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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

Number 097 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Tuesday 08-04-2008 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.

The AVATAR seen moored in the port of Kaohsiung (Taiwan) Photo : Piet Sinke ©

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

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The Bitumen tanker New Millenium sailing from Lyttelton,New Zealand after discharging bitumen from Singapore. Photo : Alan Calvert © DUE TO TRAVELLING AT PRESENT THE NEWSCLIPPINGS WILL BE PUBLISHED IRREGULARLY Kidnapped Yemeni fishing boat restored Yemeni Fishing Brum Company restored on Saturday the fishing boat (Brum) kidnapped last Wednesday by Somali pirates, while it was fishing 60 miles off Mucalla coasts with 34 sailors on board.

Deputy Minister of Fishery Wealth Ghazi Lahmar told Saba that boat, owned by the company, arrived on Saturday to Ashaher Port in Hadramout and it was released by the International Coalition Forces, working in international waters, in coordination with Yemeni Coast Guard Forces.

Lahmar indicated that the fishermen were released using the Ships Detection and Surveillance System, imposed by fish ministry on all fishing boats. Source : SABA Net

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RAF Rescue Helicopter medivacs man from Yacht Waikiki and ferry passenger off Norfolk Coast Yarmouth Coastguard and the crew of RAF Rescue Helicopter 125 have dealt with two separate medical evacuations off the Norfolk Coast in less than three hours.

The first, an urgent evacuation of a 44 year old Dutch man with severe head injuries from the Yacht "Waikiki" - on passage from Ijmuiden in the Netherlands to Lowestoft and some 40 miles from land when the incident occurred - was in the closing stages when a call was received from the passenger ferry "Pride Of Hull" reporting that a 33 year old British national had suffered a fall on board, had arm injuries and was drifting in and out of consciousness.

Both men were safely evacuated to a local hospital by the helicopter, and Gorleston Coastguard Rescue Team attended to secure a safe landing site for the helicopter to drop off their patients.

Wayne Brunning, Yarmouth Coastguard Watch Manager said, "We would like to thank the crew of Rescue Helicopter 125 and Gorleston Coastguard Rescue Team for ensuring that these people were evacuated for treatment as quickly and safely as possible. Whilst it is unusual to get two incidents of this type in quick succession, both incidents were dealt with as quickly and professionally as one would expect."

"We would also like to extend our thanks to our colleagues in the German Navy, the Dutch Navy and also the Dutch Coastguard. Their help was vital in the successful location of the "Waikiki", and ensured that this gentleman was found and evacuated as quickly as humanly possible. This is an example of international co-operation overcoming difficult circumstances and bringing about a successful conclusion." Source : BYM Marine & Maritime News

VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd. wire ropes, chains, hooks, shackles, webbing slings, lifting beams, crane blocks, turnbuckles etc. Nijverheidsweg 21 3161 GJ RHOON The Netherlands Telephone: (+31)105018000 (+31) 105015440 (a.o.h.) Fax : (+31)105013843 Internet & E-mail www.vlierodam.nl [email protected]

BIGLIFT SPONSORT REMEX LIBERUS Naast het sponsoren van 3 J-22 zeilteams van de TU-Delft, sponsort BigLift Shipping ook vanaf 2008 voor een periode van 3 jaar de sloep REMEX LIBERUS (Vrije Roeier) van MASROVA (Maritieme Studenten Roei Vereniging Amsterdam).

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Met deze sloep wordt regelmatig getraind in de Amsterdamse wateren en worden wedstrijden geroeid in Nederland en Belgie (o.a. 10 mijl van IJmuiden, Harlingen/Terschelling race, Grachtenrace Amsterdam en Muiden- Pampus-Muiden). Bemanning bestaat uit (ex) zeevarenden(o.a. 1ste stuurman Joris van Vuuren in dienst bij Spliethoff/BigLift) en andere vrijwillegers. De sloep is de afgelopen weken in BigLift kleuren geschilderd door leden van Masrova en is van BigLift logo’s voorzien en te water gelaten bij VCK/Suezhaven Amsterdam. Informatie over MASROVA en de wedstrijdkalender kan gevonden worden op www.masrova.nl en informatie over BigLift op www.bigliftshipping.com Tassie captain averts disaster TASMANIAN shipwreck survivor Mark Smith has been involved in another drama at sea -- helping to avert a major shipping disaster off the coast of Western Australia last week.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has praised Mr Smith and the crew of Tasmanian tug Greshanne for their part in the rescue of the container ship MSC Lugano. An engine-room fire last Monday left the massive 40,000-tonne vessel without power and listing helplessly towards Esperance on WA's south coast.

Near-hurricane force winds and 9m swells threatened to drive the ship on to rocks, potentially causing a catastrophic environmental disaster. The Greshanne, owned by Tas Ocean Shipping, was towing a work barge from Port Kembla to Dampier when Mr Smith got a call for assistance from the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre on Wednesday.

Three smaller tugs had tried without success to budge the vessel, which is roughly the same size as the Pasha Bulker which ran aground in Newcastle last year. "I have never faced anything like this," ship master Mr Smith said of the rescue. "It was a titanic struggle of epic proportions between our 250-tonne tug and 40,000 tonnes of ship."

In 2005 the professional seafarer spent 11 days in the South China Sea after a freak wave sank the 20m motor cruiser he was delivering from Hong Kong to Sydney. He wrote a book, Beyond All Limits, which was published last year.

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The crew of six worked for 48 hours straight to inch the MSC Lugano away from danger. Mr Smith said the most dangerous part of the operation was rigging the 800m tow rope at night in massive swells and a ferocious storm. "To get in close to pass the ropes across was extremely hazardous," he said.

"To see that much steel rushing towards you -- if it hit us it would have been all over." It took 10 hours just to get the ship moving. At one point the 25-strong crew of the MSC Lugano prepared to abandon ship. But Mr Smith said the tug managed to drag the container ship 40km away from the coast where his crew was relieved by a Fremantle salvage company. Source : Sunday Tasmanian Ivory Coast arrests suspect in toxic waste case Ivory Coast has arrested the head of the local company which unloaded and dumped toxic waste in Abidjan nearly two years ago, leading to the deaths of 16 people, a judge familiar with the case said on Friday.

Salomon Ugborugbo, director of the Ivorian waste handling firm Tommy which unloaded the toxic slops from the ship Probo Koala in August 2006 and dumped them at sites around Abidjan, was arrested on Thursday and is being held pending trial, the judge said. Police are searching for other people accused of taking part in the scheme, he added. Ugborugbo had been on provisional bail since June 2007. "We are in the phase of arrest of the people involved," said the judge. "The judicial police are on the ground and looking for them to bring them ... to start the trial."

He declined to name the other suspects in the case but said they would be charged with poisoning.

He said the investigation did not concern Trafigura, the world's third-largest independent oil trading firm, which chartered the Probo Koala to transport the chemical slops from Amsterdam. The ship ended up in Ivory Coast. In August 2006, toxic waste was found at open-air sites around Abidjan, where it poisoned thousands of people.

Trafigura agreed to pay a $198 million settlement to the Ivory Coast government but denied responsibility for the dumping or any wrongdoing. Dutch prosecutors said in February they would file criminal charges against the oil company and Amsterdam council. An Ivorian court threw out a case against Trafigura in March. Source : africa.reuters

South Africa the number one port of call for stowaways South Africa repatriates more shipping stowaways than any other country, according to a report by the world’s largest maritime insurer. The report, released last month by the UK P&I Club which insures 17% of the world’s ocean-going ships, said 190 stowaway cases arose from South Africa — almost double that of the United States — between 1998 and 2007.

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The cost of stowaway incidents to international shipping increased 100% in this period to over R160-million a year, the report said. The majority of cases were stowaways seeking illegal entry into South Africa or an onward passage to Europe, shipping agents said this week.

The report coincides with continuing concern over security at many African ports, although South African authorities insisted the situation had been vastly improved in the past few years.

Stowaways attempting to enter South Africa are detained by border police and looked after at the expense of shipping companies, who in turn take out insurance against the high cost of repatriation.

It is believed many African stowaways sneak onto South Africa-bound ships intending to get caught and earn travel allowance money to get back home.

Many also view South Africa as a first port of call on a longer voyage to Europe or the US. The 190 stowaway cases in South African waters were significantly more than anywhere else. In second place was Ivory Coast (169), Senegal (165), Argentina (106) and the United States (105). The South African cases cost the company about R13-million , the report said.

Spokesman for the P&I Club UK division, Nick Whitear, said the company liaised closely with South African authorities to limit the problem. Most stowaways did not have a specific destination in mind.

“Stowaways almost invariably are without the proper travel documentation to permit them to travel across South Africa to an airport of departure and on to their home country. One repatriation agent said some stowaways return as many as 20 or 30 times, drawn by the small amounts of cash they are given to ensure they get home.

Police spokesman Captain Denis Adrio said South African port security ensured a minimum of people succeeded in sneaking onto outward-bound vessels. Ship inspectors had also been expertly trained to find stowaways on inward- bound vessels. Durban is secured by about 1 000 police officers, Adrio said.

Many stowaways risk their lives in unsafe hiding places such as the void above a ship’s rudder, the P&I report said. Source : thetimes.co.za

France in contact with pirates on yacht: minister France said it had made contact with pirates holding a luxury French cruise yacht with around 30 crew off the coast of Somalia, with the vessel reported to have anchored Sunday evening.

"We've made contact and the matter could last a long time," Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told the radio station France Inter. "Our contact needs to be fruitful and we have to do everything to avoid bloodshed." He did not rule out the payment of a ransom to secure the release of the crew -- 22 French nationals and around 10 Ukrainians. The boat anchored off the northeastern Somali region of Puntland on Sunday evening, a French military source said later, on condition of anonymity.

The source said it was not clear if this was in a location controlled by the pirates or whether it was likely to set off again, and could not give details of contact with the pirates. French Defence Minister Herve Morin earlier said there could be no military intervention unless the safety of the crew could be guaranteed. Any order to launch a military operation "cannot be taken unless there is certainty that this will happen in secure conditions that preserve the integrity of the crew," he said. Somali officials said the 32-cabin yacht, the Ponant, was seized on Friday. A dozen pirates stayed on board and took the boat more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) south, along the Somali coast. An official of semi-autonomous Puntland, Abdullahi Said Aw-Yusuf, said he believed the pirates would not move far away. "They are well-armed pirates from Puntland region, so they cannot go far beyond Garaad (bordering Puntland)," he said. The company that Distribution : daily 4125+ copies worldwide Page 6 4/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

owns the yacht said on Sunday that its crew were thought to be unharmed. "They are safe and sound," said a spokesman for the French shipping firm CMA-CGM. The father of one crew member, Thibaut Garrec, 20, called on the French state to "use its diplomatic levers" to secure their safe release.

"If that means paying a ransom, then let's find a way, but we have to free them," said Ronan Garrec. Photographs in French media showed pirates on the bridge of the Ponant and on two zodiac boats being towed by it. Pirate attacks are frequent off Somalia's 3,700- kilometre (2,300- mile) coastline. The International Maritime Bureau advises sailors not to venture within 200 nautical miles of its shore. The French navy has been called on in recent months to escort World Food Programme boats through Somali waters, after two of the agency's vessels were stolen. File photo : Marius Esman ©

The three-masted, 850-tonne Ponant, equipped with lounges, bar and restaurant, had been due to host a cruise between Alexandria in Egypt and Valletta in Malta on April 21-22, its Marseille-based owner said. Garrec's mother Valerie said her son telephoned on Wednesday to tell her he was entering dangerous waters. "He told us he was in a pirate zone. We thought that sounded dangerous. But we had no idea we would be getting a call two days later to say he was taken hostage." Somali pirates usually demand a ransom once the ship has reached a port. In mid-March, a Russian tug boat and six crew members were released for 700,000 thousand dollars (450,000 euros) after being held captive for six weeks.

Somalia, which lies at the mouth of the Red Sea on a major trade route between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal, has not had a functioning government since the 1991 ousting of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. It has since been ravaged by civil war, carved up between warlords. The transitional government controls little of the country and often clashes with Islamist militias that the United States has accused of links to Al Qaeda.

A nation-wide strike in Indonesian ports to start today A nation-wide strike by port workers could cripple operations at Indonesian ports from Tuesday onwards. Workers at Indonesia's state-owned port operator have threatened to strike if the government passes a bill to end the operator's monopoly on running 112 ports across Indonesia.

“We reject the government's bill to end PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo)'s exclusive right to operate ports,” said Sudjarwo, Indonesian Port and Dredging Worker Union (SPPI) chairman. “The bill, if passed, will likely result in Pelindo workers losing their jobs,” said Sudjarwo, who said that Pelindo workers at all 112 ports will go on strike if the bill is Distribution : daily 4125+ copies worldwide Page 7 4/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

passed. Indonesia's parliament will decide on the bill on Tuesday, according to Dow Jones Newswires, which also reported demonstrations by port workers outside parliament last Friday to protest the bill.

According to Indonesia's Transportation Ministry, the bill aims to make the ports industry more competitive. Union leader Sudjarwo, however, protested that the SPPI was not consulted during discussions for the bill's provisions. SPPI has been “left with little choice but to go on strike since there has been no effort on the government's part to include our suggestions on how the bill should be enacted,” he said. Source: http : portworld.com

Crew of anti-sealing ship charged after high-seas confrontation The federal government has laid charges against the anti-sealing vessel Farley Mowat, which was involved in a confrontation with sealers near Cape Breton last weekend. Fisheries and Oceans announced Sunday an investigation into a high-seas confrontation between the Farley Mowat and sealers on Mar. 30 has ended in charges laid against the vessel's captain, Alexander Cornelissen, and first officer, Peter Hammarstedt.

"The seal hunt is a humane, sustainable, and legal activity, and our government is committed to protecting the safety and security of sealers," said Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Loyola Hearn. "This guides our decisions on the ground and Canadians can rest assured that we will pursue the charges against these individuals vigorously."

Sealer Shane Briand said the Farley Mowat, operated by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, endangered the lives of his crew when it came close to them Mar. 30 about 60 kilometres off Cape Breton.

Speaking from Port aux Basques, N.L. on Thursday, Briand said the much larger Mowat chased down his 14-metre boat throughout the day, stopping only when a Canadian Coast Guard vessel arrived and put itself between them. "She started harassing us right away. She almost took the stabilizer off, she was that close. And we had a guy on the ice and she broke the ice up under his feet," he said.

Both men have been charged with approaching within one-half nautical mile of a seal hunt, a violation of the Marine Mammal Regulations. Captain Cornelissen faces an additional charge under the Fisheries Act of obstructing a fisheries officer or inspector.

If convicted, the men face for each charge fines of up to $100,000 in addition to - or in place of - up to a year in jail.

Briand, who says he gave a statement to fisheries officers on Thursday, said they feared for their lives when the Mowat came several times within 30 metres of his boat, the Cathy Erlene. "The coast guard was keeping us safe . . . If they hadn't arrived, we would have had to get in our speed boats to escape," Briand said.

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The coast guard and the Sea Shepherd Society have given differing accounts of the incident, with the crew of the conservation group's ship insisting the icebreaker Des Groseilliers intentionally rammed them twice.

Hearn denies that happened. He says the two vessels merely "grazed," but when the Mowat ignored warnings to stay away from sealers, it broke the law, he added. "They have endangered our sealers. We are aware of that. We have these facts documented," he told radio station VOCM in St. John's Wednesday.

On the society's website, Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said the crew of the Mowat have video proving they did nothing wrong. Briand, of Dingwall, N.S., said his crew also took pictures, showing the 54-metre steel-hulled Mowat looming over them. He said fisheries officers now have the photos.

News of the charges came as hundreds of mourners packed a church in Cap Aux Meules, Que., in the Magdalen Islands, to say goodbye to three seal hunters killed in last weekend's maritime tragedy.

The annual seal hunt got off to a tragic start when the 12-metre Magdalen Islands sealer L'Acadien II sank while under tow by a coast guard ship March 29. Only two men survived.

In his comments Wednesday, Hearn said if the Mowat won't obey orders to return to a Canadian port the only option will be to board the ship at sea, which he called an extremely dangerous operation. On Friday the Mowat was docked at the French island of Miquelon, off Newfoundland's south coast, while waiting for the hunt to resume next week.

The Farley Mowat was forced out of the harbour at Miquelon's neighbouring French island of St-Pierre Friday when angry fishermen cut its mooring lines with axes, Watson said. "They cut away at our mooring lines, threw a bicycle in the water, threw our gangplank in the water and attacked one of our cameramen," he said.

The confrontation was in protest of comments Watson made the day before when he said the Magdalen Islands sealers' deaths were a tragedy, but the slaughter of young seals is a "greater tragedy." "Our anger was stronger than anything else and we didn't wait for the authorities to react," St-Pierre fisherman Carl Beaupertuis told Radio-Canada, the French arm of CBC. On Friday, Watson stood by his words.

"I said the sealers who died, it was a tragedy and the Canadian government's incompetence led to the deaths." He added: "Killing 325,000 seals is a far greater tragedy . . . and I stand by that comment." Source : Canwest News Service

PACCSHIP fined $1.7 million in pollution cases PACCSHIP, the operator and manager of approximately ten ships that regularly carry goods between Asia and ports in the United States, pleaded guilty today and was sentenced to pay a $1.7 million fine for crimes related to improper transfers and discharges of oil-contaminated waste from two of its ships, announced Ronald J. Tenpas, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division and George E. B. Holding, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Specifically, PACCSHIP pleaded guilty to obstructing justice and for using falsified records that concealed improper transfers and discharges of oil-contaminated waste. The company was also sentenced to serve a four-year term of probation during which it must implement and follow a stringent environmental compliance program that includes a court-appointed monitor and outside independent auditing of its ships. The company will also pay a $400,000 community service payment.

The government's investigation began on April 11, 2006, when inspectors from the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the Singapore-flagged M/V PAC ANTARES, operated and managed by PACCSHIP, following the ship's arrival in Morehead City, N.C. The inspection uncovered evidence that crewmembers aboard the ship had improperly handled and disposed of the ship's oil-contaminated waste and falsified entries in the ship's official Oil Record Book to conceal Distribution : daily 4125+ copies worldwide Page 9 4/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

these activities. During the inspection, crewmembers lied to Coast Guard inspectors in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.

The ship's Second Engineer pleaded guilty on May 7, 2007, in the Eastern District of North Carolina to making and causing the making of materially false statements in the ship's Oil Record Book relating to management of oil- contaminated waste aboard the ship.

On Nov. 5, 2006, inspectors from the Coast Guard, boarded the M/V PAC ALTAIR, another Singapore-flag ship operated and managed by PACCSHIP, again in Morehead City. The inspection again uncovered evidence that crewmembers aboard the ship had improperly handled and disposed of the ship's oil-contaminated waste and falsified entries in the ship's official Oil Record Book to conceal their activities.

The ship's Chief Engineer pleaded guilty on Dec. 7, 2007 in the Eastern District of North Carolina to making materially false statements in the ship's Oil Record Book concerning the management of oil-contaminated waste aboard the ship.

Engine room operations on board large oceangoing vessels such as the M/V PAC ANTARES and M/V PAC ALTAIR generate large amounts of waste oil and oil-contaminated bilge waste. International and U.S. law prohibit the discharge of waste containing more than 15 parts per million of oil and without treatment by an oily water separator -- a required pollution prevention device. Law also requires all overboard discharges be recorded in an Oil Record Book, a required log which is regularly inspected by the Coast Guard.

"PACCSHIP pleaded guilty and was sentenced today for its obstruction and deceit," said Assistant Attorney General Tenpas. "This prosecution is part of an ongoing effort to detect, deter, and prosecute those who illegally discharge pollutants from ships into the ocean and those who lie about such activities."

"The United State Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina takes seriously its obligation to protect North Carolina's natural resources and the environment. The illegal discharge of oil from commercial ships impacts our health, our coastal waters, the international waters, and marine life. For these reasons, we will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with our nation's environmental laws and to protect our marine environment," stated U.S. Attorney Holding.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Criminal Investigative Service and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section. The case was initiated by the Marine Inspectors and Marine Investigators from U.S. Coast Guard Sector North Carolina, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Source : MarineLog

The new NATCHAN WORLD – Photo : Glenn Towler ©

Lifeboat 'clue' to fate of Sydney's crew

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The likelihood any of the 645 sailors on board HMAS Sydney escaped before it sank has diminished with the discovery of more than half of the warship's lifeboats resting on the ocean floor. The ghostly images of five wooden boats emerged during a sweep by a submersible vessel of the World War II warship's final resting place off the West Australian coast.

All bore the distinctive Sydney badge, with its anchor emblem still clearly visible in photos despite the boats spending more than 66 years on the ocean bed. Four of the Sydney's nine lifeboats remain unaccounted for.

The first close examination of the wreck last week showed empty lifeboat cradles, raising questions about whether some crew escaped the badly-damaged light cruiser before it went down. The Sydney sank in November 1941, with no survivors, after a battle with the German raider the Kormoran, which was also lost.

Both wrecks were finally discovered last month in the Indian Ocean about 250km off Western Australia, at a depth of 2.5km. "The discovery of the boats in the debris field was both remarkable and sobering," said naval historian John Perryman, an observer on board the survey vessel Geosounder.

"Some showed signs of damage by gunfire and in one instance two of the boats were resting on top of one another," he says on the foundation's website. "This certainly supported our earlier assessment that few of Sydney's boats were launched following the action." Finding Sydney Foundation director Glenys McDonald said locating the boats had been the most overwhelming part of a long day. "These all sat pale and ghostly on the sea floor, still proudly displaying their anchor emblem, white with a blue anchor on some boats and blue with red anchor on another," Ms McDonald said.

Describing the emblems, Mr Perryman adds: "These carefully hand-painted coloured icons remain intact, undisturbed, and will continue to serve as a silent epitaph to HMAS Sydney and her valiant crew." Academic Tom Frame, who wrote the 1993 book HMAS Sydney: Loss and Controversy, said the discovery is significant because it suggests no- one got away. "It's raised some new questions while answering some old questions," Professor Frame said.

"If the ship did take some time to sink and didn't suffer a catastrophic event, then why would these boats, if they were serviceable, why weren't they deployed by survivors and why didn't they get away?" The remotely-operated submersible vehicle also located the Sydney's bow - separated from the main wreck - parts of the ship's badly- damaged superstructure, masts, a funnel, unused torpedoes, and a number of black shoes.

Mr Perryman believes the debris field and the general absence of twisted and torn hull plating put paid to any theory the Sydney's bow was torn away from the rest of the hull by a huge explosion. "Nearly everything found in the debris field ... excluding the bow, would have been ripped away from Sydney by the enormous water forces as she sank at rapid speed.

"It seems increasingly likely that Sydney's bow, severely damaged and weakened by the torpedo strike, broke away. "Rough seas may have played a factor in Sydney losing her bow and finally sinking."

NAVY NEWS George Washington Departs to Relieve Kitty Hawk in Japan The carrier George Washington sailed Monday for the last time from Naval Station Norfolk, Va., its homeport since the ship was commissioned, on the cruise that will take it to its new assignment in Japan as the only U.S. forward- deployed carrier.

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The ship is relieving the conventionally powered carrier Kitty Hawk, scheduled to return to the United States for decommissioning this summer. On the way, the Washington is scheduled to participate in the annual Partnership of the Americas exercise with South American navies, then continue around the continent and arrive in Japan by August.

Before the ship crosses into the Pacific, its escorts — the frigate Kauffman and the destroyer Farragut — and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 17 will return to their East Coast homes, said Lt. Courtney Hillson, a 2nd Fleet spokeswoman. When the Washington arrives in Japan it will begin deploying with Carrier Air Wing 5, forward-deployed at Naval Air Station Atsugi, which now sails aboard the Kitty Hawk, and the warships of the 7th Fleet.

The families of the GW's 3,200 sailors have begun moving to their new homes at Fleet Activities Yoksouka, Hillson said, but they will not all be there by the time the ship arrives this summer. "Our sailors, our families and the Navy have put together a tremendous effort to prepare GW for all aspects of this transition, and while it is difficult to leave the Hampton Roads community, which has been so supportive of GW, we are excited about the vital importance of this new mission and the warm welcome from the people of Yokosuka," said the Washington's skipper, Capt. Dave Dykhoff, in a Navy announcement.

The George Washington, which will be the first nuclear-powered carrier permanently deployed to Japan, was commissioned in 1992. The Kitty Hawk, which is the Navy's last oil-fired carrier, will mark the 47th anniversary of its commissioning April 29. Source : US Navy Inaugural live firing of Aster missile a Navy milestone The Republic of Singapore Navy's core fighting group has been given a boost in another of its key roles — defending Singapore's airspace. The second of the RSN's six stealth frigates, the RSS Intrepid, has successfully completed the inaugural live firing of the Aster missile.

The high-tech Aster Surface-to-Air Missile system, which has a range of up to 30km, is a key capability of the frigates, in particular, to enhance the air defence network of Singapore. The Defence Ministry described the live firing in Toulon, France, as a "significant operational milestone". The missile system is a key part of the Singapore Armed Forces' transformation of its air, land and sea operations into a single networked military, or a "Third Generation" force.

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean and Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Chew Men Leong witnessed the live firing onboard the RSS Intrepid, which was commissioned into operational service on Feb 5. Mr Teo is in France on a working visit from April 1 to 5. Source : todayonline

www.tos.nl TOS Rotterdam (+31)10 – 436 62 93 E-Mail [email protected]

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Russia to have 5-6 aircraft carriers by 2060 Russia is developing a new naval strategy which envisions the creation of 5-6 aircraft carrier joint task groups by 2050- 2060, the Navy commander said on Friday.

"We should not separately build combat ships, aircraft or spacecraft - everything must work as an integrated system," Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky told a news conference in Moscow. "This applies to aircraft carriers as well. We are planning to build five or six naval aircraft carrier groups."

These joint task groups will comprise combat ships, various aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), satellites and submarines.

"The existence of these joint task groups will increase the combat effectiveness of the Navy by 60%, and in some respects up to 300%," Vysotsky said.

The construction of new aircraft carriers is expected to begin in 2012-2013. At present, Russia has only one operational aircraft carrier, the Nikolai Kuznetsov, which was commissioned in the early 1990s and has recently re- entered service after a prolonged overhaul.

The ship, also known as Project 1143.5 heavy aircraft carrier, is capable of carrying up to 26 fixed-wing fighters and 24 helicopters. The Nikolai Kuznetsov is currently deployed with Russia's Northern Fleet and has recently participated in a two-month tour to the Mediterranean as part of Russia's plans to resume its continual presence in different regions of the world's seas. Source : rian.ru

[email protected] www.nexumcm.nl Contact : Ad de Kock M: +31 .653.813178 SHIPYARD NEWS NASSCO Launched Navy Ship Amelia Earhart General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego christened and launched the U.S. Navy’s newest resupply ship, the Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6) Sunday, April 6, 2008. Rep. Susan Davis (San Diego) was the ceremony’s principal speaker. Mrs. Amy Kleppner, Amelia Earhart’s niece, christened the ship.

The Amelia Earhart is the sixth ship of the Lewis and Clark-class of dry cargo-ammunition ships to be built by General Dynamics NASSCO. Construction of the Amelia Earhart began in December 2006. The ship’s primary mission will be to deliver more than 10,000 tons of food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions to combat ships at sea. The ship’s name will be preceded by “USNS” for United States Naval Ship.

The timing of the launch is determined by the ship’s construction schedule and the tides of the San Diego Bay. The required depth of tidewater to safely launch the 25,000-ton, 689-foot-long ship into the bay usually occurs twice each month. The Amelia Earhart will be launched into the bay at approximately 9:45 p.m. Source : MarineLink

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HHI Gunsan Shipyard Fully Booked for its First Year Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) Gunsan shipyard is already fully booked for its first year of operation. The shipyard has taken orders for 12 vessels, one year worth of work.HHI signed a contract to build two VLCCs at the Gusan shipyard. With this order, the shipyard has 12 vessels worth a combined $1.3 billion in its orderbook. The other ten ships are Large Bulk Carriers. HHI also confirmed an additional contract for two Large Bulk Carriers to be delivered in 2011. A contract signing ceremony will be held at the end of April of this year. The Gunsan shipyard has confirmed orders worth a total of $1.5 billion, 58% of its new-order target of 28 ships worth a combined $2.6 billion dollars.

At the end of April of this year, the Gunsan shipyard plans to start construction of its shipyard at the same time that it begins building ships. This will mirror HHI’s history. In 1971 HHI had taken an order for two VLCCs before holding their groundbreaking in 1972, when the company began to build the shipyard and the ships at the same time.

The Gunsan shipyard will employ 6,500 and plans to deliver 12-14 ships annually, with a planned expansion to 20 ships in the near future. Its sales target is 2 trillion Won.

The shipyard will be equipped with a one million dwt dry dock and a 1,600-ton gantry crane at its 2.32 million square meter yard. The construction of the advanced and most efficient shipyard will be completed in July of 2009. Source : MarineLink

Scheepsbouw groeit explosief De scheepsbouwbranche maakt een nieuwe periode van bloei door dankzij de toenemende wereldhandel en de stijgende vraag naar luxe jachten. Na een dip begin deze eeuw zit de sector in Nederland in een groeispurt en bestaat er een schreeuwende behoefte aan personeel.

Dat bleek maandag bij de aftrap van de Week van de Scheepsbouw. ,,In 2006 steeg de omzet naar 6 miljard euro, 20 tot 25 procent meer in vergelijking met 2005'', aldus algemeen directeur Martin Bloem van Scheepsbouw Nederland. ,,Over een maand beschikken we over de cijfers van 2007 en die zijn waarschijnlijk ook erg goed''. De organisatie van Bloem bestaat sinds begin dit jaar en vertegenwoordigt ongeveer 800 ondernemingen in de scheepsbouw. Deze bedrijven bieden werkgelegenheid aan 25.000 personen, maar kampen op dit moment met forse personeelstekorten. ,,Er zijn ongeveer 2500 vacatures, voor bijvoorbeeld technici, projectmanagers, pijpfitters en lassers.'' De Nederlandse schepenbouwers en hun toeleveranciers verdienen meer dan de helft van de omzet met export. ,,We bouwen vooral schepen met een hoge complexiteit. Specialisatie en innovatie, dat is onze niche'', zegt Bloem. ,,Denk aan baggerschepen, grote jachten, duw- en sleepboten, schepen waarmee pijpleidingen op de zeebodem worden geplaatst en nieuwe kustbeschermingsschepen.'' Wereldwijd stijgt de vraag naar allerlei soorten schepen. De wereldhandel nam de laatste jaren toe, en het aantal (multi)miljonairs ook. Bloem: ,,Van die ontwikkelingen profiteren wij en we verwachten dat deze trend de komende jaren door zal zetten.''

De Week van de Scheepsbouw duurt tot en met zaterdag. Minister Maria van der Hoeven van Economische Zaken verricht maandagmiddag de officiële opening tijdens een conferentie bij Oceanco, een luxejachtbouwer in Alblasserdam. Scheepsbouw Nederland organiseert de week samen met de vakbonden FNV Bondgenoten en CNV Bedrijvenbond.

ABG to set up third shipyard in Gujarat Private sector firm ABG Shipyard will be setting up a third shipyard in Gujarat and is exploring options to raise $200 million for capacity expansion. "Our third shipyard will come in Gujarat. We are exploring various options, including private equity to raise $200 million," ABG Shipyard CFO Dhananjay Datar said, adding the amount would be raised in this financial year.

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He, however, said there is no time-frame set for the third shipyard to come up. The new shipyard would be an integrated one that can make ships up to a maximum length of 350 metres, he added. The firm is currently concentrating on capacity expansion as Datar feels "globally the demand for ship is good." The proposed shipyard would be built over 200 acres, the biggest for ABG, he said. The company's other shipyard are in Surat and Dahej in Gujarat.

The one in Surat is spread over 35 acres and would be expanded to another 20 acres. The Dahej yard is spread over 150 acres. ABG has an order book of Rs 8,277 crore. Its shares in BSE on Friday closed at Rs 630, down 4.81 per cent. Source: indiatimes

At the De Haas shipyard in Maassluis the former pilot tender JAN VAN GENT was launched back into the water again in her new SIMACHARTERS colours Photo : Jan Steehouwer ©

Gujarat poised to become ship building hub by 2015: Modi Terming Gujarat ports as the "gateways to the country", Chief Minister Narendra on Saturday said that the state is poised to become the ship-building hub of the country by 2015.

Modi was speaking on the occasion of 45th National Maritime Day which coincided with the 27th Gujarat Maritime Board foundation day here today. He said private investment in port infrastructure was to the tune of Rs 17,000 crores till date while investment commitments were expected to go up to Rs 20,000 crore by 2011.

Modi said the profit development has got a massive thrust in terms of creating infrastrucutre and awareness to achieve maritime excellence in last seven years.

The maritime board in Gujarat was formed in 1981. The state witnessed a steep rise of 145 metric tonnes in cargo export in 2008 as compared to 41 metric tonne in 2000. "The voyage of first Indian steamship S S Loyalty marked the rise of nationalism but what is commendable is the spirit of Gujarati seafarers and maritime community, which bring prosperity to the nation," the Chief Minister said.

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Gujarat also has development goals for new ports at Dholera, Khambhat, Sutrapada, Mahuva, Bansi Borsi, Simar, Mithi virdi, Bedi, Maroli, Positra and Porbandar, he said adding it will generate largescale employment opportunities for the youth here. Source: indiatimes

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES 100 years D. Touw Expertise- en Ingenieursbureau BV On 10 April 2008 we will remember that D. Touw Expertise- en Ingenieursbureau BV was established 100 years ago as an independent marine surveying company.

Touw’s history dates back 1908, when Daniel Jacobus Touw, born in the sixties of the 19th century and having sailed on a sailing vessel, established himself ashore as an “Adviser to Shipping Traffic”.

The activities of this one-man company expanded quickly and about 1920 two sons of the family joined the company. Both of them received an education to the Technical College in Dordrecht.

Initially, the company limited itself to inland shipping, but after the Second World War the firm expanded into other areas, including deep-sea shipping, and the offshore and dredging industries.

From the 1970s onwards, the company grew strongly. Between 1980 and 2001 three maritime surveying companies were taken over, namely Expertisebureau K. Zinkweg, Expertisebureau De Beijer and Marinco Survey, and a merger took place with cargo specialist Expertisebureau Binnendijk-Bree. The rapid expandion led to a new company structure: Touw B&B Holding.

As you will see on the website (www.touw-bb.com), Touw offers a comprehensive package of surveying and consultancy services to the shipping, engineering, transport and cargo sectors.

REDWISE MARITME SERVICES B.V. Amersfoortseweg 12-E 3751 LK Bunschoten-Spakenburg The Netherlands Phone : +31 (0) 33 42 17 860 (24 hr) Fax : +31 (0) 33 42 17 879 - [email protected] www.redwise.com

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Thales Awarded Contract for Moroccan Offshore Patrol Vessels On 1 April 2008 Thales Nederland was awarded a contract for the supply of integrated sensor, command & control and communication systems for three new multi-mission frigates that will be built for the Royal Moroccan Navy. Prime Contractor is Schelde Naval Shipbuilding who will build the vessels. In 2012 the last of the three ships will be delivered.

Thales will supply a significant share of the frigate’s operational capabilities to include the TACTICOS combat management system, SMART-S Mk2 surveillance radar, LIROD Mk2 tracking radar, KINGKLIP sonar system, IFF system, Integrated communication system comprising external communication system and FOCON internal communication system, two Target Designation Sights, VIGILE ESM system, SCORPION ECM system, and the integrated navigation system.

This contract confirms the long-lasting relation Thales has entertained with the Royal Moroccan Navy. It also illustrates the excellent cooperation between Schelde Naval Shipbuilding and Thales.

Through this contract the number of SMART-S Mk2 systems sold is increased to 13. The Royal Moroccan Navy is the fifth customer to select SMART-S Mk2, proving further customer recognition of the superiority of this concept.

Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales’ leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues of EUR 12.3 billion.Thales Nederland, established in 1922, is one of the leading companies in integrated naval systems for surveillance, weapon control, combat management and system integration world-wide. Source : defencetalk.com Dubai's DP World posts 52 pct increase in profits DP World, one of the world's largest marine terminal operators, Monday announced a 52 percent increase in profits after tax in 2007, reaching 420 million dollars. The company's total revenues increased by 32 percent to 2.731 billion dollars compared to 2.076 billion dollars in 2006, DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said during a news conference,

The Dubai-based company operates 42 terminals across 22 countries and has plans for 13 new developments said to increase capacity substantially over the next 10 years, it said in a statement. Volume handled by DP World grew 18 percent to 43.3 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Container Units) in 2007, the company said. The company said it raised a total of 4.96 billion dollars in its November initial public offering (IPO), the largest ever in the Middle East.

DP World became a top global port operator when it acquired Britain's P and O in a 6.9-billion-dollar deal in 2006. But the company had to relinquish the US part of that acquisition following fierce congressional opposition to the deal on security grounds despite having the support of President George W. Bush.

New World Alliance to offer two new shuttle services for Asia and USWC The New World Alliance (TNWA) carriers APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine and MOL are launching two new direct shuttle services linking China, Japan and Los Angeles on the US west coast. Starting from mid-May, the current PS3 service Distribution : daily 4125+ copies worldwide Page 17 4/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

will be divided into two services. For Central China, TNWA will offer the PS3, a direct service between Ningbo, Shanghai and Los Angeles. "This enhancement will provide one of the fastest transit times in the industry: 11-day direct service from Shanghai to Los Angeles," a joint statement said.

TNWA will at the same time launch a new Japan-America Shuttle (JAS) service, to provide wider port coverage in Japan than currently offered and to ensure a more reliable service by focusing solely on the Japanese market. The JAS will provide additional stops in Shimizu and Osaka along the Alliance's transpacific network. Both the PS3 and the JAS service will initially deploy four 2,800-3,000 TEU vessels on a weekly service with a 28-day rotation, subject to regulatory approval. The first sailing of the PS3 service will kick off from Ningbo on May 10 on the following port rotation of: Ningbo (Sat), Shanghai (Sun/Mon), Los Angeles (Fri/Sun), Ningbo (Sat).

The first sailing on the JAS service is scheduled to depart from Osaka on May 14. The port rotation for the JAS is Osaka (Wed), Kobe (Thurs), Nagoya (Fri), Shimizu (Sat), Tokyo (Sun/Mon), Los Angeles (Wed/Thurs), Osaka (Wed). Source: schednet.com

KPT breaks 15 years record, handles 215 ships in March Karachi Port Trust broke its 15 years old record by handling 215 ships arrivals in March 2008. It was for the second time that KPT crossed 200 mark by handling ship arrivals during a month. Fifteen years back in August 1993, KPT had handled 208 ships arrivals which also included 33 fishing trawlers.

However, March 2008 figures do not include arrivals of fishing trawlers at Karachi Port. This increase, KPT sources said, reflects the Port's efficiency in cargo handling.

The Container Terminals with latest gantry cranes were not there in 1993 and geared container vessels used to call at Karachi Port. With the induction of private sector, arrivals of gearless container vessels became possible at the port which resulted in reduced vessel turn around time. Source : Imran Farooq Hyundai Merchant Marine doubles capacity on Korea-Middle East route Distribution : daily 4125+ copies worldwide Page 18 4/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

With the depressed US economic situation showing no signs of a recovery, shipping lines are continuing to pull capacity from both the Asia-US West Coast and East Coast trades. But while earlier indications were that the withdrawn capacity would head for established trades such as Asia-North Europe and Asia-Mediterranean, there seems to be a growing tendency among lines of filtering additional capacity into trades that are seen to have big market growth potential in the near future.

The latest line to embrace this approach is Korea's Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), which is about to pull out five post-panamax ships of 4,400 TEU capacity from its New World Alliance transpacific routes and switch them to the Korea-Middle East trade, thereby more than doubling existing capacity on its Middle East service known as KMS. Interestingly, the KMS only caters for Korea-Taiwan-Southern China volumes over the Middle East and according to analysts, it is a trade that is only expected to grow some 12 to 15 percent this year.

To replace the capacity on the transpacific, HMM and its alliance partners will phase in newbuildings of 4,700 TEU vessels that were booked through Korean shipyards at least two years ago. One major shipper told Cargonews Asia: "Shipping lines have huge problems looming with the new capacity coming on stream, and need somewhere to put their surplus tonnage. There are serious limitations on the Asia-Europe trade, mostly because of port congestions and the inability of some terminals to maintain fixed berthing windows for the vessels. So where do the shipping lines turn? Simply to other budding trade lanes such as Asia-Middle East, and there, too, problems will soon arise over too much capacity to meet market demand.''

One of the biggest problems detracting carriers from shifting transpacific rejects to established trades such as Asia- Europe still centres on port congestion and the inability of ports and terminals to ensure minimal waiting delays. Europe's major container port, Rotterdam, is no different from the rest, with feeder vessels for example having to spend almost half port turnround time waiting for a berth. According to one major feeder line: "In February, approximately 47 percent of the total port time at Rotterdam's ECT was spent waiting to work cargo, and once a berth was secured, the average crane movements amounted to some 15 per hour, half the usual average.'' The reason is not because of the terminal's inability to handle the ships, but the back distribution and inbound handling over the immediate hinterland. Serious concerns have been raised at this intermodal situation but it has yet to be resolved. Linked with that concern is the containership newbuilding programme that demands future deployment for ships that cost in excess of US$30,000 to lay up, and the continued downturn in the US market.

With the Asia-Middle East market demand unlikely to grow beyond 15 percent this year, HMM's move to more than double its capacity on one service alone is "more than just alarming", said one shipping source. Source : cargonewsasia.com

Norwegian Nor Lines opens new Grena - Turku service Port of Grenå will be connected with Turku in Finland via a direct liner service. It is the Norwegian Nor Lines, which en route from Norway to Finland in the future will call Grenå. The Danish broker Franck & Tobisen has found the basis for the call at Grenå. Basically it will be foodstuff for fishfarms that will be loaded in the Danish port, which will have a visit from the ship Baltic Sea every second week. The service connects with the coastal service in Norway making it possible to ship cargo to every port from Kristiansand to Tromsø on the P-1 service. Source: shipgaz.com

Rotterdam and Long Beach sign an environmental exchange agreement The Port of Rotterdam Authority and the Port of Long Beach have agreed to jointly boost protection of their environments. Officials from the two ports signed an environmental exchange agreement that aims to promote 'green' practices and technologies. “Through this agreement the ports of Long Beach and Rotterdam will work together to

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advance the best environmental seaport practices and technologies on both continents,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Mario Cordero said.

Signed on April 1, the agreement calls for the ports of Long Beach and Rotterdam to collaborate on environmental issues such as marine wildlife, air quality, soils and sediments, water quality, sustainability and community engagement. The accord includes the exchange of technical information on improving air quality, the establishment of joint delegations to study port emissions and pollutants, as well as the ongoing development of control measures and best practices surrounding port and urban sustainability policies. According to Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, the signing of the agreement would “strengthen the partnership between two seaports viewed as international leaders for a cleaner environment.”

The Port of Long Beach is seen by some as having pioneered environmental stewardship among American seaports with its award-winning Green Port Policy and its clean-air partnership, the Clean Air Action Plan. The Port of Rotterdam is also seen as a leader in terms of clean technologies and efficient port practices that minimize environmental impacts. The port is keen to share its environmental efforts with global ports, its chief executive officer Hans Smits said. Source: portworld.com MAIDEN CALL FOR MARGRETHE MAERSK IN ZEEBRUGGE

After the series of the 8 giants of the "Emma Maersk" class, the Danish builder Odense Steel Shipyard, has already delivered the first of a new series of six container ships for Maersk Line.

The first vessel named "Margrethe Maersk", was baptized Saturday March 8 by Maud Andersson, married to Mr Bo I. Andersson, Group Vice President, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, General Motors Corporation.

The series of six containers ships will have a capacity of 7000 teu, the series will be highly automated and monitored by advanced computer systems, as waste heat recovery system is installed to optimise the use of the energy produced. The vessel has a 12-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex diesel engine which develops 93,000 BHP.

"Margrethe Maersk" is registered in Copenhagen and will be commanded by Captain Ebbe Larsen together with Soren Bjerre as Chief Engineer.

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FJORD CAT BACK ONLINE The FJORD CAT (ex MASTER CAT) returned to service between Kristiansand and Hanstholm 4 April. This article from the local Kristiansand paper 'Fædrelandsvennen' includes a picture of her new colours. After two seasons of losses, the new management hope to show a profit, with higher fares and the vessel transferred to the cheaper Danish flag. They also hope to benefit from the reduction in Color Line's services.

SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGE Jupiterstraat 33 Telephone : + 31 2555 627 11 2132 HC Hoofddorp Telefax : + 31 2355 718 96 The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected] Mormugao Port shows sign of resilience but still lot to achieve Goa’s Mormugao Port Trust has come out of a year of dismal performance and is entering into a taxpaying year. The port, which had slipped in performance during 2007-08, said it will no longer be able to enjoy tax-free status and expects a financial knock due to income taxes in the new fiscal year. The port has slipped one notch to the ninth position among the country’s 12 major ports and missed the target set by the government for traffic handling in 2007- 08, while its income fell by 1.8%.

The port, which shelved its expansion projects worth Rs 1,200 crore succumbing to local protests, also saw the number of cruise liners calling on the port plummeting drastically to 36 during the last fiscal year, compared with 86 a year earlier.

“Many ports have reached the targeted performance, we need to improve our infrastructure and create better facilities to be able to export more cargo,” said MPT chairman Praveen Agarwal. MPT’s provisional income has fell from Rs 276 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 271 crore for 2007-08.

Ports revenues are further expected to drop next year when it falls in the tax bracket through an amendment made to the Charitable Trust Act. “The tax will take a heavy toll on our revenues, most of which is mainly used to create better infrastructure. We shall speak to government for reconsideration on this.” And even as ports traffic handling facility touched an all time high of 35.13 million tonne – a 3% increase from previous year, it was well below the target of 39 million tonne as set by ministry of shipping, Mr Agarwal admitted.

The only highlight has been iron ore exports which saw a marginal increase from 26.66 million tonne last year to 27.30 million tonne this year. Mr Agarwal hopes that Goa’s unique river navigation system that is used for transport of iron ore, thereby exempting it from paying any transport cess, will help further augment ore exports from here.

In a bid to make the port viable in the long run, MPT now plans to develop a passenger bay cum rig-repair unit on Public Private Partnership (mode), in addition to dedicating a berth entirely for docking cruise terminals. Other projects include construction of mooring dolphins and developing the road-rail links, all of which apart from boosting cargo exports, is also expected to give a boost to tourism as well. Distribution : daily 4125+ copies worldwide Page 21 4/7/2008 DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 097

“MPT is located very close to the airport, so we can create infrastructure for tourists who can use the sea route to travel to different parts of Goa,” Mr Agarwal added. The port is now in talks with state, to partner with government’s Maritime Board. State is studying the feasibility of developing smaller ports across Goa.

But even as MPT looks to create infrastructure projects for long term sustainability, the problem is that it faces a lot of opposition from local residents of Vasco. MPT has large areas of prime property in Vasco, and locals here are worried about increasing pollution with such expansion in port activities. Source: indiatimes

The Ventura seen arriving at her new homeport of Southampton on 6th April. Photo : Gary Davies © Port gets new crane The Port of Portland's fourth post-Panamax container crane will hit the mouth of the Columbia River as soon as Wednesday and could reach Portland by Thursday, nearing the end of a monthlong, 5,800-mile trip from China.

The massive crane -- which stands 16 stories tall, weighs 1,400 tons and is as wide as two city blocks -- is capable of spanning the largest vessels within the port. Post-Panamax refers to ships that are too wide to fit through the Panama Canal. Each crane can handle about 30 containers per hour. Port officials say having four such cranes will make the port more efficient.

The crane was built by Zhenhau Port Machinery Co. of Shanghai, China, at a cost of roughly $7.9 million -- $7.5 million of which came from a state program to fund nonhighway transportation infrastructure. The port picked up the remainder of the tab.

The project's total budget, including an electrical substation to power the crane, engineering oversight and inspection, is $10.5 million.

Specific details about the date and time of the crane's arrival in Portland will be available as it nears the city. If weather and tide conditions are ideal, it could arrive in Portland as soon as Thursday, the port said in a news release. Source : Portland Business Journal

Oetker-Reederei Hamburg Süd investiert in großem Stil in Schiffe

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Die Reederei Hamburg Süd investiert in großem Stil in Schiffe und Container, um mit dem Wachstum des Welthandels Schritt halten zu können. Im vergangenen Jahr habe das Investitionsbudget bei 600 Millionen Euro gelegen, 70 prozent mehr als im Jahr davor und so viel wie noch nie, teilte das Unternehmen am Montag in Hamburg mit. Von 2008 bis 2011 sollen insgesamt 1,7 Milliarden Euro investiert werden. Nach der Übernahme einer italienischen Reederei dirigiert die Gruppe insgesamt 177 eigene und fremde Schiffe. "Der Anteil unserer eigenen Schiffe wird sich in den kommenden Jahren erhöhen", sagte der Vorsitzende der Geschäftsführung, Klaus Meves. Zur Zeit hat Hamburg Süd 17 Schiffe mit einer Kapazität von 104 000 Standardcontainern (TEU) in Auftrag gegeben, die 2008 und 2010 geliefert werden. Die zum Oetker-Konzern gehörende Reederei erwartet in diesem Jahr wieder zweistellige Wachstumsraten bei den Transportleistungen, sorgt sich aber um die stark gestiegenen Treibstoffkosten. Im vergangenen Jahr habe sich der Durchschnittspreis für eine Tonne Schiffsdiesel um 20 Prozent auf 350 Dollar verteuert; in der Spitze waren es sogar mehr als 500 Dollar. Die Hamburg Süd verbrauche jährlich zwei Millionen Tonnen Treibstoff, so dass sich diese Kostensteigerungen im Ergebnis stark bemerkbar machten. "Deshalb sind unsere höheren Umsätze nicht voll im Ergebnis durchgeschlagen", sagte Meves. "Wir sind aber zufrieden." Ebenso wie andere Unternehmen des Oetker-Konzerns gibt auch die Hamburg Süd keine genauen Gewinnzahlen bekannt.

Im vergangenen Jahr steigerte die Hamburg Süd ihren Containerumschlag in der Linienschifffahrt um 17 Prozent auf 2,14 Millionen TEU. Auch die Trampschifffahrt - das sind Schiffe, die bei Bedarf eingesetzt werden und nicht einem regelmässigen Fahrplan folgen - legte zweistellig zu. Der Umsatz erhöhte sich um zwölf Prozent auf knapp 3,6 Milliarden Euro. Neben den hohen Treibstoffkosten erweisen sich nach Meves' Worten vor allem die weltweit zunehmenden Engpässe in den Häfen und Schifffahrtswegen als Problem. Teilweise seien erhebliche Wartezeiten in Kauf zu nehmen; die Fahrpläne seien nicht einzuhalten und die Service-Qualität nehme ab. Die Folge seien beträchtliche Mehrkosten.

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

…..WHO IS WHO…..

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Newsclippings reader Joeson Wei, country manager Taiwan for Inchcape Shipping Services based in Taipei, seen with the shipsbell of the NICOLINE MAERSK, presented to Tait & Co (now named Inchape) by AP Moller / Maersk Line in remembrance of the good service given over the periode 1933-1977 by this agency. Photo : Piet Sinke ©

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. If you want to no longer receive this bulletin kindly reply with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.

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