces CO2 emissions by more than 360,000 tonnes per year. The reduction fits to the goals set by the German government to reduce CO2 emissions in 2020 with 40% compared to 1990. “We had a great experience working with Van Oord on our Gemini wind farm. Van Oord is one of the world’s leading contractors in offshore construction, and we have developed a very strong and collaborative relationship. Together we look forward to delivering another high quality project,” said John Brace ceo of Northland Power. “Our cooperation during the Gemini project has proved very successful. We are confident that this will be another excellent cooperation between Northland Power and Van Oord. Both Northland Power and Van Oord share the ambition to contribute to the further development of offshore wind as reliable renewable energy source,” commented Arnoud Kuis, director Van Oord Offshore Wind. source: Seatrade Maritime NYSHEX Poised for Expansion as it Finalizes Series-A Investment: Hapag-Lloyd and CMA-CGM invest, along with GE Ventures and Goldman Sachs, resulting in total investment of $13M

the GUAYAQUIL EXPRESS navigating the Westerschelde inbound for Antwerp Photo : Henk de Winde © The New York Shipping Exchange (NYSHEX), the innovator of the first digital forward freight contract for global container shipping, today announces the completion of its Series A round of funding. Hapag-Lloyd and CMA-CGM joined the investment round, along with additional investments from GE Ventures and GoldmanSachs – the Series A investment totals $13 million. Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, MOL and OOCL are currently working with NYSHEX. NYSHEX will continue to bring on additional carriers to grow its service offerings and pursue future funding to build a comprehensive global exchange. NYSHEX provides the global shipping industry with a simplified and standardized “over-the-counter” exchange for entering enforceable freight contracts. NYSHEX is compliant with all U.S. regulations as well as the Federal Maritime Commission’s contract filing

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requirements. It is based on proven and relevant principles from the New York Stock Exchange, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the London Metals exchange. Buyers of container shipping services: shippers and NVOCCs, use NYSHEX at no cost. Initially, they must be pre-accredited with NYSHEX to get started. Ocean carriers pay a transaction fee of $5/TEU. NYSHEX is different from the traditional long-term contract and spot market contract. NYSHEX offers a third option, defined by: Predictable rates that lack the volatility of current rate practices Rates that are all-in, no GRIs, surcharges, etc. are tacked onto offers on NYSHEX Buyers pay liquidated damages for no-show containers which enable carriers to improve vessel planning and utilization Equally, carriers pay liquidated damages when the contract is not operationally fulfilled Shippers can receive fixed rates, enforceable contracts, accurate invoices and a significantly more reliable supply chain, with above 99 percent reliability. Forwarders and NVOs create value for customers with a combination of products and services that best meet their supply chain needs. Carriers now have 97 percent certainty in future cargo flows, enabling better vessel planning and uptake management, more dynamic pricing, and improved working capital. “NYSHEX is addressing some of the most fundamental problems facing the ocean shipping industry today – uncertainty and inefficiency,” said Mark Chadwick, Executive Sourcing Leader, GE. “CMA CGM welcomes the digital innovation that NYSHEX is bringing to the container shipping industry. Digitalisation is essential to offering our customers new and differentiated products. This partnership is one more step in CMA CGM’s digital transformation, aiming to continuously create added value for its customers,” said Rodolphe Saadé, CEO of CMA CGM. “Hapag-Lloyd invested because we believe NYSHEX can help solve the challenge of unreliability and unpredictability that affects everyone in the container shipping industry, by ensuring commitments are met by both sides,” said Thorsten Haeser, Chief Commercial Officer of Hapag-Lloyd. “It is best practice for participants of an exchange to also be investors in the exchange, and we are delighted to have CMA-CGM and Hapag-Lloyd as shareholders, along with GE Ventures, Goldman Sachs and our other strategic investors. This demonstrates the industry’s confidence in the role that NYSHEX is playing in global shipping,” said Gordon Downes, CEO of NYSHEX. Source: The New York Shipping Exchange (NYSHEX) Portaferry lifeboat on call twice at weekend The Portaferry lifeboat was launched twice over the weekend, after a fire on a motorboat and a yacht crew member suffered a head injury.

On Saturday at around lunchtime, the RNLI responded to a call for help from a 30ft motorboat with four people, two male and two female, on board. They reported that they had an engine fire and they were close to Ballydorn, White Rocks in Strangford Lough. The volunteer RNLI crew was on scene with the stricken vessel by 12.57pm, just 20 minutes after the call for assistance. the crew was called out after a call for help from three men on board a 28ft yacht, one of whom had sustained a head injury. The casualty and one other yacht crew member were taken on board the RNLI lifeboat where one of the volunteers administered first aid.The casualty was then taken by the lifeboat crew to nearby Ringhaddy Pontoons, before being handed over to the care of the ambulance service. source: Belfast Telegraph

The VIKING NEPTUN heading for Stord in Norway – Photo : Steven de Man © Finnish Port Develops New Container Terminal The Port of Rauma in Finland has developed a new 60-metre container terminal and announced plans to extend the quay by an additional 520 meters at the end of the year. Work to expand the port began in the spring of 2016 and will cost an estimated US$29.4 million upon completion. The container terminal will benefit through a deeper quay and new areas for

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container operations. Rauma is the third largest container port in Finland, handling over 70% of all containers transported through the ports on the Finnish west coast from Turku to Tornio. Hannu Asumalahti, Managing Director of Rauma Satama Oy, said: "The work has progressed smoothly and safely, and now we have completed the difficult part of the contract, that is to say, connecting the new and old quay. “Rauma has been growing steadily [in 2017], so investments in the port are beginning to take place at an opportune time.” source: Porttechnology First of ten Stan Tug 1907 ICE completed by Great Lakes Shipyard for The Great Lakes Towing Company The first of ten Stan Tug 1907 ICE vessels has been delivered by Great Lakes Shipyard to its sister company The Great Lakes Towing Company, both based in Ohio, USA. Named CLEVELAND, she is a significant milestone in a licencing programme agreed between Damen Shipyards Group and Great Lakes Shipyard following discussions that began in 2014. While the initial agreement is for the series build of ten tugs for Great Lakes Towing, the vessels will also be available to third party buyerson a priority basis. The Stan Tug 1907 ICE is a compact design capable of 30.0-tons of bollard pull. Its relatively small size and high manoeuvrability make it ideal for the narrow waterways with their many low bridges that characterise the Great Lakes region. The ability to operate safely in icy waters is also essential given the very cold temperatures that occur there in the winter.

The CLEVELAND has got off to a good start. On her first morning in service she “was put to workfor two ship assists. The first was for Fednav International Limited, Montreal, and the second was for Rand Corporation, based in New Jersey,” reported Joe Starck, President of Great Lakes Shipyard and the Towing Company. “Both tows went without a hitch and the feedback then and since has been very positive. One of the pilots on the first day even commented that the new tug made manoeuvring much easier. The boat has performed even better than we expected, without the need for the typical “tweaks” that are normally required after completion of a new tug.” As was expected, the build of the CLEVELAND was something of a learning experience, not least because various European working practises had to be translated into their American equivalents, and numerous adaptations had to be made to meet USA regulations. However, with these achieved for the CLEVELAND and the production process now fully optimised, the follow-on hulls will be completed more quickly and efficiently. “Damen was always there when we needed them,” continued Joe Starck. “It has truly been a pleasure to work with them, and we have really enjoyed getting to know the entire Damen team. They’re a first class organisation.” The Great Lakes Group traces its root back to 1899, and from its headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, operates its shipyard, as well as over 40 tugs based in eleven ports. Alphatron Marine opens new office in Korea JRC and Alphatron Marine, answering strong demand for local representation and integrated technology services, today announces a further increase in the global presence with the opening of Alphatron Marine Korea in Busan, Korea. With this strategic location, we will be able to get closer to the customer, strengthen our presence and support growth in the Korean market. Alphatron Marine’s is highly specialized in providing bridge solutions to medium and small vessels such as coastguard, patrol vessels, tugboats, workboats, fishing, smaller cargo as well as windfarm support vessels. With a track record to more than 850 vessels, Alphatron Marine is looking forward deepening the relationship with new and existing customers. Together with Korean manufacturers, shipyards and governmental institutes, we will be ready to show our advancements in technology and be ready for a new era in Korean shipbuilding. Innovation, flexibility and dedicated are deeply embedded within our company. Alphatron Marine Korea represents a rich blend of total marine system and solution provider utilizing JRC’sglobal renowned hardware capabilities, Alphatron Marine’s turnkey system integration and other partners including our strategic partner Transas

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for software and R&D readyto meet the various challenges related to maritime products, systems and bridge operation. We have strategically positioned our office in Busan, a large port city in the southeastern tip of South Korea, to be immediately available for service and support, catering every need of the modern shipping industry. Also, high level technical support of major industry brands to vessel, either currently in operation or focused on new building projects. We can provide service, training, installation work, retrofit services, preventative maintenance for all types of IMO and non-IMO vessels including commercial vessels, fishing vessels and workboats. Alphatron Marine Korea looks forward to being an active member of the local and global Korean shipping community and with operation commencingon 1 September, we would like to invite you to meet our staff during the exhibition Kormarine on 24-27 October where we will show a brand-new AlphaBridge workboat solution, the latest standard in bridge design. Contact details Alphatron Marine Korea 240, Jungang-daero, Dong-gu, Busan48732, Korea T +82 51 714 1862 [email protected]

Panama Canal discounts may not produce expected flood of new business By Mike Wackett On 8 August the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) approved a reduction in its tolls for southbound neo-panamax vessels, but analyst Drewry is doubtful whether the incentives to carriers will have immediate impact. The new tariff, $10-$15 per teu below the unchanged northbound tariff, will only apply to ships of 6,000 teu and above, and vessels must have carried at least 70% of its maximum capacity on the headhaul voyage and not take longer than 28 days to complete the round trip. Drewry calculates that, for the eight services that currently round-trip via the canal with an average vessel size of 6,900 teu, the saving would be around $30,000 a voyage, and these 80 ships would cumulatively qualify for a discount of some $13m on the present toll structure. The ACP’s aim in offering a financial incentive, from 1 October, is to attract the other six Asia-US east coast services that currently don’t make their return voyages via the Panama Canal. According to Drewry data, three loops return to Asia via the Suez Canal and three avoid canal fees altogether on the backhaul by going via the Cape of Good Hope However, last week the Egyptian government rolled out substantial reductions for container vessels transiting the Suez Canal, aimed at attracting more business to boost revenue that fell 3.2% last year to $5bn. And with bunker fuel still relatively cheap, the ACP discount is unlikely to win over carriers that route via the Cape. Nevertheless, Drewry believes the ACP will see some improved revenue – but from the gradual deployment of bigger ships through the expanded locks, rather than from rerouting. Indeed, since the official opening of the $5bn expansion in June 2016, Drewry notes that results have far exceed forecasts, with an average of 5.9 daily transits, when two to three were expected. So-called neopanamax ships of up to 14,000 teu in capacity are now able to go through the canal.But the upgrade in container vessel size on liner services has been measured by carriers, due to a combination of insufficient demand and the physical limitations of US east coast ports, adds Drewry.“We do not expect to see much, if any, change to carriers’ routing plans this year.” it said. However, that could change next year if the Suez Canal ends its rebate scheme and Panama’s return leg discounts provide a more compelling argument to switch. source : The Loadstar

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Body found as Danish submarine man says missing woman died on board The home-made submarine "UC3 NAUTILUS" sails in Copenhagen harbour. Photo: Reuters A headless female torso was found on Monday in the water's edge in Copenhagen, hours after a Danish inventor charged with killing a journalist in his home-made submarine told a court she died on board, police said. Peter Madsen told the court that Swedish journalist Kim Wall had died in an accident and he had buried her at sea, changing his earlier statement the he dropped her off alive in Copenhagen. Police later told a press conference that it was still too early to identify the body - missing its head, legs and arms - that was found by a passing cyclist. "It is clear that the police, like the media and everybody else, is speculating whether this female body is Kim Wall, but it is way too soon to tell," Copenhagen police spokesman Jens Moller said. The case is being followed particularly closely by Danish and Swedish media but has drawn interest from around the world. The body had been sent for forensic analysis while divers continued to search the area where it was found, Moller said.Madsen has been charged with the manslaughter of Wall who has been missing since he took her out to sea in his 17-meter (56-foot) submarine on Aug. 10. He denies the charge. He was rescued a day later after his UC3 NAUTILUS sank. Police found nobody else in the wreck. Danish and Swedish maritime authorities are using divers, sonar and helicopters in the continued search for the body in Koge Bay, south of the city, and in the Oresund Strait between the two countries. Madsen, an entrepreneur, artist, submarine builder and aerospace engineer, went before a judge on Saturday for preliminary questioning. The case is not open to the public to protect further investigation, police said. source: Reuters Hamburg loses ground to rivals due to delays caused by dredging of Elbe

CSCL URANUS outbound passing 'COSCO PORTUGAL' inbound Hamburg. Photo : Hans Schaefer (c) THE German port of Hamburg's container volumes in the first half of 2017 at 4.45 million TEU remained flat compared to the previous year, while delays surrounding the expansion of the Elbe fairway continue to cost the European gateway market share. Both Antwerp and Rotterdam ports - the latter has overtaken Hamburg as Europe's second-busiest container port - registered year-on-year volume growth in the first half of the year of 9.4 per cent to 6.66 million TEU, and of 1.8 per cent to 5.14 million TEU, respectively. Hamburg's joint chief executive of marketing, Axel Mattern, pointed to a 3.2 per cent drop in empties as one area where the failure to dredge and widen the Elbe was reducing the port's traffic, reported London's Loadstar. "Shipping companies tend to route empty boxes for weight reasons via other ports, partly because the adjustment of the Elbe fairway is still not implemented," Mr Mattern was quoted as saying. "Once the channel is dredged, mega-ships will be able to bring an additional 1,600 [plus] TEU to Hamburg and take that many again on departure." Despite declines from seven of the port's top 10 trading partners, Mr Mattern was pleased with Chinese and Russian numbers, describing the volume growth as "gratifying". Chinese volumes rose 1.3 per cent to 1.29 million TEU, while Russian figures increased four per cent to 230,000 TEU; and Swedish volumes jumped 9.8 per cent to 140,000 TEU. Overall though, these results were not enough to offset a 3.5 per cent decline among its top 10 trading partners to 2.65 million TEU from 2.75 million TEU last year. Three years of back-to-back growth in the number of ultra-large containerships calling at Hamburg, was piling on the pressure to advance the dredging and

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widening of the Elbe. In the first six months of the year, 54 vessels in the 18,000-20,000+ TEU range called at Hamburg, a 134.8 per cent increase compared to last year, while vessels in the 14,000-17,900 TEU range called 36.5 per cent more times than in 2016. In February, Leipzig's Federal Administrative Court finally rubber-stamped the Elbe deepening project, after environmental protests brought the project to a standstill in 2013. Despite receiving the court's approval, the stop work order issued four years ago remains in place, with the port first having to address two major environmental concerns. source : Schednet

Baltic index rises on firmer rates across vessel categories The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Monday, helped by higher rates across vessel categories. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose 6 points or 0.48 percent to 1,266 points, its highest level since April 19 and marking 16 straight sessions of gains. The capesize index rose 10 points, or 0.39 percent, to end at 2,584 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $17 to $19,515. The panamax index advanced 4 points or 0.3 percent to 1,349 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, increased $32 to $10,812. Among indexes tracking smaller vessels, the supramax index climbed 11 points to 817 points, while the handysize index inched up 1 point to 466 points.Source: Reuters (Reporting by Karen Rodrigues in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar) A Rich Tapestry: LNG Projects And The LNG Carrier Fleet The development of the global merchant fleet is affected by a very broad range of interwoven supply and demand factors, including shipping and commodity cycles, investor sentiment, regulatory concerns, yard capacity and so on. Another factor is shore-side infrastructure projects, which can be tricky to disentangle from the wider web, though this influence is a little clearer on, for example, the LNG carrier sector… Spinning A Yarn? When looking at supply and demand factors in shipping, the old adage about the chicken, the egg and their relative pedigree often springs to mind. In the case of LNG though, it could be argued that things are really quite LNG supply-led, as LNG carriers are often ordered to meet the requirements of specific liquefaction terminal projects. In fact, a commonplace claim is that each mtpa of new liquefaction capacity corresponds to requirement for an additional LNG carrier. But is this rule of thumb borne out by the data? Well, at first glance, some relationship of this sort does seem to hold. In 2017, seaborne LNG trade is projected to grow by almost 10% y-o-y to top 294 million tonnes, with cargoes conveyed by a fleet of (at present) almost 500 LNG carriers. Similarly, total global nameplate liquefaction capacity is scheduled to increase by over 9%. The LNG carrier fleet is also set to expand rapidly, by over 14% in unit terms in full year 2017. Following The Thread Looking back, a relationship is also apparent; LNG terminal capacity grew at a CAGR of just under 9% in the decade to 2007, and the LNG carrier fleet grew at a comparable 9%. Indeed, the graph shows that the annual ratio of nameplate liquefaction capacity to the fleet was generally 0.8-1.0 mtpa/vessel in the period. Vessel contracting was strongly project driven. But in following years, the ratio slid down into the 0.7-0.8 mtpa/vessel range, as fleet growth outpaced liquefaction capacity expansion from 2007 to 2016, with a CAGR of 8% versus less than 7%. Two main factors seem to have been behind the disparity: speculative ordering amplified by Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, which saw LNG carrier charter rates

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surge, and start-up slippage at projects such as Angola LNG (5.2 mtpa) and Gorgon LNG (15.6 mtpa). Combined with outages (e.g. in the Yemen), the result has been LNG carrier oversupply and challenged markets in recent years. Weaving New Webs On the basis of the orderbook and the portfolio of LNG projects under construction, the mtpa/vessel ratio looks like it could still be slightly below 0.8 by 2020, possibly a worrying indicator for the fleet, though emerging US LNG export trade is likely to provide some tonne-mile upside. But LNG project slippage is common. If, for example, 30% of the 113 mtpa due onstream by 2020 were to slip past 2020, the ratio would drop back down to 0.72. So there is a relationship between liquefaction capacity and the LNG carrier fleet, though it is not specifically one-to-one. And while there are clearly many relevant factors, looking at supply-side ratios such as mtpa/vessel can be a useful high-level approach. In a sense, LNG projects constitute one more thread in the rich shipping tapestry. Have a nice day. Source: Clarksons

The DISCOVERY approaching the IJmuiden locks inbound for Damen shiprepair in Amsterdam Photo : Marcel Coster © Roeien met de leden, die je hebt... Wat idealen en kiezers zijn voor politieke partijen, zijn goede bedoelingen en leden voor onze sportbonden. In beide werelden van geld en macht gaat het er om, hoe je alle kikkers in één kruiwagen houdt, en verdeeldheid tot éénheid kneedt. De roeisport is een mooi voorbeeld. Die heeft intussen namelijk wel drie smaken - en dan laten we het indoor-roeien maar even buiten beschouwing: één gebaseerd op het vlakwater-roeien ('gladroeien'), dan heb je het sloeproeien en sinds kort de 'coastal rowing'-discipline met olympische aspiraties. En omdat we historisch in een land leven met evenveel kerken als geloven, is de roeisport dus ook minimaal drie organisaties rijk. Die vallen maar deels samen met de verscheidene disciplines. En soms is er een overlap. De spelers zijn de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Roeibond (KNRB - ruim 34000 leden via 121 verenigingen), de Federatie Sloeproeien Nederland (FSN - 150 verenigingen met 198 ingeschreven roeisloepen) en het Watersportverbond (KNWV - ruim 80.000 leden via 400 verenigingen). Van ouds zijn er binnen het Watersportverbond veel gemengde Roei- en Zeilverenigingen. Hoe - en óf - de roeiers uit die verenigingen nu worden geteld is niet duidelijk. Wel bestaat er ook nog een Dutch Pilot Gig Association (DPGA). Een 'Gig' is een snelle roeisloep voor zes roeiers met stuurman, die vroeger aan de Engelse zuidkust werd ingezet als loodsboot. Deze DPGA is 'partner' van de KNRB, maar bestaat zo te zien voornamelijk uit een achttal KNWV-verenigingen. Verschillende organisaties, die elk voor zich roeiers naar zich toe willen trekken. Zelfs in een openlijke concurrentieslag. In het 2017-plan van de KNRB lezen we: "Gig-roeien is een vorm van sloeproeien. Op dit moment is deze groep aangesloten bij het watersportverbond. De ongeveer 1000 Gig-roeiers voelen zich echter meer thuis bij onze roeigemeenschap. De grote gelijkenis in de beweging biedt mogelijkheid tot samenwerking..." en "Verder met plan van toetreden Gig-, indoor- en Coastal-roeiers tot de KNRB". Als de KNRB de strijd om de Gig-roeiers binnen de gemixte verenigingen van het Watersportverbond (KNWV) maar sportief wil houden. Roeien en zeilen horen historisch nu eenmaal een beetje bij elkaar. De KNRB zou zich beter eerst eens op het integreren van de FSN kunnen richten. Zou ik zo zeggen vanaf de walkant. De Roeibond doet het op dit moment overigens al bovengemiddeld goed.

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In 2012 waren er volgens het meerjarenplan 2013-2016 30.000 roeiers via 116 verenigingen aangesloten. Eind 2016 zijn dat er volgens het jaarplan 2017 om precies te zijn 34.142 via 119 verenigingen. Een derde daarvan is een studentenvereniging. Dat is een groei van ruim 13%, in jaren dat veel sportbonden hun ledental zien teruglopen en vergrijzen. En dat is niet alleen omdat de roeibond in 2017 zijn 100-jarig bestaan heeft gevierd.

Binnen de KNRB is het aandeel fanatieke roeiers relatief groot. In 2016 besloot de algemene ledenvergadering tot een contributie verhoging van 4,50 euro op voorwaarde dat dit geld bestemd zou worden voor talentontwikkeling, met name voor junioren (3 euro per lid) en voor opleidingen en sportparticipatie (1,50 euro per lid). Bij andere bonden wint veelal toch de breedtesport het van de olympische gekte. En gelukkig maar. Sinds de internationale roeibond FISA overweegt het Coastal Rowing in de Yole de Mer op open water ook nog olympisch te maken, ziet de Roeibond in deze 'kustroeiers' ook weer een nieuw potentieel aan leden. Kortom, het gaat de Roeibond gewoon voor de wind. Met reden.

Want zelfs als je al veel watersporten hebt beoefend, is roeien een unieke toevoeging. In een boot met een 'rollend stoeltje' of een 'sliding rigger' roei je met benen en armen tegelijk, waarbij je ook nog je buikspieren gebruikt. Daarbij kun je net als op de racefiets behoorlijk tot het gaatje gaan.... Ja, dat heet ontspanning, maar past wel in ons fitness-tijdperk, waarin we steeds beter weten hoe ons lichaam optimaal functioneert en kan blijven functioneren. Want roeien is ook een sport, die je individueel of met een groep tot op hoge leeftijd kunt blijven beoefenen. Wie zich wil wagen aan de roeisport, kan zich natuurlijk aansluiten bij een passende vereniging (en zo bij één van de bonden...). Dan hoef je geen eigen boot aan te schaffen. Maar dat vraagt wel enige flexibiliteit in planning van je sporturen, omdat je bij het roeien in een verenigingsboot zeker in het begin van anderen afhankelijk bent. Ook zijn er tegenwoordig verschillende skiff-achtige roeiboten op de markt, waarmee je prima zelfstandig, veilig en stabiel van wal kunt steken en waarvan de prijzen ver onder die van een sloep liggen. Voorbeelden daarvan zijn de Franse Lite Boats en de Nederlandse Volans. Dan kun je het stellen zónder vereniging of bond....

Met vriendelijke groet, Bert Kuijpers, schipper van Nauticlink

Navy rescues Vietnamese sailor from Abu Sayyaf By Roel Pareño The Philippine Navy on Sunday rescued a Vietnamese sailor that the Abu Sayyaf group had held captive since November, security officials said. R.Adm. Rene Medina, commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said Do Trung Huie was rescued about 9 p.m. on Sunday at Mataja Island off Lantawan town. Medina said combined forces from the Joint Task Force Basilan, through the Naval Task Group Basilan, Naval Task Force 61, and Navy Intelligence Service Group launched pursuit operations that led to the rescue. “The intensified military offensives caused the Abu Sayyaf Group to flee and opened a chance for rescue operations,” Medina said. Do Trung Hieu along with five other crew of M/V ROYAL 16 crew members — identified as Pham Minh Tuan, Tran Khac Dung, Hoang Trung Thong, Hoang Van Hai, and Huang Vo — were abducted by the group of Sulu-based sub-leader Alvin "Arab Puti" Yusop, Alhabsy Misaya and Basilan-based sub-leader Radzmil "Kubayb" Jannatul while sailing near Sibago Island, Basilan on November 11, 2016. Hoang Vo, 22, escaped from his captors last June 16. The Abu Sayyaf beheaded Hoang Trung Thong and Hoang Van Hai in Barangay Tumahubong, Sumisip town on July 5. The Navy said that remains believed to be of Tran Khac Dung — alias Tran Viet Van — were also recovered in Buhanginan, Patikul town, Sulu on July 15. Security have yet to locate the last remaining Vietnamese captive in Basilan. Col. Juvymax Uy, JTFB commander, said the relentless pursuit and intelligence tracking led to the rescue of the victim. "Said rescue was a result of the maximized conduct of intelligence operations and the successful airstrike mission launched by our troops on the ground," Uy said. Do Trung Hieu was immediately brought to the headquarters of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao and given medical attention by military doctors at Camp Navarro General Hospital (CNGH) inside the Camp Don Basilio Navarro. source: Philstar

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Visboot zonder brandstof nabij Maasmond Dinsdagochtend 06.15 uur gepaged, Visboot zonder brandstof nabij de Maasmond voor de 2e Maasvlakte. De KNRM reddingboot ‘JEANINE PARQUI’ was spoedig op weg om de vissers te helpen en lag om 06.35 langszij de visboot. Er is voldoende diesel overgepompt om de vissers naar Stellendam te laten varen. Om 07.15 uur lag de KNRM reddingboot weer gemeerd in de Berghaven.

VLCC Cargoes Keep On Rising Cargo availability is on the rise in the Middle East VLCC market, but rates don’t seem to be able to pick up considerably. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Charles R. Weber said that “VLCC rates in the Middle East market posted a minor improvement this week, in‐line with a stronger pace of demand and recent demand strength in the West Africa market. A total of 23 fixtures were reported in the Middle East market, representing a 28% w/w gain. The West Africa market saw six reported fixtures, off by three w/w (though the four‐week moving average has risen to a one‐month high)”. Accordin to CR Weber, “the immediate fundamentals facing the market remain poor: in the Middle East market, there are 31 units available to cover 3 remaining regional cargoes and four West Africa cargoes. The implied surplus of 24 units remains level with the view a week ago at a three‐month high; the surplus is twice the 12‐month average. As participants move into a September program, demand is expected to be busier on both seasonality (with a reduction of crude supply from Middle East producers to meet domestic summer demand surges subsiding) and geopolitical factors (as resolve by OPEC members to adhere to quotes appears to be waning as the strategy has failed to yield desired results). Any improvement in the demand profile however, will likely have little impact on rates, at very least while participants work early September cargoes, given the extent of surplus tonnage carrying over from August to September. Thereafter, the extent of early September demand and draws from the West Africa market will have a large baring on rate developments thereafter, as both of these can change the supply/demand positioning considerably”.

Middle East According to the shipbroker in the Middle East, “AG‐FEAST rates pared last week’s losses, adding one point to conclude ws41. Corresponding TCEs rose by 18% to conclude at ~$12,088/day. Rates on the AG‐USG route via the Cape were unchanged at ws23. Triangulated Westbound trade earnings were off by 2% to ~$19,780/day”. In the Atlantic Basin, CR Weber said that “rates in the West Africa market lagged those in the Middle East with the WAFR‐ FEAST route shedding 2 points to conclude at ws48. Corresponding TCEs were off by 4% to ~$16,792/day. After last week’s gains in the Caribbean market, muted demand and further testing showed a slightly more ample supply fundamental, which lead to a paring of regional rates. The CBS‐SPORE route eased by $150k to conclude at $3.10m lump sum”. In the Suezmax market, “demand in the West Africa Suezmax market was muted this week with just five fixtures reporting, representing a five‐month low. Despite this, rates received a modest boost following stronger than anticipated demand for coverage of August’s final decade, which left the position list slightly less overpopulated than previously expected. The WAFR‐UKC route added 2.5 points to conclude at ws67.5, accordingly. A moderating of VLCC coverage past August’s final decade shows greater demand prospects for Suezmaxes, which could help to keep rates stable, or possibly offer a small measure of fresh gains”, CR Weber said. In the Aframax market, the shipbroker said that “a revised tally of last week’s Caribbean Aframax fixture activity pushed the four‐ week moving average to a four‐month high, enabling modest rate gains this week as demand levels remained relatively elevated. The CBS‐USG route added five points to conclude at ws90. Little substantial change is likely during the upcoming week”. Meanwhile, in the product tanker market, the shipbroker said that “the USG MR market observed a surge in rates this week after a fresh geographic diversification of trades in the Atlantic basin in recent weeks reduced available supply and demand increased this week. The weekly tally of regional fixtures jumped to an eight‐week high of 39, representing a w/w gain of 25%. Of this week’s tally, voyages to Europe accounted for just four (‐5, w/w) as traders scaled back interest in this direction following six consecutive weeks of above‐average demand; 22 fixtures were bound for points in Latin America and the Caribbean (+3, w/w) and the

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remainder are for alternative destinations or have yet to be determined. Rates on the USG‐UKC route surged 60 points to conclude at ws140 – the highest since late June. The USG‐CBS route added $275k to conclude at $625k lump sum (a four‐month high) and the USG‐CHILE route added $275k to conclude at $1.325m lump sum (a two‐month high)”. CR Weber concluded that “this week’s gains were aided by a limiting of inbound tonnage to the USG earlier as ballast directions of units freeing at various parts of the western Atlantic basin were more diverse. However, with the USG market now offering a strong premium to all viable alternatives, we expect that a fresh buildup of positions will ensue during the upcoming week as the ballast orientation is now concertedly to the USG. Presently, the two‐week forward view of available tonnage shows 33 available units (11% fewer than a week ago). Charterers resistance is increasingly apparent at the close of the week and with more units expected to progressively appear during the upcoming week, we expect that modest downside at the start of the upcoming week will lead to a stronger correction by mid‐week, failing a strong extending of demand growth”. source: Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

DEME’s New LNG-powered Dredger MINERVA passing the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam as seen from the deck of the QUEEN ELIZABETH alongside the Cruise Terminal. Photo : Frank Behling (c)

Russian Energy Minister: 170 km of TurkStream pipeline laid so far

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Russian oil and gas company Gazprom has reportedly laid some 170 kilometers of the Turksih Stream, also known as TurkStream, pipeline in the Black Sea.The operational update was shared by the Russian Energy minister Alexander Novak during his visit in Izmir, Turkey, last week.

The AUDACIA operating in the Black Sea – Photo : Murdanie Macleod © “In May, the construction of the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline began near the Russian Black Sea coast. As of today, about 170 km of the gas pipeline have been laid, while the length of the offshore section of the project will be about 940 km,” Novak said. As previously reported by Offshore Energy Today, the Allseas AUDACIA pipelayer had laid the the shallow water section of the first string of the pipeline in May, after which the Allseas-owned Pioneering Spirit, the world’s largest pipelay and construction vessel, took over late in June, to carry out the deepwater pipelaying operations at the first string of the project. The start of the deepwater operations was symbolically launched by Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. The twin pipelines of the Turkish Stream project will enter the water near Anapa, on the Russian coast, and come ashore on the Turkish coast some 100 kilometers west of Istanbul, near the village of Kiyikoy. Each string of TurkStream will have the throughput capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas per year To remind, Russia’s and Turkey’s energy ministers signed an agreement to go ahead with construction of the pipeline back in October 2016. This marked the resumption of works on the TurkStream pipeline project which was suspended after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane in 2015. Turkey then said the warplane had violated its airspace. The incident had led to the cooling of relations between the two countries, however, the relations have improved following the Turkish president’s apology to Russia for the downing of the plane. source: Offshore Energy Today Staff

The BUGSIER 19 inbound for Rotterdam Photo : Willem Holtkamp - http://fotomaker.jalbum.net/FOTOMAKER/ © Date set for shareholders’ vote on Ensco-Atwood merger Offshore drillers Ensco and Atwood Oceanics, which recently agreed to merge, on Friday filed definitive proxy materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding the deal. To remind, subject to certain conditions, including approval from both sets of shareholders, Ensco will acquire Atwood in an all-stock transaction. In a statement on Friday, Ensco and Atwood said they would hold their respective shareholder meetings related to the merger on October 5, 2017 Both the Ensco and Atwood boards of directors unanimously recommend that shareholders vote “FOR” the approvals necessary to complete the proposed merger.shareholder meetings. “This transaction is a unique opportunity to significantly strengthen and renew Ensco’s

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fleet at a key juncture in the market recovery cycle by adding high-specification, complementary assets at attractive valuations,” said Ensco Chief Executive Officer and President Carl Trowell. “By combining our fleets, we further our position as the offshore driller of choice and expect to create significant shareholder value with substantial upside relative to stand-alone scenarios, while maintaining financial flexibility through 2024.” Ensco’s general meeting of shareholders is scheduled to take place on October 5, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. (London time) at the Offices of Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY, England. All shareholders of record of Ensco’s common stock as of the close of business on August 23, 2017 will be entitled to vote their shares either in person or by proxy at the shareholder meeting. Atwood’s 2017 special meeting of shareholders is scheduled for October 5, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. (Houston time) at 15011 Katy Freeway, First Floor, Houston, Texas 77094. All shareholders of record of Atwood’s common stock as of the close of business on 23 August 2017 will be entitled to vote their shares either in person or by proxy at the shareholder meeting. As reported on May 2017, Ensco and Atwood have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Ensco will acquire Atwood in an all-stock transaction that was unanimously approved by each company’s board of directors. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Atwood shareholders will receive 1.60 shares of Ensco for each share of Atwood common stock for a total value of $10.72 per Atwood share based on Ensco’s closing share price of $6.70 on 26 May 2017. Upon close of the transaction, Ensco and Atwood shareholders will own approximately 69% and 31%, respectively, of the outstanding shares of Ensco plc. There are no financing conditions for this transaction. On 29 June 2017, Ensco and Atwood announced early termination of the waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The two companies anticipate closing the transaction in the first week of October 2017. Worth noting, not all the shareholders are happy with the proposed merger. In a recent open letter to its fellow Ensco shareholders, Arrowgrass Capital Partners, a “significant Ensco shareholder,” issued a statement calling for other shareholders to vote against the proposed merger, saying the deal is not in the best interests of Ensco’s shareholders due to its excessive price, inopportune timing, and unacceptable risk, calling the Ensco shareholders to vote against the proposed deal. source: Offshore Energy Today Staff

The QUEEN ELIZABETH moored at the cruise terminal in Rotterdam last Tuesday Photo : Arjan Elmendorp © Israeli JV to return offshore licenses to government

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An Israeli partnership has decided to return the Daniel East and Daniel West offshore oil and gas exploration licenses to the Israeli Government due to a lack of investors, among other reasons. In Sunday’s statement, Modiin Energy, one of the companies in the joint venture, said the license operator recommended that the licensees return all rights in the Daniel licenses, located in the Mediterranean, to the state. According to the company, the proposition was considered during a joint operating committee meeting of the JV. The operator of the two licenses, Isramco Negev, made its recommendation based on its assessment regarding the level of geological risk, prospects identified in the area of the licenses, and the difficulties anticipated in the commercialization of the gas if and when it is discovered in the field. Also, one of the reasons for returning the licenses to the Government was a “lack of responsiveness” of new investors to join the licensees as well as the fact that the licenses cannot be extended. Modiin said that the licenses and the work plan would expire in April 2018, seven years after they were originally awarded on April 13, 2011. The partners in the joint venture are Isramco, as the operator, Modiin Energy, Israel Oil Corporation, ATP Oil & Gas Corporation, and PSH which hold 65, 15, 10, 5 and 5 percent interest, respectively. source: Offshore Energy Today Staff Cruise ship converted to run on LNG in port A cruise ship operator has introduced what it claims is the first ever ship of its kind to run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) when it’s in port. Carnival Corporation said this was one of several ways it made significant progress towards its 2020 sustainability goals in 2016. It says the lower emission fossil fuel has played a part in achieving a 24.8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to the 2005 baseline. By the end of 2016, around 59% of Carnival Corporation’s fleet was equipped with Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems, which significantly improve air emissions by reducing sulfur compounds and particulate matter from engine exhaust. Around 40% of its ships are also able to use an alternative power source while in port. The firm has expanded its partnership with marine power service firm Wärtsilä to include a long-term diesel engine maintenance agreement and drive further energy efficiency gains. Bill Burke, Chief Maritime Officer for Carnival Corporation said: “We take our commitment to sustainability and the environment very seriously and take proactive measures to ensure that sustainability is ingrained in the core of our business practices. “Our top priority is to consistently exceed our guests’ expectations for a great cruise vacation – and that includes providing an exceptionally safe, comfortable and enjoyable environment for our guests and crew members, while at the same time maintaining our deep commitment to protecting the oceans, seas and destinations we visit.” A new technology could reduce the fuel consumption of shipping tankers by around 10%. source: energylivenews

The ZENITH offshore Willemstad-Curacao – Photo : Kees Bustraan © Wheatstone nears start-up offshore Australia PERTH, Australia – Woodside Petroleum has issued an update on its international exploration and development programs. Offshore Australia, the Chevron-operated Wheatstone LNG project is nearing first production. The offshore platform hook-up and commissioning, required for LNG Train 1 start-up, are complete. The trunkline is pressurized, ready to supply gas onshore. Final commissioning of onshore LNG Train 1 is also advanced and nearing completion. LNG Train 2 construction and the hook- up of the domestic gas train modules are both progressing to schedule, with LNG Train 2 start-up targeting six to eight months after LNG Train 1 start-up. Woodside noted that the Julimar Phase 2 development has moved into the concept definition phase. The development involves four subsea wells being tied back to existing Brunello subsea infrastructure. A final investment decision is targeted in 2019. The Greater Enfield project is 28% complete and remains on budget and on schedule for expected first oil in mid-2019. Detailed design is nearing completion, and manufacturing of subsea and FPSO facility topsides production equipment remains on schedule to carry out offshore and shipyard construction activities in 2018. Production from the Ngujima- Yin FPSO will be suspended from 2Q 2018 for approximately 12 months to enable shipyard modifications, the company added. The Persephone project achieved start-up last month, six months ahead of schedule and 30% under budget. It comprises two subsea wells tied back to the existing North Rankin complex by a 7-km (4-mi) flowline. The Greater Western Flank Phase 2 (GWF-2) project is 50% complete. The reservoir drilling program continued at the Lady Nora Pemberton drill center, with all top

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hole drilling completed. Well completion activities commenced as planned in July 2017, while the manufacturing of subsea production equipment is ongoing and remains on track. The project remains on budget and is on schedule for start-up in 1H 2019. Woodside said that the project continues to pursue opportunities to accelerate completion. As for the Browse LNG development, Woodside continues to target the development concept selection in 2H 2017 and front-end engineering and design in 2019. The Browse Joint Venture and the North West Shelf (NWS) Project are progressing joint studies on the technical feasibility of NWS infrastructure processing the Browse resources. The proposed offshore development concept involves two gas FPSOs delivering 10-12 MMt/yr of processed gas to existing production facilities. Development concepts comprising either an FLNG facility or use of existing LNG process infrastructure on the Burrup Peninsula continue to be investigated and assessed for the Scarborough project. The Swell-1 well, located in WA-483-P offshore Exmouth, is scheduled to spud in 3Q 2017. The well is targeting a deep undrilled Triassic fault block which, if a commercial discovery is made, could tieback to existing facilities. The proposed Achernar well in WA-28-P is a drill-ready prospect identified through interpretation of data from the Fortuna 3D marine seismic survey. WA-28-P is a North West Shelf Project permit that is located close to existing infrastructure, and the proposed Achernar well is planned for 2018. Offshore Senegal, Woodside is now development lead for the SNE oil field and plans to transition to operator in due course. The foundation development concept for SNE is a stand-alone FPSO facility with an expansion capability for future tiebacks. A phased development initially focused on the less complex lower reservoir units is targeting first oil in 2021-2023. Offshore Gabon, processing of the second azimuth of multi-client 3D seismic data for the F15 block (Doukou Dak) was completed. Drilling of the Luna Muetse Ivela-1 prospect in E13 block is expected to begin in late 2017/early 2018. source: Offshore-Mag

see also : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R4Hb0S7Ikc#t=101

The MEANDER outbound from Rotterdam with the JETSED Photo : Willem Holtkamp - http://fotomaker.jalbum.net/FOTOMAKER/ © Will Maritime Save the Day for GPS? By Dana Goward Sailors, few in number compared to the population as a whole, have changed the world immeasurably with their skills, boats and ships. For thousands of years, maritime was the primary way far-flung peoples exchanged goods, culture and DNA. Every place it touched became more diverse and cosmopolitan. In the twentieth century, maritime forces saved the world by whisking away 300,000 British troops from Dunkirk and kept Britain alive for four years before delivering a larger force to Normandy. And could anything have been done to regain the vast Pacific without naval power and vast merchant fleets? For the last 50 years, maritime has been a primary, though invisible to most, backbone of the efficiencies in materials, manufacturing and trade that have fueled global prosperity. In much the same way since the 1990’s, GPS has become a primary, though almost invisible, backbone of technology. It’s free, highly accurate timing signal has been become an

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indispensable part of every network. It has become, in the words of officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “…a single point of failure for critical infrastructure.” And with its very low power, unencoded civil signal, it is a weak single point of failure. Maritime operations are vulnerable to disruption of GPS signals. Ships steer less efficient courses, digital radios are impacted, port cranes can get lost… even ship’s gyro compasses can show faults. But maritime may be less vulnerable than other modes of transportation and other critical infrastructure. Imagine the reduction in efficiency of United Parcel Service drivers having to go back to paper maps versus a cargo vessel having to take visual bearings or pick up a pilot an hour or two sooner. It is interesting, then, that it may be concerns about maritime that push forward U.S. plans to address GPS vulnerability to the benefit of everyone. As with many things in public life, the reasons for this have to do more with tradition and coincidence than analyses and deliberate planning. Radio beacons were first pioneered and deployed for maritime use in the early 1900s. At the outbreak of World War I, beacons were deployed along the east coast of the U.S. as a way to help counter the U-boat threat. As aids to navigation, they were the responsibility of the U.S. Lighthouse Service and were often collocated with lighthouses or placed aboard lightships. This gave the Lighthouse Service’s successor agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, experience and expertise with radio navigation. The Coast Guard was thus very involved in development of the secret Loran navigation system before and during World War II. Eventually, all responsibility for U.S. Loran operations world-wide fell to the Coast Guard. Even in the 1980s and 90s when additional Loran-C capability in the U.S. was added specifically for aviation interests, while funding flowed through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), responsibility for the entire system remained with the Coast Guard. Not only did the Coast Guard continue developing significant radio navigation expertise, it dealt with a substantial and diverse user group. This included mariners of all kinds, commercial and private aircraft pilots, and Defense Department range commanders who used the system to track the flights of their missile tests. It also included some interested just in timing. Telecommunications giant Sprint-Nextel and a national banking system were among that number. This combination of expertise and working with diverse users caused Congress to look to the Coast Guard as its “go to agency” for general navigation expertise. And so, after 10 years of administrations resolving to address GPS vulnerability with a backup system, it was the House Coast Guard and Marine Transportation subcommittee that held the first hearing on the topic in 2014. The legislative focus on maritime for a solution has continued with the House recently passing and sending to the Senate a bill that would require the Department of Transportation to work with the Coast Guard to build an eLoran system to complement and backup GPS. Such a system would, of course, benefit of all Americans, not just those with a connection to the sea.

By coincidence, while the House was still considering this bill, the Petya computer virus temporarily crippled maritime giant Maersk, and an apparent large scale GPS spoofing attack against 20 or more vessels in the Black Sea became public. The spoofing attack has been of particular concern in media reports with some speculating that, like the Petya virus, it is a Russian cyber weapon. While other sectors may be more vulnerable, the media and public love concrete examples, and the Black Sea incident captured imaginations. When coupled with the North Korean jamming last year that forced South Korean fishing vessels to return to port, a long-term trend of maritime problems has been established in the minds of many. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. It has been our experience that the primary reason a GPS backup has not been deployed, despite all promises to the contrary, is a lack of focus within the executive branch of government. There are too many stakeholders, too many possible responsible officials to force one to stand up, be accountable, and act. Recent congressional action and media attention have solved that problem by focusing on the maritime problem and driving a solution powered by the Department of Transportation and executed through the Coast Guard. The maritime community will benefit greatly from having the eLoran system the government has promised. The IMO’s eNavigation goals are not achievable without the kind of resilient electronic navigation it will provide. So, what will it matter if the rest of the nation also benefits? A stronger nation makes us all safer, more secure, and more prosperous. A rising tide… With maritime concerns driving an eLoran complement and backup for GPS, once again, community concerns and solutions will punch well above their weight and disproportionally benefit the world at large. Captain Dana A. Goward, USCG (ret), is the President of the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation. Source: MAREX USCG Approves JAX LNG for Ship-to-ship Bunkering The joint venture between Pivotal LNG and Northstar Midstream, JAX LNG, LLC, has received a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for the operation of its waterfront LNG facility and the approval to conduct ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operations with TOTE Maritime’s Marlin Class ships and the LNG barge, Clean Jacksonville. The expectation is this ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation will commence early in 2018. In August 2015, JAX LNG and its partner TOTE Maritime received their first LOA from the USCG establishing an industry first landside LNG bunkering facility in the Port of Jacksonville. Since then, JAX LNG has delivered LNG to TOTE Maritime’s LNG fueled container ships. In addition, Pivotal LNG has Distribution : daily to 37.450+ active addresses 24-08-2017 Page 18 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2017 – 237

demonstrated the ability to conduct LNG bunkering operations while TOTE Maritime simultaneously loads and off-loads cargo at the port. “The receipt of this second LOA demonstrates our commitment to our customers, the value of inclusive port stakeholder relationships and exhibits confidence in our rigorous operational risk analysis methodology,” said Tim Hermann, president of Pivotal LNG. JAX LNG, LLC said it is expected to be operational by end of 2017. JAX LNG’s waterfront LNG facility in Jacksonville will be outfitted with a marine dock and truck loading capability. Operated by Pivotal LNG, the facility’s initial daily liquefaction capacity will be 120,000 gallons of LNG per day and the facility will have 2 million gallons of storage capacity. Pivotal LNG and Southern Company Gas operate a network of LNG production facilities with the capacity to produce over 554,000 gallons per day and the ability to store more than 96 million gallons. source: Marinelink

Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and activists released after being arrested for protesting against oil drilling in Norway The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and her crew of 35 activists have been released in Tromsø, Northern Norway. The Norwegian Coast Guard boarded the Arctic Sunrise and arrested the ship and her crew last Thursday at the Korpfjell drill site after a peaceful protest against Statoil’s controversial oil drilling in the Arctic and to oppose the Norwegian government’s granting of oil licences in violation of Norway’s Constitution and the Paris Agreement. Six activists have been fined for breaching the safety zone around the oil rig, SONGA ENABLER on Thursday. Greenpeace considers the arrest by the Norwegian authorities to be unlawful as the protest was carried out in an area where the activists have a right to protest peacefully in connection with the right of freedom of navigation. There were no grounds under international law for the Norwegian Coast Guard to board the Dutch-flagged ARCTIC SUNRISE. (Photo : Marcel Coster (c)) Greenpeace believes the action was important and necessary to highlight the Norwegian government’s granting of licenses for Statoil’s irresponsible drilling program. “The activists stand for what they did and are facing the consequences. They have acted peacefully and with the urgency necessary to protect the global climate that the Norwegian government is right now putting at risk with reckless oil drilling in the Arctic. This new aggressive search for oil is a violation of Norway’s Constitution and a completely backwards decision while the rest of the world is agreeing to phase out fossil to reduce global warming,” said Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace Norway. “I am happy that we managed to expose the Norwegian government’s true face behind the self-proclaimed image as a green frontrunner. We protested peacefully with the support of hundreds of thousands people to make it clear that the Norwegian government is making a historic mistake with the opening of a new oil frontier. They know that more oil extraction will fuel extreme weather events like typhoons and droughts, so it’s about time they set people’s lives and health higher than short term oil profits,” said Austrian activist Dalia Kellou. Greenpeace will continue to fight Arctic drilling. The next battle will be

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fought in the courtroom through a climate lawsuit brought against the Norwegian government for handing out new Arctic oil licenses. Greenpeace Nordic and Nature and Youth will meet the Norwegian government in court on 14th November, arguing that the new oil licenses are a violation of the right to a safe and healthy environment as stated in the Norwegian Constitution (Article 112), as well as being safeguarded for future generations as well as the Paris Agreement. Statoil’s ongoing oil drilling at the Korpfjell well is the northernmost oil operation ever in Norway. Sea Traffic Management System Tested on Stena Germanica The E.U. STM Validation project has successfully installed the first Sea Traffic Management compatible bridge systems, connecting ships with shore based services. The STM project is a follow on from the E.U.-funded MONALISA 2.0 project which developed a system that enables vessel route information to be shared between ships and centers on shore.

The ships equipped are STENA GERMANICA and two rescue vessels from Swedish Sea Rescue Society: Rescue MARTA COLLIN and RESCUE 11-00. STENA GERMANICA, while on route from Gothenburg to Kiel, automatically shared her route with the two rescue vessels, and at the same time received their routes and displayed them on the ECDIS. All available functions are working flawlessly, including route optimization and synchronized port calls. The route message format used, developed as a part of the STM Validation project, is transmitted to other ships over ordinary AIS, improving the common situational awareness. The officer of the watch will see up to seven route segments of other ships, allowing him or her to predict meeting points, determine the closest point of approach, the time it will happen and at an early stage identify and avoid close situations. Lars Littke, volunteer and Coxswain on MARTA COLLIN says: “This route sharing operation is very simple with the STM infrastructure and can be useful in real rescue operations. The capability to broadcast and share transport- and entry-routes into an area as well as routes for search patterns is a great improvement. It will simplify communication, make SAR operations more efficient and hopefully save more lives.” Anders Rydlinger, Director for Ship Solutions at Transas, says: “Through information sharing between ship and shore using the Maritime Cloud/ SeaSWIM infrastructure, we are creating a cohesive community, which enables better communications and joined-up decision making. This leads to higher operational standards, greater environmental performance, increased efficiency and improved safety record.” The STM test bed will include 300 ships, 13 ports and at least five shore centers. The STM Validation Project encompasses 39 partners (private, public and academic) from 13 countries and with a total budget of 43 million Euros ($45 million). The project will run from 2015 to 2018. Source : MAREX

NAVY NEWS Why Do U.S. Navy Ships Keep Crashing? Fewer vessels and insufficient training may be a common theme in four incidents this year. By Justin Bachman The déjà vu collision of the guided missile destroyer USS JOHN S MCCAIN with an oil tanker near Singapore was the Navy’s fourth serious incident in the western Pacific this year, and mirrored a similar disaster in June that claimed the lives of seven sailors off the coast of Japan. In January, the USS ANTIETAM ran aground near Yokosuka, Japan, where the U.S. Seventh Fleet is based. In May, the USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN ran into a South Korean fishing vessel. And just last week, the Navy Distribution : daily to 37.450+ active addresses 24-08-2017 Page 20 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2017 – 237

relieved the commander of the USS FITZGERALD a guided missile destroyer that on June 17 was hit by a container ship, with deadly consequences.

Now, with 10 sailors dead or missing following the MCCAIN incident Aug. 21, the question of what, if anything, these accidents have in common has become front-of-mind. One distinct possibility is a fleet that’s stretched too thin, forced to combine training with deployments over a vast area teeming with U.S. strategic interests, according to two retired Navy officers. In a Facebook video, the chief of naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, said he has directed “a more comprehensive review to ensure that we get at the contributing factors, the root causes of these incidents.” “This trend demands more forceful action,” said Richardson, who ordered a short “operational pause” for the Navy to assess how the fleet operates. He said there is no indication of foul play, such as hacking or sabotage, but that all possibilities are being considered. From 1998 to 2015, the Navy shrank by 20 percent, to 271 ships, while the number of vessels deployed overseas remained at about 100 ships, Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment, wrote in a 2015 article for The National Interest. Clark concluded that each ship has to work 20 percent more to meet demand. The current fleet size doesn’t properly support the demand for 85 ships to 105 ships deployed to sea at any given moment—the average for the past 50 years—said retired Navy captain Jerry Hendrix, who also served as director of naval history and is now a senior director at the Center for a New American Security. “When you’re trying to keep that many out to sea … something’s got to give,” he said. “The bucket that gets taken away from is training. I think the training has begun to break down in the fleet.” Bryan McGrath, a retired Navy captain who commanded a destroyer similar to the MCCAIN, the USS BULKELEY, said that what “we’re seeing is a fraying Navy, especially over in the western Pacific.” The Cold War’s end led to a Navy-wide diminution of “basic war-fighting skills,” he said. “We won the war and as a result, we took a big deep breath, and now we are are recovering from that breath,” said McGrath, an analyst with defense consultancy FerryBridge Group LLC.

“Having these two ships taken out of action has a real tactical impact” The Seventh Fleet has from 40 to 60 ships operating in the region at any given time. Both the McCain and Fitzgerald collisions occurred in darkness, with much larger commercial vessels, in seas with heavy traffic. The ships are two of the Navy’s most-advanced, most-maneuverable Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which were first commissioned in 1991 and constitute the core of the service’s surface warfare capability. With cruise missiles for striking land-based targets and a complement of undersea weapons to combat submarines, they are also used as part of aircraft carrier strike groups. “Our ships are well maintained, and our sailors are well trained,” a Navy spokeswoman, Captain Elizabeth Zimmermann, said on Monday.

The operational loss of the FITZGERALD and MCCAIN, nicknamed “Big Bad John,” will have “real implications” for air defense in the Pacific arena, said Hendrix. In the western Pacific, the U.S. is determining how best to address missile threats from North Korea while containing Chinese military expansion in the South China Sea. “These incidents are not without problems and strategic implications,” said Hendrix. “Having these two ships taken out of action has a real tactical impact.” The Navy’s overall fleet size, currently at 276 ships, is inadequate, given the size of its workload, Hendrix and McGrath said. In December, the Navy laid out an aspirational benchmark, seeking a 355-ship fleet as part of its “Force Structure Assessment.” That number of vessels is “the level that balanced an acceptable level of war-fighting risk to our equipment and personnel against available resources and achieves a force size that can reasonably achieve success,” the Navy said in the report.But critics say the focus on bulking up to that many ships risks spending too much on relatively cheaper but less capable vessels such as the troubled Littoral Combat Ship, which is vulnerable to attack. The Navy “has overemphasized resources used to incrementally increase total ship numbers at the expense of critically needed investments in areas where our adversaries are not standing still, such as strike, ship survivability, electronic warfare and other capabilities,” Obama administration Defense Secretary Ash Carter wrote in a memo to the Navy in 2015. For now, the temporary loss of the MCCAIN and the FITZGERALD has made a complex playing field more difficult to manage.“This nation has global responsibilities and global interests,” McGrath said. “And when you have two emerging competitors in China and Russia, and then two other threats in Iran and North Korea, that makes for a very, very busy Navy.” One, he added, that is “thinly stretched.” Source : Bloomberg — With assistance by David Tweed, Andy Sharp, Larry Liebert, and Nafeesa Syeed A local towmaster came with the following remarks to this newsclippings about the accident: I see now that collision took place just west of the Horseburgh lighthouse and the US navy vessel was West bound inbound for Changi Naval Base Just wonder how it got hit on her port side or was she in the wrong side of the fairway and try to get back on the right track We all have been there numerous times and what I can see they where not at the east buoy junction yet VTIS most be wondering as well…………………………………………… CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE AIS TRACK OF THE ALNIC MC UNTIL THE IMPACT AT 52 SECONDS IN THE MOVIE

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Horsburgh Lighthouse is an active lighthouse which marks the eastern entrance to the Straits of Singapore. It is situated on Pedra Branca island. Singapore's earliest lighthouse by date of completion, it is located approximately 54 kilometres (34 mi) to the east of Singapore and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from the Malaysian state of Johor. Horsburgh Lighthouse Captain James Horsburgh (28 September 1762 – 14 May 1836), a Scottish hydrographer from the East India Company, who mapped many seaways around Singapore in the late 18th and early 19th century. He was called "the Nautical Oracle of the World". His charts and books allowed ships to navigate through treacherous areas of the ocean, saving many lives and property on the seas between China and India, The lighthouse was built over an outcrop of rocks that for centuries was identified on maps as Pedra Branca ("white rock" in Portuguese). It was built by John Turnbull Thomson (1821–1884), a government surveyor. In the presence of Governor William John Butterworth and other dignitaries, the lighthouse foundation stone was laid on 24 May 1850 and the lighthouse was completed in 1851. The lighthouse is also known as Pedra Branca Lighthouse. The sovereignty of Pedra Branca was disputed between Malaysia and Singapore until 2008. On 23 May 2008, the International Court of Justice awarded the island to Singapore.

Serco tug ADEPT turns back to base in Devonport after escorting the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS OCEAN out to sea,Aug 22. The helicopter carrier is having a last short work-up before she goes on a long deployment next week, which sadly will be her final voyage. photo : Raymond Wergan,Newton Ferrers.(c) Filipino officials: Chinese navy stalked Philippine area BY JIM GOMEZ China recently deployed navy and coast guard ships in a cluster of uninhabited sandbars in the disputed South China Sea amid concerns that the Philippines may build structures on them, two Filipino security officials said Tuesday. The government, however, said the issue was quickly resolved amid the Asian neighbors' friendlier ties. Two senior Philippine security officials told The Associated Press that three Chinese navy ships, a coast guard vessel and 10 fishing boats began keeping watch on Sandy Cay on Aug. 12 after a group of Filipino fishermen were spotted on the sandbars. The Filipinos eventually left but the Chinese stayed on. The two spoke on condition of anonymity, saying only the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila has been authorized to publicly discuss issues related to the country's territorial disputes with China. The foreign affairs department, however, has refused to divulge details of the situation at Sandy Cay, a cluster of three sandbars. A senior Philippine diplomat, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the issue publicly, said China "is concerned that we will build" structures on the sandbars. Chinese and Philippine officials have quietly worked to resolve the issue in recent days, said the diplomat, who is involved in the talks. A government security report seen by the AP says three Chinese navy ships, a Chinese coast guard ship and 10 Chinese fishing vessels took positions off

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Sandy Cay. Its nearest sandbar is about 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 kilometers) from Philippine-occupied Thitu Island. On Aug. 15, a blue Chinese helicopter flew low off Thitu's southwest coast, the report said. Philippine troops and villagers based at Thitu call it Pag-asa —Tagalog for hope — while the Chinese call the island Zhongye Dao. The Chinese military presence near Thitu sparked concerns in Manila. Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who has studied the disputes extensively, said the Chinese navy ships and other vessels encroached in the Philippine island's 12-nautical mile (22-kilometer) territorial waters. "In short, Sandy Cay is a Philippine land territory that is being seized, to put it mildly, or being invaded, to put it frankly, by China," Carpio said in a statement over the weekend. He said President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano have the constitutional duty to defend and protect Philippine territory."The very least that they could do now is to vigorously protest this invasion of Philippine territory by China," Carpio said. "If both are courageous, they should send a Philippine navy ship to guard Sandy Cay and if the Chinese navy ships attack the Philippine navy vessel, they should invoke the Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty."The 1951 treaty binds the allies to come to the aid of each other when attacked. Cayetano, however, told reporters Tuesday that the issue has been diplomatically resolved and denied that China has invaded Sandy Cay. "Let me assure you, there is no more problem in that area," Cayetano told reporters, declining to provide details. "But it is not true that there was an attempt to invade or seize it." In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said people with ulterior motives were seeking to "stir up conflicts between China and the Philippines." She offered no further details on China's activities in the area. "What I want to stress is that China has been committed to resolving relevant disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation with the sovereign states directly concerned," Hua said. Much- friendlier ties between Manila and Beijing under Duterte have allowed both governments to manage their disputes better. Since he took office in June last year, Duterte has courted Chinese trade and assistance and taken a non-confrontational approach to their territorial disputes. Despite such tact, Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez said the Duterte administration would never trade the national interest for economic concessions. "If our relationship with our neighbors isn't this good, the situation in the West Philippine Sea will be much, much worse," Cayetano said, using the Philippine name for the South China Sea. Duterte told reporters over dinner Monday that he has been assured by China's ambassador in Manila, Zhao Jianhua, and the Chinese foreign ministry that Beijing has no plans to occupy or build structures on Sandy Cay.One of the Philippine security officials said the military has been monitoring the Chinese presence at Sandy Cay but added it was difficult to check if Beijing's ships were still there due to recent bad weather in the remote offshore region. Pacific Fleet Cmdr: Remains of Some USS John McCain Sailors Located From U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

Adm. Scott Swift, commander, Pacific Fleet, said some of the 10 missing USS JOHN S.MCCAIN (DDG 56) Sailors were discovered Aug. 22, by divers performing recovery operations inside the guided-missile destroyer. Swift also said the Royal Malaysian Navy has reported the discovery of potential remains of another missing McCain Sailor, located while the ship was providing search and rescue assistance east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. We are still searching for our missing Sailors. That remains our focus, said Swift to a group of international media during a press briefing at Cangi Naval Base, Singapore, where McCain is currently moored. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families of those Sailors and the families of our Sailors who were injured," he said. The search for the missing Sailors has been ongoing since early Aug. 21 following the collision of McCAIN and merchant vessel ALNIC MC. Royal Malaysian Navy coastal patrol craft PETIR (12) and PANG ALANG (39), Handalan-class missile boat KD HANDALAN and Lekiu-class frigate KD LEKIU (30) along with two

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Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency vessels assisted in Tuesday's search efforts. Those vessels were joined by aviation assets from USS AMERICA (LHA 6), which will continue combing the area east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in the vicinity of the collision. "While the search and rescue efforts continue, I sincerely thank our Singapore partners, our Malaysian partners and everyone who has responded with urgency, compassion and tireless commitment," Swift said. The ship was transiting to Singapore for a routine port visit when the collision occurred. ALNIC MC is a Liberian-flagged 600-foot oil and chemical tanker with a gross tonnage of 30,000. The incident will be investigated to determine the facts and circumstances of the collision. Source: U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

The Dutch Navy vessel Zr.Ms A 804 PELIKAAN offshore Curacao - Photo : Hermann Hazenberg © SHIPYARD NEWS

Electric Boat receives $40.7M for Virginia-class submarine propulsion General Dynamics Electric Boat received the contract action for Phase II main propulsion machinery control redesign for the Virginia-class fast attack submarine. By Stephen Carlson General Dynamics Electric Boat has received a $40.7 million contract action for Phase II main propulsion machinery control redesign for the Virginia-class fast attack submarine, the Department of Defense announced on Friday. The action provides for long-lead time materials slated for the replacement of the original control systems for main propulsion and ship turbine generators. The work is projected to be completed by May 2020 and will be performed in Sunnyvale, Calif. The Virginia-class is a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine built for anti-sub and anti-surface operations. It is armed with torpedoes, Tomahawk cruise missiles and is capable of mine-laying operations. It can also deliver special forces teams as it has the ability to operate in shallow or littoral waters. The Virginia-class is expected to gradually replace the Los Angeles-class attack submarine whose design dates back to the 1970s. The submarine has faced a number of redesigns and upgrades to simplify construction and reduce operating costs. Further expected modifications will include the Virginia Payload Module. The VPM will triple the Virginia- class Tomahawk capacity and allow greater flexibility for installing other vertical launch weapons systems. source: UPI

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To stay afloat, defence shipyards may be allowed to borrow abroad In an effort to revive the deeply stressed defence shipyards and boost the shipbuilding industry, the Centre may soon allow them to bring External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) funds under the automatic route to meet their working capital requirements, including refinancing. A report submitted by an Inter Ministerial Group (IMG), which was formed in March, has said that high cost of domestic capital and restrictions on ECBs have hurt the Indian shipbuilding industry. Therefore, it has suggested that the shipyards be allowed to access ECB by the RBI, without prior government approval, for raising fresh working capital as well as refinancing of the outstanding working capital loans. The IMG has also recommended further relaxation of eligibility criteria under the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy (SFAP) for the defence as well as commercial shipyards. Under the SFAP, which was approved by the Cabinet last year, Indian shipyards will be given a subsidy of 20 per cent on the contractual price of a ship, fair price or actual payments received by the shipyard, whichever is lower. The financial assistance will be valid for a 10-year period beginning April 1, 2016, reducing by 3 percentage points every three years. The government is keen to revive the Indian private shipyard industry since it has the capability and large infrastructure to undertake building of any vessel, including vessels bigger than that 1,00,000 DWT. Time-period for pre-shipment foreign currency credit should be extended beyond 360 days till delivery of the vessel. It also recommended that Indian private shipyard should be given Right of First Refusal for all kinds of vessels, including inland vessels. In terms of a long-term plan, the IMG has suggested routing of surplus defence orders from Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSUs) to private shipyards and setting up a Maritime Development Fund (MDF) to meet the financial needs of the whole of maritime sector , including ship building sector. It also said that the government departments or agencies, including PSUs that are involved in procuring vessels of any kind should grant the ‘Right of first Refusal’ (RoFR) to Indian shipyards to enable them to match the lowest rate offered by the foreign bidder. The IMG has also recommended an RoFR Policy for construction of inland vessels. The policy will be based on the existing RoFR policy for construction of vessels for government agencies. Source: the hindubusinessline ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

Singapore’s Tuas Port to Compete Regionally Intermodal projects springing up in Malaysia may present competition for Singapore as a top regional port in Asia, according to Straits Times. Malaysia plans to build a second port on an island near the Port of Klang, in Pulau Carey on Carey Island. As part of the planned development, Carey Island will also become part of the Port Klang Freezone. Malaysia’s planned East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) linking to Port Klang could take 53 million tonnes of cargo from Singapore annually. Not only Port Klang, but also the Malaysian Port of Tanjung Pelepas are set to ramp up capacity significantly. Countries elsewhere in Asia have announced plans to invest heavily in port infrastructure, for example Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Alternative trade routes could affect trade flowing through the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, for example, in the very long term, Arctic routes or the proposed canal through Kra Isthmus in Thailand. Singapore Port began phase 1 of construction on Tuas Container Terminal in April, 2016. Singapore's advanced, consolidated container terminal, on completion in 2040, will have a capacity of 65 million TEUs, 20 deep-water berths to serve mega vessels, and productivity technology in place. Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore chief executive Andrew Tan said: “We cannot be complacent, and will have to monitor these developments closely and respond to them. “Our stable government, our long-term and forward thinking, reliability and good track record are all strong attributes

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that we can rely upon to stay ahead of the competition." However credit Suisse economist Michael Wan in 2017 warned Singapore's status as a leading regional port could come "under threat”. Victor Wai, a ports analyst at Drewry Financial Research Services does not think the ECRL will be greatly used for cargoes bound for outside Malaysia.source : porttechnology HMM considers regular Arctic Sea service South Korea-based Hyundai Merchant Marine Co (HMM) is considering launching a regular liner service via the Arctic Sea, possibly as early as 2020, reports Pulse. HMM is planning to deploy 2,500 to 3,500 teus for shipment through the Arctic sea route. Pulse, citing an unnamed source, said that a plan was being discussed to place a polar icebreaker before a commercial container vessel, or to use an ice-class vessel specially designed for ice navigation. source : insurancemarinenews New cargo tracking system could be ‘game changer’ at Port of LA The Port of Los Angeles is poised to launch a $13 million, first-of-its-kind program to digitize cargo data at all its terminals, a move shippers hope will ease bottlenecks at the nation’s busiest seaport. Begun as a pilot program at one terminal earlier this year, the effort will allow the port to do what most Americans already can do — track packages from the minute they leave a distribution center until they get to the front door through a single platform Los Angeles port Executive Director Gene Seroka said the project “will not only move the needle but could be a game changer.” Right now, shippers rely on a mishmash of networks to track goods at the port complex, where nearly 40 percent of the nation’s imported goods flow through. The sheer number of data sources can get confusing and slow down movement for everyone who touches the cargo until it’s delivered, from the railroad operators to the truck owners. The new program speeds up the transport of goods and provides retailers and shippers two-weeks foresight, allowing them ample time to track cargo so they can plan and prepare for transport. It’s a significant improvement from today’s antiquated systems that offers only data two to four days before cargo arrives. “`This project has been a home run,’’ said John Ochs, senior director at APM Terminals, the site of the pilot project. “The Port of Los Angeles has transformed data into information that can be utilized by stakeholders to optimize their goods movement processes.” Under the agreement with software maker General Electric, the port will place cargo data for six more terminals and 15 shipping lines under one platform. The Los Angeles City Council ultimately must approve the contract, which allows the port a small percentage of revenue should GE sell the product to other clients for five years. The port also agreed to participate in promotional activities with the company.Port officials believe the steep costs should be viewed as a digital infrastructure investment akin to the millions of dollars spent each year on wharf, dock and road repairs. source : Daily Breeze Alpha Process Controls Brings Lng Transfer Expertise To New SMT Training Programme Alpha Process Controls has formed a new relationship with Stream Marine Training (SMT) to support the delivery of a new vessel fuel handling training programme. The County Durham-based manufacturer will demonstrate its LNG breakaway coupling technology to delegates as part of a new pilot programme to provide basic training for the use of fuels covered within the IGF Code – the international code of safety for ships using gases and other low-flashpoint fuels. The two-day programme is delivered at SMT’s facility at Glasgow Airport and has been approved by the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA). It has been designed to support the drive for safety standards and competency in the offshore LNG industry. Delegates will take part in a series of theory and practical sessions to cover areas such as properties of fuels included in the IGF Code, cryogenic testing, managing hazards, safety equipment and devices and shipboard procedures and measures. In keeping with other LNG-related training programmes offered by SMT, where the training provider has established a network of partners from the LNG industry that can supplement its training with professional, field-based experience, the company has engaged with Alpha Process Controls to assist with the delivery of this programme. Part of the Knorr-Bremse Group-owned GT Group, Alpha Process Controls is a pioneer of Emergency Release Collar (ERC) technology for couplings and has been at the forefront of the hazardous liquids transfer sector for more than 40 years. The company designs, manufactures and installs the systems, along with loading arms and loading skids, which are supplied to its international client base that includes Shell, BP, Exxon and Saudi Aramco.Offering a complete solution for LNG hose transfer systems, Alpha Process Controls supports ship-to- ship, ship-to-shore, bunkering, FSRU, Bulk Break and Road Tanker operations. Its systems feature innovative mechanical breakaway technology with damped closures for emergency shut downs, which decrease the risk of pressure spikes and damage to pipework, prevents loss of containment and ensures safety even in severe scenarios such as loss of mooring, earthquake and tsunami. Fraser Bennie, Technical Sales Manager at Alpha Process Controls, said: “We are delighted to be

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working with SMT for the delivery of this pilot training course. The growing prominence of LNG as a fuel is requiring a rapid development of the skills and competencies required by technicians and engineers to ensure safe and compliant operations.” Tony in’t Hout, Head of Operations and Technical at SMT, said: “Combining our world-class training facilities and expert staff, with experienced companies from within the LNG supply chain, such as Alpha Process Controls, is enabling SMT to deliver a more comprehensive range of training programmes that are contemporary to the activities currently taking place in the sector. It also sends a clear signal of our intention to be at the heart of LNG operations in Scotland.” Source: Alpha Process Controls Milaha Launches Regular Reefer Service Between Qatar and Turkey Milaha, a Qatar-based maritime transport and logistics conglomerate, has announced the launch of the first direct reeferservice between Qatar and Turkey. Over the past few weeks, Milaha had arranged two ad hoc voyagesof reefer vessels from Turkey to Qatar; however, the company has moved to regularize the service, with departures every 20-25 days between Hamad Port and Port of Izmir,with a short transit time of 11 days. The new service will be initially operated with one vessel with a capacity of over5,000 tons per voyage, and will cater mainly totemperature-controlled cargo andbreakbulk, with the option of adding containers upon request. Commenting on the launch of the new service, Milaha’s President and CEO Mr. Abdulrahman Essa Al- Mannai said: “Trade volumes between Qatar and Turkey have significantly increased over the past few months, and we arelaunching this service as a cost-effective and efficient solution for this growing demand. This service perfectly complements our existing services,and will further enhance connectivity and facilitate trade between Qatari, Arabian Gulf, and Turkish importers and exporters.” Milaha continues to enhance its international presence and diverse portfolio of marine and logistics services. The company has recently expanded into several new shipping routes and accelerated deployment of new supply chain solutions across a number of countries. Milaha currently calls 2 ports in Oman (Sohar and Salalah), 3 ports in India (NhavaSheva, Mundra, and Kandla), and one port in Kuwait (Shuwaikh) offering enhanced access options and transit times to Qatar and the region, and is actively evaluating further expansion of services. SIMWAVE strengthened its team with simulation expert Steve Window As of August 2017 Steve Window has joined SIMWAVE, the maritime simulation centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. As the Manager for Navigation, Steve will be responsible for overseeing all training and assessments on the various full mission bridge simulators that will be installed at the 5,000m² centre. Prior to joining SIMWAVE Steve worked for eight years at Warsash Maritime Academy, where he was head of bridge simulation. Having served for 21 years as an officer in the Royal Navy in a variety of roles, he still serves at sea as a reserve officer, where he assesses the Royal Marine Landing Craft Cadre in navigation. “We are happy to have Steve on board” comments Marcel Kind, Managing Director of SIMWAVE, “Steve is an important addition to our team of world class experts and contributes to the high level knowledge and services we are offering our customers”. With a wide portfolio of command and leadership experience, Steve served, amongst others, as the Queens Harbour Master (Portland), and was Head of Royal Navy diving training at the Defence Diving School. In addition to being a qualified teacher and university lecturer, Steve completed his MSc in Leadership and Management in 2015 and is currently working towards his PhD in human error in the maritime domain with the Open University. He is a Member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and an Associate Fellow of the Royal institute of Navigation. He is also a panel member of the Maritime Advisory Board of CHIRP, an international confidential hazardous incident reporting programme that shares knowledge globally to improve maritime safety. Simwave is a Netherlands based company active in operating comprehensive maritime simulation training centers equipped with simulators based on world-leading simulation

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technology. Simwave operates globally and independently and fully relieves customers by running best-of-class facilities. It is a one stop shop for certified maritime training, pilot training, assessment and applied research. Simwave offers a truly unique service to the shipping industry called ‘Simulator as a service’. From now on it is easy to book a simulator or several different interfaced simulators to train or assess your crew under your own private label. Our centers are open 24/7 and by employing the best mathematician in ship modelling and a team of visual database developers, we offer maritime companies facilities where they can use their own ships in their specific port-environment. Bring your own instructors, we take care of all technical, operational, didactical and hospitality support. Our first center will open in 2017 in the Rotterdam area and the second center will be in Singapore in 2018 www.simwave.nl LNG facility in Gulf of Mexico could provide fuel for OSVs by David Foxwell The growing number of LNG-fuelled offshore vessels in the US could one day received fuel from the Fourchon facility A consortium of companies in the US has filed an application for a formal review process for a mid-size LNG facility in the Gulf of Mexico that could provide fuel for offshore support vessels. The Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC) and tenant Energy World USA said their wholly owned entity Fourchon LNG LLC has filed a letter to request initiation of a ‘prefiling review’ with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). On completion of the prefiling process, Fourchon LNG LLC intends to file an application with FERC for authorisation to construct a mid-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and export facility at Port Fourchon. Once constructed, Phase one of the Fourchon LNG project will produce 2 million tonnes (mt) of LNG per year for export, with a programme to increase capacity up to 5 mt in Phase two. Fourchon LNG also plans to reserve up to half a million tonnes of LNG a year for domestic use to provide LNG to fuel offshore supply vessels powered by LNG and operating in the Gulf of Mexico. “We welcome this critical milestone for the Fourchon LNG project by our tenant Energy World, and we are excited to have the opportunity to add their proposed facility and its services to Fourchon’s diverse and extensive list of offerings,” said GLPC’s executive director Chett Chiasson. “We are looking forward to working with Energy World and our community to move forward through the regulatory process and keep Port Fourchon at the forefront of the oil and gas service industry.” The Fourchon LNG facility will be constructed to the west of Belle Pass on a 150-acre site located on port-owned property outside the port’s existing developments. source : offshore Support Journal Dredging at two berths of Vladivostok will let the port accommodate large cruise liners from 2018 The prospects of large cruise ships’ calls at the port of Vladivostok were discussed at the meeting headed by Vasily Usoltsev, First Deputy to the Primorsky Territory Governor. According to the press center of the regional government, dredging at the two berths of Vladivostok (No 1 and No 2) will let the port accommodate large cruise liners sailing in the North East Asia from the next cruise season. As of today, the fleet of cruise companies operating in the North East Asia consists of cruise ships of the fourth generation, Ovation or Quantum type. The largest ship, which is 348 meter long can accommodate almost 5,000 passengers. As Valery Nagorny, Director General of Vladivostok Sea Terminal LLC, said at the meeting, the interest to calling at the port of Vladivostok was expressed not only by Russian companies. “We have held discussions with the management of cruise companies’ headquarters responsible for NEA region including Royal Caribbean International, one of the largest companies in terms of the fleet number and capacity, as well as with Norwegian Cruise Line. A number of companies showed their interest to the port of Vladivostok as a new cruise destination and expressed their readiness to include it into their routes in 2018 and start selling cruises including the calls to our city”, he said. As of today, seaport of Vladivostok can accommodate vessels of up to 350 m in length but their maximum draught should not exceed 8.5-8.6 m. Therefore, the mentioned cruise ships cannot call at the port today.To ensure accommodation of large capacity vessels the depth at berths No 1 and No 2 should be increased and a number of measures should be undertaken to develop the port infrastructure. In June 2017, Rosmorport approved the project of dredging works as well as a roadmap for infrastructure development to ensure accommodation of large cruise ships at the port of Vladivostok. “Designing of dredging works is underway, it is to be completed by the end of October with the construction works to be performed in the first half of 2018”, said the Primorsky Territory’s Department of Transport and Road Facilities.Vasily Usoltsev emphasized that regular calls of large capacity ships to the port of Vladivostok will give a strong impetus to the development of cruise tourism in the Primorsky Territory and contribute a lot to the regional economy. Therefore, the project on the development of port infrastructure requires coordinated and efficient work of all ad hoc authorities. Vladimir Miklushevsky, Primorsky Territory Governor earlier approved the development of cruise tourism in the region as one of the tourism industry priorities. source : Portnews

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Fire Breaks Out at Exxon's Refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands Exxon Mobil Corp said on Monday a fire broke out at its refinery in Rotterdam but that there were no injuries and most of the facility remained operational. The fire erupted in the powerformer unit of the complex and some flaring occurred to reduce pressure, Exxon said, adding it was cooperating with local emergency personnel. The complex can process about 190,000 barrels per day and the rest of the refining units and a connected chemical plant were still online, Exxon said. "We regret the incident and any inconvenience caused to the community," Exxon spokeswoman Ellen Ehmen said in an emailed statement.The fire came the same day that a blaze broke out at a Royal Dutch Shell refinery in the Netherlands. That fire was quickly contained. Exxon last year started a $1 billion, three-year expansion of the Rotterdam refinery to boost production of lubricants and other chemicals. According to a proposal for the expansion filed with Dutch authorities, hydrocracking capacity at the plant would increase by 40 percent to about 70,000 barrels per day. Shares of Exxon Mobil were unchanged on the New York Stock Exchange in after-hours trading after closing at $76.38. source : Reuters PLEASE MAINTAIN YOUR MAILBOX, DUE TO NEW POLICY OF THE PROVIDER, YOUR ADDRESS WILL BE “DEACTIVATED” AUTOMATICALLY IF THE MAIL IS BOUNCED BACK TO OUR SERVER If this happens to you please send me a mail at [email protected] to reactivate your address again You can also read the latest newsletter daily online via the link : http://newsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/ShippingNewsPdf/magazine.pdf Crowley to Deploy Powerful Tug Veteran in the Port of Los Angeles / Long Beach Newly Upgraded GOLIAH Will Relocate to San Francisco

Crowley Marine Services is deploying the tugboat VETERAN in the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach to provide enhanced docking safety for all vessels, including large petroleum tank vessels with deep drafts greater than 65 feet calling on Long Beach Berth 121. With a bollard pull rating of over 90 short tons, VETERAN will be one of the most powerful tugs in the market. These very large crude carriers are calling more regularly in Long Beach, and Tesoro and the Long Beach Pilots are now requiring a tug with a minimum bollard pull rating of 90 short tons be placed on the stern when assisting these tankers in and out of Berth 121.

“We are responding to this need by relocating the tug Veteran from San Francisco to Los Angeles/Long Beach Port Complex to replace the tug GOLIAH,” said Mark Homeyer, Crowley’s general manager of ship assist and tanker escort services. “VETERAN will be operated by some of our most experienced and senior crews to provide the highest possible measure of safety and operational excellence.”

GOLIAH will join the tug VALOR, Veteran’s sister tug, in San Francisco. Both VALOR and VETERAN were designed by Crowley’s naval architecture and marine engineering firm, Jensen Maritime of Seattle.

Having just completed a shipyard period, GOLIAH is ready to go and better than ever. Her Z-Drives were replaced with larger drives to leverage the increased Tier 3 engine power; the escort winch was replaced with a state-of-the-art render recovery winch; fendering was upgraded, and her bollard pull was increased to over 70 short tons. “The GOLIAH has always been one of the most capable offshore towing tugs on the West Coast,” said Homeyer. “With these improvements, she will be an even more stout and capable tug for harbor assist, tanker escort and offshore rescue work in the Bay Area.” “Ultimately these changes will provide our shipping customers with the best tug capabilities in these major California markets – from a ship assist, tanker escort and emergency rescue perspective,” he said. “These improvements are indicative of our commitment to be

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the first choice for the safest and highest quality service provided by exceptional people.” Crowley owns and operates one of the most advanced fleets of ship assist and tanker escort tugs in North America. These vessels operate along the U.S. West Coast and Alaska and assist the largest ships through some of the tightest waterways in the world. Crowley entered the ship assist business at the start of the 20th century, operating steam-powered tugs in San Francisco Bay in 1906. Though much has changed, the company’s commitment to safety and to protecting the environment has remained constant. Bahri completes registration of ASLAF under Saudi national flag Bahri, a global leader in transportation and logistics, announced that the Ministry of Transport under the supervision of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) has completed the registration of ASLAF, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) owned and operated by Bahri, under the flag of Saudi Arabia. The move reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position in the global maritime industry and gives a further boost to Bahri’s efforts to register all of its VLCCs – now numbering 39 – under the national flag by the end of 2017, the company announces in its press release. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea, the 300,000-dwt ASLAF arrived in the Kingdom , docking at Port of Ras Tanura near Dammam, where an official reception was hosted by the Ministry of Transport under the supervision of PTA, during which the vessel was formally registered and the national flag was raised aboard. The registration followed a series of meetings between officials from the Ministry of Transport, PTA and Bahri to clear the way for the vessel’s induction into the national maritime fleet. Bahri had taken delivery of ASLAF in July 2017 to continue its aggressive fleet expansion, and is set to add two more VLCCs to its fleet before the end of the year to reinforce its position as the world’s largest owner and operator of VLCCs.The Saudi Arabian flag is raised on cargo and passenger vessels after they are successfully registered with the Ministry of Transport and PTA. They are then inspected and checked regularly in accordance with the standards laid down by international classification authorities accredited by the Kingdom. source : Portnews FESCO launches its first transit train between China and Europe via Mongolia FESCO Transportation Group (“FESCO”,”Group”) announces launching of FESCO Silk Way Shuttle ‒ scheduled container train at the route China-Europe-China. It is the first FESCO’s inland transit service at this direction. The first train departed from Chinese city of Zhengzhou to German Hamburg on August 5, it is scheduled to arrive to the destination on August 20. 42 containers with consumer goods, spare parts, equipment and food products were shipped from China to Europe. The train crosses China, Mongolia, Russia, Belorussia, Poland and Germany. The border between Mongolia and Russia will be crossed at Naushki border guard point. FESCO Silk Way Shuttle will operate on a weekly basis in both directions. First shipment from Germany is scheduled for August 18. The service is oriented first of all on the cargo sensitive to the speed of delivery. Transit time between China and Europe is 13-15 days, which is three-fold shorter than the shipment by deep sea via Suez Canal. The start of the new service expands geography of FESCO operations, and also the range of services that the Group offers to clients. This is the first FESCO scheduled onshore transit route from China to Europe; it complements the line of intermodal services operated at the Far East. In the long term the Group plans to ramp up volume of transportation of FESCO Silk Way Shuttle, by increasing frequency of shipments up to two trains per week in each direction, and also by organizing new railway services via Naushki railway station. source: portnews Sidelined ferry bid deadline delayed – again The state has pushed back the bid deadline for the ferry TAKU until Sept. 15. That’s because a potential buyer wants more time. It’s the fourth extension since the Alaska Marine Highway System began advertising the ship back in March. Spokeswoman Aurah Landau said the reason is simple. A potential, yet-to-be-named buyer hasn’t decided yet. “They’ve looked it over once and they’re coming back. It’s like going to the house you’re going to buy a second time just because you want to make sure it’s got the exact things you want on it,” she said. She said the state doesn’t expect any more bid deadline delays. Officials are not releasing the asking price, though it’s below $750,000, the most recently advertised minimum The state wants to get rid of the TAKU because it’s old and new vessels are being built. The 54-year-old ship was taken out of service in June 2015 as a budget-cutting measure. But it was already being targeted for retirement. While the focus is on one interested buyer, Landau said the bid extension is for all parties. “Anybody who puts in a bid that is near the reserve price is one that the state will consider very seriously,” she said. The Taku was built for long sailings, with room for about 350 passengers and 50 vehicles. It has 40 staterooms, a cafeteria, observation lounges and a covered solarium. It’s in long-term storage at Ketchikan’s Ward Cove. The two ships under construction are smaller and meant for shorter sailings. They’re scheduled to come into service within the next two years, connecting Juneau, Haines and Skagway. Source : KRBD

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Sailing soon: an Orca-friendly, all-electric car ferry by Allegra Abramo Washington is poised to embark on an experiment in electric car ferries that could eventually transform the largest ferry fleet in the nation. And little Skagit County is leading the way, as it moves to replace its old diesel-powered Guemes Island ferry with a battery-powered, zero emissions model. That would make the run between Anacortes and the island the nation’s first all-electric car ferry operating with batteries, and one of the first in the world. Ditching diesel ferries in favor of all-electric or hybrid vessels would have far-reaching benefits, proponents say, including cleaner air and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. And the quieter electric engines would reduce underwater noise, which scientists now recognize as a key threat to the survival of endangered killer whales, salmon and other marine wildlife. “There’s just so many benefits from this,” said Skagit County Commissioner Ken Dahlstedt, who is leading the charge on the Guemes Island ferry. Inspired by Norway’s recent embrace of electric ferries, Dahlstedt saw an opportunity to try out the technology in his county, which was in the market for a new ferry. The 38-year-old diesel clunker that now plies the route is on its last legs, and maintenance costs have become prohibitive. The short Guemes Island run, at just over half a mile, “is a perfect place to start for a pilot project,” Dalhstedt said. “But our ferry is really only the tip of the spear. We’re hoping that we can be the pioneers here in the U.S.” Washington State Ferries is also studying the idea of converting some of its 22 vessels to hybrid electric, after a multi-year effort to move to liquefied natural gas stalled due to lack of funding from Olympia. Electric technology “is something we’re really excited about,” said Ian Sterling, public information officer for State Ferries. Many state ferries already have electric motors, but that electricity is generated by a diesel engine. So it should be relatively simple to use a big battery to generate power, Sterling said. The ferries would still have diesel engines but would run off a battery when possible. “So it’s a pretty cool thing, and with the battery technology becoming more mature, it’s become much more realistic for us,” Sterling said. “And it’s also something we believe would … pay for itself relatively quickly.” However, Sterling cautioned, it’s premature to speculate on costs or a timetable. In the years the state spent considering liquefied natural gas as a cleaner alternative to diesel, other countries have moved on to electric. Norway is now converting dozens of routes to all-electric or plug-in hybrids. A similar effort in Washington could slash the state’s marine emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. A new electric Guemes Island ferry alone would cut carbon dioxide emissions by 620 metric tons a year, the county estimates. That’s the equivalent of taking about 132 cars off the road. While battery-only ferries might not be feasible for some longer routes, even hybrid engines could dramatically trim the 18 million gallons of diesel Washington State Ferries use each year. Imagine that reduction in terms of the controversial coal trains that go rolling through Puget Sound, Skagit’s Dahlstedt said. Converting all state ferries to electric “would eliminate a coal train worth of carbon dioxide per year,” he said. Electric-powered ferries would not only make the air cleaner for people, but could also make the waters quieter for the region’s struggling Southern Resident killer whale, or Orca, population. Noise from ships and boats interferes with Orca’s ability to locate increasingly scarce Chinook salmon and to communicate with each other. Rising underwater noise levels, combined with declining prey and chemical contaminants, are threatening the animals’ survival. Ferries are one of the top sources of overall underwater vessel noise, a recent study for the Port of Vancouver in Canada found, because of the high quantity of vessel (or ferry) trips and the amount of time they spend on the water. Using electric and hybrid engines is one way to reduce vessel noise, another port study concluded. Trimming long-term maintenance and operational costs is another benefit of electric ferries, said Bruce Agnew, director of the Discovery Institute’s Cascadia Center for Regional Development, which promotes transportation and sustainable development issues across Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. With access to inexpensive hydropower, the state and counties would save money on diesel fuel. That means more money for maintenance, and thus better service, Agnew said. The state has struggled to keep its aging fleet running, often resulting in service cuts. In recent weeks, two broken Washington State Ferries have led to canceled sailings and major delays on San Juan Island routes. But the up-front costs of electric ferries and related infrastructure, such as battery charging stations, can be daunting, especially given other transportation needs in a rapidly growing region. Skagit County said it is still nailing down the exact costs for the new Guemes Island ferry, but based on Norway’s experience, the full project could run roughly $20 million. “And for a small county, $20 million… is a big lift,” Agnew said. A new diesel ferry would cost $12 to $16 million, according to Skagit County’s public works director, Dan Berentson. Charging stations and other one-time facility improvements needed for an electric ferry account for most of the price difference. Skagit County is moving ahead with plans to have the new Guemes Island ferry on the water by 2020. Officials there received a study in 2016 that laid out options for powering the ferry; it concluded that an all-electric propulsion system “is highly feasible for this particular route and its unique environmental conditions.” The county recently contracted with the Seattle naval architecture firm Glosten to complete a partial design for a new Guemes Island ferry by the end of the year. That will allow the county to better estimate costs and begin applying for grants, Berentson said. On Aug. 29, the county commissioners will hold a meeting to discuss the plans to use all-electric technology with residents. The project’s boosters say the ferry, which will likely be built in-state, could help make Washington a center of innovation for electric propulsion, not just for ferries, but for all types of ships. “If the technology pans out as we expect it will, it could have major implications on all maritime traffic coming in and out of the Salish Sea,” Agnew said. “This could put the Salish Sea on the map, politically and environmentally.” Source: Crosscut

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Freeport generates €107m for economy Sustains 1,747 direct and indirect jobs Birżebbuġa’s container port is a noisy neighbour but its direct impact on the economy will hit the €107 million mark this year, according to new research The study, by economist Gordon Cordina’s firm E-Cubed Consultants, found that the economic injection increased to €171 million when indirect effects were considered. The study was commissioned by Malta Freeport Terminals to coincide with the renewal of its operating licence by the government last week. The container port, which is the third largest transhipment facility in the Mediterranean, is also expected to generate 954 jobs by the end of this year, according to the study. This rises to 1,747 jobs when indirect jobs, such as those of stevedores, are considered. The container port is also expected to generate 954 jobs by the end of this year The report noted that in 2015, the Freeport’s direct and indirect economic effect was valued at €158 million, equivalent to 2.1% of GDP. This economic injection was almost one-tenth of all tourism activity in Malta.Malta Freeport Terminals was granted a 30-year extension to its concession, which would have expired in 2039, after it fulfilled conditions set out in the licence agreement of 2008. The agreement stipulated that the terminal operator would be granted an automatic 30-year extension if it handled three million containers per year, a figure reached in 2015. Last year, the terminal handled 3.1 million TEUs, an industry standard to measure container capacity. Cargo handled by Malta Freeport has posted significant gains since 2005, the first full year after the port was privatised. Back then, the terminal handled 1.3 million TEUs, increasing by 132 per cent 10 years later to reach the three million mark. In 2015, the company handled around 2,127 container vessel calls with a net tonnage of over 40 million. The 2015 growth rate for cargo handled at the port stood at 6.8 per cent. According to the study, the company invested more than €247 million in the terminal after it was privatised in 2004 to French shipping line CMA CGM. In 2011, CMA CGM transferred half of its shares to the Yildirim Group of Turkey and, two years later, sold a 40 per cent interest in port operator Terminal Link to China Merchants Holdings. Birżebbuġa residents have often complained of excessive noise coming from the terminal and even opposed its extension. Source: times of Malta MARITIME ARTIST CORNER

The latest work of maritime artist Nico M.Peeters is the“Icebreaker STETTIN, built 1933, operating beginning of 1934 in the port of Hamburg, entering the Sandtorhafen. The Kaispeicher ‘A’ -building is seen in its original glory. Demolished in 1963, a new building has risen, which is now the recently re-opened concerthall of the Elbphilharmonie. The STETTIN is still sailing as a museumship: www.dampf-eisbrecher-stettin.de “

Click HERE for the LIVE STREAM WEBCAM in Hoek van Holland Berghaven

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…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

OHT’s HAWK passing the Sunda Straits loaded with Statoil’s Cat J rig ASKEPOTT Photo : Laurie K Gilbert / Aerial Marine Media Sdn Bhd for OHT

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