DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2018 – 267

Number 267 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Monday 24-09-2018 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.

Stormy weather at Maaspilot station the pilot helicopter ready to take off from the Maasvlakte to disembark a pilot from an outgoing vessel Photo : Rotterdam pilot Maurice Jacobs ©

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

Fishing vessel heading towards Harlingen during stormy weather along the Dutch coast Photo : Flying Focus Aerial Photography www.flyingfocus.nl ©

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The YAS made a bunkerstop in Gibraltar Photo : Francis Ferro © Seven armed robberies on ships in Asia reported in August THERE was a total of eight reported incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia, one of which was an attempted incident in August, one fewer than the total number of incidents reported the month before, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAPP). Of the eight incidents reported in August, six incidents occurred on board ships at anchor/berth and two incidents on board ships while underway. Of the seven actual incidents, one was CAT 2 incident and the other six were CAT 4 incidents, reported ReCAPP No piracy incident was reported, and no reports were reported of crew being abducted in the Sulu-Celebes Seas. There was also no ship hijacked for the theft of oil cargo A total of 57 incidents comprising of 45 actual incidents and 12 attempted incidents have been verified and reported to the ReCAAP during January-August 2018. Of these, 54 were incidents of armed robbery against ships and three were piracy incidents. Compared to January-August 2017, there was a 5 per cent increase in the total number of incidents reported during January-August 2018. During January-August 2017, a total of 54 incidents comprising 46 actual and eight attempted incidents were reported. Source: Schednet

SAL’s AMOENITAS navigating the Westerschelde Photo : Mateo Witte © Skuld advises on tainted bunker from US Gulf and Far East suppliers OSLO-based Skuld, a marine insurance provider, has issued a guidance on tainted bunker fuel supplies at ports in the US Gulf region, Caribbean and Far East, reports London's Tanker Operator Certain compounds - phenols and fatty acids,

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among others - have been identified in the fuel, which have reportedly led to engine problems. The operational issues generally involve excessive formation of sludge or sediments, linked to the blocking of filters and fuel pumps and eventually damage to engine components, said the Skuld press release Thus far, there is no clear explanation as to how these compounds would cause these problems, said the report. Identifying and retaining the relevant samples for analysis is critical, Skuld stressed. The bunker supply contract, for example, may provide that the sample retained by the bunker barge is binding for the purposes of determining quality; such contracts also typically have a short deadline for notification of quality disputes failing which the claim may be time barred The charterparty may contain its own provisions regarding the samples, which are to be determined in terms of quality. Given the range of tests that may be necessary, those owners/operators stemming bunkers at affected ports should endeavour to ensure that the samples taken during bunkering are sufficient - using one litre bottles as a minimum. It is recommended that the crew closely monitor the sampling procedure and check that the samples from the delivering barge are properly collected. In cases where problems have already occurred, consideration should be given to taking further samples on board the vessel, including of any sludge or sediment which may have developed Fuel of this type is typically supplied under the ISO 8217 standards. Skuld said that it understood the most commonly used are the 2005 and 2010 editions, although there are more recent editions issued in 2012 and 2017. To the extent that such materials are identified, the relevant provisions of the specification are Clause 5 and - in the 2010 and subsequent editions - Annex B. Clause 5 provides a greater degree of protection for the purchaser in this context than the 'Table 2' tests "Worryingly, we are now starting to hear that suppliers are in some instances revising supply contracts to eliminate Clause 5," Skuld said. "Given the broader requirements of Clause 5 over the particular specifications identified by the tests, this will have the effect of significantly reducing a purchaser's recourse against the supplier. In such a situation and assuming the bunkers were 'off-spec' under the broad Clause 5 requirements, the timecharterer could under the charterparty be held liable for any losses suffered by the owners but without any recourse to the supplier We therefore recommend that the purchasers of such bunkers, be they owners or time charterers, check carefully that Clause 5 is included in the supply contract before purchase, Skuld warned.

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The TORM LAURA anchored off Gibraltar for bunkers Photo : Francis Ferro ©

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Tanzania leader orders arrests as ferry death toll over 130

Rescuers retrieve a body from the water near Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. The death toll rose above 100 after the passenger ferry MV NYERERE capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania state radio reported Friday, while a second day of rescue efforts raced the setting sun. (Associated Press) By Rodney Muhumuza | AP Hundreds of solemn people watched Friday as body after body was pulled from a capsized ferry that Tanzanian authorities said was badly overcrowded and upended in the final stretch before reaching shore. The death toll was above 130 but horrified witnesses feared that would rise as a second day of searching neared an end “This is a great disaster for our nation,” President John Magufuli said. He announced four days of national mourning and urged calm in the East African country with a history of deadly maritime disasters. And he ordered arrests of all responsible as a criminal investigation began In a televised address, the president said the ferry captain already had been detained after leaving the steering to someone who wasn’t properly trained, The Citizen newspaper reported. The MV Nyerere’s capacity was 101 people but the ferry had been overloaded when it capsized Thursday afternoon, the government’s Chief Secretary John Kijazi told reporters. At least 40 people had been rescued, he said, but the number on Friday barely rose. Dozens of security forces and volunteers wearing gloves and face masks had resumed work at daybreak after suspending efforts overnight, hauling bodies into wooden boats. “More than 200 people are feared dead,” based on accounts from fishermen and other witnesses, because passengers had been returning from a busy market day, Tanzania Red Cross spokeswoman Godfrida Jola told The Associated Press. “But no one knows” just how many people were on board. It was obvious that more bodies were trapped in the overturned ferry, the president said, according to The Citizen report. He said even the cargo far exceeded the 25 tons allowed. Tanzanian ferries often carry hundreds of passengers and are overcrowded, and shifts in weight as people move to disembark can become deadly. Images from the scene showed the ferry’s exposed underside not far from shore. Bodies were lined up on plastic sheeting as hundreds of people pressed near the water’s edge, watching the search efforts Pope Francis, the United Nations secretary-general, Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of African leaders expressed shock and sorrow. “His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his heartfelt solidarity with those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and who fear for the lives of those still missing,” the condolence telegram said, according to the Vatican. The MV NYERERE, named for the former president who led the East African nation to independence, was traveling between the islands of Ukara and Ukerewe when it sank, according to the government agency in charge of servicing the vessels. Worried residents on Friday waited for any word of survivors. “We try to make calls to friends, relatives,” a local guide, Paschal Phares, told the AP. He recalled how crowded his trip on the aging ferry had been last month: “Most of us were standing up. It was full.” Accidents are often reported on the large freshwater lake surrounded by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Some of the deadliest have occurred in Tanzania, where passenger boats are often said to be old and in poor condition In 1996, more than 800 people died when passenger and

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cargo ferry MV Bukoba sank on Lake Victoria. Nearly 200 people died in 2011 when the MV Spice Islander I sank off Tanzania’s Indian Ocean coast near Zanzibar. Source : Associated Press writers Cara Anna in Johannesburg and Frances D’Emilio in Rome contributed.

The MSC MAGNIFICA stern first inbound for the Felison Monickendamkade in IJmuiden Photo : Marcel Coster ©

Maersk vessel held in Tunisia over Maersk Honam claims By : James Baker MAERSK has confirmed that a small feedership has been held in Tunisia in connection with claims on MAERSK HONAM. “We can confirm that on September 10 the vessel ALEXANDER MAERSK was detained in the Port of Sfax, Tunisia,” a Maersk spokesman told Lloyd’s List in an emailed statement. “This is related to different claims cases which we are looking into and have informed our insurance company about. We will co-operate with all relevant authorities to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.” The statement said some of the claims were related to MAERSK HONAM, the 15,226 teu containership that was struck by an explosion and fire in March and which is currently undergoing repairs. Maersk declared general average —an insurance term for when the loss is covered by both the shipper and the shipowner— following the fire. The vessel was carrying 7,860 containers at the time of the fire, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. The casualty is expected to be the largest general average claim in history.

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The ALEXANDER MAERSK off Malta Photo : Philip Andrew Muscat © The British International Freight Association warned that insured losses are likely to total hundreds of millions of dollars. The 1998-built, 1098 teu ALEXANDER MAERSK Alexander Maersk has been trading between Algeria, Malta and Tunisia, according to data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Maersk said expected the vessel would be released next week. Source ; lloydslist

Course correction (steering up) in view of the strong winds over Rotterdam caland canal as seen from an empty tanker leaving Rotterdam Europoort Photo : Rotterdam Pilot Maurice Jacobs © China denies plan to ban open loop scrubbers By : Richard Meade CHINA’S Maritime Safety Administration has denied it is planning to introduce a ban on the use of open-loop scrubbers. An official from the Chinese government agency told Lloyd’s List that reports of a looming ban on the use of the scrubbers in Chinese waters were falseAs long as equipment meets existing standards approved by the International Maritime Organization, their use was “not a problem”, the official said.The reports stemmed from comments made at a lunch organised by the Hong Kong Shipowners’ Association where Dr XieXie, director of China’s Waterborne Transport Research Institute, questioned aspects of the use of open loop scrubbers.Dr Xie, however, told Lloyd’s List that his comments were entirely his own opinion and he had not been speaking in any official government capacity. The incident is only the latest in a recent flurry of polarised comments and statements about the use of open loop scrubbers and rising speculation that restrictions may yet be imposed on their use owing to environmental concerns. Open loop scrubbers are currently banned in Belgium, where government legislation imposed a ban on all water discharges long before scrubbers came to the market. Germany also has a partial ban along sections of the Rhine river. Scientific disagreement

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As more shipowners invest heavily in the technology, some are suggesting that attempts to discredit open loop options are commercially motivated. One major shipowner with more than 50 open loop scrubbers in operation told Lloyd’s List that recent statements about environmental hazards to the oceans caused by open loop scrubbers were “not based on science, or data, and are absolutely wrong”. “As a large number of shipowners are now moving to open loop scrubber installation planning, there are other major shipowners that seem to believe that discrediting open loop exhaust gas cleaning systems may force other owners to revert back to marine gas oil use, and level the playing field, as the hybrid/closed loop options are considered by many as too expensive and complicated,” said a senior official within the shipowning company.Critics of scrubbers, including some environmental non-governmental organisations, believe that instead of SOx being released into the atmosphere, scrubbers merely push the pollutants into the sea. That is a misconception, argues the Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association, which represents scrubber manufacturers. Scrubber wash water removes and converts sulphur oxides from the exhaust gases so they are discharged in the wash water as harmless sulphate, according to the EGCSA. It cites various studies which have concluded that any reduction in pH from scrubbing will be insignificant when compared with that resulting from increasing atmospheric CO2, which is absorbed by the oceans. Industry pressure Nevertheless, vocal industry opponents, including Nikolas Tsakos, the chief executive of tanker owner Tsakos Navigation and chairman of the tanker owner association Intertanko, remain critical of open loop scrubbers and believe further restrictions could yet emerge. “I believe that there is a very good chance that the open loop will be dropped,” Mr Tsakso said on an earnings call earlier this month. “And rightly so. He added: “We’re trying to reduce the air emissions, but at the same time, we’re killing the resource of oxygen which is the sea. So, this is very, very short term. It’s a very short-term fix“It’s like inventing a new drug that perhaps will kill one of the illnesses, but will kill the patient through another illness. It’s not something we are looking forward to have and I believe it’s going to be a very short-term fix.” Despite the polarised opinions about scrubbers, uptake in the industry is rapidly increasing the nearer we get to the 2020 sulphur cap regulations coming into force. Meanwhile, Oldendorff Carriers has said it plans to install open loop scrubbers on many of its larger vessels. While Germany’s biggest bulker operator declined to confirm how many vessels would be included in the programme, company officials said it would include retrofits and newbuildings with open loop scrubbers chosen as the most efficient way to meet the 2020 emissions standards. Scrubber uptake has increased to 1,262 vessels according to the latest figures from Clarkson Research Services. It says 3.9% of the world fleet and 27.3% of the orderbook by tonnage capacity currently have scrubbers. Source ; lloydslist

Fishing sructures off Kupang. Photo : Capt Sean Beal OIM o/b Pacific Guardian ©

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Coast Guard issues final rule on ballast water reporting By : U.S. Coast Guard The Coast Guard has published a Final Rule eliminating the requirement for certain vessels that operate on voyages within a single Captain of the Port zone to submit an Annual Ballast Water Summary Report for 2018. The Coast Guard views this current reporting requirement as unnecessary in order to analyze and understand ballast water management (BWM) practices. This final rule will reduce the administrative burden on this regulated population of U.S. non-recreational vessels equipped with ballast tanks, the Coast Guard said The final rule will take effect on Oct. 1, 2018. Under current regulations, the annual report for calendar year 2018 is due March 31, 2019. This rule will eliminate the annual reporting requirement before the 2018 report is due. As stated in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Coast Guard reviewed the 2016 annual reports and concluded that they did not contribute to the quality and breadth of BWM data as originally intended because the current annual reporting data fields are too simplistic to capture vessel movements and ballasting operations in the necessary level of detail. The 2015 final rule established a three-year requirement starting in 2016 for the master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of certain vessels with ballast tanks to submit an annual report on their BWM practices. The requirement applies to U.S. non-recreational vessels that operate on voyages exclusively between ports or places within a single COTP zone. The annual reports contain information about the vessel, the number of ballast tanks on board, total ballast water capacity, and a record of ballast water loadings and discharges. The reports are submitted to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse.The Coast Guard received 11 public submissions in response to the NPRM, 10 of which were germane to the proposed rule. Of those 10 submissions, seven supported the proposed rule and three were opposed. For more details, view the Federal Register notice or contact John Morris, program manager, Environmental Standards Division, at 202-372-1402 or [email protected]. Source: Workboat

CELEBRITY SUMMIT heads out of Halifax and heads for Cape Liberty Bayonne, Photo: René Serrao © Celebrate 10 years of Heritage Tugboat Sailings Take a trip back in time aboard the historic steam tugboat the WILLIAM C DALDY during the Auckland Heritage Festival.

The WILLIAM C DALDY Photo : Bill Barber ©

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Ports of Auckland are proud to announce the return of the historic WILLIAM C DALDY steam tugboat tours as part of the Auckland Heritage Festival for the tenth year running! Tours aboard the 83-year-old tug will occur every Saturday and Sunday during the festival, which runs from 29 September to 14 October. The theme for this year’s Auckland Heritage Festival is ‘Ngā iwi o Tāmaki Makaurau – Celebrating the heritage of our people’. Captain Keith Ingram and the crew of volunteers showcase how the people of Auckland used to work and travel. Fun fact: the tugboat is named after William ‘Crush’ Daldy, the first chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board. Experience an all access journey aboard this floating piece of history; discover the inner workings of the steam tugboat by visiting the engine room, the heat of the boiler room and the wheelhouse up top. Each cruise will be accompanied by a detailed commentary on Auckland's maritime heritage. These family-friendly tours will cruise through the port's wharves at work and under the Auckland Harbour Bridge where the Daldy once famously saved a piece from floating away during its construction in 1958.The cost of these sailings are fully funded by Ports of Auckland and proceeds from ticket sales go to the William C Daldy Preservation Society, a group of volunteers who keep the Daldy afloat for Aucklanders to enjoy. A portion will also go to the Ports of Auckland Education Programme which helps subsidise the cost of transport for schools visiting the city to take one of the port's free, year-round school boat tours. Source : Ports of Auckland Noble Corporation plc Announces Purchase Of Newbuild Jackup And Secures Initial Contract Award

POSH GENTLE waiting to tow the newly acquired NOBLE JOHNNY WHITSTINE from Paxocean Batam Photo : Jeremy Abercrombie © Noble Corporation plc (NYSE :NE ) today announced the purchase of a new Gusto MSC CJ46 design jackup rig from the PaxOcean Group (PaxOcean) in connection with a concurrently awarded drilling contract. Noble paid $33.75 million of the $93.75 million purchase price in cash, with the remainder of the purchase price, or $60 million seller-financed at a 4.25% interest rate paid in cash and 1.25% paid in kind over the term of the financing. The Company used existing cash balances for the initial payment and the secured seller-financed amount is to be repaid in four years. The Company also has an option for the purchase of a second newbuild CJ46 jackup from PaxOcean The newbuild jackup, is named the NOBLE JOHNNY WHITSTINE, was built at the PaxOcean Graha shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. The robust rig design for

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moderate environments allows for operations in water depths of up to 375 feet and well depths of 30,000 feet. A modern drilling control system and versatile 70 ft. x 40 ft. envelope cantilever skidding system equipped with two blow out preventers contribute to the rig's enhanced drilling capabilities. In connection with the purchase, Noble has entered into a new drilling contract in the Middle East region with a three-year primary term, plus a one-year option, with an expected commencement of early-2019 Julie J. Robertson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Noble Corporation plc, stated, "With our premium jackup rig fleet fully committed through late-2018, and further evidence of rising jackup demand into 2019, we remain focused on growth opportunities that reinforce our competitive position. This attractive acquisition of a proven and highly versatile jackup design will provide us with a near term contract commitment and future opportunities where growing customer demand is evident." Noble is a leading offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry. The Company owns and operates one of the most modern, versatile and technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. Noble performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of 25 offshore drilling units, consisting of 12 drillships and semisubmersibles and 13 jackups, focused largely on ultra-deepwater and high-specification jackup drilling opportunities in both established and emerging regions worldwide. Noble is a public limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 08354954 and registered office at Devonshire House, 1 Mayfair Place, London, W1J 8AJ England. Additional information on Noble is available at www.noblecorp.com.

The PW-447 Riding high during a Southwesterly gale 8 BFT inbound for Harlingen Photo : Flying Focus Aerial Photography www.flyingfocus.nl ©

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Trafigura names first of 35 new tankers By : Nidaaa Bakhsh TRAFIGURA has taken delivery of the first of 35 tanker newbuildings which the commodities trader said it has options to buy. The 150,000 dwt suezmax Mt MARLIN SINGAPORE was named at a ceremony on Friday at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries’ shipyard in South Korea. Trafigura’s Asia Pacific head Chin Hwee Tan said he was “honoured” that the first vessel was named after his country.“We take this as a fitting tribute to Singapore’s role as a global hub for trading in commodities including oil and oil products, and as a centre of the global shipping industry,” he said All the new tankers will fly the Singapore flag and will have scrubbers on board in order to meet the International Maritime Organization's sulphur cap rules from 2020 A second suezmax newbuilding was named Mt MARLIN SIENA The order for the 35 newbuilding vessels, which include medium range and long-range 2 tankers, was placed by a “close Asian financial partner” and the vessels are being leased on delivery to Trafigura with purchase options at a later stage. The majority of the remaining vessels will be delivered in the first quarter of 2019. The company’s wet freight trading division, which acts as a profit centre in its own right, was responsible for about 3,050 fixtures in 2017, up from 1,970 fixtures in 2015, according to a statement. It has reduced its time-chartered wet fleet, which despite the new arrivals, will result in around 80% of all Trafigura-controlled wet cargoes continuing to be placed on third-party tonnage, it said. Source ; lloydslist

The MULTRASHIP RESPONDER navigating the Westerschelde Photo : Mateo Witte © Rush to re-stock inventories in US fizzles out, transpacific imports down US import growth slowed considerably year on year in August from June, rising just 1.2 per cent compared with July's 9.1 per cent increase, while import volume declined 1.5 per cent from July to August, traditionally regarded as the height of the peak season. Import growth has also slowed at the Canadian ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver, both of which are gateways for US-bound cargo from Asia. Prince Rupert reported that laden import volume in August was down 23 per cent from 2017 to 38,555 TEU, while Vancouver's laden import volume dropped seven per cent to 135,398 TEU, reported IHS Media. These results raise questions as to how dramatic the post-peak season decline will be and if it will occur earlier than normal after shippers front-loaded their supply chains to dodge the tariffs that will impact half of the US- China container trade. The slowing volume growth, along with deployed extra-loaders, put a dampener on soaring spot

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rates, with the price to move an FEU from Asia to the US west coast up only 0.7 per cent to US$2,349 in the week ending September 15, compared with the prior week. Eastbound spot rates to the east coast dipped 0.2 per cent over the same period to $3,512 per FEU, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange's Shanghai Containerized Freight Index. The strong year-on-year growth in spot rates corresponded with 10 per cent growth in US import volumes in July on a year- on-year and month-to-month basis to 2.2 million TEU. That surge, combined with carriers cutting capacity to the US west coast by six per cent and capacity to the east coast by 1.3 per cent, led to spot rates reaching new highs in 2018 and rolled cargo as capacity filled up and shippers worked to boost inventory. Shipping lines such as HMM, CMA CGM, Maersk Line and Evergreen announced that in September they would either upsize vessels in existing weekly services or add single-voyage extra-loader ships to plug the expanding gap between supply and demand. Shippers and carriers should expect import volumes to remain strong for the remainder of September ahead of the Golden Week holiday in China. The National Retail Federation's Global Port Tracker predicts import growth of 4.9 per cent in October and 2.6 per cent in November. Source : Schednet

The FAIRPLAY-27 arriving in IJmuiden Photo : Ruud Coster ©

DREDGING STARTED AT ANAKLIA Marine construction work at Anaklia Deep Sea Port has commenced with work on the dredging of the approach channel and harbour area reports Dag Pike.

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This new harbour will become the major port for Georgia on the Black Sea. The maritime works for the port will be carried out by one of the most advanced and technically capable dredging vessels ever built. The vessel, the Athena, is owned by Dutch company Van Oord, and will be deployed for the dredging and reclamation work. The dredging will include the removal of 5 million cubic metres of sand from the sea and delivering the dredged material to the port area via 2.5kms of floating pipe. Van Oord was awarded this contract in July 2018 through an international tender announced by the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC). Construction during the first phase of the new port will include dredging of the channels to 16 metres and the reclamation of 15 million cubic metres of sand for the filling of the terminal area. The port will be protected by a 1.6km long breakwater which will be constructed using 1.3 million tonnes of rock and concrete armour units whilst the quay will be 825 metres long with multifunctional capabilities along with 110 hectares of paved container yard area. The main quays will be dedicated as a container terminal with separate provision for handling bulk cargoes with bulk cargo storage inland from the container area. Construction of Anaklia Deep Sea Port started in December 2017 with the preliminary land construction works and the first phase of the development. Anaklia Deep Sea Port is scheduled to be operational by December 2020. The port infrastructure built during the first phase will enable the port to dock 10,000 TEU Panamax and Post-Panamax vessels, which can’t be docked at other seaports in Georgia. At the time of its opening and after phase one is put into operation in 2021, Anaklia Deep Sea Port will be able to handle 1 million TEU (containers) and 1.5 million tons of dry bulk Anaklia Deep Sea Port will be constructed in nine phases with future expansion taking place as the demand increases. The total investment value of the project is US$ 2.5 billion. Source : Maritime Journal Maersk confirms merger of MCC Transport Seago and Sealand By Gavin van Marle

Sealand’s MAERSK OHIO moored at Rotterdam Maasvlakte with a superstructure in the need for some fresh paint Photo : Piet Sinke www.maasmondmaritime.com (c) CLICK at the photo’s ! Maersk Line today confirmed it would wrap its three intra- regional brands, MCC Transport Seago and Sealand, into one operating unit. Maersk said the new entity, branded Sealand – A Maersk Company, would continue to operate independently and the three teams in three locations, Singapore, Copenhagen and Miami respectively, would remain unchanged. “Our customers will continue doing business with the same dedicated, experienced and passionate people in our local offices, as we continue with our current regional setup,” said Søren Castbak, currently Seago Line chief executive and future CEO of the merged unit. Maersk said the reason for the consolidation was due to their many similarities. “Operating in different parts of the world, MCC, Sealand and Seago Line have built a similar value proposition and close relationships with customers.” “They are all standing for speed, agility and care – values that have proven to be core drivers for

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the customers of all three brands,” a Maersk statement claimed. The Loadstar understands, however, that in Asia in particular, the decision to lose the MCC Transport brand has not been well received by the market.

The SEAGO ANTWERP outbound from Antwerp Photo : Willem Kruit © But Mr Castbak added: “Customers have rewarded us with consistent growth at three times the pace of the market, and now we have an opportunity to build upon the successes, while defining a clearer and stronger regional value proposition.” Source: The Loadstar Engaging More Platforms in the Fight Against Maritime Crimes That the Gulf of Guinea (GOG) region is bedeviled by maritime crimes such as piracy, sea robbery, smuggling of arms and ammunition, illegal fishing, among others, is a well known fact. In fact, the GOG is often regarded as one of the most problematic maritime spaces in the world. According to statistics, in 2016 alone, about 53 piracy attacks or attempted attacks and more than 50 per cent of global kidnappings for ransom were recored in the region. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in its report has also stated that in 2016, the region recorded 53 piracy attacks or attempted attacks in region, representing 28 per cent of worldwide attacks. The Gulf of Guinea also accounted for more than 50 per cent of the global kidnappings for ransom, with 34 seafarers kidnapped out of a total of 62 worldwide. The high figure can be attributed to the increased trafficking of arms, drugs and persons, widespread unregulated and unreported fishing activities, severe environmental damage and pollution that have remained constant challenges in the region. Thus, with all these challenges, the GOG nations, Nigeria included, have since recognised that security in the region is a challenge to maritime safety and significant threat to their economic prosperity. This is because the GOG is perhaps one of the most strategic maritime geographies in the world on account of its proximity to the European and North American markets. The GOG also hosts one of the most important regions for oil and gas production and transportation and contains some of the largest hydrocarbon deposits ever discovered.

Regional Efforts To counter these vices, the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) was established and the member states have made individual efforts to improve the capacity and capability of their navies, and other relevant agencies to enable them perform their duties more effectively. This is complemented by the establishment of Regional Centres for Maritime Security by the Regional Economic Communities, ECOWAS and ECCAS, as well as the establishment of the Inter-regional Coordination Centre based in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Navy’s One of the chief drivers of safety in the maritime domain is the Nigerian Navy (NN). They have championed several national, regional and international operations like Operations FARAUTA, OBANGAME, PROSPERITY, TREASURE GUARD, EAGLE EYE II, RIVER SWEEP, OPIA TOHA, amongst several others. It is therefore noteworthy to state that one of the successes recorded by the navy’s transformation has been anchored on the provision of extensive upgrade to the fleet. Already, as a key driver to patrolling the vast waterways, the navy had in the past inducted and injected over 350 riverine crafts, procured six long endurance platforms, with three more under construction. As at 2017, the Nigerian Navy (NN) already had 200 platforms in its fleet, but in the fight against criminalities, especially in the vast maritime domain, more is never enough. From nine assortments of riverboats, the NN fleet has grown to over 200 platforms of various

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configurations and capabilities, including multi-purpose frigates, offshore patrol craft and combat helicopters, Seaward Defence Boats (SDB) and inshore patrol boats.

The Acquisition

Like Oliver Twist, the navy makes no bones about its desire for more patrol vessels given the vast maritime space Nigeria controls, including the backwaters. Recently, the navy acquired two Fast Patrol Craft (FPC), four Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) and 10 Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB). These were to boost the fleet in the fight against maritime crimes and illegalities, especially within the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

However, what stood out was the FPC. Manning the two 110 MK II FPC are Commanders Emmanuel Fingesi and Andrew Zidon, for NNS NGURU and NNS EKULU, respectively. While NGURU is a town in Yobe State, EKULU is a town in Rivers State. Both River Town Class crafts have an overall length of 35m, with a water line length of 29.80m and an overall beam of 7.10m, maximum draft of 1.80m and midship moulded depth of 3.50m. It’s operation profile include a cruising speed of 12knots, maximum speed of 35knots. Both vessels also have a 36-man crew each and was built at the Ocea crew yard in France. Zidon is a navigation speciality and intelligent officer, whose experience has seen him climb the ranks from that of a sub-lieutenant. The same holds true for Fingesi, little wonder they were picked, sent to France with their crew to go and understudy the vessel. The vessels have been tasked to undertake a general coastal patrol and policing duties within the EEZ, conduct search and rescue operations, carry out surveillance patrol given that it’s equipped with surveillance, interception and boarding against offenders, protect the marine environment including vessels and their crews, fight against piracy and illegal activities such as smuggling of drugs and arms, as well as illegal immigration and illegal fishing activities. For the 72 MK II IPC; NNS GONGOLA, NNS OSE, NNS CALABAR, and NNS SHIRORO, their mission is as a multipurpose craft designed to carry out maritime safety security missions such as surveillance and police operations, fishing surveillance, search and rescue, anti-smuggling and illegal immigration control, as well as control of vessels at sea. Characterised by an overall length of 24m with speed of 20-35knots and endurance of 600 nautical miles at 12 knots. All crafts have 14- member crew each.

Already, the two FPCs have been deployed to participate in the joint regional patrol with its counterparts from Republic of Benin and Togo. The deployment was to further solidify the presence of the navy around the GOG and to also curb activities of sea robbers and pirates attacks on key installations and merchant vessels disrupting economic activities at the West African maritime domain.

The Parade The commissioning ceremony of the newly acquired platforms happened on a certain Monda at the Nigerian Navy Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos. As with naval traditions, the guards first formed up before the ships’s companies did same and marched on the guard. Dressed in their ceremonial dress, the parade kicked off at exactly 10.06am. This was after the guards had formed up earlier. The arrival of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok Ette-Ibas, other service chiefs was heralded by the general salute, signaling the beginning of the ceremony.

The Induction At the induction of the six Fast Patrol Crafts (FPC ), and 10 inflatable boats, were Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali; Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Usoro Usoro; Inspector General of Police (IG) Ibrahim Idris; Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isa Misau; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Navy, Abdulsamad Dasuki; and Director General, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala-Usman, heads of military, paramilitary institutions in Lagos as well as captains of industries. The ceremony witnessed the reading and handing over of Commissioning Warrant to the COs of NNS NGURU AND EKULU, Fingesi and Zidon, respectively, by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok Ette-Ibas. In handing over NNS EKULU to Zidon, Ibas said: “You are required to implement these orders, dispatch, bringing to my notice immediately, any complaint in the command or any part of her and in particular, the welfare of the ships company given under my hand this third of September, 2018”. To this, Zidon replied in the affirmative signaling his agreement to the charge read to him. Earlier, the same process had been done for Fingesi before the warrant was handed over. With this tradition out of the way, the ships’ companies for both vessels marched onboard their respective ships before the COs read the act of dedication. This was immediately followed by prayers from both the chaplain and Imam. Having done that, the commissioning and unveiling of the ships went underway and this was done by the Special Guest of Honour (SGOH), Minister of Defence, Masur Dan Alli. The COs then hoisted their ensign and broke the mast head pennant, another navy tradition.

Narrowing Capability Gaps In his address, the CNS said the latest additions have increased the navy’s platforms acquisition in the last two years to over 200, adding that the new acquisition will narrow the capability gaps in enhancing security of the nation’s maritime expanse.

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He said: “Their commissioning and induction into service is therefore another operational milestone for the NN as they will complement existing Maritime Domain Awareness Capability in the face of its inherent need for a potent interdiction capability. I must however be quick to observe that, despite this commendable stride, we have barely scratched the outstanding deficit in the NN fleet. Capacity building therefore is a running priority of the NN. The NN continues to apply its double pronged approach of platform sourcing from both foreign shipyards and local manufacturing. “Domestically, local boat building associates like messrs Epenal Boat Builders and John Holt Plc which have accounted for the delivery of over 200 boats in the past, continue to be patronised. The NN dockyard remains productively engaged as it is on course for the delivery of a third straight SDB, now a 42 meter boat. Internationally, the construction of the 20 additional RHIBS with Messrs Suncraft has reached an advanced stage, with the recent second milestone inspection reporting their possible delivery on schedule and within the next few months. “Furthermore, efforts are ongoing towards acquiring more fast patrol vessels for littoral waters up to the EEZ, while the construction of a hydrographic vessel and landing ship would further reinforce the NN’s regional maritime dominance. They will help to make life more difficult for the criminals in our maritime space. Their coming is also deemed quite timely as it would widen the nation’s options to make a robust contribution to multinational collaboration of countries of ECOWAS ‘ Multinational Maritime Coordination Zone E, comprising Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Togo and Niger. Only last week, these countries signed to a combined operation platform to suppress piracy, hijacking and hostage taking, including IUUF and other abuses of our waters. These boats and others could find for themselves, critical roles in this regard.”

A Promise Kept Inaugurating the platforms, Dan-Ali said it was a promise kept by the Federal Government. He noted that the nation was challenged by multi-faceted threats from both continental and maritime fronts with grave manifestations and increasing threats to maritime security, adding that crimes such as piracy, sea robbery and attack on strategic oil installations have complicated the nation’s maritime security environment and threatened with dire consequences, the overall wellbeing of the nation. He said: “For a littoral state with huge dependence on her offshore resources, maritime security is vital to the nation’s well-being. Against this background of threats the entire nation would invariably be at risky situation if we do not insist on a motivated and virile navy like ours. The induction of the platforms is in line with the current administration’s promise to keep our nation safe. “This commissioning ceremony is yet another demonstration of this administration’s resolve of protecting the nation’s maritime domain through the provision of appropriate military platforms and operating equipment. The procurement of these vessels by the Ministry of Defence again demonstrates this administration’s unwavering commitment and willingness towards strengthening the navy through provision of modern operating equipment and infrastructure.” Source: ThisDay

The TALISMAN loaded with 2 OSV’s anchored offshore Batam Photo : Andre Korver ©

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The bouytender FRANS NAEREBOUT operating at the Westerschelde with the APL MERLION outbound from Antwerp Photo : Willem Kruit © NEXT CYCLONE APPROACHING TAIWAN

The 2018 Pacific typhoon season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, in which tropical cyclones form in the western Pacific Ocean. The season runs throughout 2018, though most tropical cyclones typically develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Bolaven, developed on January 3. The season's first typhoon, Jelawat, reached typhoon status on March 29, and became the first super typhoon of the year on the next day.

The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, to the north of the equator between 100°E and the 180th meridian. Within the northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies that assign names to tropical cyclones, which can often result in a cyclone having two names, one from the JMA and one from PAGASA. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) will name a tropical cyclone should it be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least 65 km/h (40 mph) anywhere in the basin, while the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N–25°N regardless of whether or not a tropical cyclone has already been given a name by the JMA. Tropical depressions that are monitored by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) are given a number with a "W" suffix.

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Future-ready cable layer will have world's largest carousel

NEXANS AURORA is scheduled for delivery from Norwegian yard Ulstein Verft in Q3 2020 Nexans hopes to facilitate a transition towards clean-energy and develop transnational energy networks with its new cable laye There is a growing demand for vessels capable of subsea high-voltage (HV) cable installation and French cabling and connectivity specialist Nexans is targeting this with its new cable-lay vessel NEXANS AURORA. Designed by Ålesund, Norway-based Skipstenisk, a designer with a focus on offshore, research and fisheries craft, the vessel is an ST-297 cable-lay vessel (CLV). It is designed to handle both deep-sea and near-shore cable-laying operations in severe weather conditions and will have a high degree of manoeuvrability and good station-keeping capabilities. It will undertake tasks including power cable laying, which includes bundle laying, cable jointing and repair and cable-system protection and trenching.The vessel will have an overall length of 149.9 m, a beam of 31 m and a dwt of 17,000. It will have accommodation capacity for 90 people, high levels of redundancy and a dynamic positioning (DP) class of DP3.“The construction of this new cable-laying vessel is a fundamental milestone in our commitment to cleaner energy,” said Nexans chief executive officer Arnaud Poupart-Lafarge, when plans for the vessel were first announced in July 2017. “For many decades, Nexans has been acting for energy transition and sustainable development,” he added. “In this next exciting chapter of our capacity to meet customer expectations, the cutting-edge technology of the new ship will enable Nexans to support countries in their development of renewable power generation.” Nexans decided to commission the cable layer as part of its mission to facilitate a transition towards clean energy and to develop transnational energy networks. It is designed to reduce the environmental impact, in line with Nexans’ corporate social responsibility policy and its commitment to sustainable development. Nexans Aurora will be compliant with the latest crew and vessel security requirements and will also comply with international safety standards. "The 10,000-tonne cable carousel will be the world’s biggest, comprising a concentric ‘carousel-in-carousel’ design allowing it to process two cables simultaneously, or store a single length of cable weighing 10,000 tonnes" NEXANS AURORA will join NEXANS SKAGERRAK the first purpose-built ship for the transport and installation of submarine HV and power cables and umbilicals. Originally laid down in 1976, Nexans was a long-term charterer of NEXANS SKAGERRAK for many years before acquiring the vessel in 2006. In 2010, it underwent a major conversion and upgrade project to boost its capabilities. In its 2017 full-year results, the company disclosed a need to acquire a second cable-lay vessel, created by historic highs in installation activity that year (nearly double the 2016 level, with plants operating at full capacity). Nexans Aurora is significantly larger than the 99.75 m long, 7,150 dwt Nexans Skagerrak, and its carousel capacity will also improve on that of its sister vessel, which is 7,000 tonnes. The 2017 results report also noted that the NEXANS AURORA project will be “instrumental” to ensuring the company fulfils its 2021-2022 objectives. Ulstein Verft, based in Ulsteinvik, Norway, has been contracted to construct the vessel and prepare topside equipment. Ulstein Group chief executive Gunvor Ulstein said: “We are very pleased that Nexans, a solid and important player, chooses Ulstein to construct their new flagship. We have a strong organisation with long experience in delivering advanced vessels. “The contract was won in a tough, international competition. We look forward to a constructive and

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fruitful cooperation with Nexans in the years to come.” Ulstein Verft managing director Kristian Sætre said: “We are experienced in constructing large and complex vessels and we look forward to commencing the work on the cable-laying vessel for Nexans.” The vessel’s construction contract was originally awarded to Croatian-based shipyard Uljanik group, but was re-awarded to Ulstein in July this year. Hampshire, UK-based turnkey carousel system specialist MAATS Tech has been awarded the contract to supply the vessel’s deck spread. The main item in this order is a 10,000-tonne cable carousel, which will be the world’s biggest, comprising a concentric ‘carousel-in-carousel’ design allowing it to either process two cables simultaneously, or store a single length of cable weighing 10,000 tonnes. Other aspects of the spread include a capstan hold back, two deck tensioners, lay wheels and an integrated control system. MAATS Tech is supplying the vessel's deck spread, which will include the world's largest cable-lay carousel The vessel will also have a 450-tonne capacity fibre-optic basket. The company has form in the provision of carousels for CLVs and pipelayers and has previously provided a 6,000-tonne deck carousel and 3,000 tonne below-deck carousel, along with loading and guiding systems for Lewek Connector, as well as a 2,000-tonne underdeck carousel and 750-tonne deck carousel for Skandi Vitoria. Palfinger Marine was selected to provide a major deck equipment package comprising abandon and recovery winches, an A-frame, knuckle-boom cranes and overhead travelling gantry cranes. The full scope comprised one 150- tonne A-frame, two active heave-compensated abandon and recovery winches, two auxiliary abandon and recovery winches, two overhead travelling gantry cranes, two offshore knuckle-boom cranes and one offshore telescopic boom crane. Palfinger Marine’s sales director for winches and handling equipment Sverre Mowinckel-Nilsen said: “We have been working on this project for almost two years and most of the equipment has been tailor designed to fit the vessel design. Being awarded with this order confirms our good reputation in the high-end vessel market. We are very proud for being chosen once again by Ulstein Verft for delivering our high-quality equipment and we are looking forward to working closely with the yard and owner on this project.” Molde, Norway-based Brunvoll is providing the vessel’s propulsion and thruster package. This will consist of three 3,200 kW propeller-in-nozzle azimuth propulsion units with a propeller diameter of 2.9 m, alongside three bow-mounted thrusters: two 3,000 kW tunnel thrusters with a diameter of 3 m and a 3,000 kW retractable azimuth thruster with a diameter of 2.9 m. All the units are controllable-pitch propeller systems and can run at variable rpm. Combining these two features, known as ‘combinator control’, brings several benefits, such as improved manoeuvrability and a reduction in noise and vibration levels aboard the vessel, less noise transmitted into the sea and lower energy consumption. The retractable azimuth thruster is Brunvoll’s AR115 model, the largest in the company’s portfolio, while the tunnel thrusters are of the FU115 type, often used on larger vessels in the oil and gas and cruise sectors. Brunvoll will also provide control, alarm and monitoring systems for all thrusters, as well as the BruCon-4 dual-redundant integrated bridge control system. The joystick-based system incorporates a touch screen, a customisable user interface and an integrated condition-monitoring system and is type-approved by DNV GL NEXANS AURORA is targeted to be delivered and ready to commence operations by the third quarter of 2020. Source : Offshore Support Journal

Objects from Titanic wreck set for multimillion- dollar auction Will satisfy bankruptcy debts held by owner By: ROB PICHETA CNN

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Thousands of items salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Titanic are set to go to auction next month to satisfy bankruptcy debts piled up by the company that owns them. The collection features more than 5,500 artifacts rescued from the shipwreck of the famous ocean liner, including a bronze cherub from its grand staircase, sets of china from its dining rooms and a section of its hull. An opening $19.5 million bid for the collection has been made by three hedge funds and an auction will go ahead only if a rival bid raises that offer by $2 million, a bankruptcy judge ruled last week. Premier Exhibitions, the company that owns the items and exhibits them at four US cities, filed for bankruptcy in 2016, and the auction is required to pay off the company's debts. The items are being sold together, rather than individually. Salvage rights to the ship are included in the auction, meaning that the winning bidder will be able to reclaim further treasures from the site. Individual items from the ship, which sank on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg, have brought in handsome sums at auction in the past. A violin played by the band leader as the ocean liner went down was sold for $1.7 million in 2013, while a letter written in the ship's final hours fetched $166,000 last year. Papers, documents and photographs are also among the water-damaged objects in Premier Exhibitions' collection A group of UK museums had been campaigning to secure the rights to the artifacts and display them in London and Belfast, the city in which the ship was built. Their effort was supported by James Cameron, director of the 1997 film chronicling the disaster, and Robert Ballard, the oceanographer who initially discovered the remains of the ship in the Atlantic Ocean. And museum heads warned when they announced their campaign in July that the items could be lost from the public domain if they were to go to auction. "These artifacts, which are of great historical significance, are at risk of being split up, sold to private collectors and lost as an identifiable collection," Conal Harvey, deputy chairman of the attraction Titanic Belfast, said in a statement at the time.The possible auction is the latest turn in a long-running debate over the artifacts. According to National Geographic, which supported the museums' campaign, Ballard did not secure salvage rights when he discovered the wreck because he did not bring any objects to the surface -- allowing RMS Titanic Inc., a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions, to claim ownership of the items. Source : KRDO

Jan de Nul’s TSHD CHARLES DARWIN outbound from ST Marine’s yard in Singapore. Photo : Warner © Scottish swim event results in search effort by HM Coastguard A search and rescue operation has been carried out on the River Forth in Scotland after difficult weather conditions affected a swimming event The RNLI lifeboat from South Queensferry was launched to attend the Firth of Forth Swimming event, along with the South Queensferry Coastguard Rescue Team. It followed a number of reports to HM Coastguard that safety boats were struggling to cope with the conditions. Kinghorn RNLI lifeboat was brought to immediate readiness to launch as a further precaution. Scottish Ambulance Service also attended.Duty commander Mark Rodaway OBE said: ‘An extensive search of the area was conducted until we were able to ascertain from the organisers that everyone had been accounted for.’ The event has now been cancelled.

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The COSCO SHIPPING HIMALAYAS navigating the Westerschelde near Kloosterzande as seen during a running event Photo Michel Seij – Boskalis ©

Reliance shuts offshore oil-producing field in Krishna-Godavari basin India'sReliance Industries Ltd has shut down an offshore oil and gas field on the eastern coast of India, the company said in a statement on Friday, after seeing a natural decline in output for months. The closure marks the beginning of the end of the company's first foray into oil and gas exploration and production that started in September 2008 when the field produced first oil. "Production from the field had been under natural decline and facing continuous challenges due to high water production and sand ingress... and had no remaining reserves," the company statement said. The others are the D1 and D3 fields, which are natural gas producing fields. These fields started production in April 2009. Reliance Industries' turn into oil and gas exploration and production has had lacklustre results for the company's owner and India's richest man, Mukesh Ambani. He promised to produce almost 45 percent of India's oil and gas needs by 2010 and save around $20 billion in its import bill. The output from the fields started declining rapidly after reaching a peak of 30,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and 60 million cubic metres per day of gas as the company failed to manage the geological complexities of deep water production. After a hiatus of 10 years, Reliance , along with its partner BP Plc, has once again allocated an investment of $4 billion to develop new projects in the basin which will produce up to 35 million cubic metres per day of gas in phases over 2020 to 2022, the company said in its annual report published in May. Source: nasdaq

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HALIFAX PILOT heads back to the Halifax Pilot Station having seen ADVENTURE OF THE SEA safely out of the harbour on her way to St John, NB. Photo: René Serrao , Portuguese Cove, NS © Shipowners urgently need a fuel-management plan With the majority of ship operators expected to choose low-sulphur fuel over scrubbers to comply with the new IMO sulphur cap regulation, all eyes are on fuel suppliers and whether they can provide what the industry needs. According to Niels Henrik Lindegaard, Managing Director of Maersk Oil Trading, the refinery industry describes the IMO sulphur cap regulation as the biggest shake-up in the industry’s history – and while the bunker suppliers will face a transition period, shipping needs to plan carefully. “Probably, the biggest concern for the bunker industry is that the product they have to sell in 2020 does not yet exist,” he says.

New “blend” fuel not as straightforward as it seems Some of the concerns about fuel supply are highlighted in a research report from US investment bank Morgan Stanley. The report points out that high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) accounts for about 70% of bunker fuel used by ships today. As HSFO contains roughly 3.5% sulphur, and most ships are expected to switch to compliant low-sulphur fuel on 1 January 2020, almost half of the end market for marine fuel oil will shift to other parts of the barrel. Whether new low-sulphur fuel blends will be compatible between different ports, even from the same supplier, and whether there will be a balance between demand and supply, are major concerns for shipowners and operators. There are also concerns about the availability of HSFO for those ships fitted with scrubbers, as demand for HSFO is expected to plunge, while demand for very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) is expected to soar. “Using a new fuel ‘blend’ in a ship is not as straightforward as it seems. With no standards yet in place for these new fuels beyond sulphur content – for example, viscosity, pour point and flash point – shippers have uncertainty about how they will behave in an engine,” Martijn Rats, Equity Analyst at Morgan Stanley, says. He believes the new regulation also raises the question of HSFO availability at ports, some of which may decide to no longer supply the heavy fuel oil.

“Expect initial imbalance and price fluctuation” Maersk Oil Trading expects that there could be a delay in supply of the new compliant low-sulphur blends in the beginning – when the sulphur cap regulation kicks in in 2020.

”The new low-sulphur fuel products will probably be available later, once the oil companies and refineries really see a pick-up in demand from players. This is likely to create an initial imbalance in demand and supply, also in different regions, as well as increasing price fluctuations and higher prices. We may see a temporary shift to burning gas oil until the 0.5% fuel becomes available,” Lindegaard says. Furthermore, the new products may not be compatible with products from other ports and other suppliers, he adds With regard to heavy fuel oil, Maersk Oil Trading expects there will be

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enough availability at major ports from the beginning, but that it could take longer for smaller port areas to adjust the supply of heavy fuel oil.

Cheaper to plan before, not after, 1 January 2020 Whether ships will need low-sulphur fuel or heavy fuel oil, a fuel-management plan is urgently needed, according to Lindegaard and independent risk management organisation and classification society Lloyd’s Register Group “If I am going to give advice to anybody, it would be to look at your fuel transition, put a lot of effort into your fuel-management plan and make sure you have run it in before 1 January 2020,” James Forsdyke, Hong Kong and Taiwan Area Manager for Marine and Offshore at Lloyd’s Register says. “The fuel availability and compatibility is out of the shipowners’ and operators’ hands. All they can do is scenario planning. At the end of the day, it is cheaper to wash out your lines with gas oil than it is to take the vessel off hire if you are not compliant,” he says. Lloyd’s Register advises industry players to make sure they understand who the suppliers in the market are, and which compatibility issues there are between each of those suppliers. Forsdyke also advises to run tests, work out how to buy the necessary fuel and work out the credit terms. Maersk Oil Trading has six tips for the shipping industry to take precautions now and start planning:

1. Put a procedure in place for how to make sure that all “old” high-sulphur fuel has been burned ahead of 1 January 2020. 2. Put a procedure in place for how to clean the tanks if that becomes necessary. 3. Understand the respective flag state and port state control’s requirements for compliance documentation. 4. Plan the procedure for how to handle each low-sulphur fuel batch in case the batch is not compatible. 5. Actively use laboratory results from the tests of the bunkered fuel to understand how to handle each batch on board. 6. Consider increasing fuel reserves on board – at least temporarily – until enough experience with the new fuel types has been acquired. Source: BIMCO Bulletin, By Mette Kronholm Fraende, Communications Manager at BIMCO

HAMMEN - (Rijkswaterstaat/Rijksrederij) probably (not certain) taking samples from the seabed. She was called after the most northern part of the Eastern Scheldt estuary. Photo: Willem Kruit © LOCATIONS MENTIONED IN THE NEWSLETTER ARE HYPERLINKED TO GOOGLE-MAPS FOR YOUR EASY REFERENCE OF THE LOCATION

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HAL’s WESTERDAM as seen from the AMSTERDAM during the ships visits Juneau Alaska Photo : Peter Tukker. EnvOff o/b Amsterdam © Offshore workers to be balloted on industrial action Offshore workers are to be balloted on industrial action in a dispute over pay. Unite members covered by the Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) agreement are seeking a 4% basic pay and allowances increase. The move comes after workers rejected a revised OCA pay offer covering overall pay, terms and conditions following a consultative ballot in July. The OCA said its offer "remains on the table" The ballot will begin on 28 September and conclude on 2 November. Unite members will be asked whether they want to support industrial action and action short of striking, such as an overtime ban.

'Reasonable demands' Unite regional officer John Boland said: "Unite members fully deserve a basic pay increase of 4% for the part they have played over a number of years in returning North Sea operators to be competitive once again after the downturn. "The North Sea operators, paymasters of the OCA companies, have now returned to very healthy balance sheets and it's only just that our members share in these rewards. "Unite now has no option but to ballot our members for industrial action but we hope the OCA companies come to their senses and return to the negotiating table with an offer which meets the reasonable demands of our members."

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OCA 'disappointed' The OCA represents contractor companies involved in a range of activities in the UK's offshore oil and gas industry. OCA chief executive Paul Atkinson said: "We have worked very closely with trade union officials to create a sustainable employment model that provides the workforce with greater stability whilst also improving the utilisation of resources. "We are disappointed Unite has decided to ballot their members for industrial action but it's important to remember that our offer remains on the table." Source: BBC

ATLANTIC TERN heads out of Halifax or Deep Panuke field. Photo: René Serrao © Vader en zoon drie kwartier in ijskoud water Wanneer de melding 'prio 1, vaartuig omgeslagen' op de pieper verschijnt, komen de vrijwilligers van KNRM Station Elburg direct in actie. Er zou sprake kunnen zijn van mensen die te water zijn geraakt. Eenmaal aangekomen op de betreffende locatie werd duidelijk dat de haast niet overbodig was geweest...

De melding kwam zaterdagmiddag binnen om 15.14 uur. Reddingboot de EVERT FLOOR voer uit met vier bemanningsleden naar de doorgegeven locatie. Die was niet heel concreet, aangezien het omgeslagen vaartuig was waargenomen van afstand, vanaf de weg tussen Elburg en Harderwijk. Hier hebben mensen gezien dat een zeilboot in nood was en zij hebben alarm geslagen. Gelukkig werd het schip in nood snel waargenomen door de bemanningsleden. Toen de reddingboot aankwam was de opluchting groot. Vader en zoon, die voor deze dag een polyvalk hadden gehuurd, bleken al drie kwartier in het water te liggen. Midden op het Veluwemeer is het water ongeveer twee meter diep. De twee heren hielden zich vast aan de omgeslagen boot. Zij hadden drie maal geprobeerd om deze rechtop te krijgen, maar

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waren hier niet in geslaagd. Het had de mannen wel uitgeput en het water was koud. Eenmaal ter plaatse werden de twee mannen snel aan boord van de EVERT FLOOR genomen. Ontdaan van de doorweekte kleding werden zij beide in een thermobrancard gewikkeld. Ondertussen werd een ambulance opgeroepen. Onderweg naar de Bremerbergsehoek, waar ook de ambulance naar toe zou komen, kwam er opnieuw een melding binnen van een omgeslagen vaartuig. Omdat onderkoeling een levensbedreigende situatie is, lag de prioriteit eerst bij het afleveren van vader en zoon. Deze zijn overgedragen aan het ambulancepersoneel en vervolgens voer de EVERT FLOOR terug naar Elburg. Ook nu was de locatie onduidelijk. Na wat zoeken en communicatie met het Kustwachtcentrum werd duidelijk dat de omgeslagen catamaran, waar het in dit geval om ging, inmiddels door een passant was opgepikt. Ook hier waren twee heren te water geraakt, maar zij hebben minder lang in het water gelegen. Een warme douche zou hier voldoende zijn. Na contact met het ambulancepersoneel werd duidelijk dat het met de vader en zoon van de eerste actie van deze dag ook goed zou komen. Dit had anders kunnen aflopen, maar zij zijn precies op tijd uit het koude water gered. CASUALTY REPORTING

720-foot ship loaded with diesel, stone, runs aground in Straits of Mackinac By Tanda Gmiter

SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE FROM U.S. COAST GUARD:

"At 4:31 a.m. this morning, water current freed the vessel Defiance and barge Ashtabula, a 720-foot integrated tug and barge, from the clay bottom in Round Island Passage in the Straits of Mackinac. "The vessel has not reported any injuries, pollution, or flooding and is transiting to conduct further damage

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assessments. The Coast Guard conducted an overflight with a pollution responder on Friday evening and did not identify any signs of pollution. Another overflight is planned for this morning."

A tug-barge combination vessel ran aground in the Round Island Passage amid strong winds Friday afternoon, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to create a safety zone around it to keep other ships away from it. The vessel that ran aground is the 720-foot Defiance and barge Ashtabula. It got hung up just before 3 p.m. in the Straits of Mackinac, between Mackinac Island and Round Island "The vessel departed Cedarville, Michigan and was transiting to its next port of call in Buffington, Indiana when it ran aground. The cause of the grounding is under investigation," the Coast Guard said. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie is handling the response. No injuries, pollution or flooding have been reported. The DEFIANCE is carrying 97,918 gallons of diesel fuel and more than 2,900 tons of stone, the military said. "The vessel is taking precautionary measures to assess any damage," the Coast Guard said. The safety zone surrounding the ship prevents any vessel over 100 gross tons from going through the Round Island Passage. It also keeps any vessel from coming within 200 yards of the tug/barge combo. Though built in Great Lakes shipyards in 1982, the tug and barge worked largely on a circuit between Tampa Bay and the Lower Mississippi River, according BoatNerd.com. They were created to work together as a self-unloading bulk carrier. Source: mlive NAVY NEWS First in Class Ship, Future USNS John Lewis (T- AO 205), Starts Construction

A ceremony was hosted at General Dynamics-National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD-NASSCO) shipyard to celebrate the start of construction of the Navy's first John Lewis-class Fleet Replenishment Oiler, the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), Sept. 20. Before proceeding with the start of construction, the Navy conducted a Production Readiness Review (PRR) in order to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the design and production planning within the program. Among other indicators, the program reported detail design and 3D modeling of the entire ships to be 95 percent complete. The results of the PRR were certified by the Secretary of the Navy and submitted to Congress on Sept. 6, 2018. "Today marks a great accomplishment by the Navy and NASSCO team on this important program," said James F. Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition. "Their tremendous collaboration on this new double-hulled design is a great example setting a positive trajectory leading into production." In developing the T-AO 205 design, the Navy worked closely with industry partners to conduct trade off studies that matured the government-developed ship specifications. The results of the trade-off studies were then combined into integrated ship designs. GD-NASSCO was later competitively awarded a Fixed Price Incentive block buy contract for the detail design and construction of six T-AO 205 Class Fleet Replenishment Oilers. The John Lewis-class ships are based on commercial design standards and will recapitalize the current T-AO 187 Class Fleet Replenishment Oilers to provide underway replenishment of fuel to U.S. Navy ships at sea. These ships are part of the Navy's Combat Logistics Force and will become the backbone of the fuel delivery system. John Lewis will be operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command and is the first ship named after the civil rights leader and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. "As the first ship of its class, the future USNS John Lewis will play a vital role in the mission of the Navy and Marine Corps, just like its namesake John Lewis' vital role as a national leader in the movement for civil rights and human dignity," said Mike Kosar, Support Ships, Boats and Craft program manager, Program Executive Office Ships (PEO Ships). As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement 5Distribution : daily to 40.250+ active addresses 24-09-2018 Page 28 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2018 – 267

of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, boats, and craft. Source: Naval Sea Systems Command

The Royal Navy's polar research ship A 173 HMS PROTECTOR is on her way back to the Antarctic after summer months on refit in South Africa and a ten day survey of the waters around Diego Garcia,the island half way between Madagascar and Sri Lanka where there is a major UK/US military base and whose last survey was 180 years ago. She also visited La Reunion where she met the new French icebreaker L'ASTROLABE, which will be doing similar survey work in the Polar regions.She will not be returning to her home port of Devonport until 2020 but oneVthird of her crew changes every few weeks to sustain morale at long distance. Photo ; Raymond Wergan, Newton Ferrers.(c) Why Japan’s first submarine visit to Vietnam matters

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This week, in a notable regional development, a Japanese submarine visited Vietnam for the first time. The move did not receive nearly as much attention as it should, perhaps because the interactions tied to the visit itself seem rather routine. Still, the significance of the visit is unmistakable from the perspective of both countries, their strengthening defense ties and the wider regional context. The Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine KUROSHIO docked at Cam Ranh International Port in Kham Hoa on Monday, commencing what was characterized as a scheduled five-day visit. The Vietnamese defense ministry correctly noted that the visit itself consisted of the usual elements in such interactions, including courtesy calls on Vietnamese officials and naval personnel, sports and professional interactions, and cultural activities, including tours. But while the interactions themselves may seem routine, the significance of the first-ever Japanese submarine visit is unmistakable in several sense First, at a general level, it is just the latest manifestation of the building of intra-regional security relationships between like-minded states in the Asia-Pacific region. The confluence of several trends, including a growing list of traditional and nontraditional security challenges and the rise of more informal kinds of alignments, has catalyzed the formation of looser links between regional states under the banner of regional strategies or outlooks, with the Indo-Pacific being just one of them.One of those shifting relationships has been that between Japan and Vietnam. Over the past few years, the two countries have been boosting their security ties as part of their so-called extensive strategic partnership, with Vietnam seeing Japan as one important power to engage in its wider omnidirectional foreign policy, and Japan viewing Hanoi as a key node in its greater engagement of Southeast Asia and as part of its own Indo-Pacific strategy, which dates back over a decade to Shinzo Abe’s first stint as prime minister from 2006 to 2007.

Indeed, the submarine visit is just one of several defense-related developments we have seen in the past few years as the two sides commemorate this year the 45th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties. Those gains include not just headline items such as periodic maritime security assistance, but significant moves including new naval drills, Japanese port calls, an agreement on coast guard cooperation, and discussions on more defense equipment and defense industrial collaboration. Second and more specifically, the submarine visit is just the latest manifestation of Japan’s efforts to play a more active security role in the region under Abe. While Tokyo has played such a role for decades, there has been a greater emphasis on certain aspects in recent years, including the cultivation of stronger defense ties with countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam as well as a more robust role when it comes to areas of focus such as the South China Sea. The submarine visit itself was testament to this. While it was carefully messaged as a separate engagement from the Vietnam visit, the Kuroshio, along with three other Japanese vessels, had also just taken part in an anti-submarine warfare exercise that was held in the South China Sea. As with other such sequential engagements that have been occurring involving major powers, including the United States, the separation was important but the messaging was nonetheless clear. Third, the submarine visit is also a further indicator of Vietnam’s growing willingness to boost security ties (within limits) with major powers, including those within the U.S. alliance and partnership network. Vietnam carefully calibrates such interactions with major powers down to the type of vessel involved, and this is particularly the case with countries such as the United States or Japan given the sensitivities that this can generate with respect to Hanoi’s ties with China. This is especially true since Beijing has grown bolder in the sorts of pressure it exerts on Hanoi in response to such perceived slights. In that context, Hanoi’s decision to accept a first submarine visit is significant. While this is something that has been carefully calibrated over time, it is nonetheless the sort of move that will clearly irk Beijing, especially given its proximity to a South China Sea-related activity that involves Japan. It is also worth noting that this interaction is far from an isolated event. Indeed, shortly after Japan’s first submarine visit to Vietnam, a Vietnamese frigate is set to visit Japan around the end of this month in yet another significant defense-related development. To be sure, such developments ought to be kept in perspective, especially given the fact that Vietnam has also tread relatively more cautiously on some other elements of defense ties with major powers, and the reality that it tends to balance such moves with continued

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attempts to manage its relations with China as well. Yet for all the aforementioned reasons, a first-ever submarine visit for Japan in Vietnam is far from a routine development. Source: The Japan Times 2 charged with thefts from NJ submarine museum A man and woman from Connecticut have been charged with stealing items from a World War II-era submarine in New Jersey. Hackensack police allege Jon Stevens, of West Haven, and Laura Palmese, of Colchester, swam along the Hackensack River and gained access to the USS LING in mid-August. They're charged with stealing a lantern and a lieutenant's shoulder lapel and are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 1. Reached by phone, Stevens declined comment Thursday. A message left at a phone listing for Palmese wasn't returned. The submarine is part of the New Jersey Naval Museum. In August, police said someone opened hatches and deliberately flooded the submarine. That incident is under investigation. Authorities also are investigating the theft of four plaques valued at approximately $10,000 from the sub. Source: Press of Atlantic City SHIPYARD NEWS

The Constanta Shipyard Photo: Daniel NEAGU © www.modelism-constanta.ro Turkish shipbuilders seek to boost indigenous ratio Local shipyards are qualified to produce ships to order, with all necessary features, says Turkish Shipbuilders Association Turkish shipbuilders are looking to boost the indigenous ratio in the shipbuilding industry above the existing 70 percent, a top trade group told Anadolu Agency on Friday. Mehtap Karahallı Özdemir, head of the Turkish Shipbuilders Association (GISBIR), said that Turkish shipyards are qualified to produce ships to order, with all necessary features, including military ships. "Turkey has managed to become one of the world's leading shipbuilding countries," said Ozdemir. Saying that maritime transportation is safer and cheaper than competing modes, Ozdemir added that Turkey's shipbuilding industry

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has proven itself on international markets, shown by how the industry has already taken large orders. "In times of global climate change, the importance of maritime transportation is only growing," she said. Özdemir said that due to the great success of the National Ship Project (MILGEM) -- Turkey's first indigenous warship program -- other military ships are being made in Turkey, paving the way for exports. Turkey has carried out the first corvette-type design of a national military ship "We are now able to offer military ships to the world through interstate agreements," she added. Ozdemir also said that work is being carried on the largest military ship -- 230 meters long -- of the Turkish fleet. The MILGEM project was realized with over 65 percent domestic industry participation, with more than 50 domestic companies contributing to the project. The Turkish Shipbuilders Association was established in 1971 by shipyard owners in Istanbul.As a Turkish non-governmental organization, the group is the sole representative of the Turkish ship and yacht building, repair, and maintenance industry. As of 2018, the association has 97 members, according to its website. ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The POLARCUS ADRA moored in Den Helder Photo : Roy Flem © Vitol agrees 15-year LNG deal with US exporter Cheniere Cheniere Energy said September 17 it had secured a 15-year offtake deal with Switzerland-based global commodity trader Vitol as it looks to boost growth opportunities for its two US export terminals. The transaction, for 700,000 mt/year of LNG from Cheniere's marketing unit on an FOB basis starting this year, was announced as energy companies gathered at the annual Gastech conference in Spain Cheniere's operations allow it to be a one-stop shop in the LNG value chain, from securing feedgas for LNG production, making the LNG, arranging for tankers to pick up the LNG and then shipping LNG overseas. It exports cargoes on both spot and commercial basis under long-term contracts. That flexibility is a selling

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point Cheniere's marketing unit has touted as other US players seek supply deals to finance their facilities along the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific coasts. About a dozen projects are currently being proposed to US regulators, in addition to the handful of terminals already under construction. The purchase price for the LNG offtake deal with Vitol is indexed to the monthly Henry Hub price, plus a fee. Cheniere previously secured an offtake deal with global commodity trader Trafigura. In July, it inked a deal with Taiwanese state-owned oil and gas company CPC, which agreed to buy 2 million mt/year of LNG from Cheniere. The exporter's terminals are at Sabine Pass in Louisiana and Corpus Christi in Texas. On the sidelines of the conference, Vitol's LNG global head, Pablo Galante Escobar, said his company chose Cheniere for its first long-term LNG offtake deal because of the flexibility Cheniere offered. Up until now, Vitol has been signing short-term LNG offtake deals. "As a trader, we want to give flexibility to our end-users. We want to give flexibility to our clients. The contract we signed with Cheniere, a pioneer with LNG, allows us to do that," he said. He added: "We know the LNG world is growing. A lot of that growth is coming from China, India, Pakistan. We can take it to wherever the best netback is." The fact that Cheniere was the first out of the gate in the US among shale LNG exporters also helped its cause with Vitol. "We respect them all," Escobar said. "Obviously, we have had a look at the market and seen the difference inside the US and outside the US. I don't think this will be our last deal." Cheniere, he said, is "proven, reliable." "Other companies are just starting," he added. "For us, it was very important our first first [long-term] deal wasn't a risky deal. Hopefully, we will do more with Cheniere and with other companies." Cheniere's chief commercial officer, Anatol Feygin, said the LNG to be delivered to Vitol under the contract can be supplied from either the Sabine Pass or Corpus Christi terminals. The first Sabine Pass cargo was shipped in February 2016. There are now four trains online there, and a fifth is under construction. At Corpus Christi, two trains are currently under construction and a third is planned. Feygin reiterated Cheniere's previous timing targets for Sabine Pass Train 5 and Corpus Christi Train 1. "What we have said is we fully expect first LNG at both Sabine 5 and at Corpus 1 by the end of the year, and first cargoes shortly thereafter," Feygin said. "Things are going well, according to plan. Obviously, Corpus is a greenfield site. We're a little more cautious there rather than at Sabine, where all are the same design."Asked in light of his comments if the timing at Corpus could get pushed back, Feygin said, "No, we're sticking with first LNG by year-end." Source: spglobal 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 Aker Solutions Wins Services Contract with Petrobras Petrobras has awarded Aker Solutions a contract to provide maintenance and modifications services for nine platforms at oil and gas fields in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil. The Campos Basin extends approximately 100,000 square kilometers. The three-year contract is valued at more than BRL 250 million and includes an option for a two-year extension. Aker Solutions will be renovating, repairing and upgrading offshore production units for Petrobras' Campos Basin Operational Unit (UO-BC). The contract will also allow Aker Solutions to demonstrate its value as a full-service provider, and manage the yard where replacement parts and other equipment will be fabricated. "We are pleased to expand our business in Brazil, a key international market,"

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said Luis Araujo, chief executive officer of Aker Solutions. "This is the second big contract we have signed after entering the maintenance and modification market in Brazil, reinforcing the importance of having a complete portfolio and being able to provide an integrated solution from concept to decommissioning." The company will execute the work from its C.S.E. Mecânica e Instrumentação Ltda (C.S.E.) services base in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro. Aker Solutions acquired a majority stake in C.S.E. in December 2016. Earlier this year Petrobras named C.S.E. the best supplier for onshore and offshore maintenance and HSSE, highlighting its focus on customers and excellence. The company competed against 5,000 suppliers and won 4 of 21 awards.The work starts in October 2018, with final deliveries scheduled for 2021. The contract will be booked in the third quarter 2018. Source: Marinelink …. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

Aurora Borealis seen from Holland America line MS WESTERDAM Gulf of Alaska Photo : Claire Macdonald o/b Westerdam ©

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