DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
Number 063*** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Tuesday 04-03-2014 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.
The MAERSK KIMI enroute – Photo : R.Munstermann ©
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 1 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
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
DMC – a new approach to marine projects
We are proud to announce the launch of Dutch Marine Contractors, a new maritime service provider with an innovative approach to marine and offshore projects.
In order to satisfy the needs of the increasingly dynamic global marketplace, DMC provides a comprehensive selection of services of Commercial Ship Management, Consultancy and Brokerage. With a worldwide asset network and years of expertise to work with, DMC offers fully customizable, round-the-clock solutions for the offshore industry. We listen to your needs, strive to meet your goals and are always personally involved with your success. Please visit our website or contact us to find out what DMC can do for you.
The GLORY inbound in Melbourne – Photo : Dale E.Crisp ©
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 2 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
VOLENDAM VISITS SINGAPORE
Last Sunday afternoon HAL’s VOLENDAM arrived in Singapore, Berths CC01 and CC02 at the cruise terminal in Keppel bay where both occupied in the afternoon, by the SUPER STAR VIRGO and the
DEUTSCHLAND, after the VIRGO cleared the berth CC02 the VOLENDAM entered Keppel bay the VOLENDAM is an R-Class cruise ship belonging to Holland America Line. There are ten decks, with passenger cabins spread across five of them. The ship contains eight bars, two swimming pools, two hot tubs, a spa, and a
show lounge. The theme aboard VOLENDAM is flowers and fresh displays are located in abundance on board the ship; décor throughout the ship also emphasize floral patterns. She sails out of Australia, Asia and conducts cruises of the Inside Passage traversing British Columbia and Alaska. The has three sister ships in the fleet, Zaandam, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. She was the second of these ships to be launched, the Rotterdam being the lead ship of the class. VOLENDAM is 238 m , a 32.3 m beam, and a 8.1 m draft. She has ten decks, and contains cabins for passengers (called staterooms) on decks one through three (Dolphin, Main and Lower Promenade decks, and decks six, seven and eight (Verandah, Navigation, and Lido decks).The atrium contains a sculpture spanning three decks which was created by Luciano Vistosi. VOLENDAM was christened by former professional tennis player Chris Evert on 12 November 1999, who became the
ship's godmother.
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 3 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
The VOLENDAM also contains other standard elements onboard Holland America Line vessels, such as the Explorations Café, a
show lounge, a spa, and children's clubs. There is a total of eight bars, two pools and two hot tubs. Dining options include the Rotterdam Dining Lounge, as seen left top and the Pinnacle Grill, which is the ship's signature as seen left during the diner onboard the VOLENDAM last Sunday with the Pinnacle team and our host Peter Tukker, the Safety, Environmental & Health officer onboard.
Furthermore the VOLENDAM features evenings recreating New York's Le Cirque restaurant. The Lido Deck (Deck 8) features two pools, two hot tubs, a grill, a recreation area (poolside; includes ping-pong table, chess board and more), and the Lido Restaurant. The Lido Restaurant serves food from around 07:00 am – 12:30am, the Lido
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 4 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
Restaurant closes to prepare for lunch after breakfast, and dinner after lunch. The Lido has different sections for different cultural cuisine, such as Filipino, Indonesian, Moroccan, Italian, Swiss, and more. Each and every night, the Lido Restaurant offers different kinds of cultural foods, each specified in a menu before entering. The Lido Restaurant also features the Canaletto Italian Cuisine for those who wish to have their own sectioned off area to eat. Seeing all these restaurants onboard the way to lose the additional calories is a visit to large well equipped Gymnasium onboard.
As the VOLENDAM changed a lot of Guests in Singapore the house keeping team was very busy with shifting the luggage in the alleyways from the off going passengers as seen at the photo. Singapore was also a very special for The best Executive Chef of the high seas Noorul Ali Syed Mubarak who met his brother and family again after 5 years !!
When you read this the VOLENDAM departed already from Singapore Eastbound, for the 28 Night Far East, China and Japan Cruise with first destination Koh Samui and Leam Chabang (both in Thailand) Sihanoukville, (Cambodia) followed by several ports in Vietnam to arrive in Hong Kong March 17th followed by several ports in China en Korea to arrive in Kobe (Japan) March 31st Herewith my wife Elizabeth and myself like to thank the crew of the VOLENDAM for the hospitality whilst onboard the beautiful vessel, and specially the Pinnacle Grill Manager Jaikishan Kacherla and his great team who made our dinner a very special one with a superb with a smile service “, and we wish Capt James Russell-Dunford, Staff Capt Geert van der Knaap, the Engineroom department , and our host for the evening Peter Tukker and their teams onboard safe sailing to many interesting ports ! Thanks !
Holland America Line was founded in 1873 as the Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij Netherlands-America Steamship Company), a shipping and passenger line. It was headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and provided service to the Americas. The company was formed as a result of the reorganization of an
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 5 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
earlier company, Plate, Reuchlin & Co. The company's first ship was the original Rotterdam, which sailed its 15-day maiden voyage from the Netherlands to New York City on October 15, 1872. Other services were started to other new world ports, including Hoboken, Baltimore and South America. Cargo service to New York started in 1899.
During the first 25 years the company carried 400,000 people from Europe to the Americas. Other North American ports were added during the early 20th century. Though transportation and shipping were the primary sources of revenue, in 1895 HAL offered its first vacation cruise. Its second vacation cruise, from New York to Israel, was first offered in 1910.
One notable ship was the elegant 36,000 gross ton SS Nieuw Amsterdam of 1937, it and the RMS Queen Mary being the only two liners built in the 1930s to make a profit. At the start of the Second World War, HAL had 25 ships; nine remained at war's end. At the beginning of the war, the Westernland, berthed at Falmouth, England, became the seat of the Dutch government. The Nieuw Amsterdam sailed half a million miles transporting 400,000 military personnel. After the war, the cruise line was instrumental in transporting a massive wave of immigrants from the Netherlands to Canada and elsewhere. Another notable ship during the post-war period was the SS Rotterdam of 1959, one of the first North Atlantic ships equipped for two-class transatlantic crossing and one-class luxury cruising. By the late 1960s, the golden era of transatlantic passenger ships had been ended by the introduction of air travel. HAL ended transatlantic service during the early 1970s, leaving the North Atlantic passenger trade for Cunard's RMS Queen Elizabeth 2.
In 1973 it sold its cargo shipping division. It ceased operating as a Dutch line in 1989, when it was purchased by Carnival for 1.2 billion guilders. The proceeds were put into an investment company (HAL Investments), the majority of which is owned by the van der Vorm family. All above photo’s : Piet Sinke ©
The Stolt chemical tanker “STOLT CONFIDENCE” inbound Rotterdam under a cloudy sky and passing Maassluis Photo : Kees van Schie ©
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 6 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
New markets for US oil products mean new opportunities for clean tankers While the debate in the US is raging on whether or not to allow for crude oil to be exported, the growth of US oil product market, is providing for many opportunities for owners of clean tankers. According to a recent report from shipbroker Gibson, "the current abundance of fracked crude in the US has provided US refineries with an increasing supply of cheap feedstocks. US refinery net input of crude oil stood at 15.3 million b/d last week, around 875,000 b/d more than the same period last year. To accommodate recent increases in production, trade flows have shifted, and new markets for these products have been established", the shipbroker said.
Gibson added that "the fronthaul transatlantic MR route has been repeatedly switching direction since mid-last year as export volumes of CPP provided the tanker market with fresh opportunities to improve earnings through triangulation. However, recent winter storms and cold temperatures in the US have triggered a large product stock draw, which left Atlantic Basin inventories at their lowest in six years. As demand increased, prices for diesel spiked in New York, drawing European cargoes across the Atlantic. This tightening was apparent on the benchmark MR trade from Rotterdam to New York (TC2) – earnings rose to $16,750/day mid-January, up $10,000/day from the start of the month. Despite some erosion in rates thereafter, the current uptick is the result of the US rebuilding stocks, and high demand for fuels at a local level. The backhaul TC14 business for this reason is quiet at the moment. Refinery maintenance in the US could also temporarily erode product exports, and it is likely that the reverberations of this will be felt in the transatlantic market".
According to Gibson, "US products are also gaining ground with increased export volumes to the Caribbean, Latin America and West Africa. Demand is growing in all of these regions with the US now being the obvious choice of supply. West Africa was once an almost exclusive market for European products, but exports from Continent have halved over the past five years with the contraction of the European refinery industry. Exports to Asia are also expected to follow, and the widening of the Panama Canal could give the US additional impetus for this. Should the US position on crude oil exports change anytime soon, it is unlikely to have significant impact on the growing products export trade. US shale oil producers want to increase production and cite improved employment opportunities for Americans on the back of this new wealth. Whatever the outcome of the debate, the US will continue to provide considerable support for the tanker market for some years to come, be it clean or possibly dirty (or both)", Gibson concluded.
Meanwhile, in the tanker market this week, in the Middle East,Gibson noted "a fighting retreat for VLCCs, but despite best efforts, a retreat nonetheless. Activity did pick up, but no positions were particularly challenging for Charterers, and rates chipped steadily lower to little better than ws 60 East and ws 30 to the West by the week’s end. Further erosion is possible, but a complete crash unlikely. As VLCCs softened, Suezmaxes were precluded from the stem- splitting benefits enjoyed last week, and rates eased down to ws 60 East and just under ws 30 to the West accordingly with next week likely to stay tough for Owners. Aframaxes saw enough to regain the 80,000 by ws 100 mark to Singapore, but not enough to really push on and no significant change is expected over the coming week", said the shipbroker. In the Mediterranean market, according to Gibson there was "a slight uptick in Aframax fortunes here, but 80,000 by ws 87.5/90 cross Med is hardly anything to shout about, and Owners will have to find the stamina to keep up their resistance if they are to make any significant break-out. Unlikely as it seems now. Suezmaxes started slowly, but a midweek flurry, combined with the improvement in West Africa, allowed rates to inflate to 140,000 by ws 65 from the black sea to European destinations. Movements to the east were limited, but US$2.5 million was seen for a run to Singapore". Finally, in the North Sea, "warm temperatures point to a shortened ice season and that takes away an important prop to the Aframax market. Enquiry has been generally thin over the week, and rates stayed bogged down at no better than 80,000 by ws 90 cross UK Cont, and 100,000 by ws 70 from the Baltic. Suezmaxes did find some attention, and also benefited from the West African upturn. Rates therefore moved up to 135,000 by ws 62.5/65 for Transatlantic movements, but the closed Fuel ARB to the East meant little was to be done for those routes. VLCCs also saw little to the East, and that provoked a markedly lower US$4 million to Singapore on a rare opportunity", Gibson said. Source : Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 7 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
Poole lifeboat sent to aid of stricken fishing vessel POOLE’S RNLI lifeboat was launched after reports that an angling vessel with four people on board broke down off Bournemouth Pier. The lifeboat was called out at 3.53pm and a few minutes later found that the occupants were safe.
The crew towed the stricken boat back to its mooring in Poole, The occupants of the fishing boat were met by Coastguard Rescue Officers from Poole and the lifeboat returned to its station. Source : Daily Echo
Greek court rejects claim against Arch
Cru shipping boss A Greek court has rejected claims brought by the operator of the Arch Cru Guernsey cells against a manager of the funds’ underlying shipping investments and ordered it to pay defence costs of around €82,900 (£69,000).
SPL brought two claims in the Greek courts against Nicholas Koros, who was a joint venture party in Nautical Ventures and ship manager of several Arch investments, and also against 17 other defendants, including a number of companies that were said to be controlled by Mr Koros.
The cases stemmed from an earlier judgement in favour of SPL handed down by the High Court in London in 2011, which ordered Mr Koros and others to pay a total of $86.85m (£52.9m). According to that earlier ruling, Mr Koros was liable to cover these losses as he was guarantor of a loan between Arch Treasury, acting as lender to the Guernsey cells in its capacity of investment manager, and Nautical Ventures.
Following this judgement, SPL alleged in its claims in Greece that Mr Koros sought to use various businesses he controlled to conceal assets and business gains so as to “frustrate satisfaction of the requirements of his creditors”.
SPL also accused Mr Koros of purposefully hiding money by putting them in his wife and children’s names and applied for protective measures against the assets and properties of 11 defendants, including Mr Koros’s parents, wife and children. The firm was seeking to claim “property damage” equal to the original $86.85m awarded and “compensation for moral damage”. The Greek judgement, which was handed down in January, states that the ruling in London has been declared enforceable in Greece by the First Instance Court of Piraeus but is still being challenged at “higher court levels”. The judgement also revealed that Mr Koros has a “lack of assets”, with his bank account at the time of enquiries holding just €940. Other assets which SPL had thought belonged to Mr Koros were found to belong to other
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 8 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
companies. In addition, a number of companies that were said in the claims to be controlled by Mr Koros were found not to be controlled by him. A third £74m claim between Mr Koros, the Greek shipping firms, Capita, SPL and Spearpoint is set to be heard in May.
A spokesperson for Mr Koros told FTAdviser: “The judgment against Nicholas Koros as guarantor... issued by London High Court of Justice has not as yet been upheld by the Greek Courts. “Greek Justice has obviously dismissed the views of the plaintiffs who have, in fact, attempted to find an alternative legal path to secure enforceable decisions against [Mr] Koros by the Greek Courts.” SPL declined to comment. Source: FT Adviser
The SEVEN WAVES arriving in Rotterdam Caland Canal for crew change – Photo : Frans Sanderse © Rotterdam port chief lauds cooperation with Kuwait refinery The president and chief executive officer of the Dutch Port of Rotterdam, Allard Castelein, Saturday praised the Kuwait Europport Refinery in Rotterdam as "one of the most important investors and users of our port." In a statement sent to the Kuwait news agency, KUNA, on the occassion of celebrations to mark Kuwait's 53rd National Day, he stated that "we are having an excellent business relationship with the management of the Kuwait Refinery and we intend to sustain this relationship." He noted that Rotterdam is the centre of Europe when it comes to oil and refining and "we expect it to be the focal point for the oil Industry in Europe for decades to come." Kuwait Refinery, stressed Castelein, has an excellent deep water location in the port and a fabulous position for expanding its business. The Dutch government has cooperated closely in the past year to establish a strong incentive package which is worth some USD 250 million for Refinery Improvement Project which includes the revamp of the refinery by building a Lubes Hydrocracker Unit in order to meet European demand for next decades and to provide for a very profitable and sustainable future. "We are committed in the port of Rotterdam to cooperate with the management of the refinery to support the mutual interest," he said. "I would like to use this opportunity to further clarify that a scenario in which the KPE (Kuwait Petroleum Europoort) refinery would be fully converted into a terminal is not supported by the Port of Rotterdam and is therefore not an option, but we will support the refinery and terminal enhancement business, " he added.
ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS FREE MARITIME NEWSCLIPPINGS ? PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE : WWW.MAASMONDMARITIME.COM AND REGISTER FOR FREE !
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 9 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
Club de Ruyter Singapore NEDERLANDSE MARITIEME LUNCH IN SINGAPORE
Via deze weg willen wij de “Maritieme” Nederlands of Vlaams sprekenden in en rond Singapore uitnodigen voor deze lunch, wat tevens een uitstekende plaats is om te netwerken, en kennis te maken met andere Nederlands sprekenden uit de industrie
De lunch word gehouden in de TRADEWINDS BAR van de :
Hollandse Club in Singapore op vrijdag 7 maart 2014 tussen 12:00 en 14:00 uur
Deze lunch wordt u aangeboden door :
Groot Zuidoost-Azië met Singapore, Maleisië, Indonesië, de Filippijnen, Thailand, Zuid-China, Vietnam en Myanmar biedt een scala aan nieuwe marktkansen voor de Nederlandse maritieme industrie. Speciaal voor de MKB achterban is in 2012 HME Singapore geopend.
HME Singapore heeft de ambitie om in 2014 haar activiteiten verder uit te breiden. Een nieuwe Business Development Manager, Evylene Chua, is onlangs aangesteld en daarmee is er extra capaciteit beschikbaar gekomen om (nieuwe) leden aanvullende diensten aan te kunnen bieden.
Bedrijven die HME Singapore willen inschakelen om succesvol zaken te doen in Zuid-Oost Azië kunnen kiezen uit het ‘Ordinary Membership’ of het ‘Premium Membership’.
Alle op Azië gerichte HME exportactiviteiten worden georganiseerd door HME Singapore, daarnaast is het kantoor ingericht als representatiekantoor voor Nederlandse bedrijven.
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 10 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
HME Singapore wordt gerund door Marjan Lacet. Marjan heeft in de afgelopen jaren een uniek netwerk opgebouwd van relaties bij scheepswerven, rederijen, ambassades, hotels en lokale organisaties in (Zuidoost) Azië. Zij heeft talloze HME exportactiviteiten succesvol uitgevoerd. HME Singapore bedient momenteel:
- Aquality BV - Bierens Companies - CSI Control Systems - DBR BV - Geberit BV - Loggers BV - Maritime Consult - Oliveira Hydro, Marine & Shipping - TKF - Trustlube BV - Winmag - WRS Group
Als U van plan bent vrijdag aanwezig te zijn, gelieve even een mailtje te sturen naar [email protected] zodat wij er rekening mee kunnen houden voor hoeveel personen er nasi goreng en sate gemaakt moet worden.
The 'North Cruys' seen during cargo operations alongside the SEAFOX 5 The naming ceremony for the vessel took place on Saturday, February 15, in Simek’s yard in Flekkefjord, Norway. The vessel, of the ST – 216 Arctic design, was named ‘North Cruys’ The 92.6 meters long ’North Cruys’ is designed by Skipsteknisk for for operations in northern cold waters. Its low resistance hull lines optimized for speed and low fuel oil consumption. The platform supply vessel takes its name by Cornelius Cruys (1655 – 1727) who was a Dutch Vice Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy and the first commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet. He was born in Norway. Photo : Capt.Jeroen van Elewoud Master Seafox 5 Report from Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority warned against waste dumping plan The federal government ignored scientific advice when the dumping of millions of tonnes of dredging waste from a mining project into the Great Barrier Reef was approved. Documents released under freedom of information laws show
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 11 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was warned that approval should not be granted for dumping sediment waste into the reef to make way for a coal project. ''The proposal to dredge and dispose of up to 1.6 million cubic metres of sediment per year … has the potential to cause long-term irreversible harm to areas of the Great Barrier Reef,'' the authority's own report reads. Under the proposal, the seabed would be dredged to create berths for six coal ships for the Abbot Point coal port expansion. The dredged waste would then be dumped in the Great Barrier Reef. The report's author warned particularly of the effects on seagrass meadows and coral reefs. And yet the chairman of the authority, Russell Reichelt, approved the dumpings late last year. ''The approved disposal area consists of sand, silt and clay and does not contain coral reefs or seagrass beds,'' he said in January. Queensland campaigner for Greenpeace Louise Mathieson said though it may be true the immediate disposal area has no seagrass, muddy plumes can spread for up to 80 kilometres. ''I think the chairman was downplaying the impact of dredging and dumping,'' she said. ''What he said does not reflect the expert advice that was coming from staff about the real impacts the project could have, especially the risks to water quality.'' In its dredging permit assessment, the authority states that seagrass in the vicinity of the dredging activity is likely to be affected by the dumping, primarily by reduced light and increased water sediment. ''Coral reefs around Holbourne Island, Nares Rock, Camp Reef, Horseshoe Bay and Cape Upstart also have the potential to be affected by turbid plumes and sedimentation,'' the assessment said. The original application from North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation sought approval to dredge and dump 3 million cubic metres of spoil in the reef waters as part of coal terminal expansion plans at Abbot Point, north of Bowen. Former federal environment minister Mark Butler extended the deadline for a decision on the application twice last year before the federal election. Ms Mathieson said whilst these documents go some way in suggesting why a decision was delayed several times under Labor, they do not explain the approval granted by Greg Hunt, the present minister. But Mr Hunt says the groundwork for backing the dumping plan was made by previous state and federal Labor governments. ''This was Labor's project, announced by Anna Bligh as a massive expansion and then upgraded to a super-terminal with 38 million cubic metres of dredging,'' he said. ''The final approval was one-twelfth of this at 3 million cubic metres … I was advised the proposal put forward for offshore disposal was the best option available.'' In a statement released by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, chairman Russell Reichelt said the documents released are "preliminary working drafts which were never submitted to the delegate, the senior manager responsible for the GBRMPA's decision". He said the draft permit assessment took place prior to the application of rigorous conditions, "the strictest ever imposed on an application of this type," which included a requirement for North Queensland Bulk Ports to offset the amount of fine sediments released into the environment by 150 per cent. Should prevailing conditions such as waves, wind and currents contribute to the displacement of sediment towards sensitive habitats, disposal is not to proceed. In addition, the Authority included a requirement that a five-year water quality monitoring program is to be implemented in addition to real-time monitoring, a condition which Mr Reichelt says is the "longest ever required for such a program". "Without these robust conditions GBRMPA is likely to have said 'no' to the application," he said. Source : smh.
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 12 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
European Aframax freight rates hit fresh lows amid warmer weather, more tonnage North Sea and Baltic Aframax rates hit a fresh low of 2014 Thursday on the back of low demand and with more ice- class vessels available to the market due to warm weather in Europe, shipping sources said Friday.
Freight rates on the route fell $0.47/mt on the day to be assessed by Platts at $6.57/mt Thursday, the lowest since November 27 when the rate was $5.89/mt. Typically, Aframax rates for routes across Northwest Europe, on the basis of 80,000 mt volumes, move in tandem with the rates on the Baltic-NWE route, basis 100,000 mt.
Freight rates on the Cross-NWE route fell $0.19/mt Thursday to be assessed by Platts at $6.55/mt, the lowest since November 27 when they were $6.52/mt. On Friday, shipping sources continued to peg the rates on the Baltic-NWE route within a range of Worldscale 70-72.50, equating to $6.57-6.80/mt, and said the rate for the Cross-NWE route was w85-87.50, or $6.55-$6.36/mt.
"North Sea and Baltic Aframaxes continue to suffer as warm temperatures point to a shortened ice season. This combined with minimal levels of inquiry has led to rates dropping significantly this week," a shipbroker said. Meanwhile, a charterer said: "The market is looking slightly softer so a lot of owners then typically want longer hauls. It's a normal market mechanism." Source: Platts
The Greek flag tanker Cap Romuald at anchor in Halifax Harbour, March 1, taking on bunkers from the Algoma Dartmouth. Photo : John Attersley ©
Agreement reached to increase ILO minimum wage for the Able Seafarer Maritime Employer representatives, coordinated by the International Shipping Federation (ISF), met with International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) counterparts this week at the International Labour Organization to review the ILO recommended minimum wage for the Able Seafarer. It was agreed that from 1 January 2015, the ILO minimum monthly basic wage for an AB is increased to US$592 and from 1 January 2016, the basic wage is increased to US$614.
ISF spokesperson Arthur Bowring led the Shipowner Group in the discussions held on 26th and 27th February 2014 in Geneva. In his opening statement, Mr Bowring reflected that the current figure of US$585 came into effect on 31st December 2013 and noted that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure the maintenance of a safety net for seafarers particularly from developing countries. He also referred to publications from UN bodies such as UNCTAD that underlined uncertainty in the global economy and challenges facing world trade and particularly over supply of tonnage in the shipping industry. Mr Bowring commented: “We believe the decision taken is an appropriate one that gives shipowners adequate notice to be prepared for the impact of agreed changes going forward to 2016.” Source: International Chamber of Shipping
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 13 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
The TSHD VOLVOX OLYMPIA passing Spijkenisse outbound – Photo : Lia Mets ©
DNV GL and MPA collaborate in maritime research & development DNV GL and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote research and development (R&D) and innovation in the maritime industry. The signing ceremony took place at the DNV GL 150th anniversary celebrations, in the presence of Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Mr Borge Brende, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The MOU was signed between Dr Henrik Madsen, DNV GL’s Group President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr Andrew Tan, MPA Chief Executive. It will promote maritime R&D in the following areas: • Liquefied natural gas (LNG) research and technology, covering both risk assessment and safety, and simulation study and training • Green Ports, an examination of the potential environmental gains to be made through the use of energy saving and emission reduction technology in ports, in terms of both infrastructure, processes and equipment and vessels • Marine environment and resources, projects which are designed to cut emissions and boost fuel efficiency, through retrofitting and improved operational maintenance, and • Organisation of maritime-related thought leadership forums to promote Green Shipping, Green Port and Green Technology in the Singapore maritime community
“Singapore has emerged as one of the key centres for innovation in the shipping world, especially in terms of promoting technologies and systems which develop and promote green outcomes” said Dr Henrik Madsen. “We have built up a relationship with the MPA over the past several years, as we have both jointly and separately championed projects which have sought to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency in shipping, and this MOU will help us to further our relationship.”
Dr Madsen added, “Indeed, the MOU is a reflection of the emphasis we place on innovation and R&D at DNV GL. We are making a significant and sustained group-wide commitment by investing in the future of our industry. We will continue to invest around 5% of annual revenue to R&D with one fifth of that marked for long term projects with a transformative effect, and have hubs of innovation around the world. This is at the heart of our goal of making the industry safer, smarter and greener.”
Mr Andrew Tan said, “The signing of this MOU signifies a shared vision to drive our maritime industry research efforts. It will also help position Singapore as a centre of excellence for maritime research. I’m confident that this partnership will grow stronger and contribute to the overall growth of the maritime sector.” Source: DNV GL
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 14 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
New opportunity on the horizon as shipping steers out of doldrums When the financial crisis broke, no industry was worse affected than shipping. In the six months after Lehman’s demise, world trade collapsed further and faster than it did even in the 1930s. The daily cost of chartering a mid-sized bulk carrier — one that could navigate the Panama Canal — plunged to barely $2000, at which level none covered their costs.
Worse, this collapse came at a time when the world’s shipyards were about to deliver one of the biggest increases in capacity the industry had seen — the result of ship owners round the world being seduced into expansion after 10 years of easy bank credit and booming trade. The resulting bust took down a lot of them and severely damaged the banks — mainly German but also including Royal Bank of Scotland — that had supported them.
It has been a painful six years but if you want a sign that things are indeed getting better, take a look at the shipping industry today. The clue to what is going on lies partly in the bulk carrier freight rates, which are back up around $10,000 a day — a rate at which they can make a small amount of money —but more interestingly in the growth of speculative vehicles that allow people, or more often financial institutions and hedge funds, to become ship owners.
It has, of course, been possible to speculate on shipping freight rates for many years using the Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange (Biffex) index which, while by no means perfect, did reflect the ups and downs of rates. But now the smart money has spotted a further opportunity, which is to finance and own the ships itself .
It is another example of mobile capital flooding into the gap created by the withdrawal of the banks — many of whom have still fully to work through their last generation of bad shipping loans. As investing institutions become frustrated with the poor returns and excessive volatility of their conventional bond and equity investments, shipping to some seems to offer an interesting alternative.
As with many investments, it is all about the timing. Supply and demand have come back towards balance as record tonnages of older, less efficient tonnage were scrapped in 2012-13. The next few years will see a generational change in the efficiency of new ships coming off the slipways. Thanks to better engines and better propellers, they will offer at least a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency — this at a time when fuel costs are about $30,000 a day for a mid-sized ship.
This should coincide with a continuing recovery in world trade, which should push up freight rates. In turn, the value of ships moves with the amount they can earn, and thus the increase in rates will gradually fuel a gain in capital values.
The sector is also giving rise to a new generation of adviser-cum-fund manager. Traditionally, the shipping sector has been peopled by experts who understood the shipping and freight rates but had little idea how to package this as an investment with a controlled level of risk and a targeted rate of return. Mostly, they operated as departments within the big commodity traders such as Cargill, the agricultural products giant. Increasingly, however, firms such as Global Maritime Investments see the opportunities in offering such a service. In the past, their core business has been
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 15 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
making money for their investors by arbitraging freight rates. Now with the cycle turning, they sense the time has come to take more risk and try to own some of the ships themselves.
Backed by a large North American institution, GMI has already begun to assemble a fleet of ships — currently mainly on lease. But the next step will be to form financial partnerships on a private-equity style model where capital will be raised from investors and used to build and own ships. These will then operate through a period of rising rates with the hope that they will be sold towards the end of the decade and capital returned to the investor. Rates of return of 20% are talked about. Time will tell. What is interesting, however, is what this says about the way the financial world is changing. Time was when shipping finance came exclusively from banks or governments, but not any more. Today, mobile international capital has rediscovered its sense of adventure and is flooding in to fill the gaps left by the retreating banks. Source: Standard
KOTUG’s SD SPARTA in her new livery operating in the port of Rotterdam Photo : Frans Sanderse ©
Demand for LNG carriers of different ice classes may exceed 30 units in 2016-2020 The demand for LNG carriers of different ice classes may exceed 30 units in 2016-2020. According to the press center of Sovcomflot, this has been announced today at the annual coordinating meeting attended by the representatives of leading shipbuilding and oil & gas companies of Russia. The meeting was held within the framework of the company’s shipbuilding programme. The meeting was also attended by the representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, United Shipbuilding Corporation, Gazprom, Novatek etc. The participants focused their attention on the construction of LNG carriers and auxiliary fleet servicing oil and gas projects in the Arctic region of Russia. The experts participating in the meeting have come to the following conclusion: current absence of Russian shipyards able to build vessels of required dimensions, tough schedule for commissioning of production facilities for oil and gas projects, lack of sufficient experience in Russian shipbuilding show that in the nearest years the demand of oil & gas companies can be fully satisfied only through the attraction of foreign shipbuilders.
“Unlike other large capacity vessels, gas carriers are much more difficult in construction, they require high technological precision. Attraction of the world’s latest shipbuilding technologies is needed for construction of arctic tankers, Igor Tonkovidov, Deputy Director General of Sovcomflot, said. Following the meeting it was decided to create a working group for a feasibility study on stage-by-stage localization of gas carriers construction headed by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation A. Rakhmanov. Besides, it is necessary to measure the possibilities of the domestic production of marine engines, hulls and components of vessels.
Sovcomflot OJSC is one of the largest customers in Russian civil shipbuilding. When implementing its shipbuilding programme the company puts the priority on cooperation with domestic shipbuilding companies. SCF Group has accumulated vast experience in construction of conventional and unique hi-tech vessels at the facilities of Russian
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 16 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
shipyards and their foreign partners. Recent years have seen the company purchase from Russian shipyards 16 vessels totally valued at some $1 bln. In particular, Admiralty Shipyards OJSC (Saint-Petersburg) have built Arctic-class shuttle tankers Mikhail Ulyanov and Kirill Lavrov which are to be deployed for Prirazlomnoye project in the nearest future being one of the most technologically advanced civil vessels in Russia. Another successful project is the construction of state-of-the-art icebreaking support vessels by the joint venture of the United Shipbuilding Corporation and Arctech shipyard (Helsinki). As a Russian ship owner, Sovcomflot is willing to put more priority on ordering vessels at domestic shipyards as well as to facilitate the transfer of the world’ latest technologies to Russian shipbuilding. Source : PortNews
Ferry that will house 600 workers at Kitimat arrives in Vancouver for refit A ship that should help Kitimat’s housing crunch has arrived in Vancouver for a refit. The Silja Festival, a cruise ferry from the Baltic Sea, will house 600 workers in Kitimat, where long-term residents are being squeezed out by newly arrived workers in the northern B.C. boom town. Rio Tinto settled on the ship solution for the army of workers it needs to complete a $2.7-billion aluminum smelter upgrade.
Photo : Robert Etchell ©
“We have spent the last 40 days travelling from the Baltic Sea, through the Panama Canal and up the West Coast,” said Brian Grange, president of Bridgemans Services. “We plan to use the next week to 10 days getting ready for the trip up to Kitimat.” The “flotel” is undergoing a makeover at Seaspan’s Vancouver Drydock on the North Shore, with workers cleaning and retrofitting the ship before it concludes its voyage to Kitimat. The 171-metre ferry will be re-branded as the Delta Spirit Lodge. with accommodation for 600 construction workers.
Kitimat and nearby Terrace have been hit by “renovictions” of the poor, as the new demand for accommodation has prompted entrepreneurs to upgrade many suites and homes, then re-rent them at a much higher rate. Thousands of workers are making their way to the northern B.C. port — ground zero in the province’s bid to become a major liquefied natural-gas exporter. Kitimat Mayor Joanne Monaghan expects up to 10,000 workers to descend on her community if all the LNG plants on the books actually get approval.
One thing holding up housing construction is uncertainty — while B.C. hopes to cash in on the spiralling demand for LNG; international competitors such as Qatar and Australia are also ramping up LNG production.
Monaghan said new housing could be coming soon — if the corporations with plans on the books decide to bet on B.C. LNG. “The companies still don’t know what the taxation rate is,” Monaghan told The Province. “We’ve got three subdivisions on the books, but they’re not going to build until they know the plants are getting the go-ahead.”
Rio Tinto’s floating bid to help the housing crunch comes with a very big price tag. With 150 workers contracted to clean and retrofit the ship, Rio Tinto expects the total cost of the voyage to exceed $4 million. An additional $1 million in food will be loaded while it’s in dry dock. Bridgemans Services Ltd. is a B.C. company that specializes in on-demand, remote-location floating hotels and workforce camps on Canada’s West Coast. The firm provides high-end accommodations and catering for workers in the energy and construction industries in northern B.C. Source : The Province Pirates Attack Luxury Cruise Liner At Sea British passengers aboard a luxury cruise liner are recovering after the ship was attacked off the coast of Africa by pirates firing a rocket propelled grenade and machine guns. the Bahamas-registered SEABOURN SPIRIT was 100
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 17 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
miles off the coast of Somalia when the attack took place. Terrified passengers were woken by the sound of gunfire as two 25 foot rigid inflatable boats came up to the liner and started shooting as their occupants tried to get on aboard. There were 18 British passengers on board, but all were reported to be safe after the incident. The ship was carrying 302 passengers and crew, but there was only one casualty - a crew member suffered minor injuries from flying debris. It is not believed that the bazooka fire struck the ship, but it was hit by small arms fire. The vessel escaped with only minor damage.The crew used an on-board loud acoustic bang to repel the attackers who finally sped off without managing to board the liner. They did not return fire at the pirates. The drama happened in an area notorious for pirate activity, leading to warnings to stay away from the coast where bandits board ships and demand ransoms. David Dingle, a spokesman for the Miami-based company Seabourn Cruises, owned by US cruise giant Carnival, said Britons were aboard but he could not confirm the number. He said the ship was en route to Mombasa in Kenya on a 16-day cruise out of Alexandria in Egypt. The 10,000-ton liner offers the height of luxury, with huge suites, marble bathrooms and more than one crew member to each passenger on board. Most of the passengers are believed to be American. "The ship's crew immediately initiated a trained response and as a result of protective and evasive measures taken the occupants of the small craft were unable to gain access to the ship," Mr Dingle said. He said that when the rocket propelled grenade-type weapon was fired at the ship, the crew and passengers remained calm Source : AllAfrica
NAVY NEWS Fire-damaged HMCS Protecteur being towed to Hawaii Esquimalt-based navy ship HMCS Protecteur is being towed to port after being stranded for nearly two days in open waters northeast of Hawaii following a fire that ripped through its engine room and injured about 20 sailors.
The American navy's USS Chosin successfully took the beleaguered supply ship under tow in rough weather conditions at about 6 p.m. on Saturday. High winds and seas marred previous attempts. “Any operation at sea is weather dependent,” said Commodore Bob Auchterlonie at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt.
The vessels are being accompanied by USS Michael Murphy and will meet USNS Sioux, an ocean fleet tug, for further assistance. They are travelling at about nine kilometres per hour and are expected to reach Pearl Harbor mid-week.
The fire occurred on the ship when it was about 630 kilometres northeast of Hawaii. While the 279 crew of Protecteur remained on the ship, which has limited
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 18 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
electrical power, the 17 family members and two civilian contractors who were on board have been transferred to Michael Murphy.
Auchterlonie said the family members will also be taken to Pearl Harbor, where a Victoria delegation will help them arrange travel home. The engine-room fire, which damaged machinery that controls the vessel’s propulsion, was reported Thursday night. About 20 sailors who fought the fire were treated for minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and dehydration. USS Michael Murphy and USS Chosin, a navy cruiser, took supplies to Protecteur by helicopter.
The sailors aboard Protecteur are “making the best of this and the living conditions are improving,” Auchterlonie said. The ship has fresh water, and galley services and secure communications — including phones and email — have been restored. Source : timescolonist Work well underway on China's two new aircraft carriers: Military Parade The Moscow-based Military Parade has revealed more details on China's mysterious indigenous aircraft carriers currently under construction in Dalian and Shanghai. In an report on Feb. 28, the Russian website said that the first vessel — known as 001A and designed by the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation — is being built in Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning province and will be equipped with a steam catapult. The new carrier is expected to have a greater tonnage than China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which was originally a Soviet-era Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier purchased from Ukraine in 1998.
The second vessel — known as 002 — under construction at Jiangnan shipyard on Shanghai's Changxing island, will be designed as China's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the report said. The size of the 002 will be similar to the USS Kitty Hawk with a tonnage of 61,351, and will be 5% larger than the 001A.
Both vessels have been designed based on blueprints of the unfinished Soviet Ulyanovsk-class aircraft carrier, according to Military Parade. The 002 will be fitted with four steam catapults, while the 001A will only have two. The 001A is likely to be named after the northeastern province of Shandong, following in line with the Liaoning, which was also named after a Chinese province. The Shandong aircraft carrier may begin its service with the PLA Navy as soon as 2018, the report said, adding that China plans to build a total four aircraft carriers. Once completed, the PLA Navy would be able to establish four carrier battle groups to expand its maritime influence in the South China Sea and Western Pacific. Source : Want Chian Times Navy to get 2 submarines by 2015: PM Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said two submarines would be inducted in Bangladesh Navy by 2015 to build it as a "three dimensional" force. "A process for induction of two submarines in the naval force has been finalised as part of the present government's firm determination and commitment to turn Bangladesh Navy into a "three-dimensional force," she said, adding the two submarines would be added to the naval fleet by 2015. Besides, she said, the work on setting up the country's biggest naval base in Ramnabad area in coastal Patuakali district has already been launched. Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing commissioning of two new frigates in Bangladesh Navy at BNS Naval Base Isa Khan here this morning.
The two new frigates--- Abu Bakar and Ali Haider--- procured from China have replaced two old British frigates.
Earlier on her arrival at the BNS Naval Base Isa Khan, the prime minister was received by Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral M Farid Habib and Commander of the Chittagong Naval Zone Rear Admiral M Akhter Habib. Cabinet members, PM's security adviser, parliament members, the chiefs of Bangladesh Army and Air Force, diplomats and high civil and military officials were present. The prime minister said the
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 19 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
government with utmost importance has started the work on increasing necessary infrastructure for the navy including air base along with raising its war fleet.
"The issue of construction of a submarine base is under process," she said, adding that Khulna Shipyard is building two container ships with the funding of the navy which would play an active role in the country's economy.
The prime minister put emphasis on an efficient, modern and balanced "three dimensional navy" to ensure security of the maritime area for the national economic development. She said most of the people of the country are not aware of the importance of sea and its resources. "Our naval force and coast guards are ensuring security of the maritime boundary by encountering various natural adversities. So despite economic constraints, the necessity of an efficient, modern and balanced "three dimensional naval force" is undeniable," she said.
The prime minister expressed her firm determination to build a modern and strong naval force to make the country prosperous further side by side with protecting its independence and sovereignty. "We must build a modern and strong naval force Insha Allah to make the country prosperous further side by side with protecting its independence and sovereignty to materialise the dream of Bangabandhu," she said. Sheikh Hasina expressed the hope that the members of Bangladesh Navy would always uphold its dignity on the world stage by maintaining superior work efficiency, discipline and chain of command through professional excellence.
"It is expectations of all that not only in the country, Bangladesh Navy would be capable of playing its due role in any place of the world," she said.
The prime minister said a great responsibility has been bestowed upon the members of the navy for utilising the massive role of the marine resources in the economic uplift of a developing country like Bangladesh. "I pray to Allah that you would discharge that responsibility successfully and safely by utilising new ships," she said.
Illustrating her government's relentless stride for the development of Bangladesh Navy, Sheikh Hasina said short and long term plans have already been taken to build Bangladesh Navy as an effective force by 2030.
She said the highest number of 12 ships have been added to the naval fleet during the tenure of her government. Navy has entered the new era through induction of two maritime helicopters and two maritime patrol aircraft. The prime minister said a special force named "Special Warfare Diving and Salvage (SWADS)" has been commissioned for naval aviation and unconventional warfare. She said to build a strong naval force, two modern corvettes are being constructed in China which will inducted in the naval fleet by 2015.
Sheikh Hasina extended her heartiest congratulations to every member of Bangladesh Navy for the active role of the force in protecting the internal security and world peace in different emergency periods and nation-building activities.
"This huge sea is your work area. The countrymen remember with honour the unique example of hard labour and dutifulness you have set up in the volatile sea. As there is a challenge in your profession, there is also a call of magnanimity in it. I believe that your patriotism is huge like the sea," she said. Referring to the maritime victory over Myanmar, the prime minister said Bangladesh got the legal rights of the exclusive economic zone up to the 200 nautical miles of the Bay of Bengal through the win.
"I hope that Bangladesh would realise the just rights by resolving the maritime dispute with India by this year in the same process Insha Allah," she said. Earlier, the prime minister handed over commissioning 'forman' (order) of the two warships to the commanding officers and formally unveiled the plaques of the ships. Later, she boarded the largest BN ship Samudra Joy, which was procured from the United States recently, and BNS Abu Bakar and witnessed different war equipment. Source : The Daily Star
Delay in changing submarine batteries could have caused INS Sindhuratna tragedy Red tape has crippled the blue water capabilities of the Indian Navy, and the nation is now paying in blood for it.
A shortage of submarine batteries after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) objected to the acquisition process may well be the starting point of the series of unfortunate events that resulted in the INS Sindhuratna mishap early on Wednesday.
Sources say that the batteries on the INS Sindhuratna were not changed during its refit that ended in December 2013. The facts that are now surfacing from the depths of the Arabian Sea point to running the ill-fated submarine on ageing batteries as the likeliest reason for the explosion that claimed the lives of two officers and injured seven sailors earlier this week. The INS Sindhuratna is a diesel-electric vessel, and runs on battery power while submerged. That power is provided by 240 lead acid batteries that weigh about 800kg each. These batteries tend to release flammable hydrogen gas, especially when they are being charged, and submarines have safety systems to address emergencies
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 20 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
arising out of this. Old batteries are even worse. The high level probe ordered by the Navy under Flag Officer (Submarines) Rear Admiral S.V. Bokhare will go into various aspects of the accident. It will be centered on finding the cause of explosion in the battery compartment that triggered the release of toxic gases. The INS Sindhuratna was powered by Russian batteries during the early years of its life in the Indian Navy. Later, the Navy began procuring batteries from an established Indian vendor, Mumbai-based Standard Batteries Limited, later bought out by Exide.
The Navy has bought batteries from Standard for a long time, and the two have had a smooth working relationship. Somewhere down the line, however, the battery purchase process was hit by objections raised by HILIFE Batteries, a Hyderabad-based competitor. HILIFE took the Indian Navy to court, saying its products were superior and cheaper, and that it had been considered good enough to supply batteries for a DRDO submarine project. The MoD also intervened to end the "single vendor situation", a situation that is avoided in acquisition.
As the web of litigation grew, battery purchases were hit, sources say, adding that the INS Sindhuratna mishap was waiting to happen. The Iranian Navy operates Kilo-class submarines of the same manufacturing batch as India's (see box) and uses Indian batteries that it replaces regularly. There has been no major mishap reported from Iran's Kilos, and that only points another finger at the old batteries on the INS Sindhuratna. The fact that the Navy is operating Kilo-class submarines for close to 30 years now, much beyond their lifespan, is also a reflection of the breakdown of perspective planning in the MoD. As per the 30-year perspective plan for submarines, the Navy should have 24 new submarines by 2022. In fact, 12 submarines should have been inducted by 2012 if the plan had remained on track. It is tragic, say old submariners, that the MoD was well aware of the problem and did nothing.
The submarine fleet is centered on 10 Russian Kilo class and four German HDW type 209 submarines. Nuclear- powered INS Chakra was acquired two years ago, the only addition in the last three decades. The government has been told several times about the teething problems in the construction of six French Scorpene submarines which has delayed the entire acquisition programme. All the six Scorpenes are now expected to be inducted only by 2021.
Kilo-class submarines of Soviet design are among the most silent-and proportionately deadly-vessels of their kind. The Sindhuratna, commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1988, had undergone an extensive refit from May through December last year, and was being put through the second, submerged phase of trials that would certify it as operationally fit when disaster struck. The accidents involving two Kilo-class submarines within a span of six months are now likely to speed up the plan for construction of a new line of underwater vessels. Iranian Kilo subs running perfectly on Indian batteries The Iranian Navy operates three Kilo class submarines - Tareq, Noor and Yunesh - which are of the same vintage and type as the ones in the Indian Navy. However, Iran is yet to face any serious accident. In fact, the Iranian Navy even routes its batteries from the same Indian vendor, Standard Batteries Limited. The sinking of INS Sindhurakshak in August last year and the accident on board the INS Sindhuratna on Wednesday has brought focus on the Russian-made submarines. A probe will indicate whether the fire in INS Sindhuratna was caused because of poor maintenance and inferior quality of spares, or because of some other fault. Source : dailymail.co.uk SHIPYARD NEWS
Yangzijiang Q4 profit down 8 per cent
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 21 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
A sharp fall in the number of vessel deliveries sent net profit down at Yangzijiang Shipbuilding (Holdings) in the fourth quarter. Earnings for the three months to Dec 31 came in at 746.3 million yuan (S$154 million), down 8 per cent from the 807.65 million yuan recorded a year ago.
Revenue fell 5 per cent to 3.382 billion yuan, the China-based shipbuilder added on Thursday. Yangzijiang delivered six vessels in the quarter against 12 deliveries in the same quarter in 2012. This was because the company relocated an old yard and temporarily suspended shipbuilding at Changbo yard. "Nonetheless, other shipbuilding- related revenue such as ship demolishing, fabrication, design, trading of ship supplies registered positive contributions," said Yangzijiang in its results announcement. Full-year net profit fell 14 per cent to 3.096 billion yuan and turnover dipped 3 per cent to 14.339 billion yuan.
Gross profit actually rose 4 per cent to 4.762 billion yuan on the back of higher margins but an increased effective tax rate drove down net profit. Full-year earnings per share was 80.79 fen, from 93.45 fen a year earlier, while net asset value per share was 4.65 yuan at Dec 31, from 4.05 yuan a year earlier. The company declared a final dividend of five Singapore cents per share, the same as its final dividend for the 2012 financial year.
"2013 has been another gruelling year for the commercial shipbuilding industry in China, with many yards struggling with severe overcapacity and a dearth of new orders," said executive chairman Ren Yuanlin in a statement. "Yangzijiang has managed to remain resilient through this challenging environment." The results were announced before markets opened. Yangzijiang shares rose half a cent to $1.135. Source : business.asiaone President opens Chinese-owned shipyard at Coverden Guyana President Donald Ramotar addressed the opening of the Chinese owned Zhanghao Shipyard in Coverden, East Bank Demerara. Guyana. GINA said that he also presided over the launch and naming ceremony for a logging vessel christened the ‘Yhan Heng freighter’.
“I want to extend special greetings to the Chinese investors who have come here and to let them know that they are welcome in Guyana,” President Ramotar said. The President said that China has tremendous capabilities, evident by the tremendous progress that the country has made in just over three decades.
“To see how fast that country has grown in just over three decades, speaks volumes for Chinese investors and their readiness to take risks. It also speaks volumes of their skills, of their traditions and customs, and their dedication to work and labour, and that is something we hope that we can emulate in our country,” the President said.
He said that Guyana has been seeing the many examples of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Chinese investors and work with regards to the country’s infrastructure development.
“So on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana I want to express our sincere thanks to the Chinese Government, people and investors, and to say that I look forward to, and I am ready to say openly that we are going to put all the facilities available that we give to investors, to try to attract more investments from China, in our country, to help us build Guyana and help us reach the full potential that this country can achieve,” he said, according to GINA.
GINA said that construction on the Zhanghao shipyard started in 2012, but it wasn’t until late 2013 that construction began on the vessel that was meant to facilitate the transport of logs from Kwakwani where the company has a logging concession. The name of the logging concession is unclear and it appears that the export of logs will be a key part of its operations. GINA said that the vessel, whose design and engine are Chinese, and its steel plates were pre- formed in China has the capacity to carry 200,000 tonnes of logs and six crew members and will take about four days from Kwakwani to the shipyard in Coverden, laden with the logs. Ramotar said that the Zhanghao investment has the potential to revitalise the local ship and port making that would have declined, over time in Guyana. “For me this is a really joyous occasion, because what we are seeing here is the expansion of our production capacity… this investment
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 22 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
here will certainly help to stimulate a lot of other activities and allow the use of our rivers to cheapen transportation cost,” he said, according to GINA. Source : Stabroek News
ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES Boskalis strengthens its heavy marine transport position through Fairmount Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) announces that it has reached an agreement to acquire Fairmount Marine B.V. and Fairmount OceanTowage Company B.V. (Fairmount) from the French group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. The transaction values the company at an average multiple of approximately 6 times EBITDA. Fairmount is a leading global provider of long distance ocean towage services operating five 205 tonnes bollard pull towing vessels with anchor handling capabilities. The addition of these ocean going anchor handling tugs (AHTs) allows Boskalis to further expand its market position in both offshore energy and salvage. The use of ocean going tugs for long distance wet towage is complementary to Boskalis’ current dry heavy marine transport offering. With the Fairmount assets, Boskalis can offer clients the full spectrum of heavy marine transport solutions tailored for the type of cargo or specific requirements. The AHTs also have the potential of being deployed into offshore projects thereby expanding Boskalis’ current transport and installation offering and can be used in salvage projects. Boskalis’ strategy is aimed at benefitting from key macro-economic factors which drive worldwide demand in our markets: expansion of the global economy, increase in energy consumption, global population growth and the challenges that go hand in hand with climate change. This acquisition is driven by the expansion of the global economy and increase in energy consumption. Hutchison Port Holdings profit off 4pc to US$953 million, revenues up 4pc HUTCHISON Port Holdings, a subsidiary of Hong Kong's Hutchison Whampoa, posted a four per cent year-on-year drop in operating profit to HK$7.4 billion (US$953 million) in 2013, drawn on revenues of HK$34.1 billion, up four per cent. "The [port] division is expected to grow volumes during the year and will continue to focus on productivity gains, cost efficiency and selective acquisition to achieve earnings growth," said the company filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Annual throughput, regardless of ownership share, increased two per cent to 78.3 million TEU. Operating profit was undercut by HK$427 million depreciation charges, including accelerated depreciation of certain assets at London Thamesport, and charges for new terminals in Hong Kong, mainland China, Spain, Mexico and Panama.
In a filing to the Hong Kong Exchange, Hutchison Whampoa said the outlook for 2014 was "constructive" for the port operating sector. HPH operating berths will increase by six to 284 in 2014, including those in Dammam, Brisbane, Oman and Malaysia's Westports, said the company statement. Asian activity contributed 35 per cent to throughput and
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 23 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
51 per cent to operating profit with European terminals accounting for 25 per cent. Singapore-listed HPH Trust, the unit that runs Pearl River Delta terminals, saw revenues fall because of the 40-day docker strike and its resulting rise in labour cost last spring. Source : Asian Shipper
Noble Corporation provides update on the status of drilling rig in Brazil Noble Corporation confirmed that the Noble Paul Wolff, a dynamically positioned semisubmersible rig operating off the coast of Brazil, experienced a ballast control incident on Friday, February 28 at approximately 01:00 a.m. (BRT) local time. The crew took prompt corrective action, including safely securing the well, and measures are currently underway to resolve the matter. As a precaution, 77 non-essential personnel were evacuated from the rig without injuries, and no pollution has been reported. Noble continues to work with its customer and appropriate authorities in connection with this matter.
MOL offers two intra-Asia Qingdao- Manila/Bangkok services with RCL MOL Liner Ltd (MOL) has announced the launch of two intra-Asia services, the "CVT" and "CVT2", to serve the China-Vietnam and China-Thailand network on top of the existing service networks, namely the PSX on wayport and CBE/CBW via transshipment at Busan. The CVT, starting April 6, will be operated with Regional Container Lines (RCL) and deploy three vessels. CVT offers a seven-day transit on the Qingdao-Ho Chi Minh City run while the Qingdao to Laem Chabang route will be covered in 10 days. This also provides a direct connection from Thailand to Manila on the northbound rotation. The CVT rotation will be Qingdao (Wed/Wed), Shanghai (Fri/Fri), Cat Lai (Wed/Thu), Laem Chabang (Sat/Sat), Bangkok (Sun/Sun), Laem Chabang (Mon/Tue) - Manila (Fri/Sat) and back to Qingdao.
The CVT2 rotation, commencing April 16, will be Ningbo (Thu/Fri), Shanghai (Sat/Sun), Laem Chabang (Sat/Sun), Bangkok (Sun/Mon), Laem Chabang (Mon/Tue), Cat Lai (Thu/Thu) and back to Ningbo. Source : Schednet
New generation propeller repair equipment used for cropping in Singapore Recently a team of Hydrex diver/technicians performed a propeller blade operation on a 300-meter container vessel in Singapore. All six blades of the vessel’s propeller were damaged and needed to be cropped. Having developed different procedures for different kinds of damage, Hydrex is equipped and trained to make the best of a bent or broken propeller. Ideally, the in-house developed cold straightening technique is used. This procedure enables Hydrex to straighten damaged blades in-water, allowing commercial operations to continue without the need to drydock.
In the following example cropping was the only option as the damage to the propeller blades was too great to allow cold straightening. This kind of repair is carried out with the propeller blade cutting equipment developed by the
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 24 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
Hydrex research department. In cases where there is an even number of blades an identical piece will be cropped from the opposite blade to restore the hydrodynamic stability of the propeller. By doing so, the best possible efficiency is obtained.
The six blades of a container vessel’s propeller were severely bent. An on-site solution was needed to restore the propeller’s balance and efficiency. A Hydrex diver/technicians team was therefore rapidly mobilized to the ship’s location to restore the damaged blades to as close to their original condition as possible.
Because the ship could be trimmed enough to bring the blades above water, a scaffolding was installed around the propeller. This allowed the team to perform the operation in the dry.
The operation started with a detailed survey of the affected propeller blades. The inspection revealed that the six blades were bent over angles of up to 90 degrees. The team then used the information acquired during the inspection to calculate and determine the correct measurements needed to modify the trailing edges of the propeller blades. Next the divers cropped the blades one by one to give them the correct radius. When the cropping was complete, the blades were polished to make sure that any remaining loss of efficiency would be minimal. The success of the operation was confirmed by the customer. After the operation the vessels completed sea trial and “managed to increase RPM up to 93 and developed 21 knots,” said Maxim Bolduev, Deputy Fleet Manager Southern Shipmanagement. “Before propeller trimming we got 53 RPM and only 14 knots.” Conclusion The Hydrex R&D department is constantly looking into ways to enhance the available propeller repair techniques even further to improve services. New models of both the straightening and the cutting machines have recently been put into service. These allow Hydrex to straighten blades that could previously only have been cropped and to crop extremely damaged blades with only a minimal loss of efficiency for the propeller. Both types of repairs can be carried out on-site and underwater, allowing the ship to return to commercial operations without the need to drydock. For further information contact us at + 32 3 213 53 00 - [email protected] …. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..
Does size matters? The bigger the bollards, the higher the SWL?
Then this is a very strong bit.....
Photo : Bas ©
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 25 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 063
The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information
UNSUBSCRIBE / UITSCHRIJF PROCEDURE To unsubscribe click here (English version) or visit the subscription page on our website. http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US
Om uit te schrijven klik hier (Nederlands) of bezoek de inschrijvingspagina op onze website. http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=nl-NL
Distribution : daily to 28700+ active addresses 04-03-2014 Page 26