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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2016 – 144 Number 144 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Monday 23-05-2016 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites. The MERMAID VANTAGE seen moored in Fremantle – Photo : Jeroen Burgerhout © Due to travelling abroad this week the newsclippings may reach you irregularly Distribution : daily to 34.000+ active addresses 23-05-2016 Page 1 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2016 – 144 Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any photos or articles that may be of interest to the maritime interested people at sea and ashore PLEASE SEND ALL PHOTOS / ARTICLES TO : [email protected] If you don't like to receive this bulletin anymore : To unsubscribe click here (English version) or visit the subscription page on our website. http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS 20-05-2016: Malta Pilots boat approaches JEWEL OF THE SEAS Photo : Michael Cassar © Sovcomflot First Quarter Results: An encouraging start to 2016 with strategy implementation on track Commenting on the Group’s results Sergey Frank, President and CEO of PAO Sovcomflot, said:“Sovcomflot Group achieved very good results in Q1 2016, despite the volatility encountered in some tanker market sectors that had been anticipated by our in-house analysts. Net profit for the first three months of 2016 increased by 9.2 per cent to USD 103.1 million. The Group’s successful performance in the period reflected a combination of Sovcomflot’s balanced chartering strategy and improved operational efficiency. In particular, this involved further optimisation of the fleet’s structure, in order to provide the right vessels to meet the market demand today, whilst continuing to satisfy the evolving requirements of our clients. Sovcomflot continued to replace low-yielding conventional vessels with a technologically modern fleet, which contributed to a significant increase in economic efficiency of SCF fleet’s operations. Further, the consistency of earnings of our growing core fleet sectors of gas transportation and offshore oil production supply helped offset some volatility in the conventional tanker sector. In the first quarter of 2016, innovative new vessels were launched for Sovcomflot to serve the Novy Port and Yamal LNG oil and gas projects. Also contributing to our success was a solid technical performance and the consistent work of our technical management Distribution : daily to 34.000+ active addresses 23-05-2016 Page 2 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2016 – 144 team, our captains and crew members to ensure business and operational efficiency, whilst remaining focused on putting safety first, minimising the environmental impact of our operations and consistent implementation of innovative and energy-saving technologies.”Nikolay Kolesnikov, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, commented: “Sovcomflot’s credit metrics continued to improve in Q1 2016. With a strengthened cash position and with total debt reduced as compared to the end of the previous quarter the net debt ratio improved to 40.7 per cent. Meanwhile, EBITDA over the last 12 months was up to a robust USD 754.2 million, resulting in the net debt to EBITDA ratio going down to 3.2.” Source: PAO Sovcomflot Group Pemex looks for possible partnerships in deepwater Gulf of Mexico deals By: Donal Scully Mexico’s state oil firm Pemex is talking with some multinational energy giants regarding possible cooperation in offshore projects, according to Bloomberg. ExxonMobil of the US, Total of France and Chevron of the US are the parties identified as possible collaborators in producing from Mexico’s underdeveloped crude reserves.The financially struggling Pemex is in the process of shedding its monopoly position regarding Mexico’s oil resources as the country’s government tries to reform the energy sector in order to make it more productive.Pemex hopes to glean from the talks with these firms whether Areas of Mutual Interest agreements would be feasible, especially in relation to potential deepwater crude sites in the Gulf of Mexico.Mexico is due to hold its first auction for 10 deepwater drilling rights on December 5 when the government hopes to see more and stronger bids than at a number of previous auctions for sites both onshore and offshore.An estimated three quarters of Mexico’s potential oil resources are believed to be in the deepwater Gulf. Source: Splash 24/7 Bass Strait ferry plan aims for two new ships in 10 years' time By Laura Beavis and Lucy Shannon The SPIRIT OF TASMANIA I arriving back in Melbourne after a trip to Tasmania. Photo: Pacific Eden Engineer © The Tasmanian Government will call in two special dividends of $40 million from TT-Line in the next two financial years to help fund new Bass Strait ferries.The $80 million from the ferry operator will be put into a dedicated ship fund to be spent in about a decade.Laws will be passed to ensure the funds can only be used to replace the two refurbished Spirit of Tasmania ferries.Last year's annual report from TT-Line stated the Spirit of Tasmania ferries were valued at €62 million ($96 million) each. They are valued in euros as Europe is the primary market for this kind of ship.Minister for Infrastructure Rene Hidding said further contributions were expected to be made to the fund in future years as the budget situation and TT-Line's cash position allowed."Even after the initial contribution of $80 million to the Ship Replacement Fund, TT-Line will still have significant cash reserves," he said.He cited the Government's policy of Distribution : daily to 34.000+ active addresses 23-05-2016 Page 3 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2016 – 144 investing in ferry refurbishment, increased day sailings and reduced fares, as having allowed the TT-Line to generate money that would be used to fund ferry replacements. TT-Line 'unlikely' to shoulder costs alone: Hidding Mr Hidding said the money could not be used by any government other than for new ships. "After all, we've seen the Labor- Greens governments of the past dip their hands into the superannuation funds that were put aside to cash back the public sector superannuation, and they ran that down to zero," he said.Mr Hidding said it was unlikely TT-Line would have to fund the entire cost of the new ships."We're not just sitting back and saying to the TT-Line, buy what you can afford," he said."What we're saying is what are the right ships for Tasmania, and partnering with the TT-Line, to ensure we get the best outcome for the next 20 years after 2023."Mr Hidding said the Government would always look to generate Tasmanian jobs from the project."Generally there's no Australian capacity as such to build ships up to 200 metres for the kind of [vessels] that currently operate on Bass Strait, but that's not to say that companies like Incat don't have the right to absolutely put their hand up to be engaging with the provision of new ships," he said.Chairman of the freight logistics committee Steve Henty said an increased freight capacity on the new ships would be welcomed."We've got a growing freight task in Tasmania, particularly in that fresh produce and refrigerated trailers, so straight from the farm and into market," he said."And that's where Tasmania's going. So any added capacity to aid that fresh produce out of Tasmania into the mainland and even fresh produce from Tassie to the mainland for airports to be flown into international markets, it's going to be crucial in the next 10 years."It's a balancing act between meeting those needs of the passengers and the freight, but also making sure we have a competitive, viable private sector across Bass Strait as well."A ships replacement sub-committee of Cabinet has been set up, which Mr Hidding chairs, and it is likely to buy two new ships with more capacity than the current two Spirits of Tasmania.TT-Line has not paid a dividend to the State Government for the last two years to help fund the refurbishment of the current ferries. Source: abc.net Gantry Crane Assembly for Liebherr Container Cranes Comarco completed the crane construction contract for Liebherr Container Cranes at the Comarco Supply Base. Comarco have been providing the personnel, lifting equipment (with the assistance of two Hareket cranes) and space required to fabricate the cranes as well as the barge (Comarco 2801) and tugs (Buzzard and Merlin) needed to move the cranes from the Comarco Supply Base to Berth 19 in the main Mombasa Port. Over the course of the project Liebherr constructed a total of three cranes in the base and mobilised them to the port. Final crane was delivered in the first week of May.The project serves to highlight the diverse nature of the work done on the Comarco Supply Base as well as Comarco’s ability to provide a wide range of professional services for our clients. Holland America Line Releases Name for Next Pinnacle-Class Cruise Ship Distribution : daily to 34.000+ active addresses 23-05-2016 Page 4 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2016 – 144 By Chris Gray Faust, Senior Editor, and Gina Kramer, Associate Editor The KONINGSDAM moored in Rotterdam last week for the christening ceremony Photo : Willem Holtkamp - http://fotomaker.jalbum.net/FOTOMAKER/ © The second Pinnacle-class ship in Holland America Line's fleet, slated to arrive in fall 2018, will be called Nieuw Statendam. The 2,650-passenger ship will be the sixth vessel in the line's history to bear the name Statendam.