Number 120 * COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS … 120 * COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS ......

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 120

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Number 120 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Sunday 03-05-2009 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.

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The KNRM NATIONAL LIFEBOAT DAY 2009 was a success, above seen the lifeboat station Lauwersoog, where the KNRM lifeboats ANNIE JACOBA VISSER and the PALACE NOORDWIJK and the historic

lifeboat GEBROEDERS LUDEN sailed around the port with a lot of visitors, due to the sunny weather there were more spectators then the year before

Photo : Pim Korver FILM + VIDEO ©



EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The newbuilding hull of the SMIT BULLDOG seen arriving in town of the tug IKAR in the port of Rotterdam Photo : Ruud Zegwaard ©

Negotiations pay off with piracy risk area win

The International Bargaining Forum (IBF), the joint negotiating body that brings together maritime unions and employers, has agreed to extend the piracy risk area off Somalia. This not only warns people to stay even further away from Somali waters, but assures crews in the danger area of improved (‘warlike’) pay and conditions. The wider zone stretches 400 nautical miles (741km from the coast), in recognition of the increasing areas pirates are using. Crews on ships with IBF and ITF agreements within this area receive double pay and a doubling of death and disability compensations. If on vessels inside the zone but outside the International Recommended Transit Corridor they have the right to refuse to sail and to be repatriated at the employers’ expense. The ITF had requested the extension of the zone. Source: International Transport Workers' Federation



Biglift’s TRAVELLER seen enroute Rotterdam Photo : Jan Oosterboer ©

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NATO warship thwarts hijack, seizes explosives; Somali pirates get other ship

Special forces on a Portuguese warship seized explosives from suspected Somali pirates after thwarting an attack on an oil tanker, but later freed the 19 men. Hours later and hundreds of miles away, another band of pirates hijacked a cargo ship, a NATO spokesman said Saturday. Pirates are now holding 17 ships and around 300 crew, including the British-owned cargo ship Ariana, hijacked overnight with its Ukrainian crew. The attack on the Ariana, about 1,000 miles (1600 kilometers) from the sea corridor NATO guards and the seizure of explosives from the group that attacked the crude oil tanker MV Kition may indicate the pirates are adapting their tactics as crews become better trained in counter-piracy measures. Sailors are aware that pirates generally attack during the day and that some guidelines suggest designating a safe room with a bulletproof door where crews can lock themselves in case of an attack. Such a room would still be vulnerable to being blown open with explosives. It was the first time NATO forces found pirates armed with raw explosives, Lt. Cmdr. Fernandes said from the Portuguese frigate the Corte-Real, which responded to the attack. The



Corte-Real had sent a helicopter to investigate a distress call from the Greek-owned and Bahamian-flagged Kition late Friday about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north from the Somali coast in the Gulf of Aden. The suspects fled to a larger pirate vessel without damaging the Kition, but were intercepted by the warship an hour later. "The skiff had returned to the mothership," Fernandes said, referring to the vessels pirates commonly use to tow their small, fast speed boats hundreds of miles (kilometers) out to sea. "Portuguese special forces performed the boarding with no exchange of fire." They found four sticks of P4A dynamite — which can be used in demolition, blasting through walls or potentially breaching a the hull of a ship — which were destroyed along with four automatic rifles and nine rocket-propelled grenades. It was unclear how the pirates planned to use the dynamite, Fernandes said, because there were no translators to conduct interrogations. The 19 pirate suspects were released after consultation with Portuguese authorities because they had not attacked Portuguese property or citizens. NATO said earlier that the Ariana was Norwegian-owned, but the ship's operators, Oslo-based Polyar Tankers AS, said it was owned by Greek ship-owner Polys Haji-Ioannou. Decisions on detaining piracy suspects fall under national law; Fernandes said Portugal was working on updating its laws to allow for pirate suspects to be detained in such situations. Nearly 100 ships have been attacked this year by pirates operating from the lawless Somali coastline despite deployment of warships from over a dozen countries to protect the vital Gulf of Aden shipping route. The latest seizure was the Maltese-flagged Ariana, said Lt. Cmdr. Fernandes, seized overnight northwest of the Seychelles islands. He said the crew members are all Ukrainian but ship-owner Seven Seas Maritime Ltd. has not given the exact number of people onboard. One hijacked vessel, the Philippine tanker MT Stolt Strength, was held more than five months before a $2.5 million ransom was paid and the ship and 23 crew were released April 21. Anxious relatives greeted the freed crew in a tearful homecoming Saturday at Manila airport. The Somali pirates had seized the chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Nov. 10 while it was on its way to India with a cargo of phosphoric acid. After dropping the pirates close to shore, the ship remained vulnerable, unable to speed to a safe harbor because it was low on fuel. German, U.S. and Chinese naval vessels eventually came to their aid, providing food, medicine and fuel, which allowed them to sail to Oman where they stayed for two days before flying home to Manila. Second Mate Carlo Deseo said the pirates' evident disorganization was the source of much of his fear. They "did not seem to know what they were doing," he said. Source : AP



Kustwacht onderschept 70 kilo cocaïne op Aruba tijdens controle

De Kustwacht voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba in samenwerking met de Sectie Georganiseerde Criminaliteit (SGC) hebben op woensdag 29 april bij een routine controle op een Colombiaanse vissersbark "El Poca", ongeveer 70

kilo cocaïne aangetroffen. Zes bemanningsleden zijn aangehouden. Op woensdag 29 april heeft de cutter Panter van de Kustwacht voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba een vissersbark, "El Poca" opgebracht naar de kustwachtsteiger op het steunpunt Aruba voor een controle. Het barkje met een lading vis was afkomstig uit Colombia. Bij nader onderzoek samen met de Sectie Georganiseerde Criminaliteit (SGC) werd in een verborgen compartiment ongeveer 70 kilo cocaïne aangetroffen. De lading drugs is in beslag genomen en overgedragen aan de SGC. De zes bemanningsleden, allen met Colombiaanse nationaliteit zijn aangehouden. De boot is in beslag genomen. De SGC heeft de zaak verder in onderzoek. Bron : Kustwacht

voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba

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TURKISH ATTACK Turkish containership has escaped capture after coming under fire an incredible 1,150 miles off the East African coast. The latest attack so far out into the Indian Ocean suggests that Somali pirates may even be basing themselves somewhere around the Seychelles. The Turkey-flagged vessel, named by the NATO Shipping Centre as the Christina A, was attacked by pirates in two white speedboats on Thursday. It would appear the correct name of the ship is Cristina A, a 1,604-teu ship owned by Arkas Holding of Turkey and managed by Arkas Denizcilik. The 2007-built vessel reported the attack 1,150 nautical miles off the coast of Mombasa, Kenya. “At a distance of 6 cables shots were fired but as vessel increased to a speed of 20 knots the attack was abandoned,” a statement from the NATO Shipping Centre read. The ship is reported to be safe and continuing its voyage at full speed with no casualties reported. There has been a lull in the number of attacks and hijackings off the Somali coast this week with the latest attack the only one reported between Thursday and Friday. Source : Tradewinds



Harm’s latest, the PEGASUS seen departing from Rotterdam Photo : Jas Louwen ©

Four crew members rescued after boat capsizes

Four crew members were rescued from drowning after their boat capsized off Abu Dhabi on Thursday, authorities said on Friday. The rescue team of the Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA) was continuing search for a fifth tug hand. The department received an SOS call from the Zayed Mina Tower on Thursday evening, where a tug boat named Abu Dhabi 1 was hit by a mechanical error while tugging a 225 -metre boat. The boat carried a crew of five - one UAE national and four Asians. As a result of the abrupt halt of the tug, the boat collided with the tug's rear, and flipped over, throwing the crew into the sea. Low visibility and forceful current made it impossible to rescue the boat that belonged to Abu Dhabi ports. The Critical National Infrastructure Authority was established in May 2007 by a Presidential decree, and is affiliated to the Executive Council. Source : GulfNews

Betr. "Vliegende schotel" in de Coolhaven, Rotterdam.

Inmiddels heb ik een aantal reacties binnengekregen. Dank aan allen die reageerden. Het is het meest waarschijnlijk dat het scheepje inderdaad de voormalige PFEIL ex ZIJPE is. Er staat niet meer de 150 pk Caterpillar motor in, maar een nieuw 'karretje'. De huidige naam zou SCHORPIOEN moeten zijn. De eigenaren zullen er nog een behoorlijk karwei aan hebben de sleper weer een toonbaar uiterlijk te geven. Ik wens hen in ieder geval succes. Nico.



CASUALTY REPORTING Man falls overboard and drowns at Port

Khalid A young man drowned on Thursday night after he fell into the water at Port Khalid, police said. Sharjah Police's coastguard unit said they found the body next to where the accident took place - opposite Al Zahra Mosque. In the report issued by the Operations Control Room at Sharjah Police, the victim was identified as Ameed Mohammad Saeed, a 23-year-old from Iran. According to police, the victim was on a cargo vessel at the port when he fell overboard and drowned. An investigation has been launched as to how he fell overboard. The accident happened at around 8pm, and a dispatch of Anjad patrol and coastguards were sent to rescue the victim. He was found within a short space of time, but was pronounced dead at the scene. The body has been transferred to Al Kuwaiti Hospital. Source : Gulf News

HA PENNY DIP na motorstoring veilig binnengebracht

Zaterdagmiddag riep het jachtje HA' PENNY DIP de hulp in van de reddingsdiensten omdat ze te kampen had met motorproblemen. De SPOTTER was snel ter plaatse maar de eigenaar had de hulp van de CHRISTIEN van de KNRM uit Breskens al geaccepteerd en bleef dan ook wachten totdat die ter plaatse was. Dit duurde echter niet al te lang waarna de CHRISTIEN heeft vastgemaakt op de HA' PENNY DIP en haar veilig in Terneuzen heeft binnengebracht. Photo : Adri van de Wege ©



NAVY NEWS Northrup Grumman lays keel for new

attack sub Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding laid the keel for the attack submarine California in a ceremony Friday. The California will be christened next year and, when it's delivered to the Navy in 2001, will be the eighth ship of the Virginia class. The ship's sponsor, Donna Willard, wife of Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander of the Pacific Fleet, chalked her initials onto a metal plate in the sub's stern unit. Welder Scott Hallinger welded her initials into the plate, which will become part of the submarine. "It's not just about the steel on the outside of the California that makes this so exciting for me, but rather it's the men on the inside," Donna Willard said in a statement. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News is building the Virginia-class subs in partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat. Source : hamptonroads

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Australia to buy 100 US jets, double submarines in buildup of navy and air force strength

Australia plans to buy 100 state-of-the-art U.S. jet fighters and double the size of its modest submarine fleet in a bid to keep pace with an Asian military buildup.

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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, announcing the plan on board the HMAS Stuart in Sydney Harbour on Saturday, said Australia's military must be prepared for any situation. "It's important for our own capability requirements ... for the Australian Defense Force to be prepared to meet a range of contingencies arising from military and naval buildups across our region," Rudd said. "That is prudent, long-term defense planning, and we believe we've got the balance absolutely right." The major defense update also says that global warming and shortages of fuel, food and water will likely be emerging threats to world peace as countries seek to guarantee supplies of crucial resources. The plan says world powers will jockey for naval supremacy in the Indian Ocean as it gains importance as a seaway for oil shipped from the Middle East to Asia. It does not single out any single country as posing a military threat to Australia, which is a close military ally of the United States. The plan focuses on building Australian naval and air force strength to take any fight over Australia's security far offshore. To do this, Australia's current fleet of six Collins-class submarines will be replaced by 12 longer-range Australian-manufactured submarines. The government, which bans atomic energy in Australia, has ruled out nuclear propulsion. The navy's 12 frigates will also be replaced by the same number of larger warships. Australia will remain without an aircraft carrier. The government plans to buy 100 U.S.-manufactured Lockheed F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters to phase out the current Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets over the next decade. But the opposition Liberal party argued that the report doesn't explain how the new equipment will be funded. "Nobody reading this white paper could have any confidence that the government has the capacity, the commitment, or even knows how it is going to pay for this dramatic expansion in our military hardware," opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Sydney. Rudd recently warned that Australia needed to reshape its military in response to an "explosion" in defense spending in Asia. Saturday's plan said the global economic downturn would slow the recent arms buildup in some Asian countries, though China will likely continue its military modernization, it said. "But the pace, scope and structure of China's military modernization have the potential to give its neighbors cause for concern if not carefully explained," the paper says. "China has begun to do this in recent years, but needs to do more." The government is committed to increasing defense spending, which is 22 billion Australian dollars ($16 billion) in the current fiscal year, by 3 percent each year despite the current recession. Australia is the largest contributor to the U.S.-led coalition force in Afghanistan outside NATO. Rudd announced this week that the Australian military commitment there would be boosted from 1,100 to 1,550. Source : Star Tribune

SHIPYARD NEWS

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

‘Fairplay-31’ ready for sea trials



The new ‘Fairplay-31’ tug is ready for sea trials, Spanish builder Astilleros Armon Navia has said. The Vigo-based builder recently built the 652GT vessel for Fairplay Towage, Germany. Yard number C669 can achieve a bollard pull of 80 tonnes and was completed at the Gijon yard. Source : Baird

The "HAWK" from Oldendorf left the ship yard in China with destination Abu Dabi Photo : John Smit ©

Olongapo holds peaceful rally marking Labor Day

Some 500 members of cause-oriented groups including workers of the Hanjin Shipyard in Subic Bay Freeport Zone held a peaceful rally to celebrate Labor Day. Members of the League of Urban Poor (LUPA), Nuclear Free Movement, Makabayan, Kaisa Ka Womens Group, Ship and Construction Workers Association, HHIC Incorporated Workers Union, National Union of Builders and Construction Workers, Buklod ng Kababaihan and Tatag Inc. walked from Marikit Park to Volunteers Park near the main gate. The protesters demanded the scrapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the planned revival of the nuclear power plant in Bataan, workers safety at Hanjin Shipyard and globalization. Olongapo City Police Director Senior Supt. Oscar Albayalde who was at hand during the protest said that no untoward incident happened during the two-hour activity that started at 10:30 a.m. Meanwhile inside the Subic freeport, hundreds of workers from different companies held a sports festival organized by the labor department of the Subic bay Metropolitan Authority. Source : Manila Times

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JP Knight’s latest is seen above, the KESTREL seen at the Singapore anchorage during the delivery voyage from Japan to Scotland with onboard a delivery crew of REDWISE

Photo : Piet Sinke ©

above photo can also be seen in high resolution in the photo album at my website www.maasmondmaritime.com or via the direct link http://www.flickr.com/photos/33438735@N08/show/

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. Acquires Double-Hull Bunkering Tanker

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. Friday announced that it has taken delivery of the Sichem Arctic, a 1991-built 23,400 dwt double-hull bunkering tanker to be renamed the Aegean Champion, following the Company's agreement to purchase the vessel from an unrelated third party. The Aegean Champion is expected to be deployed to the Company's market located in the United Arab Emirates. E. Nikolas Tavlarios, President, commented, "With the strategic acquisition of the Aegean Champion, one of the largest bunkering tankers in the world, management drew upon the Company's significant financial flexibility to further expand its double-hull bunkering fleet. We intend to deploy this vessel to the United Arab Emirates, considerably enhancing our growth prospects in this attractive market.



By once again strengthening Aegean's leading competitive position, we intend to continue to expand our global market share for the physical supply of marine fuel and drive future sales volume growth." Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. is an international marine fuel logistics company that markets and physically supplies refined marine fuel to ships in port and at sea. The Company procures product from various sources (such as refineries, oil producers, and traders) and resells it to a diverse group of customers across all major commercial shipping sectors and leading cruise lines. Currently, Aegean has a global presence in 14 markets, including Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico, Jamaica, West Africa, Gibraltar, U.K., Northern Europe, Piraeus and Patras (Greece), the United Arab Emirates as well as Singapore, and plans to commence operations in Tangiers, Morocco and Trinidad and Tobago. Source: Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc.

'Smit-virus blijft in je bloed zitten' Door ANTOON OOSTING

Piet Sinke weg bij Smit, de verbazing bij wie hem kent - en dat zijn er in de wereld van de scheepvaart heel veel - was

vorig jaar groot. De man die een leidinggevende rol had bij de berging van het wrak van de kernonderzeeër Kursk en vorig jaar nog een Chinees schip met containerkranen van het strand van de Maasvlakte haalde, had na 33 jaar werken voor het Rotterdamse sleep- en bergingsbedrijf Smit Internationale de deur figuurlijk met een klap achter zich dichtgeslagen. ,,Smit-mensen vragen elkaar wel eens: is er leven na Smit dan?'' vertelt Sinke, even terug in Rotterdam. Hij stond vorige week in Ahoy in de stand van buurman en compagnon, de Hoekse ondernemer Willem Hoogendijk, die zelf ook veertien jaar bij Smit werkte. ,,Je komt er vaak niet meer van los. Het is als een virus in je bloed dat je nooit meer kwijtraakt,'' stellen beiden vast. De meesten beginnen jong bij Smit om vaak nooit meer weg te gaan bij dit bedrijf dat als geen ander staat voor Hollands Glorie op de wereldzeeën. Zo ook Sinke (50), wiens zeemanscarrière zich als een spannend jongensboek laat lezen. Niemand in de familie had iets met de zee of schepen, maar op zijn zevende was hij vanuit Den Haag in Maassluis komen wonen. ,,Als kind banjerden we altijd rond in de haven, speelden we met de trossen van de Smit-slepers die daar toen nog lagen,'' vertelt Sinke. Hij moest en zou mee op die stoere zeeslepers. ,,Het leek me

gewoon leuk,'' zegt hij laconiek. Op zijn 16de monsterde hij aan als dekjongen, een soort manusje-van-alles, op de toen net nieuwe Smit London, destijds een van de grootste en sterkste zeeslepers van de wereld. Hij had 'de mazzel' dat hij op zijn 19de de kans kreeg naar de zeevaartschool te gaan. Op z'n 22ste begon hij als stuurman een bliksemcarrière op zee, want op zijn 26ste maakte hij al zijn eerste reis als kapitein, ongekend jong.



Hij voer over de hele wereld. In 1990 stationeerde Smit hem op het kantoor in Singapore als projectmanager/towmaster. Maar Sinke is ook bergingsinspecteur. In geval van een emergency response vliegt iemand ernaartoe om ter plaatse een bergingsplan te maken en alles te organiseren. In 1999 keerde hij terug naar Nederland toen zijn vrouw, de Filipijnse Elizabeth, die hij in Singapore had leren kennen, zwanger was van zoon Alex. Piet Sinke gaf leiding aan tal van projecten, waaronder het verslepen van de bouwdelen voor de Tweede Beneluxtunnel, Calandtunnel en beide HSL-tunnels alsmede de aanleg van een pier voor Monaco. Én natuurlijk de Kursk, waar hij samen met Jan van Seumeren van Mammoet als marine operations manager leiding gaf aan een team van vijftig man dat het wrak van de verongelukte kernonderzeeër weer boven water bracht.

Zijn laatste klus voor Smit was de berging begin februari 2008 van de Zhen Hua 10. Om drie uur 's nachts liet Sinke zich bij windkracht 11 hangend onder een helikopter op het schip afzetten. ,,Toen bleek dat de bemanning al dagen zat te hongeren hebben wij per helikopter eten gehaald bij de Chinees in Rockanje,'' vertelt Sinke. Hij is er trots op dat Smit samen met de slepers van Kotug, Harms en Fairplay het schip zonder schade weer van het strand hebben kunnen halen.

Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Het vertrek bij Smit deed hem veel pijn, geeft hij aan, maar hij kon niet meer overweg met de manier van leidinggeven bij Smit. Frustraties waren de laatste jaren hoog opgelopen, maar de details daarvan houdt hij voor zich. ,,Ik wil niet natrappen,'' zegt hij. Sinke stortte zich vol op zijn (deze) acht jaar geleden gestarte Shippingnewsclippings, een

dagelijkse webkrant met scheepvaartnieuws uit de hele wereld. Uiteindelijk zat hij niet veel thuis, want steeds weer waren er verzoeken vanuit de hele wereld om een klus te doen. Totdat het verzoek kwam van een Amerikaans bergingsbedrijf om in Singapore samen met onder andere Richard van der Werf, ook ex-Smit, een heel nieuw bergingsbedrijf op te richten T&T Bisso Salvage Asia Pte Ltd. De Hoekse bergingsexpert heeft zich voorlopig voor twee jaar verbonden aan het bedrijf, als operations manager, de man die verantwoordelijk is voor al het uitvoerende werk. Op Oudejaarsdag verhuisde Sinke met zijn vrouw naar Singapore. Zoon Alex zit daar nu op de Hollandse school. ,,Tot nu toe gaat alles gewoon hartstikke goed.'' Bron : Algemeen Dagblad



Cruise ships bring boom amid downturn Luxury cruise ship the Sun Princess arrived at the Fremantle Passenger terminal today ahead of its 46 night voyage to South East Asia, India and South Africa. Transport Minister Simon O’Brien said the seasonal basing of ships, including Princess Cruises superliner the ‘Sun Princess’ was contributing to the growth of the State’s tourism industry. “The popularity of cruise holidays is increasing each year and WA ports will continue to play a significant role,” he said. The Minister said the growing number of cruise ships to Fremantle and regional ports was injecting millions of dollars into the WA economy each year. Fremantle Ports is upgrading facilities at the Fremantle Passenger Terminal as part of a two year $2 million project. “The increasing trend towards seasonal basing of cruise ships at Fremantle demonstrates the confidence of the cruise companies in our market,” Mr O’Brien said. Carnival Australian chief executive Ann Sherry, who represents Princess Cruises, said WA was one of the world’s fastest growing cruise markets. “This year we have scheduled twice the number of cruises out of Fremantle compared to last season and next year we will double our WA capacity again,” she said. “Our decision to base two cruise ships in WA for extended seasons is driven by popularity of cruising as well as our confidence in the local market.” Source : The West Australian

Nord Whale sold Norden is said to have sold a 5-year-old supramax bulker for $24.5m. Brokers report that Greek interests have snapped up the 50,400-dwt Nord Whale (built 2004). The buyers have not been identified. Norden has been busy selling off modern bulkers for the last five months. This month alone, TradeWinds reported that the owner sold the 52,000-dwt Nord Ocean (built 2003) for $24m and the 52,300-dwt Nordflex for $23m.



All told, the Danish owner has sold 12 modern bulk carriers for some $325m since November. The last sale of a roughly 50,000-dwt vessel of the Nord Whale's age took place a year ago, when Greece's FreeSeas bought the 50,200-dwt Snow Falcon (built 2003) for $67m, according to sales data.

Nordens NORDEMS seen in the Singapore Straits Westbound Photo : Piet Sinke ©


Based in Copenhagen, OMX-listed Norden boasts a fleet of 116 bulkers and tankers, as well as 87 newbuildings.

Exmar: Sailing ahead in a challenging market

The Executive Committee of EXMAR NV yesterday reported its trading update for the first quarter of 2009. The Group had an operating result (EBIT) of USD 9.2 million (USD 13.9 million for the first quarter 2008). Extremely weak spot earnings on a limited part of the LPG fleet had a significant influence and constitute the essential reason for lower results. LPG The operating result (EBIT) of the LPG fleet was USD 0.3 million (compared to USD 5.7 million for the first three months of 2008). Midsize - Despite substantial cover at decent levels, the earnings of the Midsize fleet have been deceiving. This is due to considerable idle time and poor employment conditions for the spot vessels, representing about 20% of the fleet. On a positive note, a two-year time-charter has been secured on BRUGGE VENTURE for South American LPG trading as from mid-May. Secured cover in the Midsize segment for the balance of the year is about 85%; coverage for 2010 is above 80%. VLGC - Results continue to be negatively affected due to difficult employment conditions and spot market earnings remain well below operating costs. LPG production cuts, particularly in Saudi Arabia, combined with eight newbuilding deliveries during 1Q 2009 caused an almost permanent overhang of tonnage, especially East of Suez. Since the beginning of 2009 only two vessels were sold for scrap; another seven newbuildings will enter the market within the



year. Market conditions are expected to remain weak. For the balance of the year, about 40% of EXMAR’s position is covered at satisfactory fixed levels. Pressurised - EXMAR and Wah Kwong took delivery of two more pressurised vessels, SABRINA (5,000 m³) and ELISABETH (3,500 m³) on March 26th and 30th, respectively. Both are trading petrochemical spot cargoes and a one-year time-charter for Eastern LPG trading starting in May has been secured on the first vessel. The LNG fleet contributed USD 9.7 million to the operating result (EBIT) of the first three months (compared to USD 8.0 million for the same period in 2008). The LNGRV EXPRESS, jointly owned by EXMAR and Excelerate Energy, will be delivered in May and will immediately enter into a 25-year time-charter with Excelerate Energy. Construction of the three LNGRV’s (EXQUISITE, EXPEDIENT and EXEMPLAR) continues as planned with deliveries in September 2009, November 2009 and June 2010. All three ships will be employed by Excelerate Energy under 25-year time-charter contracts. The financing of EXMAR share in these three vessels is ongoing. The EXCEL was redelivered by the charterer in April. Within a very weak spot market for LNG, employment options are limited and conditions unattractive. As communicated earlier, the ship benefits from a revenue support mechanism ensuring minimum income for the vessel. The Offshore activities contributed USD -0.4 million to the operating result (EBIT) of the first quarter (USD 1.3 million for the first quarter in 2008). The lower contribution is essentially related to the sale of the FPSO FARWAH last year. The NUNCE accommodation barge has been successfully delivered from Cosco shipyard end of March. It will be transported on a heavy lift vessel and should arrive in the bay of Luanda beginning of June. Sonangol has signed a pre-delivery certificate after inspection of the barge. The accommodation barge KISSAMA will be redelivered after the successful installation of the NUNCE. The barge will go into drydock for a refurbishment and will be open for employment in 4Q 2009. We are in discussions on two potential employment opportunities. The production platform OPTI-EX™ will be delivered by mid-2009. Employment discussions are ongoing in Brazil, Nigeria, Angola and Gulf of Mexico. Both EXMAR Offshore Company in Houston and DVO in Paris have full employment and good prospects for the rest of the year. The contribution to the operating result of the Services activities (EXMAR Shipmanagement, BELGIBO and TRAVEL PLUS) is USD 0.8 million for the first quarter. Combined with Holding activities, the operating result becomes USD -0.4 million (compared to USD -1.1 million for the first three months of 2008). Source: Exmar

The MAZIN ARAB seen at Flushing pilot station Photo : Jamie Reurink ©



Kon. Wilhelminahaven zz 22 3134 KG Vlaardingen (Port No 650) The Netherlands www.mariflex.net tel (24 hrs) : +31 (0) 10 434 44 45 [email protected]

The MSC DANIT seen enroute Rotterdam-Maasvlakte Photo : Fred Vloo ©

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines reroutes Balmoral World Cruise to avoid Horn of Africa – coming to South Africa instead

Cruise operator Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has taken the decision to change the itinerary of Balmoral’s world cruise in 2010 in order to avoid sailing through the Gulf of Aden. The 106-night cruise, which is scheduled to sail from Dover on 5 January 2010 in a westerly direction, was due to visit ports in the Indian Ocean en route to Dubai, Oman and Egypt before transiting the Suez Canal and returning to the UK via the Mediterranean. The new itinerary will instead cross the Indian Ocean from Fremantle in Australia and return to the UK by way of South Africa and the west coast of Africa. The decision to re-route Balmoral has been made in light of the continuing security problems that are being encountered in the region. “We are very aware of our responsibility regarding the safety and well-being of passengers and staff on board our ships, so we have taken this step in light of the continuing piracy attacks that are being faced not only in the area around the Gulf, but ever further out from Somalia,” said Matt Grimes, Director of Planning for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. “Although our passengers will no longer visit places such as Dubai and Salalah, their cruise experience will include the breath-taking beauty of Mauritius and South Africa. The cruise will remain unchanged at 106 nights, and Balmoral will return to Dover as scheduled on 21 April.”



Fred. Olsen currently operates a fleet of five cruise ships based mostly in the UK with itineraries to worldwide destinations. Source : Ports.co.sa

Prinses Margriet er brengt OD 8 binnen. Vrijdag 1 mei om 11.50 uur werd de schipper van de reddingboot Prinses Margriet van KNRM station Stellendam buiten, door het Kustwacht Centrum gebeld met het verzoek of de reddingboot de Koopmansdank van station Neeltje Jans kon aflossen om een viskotter over te nemen. Er werd uitgevaren, en bij de SB 0 boei op de Noordzee werd de viskotter OD 8 van 13 meter lengte en met 2 personen aan boord overgenomen. Het schip had een net in de schroef gekregen. Nadat het was overgenomen werd met de viskotter terug gevaren naar de thuishaven van de OD 8, Stellendam, waar het in de buitenhaven werd afgemeerd. Foto : Michel Niemandsverdriet ©

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COSCO’s EMPRESS HEAVEN seen Westbound in Singapore Straits Photo : Piet Sinke ©




WAN HAI LINE losing more Taiwanese boxship owner Wan Hai Lines has slipped to a bigger first quarter loss as costs outstripped revenues. It said net losses were TWD 149.19m ($4.5m) to 31 March, from TWD 103.78m in the same period of 2008. Revenues were down at TWD 10.67bn from TWD 16.44bn year-on-year. And operating costs were higher than revenues at TWD 11.09bn, but lower than the TWD 16.76m recorded in 2008. Source : Tradewinds

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

The MSC DANIT seen departing from Rotterdam-Europoort Photo : Huib de Geus ©

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