DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 174
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Number 174 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Friday 04-07-2008 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.
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CONTENTS
EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS • Sunken ship to be refloated, may take a month • Fairplay Towage buys Polish Towage Company in Swinoujscie • Ship pilot to retire as probe into crash continues • Two Connecticut residents rescued by cruise ship • MAHU NAAR TERNEUZEN • Pirates make demands for hostages • BRAKZAND ENROUTE NICARAGUA • Piracy reported near Pulau Tioman • Personeel Hapag-Lloyd betoogt tegen verkoop rederij • BC Ferries defends docking practices • Prince William's Royal Navy ship in high seas drugs bust • Peace Boat to invite 100 A-bomb survivors to sail around world • OPTINAM wedstrijddag 1 • 'Uitstel verdiepen Schelde kost Antwerpse banen'
CASUALTY REPORTING
• Coast Guard cutter and ferry collide
NAVY NEWS • U.K. inks $5.95 billion aircraft carrier contracts • British Secure Long-Term Contract to Support Auxiliary Ships • Royal Navy bestelt grootste oorlogsschepen ooit
SHIPYARD NEWS
• Damen secures further order from Jan de Nul • Croatian Shipyard Brodosplit Will Construct Ro-Pax Vessel for France's CMN • EU orders Hellenic Shipyards to pay back €230 million subsidy
ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES
• NOAA christens research vessel • SAFMARINE LAUNCHES ASIA-AFRICA SERVICE • Vietnam coastal ferry route awaits approval • Wartsila Aims to Become a Leader in Ship Design - Acquires Global Ship Design Group
Vik-Sandvik • LIVORNO FSRU PROJECT - GOLAR FROST SALE • Havila Shipping ASA orders NOK1.5bn newbuilding contract to Havyard Leirvik AS • Maersk Line orders another 16 • Star Bulk Takes Delivery of Supramax Vessel Star Cosmo; Expands Its Operational Fleet
to Twelve Vessels • Eimskip announces changes in the American route
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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS HIGH
DEEP
HEAVY
EURO DEMOLITION BV Lijndenweg 5, NL 1948 ND BEVERWIJK
THE m/v Princess of the Stars will be refloated, officials said yesterday, ditching a bid to use divers to retrieve hundreds of bodies and toxic pesticides some 11 days after the ferry capsized with 850 people onboard at the height of typhoon Frank. Amid anger at the slow-moving recovery operation, the government and the ferry’s operator, Sulpicio Lines, abandoned plans to bore a hole in the 24,000-ton vessel to pull out the bodies and the toxic agricultural chemicals threatening to leak out. A salvage outfit hired to execute the plan, as well as Filipino and US military divers, had left the site off Sibuyan Island, Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Elena Bautista said. “Subsea [the salvage firm] is pulling out because we will refloat the vessel,” Bautista said. Malacañang yesterday said a takeover of Sulpicio Lines was “an open option,” depending on the findings of the Board of Marine Inquiry, which is investigating the disaster. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government would have to work with Congress to secure the authority for a takeover.
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Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he supported a takeover and suggested it to President Arroyo. A takeover, he added, would allow the government to quickly determine the seaworthiness of Sulpicio Lines’ fleet. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile said Sulpicio Lines’ dismal safety record would justify the cancelation of its franchise and shipping permit. “The government can revoke the franchise and supervise Sulpicio Lines using the manpower of the Navy,” he said in a TV interview. Enrile also chastised the Maritime Industry Authority for allowing “a negligent and impudent company to hold on to its certificate of public convenience.” The senator dismissed the shipping company’s lawsuit against the weather bureau, saying it was meant to deflect criticism. The Marine Board continued its hearings yesterday with testimony from the weather bureau’s director, Frisco Nilo. Nilo told the board that the weather bureau primarily disseminates information on storms through the National Disaster Coordinating Council. “We’re just a warning agency and we give our reports to the NDCC operations center. It is not our primary function to disseminate information, but we are doing everything we can beyond our function to disseminate information,” he said. Sulpicio Lines blames the weather bureau for failing to promptly report a change in typhoon Frank’s course. While tests showed waters around the sunken ferry have not been contaminated with the endosulfan cargo, there was concern containers could corrode, allowing the chemical to leach and contaminate the area. “The potential danger to marine life is a major factor in the decision,” a Coast Guard biologist, who asked not to be named, said. An Air Force helicopter circled the ship, whose bow is still jutting above the water, on Wednesday and dropped pink, yellow and white flowers in a ceremony to mark the end of the divers’ efforts to recover bodies. Government officials were now meeting with representatives of Sulpicio Lines, the ferry’s operator, on how they would go about refloating the boat, Bautista said but gave no timetable. The announcement further extends the recovery bid, which has caused anger and frustration among relatives still waiting to confirm the identities of loved ones who perished so they could bury them. Forensic experts from Interpol set up an ID center in Cebu City to speed up the identification of the remains recovered from the ferry. The National Statistics Office said it would provide civil registry documents for free to the families of the victims. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez warned families of the victims not to sign blank special powers of attorney without someone from the Public Attorney’s Office present, as these could be used as quit claims. Vice President Noli de Castro, who has been supervising the recovery, said refloating the vessel and retrieving the bodies would take about a month. Coast Guard and Navy divers had originally tried to enter the vessel, which is resting upside-down on a reef to find the bodies. But poor visibility and strong currents hampered the start of the operation, and then divers found the ship’s passageways blocked by debris. The operation was suspended Friday with the belated discovery of the illegal cargo of tons of endosulfan pesticide, which was deemed a health hazard. The Health Department warned that fish in Romblon and nearby areas could be contaminated if the cargo of pesticide was not immediately retrieved. The ferry sailed into the eye of typhoon Frank on June 21, ran aground, and was sunk by huge waves as it tried to seek shelter the next day. Only 57 of the 850 passengers and crew survived, making it one of the country’s worst maritime disasters Source : Manila Standard
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Fairplay Towage buys Polish Towage Company in Swinoujscie
With effect of 1st July, 2008, Hamburger based FAIRPLAY Towage has taken-over 100% of the shares of the Swinoujscie-based tugowner „Port-Hol S.A.
Port-Hol S.A. resulted out of the reorganisation of the maritime activities of the Port of Swinoujscie in February 2001. Port-Hol is operating 4 own tugs and manages 1 fire-fighting tug for the local authorities. Furthermore two floating cranes as well as various smaller maritime crafts belong to the fleet. Port-Hol’s main activities are assistances of seagoing ships in ports, coastal towages along the Polish coast as well as the Baltic Sea and Northsea, mooring and unmoring of ships and various other maritime services. Left : the 55 ton BP URAN
Already in 2003 – prior to Polen joining the EU - Fairplay Towage bought the Szczecin based company Project Zegluga, followed by the establishment of „Fairplay Towage S.P. z o.o“ in 2006. Fairplay’s Polish portfolio comprises primarily of assistances of seagoing ships in Szczecin and the Port of Police as well as escorting of ships on River Odra from Swinoujscie to Szczecin and vice versa. In addition Project Zegluga is running a crewing agency which is supplying Fairplay’s Rotterdam tugs with qualified seafarers. Last but not least Fairplay’s Polish tugs are frequently supporting Fairplay’s activities in other German Baltic ports. With the take-over of Port-Hol, Fairplay will consolidate and combine the towage activities on the River Odra as well as along the Baltic coast. The well known name Port-Hol will remain to exist. Source : Fairplay Towage
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Ship pilot to retire as probe into crash continues A container ship pilot will retire rather than testify at a hearing on his conduct when a vessel he was piloting struck a bridge support tower last year, creating the worst oil spill in San Francisco Bay in nearly two decades. Capt. John Cota said in a letter to state licensing authorities that he is ending his career because the multiple investigations into his actions left him "in an impossible situation." Investigators have been probing whether Cota's sleep disorder or medications contributed to the accident. He has been charged with lying about his medical record, his licenses have been suspended and he is a subject of several lawsuits related to the Nov. 7 spill. "I have only one option and that is to retire effective Oct. 1, 2008," Cota wrote in the letter to the State Board of Pilot Commissioners dated June 23. Cota was piloting the 900-foot cargo ship Cosco Busan when it sideswiped the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, opening a gash in its hull and leaking 53,000 gallons of toxic fuel that killed and injured thousands of birds. After the spill, the commissioners accused Cota of misconduct, and a hearing before an administrative law judge was scheduled for September. Cota's attorney, John Meadows, said the federal charges would have led Cota to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination at the hearing. "The federal criminal case is such a delicate matter that he doesn't want to jeopardize his position by anything he would testify to in the administrative case," Meadows said Tuesday by telephone. K. Michael Miller, president of the San Francisco Board of Pilot Commissioners, said Tuesday that the board had not yet decided whether to cancel the September hearing. Cota, 60, has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor environmental crimes and two felony charges of lying to the Coast Guard about his medical record. If convicted, he could face jail time and fines. In his letter, Cota said the Coast Guard had ruled his sleep disorder "a disqualifying medical condition," but he notes it was being treated and controlled with appropriate medication prescribed by a sleep specialist. Sleep apnea is a breathing condition that can disrupt sleep and leave sufferers severely fatigued. Cota took Provigil to ward off drowsiness, and its known side effects include impaired judgment. Under Coast Guard policy, a sleep disorder can be grounds for disqualification, but is not automatically so. A spokesman for the Coast Guard in Washington did not immediately return phone calls late Tuesday. Neither Miller nor Cota's lawyer knew the exact annual amount of pension Cota would collect. Cota has 27 years of pension credit, and pilots association financial records show the average San Francisco bar pilot was paid $450,673 in 2007. Pensions are determined by a complex formula set by state law and based on a percentage of the retiring pilot's income over his last five years of service. That means Cota probably would collect well over $150,000 per year. Source : ap.google
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Two Connecticut residents rescued by cruise ship
The crew of a cruise ship on its way to Bermuda helped rescue two Connecticut residents in separate incidents off the coasts of Massachusetts and New York. At the request of the Coast Guard, the Norwegian Dawn responded to a sailboat off the coast of Cape Cod Monday and its doctor treated an ill passenger, 42-year-old Andrew Giglia of Wilton, for dehydration and shock-like symptoms. A three-member rescue crew had to battle winds up to 35 knots and waves up to 15 feet to get to Giglia on board the ship. Twelve hours later, the same crew rescued 55-year-old Hillary Bercovici of Greenwich who had sustained a head injury aboard another sailboat approximately 260 miles south of Montauk, N.Y. He was taken on board and received five stitched to the forehead. Both men are in stable condition and stayed with the cruise ship, disembarking in Bermuda. Source : The Boston Globe
MET DE MAHU NAAR TERNEUZEN
Boven : de MAHU op de Westerschelde richting Terneuzen . De eerste grote reis van ex Hr. Ms. Mahu, van haar basis in Amsterdam-Noord naar de havendagen van Terneuzen van 25 t/m 29 juni 2008. Na enige geslaagde proefvaarten was het haar eerste grote proef na haar oplegging bij het mariniersmuseum in Rotterdam.
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De bedoeling was ook nog naar Walsoorden te gaan, om de familie te ontmoeten waar onze ex mijnenveger naar is vernoemd, maar dit werd ons ontraden door kenners en hebben toen met de familie in Terneuzen kennis gemaakt. De reis heeft ons van alles gebracht wat wij wilden een gladde zee bij vertrek en windkracht 7 voor de kust van Zeeland. Deze reis was voor ons de kroon op ons werk van jaren om haar weer vaarklaar te krijgen en wij hebben genoten van deze reis.
Pirates make demands for hostages Somali pirates are demanding $2-million (about R15-million) for the release of a German couple seized off the lawless Horn of Africa nation's coast, an intermediary in the negotiations said on Tuesday. Pirates abducted the couple on June 23 as they sailed through the Gulf of Aden on a trip from Egypt to Thailand. The kidnappers then abandoned the yacht on the shore and disappeared into a nearby mountainous area with their hostages. While the couple are in good health and being treated well, the man suffers from diabetes and has not had access to insulin for several days, the intermediary said. Talks over the release of German cargo ship the MV Lehmann Timber are also in deadlock and concerns are growing for the welfare of the crew, four of whom are said to be ill and in urgent need of medical treatment. Piracy is rife off the coast of the Horn of Africa nation. Cargo ships and luxury yachts have been targeted by heavily-armed pirates, who then hold the crew ransom. The most high-profile case in recent months involved the capture of a luxury French yacht in April. French troops rescued the hostages and captured six of the pirates, although another six are believed to have escaped. The United Nations Security Council recently approved incursions into Somali waters to curb piracy, which the weak transitional government, currently engaged in countering a bloody insurgency, is powerless to prevent. Somalia has been in a state of anarchy since the overthrow of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Source : Sapa-dpa
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The BRAKZAND departed from The Netherlands with destination Nicaragua, where she will start work as a ferry for banana transports . We wish her crew a safe sailing to Nicaragua
Piracy reported near Pulau Tioman Two attacks in a month targeted tugs towing barges
The second piracy incident in a month has been reported near Pulau Tioman off Malaysia's east coast. And both times the target was a tug towing a barge. The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre said the Singapore-registered tug Wecoy 6, towing the barge Cakrawala, was travelling to Singapore from Can Tho, Vietnam on June 29 when it was boarded at 1.30am about 10 nautical miles off Tioman by six men armed with long knives and axes. The raiders used a long white speedboat with twin outboard motors. Four other men waited in the speedboat during the robbery. The robbers took the crew's personal belongings including a laptop, mobile phones, cash and a portable VHF radio. They then sped off towards nearby Pulau Pemanggil, leaving the crew unharmed. The ship's master reported the incident to authorities in Malaysia and Singapore. The Singapore Port Operations Control Centre initiated a Navtex broadcast, warning ships in the area to look out for fast-moving craft and to increase anti-piracy watches. About on two months earlier on April 30, the tug PU 2008, towing the barge PU 3306, was boarded at 11.30pm 25km south of Pulau Tioman by six masked men armed with long knives. They used a dark blue speed boat about 4 metres long. The raiders went into the crew accommodation area and stole laptops, mobile phones and cash before escaping.
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They did not harm the crew. Tugs are especially vulnerable to attack because they are slow-moving and restricted in their ability to manoeuvre. Source : businesstimes.com.sg
Personeel Hapag-Lloyd betoogt tegen verkoop rederij
Enkele honderden werknemers van Hapag-Lloyd hebben gisteren geprotesteerd tegen de voorgenomen verkoop van deze Hamburgse rederij. Ze voerden blokkades uit rondom de Hamburgse Binnenalster, nabij het hoofdkantoor van Hapag-Lloyd. Op dat hoofdkantoor werken 1.200 mensen, van wie er velen voor hun baan vrezen als de rederij in handen mocht komen van buitenlandse partijen. Bij heel Hapag-Lloyd werken 7.500 mensen. Onder druk van grootaandeelhouder John Frederiksen bereidt moedermaatschappij TUI een verkoop van Hapag-Lloyd voor. De opbrengst daarvan wordt door analisten geschat op vijf miljard euro. Dat geld kan worden besteed aan verdere uitbouw van de kernactiviteit van TUI, namelijk de organisatie van reizen. TUI werkt aan een prospectus voor kandidaat-overnemers. Tot de mogelijke overnemers wordt gerekend de Singaporese rederij Neptune Orient Lines (NOL). Het personeel van Hapag-Lloyd wil niet dat hun bedrijf in handen van een grote buitenlandse reder zou komen. Het bepleit een 'Hamburgse oplossing'. Die zou er kunnen komen als Duitse investeerders in Hapag-Lloyd gaan participeren. Een andere mogelijkheid, bepleit door het bestuur van de stad Hamburg, is een samengaan met rederij Hamburg Süd.
www.mammoetsalvage.com
BC Ferries defends docking practices BC Ferries, Canada, has rejected the demands of a frequent ferry user to turn off the vessel’s engines when the vessels are being docked. Marty Lewis wants the ferry operator to investigate fuel usage, saying that the situation is contributing to constantly rising ferry fares. However Deborah Marshall of BC Ferries has said that shutting down the engines while loading and unloading can cause damage to the engine by starting and stopping it all the time.
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Similary, John Clarkson, associate dean of the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s maritime company said that the docks are built to accommodate various ships’ hull forms, and that keeping the engines running secures the vessels while vehicles load and unload. “To go through all those motions to secure a ferry, to shut the engine down, the time frame would be immense,” Mr Clarkson told Canwest News Service.
Prince William's Royal Navy ship in high seas drugs bust
A British Royal Navy warship with second-in-line to the throne Prince William on board helped the US Coast Guard in a major drugs bust, the defence ministry in London said Wednesday. The Type-23 frigate HMS Iron Duke intercepted an ocean-going speedboat at 12:12 pm (1612 GMT) Saturday, hundreds of miles (kilometres) northwest of Barbados. It had been spotted by the ship's helicopter and raised suspicions because it was so far off land and
appeared to be heading for Europe or west Africa. US Coast Guard boarded the 50-foot (15-metre) vessel and found 45 bales of cocaine weighing 900 kilogrammes (1,980 pounds) and with an estimated street value of at least 40 million pounds (79.6 million dollars, 50.2 million euros). Five men on board the speedboat were detained. The boat, which was in poor condition, later sank, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. William, 26, is serving on board HMS Iron Duke as part of a two-month attachment to the Royal Navy. The ship patrols the North Atlantic Ocean and is on hand to provide help in the event of natural disasters like hurricanes. It also works on counter-narcotics operations with US colleagues to restrict the flow of cocaine out of central America. His
presence was not mentioned in the communique, but the ship's Commander Mark Newland was quoted by Britain's Press Association news agency as saying Sub-Lieutenant Wales, as he is known, was involved as the operation unfurled. "I was at each phase able to introduce him to and expose him to the way we do our business, from the planning all the way through to getting the sea boats and the 45 bales of cocaine on board HMS Iron Duke on Saturday evening. "This is a young man who has three, four years of professional military experience behind him. He is someone who contributes at every level. He is a very professional military officer, and very astute. "He acts as I would expect a young officer of his experience and maturity to act in this type of operation." William has previously trained with the British Army and learnt how to fly with the Royal Air Force as part of preparations for his future role as head of the armed forces. He completed an intensive course in basic skills such as navigation, boat handling and sea safety before joining the warship. He has experienced rough seas and stormy weather since being on board, Newland said.
Peace Boat to invite 100 A-bomb survivors to sail around world
The nongovernmental organization Peace Boat said Thursday it will invite 100 survivors of 1945 U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to embark on an around-the-world voyage this summer to relate their experiences to people in other countries. "There are not many people in the world who have actually met people who survived the atomic bombings," Daini Nakahara, an executive committee member of Peace Boat, told a news conference in Tokyo. The aim of the cruise "is to directly convey memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to people around the world."
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OPTINAM wedstrijddag 1 Na een indrukwekkende openingsparade en een goed verlopen oefenrace waren de verwachtingen over de eerste wedstrijddag van de OPTINAM 2008 hoog. De zeil condities leken prima, mooi weer maar met een stevige wind en golven tussen de 1,5 - 2,5 meter Ook waren flinke witte koppen op het water te zien. De banner van hoofdsponsors ENNIA & Banco di Caribe met “ Opti sailors rule the waves” was dan ook zeer treffend. Het was een prachtig schouwspel, de kleine bootjes met witte zeiltjes op de enorme golven. De eerste race verliep vlot, het race commitee kreeg de 204 zeilers snel weg zonder valse starts. Daarna gebeurde er iets wat ook bij het zeilen hoort, het anker van het start schip sloeg los en hierdoor begon het schip op drift te raken. Je kan je nog zo goed voorbereiden als wedstrijdleiding maar je hebt met de werking van de
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natuur te maken. Wedstrijdleider Harmen Donker besloot om de zeilers terug te sturen naar de wal terwijl de startboot in het 500 meter diepe water opnieuw verankerd werd. Dus dat extra werk voor de mensen op de wal die de 204 bootjes uit het water op het strand moeten slepen. De meeste zeilers vonden het echter prima, vooral de zeilers die niet gewend zijn om op zo’n ruwe zee te zeilen genoten van de extra rust. Tegen vier uur vond de tweede start plaats en tegen zessen kwamen de zeilers van het water, de eersten lachtend de laatsten sleepten zich over het strand van Zanzibar Jan Thiel beach voort naar de slang om hun boot af te spoelen. Een lange eerste dag die met een goed diner
met veel pasta en een leuke prijsuitreiking werd afgesloten. De resultaten De meeste zeilers uit het Caribisch gebied kwamen met een glimlach op hun gezicht van het water, dit zijn de condities die ze kennen en hier zijn ze in hun element. Voorin dan ook bekende namen Portorikeinen Raul Rios, de kampioen uit 2007 en Ivan Aponte de kampioen uit 2006. Ook het team uit Singapore maakte de verwachtingen waren, Rachel Lee en Russell Kan verdeelden samen
3 eerste plaatsen. Daarnaast zeilde Antoine Screve, een Amerikaan met Franse ouders, een eerste plaats. En dan de lokale zeilers hoe staat het door Seven Islands Investments gesponsorde AHO team er voor? Kevin van Otterdijk zeilde constant en erg goed hij werd een keer derde en een keer vijfde. Ard van Aanholt startte goed tijdens de eerste race en werd tweede, vlak voor de tweede race kreeg hij materiaal pech maar wist toch nog als tiende over de finishlijn te gaan. Ook Eugene Hendrikx en Dion van Rooijen zeilden sterk en lieten zien dat ze de afglopen tijd onder coach Jenkins een enorme progressie hebben door gemaakt. De races zijn live op internet via het tracker systeem te volgen op www.optinam2008.org
'Uitstel verdiepen Schelde kost Antwerpse banen' Als Nederland het uitdiepen van de Westerschelde nog verder op de lange baan schuift, dan dreigt de haven van Antwerpen vele banen te verliezen. Dat zegt de Raad van Overleg van de Antwerpse haven woensdag. De ondiepe vaargeul in Nederland remt de groei van de haven, vindt de Raad. Aan Belgische kant is al voldaan aan de uitdieping, waarover Vlaanderen en Nederland in 2005 een akkoord sloten. Alleen de Eerste Kamer moet in Nederland nog groen licht geven, maar die maakt zich zorgen over de milieugevolgen van het uitdiepen van de vaargeul in de Westerschelde. Nu moeten grote schepen nog wachten op hoog tij om de haven van Antwerpen binnen te kunnen varen. Dat zorgt er voor dat jaarlijks ruim 1500 schepen moeten wachten op vloed. Met een diepere Schelderivier aan Belgische kant zijn zeven op de tien zware schepen niet meer afhankelijk van het tij.
CASUALTY REPORTING
Tel: +31 115 645000 - www.multraship.com
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Coast Guard cutter and ferry collide The Coast Guard cutter Morro Bay and a ferry carrying 257 passengers and eight crew collided approximately three miles north of Block Island, R.I., around 12:15 p.m., today. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a call from the Coast Guard Cutter Morro Bay, a 140-foot buoy tender homeported in New London, CT, reporting it and the Block Island Ferry had collided. Neither vessel is taking on water. The Coast Guard's initial report said the ferry has a dent about five feet above the water line. The Morro Bay has minimal damage and is fully operational. Local TV video coverage after the event showed the Block Island ferry Carol Jean berthed at Old Harbor, Block Island, with an apparently minor dent. The Coast Guard's initial report said visibility at the time of the collision was reported to be about 200 yards. Local TV interviews with passengers described the incident as taking place in "thick fog." Passengers described themselves as being alarmed and shaken by the collision and reported being ordered to wear life jackets The ferry was en route to Block Island and the Morro Bay was en route to New London. The cause of the collision is under investigation. Source : MarineLog
NAVY NEWS U.K. inks $5.95 billion aircraft carrier
contracts Contracts to build two Royal Navy aircraft carriers, the largest and most potent warships to be designed and built in
the U.K., have been signed by the U.K. Ministry of Defence. The contracts, worth in the region of UKP 3 billion (US$ 5.95 billion), were signed with the new U.K. joint venture, formed by BAE Systems and VT Group, called BVT Surface Fleet, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance onboard HMS Ark Royal at Portsmouth today, Thursday 3 July 2008. The Ministry says the future aircraft carriers (CVF), to be named HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will dramatically improve the U.K.'s ability to project
expeditionary air power over the coming decades and will be a highly versatile and potent joint defence asset, able to meet the widest range of tasks. The contracts authorized today include: UKP 1.325 billion for the construction of giant sections of both ships by BVT Surface Fleet at Govan on the Clyde and Portsmouth;
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UKP 300 million for the construction of giant sections of the ships at the BAE Systems yard at Barrow-in-Furness; UKP 675 million for the bow section and final assembly and completion of the ships by Babcock Marine, with assembly taking place at Rosyth; UKP 425 million for design and engineering for Thales UK; UKP 275 million for design and supply of Mission Systems for BAE Systems Integrated Systems Technologies (Insyte). The carriers will displace 65,000 tonnes at deep load, be around 280 m long and 70 m wide on the flight deck, accommodate around 1,500 people and operate a mix of up to 40 aircraft. BVT Surface Fleet, the joint venture formed by BAE Systems (55 percent) and VT Group (45 percent) on July 1, 2008 will be a key member of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance of companies that will construct and assemble the new carriers. Other members include Babcock, Thales UK, BAE Systems Submarine Solutions at Barrow and BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies (Insyte). Source : MarineLog
British Secure Long-Term Contract to Support Auxiliary Ships
The UK Ministry of Defence’s concerted effort to reform its defense support operations continues. Overall, “future contracting for availability,” rather than paying for parts and labor hours, remains the overall direction. The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service, which provided a number of services in and around the Royal Navy’s major ports, was outsourced to Serco in a GBP 1 billion December 2007 contract. Now, a deal that could last for 30 years looks to provide through-life support for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary of 16 oilers, supply ships, and landing ships. Previous arrangements, which saw individual contracts competed when required, are being replaced by a comprehensive contract worth GBP 250 million (about $500 million). The winning contractors will maintain ‘clusters’ of ships that are according to their duties and capabilities. Their responsibilities involve the necessary refuelling and refit work for the RFA vessels throughout their service lives. The Navy and Ministr of Defence will work closely with the contractors to improve their understanding over time, and also help them forecast their workload farther into the future. This kind of predictability is critical to the maritime industry, which often suffers when order swings and uncertainty make it difficult to maintain a core workforce of skilled and experienced people. This BBC quote is an excellent illustration of the phenomenon, which is not at all unique to Britain: “Trainee engineer Fred Hawkey, who found work at the docks after a succession of short-term jobs, said: “Employment is a bit hit and miss down here. You may only get work for the summer so if it means I will have regular work for the foreseeable future that would be good.” “ Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders (NSL) of Birkenhead (across from Liverpool) are charged with 4 clusters of 11 ships in total, under a contract worth over GBP 180 million. The small fleet tanker RFA Gold Rover falls under this contract, and will be the first ship handled under the new program.
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A&P Group are charged with 2 clusters of 5 ships in total, under a contract worth around GBP 53 million. Work will be shared between its bases in Falmouth and Newcastle-on-Tyne. It is estimated that at least 500 long-term jobs were secured with this contract. Source : defenseindustrydaily
Royal Navy bestelt grootste oorlogsschepen ooit
Het Britse ministerie van Defensie heeft donderdag een order ondertekend voor twee nieuwe vliegdekschepen ter waarde van 3,2 miljard pond sterling (4 miljard euro). De twee oorlogsschepen zullen de grootste zijn die ooit door de Royal Navy in dienst zijn genomen. De twee nieuwe vliegdekschepen HMS Queen Elizabeth en HMS Prince of Wales zullen ieder 65.000 ton wegen en een lengte hebben van 280 meter. De oorlogsschepen bieden elk plaats aan 1450 bemanningsleden en veertig vliegtuigen. Ze zijn daarmee een stuk groter dan de drie vliegdekschepen die nu dienst doen bij de Royal Navy. De nieuwe schepen worden respectievelijk in 2014 en 2016 in de vaart genomen en blijven minstens dertig jaar operationeel. De bouw van de schepen is goed voor tienduizend banen bij scheepswerven in Glasgow, Portsmouth en Rosyth. Een samenwerkingsverband van de Britse defensieconcerns BAE Systems, VT Group, Babcock en het Franse Thales voert de constructiewerkzaamheden uit. De Britse minister van Defensie Des Browne noemde de ondertekening van de order ,,een historische dag voor iedereen in defensie''. Het contract werd ondertekend aan boord van het vliegdekschip HMS Ark Royal, het vlaggenschip van de Royal Navy. De nieuwe vliegdekschepen moeten ondersteuning gaan bieden aan militaire operaties en vredesmissies van het Britse leger.
Damen Shipyard in The Netherlands has confirmed that, following an order for six Damen Stan Tugs 1606 and four Damen Fast Crew Suppliers in 2006 and 2007, Jan De Nul has placed an order for another series of five Damen Stan Tugs 1606. Construction of the vessels will take place at Albwardy Marine Engineering in Dubai, one of Damen’s joint venture shipyards in the Middle East. All of the vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2009, will have a bollard pull of in excess of 15 tonnes and will be equipped to assist large hopper dredgers. Source : Dredging News Online
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Croatian Shipyard Brodosplit Will Construct Ro-Pax Vessel for France's CMN
Majority state-owned Croatian shipyard Brodosplit said on Wednesday it has signed a contract for building a ro-pax vessel with the French ferry operator CMN, part of French transport and logistics services group Stef-TFE, for an undisclosed sum.
EU orders Hellenic Shipyards to pay back €230 million subsidy
The European Commission on Wednesday ordered Hellenic Shipyards to pay a €230 million (US$363 million) subsidy back to the Greek government with interest, saying the money gave the company an unfair commercial advantage over rivals. Regulators said Greece broke state aid rules with a series of payments, loans and guarantees to the troubled former state-owned shipyard between 1996 and 2002 that it failed to clear with EU authorities. They also said the shipyard did not follow EU conditions on a subsidy granted in 1997 to modernize the yard and another in 2002 to cut back on commercial shipbuilding. One of those conditions was the sale of a 49-percent stake in Hellenic to its employees for €24 million (US$38 million) over 12 years. The EU said Greece never collected that money, giving these shares away to workers for free. Loans and guarantees from the state and a state-owned bank to the yard were also provided at either below market price or at a time when the company was in such financial trouble that no normal lender would have given it money, the EU said. "Greece has repeatedly provided unlawful and incompatible financing to the loss-making civil activities of the yard until 2002," said EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes. "The illegal aid must now be recovered." Paying back the aid will help to restore the situation the yard would have been in if it had not been bolstered by state cash, the EU said. The full amount — including interest — must still be calculated, it said. Regulators also ruled that it was illegal for the government to privatize the shipyard with a promise to cover any future subsidy paybacks. The yard was privatized and sold to a consortium headed by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG and Ferrostaal AG in 2002. Hellenic is now owned by German engineering group ThyssenKrupp AG and will be liable to repay the state aid. Apart from building and repairing commercial vessels, the company also fixes and builds ships and submarines for the Greek navy. EU regulators cannot rule on public funding for the military but they said the navy overpaid for some of its contracts and the yard used the money temporarily for other operations — effectively receiving an interest-free loan. The interest on those payments must also be returned. Source: iht.com
NOAA christens research vessel Today, NOAA christened a new, state-of-the-art research vessel that will enhance the study and protection of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. The 83-foot R/V Manta will operate out of Galveston, Texas, where the sanctuary is headquartered. Built in Bellingham, Wash., by All American Marine, the twin-hulled Manta features a laboratory equipped with the latest scientific instruments, air compressors to allow divers to refill scuba tanks at sea, and a recompression chamber to enhance diver safety. The vessel can hold up to 25 people, deploy robot subs and other ocean exploration tools,
and cruise at speeds up to 35 knots. In addition to being a platform for exploring the sanctuary and surrounding waters, the Manta will also serve as a patrol vessel to enforce sanctuary regulations and a floating classroom. Teachers will be regular visitors aboard the Manta to watch and learn as scientists conduct research. The 82 ft 8 in x 30 ft Manta is NOAA's fifth Teknicraft Design catamaran built by All American Marine and, according to NOAA Sanctuary Research Coordinator, Emma Hickerson, was built as "an ultimate SCUBA platform." The Manta features over 700 square feet of working space on the aft deck, with a complete complement of working gear and an
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extensive grid of deck sockets. The deck sockets are spaced every two feet and allow equipment and gear to be secured, moved, or removed from the working deck. All American Marine custom fabricated twin dive benches that mount via the deck sockets and accommodate a total of 20 divers and their gear. Oversized dive platforms connect to the transoms of each hull and the port side platform has been designed so that it can dually function as a docking and boarding platform for the Manta's 15.5 ft rigid inflatable tender skiff. The Manta features an onboard Nitrox compressor, a fully equipped dive bottle fill station, three dive showers, and a private head located on the aft working deck. The working deck also contains a Morgan Marine articulating knuckle crane and a hydraulically actuated 4,500 lb SWL A-frame. Scientific capabilities are further enhanced through a Markey Machinery Com-7H scientific winch and a Kinematics Marine hydraulic trawl winch mounted on the upper deck. A complete weather and water monitoring system by Seakeepers Society has been included and the vessel is outfitted with custom brackets to accommodate pole mounted transducers for survey work. Retractable awnings are installed on both the upper and lower aft deck spaces to provide additional shelter from rain and the penetrating gulf sun. Inside the Manta are five private staterooms, two spacious heads, a fully equipped galley, and a large multipurpose settee and dining area. Over 250 square feet is dedicated to laboratory space for separate onboard wet and dry laboratories, complete with fresh and salt water plumbing, chemical stations, refrigerator, freezer, desk space, and a computer network. Scientists in the dry lab have access to controls for the hydraulic A-frame and winches and can easily monitor mission operations via the closed circuit television system. The crew can comfortably endure 5 day missions with a fully equipped galley featuring a range oven, microwave, ice maker, trash compactor, pantry, and separate full-size refrigerator and freezer. The Manta can generate 900 gallons of fresh water per day with an AquaMatic 900-2 water maker and to preserve the environment of the sanctuary, all waste is treated by the Tidal Wave type II sanitation system and pumped out or released outside of the sanctuary. Power is by twin Caterpillar C32 ACERT engines, each delivering 1,600 brake horsepower at 2,300 rpm. The propulsion package includes ZF 3050 transmissions which drive Hamilton Jet HM 571 water jets. The vessel cruises at 27 knots and can reach speeds topping 34 knots. Fuel consumption is approximately 5 gallons per nautical mile at speeds ranging from 22 knots to 31 knots fully laden. A range of 650 nautical miles is possible with the 3,600 gallon fuel capacity inclusive of reserves. The Manta utilizes hydrofoil technology. The semi-displacement catamaran hull shape developed by Teknicraft Design of Auckland, New Zealand, provides a smooth ride while producing extremely low wake wash energy.
SAFMARINE LAUNCHES ASIA-AFRICA SERVICE
Safmarine has commenced a regular, multi-purpose vessel (MPV) service between Asia and West Africa, targetting the breakbulk and project cargo trades. According to Greg Ulicki, Safmarine’s MPV Executive, the route was launched following positioning voyages of the brand new, Chinese-built, Safmarine Angela, Safmarine Andisa and Safmarine Akwaba into Europe to test demand. "Based on our success we have decided to open up a monthly service and we will flexibly deploy our assets in order to serve our customer’s needs on this trade,” he said.
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The monthly service, which will offer fast transits directly into West Africa, will start on July 22. Transit time from Zhangjiaganghis Chinese port to Matadi will be approximately 27 days. Major West Africa ports that will be served include Namibe, Lobito, Luanda, Pointe Noire, Libreville, Douala, Malabo, Sao Tome, Durban, Lome, Tema, Takoradi, Abidjan and San Pedro. Inducement calls at East African ports and additional Asian load ports call will also be scheduled to meet customer needs. Source : MarineLink
Vietnam coastal ferry route awaits approval A $1.23 billion project to build a North-South express sea route using specialised vessels has been submitted to the Vietnam government for approval. The sea route for cargo and passenger transport was proposed by the Viet Nam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) and would require six new large ropax ferries to be built over four years starting later this year to 2011. In the first phase, Vinashin plans to build several vessels in Italy in order to gain the necessary experience and technical knowledge. The remaining vessels will be built at Vinashin’s shipyards. Once completed, two of the ferries, each with a carrying capacity of 2,700 passengers and 900 vehicles will be running on a long-distance route from Hon Gai Town in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh to HCM City. Four smaller-sized vessels with a capacity of 1,000 passengers and 600 vehicles each will service the Hon Gai-Chan May and Chan May-HCM City routes. Late last year, Vinashin bought the Italian built passenger car ferry Cartour which it renamed Hoa Sen. This 2001 built 25,000 gt vessel is running a trial weekly service on the North-South express sea route. Source : motorship.com
Wartsila Aims to Become a Leader in Ship Design - Acquires Global Ship
Design Group Vik-Sandvik Wartsila has acquired the global ship design group Vik-Sandvik, a leading independent group providing design and engineering services to ship owners and the ship building industry worldwide. The value of the acquisition is EUR 132 millions, with an additional maximum sum of EUR 38 million to be paid based on the performance of the business over the next three years. In 2007, Vik-Sandvik's turnover was EUR 55 millions and the profitability is on a very good level. The number of employees is 410. This acquisition is a major step in Wartsila's strategy to strengthen its position as a total solutions provider and to be the most valued partner for its customers. By combining ship design capability with its existing offering in propulsion systems and automation, Wartsila will be able to provide more added value to its customers, with further growth potential in new lifecycle services. Wartsila's goal is to become the leading provider of ship design services in various segments. Source : Wartsila
LIVORNO FSRU PROJECT - GOLAR FROST SALE
Golar LNG ("Golar") is pleased to announce that the sale of the Golar Frost to OLT Offshore LNG Toscana S.p.a ("OLT-O") for $231 million completed on July 2, 2008. Golar will immediately charter back the vessel until mid 2009 when the vessel is scheduled to commence its conversion.
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The book gain on the transaction will be approximately $78 million and net cash generated will be approximately $136 million after debt repayments of $95 million. The cash will be used for new investments in LNG infrastructure projects as well as for capital expenditure in respect of existing projects and will also partly be used to increase dividends to shareholders. Source : Golar
The tugs Kebister and Knab seen assisting the tug Primus with departure barge H-541 from Lerwick to NW Hutton Field
Havila Shipping ASA orders NOK1.5bn newbuilding contract to Havyard Leirvik AS Norwegian offshore vessels operator Havila Shipping ASA announced on Wednesday (2 July) that it has awarded the Norwegian shipyard Havyard Leirvik AS a NOK1.5bn newbuilding contract. The contract covers a large subsea construction vessel of the new design Havyard 860. The new vessel will have accommodation for 140 persons, a moonpool, two offshore cranes and a hangar for remotely operated underwater vehicles. The new vessel is scheduled for delivery in Spring 2011. Havila Shipping, headquartered in Fosnavaag in Norway, provides maritime support functions for the offshore oil and gas industry. The company operates 12 ships and has a newbuilding programme of 10 vessels, and reported revenue of NOK675.26m in 2007. One British pound (GBP) is worth approximately 10.06 Norwegian kroner (NOK). Source: Trading Markets
Maersk Line orders another 16 Maersk Line reports that parent A.P. Moller--Maersk has today signed an agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. in Korea for the delivery of 16 container vessels in 2010-12. The announcement comes 10 days after the news of Maersk's 18 ship newbuilding splurge at Hyundai. The vessels to be built at Daewoo have individual capacities of 7,450 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) and twill have reefer plugs enabling them to carry 1,700 refrigerated containers each. This is the highest number ever carried on a container vessel.
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Maersk Line says the ships are designed to meet the highest demands for safe and economic transportation of goods in the trade to and from the East Coast of South America. Like the ships just ordered at Hyundai, each vessel will be equipped with a waste heat recovery system. The system reuses excess heat from the exhaust and thus generates energy for propulsion of the vessel or on-board electricity consumption. The reduction in fuel consumption results in a corresponding reduction of emissions. "We are very excited with this order and the opportunities these vessels will provide our customers in South America. We are confident that the vessels will enable us to continue to offer competitive container shipping based on a modern, economical, and environmentally friendly fleet," says Senior Vice President Michel Deleuran, Head of Network & Product in Maersk Line. Maersk Line expects to deploy the 16 vessels in the trades between the East Coast of South America and Asia and Europe. Michel Deleuran adds, "We expect a continued strong growth in these markets; we believe that this order shows our long-term commitment to providing service and support to our customers' increasing business in the aforementioned trades" Brazil and Argentina, especially, have fast growing consumer markets. In the last five years, the trade between Asia and the East Coast of South America has grown more than 20% per year on average. In the next five years, growth is expected to remain in the double digits. The trade between the East Coast of South America and Europe is primarily driven by the export of food products such as poultry, meat, and fruit transported in refrigerated containers. Since 2002, the trade has grown 15% on a yearly average. This growth is expected to remain strong with increased containerization opportunities in the coming years. Source : MarineLog
Star Bulk Takes Delivery of Supramax Vessel Star Cosmo; Expands Its
Operational Fleet to Twelve Vessels Star Bulk Carriers Corp. announced that it has taken delivery of the Star Cosmo, a Supramax bulk carrier of approximately 52,247 dwt, built in 2005. The vessel comes with a staggered 3-year charter to Korea Line that commenced on March 17, 2008, at a gross daily rate of $55,900, $41,900 and $27,900 for the first, second and third year respectively. With the delivery of Star Cosmo, Star Bulk's operational fleet currently consists of twelve dry bulk carriers. In addition, the Company has definitive agreements to acquire one Capesize dry bulk carrier and to sell its oldest vessel,
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a Panamax dry bulk carrier. The contracted fleet operating days under time charter in 2008, 2009 and 2010 are currently 100%, 84% and 63% respectively.
Outbound on the River Clyde was the very tidy RoRo TIMCA. She is employed on the Spliethoff North Atlantic service and makes a nice change from the usual Spliethoff "S" class ships that are regular visitors on this route.
It has been decided to change the schedule of the American Route. The vessels will be on a 28 days round voyage, on 14 days interval in each port. The vessels will be in ports as shown here: Reykjavík departure every second Friday, Argentia every second Thursday, Everett every second Monday Richmond every second Thursday Halifax every second Monday, Argentia every second Wednesday, Reykjavik arrival every second Thursday. This changed schedule will start as from departure of Reykjafoss from Reykjavík July 18th. Source: Eimskip
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