DAILY SHIPPING NEWSLETTER 2004 – 114 Number 114***DAILY SHIPPING NEWSLETTER**Saturday 10-07-2004 THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY : VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd. wire ropes, chains, hooks, shackles, webbing slings, lifting beams, crane blocks, turnbuckles etc. Binnenbaan 36 3161VB RHOON The Netherlands Telephone: (+31)105018000 (+31) 105015440 (a.o.h.) Fax : (+31)105013843 Internet & E-mail www.vlierodam.nl [email protected] The KRUZENSTERN arrived in the port of Zeebrugge Photo : Piet Sinke © PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 1 07/09/04 DAILY SHIPPING NEWSLETTER 2004 – 114 EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS The Seaway Falcon is currently working close from the Dutch Coast, 7 n.m.off Egmond. Photo : Joop Marechal © Workscope is to lay and trench an 8" production pipeline and lay/trench a hydraulic/electric control umbillical over a distance of 12 km. From Wintershall Q5-A to Q8-B. Pipelay started the first of July at Q5 where the drilling jack-up rig NOBLE KOLSKAYA (photo left : Oddgeir Refvik) is positioned. Guard vessel at present is TELCO RULER (photo right : Oddgeir Refvik) Assisting tug in the field was the ZEUS as support vessel for the FALCON and positioning the initiation anchor. The anchor was removed and the ZEUS left the field. Also the NORMAND MERMAID ( photo right : Oddgeir Refvik) is working in the area as light construction and survey vessel. At present, the laying of the rigid 8" pipe is nearing completion at Q8, after which we will trench the pipe. Then lay and trench of the umbillical and we expect to finish work completely in about 9 days after which the vessel sails into IJmuiden for demobilisation and mobilisation of the next job which will be off the British coast, North of Great Yarmouth. PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 2 07/09/04 DAILY SHIPPING NEWSLETTER 2004 – 114 The tug THOMAS DE GAUWDIEF towed the newbuilding hull of Feederlines “VEELERDIEP” from Kerch in the Ukraine to Delfzijl Photo : via Joop Keesmaat – Landfall Transport © Jebsen slams probe findings Shipowner Atle Jebsen has lashed out with some harsh words for Norwegian investigators and their conclusions. Atle Jebsen has started a row over the Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD) report into the Rocknes disaster, which claimed 18 seafarers' lives when it grounded in a Bergen fjord in January. The Norwegian shipowner has blasted the report, issued last week after a seven-month investigation, as "too narrow" and "speculative". He has also accused investigators of using the master, who died in the accident, as a scapegoat. Jebsen has called on the Norwegian fishing and industry authorities to open a more thorough investigation. He told TradeWinds: "The report is too limited and narrow and the conclusions do not go much further than speculation and opinion. The public deserves to be told what really happened in this accident." According to the NMD report, improper loading was a main reason the 26,000-dwt bulker Rocknes (built 2001) sank so rapidly. It found the cargo's centre of gravity was too high as the cargo-to-ballast ratio was incorrect. "The ship would not have capsized so fast if it had been loaded according to the rules," the report concluded. However, Jebsen says the report is looking to lay blame with the master and structure of the ship but pays little attention to the problems with charts that caused the initial grounding. He says investigators used the report to fulfil a political agenda to "prove that Solas is insufficient" on technical grounds. One retired master who has seen the report is also angered by the spotlight on the master. He said: "So it's the master's fault as usual. And the stability that was designed so critically that ballast was necessary, whose fault is that?" Jebsen defends the Rocknes master. "The last published chart was dated February 2003 but there was nothing on the chart which shows the rock. The pilot and master knew nothing about it. If they had known, they would not have gone to port there is no reason to take that chance," he said. The Rocknes collided with a rock at 12 knots and ripped an 80-metre gash down the hull over three ballast tanks, an event which the ship was not designed to withstand. The Norwegian Maritime Directorate's Rune Teisrud staunchly defends the work of his office. He says investigators worked within a limited mandate and budget and that he was only authorised to look at technical matters and possible solutions. He adds that the navigational questions will be addressed by an upcoming report from the Bergen Maritime authorities. Teisrud says that at the time of the accident, he wrote to the appropriate government minister asking for a full investigation but that his plea was rejected. PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 3 07/09/04 DAILY SHIPPING NEWSLETTER 2004 – 114 Teisrud points out that he was limited to a budget of NOK 1m ($141,000) and that NOK 600,000 of that amount was spent on loading simulation alone. He adds that accident investigation is a flag-state matter and the authorities of the Antigua and Barbuda flag (under which the Rocknes was registered) have done nothing. "If this was a Norwegian- flag ship, there would have been a full investigation," he said. Jebsen is promising to make a review of the ship's stability as it undergoes repair. "We want to do something so that if there is more than one tank punctured the ship will stay afloat," he said Seatrade Groningen snaps up Unique Shipping's last reefers Seatrade Groningen is said to have bought two reefers from Hong Kong owner Unique Shipping. The deal will see Unique exit the sector. The 527,000-cbf French Bay and Roman Bay (built 1992) are said to have been sold for about $14.5m each. They will stay in the Seatrade pool. Pool executive Michael Schaap confirms pool participants bought the ships but does not disclose any names. But brokers say Seatrade Groningen chartered in the reefers with purchase options. The Roman Bay has been renamed Hawk Bay and the French Bay is working as the Buzzard Bay . They were Unique's last reefers. In September it sold the 564,000-cbf Costa Rican Star (built 1998) and 565,000-cbf Caribbean Star (built 1997) to Star Reefers for $39.8m en bloc. Unique had been earning $0.64 per cbf or around $12,000 per day for each ship. Market observers say Seatrade probably chartered in the two Bay-class reefers at a similar level. Meanwhile, Lagoa Shipping of Greece is said to have bought the 325,000-cbf reefer White Mountain (built 1983) from the Sammy Ofer group. No price has been revealed. Target Marine of Greece has sold two reefers under its management to Russian interests. Baltic Shipping of St Petersburg confirms Russian investors bought the 389,900-cbf Kirki (built 1979) and Kalypso (built 1980). Company executive Gregoryi Keshishan says Baltic is expecting to get management of the reefers. Brokers say they went for between $2.7m and $2.75m each. Target would not confirm this. In July 2003 Target took over management of the reefers along with three others from Costas Comninos-controlled Millenium Enterprises of Greece. Target is controlled by Costas's brother, Anthony Comninos. Baltic Shipping says it now manages between 20 and 24 reefers on behalf of Russian interests. Clipper Group in talks with Vinashin over 10-ship deal Denmark's Clipper Group is pressing ahead with its plan to order up to 10 boxships of 332 teu at Vietnam Shipbuilding (Vinashin) but says recent reports of a letter of intent having been signed are premature. Clipper boss Soren Halsted confirms his company is in talks with Vinashin but says no deal has been agreed. "We have not signed any contracts at this stage but we have recently held discussions related to a potential order for a series of vessels," he said. Vinashin says it hopes to sign a contract for an undisclosed number of firm orders and options by the end of the third quarter. No price details have been revealed. Should it win the order, the yard plans to build the ships at its Ben Kien and Song Cam facilities. PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 4 07/09/04 DAILY SHIPPING NEWSLETTER 2004 – 114 Halsted says that if the project goes ahead, Clipper will appoint GTR Campbell Marine Consultants to handle newbuilding supervision. The company has been Clipper's advisor and supervisor of the vast majority of its newbuildings over the past 10 years. Halsted believes that Vinashin will have no problem in carrying out the potential contracts even though it is a relative newcomer to international shipbuilding. "With the right supervision, delays or production issues are not really our concern," he said. Clipper has been a regular customer at Chinese yards over the past decade but decided to look into building ships in Vietnam for two main reasons. "Many Chinese yards have no interest in the smaller segments and seem to concentrate their efforts on larger vessels. Some also seem to be seeking to re- negotiate their contracts or dump their clients an attitude that causes great concern for Clipper Group as a potential customer," Halsted said. He adds that should the dialogue with Clipper and Vinashin lead to a firm project, the ships will be earmarked for management by Clipper Elite Carriers. The group already operates more than 60 multipurpose and project vessels ranging in size from 5,000 dwt to 17,000 dwt. Two accidents highlight alcohol concern Two separate incidents have highlighted the problem of alcohol abuse at sea in European waters.