SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGEnewsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/pdf/2008/210-14-08-2008.pdf · 2008. 8. 13. ·...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 210

Distribution : daily 4650 copies worldwide 8/13/2008

Number 210 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Thursday 14-08-2008 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.

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CONTENTS EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

• UN hails Canada's decision to provide escorts for food ships • African coastguard network deal • No protection available to commercial shipping in Gulf of Aden • More attacks off Somalia • Diver pulls Tanzanian stowaway from water • 2,500-Year-Old Greek Ship Raised off Sicilian Coast • Sunken ship blocks Walvis Bay syncrolift • Another busy week for NSRI • Russian Intel Ship Spotted Near Okinawa • Trawler's catch 'may have been poached' • Israel Corp injected $246 million into Zim • HMS ENDURANCE - Acute affects of climate change • Iran to seize polluting ships • Row over Hapag-Lloyd sale escalates • Boek over de Rotterdam • Injured P&O passenger wants refund

NAVY NEWS • Ukraine seeks deal limiting use of Russian Black Sea Fleet • A Tale Of Russian Aircraft Carriers • Virginia-Class Boats Sailing Into Action • Iran builds new, smart sub • Guam delegate requests for oversight hearing on submarine maintenance

SHIPYARD NEWS • Three workers killed in accident in Istanbul shipyard • Canadian yard has six months to find more cash

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES • Perdido spar heads for deepwater • Marine Bulk Carriers adds to fleet • MSC Los Angeles will become largest container ship in regular South African service • Toisa Proteus supports Galoc riser replacement • Ampelmann succesvol op Noordzee • SMIT Start-up terminal contract with Kuwait Oil Company • China's ZPMC to supply Haifa port with 7 quayside container cranes • Pacific Basin acquires options to purchase two new Ro-ros • STX Pan Ocean posts record H1 profit

EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS HIGH

DEEP

HEAVY

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Fjord Line’s FJORDCAT seen in Hanstholm (Denmark) Photo : Aart Heykamp ©

UN hails Canada's decision to provide escorts for food ships

UN News Service (New York) - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed Canada's decision to deploy a frigate to Somalia to protect the agency's food ships against pirates, who have launched over two dozen attacks so far this year off the East African country's coast. "WFP is grateful for Canada's leadership in protecting our maritime lifeline from piracy - this is a critical moment when more food is needed for a growing number of hungry," said WFP Country Director Peter Goossens. Some 90 per cent of WFP food aid for Somalia arrives by sea. Since a naval escort system began last November, no escorted ships carrying WFP food have been attacked. The last escorted ship loaded with WFP food arrived in Mogadishu in late June. There were a total of 31 incidents off Somalia in 2007 - the worst year on record for Somali piracy. Without escorts, WFP's whole maritime supply route is under threat, according to the agency, which noted that since the escorts ended in late June some shippers have refused to load WFP food for Somalia. WFP urgently needs to double the amount of food it delivers to Somalia - which is facing a dire humanitarian crisis owing to drought, insecurity, failed harvests, the weakness of the Somali shilling and rising food and fuel prices - through the coming months so it can feed 2.4 million people by December. Canada is the third largest donor to WFP's operations in Somalia, as well as worldwide. It stepped forward after WFP made a strong appeal in July for naval escorts, which have proved to be an effective deterrent against pirates. Previously, frigates from France, Denmark and the Netherlands have provided escorts for WFP ships. The agency said that it hoped other governments would step forward to take over from Canada once it completes its mission in a few weeks. Source : ports.co.za

AFRICAN COASTGUARD NETWORK DEAL TWENTY member States of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a Sub-regional Coastguard Network for the West and Central African sub-region at the 13th General Assembly of Ministers of MOWCA, in Dakar, Senegal, 30th July.



The IMO comments: “The adoption of the MoU is a major landmark in a long-running campaign by IMO and MOWCA to improve maritime safety, security and environmental protection in the sub-region. It follows a feasibility study undertaken by IMO and the successful IMO/MOWCA forum on the establishment of an integrated coast guard function network for West and Central African Countries held in Dakar in October 2006.” According to IMO the MoU provides an institutional framework for suppressing piracy, armed robbery and other unlawful acts against ships and addressing illegal fishing, drug and weapon trafficking, illegal migration, oil theft, damage to gas pipelines and maritime accident response in the sub-region. It provides guidelines for coastal surveillance, presence in the exclusive economic zones of the sub-region and enforcement of international conventions, regulations and codes - principally those of IMO and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It has provisions on a “right of hot pursuit” in case of unlawful acts perpetrated against ships. The MoU comes into force in any given coastguard zone (made up of five adjoining states) three months after all the states of the zone have signed it. Source : Maritime Global Net

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No protection available to commercial shipping in Gulf of Aden

The Gulf of Aden has become one of the world’s most worrying trouble spots owing to the frequency of pirate attacks which has seen more than 30 vessels attacked this year alone. Yet according to the British publication Sea Sentinel there is little or no protection available. In a rare incident the US Navy ship USS Peleliu was able to chase away pirates in two speedboats that were engaging with a commercial ship, the Kilakarai. At least one grenade was launched at the civilian ship, lodging in the bridgeworks but not exploding. The reason why this attack was thwarted was the speed with which the US ship was able to respond by flying off its helicopters and making for the scene, which was a mere ten miles away. The Coalition Task Force (CTF) 150 consisting of a number of coalition naval ships operates in the area but has a vast area to patrol. According to the US Navy spokesman in one attack last month involving the Japanese bulk carrier STELLA MARIS the Somali-based pirates were able to capture the ship because the nearest coalition ship was 60 miles away, which he described as being too far.



But according to the Sea Sentinel report a BIMCO spokesman said the problem was that naval forces were out of touch with the civilian shipping industry. “There is a significant lack of understanding within the naval communities of the world of merchant shipping, its modern needs and concerns and above all its role in the maintenance of global world commerce which has often been based on an inaccurate understanding of the scale of the dangers involved, both economic and environmental.” He added there was a need for the proper monitoring and tracking of ships sailing in defined and specific sea lanes. He called for more naval commitment from national governments, saying “given the current situation and threat to strategically commercial shipping lanes this should not be a complex decision making process.” In another report the commander of CTF 150, Commander Bob Davidson called for the arming of merchant ships to deter pirate attacks, saying there was a need for an element of self-help. But a spokesman for the International Transport Federation said Commander Davidson’s remarks were “unacceptable” and Captain Pottengal Mukundan of the International Maritime Bureau which monitors piracy activity said the Somali coast was no place for gun battles between merchant ships and pirates. Source : ports.co.za

MORE ATTACKS OFF SOMALIA A TUG has been hijacked by Somali pirates. The latest ICC International Maritime Bureau report gives only brief detaisal but says that, on 04.08.08 at 0300 LT: off Bosasso, pirates attacked and hijacked a tug underway. It adds that the pirates took the crew hostage and sailed the tug into Somali coastal waters and that further details are awaited. The tug joins the supramax bulk carrier Stella Maris, hijacked on 22 July and the largest vessel seized to-date. The ship and 18-strong crew are still being held and it is understood negotiations for their release are continuing. Meanwhile the IMB has reported an incident in which it was able to inform naval forces in time to intervene to foil a violent armed attack on a merchant vessel. On 08.80.2008 seven pirates, in two speedboats, armed with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers chased and fired on a bulk carrier underway. The master contacted the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre for assistance. The duty officer at the Piracy Reporting Centre advised the master to enforce anti piracy measures to prevent boarding of vessel and informed him that the Coalition naval force and other relevant authorities would be contacted to render assistance to the vessel. The Coalition dispatched one warship to assist the vessel. The constant manoeuvring of the bulker prevented the boarding of the pirates. On seeing the coalition warship, the pirate boats aborted their attempt and moved away. The vessel was able to resumed its and voyage and all crew were safe and no damage had been done to the ship. However unexploded grenade was then found on the bridge wing which was defused by a team from the warship. Source : Maritime Global Net

Diver pulls Tanzanian stowaway from water A Tanzanian man has been rescued from Table Bay harbour after he was found hiding aboard a cargo ship during the weekend. Police spokesperson Bernadine Steyn said the police would not be investigating how he had come to hide away on the vessel or why. Police also denied unconfirmed reports of there having been more than one stowaway. National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the 23-year-old stowaway was pulled from the water on Saturday morning by police diver JT Potgieter after the officer found the man clutching a life buoy. He said the man was discovered by the ship's crew while allegedly hiding away. They claimed he jumped overboard to avoid capture. The crew threw him a life buoy. The police, NSRI Table Bay, Cape Town Fire and Rescue, and a number of ambulance services responded to the incident. Potgieter had donned his wetsuit and went out to rescue the man, and they were able to climb out at the pier with the use of a fire and rescue crew ladder, said Lambinon. The man was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment for hypothermia and was in a stable condition. Source : iol.co.za



2,500-Year-Old Greek Ship Raised off Sicilian Coast

An ancient Greek ship recently raised off the coast of southern Sicily, Italy, is the biggest and best maintained vessel of its kind ever found, archaeologists say.

At a length of nearly 70 feet (21 meters) and a width of 21 feet (6.5 meters), the 2,500-year-old craft is the largest recovered ship built in a manner first depicted in Homer's Iliad, which is believed to date back several centuries earlier. The ship's outer shell was built first, and the inner framework was added later. The wooden planks of the hull were sewn together with ropes, with pitch and resin used as sealant to keep out water. Carlo Beltrame, professor of marine archaeology at the Università Ca' Foscari in Venice, said the boat, found near the town of Gela, is among the most important finds in the Mediterranean Sea.

"Greek sewn boats have been found in Italy, France, Spain, and Turkey. Gela's wreck is the most recent and the best preserved," Beltrame said. The Italian Coast Guard helped archaeologists pull the wreck to the surface last month. A floating crane lifted the main segment, a 36-foot (11-meter) chunk, and dragged it to land. The remains were then plunged into a tank of fresh water to remove the salt from the wood. "The vessel was a mercantile sailer, probably used to sail short stretches along the coast, docking frequently to load and unload," said Rosalba Panvini, head of the Cultural Heritage Department of Sicily, who directed the raising operations. Recovered artifacts—including cups, two-handled jars called amphoras, oil lamps, pottery, and fragments of straw baskets—reveal details of the ship's journey before it sank, Panvini said. "The vessel stopped in Athens, then in the Peloponnese Peninsula," Panvini said. "It sailed up the western coast of Greece, crossed the Otranto Channel, coasted along Italy, and pointed to Sicily." The ship was headed for Gela, then a Greek colony. About a half mile (800 meters) off the coast, a storm probably tilted the ship. The ballast broke the hull, and the vessel went down, where it lay on the muddy seabed for 25 centuries. In 1988 two scuba divers discovered the remains and informed the Sicilian Cultural Heritage Department. It took 20 years to recover the whole vessel, which will now be sent to Portsmouth, U.K., to be restored before it returns to Gela. Officials hope to display the restored ship in a planned new sea museum. Beltrame, of the Università Ca' Foscari, said the ship—"part of a family of archaic Greek vessels"—is something of a missing link in the evolution of naval engineering. "It shows a mix of sewing and mortise-and-tenon joints—a different technique that later prevailed in shipbuilding," Beltrame said, referring to joints in which a protrusion in one piece of wood inserts into a cavity in another. Roberto Petriaggi of the Italian Central Institute for Restoration said Greeks were not the only people in the region to build ships using the sewing method. "Technical knowledge spread easily around the Mediterranean Basin," he said. "We have finds proving that Egyptians and Phoenician-Punic people used that method, too." Source : National Geographic News



Sunken ship blocks Walvis Bay syncrolift Ship repair work on Walvis Bay’s syncrolift has been delayed following the sinking of the fishing vessel Holmatindur,which capsized prior to undergoing its annual drydocking at the Namibian port. At least five vessels booked on the facility have been affected, reports the newspaper New Era. The cause of the accident has not been disclosed. Holmatindur is owned by a Luderitz fishing company, Sea Flower. The report suggests it may take three to four weeks to salvage the fishing vessel and regain full access to the syncrolift. The salvage operation has been awarded to Namib Marine Services and Elgin Brown & Hamer (Namdock). Initial efforts have been concentrated on removing 20,000 litres of fuel on board the sunken vessel. The syncrolift lifts approximately 400 vessels a year on average. Source : ports.co.za

The Thai flagged Tuna fishing boat THAI UNION 3 seen in Singapore waters Photo : Cornelis Jagt ©

Another busy week for NSRI A number of incidents requiring the services of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) have been reported. In Cape Town police, the NSRI and other rescue services responded to a report that a man, believed to be a Tanzanian, had jumped off a ship berthed in the harbour. He was found floating in the water holding on to a life-buoy thrown to him by one of the ship’s crew. The man, thought to be a stowaway had been discovered hiding on the ship but after being confronted he allegedly threw himself overboard. According to crew of the ship a second man was also discovered on board the vessel. Port Elizabeth NSRI responded to a call to assist the 10.5m yacht Addis Cape with a lone sailor on board which reported being low on diesel fuel and experiencing problems in heavy seas. The yacht had taken part in the annual Vasco da Gama yacht race between Maputo and Durban where it came in second, and was returning to the Royal Cape Yacht Club when it encountered adverse weather off Port Elizabeth including 36 knot winds and 3 to 5 metre swells. NSRI crew went out to the yacht and rendezvoused 17 n.miles off the port and escorted and later towed the yacht into Port Elizabeth harbour.



The Gordon’s Bay NSRI was activated to assist a ‘crayfish chucky boat’ Marlena with four crew on board which was experiencing engine trouble at Rocky Banks near the northern mouth of False Bay. On arrival the NSRI craft rigged a line onto the fishing boat and towed it into Gordon’s Bay harbour. At Melkbosstrand in Cape Town the NSRI was called out to assist following a report of a dog suspected of having been washed out to sea at Table View Beach in front of Doodles Restaurant. An NSRI volunteer responded directly to the scene to investigate while NSRI Melkbosstrand volunteers prepared to launch their rescue craft. On arrival on-scene a Jet-Ski was observed at the dogs position behind the breaker line and it appeared that the Jet-Skier was coaxing the dog to turn around and swim to shore which the dog did and after some swimming the dog came up on the beach and seemed to reunite with its owners. The NSRI volunteer questioned the owners who confirmed that this was a regular swimming activity of their “short haired German Pointer”. All rescue resources were stood down. NSRI Hout Bay, NSRI Kommetjie, the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter and the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services were activated by the National Ports Authority following a Mayday distress call from the 12 metre fishing trawler Tamara with 5 crew on-board reporting to have collided with a Southern Right Whale resulting in a 1 metre hole to the vessels bow and taking water fast off shore off Scarborough.’ Two fishing trawlers from the same fleet, Penjamin and Hiram had gone to her assistance and Penjamin reported having the casualty craft under tow, while Hiram stood-by to assist the crew off the casualty boat if it became necessary, but they requested a water extrication pump to be delivered to them urgently as the casualty boat was rapidly filling with water. While NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Kommetjie's rescue craft were launched the Metro Red Cross AMS helicopter responded to NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue base to fetch a water extrication pump which was loaded into the helicopter and taken out to the casualty craft and hoisted aboard the casualty craft. Once the pump had been delivered the crew of the casualty craft began pumping water out of their vessel and shortly thereafter the NSRI rescue craft arrived on-scene and NSRI volunteers were put aboard the casualty craft to assist the water extrication efforts and NSRI Hout Bays rescue craft MTU Nadine Gordimer took over the towline from Penjamin and assisted by NSRI Kommetjie's rescue craft Spirit of Winelands the casualty craft was safely moored in Hout Bay harbour. NSRI Kommetjie’s second rescue boat Wavescapes was dispatched to investigate the condition of the whale which was found to be swimming along appearing to be fine and appeared to not have sustained any injury. Source : ports.co.za

Russian Intel Ship Spotted Near Okinawa A Russian navy intelligence ship has been in the Pacific off Japan's southern island of Okinawa, possibly to monitor radio wave data from U.S. forces, Japan's Kyodo News reported Aug. 8. A Japanese destroyer found the ship moving and stopping repeatedly in the high seas some 30-60 kilometers (18-37 miles) east of the island of Okinawa on Aug. 6, the report said, citing Japanese Defense Ministry sources. The Russian vessel stopped its engines and began floating the afternoon of Aug. 7 at a point some 70 kilometers east of the southern tip of the island, Kyodo said. More than half of the 40,000 U.S. troops in Japan are based in Okinawa. U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under a security treaty with the country, which has been constitutionally pacifist since World War II. Source : defensenews



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Trawler's catch 'may have been poached' Marine inspectors have seized 10 tons of tuna and swordfish offloaded from the fishing vessel Seawin Sapphire that ran aground at Kreefte Bay near Melkbosstrand 10 days ago, citing possible poaching. Carol Moses, spokesperson for the Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) branch of the department of environmental affairs and tourism, which is investigating, said it was believed that there might have been "significant" contravention of the Marine Living Resources Act. But Julian Cook, chief operating officer of the company that owns the vessel, Indo-Atlantic Seafoods, said the Seawin Sapphire had a permit to fish for tuna using long-lines. The company's legal department had been in contact with MCM but had not been told why the catch was confiscated. Cook believed the catch had already been auctioned, but Moses was unable to confirm this on Monday Source : Cape Argus

Israel Corp injected $246 million into Zim The newly injected capital will enable Zim to move forward with its strategic program and to expand its containership fleet Israel Corp. Israel’s largest holding company and a global player with core holdings in fertilizers and specialty chemicals, energy, shipping and transportation, said last week it had purchased 10.4 million shares of its shipping subsidiary Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. for a total of $246 million. The investment follows a rights issue by Israel Corp to raise cash for its shipping subsidiary. The newly injected capital will enable Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. to move forward with its strategic program, which includes the expansion of its containership fleet. Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. ordered 21 mega size containerships, which the company is due to take delivery of from next year through mid 2012. Last year the company purchased 8 ships of 12,600 TEU with an option to buy one more. The ships will be built in Korea and will be delivered at the beginning of 2012. The cost of each ship is of about $170 Millions, and their size and capacity will be compatible with the characteristics of the Panama Canal once its enlargement is completed. The purchase of these mega container ships adds to the 12 ships already ordered by the company last year from Hyundai, i.e. 8 ships of 10,000 TEU and 4 ships of 8,200 TEU. These ships will be delivered at the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010. This new purchase of very large containerships(“VLCS”) is another step in ZIM’s rapid growth plan, which to date is one of the fastest growing companies in the container shipping industry, with the aim tostrengthen its position of leading global carrier. Source: port2port.com

HMS ENDURANCE - Acute affects of climate change

Bob Tarrant, captain of the British navy's ice-patrol ship HMS Endurance, told delegates at a climate change seminar in Simon's Town how he had seen firsthand the acute affects of climate change in Antarctica. "On the Antarctic Peninsula the effects of climate change are happening very fast. The only other place where they are happening as fast is in the Arctic. We were working at 74 degrees south on the west of the peninsula where the ice-sheet had been chartered, but we were eight miles behind that shelf," Tarrant said.



About 70 percent of the world's fresh water was contained in the polar ice. If all that melted, global sea levels would rise "tens of metres", Tarrant said. "There is no doubt in the minds of the British Antarctic Survey scientists I work with that human activity is responsible for this," he said. The seminar, hosted by the SA Navy and the British High Commission on board the HMS Endurance, brought together SA climate change experts and a group of Cape Town high school pupils whom the British Council had targeted to become "climate champions" to spread the word about climate change and the need to counter it. The Endurance has spent two months in Simon's Town to undergo maintenance after its Antarctic voyage. Ann Herd from the British High Commission's climate change team, told the seminar that the British government had made climate change one of its strategic priorities. "The science of climate change is proven. We need to act quickly to counter some of the impacts. The way to do it is to target the next generation. They are the ones going to live with it," Herd said. Phoebe Barnard, of the SA National Botanical Institute, said climate change was an added stress on ecosystems which had been changed by humans in the past 50 years more than ever before. "Ecosystems are life-support systems and underpin the economy. We won't develop at all if we don't recognise this. We need to change our economic development and our personal behaviour," she said. UCT climatologist Peter Johnston said it was important for individuals to understand that each person contributed to global climate change. "The minute you switch on a light, you are part of the problem. The minute you jump into your car to get a pint of milk you are part of the problem," Johnston said. Climate change was an added stress factor to many the world already faced, such as poverty, overpopulation, natural resource degradation and water shortages, and should be taken into account in planning. Source : Cape Times

The Philippine inter-island ferry MILAGROSA-J-5 seen moored in the port of Puerto Princesa City (Palawan) Loading for her next port of call, IloIlo - Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Iran to seize polluting ships



Iran plans to enforce the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) to ban polluting ships from its waters, the local Press TV reported. Ali Taheri, managing director of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), said Monday that Iranian forces have been prepared since August 1 to seize ships polluting the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. "The ships pose a serious threat to the animals and environment of these waters,” he was quoted as saying. Taheri was referring to some 40,000 vessels that cross its waters annually. "We will go ahead in accordance to regulations and seize any polluting ships in Iranian waters," he added. The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes, including dumping, oil and exhaust pollution. Source: Sustainable Shipping

Row over Hapag-Lloyd sale escalates According to German media reports, the board of TUI has sent a letter to John Fredriksen, one of its major share-holders, with a threat to sue Fredriksen if he goes to court to stop the sale of Hapag-Lloyd. An indictment will be filed if a court order to stop the sale later is proven unjustified and causes financial damage for TUI. According to John Fredriksen, a decision to sell Hapag-Lloyd must be approved by an extraordinary annual meeting.

Boek over de Rotterdam De terugkeer van de ss Rotterdam in zijn thuishaven levert de Maasstad ook een nieuw boek op. Eind deze maand wordt het werk over het historische schip verwacht. Nu het voormalige stoomschip de Rotterdam voor altijd thuis is in Katendrecht, wordt de laatste hand gelegd aan een boek over het historische vaartuig. Het werk, dat De Rotterdam voor altijd thuis gaat heten, telt 176 paginas en meer dan 200 fotos. Het boek beschrijft het bijna vijftig-jarige leven van de Rotterdam, van de allereerste klinknagel tot de aankomst in Rotterdam, vorige week maandag. Ook het verblijf in onder meer Gibraltar, Cadiz, Gdansk en Wilhelmshaven komen aan de orde. Het werk, dat in de laatste week van augustus verschijnt, is geschreven door de Rotterdamse journalist Bram Oosterwijk. De winkelprijs bedraagt 19,95 euro. www.derotterdamvooraltijdthuis.nl

Injured P&O passenger wants refund A passenger injured during a Pacific cruise is furious with cruise company P&O for offering her a discount off her next cruise instead of a refund. Tania Watford, a 39-year-old Opononi secretary, was on the Pacific Sun on its eight-day Auckland-to-Vanuatu cruise when the ship hit storms with seven-metre swells and 50-knot winds before eventually docking at Queens Wharf on August 1. Ms Watford was flung from one side of the main lobby to the other – a distance she estimated at 10m - suffering an injured neck and concussion. She has been offered 25 per cent off her next cruise but claims the 57 injured passengers were given a separate undertaking that they would be entitled to a refund. Her fare was about $950, she said. The Australian cruise company says passengers were aware of the goodwill offer of 25 per cent off before they left the ship. Ms Watford, who contacted the company last week, said the offer was exactly the same as that made to those who were not hurt - which is at odds with what she understood to be the case when she was on the ship. "We were told on board we were going to be compensated. In good faith they didn't charge me for medical costs on board, but I also expected to be reimbursed for my fare."



She also claims company representatives told her she would have to prove negligence on the captain's part in an Australian court before she would get a refund. That is a position she believes is "arrogant - it's just left a very bad taste in my mouth". She added: "I do think it was negligent because New Zealand was in full alert that a storm was coming. You can't tell me that they don't read the weather forecasts out on the water." Ms Watford is still suffering headaches and was getting a second medical opinion on her neck injury yesterday. She will be off work for a month. A P&O spokesman said the company was aware of her complaint but before passengers disembarked they were told of the discount both by the captain over the sound system and by letter. It was unlikely that Ms Watford would have been told she would have to take the company to court to receive reimbursement, the spokesman said, but the company could not compensate for situations out of its control - in this instance the weather. He said Ms Watford had been asked to put her complaint in writing so the company could review the situation for any "extenuating circumstances". Source : New Zealand Herald, New Zealand

NAVY NEWS

The Brazilian frigate F 46 GREENHALGH seen departing from Willemstad (Curacao) after taking bunkers, the frigate is built during 1975 as the HMS BROADSWORD for the Royal navy, she was sold to Brazil by the UK on 18-11-1994

and transferred and recommissioned 30-6-1995, and arrived in Brazil on 24-10-1995 Photo : Kees Bustraan ©

Ukraine seeks deal limiting use of Russian Black Sea Fleet

Ukraine wants Moscow to agree to a deal restricting the use of Russia's Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet in armed conflicts, a top Ukrainian diplomat said on Monday, following Russia's deployment of warships near Georgia.



Ukraine, whose pro-Western leadership shares the NATO ambitions of Georgia, threatened on the weekend to refuse to allow the Russian vessels to return to the Sevastopol naval base. The ships were patrolling the waters near Georgia during a Russian peace enforcement operation that begun after Georgia's costly offensive in breakaway South Ossetia. "We hope that this situation will compel both parties to sign such an agreement. The Ukrainian side is ready for this," Deputy Foreign Minister Konstyantyn Yeliseyev said. He reiterated Kiev's position that the use of the Russian ships in armed hostilities is unacceptable. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Sunday that the Russian Navy had sunk a Georgian vessel transporting missile launchers. The Ukrainian diplomat said the country does not want confrontation with Russia but "normal, constructive dialogue that must take Ukraine's interests into consideration." Two Russian warships - the Moskva missile cruiser and Smetlivy patroller - returned to the Russian port of Novorossiisk on Sunday evening. The Moskva had been docked at the Sevastopol base before its deployment near Georgia. Source: rian.ru

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A Tale Of Russian Aircraft Carriers by Ilya Kramnik - RIA Novosti military commentator

Sealed and decided: Russia will build aircraft carriers. After years of debate the naval command and the national leadership seem to have agreed that the navy should have such ships. But this has not always been the case. To understand current thinking, it is necessary to take a look at the history of aircraft carrier building in Russia. The Russian navy first used seaplanes in World War I, when its Black Sea Fleet used them to bombard enemy ports. The possibility of building full-scale aircraft carriers was first mooted in Russia after the Civil War. Plans were drawn up to convert some ships - the training ship Komsomolets, the battleship Poltava and uncompleted battle cruisers of the Izmail class - into a new type of vessels. However, the economy and industry were at such low ebb that the programs had to be postponed until better times. The next step was taken in the late 1930s, when Soviet naval architects came up with two new projects: Project 71 (a light aircraft carrier with 45 planes) and Project 72 (a heavy aircraft carrier with 62 planes). The work got under way, but World War II intervened. After the war the naval chiefs again raised the issue, but Soviet leaders did not share the admirals' enthusiasm for this class of vessels. Nonetheless, the shipbuilding program the country adopted in the 1950s provided for the construction of two light aircraft carriers, to gain operating experience and test their capabilities. But when Stalin died, construction of large surface ships practically ground to a halt: the new leadership did not believe in traditional fighting services and opted for missile and nuclear weapons. The question was shelved for 10 more years. In the late 1960s, the navy got its first helicopter cruisers, Moskva and Leningrad. But they were specialist craft intended for very specific missions, and could not operate as regular carriers. Meanwhile the Nevsky PKB, the country's largest producer of surface ships, was pondering plans for a carrier of 45,000 to 50,000 tons. Intended to provide air cover for groups of surface ships and submarines, it was to carry a complement of 35 to 40 planes, including of deck-



based MiG-23 fighters, early warning aircraft, and helicopters. The ship's own armaments were meant to deal with aircraft and submarines. But instead of a fully operational carrier, the navy again got a dud - the Nikolayev shipyard began building a series of Project 1143 ships. These so-called "heavy aircraft carrying cruisers" were to be equipped with hunter-killer helicopters and Yak-38 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) planes. Bazalt anti-ship missiles provided an additional capability. Still, the idea of a full-blooded aircraft carrier was slowly but surely forcing its way into the open. It had high-placed patrons: Minister of Shipbuilding Boris Butoma, who was interested in big orders from the navy, and Defense Minister Andrei Grechko, who quite undiplomatically requested that industry build aircraft carriers like the USS Nimitz. It was decided that with completion of the two Project 1143 heavy aircraft carriers Kiev and Minsk, the first carrier of Project 1160, with a displacement of 80,000 tons, would be laid down. But the anti-carrier lobby prevailed, and instead of starting a new series a third Project 1143 ship, Novorossiisk, was laid down. The good work, however, was continued - by 1967 the Nevsky PKB had completed plans for a Project 1153 ship, which, though smaller than the previous 1160 project, was still a true carrier and, importantly, had a nuclear power plant. But the deaths of Grechko and Butoma put paid to the undertaking. After the Novorossiisk was launched in 1978, Nikolayev started construction of a fourth Project 1143 carrier. The new vessel was named the Baku and was to be fitted out with then non-existent Yak-141 fighter planes. But the lame philosophy of Project 1143 was clear to everyone - twice as large as British Invincible class light carriers equipped with Sea Harriers, the Russian vessels little differed from them in capability. The missiles they carried, while increasing displacement and adding to costs, did not redeem them - the ships proved cumbrous and under-armed either as missile cruisers or light aircraft carriers. Normally-configured aircraft, moreover, required a total redesign of Project 1143 ships. The upshot was that, in 1982, when the Baku hit the water, the Nikolayev yard laid the keel of a vessel capable of carrying a full-bodied air wing of MiG-29 and Su-27 jets. Yet the ship, initially christened the Riga, proved another messy compromise: it had a ramp instead of a catapult and 12 Granit anti-ship missiles in vertical launch silos to complement the organic aircraft. Even before she was launched, the first full-blown Soviet aircraft carrier changed her name from the Riga to Leonid Brezhnev. In 1987, she was renamed the Tbilisi and in 1990, Admiral Kuznetsov. The Kuznetsov has remained the only Soviet-built carrier. Its sister-ship Varyag, which was laid down two years after the Kuznetsov, was launched but remained unfitted, while the Ulyanovsk, a larger vessel with catapults and a nuclear power plant, was cut up on the blocks. The Kiev, Minsk and Novorossiisk also suffered a sad fate. In 1993, they were decommissioned and sold to China

as floating entertainment centers, while the Baku, renamed Admiral Gorshkov and sold to India, is currently being refitted as a standard aircraft carrier at Severodvinsk, Russia. Left : The 1975 built KIEV seen as laid-up several years Photo : Arie Duijfjes © In the 1990s, few if any debated

the subject. The theme re-emerged in the mid-2000s, when it was declared that Russia needed several aircraft-carrying ships in its Northern and Pacific fleets. The numbers mooted ranged from two or three to six or eight. Now plans envisage building five to six carriers over the next 20 years. Construction proper is expected to start after 2012.



Much as we might wish to believe in the feasibility of these plans, there remain several unanswered questions. What missions will the aircraft carriers and their escort groups fulfill? When and with what funds will Russia re-engineer (or build from scratch) the infrastructure of its naval bases for new ships? What types of planes will be based on them? How are their crews to be staffed? And lastly, how long will it take to build these vessels and their escorts, especially with the current personnel squeeze in the shipbuilding industry? It is my fond hope that the navy's command and national leaders know the answers to these questions. Otherwise, we will get at best a couple of unprovided-for ships, which will have to be sold after 10 to 15 years of service, or at worst, nothing.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti. Source: RIA Novosti

Virginia-Class Boats Sailing Into Action Out of the nine fast-attack boats underway in the Atlantic Ocean, four of them are Virginia-class submarines.

USS Virginia (SSN 774), USS Texas (SSN 775), USS North Carolina (SSN 777) and Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) New Hampshire (SSN 778) are all currently conducting exercises and tests off the Atlantic coast. Left : PCU New Hampshire (SSN 778) USS Hawaii (SSN 776), the first Virginia-class boat to deploy, is currently at General Dynamics Electric Boat conducting a post-shakedown availability, an industrial activity availability assigned to correct deficiencies found

during the shakedown cruise or to accomplish other authorized improvements. "Having three of the four operational Virginia-class boats and PCU New Hampshire at sea is a reflection of the hard work, dedication and team work that is our submarine force," said Capt. Robert Clark, Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 4 commodore. "This will become a common occurrence in the future, but today it's the crowning achievement of a huge cast of people who made it possible." SUBRON 4 has become known as the "Virginia-class Center of Excellence." They are the parent squadron to every Virginia-class boats' transition to become an operational fleet unit. "It's a real feather in the cap of the submarine force to be able to take a new design from concept through real employment in such a short time and in such an efficient and effective manner," said Clark. Virginia-class attack submarines provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. They will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that will enable them to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements. Source : US Navy

Iran builds new, smart sub Iranian state radio is quoting the country's defense minister as saying Iran's military capabilities "increased remarkably'' after the construction of a new submarine. General Mostafa Mohammadnajjar says the submarine is "smart,'' unmanned and has radar-evading capabilities. Tuesday's report did not elaborate on its size and technical specifics, and did not say whether the submarine had been tested. Iran occasionally announces production of advanced weapons. Since 1992, it has been active in producing military tanks, missiles, torpedoes, as well as guided bombs and airplanes.



But little is known about Iranian submarines, beyond announcements years ago that Tehran bought some Russian subs and was to produce its own, smaller-sized ones. Source : The Star

Guam delegate requests for oversight hearing on submarine maintenance

Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo is asking a subcommittee under the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee to hold an oversight hearing on the maintenance of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines. The U.S. Navy has made assurances that the recenttly confirmed radioactive leak from the USS Houston was negligible and comparable to the radioactivity of all smoke detectors in a typical home. Bordallo said she remains concerned that the leak went on for two years before it was detected - and only after the USS Houston was drydocked in Honolulu. "This information about the duration of the leak was of concern to me and raised many questions about the maintenance of the Navy's nuclear propulsion force," Bordallo wrote Aug. 11 to Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness. "Concerns about the maintenance of the fleet are particularly relevant given the recent circumstances involving the poor maintenance of the USS Stout and the USS Chosin," Bordallo wrote to Ortiz. "Our subcommittee has a responsibility to provide oversight programs that need greater attention," Bordallo wrote. Source : Guampdn

SHIPYARD NEWS

The SVITZER EAGLE seen fitting out at the ASL Shipyard in Singapore Photo : Piet Sinke ©



Three workers killed in accident in Istanbul shipyard

Three workers were killed and 13 others wounded in an accident in Tuzla Shipyards Zone in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Monday, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. Workers fell into the sea when a boat's rope uncoiled from a ship in Gisan Shipyard, leaving three workers dead and 13 others injured, said the report. A total of 61 workers have died due to various accidents at Tuzla shipyards since 2000, according to the report. Source : xinhuanet

CANADIAN YARD HAS SIX MONTHS TO FIND MORE CASH

THE future of Canada's largest shipbuilder, Quebec-based Davie Yards, looks uncertain following losses in the first half of the year and the revelation that it will run out of cash in six months. Revenue for the six months ended June 30US$22.6m but there was an EBITDA loss of $51.0 m and the Company recorded a net loss of $54.8 million. A statement notes: “The Corporation has incurred significant operating losses and cash outflows from operations and has negative working capital as at June 30, 2008. The Corporation's cash situation is not presently sufficient to fund expected future cash requirements after 6 months. The ability of the Corporation to continue as a going concern is dependent upon raising additional financing and achieving future profitable operations.” The statement added: “ On the arrival of our new Chief Executive Officer, Steinar Kulen, at the end of Q1 2008, a thorough review of the Corporation's processes and projects was initiated. This review has identified weaknesses in the Corporation's operation. Productivity is lower than previously estimated, due to higher than expected complexities in the vessel construction processes and a more challenging ramp-up of the yard. Lower productivity and a very tight building programme has forced the yard to increase subcontracting and thereby increasing costs. Davie has also been affected, along with the rest of the shipbuilding industry, by the recent significant increases in the price of materials. The Corporation has made a loss provision of $36.1 million for the vessels under construction.” On it prospects of continuing in business the company says: “ The Corporation has done a thorough competitive study of the yard and concluded with a clear cost advantage relative to the yards competitors in European which is only expected to improve going forward. Davie is addressing its operating processes, and with the changes that are being implemented, management strongly believes in the competitiveness of the yard in building complex offshore vessels and rigs. Market reports conclude on a still positive market outlook for complex offshore service vessels and rigs, which is expected to last for the coming years, giving Davie an interesting future potential.” Source : Maritime Global Net

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ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The 138 mtr long yacht RISING SUN seen moored in the port of Venice (Italy), the yacht is co-owned by Larry Ellison (CEO of Oracle) and David Geffen, the RISING SUN is built during 2004 by Blohm & Voss (Lurssen) in Germany

under project number LE120, and is able to make a speed of 28 knots ! Photo : Paul Thomas ©

Marine Bulk Carriers adds to fleet Cape Town based BEE shipping company, Marine Bulk Carriers, has extended the bulk carrier fleet under its management by two new vessels to further increase opportunities for South African mineral exporters. Marine Bulk Carriers also recently announced that it had concluded two new anchor-handling contracts with PetroSA. This deal involves the provision of two powerful tugs to provide assistance to the oilrig Pride South Seas in the oilfields along South Africa’s Southern Coast. MBC has now also reached agreement with Japanese shipping company Sanko to take over the commercial management of the SHINING STAR, a 172.000 ton bulk carrier working mainly in the iron ore trade. The ‘Shining Star’ loaded her first cargo under the new agreements in Saldanha Bay last week. The second of the two new vessels under MBC management is the 82,000 ton BILLION TRADER 1, a Kamsarmax bulk carrier which was immediately placed on a long term charter. “Sanko’s decision to place the Shining Star with MBC is further evidence of the Japanese company’s commitment to the development of MBC’s business in the bulk shipping business,” says Jan Rabie, Director of MBC. Sanko has a 20 percent share in MBC following a deal concluded in 2005 between Sanko and the Cape Town based company. “While the world shipping markets recently experienced an all time peak driven by the commodity boom and imports to China, MBC has been able to establish itself as an operator in the bulk business. These latest moves, including the acquisition of 20 percent of MBC and MCS by African Renaissance Holdings Limited, a blue chip BEE investment company, will boost our capital base for further expansion. MBC is looking for investment opportunities in the bulk and off-shore sectors and has come a long way since its establishment three years ago.” “The Shining Star is perfectly suited for exports through Saldanha Bay, but coal out of Richard’s Bay will also continue to play an important part in our business,” says Rabie. “MBC has become a leading South African based operator in the exports of iron ore and coal from South Africa. We have demonstrated our ability to perform in the international bulk market to the advantage of South African brokers who have been affected by the exodus of bulk shipping companies from South Africa.



“The addition of these two vessels, as well as the new anchor handling supply vessels, has brought the number of vessels under charter and commercial management by MBC to eight,” he said. Last year MBC extended its relationship with Sanko Steamship Company of Japan to take over the commercial management of the 161,000 ton Cape size vessel SANKO OASIS. “At that stage we already managed the 150,000 ton SANKO SPARK and the addition of the second vessel underlined Sanko’s commitment to our business.” Mr Rabie says MBC has also independently chartered two Panamax size vessels, the ELINAKOS of 73,780 tons for a period of two years and the GOLDEN KIJI for one year in order to give it more options for extending its business in the bulk shipping market.

The Shining Star’s first cargo of iron ore under the new agreement will be delivered to Rotterdam on the Dutch coast for the Austrian company, Voest Alpine. From Rotterdam the cargo will be following an interesting route by barge along the canals and waterways of Western Europe to its final destination in Linz in Northern Austria. Left : The OCEAN SUPPORTER seen pitching into the ocean swell whilst departing from Mosselbay Port (South Africa) - Photo : Piet Sinke ©

The two anchor handling tugs, the 12,600 horse-power EEMS, and the 10,880 horse-power OCEAN SUPPORTER have already started their contracts with PetroSA.

Right : The EEMS Photo : Ronny Meyer ©

The Eems has been chartered by MBC from Femco Management (Ltd), a company based on the Russian east coast island of Sachalin, north of Japan, while the Ocean Supporter was deployed in South African waters in a charter arrangement with the Norwegian company Oceanlink. Source : ports.co.za

Perdido spar heads for deepwater Shell and co-owners BP and Chevron are one step closer to bringing new energy resources to the United States. On Aug. 8, 2008, the Perdido Regional Development Spar departed Ingleside, Texas, on its way to its final work site, Alaminos Canyon Block 857, in the ultra deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The spar will be towed 160 nautical miles over an approximately three-day period. Once on site, it will be upended-- rotated from a horizontal to a vertical floating position--then, it will be secured by nine polyester / chain mooring lines to the seafloor anchor piles, which are already installed on site. All this is happening in approximately 8,000 feet of water, making Perdido the world's deepest oil and gas spar production facility. It will provide production processing for



three fields: Great White, Silvertip and Tobago. Perdido will be capable of delivering 130,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (100,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of gas per day). Perdido is scheduled to begin production around the turn of the decade. Construction of the spar began in November 2006 at the Technip construction yard in Pori, Finland. On May 27, 2008, the spar sailed from Finland. It arrived at the Kiewit Offshore Services fabrication yard in Ingleside on June 19. Shell worked with Technip and Kiewit to perform final outfitting of the spar in preparation for offshore installation. This work primarily included floating the spar off of the Mighty Servant 1 transport vessel; removing all seafastening and floatation tanks; and installing the remaining strakes, anodes and installation aids. Kiewit also holds the contract to construct and fabricate the Perdido topsides facility, which includes the production equipment, drilling rig and the living quarters. Topsides construction began in March 2007 and continues today. The topsides will be mated with the spar in a single lift in early 2009. Once completed, the steel spar structure will be nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower. Shell is 35% owner/operator of Perdido. Other partner ownership percentages are: Chevron (37.5%) and BP (27.5%). Source : MarineLog

SMIT Start-up terminal contract with Kuwait Oil Company

On the 1st of November 2007, SMIT Terminals signed a contract with Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) for the supply of ten vessels with crew. These vessels will support KOC at their export facilities in Kuwait, consisting of an onshore terminal and four CALM buoys. The operations will start as from 1 October 2008 and by the end of 2008 all assigned vessels will have been mobilised to Kuwait and have started operations.

In total five tugs, three fast crew boats, a crane barge and a mooring launch will be deployed for the contract. The first two tugs to start working will be the ‘Smit Europe’ and the ‘Smit Africa’ together with a crew boat, the ‘Smit Bubyan’. Left : The SMIT EUROPE Photo : Maarten Mostert © The ‘Smit Bubyan’ is an aluminum crew boat, which can take 30 passengers and can operate at a speed of 25 knots. The vessel is presently under construction at Strategic Marine in Singapore and is expected in August. Later in the year the

‘Smit Europe’ and ‘Smit Africa’ will be joined by two newbuildings from the ASL yard in Batam, Indonesia: the ‘Smit Mauritius’ and ‘Smit Madagscar’. These are also ASD tugs with 45 tbp. The fifth tug will be a Damen 2810 design: the ‘Smit Martinique’ which is presently under construction in Rumania. The ‘Smit Bubyan’ will be joined by two more sister vessels: the ‘Smit Failaka’ and the ‘Smit Kubbar’ - these three names are derived from small



islands off Kuwait. The fleet will be completed by a crane barge: the ‘Smit Al Kout’ (old name for Kuwait) and a mooring launch: the ‘Smit Al Kuwait’. The crane barge is presently built by Neptune Marine in The Netherlands and the mooring launch by the Uzmar yard in Turkey. To support the operations, SMIT Terminals will open an office on the waterfront of the small port at Mina Al Ahmadi. The shore team will consist of the SMIT Terminals Contract Manager, a finance manager, a HR coordinator, a SHEQ officer and a SVMS team of three: Vessel Manager, Technical Superintendent + assistant. At this moment most of the staff members have been identified to fill these positions. Technical maintenance and crewing of the vessels will be provided by SVMS. In the last three months before the start of the operations a lot of small details will be taken care of: setting-up of the office, implementing SMIT Terminals SHEQ system, mobilizing equipment, obtaining local permits etc. With all the efforts which are presently being put in the start-up of this contract it will for sure become a successful and safe operation. Source: SMIT

The APPEN CHARLOTTE seen moored in the port of Keelung (Taiwan) - Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Toisa Proteus supports Galoc riser replacement

Acergy mobilised Sealion Shipping diving support vessel (DSV) Toisa Proteus to support the riser replacement work at the Palawan Basin Galoc oil field offshore the Philippines. Toisa Proteus is on the way to the Galoc oil field after having recently completed subsea installation work on CNOOC's Liuhua 11-1 project. The contracted work in Galoc is scheduled to begin in mid-August and is expected to take less than two weeks to complete. The riser section was believed to have been damaged during the disconnection of the floating production storage offloading vessel (FPSO) Rubicon Intrepid prior to the arrival of Typhoon Fengshen. Rough sea conditions caused trouble with the laying of the final 100 metres (328 ft) of the mooring system, possibly resulting in the overlap of flowlines and the subsequent damage to the riser. Production start-up at Galoc was previously postponed to June due to the arriving typhoon and is now expected to take place later this month. Initial production will begin from two subsea wells, Galoc-3 and Galoc-4, and is expected to ramp up to 15,000 b/d of oil.



The Galoc field is located about 65 kilometres (40 miles) northwest of Palawan, Philippines. Galoc Production Co. (GPC) owns 58 per cent interest as operator of the oil field in SC14. Partner Nido Petroleum holds 22 per cent interest, while a Filipino consortium holds the remaining 20 per cent interest.

MSC Los Angeles will become largest container ship in regular South African service

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) continues to acquire more ships, either at the builder’s yard or by leasing them, and in the process the Swiss/Italian line is steadily increasing its container carrying capacity with larger ships cascading down into various secondary services, including those to South Africa.

Some recent additions to its fleet include the 5,700-TEU MSC Los Angeles, the 5,500-TEU MSC France and three sister ships to the Los Angeles, the former ER Amsterdam, ER Felixstowe and ER London which had previously been in service with Maersk Line. Left : The MSC LOS ANGELES Photo : Richard Wisse ©

MSC Los Angeles and MSC France are both transferring to the Europe – South Africa service, with MSC Los Angeles due in Durban on 28 August when she will become the largest container ship in regular service to South Africa, while another ex-Maersk ship, the 4,000-TEU vessel MSC Toledo arrives this week. Other post Panamax container ships already in MSC service to South Africa include MSC Messina and MSC Catania (both 4,953-TEU). Source : ports.co.za

HELIX´s EXPRESS seen at the Kakinada anchorage Photo : Capt. Neil Johnston – Master Salvigilant ©



Ampelmann succesvol op Noordzee De Ampelmann heeft de afgelopen maand succesvol de eerste commerciële klus volbracht op de Noordzee. Aan boord van de Taklift 4, een drijvende bok van SMIT, verzorgde de Ampelmann de toegang van en naar het gasplatform in het P14 blok, 45 km ten westen van Scheveningen. Het platform is eigendom van Wintershall. De Taklift fungeerde de eerste weken als accommodatieschip voor de werklui die het platform voorbereidden om verwijderd te worden. De Ampelmann is een bewegingscompensatie platform, ontwikkeld door de TU Delft, dat sinds januari commercieel geopereerd wordt door de spin-off Ampelmann Company. De techniek van de Ampelmann is gebaseerd op een vliegtuigsimulator: 6 hydraulische cilinders die een dek en loopbrug stilhouden door continu de bewegingen van het schip tegen te sturen, zelfs in grote golven. Direct bij aankomst kreeg de Ampelmann zijn vuurdoop toen een straffe noordoosten wind aantrok tot windkracht 7 en de golven een hoogte van maximaal 5 meter bereikten. Door de bewegingen in alle richtingen te compenseren, bewees de Ampelmann dat zelfs onder deze omstandigheden “offshore access, as easy as crossing the street” kan zijn: in 170 aanlandingen werden 750 overstappen gemaakt. De Ampelmann Company is druk bezig de serieproductie vorm te geven om begin volgend jaar een aantal systemen operationeel te hebben. Het bedrijf wordt als technostarter gesteund door incubator YES!Delft. Voor de productie heeft de Ampelmann intrek genomen in de voormalige RDM werf, waar het Havenbedrijf Rotterdam het Innovation Dock bouwt voor innovatieve bedrijven in de Maritieme sector. Zo wordt er verder gebouwd aan Hollands Glorie waar vroeger de s.s. Rotterdam werd gelanceerd om de wereldzeeën te bedwingen.

STX Pan Ocean posts record H1 profit Dry bulk owner STX Pan Ocean has posted a record $457.8m profit for the first half of 2008, up 156% on the corresponding 2007 period, on sales of $4.9bn, up 115%. Higher freight rates, increased charters and an expanded fleet all contributed to the dramatic improvement. Commenting on the results, Lee Jong Chul, vice chairman and ceo of STX said, "Our exceptional sales in the first half is proof that the market remained unfazed by global economic uncertainties, which was largely driven by a strong commodities market." The Group says it expects the current strong market condition to continue "well beyond 2009 in view of the continuing demand from China and cut in order book for newbuildings". Separately, STX Pan Ocean announces it has contracted for two capesize bulkers worth $107m apiece from STX Shipbuilding. Source: Seatradeasia

One more construction vessel for Coastline Maritime

Singapore-based Coastline Maritime will invest in a new multipurpose construction vessel, which is likely to be constructed at Drydocks World Singapore's shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. Coastline has procured part of the required equipment for the newbuild vessel. Construction of the new vessel is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year, with delivery planned for the second quarter of 2011. The newbuild vessel will be equipped with DP-3 and a 1,600-tonne (1,760-ton) crane to install offshore platforms and pipelines in up to 3,000 metres (9,843 ft) of water. Coastline has two similar vessels, Goliath and Samson, under construction at the same shipyard. The two vessels have been sold to Oceanografia and are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2010, respectively.



The tug EPIC CHALLENGER seen moored in Singapore-Jurong - Photo : Piet Sinke ©

The tug EPIC CHALLENGER is built as the KAIMEU during 1974 at the Hashimoto Zosen Tekko K.K. shipyard in Kumamoto (Japan) during 1977 the 41 mtr tug was sold and renamed in DONG AH No 103, followed by TONG AH during 1989, at 27-07-2003 the tug was renamed EPIC CHALLENGER and is at present owned by Shipmate Private

Ltd and flying the Singapore flag

China's ZPMC to supply Haifa port with 7 quayside container cranes

Three companies submitted bids - Kocks, ZPMC and Konecranes. The port has not yet released the name of the party to supply the port with 15 gantry cranes Two years after the publication of the €100M international tender for up to 22 cranes (7 quayside container cranes and 15 gantry cranes) for the Haifa's Carmel A container terminal, the port informed last week that Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Co.Ltd. (ZPMC) was elected to supply the port with 7



quayside container cranes. ZPMC is a world-famous manufacturer of cranes and large steel structures. Its main products include quayside container cranes, rubber- tyred gantry cranes (RTGs). bulk-material ship loaders and unloaders, bucket-wheel stackers and reclaimers, portal cranes, floating cranes engineering vessels and large steel bridge structures. The port has not yet released the name of the party to supply the port with 15 gantry cranes. Source: port2port.com

The utility vessel ALBATRO seen in the Adriatic Sea - Photo : Henk Doornhein ©

Pacific Basin acquires options to purchase two new Ro-ros

Hong Kong-based Pacific Basin Shipping Limited has recently signed binding purchase option contracts with the Grimaldi Group of Italy. The contracts were for two Ro-ro cargo vessels to be built at Hyundai Mipo for delivery in the second and fourth quarters of 2010. If the purchase options are exercised, the total consideration will be approximately US$174 million. These vessels are of similar size and type to the four newbuildings which the company already has on order from the AP Moller-Maersk-owned Odense Steel Shipyard in Denmark. Pacific Basin has said that the four ro-ros on order would help address environmental issues in Asia. Carbon dioxide emissions from the vessels per unit of caro per mile were lower than those of trucks, making them more carbon efficient. Source : Baird Online

MOVEMENTS

The GOTALAND seen enroute Rotterdam - Photo : Piet van der Hoeven ©



Smit Hudson enroute Rotterdam The new built Smit Hudson departed from Constanta last Tuesday 05th of August with a Redwise crew it is expected

that she will arrive in Rotterdam around the 22nd of August 2008. (Source: Hans van der Ster)

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

The SMIT JAPAN seen assisting the COOPER RIVER BRIDGE in Rotterdam-Europoort Photo : Fred Vloo ©

B O E K B E S P R E K I N GDoor : Frank NEYTS

“Nederlandse koopvaardijschepen in beeld. Kleine Handelsvaart en Lijnvaart (2) ”

In de reeks ‘Nederlandse koopvaardijschepen in beeld’ worden aan de hand van het mooiste fotomateriaal de schepen die vanaf 1945 deel uitmaakten van de vloten van de Nederlandse rederijen voor het voetlicht gebracht. De vaak nostalgische beelden, voorzien van een toelichting, worden voorafgegaan door een korte beschrijving van de rederijen, waarvan de schepen in het boekje worden getoond. Recent verschenen in de reeks twee nieuwe uitgaven: “Kleine Handelsvaart” en “Lijnvaart (2)”. In het tweede deel gewijd aan de lijnvaart worden de drie rederijen belicht die werden opgericht om het vervoer van en naar Nederlands Oost-Indië ter hand te nemen, de Stoomvaart Maatschappij ‘Nederland’, de (Koninklijke) Rotterdamse Lloyd en de Nederlandse Stoomvaart Maatschappij ‘Oceaan’. Naderhand werd hun vaargebied uitgebreid – onder meer met diensten tussen de Verenigde Staten en Indië - maar in 1960 moest dat ingrijpend worden aangepast door de verslechterde relatie tussen Nederland en haar voormalig gebiedsdeel.



Deel 5 van de reeks is de eerste van een aantal geplande uitgaven gewijd aan de Kleine Handelsvaart. De coaster van voorheen, die door de toenmalige begrenzingen maximaam 499,99 brt mat, is door verruiming van de regels geleidelijk uitgegroeid tot een multi-functioneel vrachtschip met soms meer dan 10.000 ton draagvermogen, dat vaak wereldwijd wordt ingezet. De term Kleine Handelsvaart dekt dan ook al lang niet meer de lading. ”Nederlandse koopvaardijschepen in beeld. Kleine Handelsvaart” (ISBN 978-906013293-7) en “Nederlandse koopvaardijschepen in beeld. Lijnvaart (2)” (ISBN 978-906013294-4) werden als hardback uitgegeven en tellen

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SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGEnewsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/pdf/2008/210-14-08-2008.pdf · 2008. 8. 13. ·...

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Transcript of SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGEnewsletter.maasmondmaritime.com/pdf/2008/210-14-08-2008.pdf · 2008. 8. 13. ·...