daily collection of mar itime press clippings 2015 –...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2015 – 070

Distribution : daily to 32.350+ active addresses 10-03-2015

Number 070 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Tuesday 10-03-2015

News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.

Kees and Ivan Wagenaar of TOS during a visit to the Eastern working

anchorage in Singapore with in the background seen Stemat’s YVONNE W

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The SMIT SABA assisting the bulk carrier Ling Gang 9, in Burrard Inlet, Vancouver, B.C. - March 7, 201

Photo : Mike Zelt ©

Astro Offshore takes delivery of anchor handling tug

Astro Offshore, an offshore and maritime chartering and brokerage company headquartered in Dubai, has taken delivery of its first anchor handling tug, AHS Astro Reliance, as part of a fleet expansion plan.Built in 2009, Astro Reliance was secured second-hand after Astro Offshore decided to hold off on signing a contract for the build of two new 500grt anchor handling vessels, Mark Humphreys, managing director, told Maritime & Ports Middle East.“We were looking at having two 5,000 to 6,000 bhp tugs built last year in Singapore, and got as far as having the vessels

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designed in Holland, but we decided last year in September to hold off and do a trial run with a second hand vessel instead,” said Humphreys. “The type of vessel that we require is very specific and we were looking at ordering a high-end anchor handling tug, which would have pushed the cost up.”According to Humphreys, the key feature of the two newbuild vessels was to be their winches, which were to be supplied by Rolls Royce.Humphreys says that if Astro Reliance continues to see strong demand from the market, they’ll revisit the plan to have two more anchor handling tugs built. “With the recent drop in the oil price, we’re actually in a stronger negotiating position with a shipyard in Singapore, which changes the situation somewhat,” said Humphreys.

Astro Reliance secured her first contract within two weeks of delivery with a UAE national oil firm chartering her for work on the UZ750 Project (Upper Zakum Offshore Oil Field Development). That contract is due to last four to five months, with another of similar length already lined up, according to Humphreys. Astro Reliance joins Astro Offshore’s existing flattop ballastable barge Astro Sunrise. Source : arabiansupplychain

B.C. wants Ottawa to give ferries a break The B.C. government has a new set of demands for Ottawa to help pay for the province’s cash-strapped ferry service, including a break on import fees for its Poland-built ships and a federal funding formula that could lessen fare hikes.

Transportation Minister Todd Stone outlined the province’s position to The Vancouver Sun on Friday, as B.C. and Ottawa politicians continued to spar over whether BC Ferries is eligible for federal financial assistance to help upgrade its terminals and build new ships. Stone said he’s asked his federal counterparts to waive import tariffs on three intermediate-class vessels BC Ferries is building in Poland at a cost of $165 million. The first is scheduled to arrive in 2016.“If the feds were to waive the duty that would otherwise be attached or imposed on those three ferries, that would save the ferry corporation about $50 million, which would have a dramatic effect on fare affordability,” he said. “I’ve spoken to (federal transportation minister Lisa Raitt) on that and we’ve made our position well known inside the federal government. Ottawa waived nearly $120 million in duties paid by BC Ferries in 2010, after the corporation acquired four large ferries from Germany. B.C. also wants Transport Canada to lessen the “inordinately high crew requirements” on some of its routes, which would mean cost savings from fewer staff on ships.“We think there are millions of dollars of savings there,” Stone said. B.C. has far more crew required than on comparable routes in the Washington state or Alaska ferry systems, he said.The B.C. government has also asked Ottawa for a better funding formula for BC Ferries, which would make funding comparable to the Atlantic ferry system. Atlantic Canada’s ferry passengers get 350 times the federal subsidies of B.C. ferry passengers — or $493 per passenger for the Marine Atlantic system compared to $1.41 per passenger in B.C. The maritime ferry deal is part of the terms of confederation, whereas B.C.’s ferry funding was part of a contract signed with Ottawa in 1977. Stone said there needs to be “equity and fairness” when it comes to federal support for ferries on both coasts If Ottawa won’t budge on any of B.C.’s requests, then the province wants an increase to the annual $30-million federal operating subsidy for BC Ferries, Stone said. The exact increase has not been specified, he said.B.C. is looking to Ottawa for the extra ferry support as it tries to reduce fare hikes on its ailing ferry system, after two years of cuts to routes on coastal communities.BC Ferries is struggling with low ridership, rising costs and a $3-billion capital plan over the next 12 years to upgrade terminals and build new ships.The preliminary ferry fare caps for 2016-2020 will be set later this month by the province’s independent ferry commissioner, who takes into account such things as how much support BC Ferries receives from the provincial and federal governments.B.C. and Ottawa are locked in a confusing war of words over whether BC Ferries is eligible to apply for some of a $53-billion New Building Canada fund. Source : Vancouversun

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LOADED SVENJA SPOTTED IN RIO GRANDE SAL’s 2010 built SVENJA was spotted in February in Rio Grande loaded with a large module and 6 brandnew DAMEN shipyards build tugs just behind the

superstructure the ZP BISON and ZP BEAR were stored as seen above followed by YN 512331 and 512332, at

the stern the tugs BRAKE and PERFECT were loaded as can be seen at the photo’s left Photo’s : Marcelo Vieira ©

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Meet Cunard's first and only female captain Knitting sweaters and captaining a cruise ship - it's all in a day's work for Inger Klein Thorhauge

When was your interest in ships and sailing first piqued? I’m from the Faroe Islands and grew up by the sea so the interest was always there. As a 16-year-old I worked on cargo ships as a stewardess during the school holidays but I soon realised I didn’t like the cleaning part of that, so I found something different to do on board. My curiosity in seeing the world was a huge driver in my choice of career, combined with the enjoyment of sailing. How did you come to be the company’s first female captain? Had others tried and failed? It was a natural career path. I started in 1997 as a deck officer. Eventually hard work and dedication opened the door to becoming a

captain. I’m not aware of any other females that have tried and failed to become a captain with Cunard, but the competition is, as it would be elsewhere, tough. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. Was this the culmination of a long-term ambition? Not really. I always thought I’d only be on ships for a few years before settling down to start a family, as one does. But life took me in a different direction. I started to become interested in the cruise industry a few years after I obtained my Masters License, mainly because the ships sailed around the world and my ambition was to travel. I’ve always had the full support of my family and friends. How difficult was the training process? Were there gender obstacles to overcome? I studied in Denmark, where the system is quite different. It was probably around nine years before my Masters License was fully endorsed. The training involves basic seamanship tasks, safety awareness and knowledge, stability and navigation, among other things. It’s a demanding education and you have to work hard, regardless of gender. I strongly believe that as a woman in this line of work, you really decide yourself what obstacles you have to face – it’s all about how you present yourself and how hard you work. What are your earliest memories of Cunard? Did you know of their ships as a child? My earliest memory of Cunard is probably just after I started my career at sea – it’s not the kind of company that goes unnoticed by seafarers. It's a great honour to be part of the line's 175th anniversary year – I’m delighted to be a part of the team. What qualities are essential to being a successful captain of a cruise liner? The most essential qualities are people skills, diplomacy, dedication, approachability and respect. When I was appointed in 2010 I was taken aback by the overwhelming interest in me as a person that it created, and I found that challenging in every aspect. The best aspect of the job is receiving positive comments on completion of a voyage. I like seeing how crew members light up, knowing they’ve achieved what was set out – their professional pride, basically. In a professional capacity, are there still any ways in which you feel you are treated differently? As my position is still pretty unique it will always create attention. The pleasant surprise is that it’s mostly very positive. How do you unwind on board when you're not on duty? I watch TV and – believe it or not – one of my favourite hobbies is knitting, so I knit a couple of sweaters every time I’m on board. Source : telegraph – travel

Oil production from South Pars to start in less than 2 years

A floating production storage offloading vessel (FPSO) will enter Persian Gulf waters in 14 months and will be deployed for oil extraction from the oil layer of the giant South Pars gas field six months later after installation is over.



Managing director of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Roknodding Javadi made the remarks adding Petroleum Iran Company (PEDCO), a NIOC subsidiary, has already signed a contract for delivery of the vessel in a 22-month period.He expressed hope oil production from the oil layer of South Pars gas field will be started in less than two years, shana.ir reported.

NIOC has targeted production of 35.000 barrels of oil from the layer at a cost of one billion dollars. Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels, or FPSOs, are offshore production facilities that house both processing equipment and storage for produced hydrocarbons. The basic design of most FPSOs encompasses a ship-shaped vessel, with processing equipment, or topsides, aboard the vessel's deck and hydrocarbon storage below in the double hull. After processing, an FPSO stores oil or gas before offloading periodically to shuttle tankers or transmitting processed petroleum via pipelines. Replying a question on oil production from Caspian Sea, Javadi said at the moment NIOC has no plan to start oil production from Caspian Sea.

Expressing satisfaction with exploration activities in Caspian Sea, NIOC chief executive said the company was examining drilling in other blocks, other than Sardar Jangal oil field. Source : Zawya

The MONTE PASCOAL in Rio de Janeiro - Photo : Cees van der Kooij ©

Marshall Islands Ship Registry on track to become second largest, first among

Hellenic ship owners The Marshall Islands ship registry (RMI) is now the third largest in the shipping business, having grown by 17% during 2014. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Theo K. Xenakoudis, Director, Worldwide Business Operations, Managing Director – Piraeus, Greece, with International Registries Inc., “as of the end of February 2015, the Registry stood at nearly 118 million GT and over 3,400 vessels”. At the same time, a paper published by the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee (GSCC) in April 2014 with data provided by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping-Fairplay, notes the RMI Registry is reaching the top position in the Greek market, gaining more than 43% of the gross tonnage

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and nearly 55% of the total number of vessels gained overall. According to Mr. Xenakoudis, “nearly 40% of the bulk carriers in the RMI fleet are Greek owned vessels”. In terms of performance, how did 2014 fare for the Marshall Islands Registry, compared with previous years? Irrespective of the growing challenges faced by the maritime industry, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry has had a particularly successful year, having grown by over 320 vessels and 16 million gross tons (GT), which is a 17% increase in GT from the previous year. The RMI Registry is the third largest registry in the world, and closed 2014 with over 114 million GT and 3,345 vessels. As of the end of February 2015, the Registry stood at nearly 118 million GT and over 3,400 vessels. The January 2015 issue of the World Fleet Monitor, as published by Clarkson Research Services, showed a 14.4% increase in the RMI fleet in 2014, the largest increase of any of the world’s top ten flags during that time (excludes offshore vessels such as mobile offshore units). Based on the sustained growth of the RMI Registry, the newbuilding commitments, and the international coverage of Registry personnel from the Far East to the United States (US), we strongly believe the RMI will be the second (2nd) largest flag worldwide within the next two years. In terms of Hellenic-based clients, how did the Registry perform and where does it stand in terms of market share among the Hellenic shipping companies? A paper published by the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee (GSCC) in April 2014 with data provided by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping-Fairplay, notes the RMI Registry is reaching the top position in the Greek market, gaining more than 43% of the gross tonnage and nearly 55% of the total number of vessels gained overall. Based on the same report, the RMI flag has a market share of 16% among the Greek controlled fleet. As shown, in 2014 the number of Greek owned vessels under the RMI flag increased by over 120 vessels. This is the largest increase in number by over 85 vessels compared to the second largest gain. The RMI Registry’s success in enhancing its fleet and reputation in the international maritime community in 2014 is largely attributed to its Greek clients, as the largest percentage of the RMI Registry’s fleet derives from the Greek shipping community. Nearly 40% of the bulk carriers in the RMI fleet are Greek owned vessels. As of February 2015, according to the Shipping & Finance February 2015 issue, the Greek owned fleet consists of 793 RMI flagged vessels and 60,455,495 deadweight tons. The RMI Registry prides itself on achieving its status as the number one foreign flag in the Greek market, second only to the Greek flag in terms of tonnage capacity. In terms of international presence and services provided, which have been the main initiatives from Marshall Islands Registry this past year? International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) provide administrative and technical support to the RMI Maritime and Corporate Registries. IRI’s main initiative continues to be providing timely quality service to its clients through qualified personnel with experience at sea and ashore. With the largest network among any registry, IRI has 26 full-service offices with the ability to handle all types of ship registry, marine safety, and technical support services. In 2014, IRI expanded its London office to a second floor, and opened a second office in Hong Kong for the purpose of processing seafarer documentation and providing further maritime service in the region. By continuing to strengthen its team worldwide, IRI ensures a high level of service and continuous improvement to the decentralization of Registry related services for the increasing number of RMI flagged vessels. IRI’s global staff is available to respond to inquiries regarding RMI maritime matters on a 24-hour basis. IRI strives to ensure consistency among its network of 26 worldwide offices in terms of registration and ongoing technical and operational support and aims to simplify procedures so that documentation is processed swiftly. Given that new shipping regulations are constantly implemented around the world, which would you highlight as the most significant ones for ship owners over the past few months? How do you expect them to affect the shipping business? The RMI is an active member at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and continues to play a significant role in the shaping of future regulations, particularly in the areas of ship, crew, and environmental safety and security. The primary responsibility of the RMI Registry’s Technical Department is to oversee the implementation of the applicable national maritime laws and to ensure that the IMO codes and conventions are carried out to the fullest extent practicable on RMI Registry vessels. Of great importance is the adoption of the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code), which covers the design, construction, equipment, operation, training, search and rescue, and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in the harsh waters of the Arctic and Antarctic. The Polar Code highlights the potential hazards of operating in polar regions, including ice and rapidly changing and severe weather conditions, and provides goals and functional requirements for ship preparation and operation in these remote areas. It is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2017 and will be enforced on both new and existing ships. Another important issue for the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) is the draft International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code). Its adoption is anticipated to be at MSC 95,



scheduled to be held in June 2015. The IGF Code will provide mandatory provisions for the arrangement, installation, control, and monitoring of machinery, equipment, and systems using low-flashpoint fuels, focusing initially on liquefied natural gas (LNG), to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew, and the environment, with regard to the nature of the fuels involved. Given the new ECA Zones which have already started operating, do you see any major problems in fuel procurement? ECA compliant marine fuels are available in two forms. Low viscosity distillate Marine Gas Oil (MGO) is readily available; however, it is more expensive than conventional heavy fuel oil (HFO). Problems with loss of power have been experienced during the changeover to MGO when entering the ECA. Special lubricants are required and MGO may not meet the fuel specifications recommended by engine manufacturers. As an alternative, efforts have been made to develop a high viscosity ultra-low sulfur HFO meeting the ECA requirements. Although these fuels are potentially less expensive than MGO, they are not readily available. While meeting the engine manufacturer’s recommendations, they cannot be mixed with conventional HFO. The recent drop in oil prices overshadows the costs of fuels for ECA compliance, making MGO the preferred fuel in the short term. Operators have been gaining experience on fuel change over procedures when using MGO which will hopefully reduce safety issues resulting from these new requirements. Will the Ballast Water Management Convention be implemented during 2015? If so, how will this affect global shipping in your opinion? The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) was adopted by consensus by the IMO in London in February 2004. Its entry into force will be 12 months after ratification by 30 Member States representing 35% of the world merchant shipping tonnage. Most recently, Georgia has ratified the BWM Convention, bringing the total number of ratifications to 44 States and 32.57% of the world tonnage. If the tonnage criteria are met sometime during 2015, the BWM Convention will enter into force sometime in 2016. These days, a registry’s quality is among the main parameters for its success. How does Marshall Islands fare in this area? IRI has proven itself capable of simplifying procedures so that documentation is processed swiftly. One of these procedures is the RMI Registry’s efficient vetting process for ships entering and remaining in the RMI. The pre-registration screening process for every vessel and operator gets transferred to the point scoring system for fleet assessment once a vessel enters the RMI Registry. This data is then reviewed by fleet operations personnel on a monthly basis, which is one way the RMI Registry is able to maintain its quality fleet. The RMI has received the highest ratings in port State control (PSC) international rankings. The RMI is the only major open registry to be included on the White Lists of both the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and has maintained Qualship 21 status with the US Coast Guard for ten consecutive years, which is unprecedented. Also, all commercial vessels under the RMI flag are subject to an annual safety inspection, conducted by either Registry personnel or an authorized nautical inspector. The considerable growth of the RMI fleet, while at the same time maintaining quality and swift service, continues to enhance the RMI Registry’s reputation. IRI believes the success of the RMI Registry is due to its qualified personnel, with experience at sea and ashore, who focus on quality, service, and continual improvement. The most important asset to the Registry is its customers and IRI strives to provide them with full service from any office, 24-hours a day. The number of IRI staff outside of the US has surpassed those in the US. By continuing to strengthen its team worldwide, IRI ensures a high level of service and continuous improvement to the decentralization of registry related services for the increasing number of RMI flagged vessels. As the largest network among any registry, each of IRI’s 26 full-service offices has the ability to register a vessel, including those under construction, record a mortgage or financing charter, and service clientele. IRI prides itself on providing reliable and prompt service to international business clients, legal and financial professionals, and shipowners and operators. Source : Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

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Queen to name P&O's new Britannia cruise ship today in Southampton

The Queen is due to officially name the ship at a lavish ceremony in Southampton on today, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. The ship wears the world's largest contemporary version of the Union Flag and, in another play on the British theme, the sparkling wine to be smashed during the naming ceremony will be from the Wiston Estate Winery in Sussex. David Dingle, Carnival UK chairman, said: “We are honoured and proud that Her Majesty will name Britannia almost 20 years after she named the P&O Cruises ship Oriana.

“Britannia, a ship for the nation, will be the embodiment of contemporary Britain, and with her Union Jack livery she will fly the flag

for Britain across the Globe.” "P&O already has a bevy of British chefs lined up for Britannia, so securing the Queen to perform the naming is the last piece in the jigsaw in making her the ultimate British ship," said Jane Archer, our cruise critic. "It's also a real accolade for the company as Her Majesty does not agree to christen just any ship."There have been two Britannia's in P&O's history, the first entering service for The General Steam Navigation Co in 1835 and the second in 1887, to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. A nebuchadnezzar of the quintessentially British Brut NV will be used for the ceremony itself while thousands of bottles of Brut NV and Rosé Vintage 2011 will be enjoyed during the various inaugural events that are scheduled to take place around the launch. Food is top of P&O's priorities for the Britannia: to a sparkling culinary line-up, that includes Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar, master pâtissier Eric Lanlard and oenophile Olly Smith, P&O is adding TV chef James Martin, who is opening a sleeves-rolled-up Cookery Club on board, where passengers will be able to learn some of Martin's most famous dishes.When working to full capacity, Britannia’s four engines will generate 62.4 Megawatts or 84,000 horsepower which is equivalent to the power generated by 168 supercars, allowing the 141,000 ton ship to cruise at a speed of 22 knots. Source : telegraph – travel photo’s : Chris Brooks www.ShipFoto.co.uk ©

DFDS loses £3.9 MILLION in Dover despite 9% revenue rise

REVENUES rocketed for DFDS' cross-Channel operation last year – amid fears the firm could be forced off the route. UK Competition authorities had warned DFDS "would be likely to cease operating services between Dover and Calais" if it faced continuing competition from MyFerryLink. But the latest figures show revenue was up nine per cent to £155 million for the Dover branch of the Danish business. Yet senior vice president Carsten Jensen told Dockside the cross-Channel operation is still "losing substantial money". DFDS' annual report shows this section of the company lost £3.9 million. Mr Jensen said this was a consequence of "over-capacity on the route".

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Most of DFDS' growth has been achieved on Dover to Dunkirk services. And car market share figures seen by Dockside confirm the Danish firm is losing ground on the Dover to Calais route.In January 2014, DFDS' Dover to Calais services had five per cent of the market share, while the Dunkirk ships had 11 per cent.But figures for January 2015 show the Dover to Calais share has fallen to three per cent, while the Dunkirk numbers are up to 12.4 per cent.

DFDS plans to bring a second ship to the Dover to Calais route in the second quarter of this year, according to its annual report.Meanwhile, MyFerryLink's market share has grown from 6.8 per cent to 7.8 per cent. MyFerryLink managing director Robin Wilkins pointed out the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) claimed his firm was providing "excess capacity" on the route.This influenced the CMA's decision to bar MyFerryLink's owners, Eurotunnel, from having ferries on the Dover to Calais route.Mr Wilkins said: "If DFDS were worried about over-capacity on the route, I don't know why they are bringing another ship on." Source : dover-express

The MAERSK LINS outbound from Rotterdam – Photo : Jan Oosterboer ©

SeaZip deliveries double their FCS fleet By Peter Barker

The decision by Netherlands-based SeaZip Offshore Services to increase their crew transfer vessel fleet has reaffirmed their faith in Damen’s Twin Axe Fast Crew Supplier. In the decade or so since offshore windfarms changed the horizons of many European coastlines a whole new industry of small crew transfer vessels has blossomed, new innovative designs offering a variety of choices for both new and established operators.

Left : The SEAZIP 3 was loaded onboard SAL’s ANNE-SOFIE in Singapore

A subtle change in the way long-term O&M personnel are transported is taking place as windfarms move further offshore into deeper, more hostile waters. The traditional ‘day boat’ twelve passenger model is now being supplemented by larger vessels providing accommodation

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and the capability to remain offshore for a month or more.There are few signs however that the popularity of smaller vessels has peaked, a hard core of designers and builders continuing to offer innovative products for projects where the smaller vessel model is still the economical and preferred option. SeaZip’s decision to double their fleet of Twin-Axe 2610 FCSs demonstrates their satisfaction with this particular marque from Damen’s range. SeaZip was founded in 2010 by two shipping entrepreneurs well-known in other maritime sectors, in particular management of JR Shipping BV, a Dutch company whose fleet of general cargo ships and container feeders are regular sites in European waters.It is perhaps this solid background and track record which provides foundation for their venturing into this niche sector of the offshore wind industry and a look at their fleet indicates an interesting mix of both operational and projected vessels. The Damen newbuilds Seazip 3 and Seazip 4 will join two similar FCS 2610 catamarans Seazip 1 and Seazip 2 along with a 17m rigid inflatable and 26m conventional survey vessel built in 1969. SeaZip clearly have an interesting future vision however with two larger vessels “under development”. While the two new vessels are aimed at the smaller end of the market they also have plans for a 74m DP2 Service Operations Vessel with accommodation for 60 passengers and an Ampelmann personnel transfer system. In considering the construction market they are also developing another Damen product, the Damen Combi Carrier 7500 which at 119m LOA and 7,400t deadweight is a basic cargo carrier design that can be adapted to a variety of roles including: accommodation vessel, cable laying, windfarm component transportation and surveying and diving support. The two latest crew transfer vessels were constructed at Damen’s Singapore facilities and have now been shipped to Gorinchem in the Netherlands for completetion and expected to be delivered imminently. With an eye to satisfying the demands of operating further offshore these latest versions have been developed further including an increase in their cargo capacity to 20 tons and relocation of the passenger compartments. Source : Maritime Journal

The PRIMULA SEAWAYS approaching the Terneuzen locks – Photo : Willem Kruit ©

VLCC rates on key Asian routes to hold steady

Rates for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) on key Asian routes could hold steady around current levels next week as owners resist charterers’ attempts to push rates lower, despite an overhang of available tonnage, brokers said. “Owners are standing together,” one Singapore-based VLCC broker said. Average VLCC earnings for last year were quite low, around US$27,300 per day, according to British ship broker Clarkson, compared with the spike in December when Middle East rates hit 81 on the Worldscale measure, or equivalent to US$97,500 per day, the broker said. Daily average earnings now are about US$45,000, Mr Clarkson said. “Owners want to make sure earnings don’t drop,” the broker added.Around 86 cargoes from the Middle East had been fixed for loading for the first 20 days of March, said Kevin Sy, a freight derivatives broker at Singapore’s Marex Spectron. That left about 40 cargoes to be contracted for the rest of March, he said. The Singapore VLCC broker estimated there was an overhang of 20 supertankers for these cargoes. “There are definitely more ships than cargo,” both he and Mr Sy said.In a weekly note on Wednesday, Norwegian ship broker Fearnley said, “Rates have stabilised. Owners (are) awaiting for things to really take off and have taken a slightly more wait-and-see attitude. “Charterers are seeking out owners with ships in order to cover at last done levels.” VLCC



chartering activity from West Africa remained quiet, the Singapore broker said.VLCC rates for the benchmark route from the Middle East to Japan were around W52 on Thursday, against W53 a week earlier. Rates for West Africa to China were at W53.50 on Thursday, compared with W55 last Thursday. In other trades, rates for 80,000-tonne Aframax tankers from Southeast Asia to East Coast Australia dropped to W100 on Thursday, down from W101 a week earlier.Clean tanker rates from Singapore to Japan climbed to W119 on Thursday, up from W117 last week, as cargo volumes continued to outpace vessel supply. “Things are getting busier,” a Singapore-based clean tanker broker said on Friday, and forecast rates would climb higher next week. Source: Reuters

The OCEANIS moored in the Caland canal in Rotterdam – Photo : Frans Sanderse ©

The PIONEERING SPIRIT moored in Rotterdam-Maasvlakte II Photo : Peet de Rouw © CLICK on the photo !

Due to travelling abroad this week the newsclippings may reach you irregularly

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Iran’s Navy Foils Pirate Attack on Filipino Freighter

Iranian naval forces rescued a Philippine cargo ship from a pirate attack in the Sea of Oman. According to the Iranian Navy’s public relations, the Filipino vessel “PANAMA-GADE” called on the Iranian forces for help when pirates on board a number of motorboats equipped with light weapons chased it for several hours in the Sea of Oman. The Iranian Navy immediately dispatched a special operation team to the area on a frigate and a Ra’d (Thunder) vessel. The pirates fled the zone thereafter, and the Iranian forces escorted the Filipino ship as far as Pakistan’s water border. Back in July 2014, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the country’s naval forces have saved vessels from around 20 countries in the international waters from pirate attacks.In recent years, Iran’s naval forces have increased their presence in the international waters to secure naval routes and protect merchant vessels and oil tankers against pirates. In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran. source : Tasnim

The tug NOORMAN outbound from Rotterdam with the crane pontoon KARMA IV bound for Hamburg

Photo : Leen van der Meijden ©

Seychelles: 'Solution to End Piracy Is On Land', EU Naval Force Anti-Piracy

Commander Tells Seychelles Piracy around the Horn of Africa, which affected container ships, fishing vessels and cruise ships traversing the strategically important location, has been significantly brought under control since its peak in 2009, with only two failed attempts in 2014 and no activity recorded thus far in 2015.However, acknowledging that the Indian Ocean archipelago of Seychelles, situated some 1,500 kilometres off the coast of East Africa, still remains at high risk from the threat of piracy, the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR)'s counter-piracy operations chief in the Indian Ocean region has said that the solution to ending piracy lies not at sea but rather on the land.

Speaking to members of the local press after a visit to the Seychelles President, James Michel, the operational commander of EUNAVFOR's Operation Atalanta, Major-General Martin Smith said that EUNAVFOR will spend the following two years of its extended mandate with its Indian Ocean partners to enable them to build their own regional capacity for maritime security.Major-General Smith said that although pirate activities off the Horn of Africa were currently at a low ebb, the threat still existed.

"We need to remember that the ultimate solution to piracy is on land in Somalia, and that may take some time to achieve," he said. "So the EU has extended the operation for a further two years, and I think that's a very clear sign that the EU sees itself remaining in the counter-piracy domain in the Indian Ocean." "We will do the right thing, we will support regional states in setting up a regional maritime security strategy, which will eventually allow the region to continue to provide security for itself," he added.



"We understand that this may take some time, but we are your partners and we will remain with you." In a press statement issued on Thursday, President Michel expressed his satisfaction that the EUNAVFOR mandate had been extended to the end of 2016."Maritime security is our common good and an element of our collective human security for the stability of our region. It is important for island and coastal states of the Indian Ocean region to take ownership of our shared maritime safety and security, to depend on ourselves, and in collaboration with our international partners, bring about peace and security to the region," said President Michel. Seychelles has been conducting piracy trials since 2010 after the National Assembly amended the penal code to allow the prosecution of pirates.Those convicted are repatriated to Somalia to finish their sentences in prisons built by the UNODC.In partnership with the EU, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as well as other international organisations, the Seychelles has been central to international efforts to tackle the problem of piracy, establishing a United-Nations backed piracy court as well as a Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution & Intelligence Coordination Centre (RAPPICC) now known as the Regional Fusion and Law Enforcement Centre for Safety and Security at Sea (REFLECS3) which has brought together experts from around the world to share intelligence and information on piracy.The EU and the Seychelles signed a pirate transfer agreement signed in December 2009, which allows suspected pirates to be transferred to Seychelles for prosecution.Pirate attacks off the vast coastline of Somalia have declined from 236 in 2011 to two reportedly unsuccessful attacks in 2014, thanks to international counter-piracy cooperation efforts."I'm personally very grateful to the Seychelles for taking a lead in the fight against piracy, and I would highlight what we would call the 'legal finish' - the legal instruments that you have set up have led the region in this particular regard," said the Major General."They have allowed us to properly prosecute the pirates that we have detained, and that has been an extremely important part of the fight against piracy. So I would like to thank the government and the people of the Seychelles for the lead that you've taken in this area." Source : allafrica

The pilot tender PIONEER outbound between the Hoek van Holland breakwaters bound for the pilot boarding ground

Photo : Henk Nagelhout ©

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BBC ALABAMA LOADS VAN AALST (CEMENT) SHIP UNLOADER IN ROTTERDAM

March 7th at the RHB premises in Rotterdam Waalhaven the BBC ALABAMA loaded a

Van Aalst built Cement ship unloader with a weight of 125 ton for further transporation to Freetown in Sierra Leone Simon Bol CEVA Freight Holland ©

IK HEB EEN DROOM Graag stel ik me even aan u voor: ik ben Tess Hille, ik ben 14 jaar oud, ik woon in Helmond, ik zit in klas 3 van het Willibrordgymnasium in Deurne (alle vakken 7 of hoger), ik voetbal, ik heb fijne vrienden en vriendinnen om me heen.

Dat klinkt wellicht als een doorsnee meisje. Maar: ik heb een droom!

Volgend schooljaar, in Gymnasium 4, heb ik de kans van mijn leven om samen met 33 andere vierdeklassers uit heel het land gedurende 6 maanden op een antieke driemaster de oude West-Indische

handelsroute te bezeilen. Tijdens deze ontdekkingsreis ga ik werken aan teambuilding, zelfstandigheid en verantwoordelijkheid. Ik ga daarbij natuurlijk mijn talenten en interesses verder ontdekken en ontwikkelen.Hierom worden er verschillende expedities georganiseerd in de landen die we aandoen. We gaan onder andere een vulkaan beklimmen en bij inheemse indianen slapen. Tijdens het zeilen heb ik om de dag zeewacht. Dan krijgen we verschillende taken toegewezen om het schip gaande te houden. De andere dagen heb ik gewoon school. Ik krijg de opdrachten van school mee en ter ondersteuning gaan er 5 docenten mee die ons bij kunnen staan wanneer nodig. Het project heet niet voor niets SchoolAtSea.



Schip, bemanning, docenten, expedities, eten, drinken, allemaal zaken die bij elkaar om een flinke som geld vragen. En ook dat hoort bij het project: het zoeken naar fondsen om dit avontuur te kunnen betalen. De reis kost ongeveer € 115,- per dag dus in totaal heb ik maar liefst € 21.000,- nodig. Om mijn droom waar te kunnen maken ben ik daarom op zoek naar bedrijven en particulieren die zich mogelijk met mij verbonden voelen. Ik ben avontuurlijk en ondernemend, ik ga uitdagingen niet uit de weg, ik ben jong, ik voel me vrij en ik heb een goede toekomst voor me. Mijn vader (die ondertussen alweer dik 10 jaar voor de klas staat nadat hij eerst gevaren heeft) ontvangt nog elke dag de ShippingNewsClippings en tipte me dat dit een goed medium kan zijn om mijn project onder de aandacht te brengen. Via andere nautische kanalen heb ik het ook al geprobeerd maar hier krijg ik helaas weinig gehoor. Bedrijven denken gelijk duizenden euro's te moeten sponsoren, maar vele kleintjes maken ook één grote. Voor meer informatie over mijn project kunt u altijd even een kijkje nemen op mijn eigen website www.tessatsea.nl

The ZIM CONSTANZA Imo 9471202, built 2010, 40,542grt, owned by Tacton Shipping inc, Israel. Managed by XT Management Ltd Israel. She is seen outbound on 18/1/2015 in driech weather as she transits the Verrazano Narrows.

Photo : Iain Forsyth ©

Cruise Line Delays Launch of New Ship Holland America Line has delayed the launch date for its newbuild ship KONINGSDAM. Construction on the ship was originally scheduled to be finished on February 16, 2016, but has now been pushed back to March 31, 2016. The ship is being built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy.In a statement, the line said that the delay would, “create theopportunity to more fully leverage the new features, innovations andstate-of-the-art technology” for passengers onboard KONINGSDAM. The delay has also pushed back the ship's inaugural cruise – originally scheduled for February 20, 2016 -- for which passengers had alreadybooked. KONINGSDAM will now depart on its first cruise, a seven-dayround trip sailing from Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome), on April 8, 2016. According to an email from the line posted in the Cruise Critic forums, Holland America has offered onboard credit to passengers booked on the original inaugural cruise who choose to take the delayed departure. For those who do not or who are unable to make the new departure date, theline is offering a full refund. Response to the news on the Cruise Critic forums has been mixed. The ship's official naming celebration remains as scheduled on May 21,2016 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Between the March 31 delivery date and the first sailing on April 8, the ship will be used for company events, according to the line. Source : cruisecritics

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The PELAMIS moored at the Seychelles Photo : Ko Rusman ©

Aberdeen oil services firm expands with new base in Perth… Western Australia

An Aberdeen based specialist oil and gas services company - which was set up just three years ago - has invested a six figure sum in a new base in Australia to meet market demand.OEM Diesel Products, which recently relocated its headquarters from Dyce to Altens to accommodate the continued growth of the business, has opened a new office in St George’s Terrace in Perth, Western Australia.The move places the firm, which was established in 2012 to provide a single point of contact for companies sourcing engine services or spare parts in the oil and gas, marine services and energy sector, in the heart of the oil and gas district, close to major names in the industry.

The specialist company recently signed a co-working agreement with the IPU Group to combine OEM’s expertise in the servicing of generator sets with IPU’s specialised knowledge of non-electric engine starting, long-term maintenance of stored fuel and extending the life of engine oil and hydraulic fluids.The partnership has allowed OEM to launch a pioneering fuel cleaning system which is designed to prevent contaminated fuel causing major downstream problems of power failures on oil and gas platforms.Managing director, Barry Park, said: “OEM continued to experience growth throughout 2014, and market demand for our new fuel conditioning systems made our decision to open the base in Australia relatively easy.” Source : Scottish Energy News

The SMIT SENTOSA with the GIANT 5 outbound from Singapore Jurong

Photo : Capt Hardi Susanto Master Salvern ©

Dry bulk newbuilding orders down 78% on year in January: broker

The number of dry bulk newbuilding orders placed in January 2015 was down 78% on the year, the latest estimates by Greek sale-and-purchase broker Golden Destiny show This past January saw 17 new bulk carrier orders placed at shipyards across the globe, compared with 76 orders in January 2014, the broker said in a report earlier this week. Month-on-month the number of dry bulk carriers ordered was down 32% from 25 in December 2014In terms of size, 13 out of the 17 bulk carriers ordered in January 2015 were Handysize vessels and 4 were CapesizeIn December 2014, 10 out of the 24 ships ordered were Handysize, one was a Supramax, three were Ultramax, six were Kamsarmax and



four were Capesize In January 2014, the majority of the 76 vessels ordered were Ultramax, according to Golden Destiny.While placing two orders for LNG tankers and six for container ships, Greek shipowners placed no orders for bulk carriers this past January, compared with 14 a year earlier.Chinese owners also ordered no bulk carriers, having ordered 12 in January 2014. Instead, they placed a single order for a tanker, two LNG carriers, three general cargo ships and three special projects units.China remained the leading dry bulk shipbuilder, with 10 new bulk carriers ordered in Chinese yards, although this was down 32% from December and down 78% from January last year.Seven orders were placed in Japanese yards in January, the same as in December. As in December, no orders were placed in South Korean yards, Golden Destiny’s data showed. Source: Platts

The MEARSK KOKURA inbound for Antwerp – Photo : Henk de Winde ©

Japanese team visits Krishnapatnam Port The visiting Japanese delegation comprising investors, officials and industrialists from that country, on Friday inspected the social infrastructure and entertainment facilities available in the vicinity of industrial hubs in the district.The members visited Krishnapatnam Port and went round various infrastructural facilities which were created there for high-volume and long-term marine transportation. The Japanese team interacted with different wings of the port and also the Container Terminal, which were developed there for improving the transportation of containers to many countries in the world. “They are very happy with the industrial infrastructure and the scope for future development here. They are eager to know about the possibility for getting the world class social infrastructure at the port,” said Anil Yendluri, Chief Executive Officer of Krishnapatnam Port.Stating that the interest being shown by the Japanese investors was a healthy sign for the State, Mr. Anil said that there was an immediate need for creating and showcasing international class social infrastructure in the areas of residential accommodation, education, health, hotels and entertainment. This would go without saying that the State and district administration should have to lay more emphasis on drawing plans and evolving designs for the future development of Nellore and its surrounding industrial hubs in such a manner that employees of international companies from countries like Japan would feel comfortable to come and work here. The delegation was stated to have been largely happy about the industrial infrastructure and the scope for greater development of roads, rail, port and so on. Land availability and power generation in this region also held out a lot of promise for them. Source: The Hindu

Philippines’ First Gen seeks partner for $1 bln LNG import terminal

The Philippines’ First Gen Corp is talking with potential partners for its proposed $1 billion LNG import terminal, the head of the energy firm said on Friday. First Gen, one of the Southeast Asian nation’s biggest power producers, has been under pressure to make a quick decision on whether to build the import facility as it looks to secure long-term supplies of liquefied natural gas for its growing portfolio of gas-fired power plants. “We have to decide this year who our partners will be,” First Gen President Francis Giles Puno told reporters on the sidelines of an industry event. Puno declined to identify potential partners, but said First Gen was discussing “possible areas of cooperation” in natural gas with firms including Royal Dutch Shell. Shell did not immediately respond to requests for comment. First Gen expects to make a final investment decision by early next year and could open the onshore terminal around the start of the next decade, Puno said. First Gen, which operates the Santa Rita and San Lorenzo gas-fired plants in Batangas province with a combined capacity of 1,500 megawatts, expects to switch on its third gas-fired plant, the 97 MW Avion, by June. A fourth, the $600 million San Gabriel plant with a 414 MW capacity, will be up and running by April next year. The two new plants will also run on Malampaya natural gas supplied by Shell from its Palawan contract



area in the western Philippines. The government has said that Malampaya’s output may run out by 2024. Shell is looking to set up a floating LNG facility near its Tabangao refinery, also located in Batangas, near the capital Manila, ahead of the Malampaya shutdown, with First Gen as a possible customer. The Philippines is set to open its doors to imported LNG this year with the commissioning in about three months of a power plant built by Australia-listed Energy World Corp in Quezon Province. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Joseph Radford)

CASUALTY REPORTING

Taiwan ship carrying 49 crew missing in

South Atlantic; 13 Pinoys on board A Taiwanese ship carrying 49 crew has vanished in the remote South Atlantic Ocean without any sign of a mayday call but shortly after its skipper reported it was taking on water, authorities said Sunday.The "HSIANG FU CHUN," a 700-ton squid fishing vessel, lost contact with its owners "soon" after reporting that water was leaking on to the deck at around 3:00 a.m. on February 26, officials said.The vessel was sailing about 1,700 nautical miles (3,148 kilometers) off the Falkland Islands when it vanished, according to recorded satellite data.Its crew include a Taiwanese skipper and chief engineer, as well as 11 Chinese, 21 Indonesian, 13 Filipino and two Vietnamese sailors. Taiwan has launched a search effort, and is appealing for assistance from Argentina and Britain as well as other ships in the area. Left : The Taiwan flagged HSIANG NAO No 6 spotted in Port Stanley (Flaklands) recently – Photo Willem Kappert ©

"We still don't know where the ship is and what happened to it," Huang Hong-yen, spokesman for the Fisheries Agency, told AFP, adding that the government had launched a search-and-rescue effort "immediately" after the ship's owners said it had lost contact.He said there was no evidence the boat had sunk. The ship was equipped with a system that automatically issues a mayday signal when placed under a certain water pressure, but no such signal was sent, he added.

Huang gave no details on the weather in the area at the time, but said that conditions were often unsettled in there, with high waves. He also did not explain why it had taken authorities so many days to make the ship's disappearance public.Some Taiwanese media have speculated that the vessel could have lost power and be

http://www.multraship.com/�



adrift, or could have been hijacked by crew.But another official from the agency who asked not to be named said: "To be honest, the hope of finding the ship in that remote area is fading." The South Atlantic Ocean is a traditional fishing ground for Taiwanese vessels, attracting up to 100 squid boats from the island each year.The Taiwanese fishing fleet caught around 200,000 tons of squid last year, mostly for domestic consumption, according to the Fisheries Agency. Source : GMA / Agence France-Presse

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NAVY NEWS Keel-laying ceremony for US Navy’s newest

attack sub The keel of the nation’s 15th Virginia-class attack submarine named for COLORADO is being laid at the Rhode Island manufacturing plant for General Dynamics Electric Boat.The construction milestone is being marked Saturday at the North Kingstown shipyard.Annie Mabus, daughter of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, is the ship’s sponsor. She will authenticate the keel by chalking her initials onto a metal plate. The initials are welded and the plate is permanently affixed to the ship.The submarine doesn’t have a traditional keel that runs the length of the ship. It’s built in modules.

Secretary Mabus, senior naval officers and politicians are expected to attend. Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News build Virginia-class submarines.Construction on

the COLORADO began in 2012. It’s slated to be delivered in 2017.

New rules to improve helo safety aboard destroyers

The move comes a year and a half after a fatal 2013 mishap when a chock and chained MH-60S Sea Hawk was swept off the flight deck of the destroyer William P. Lawrence and into the Red Sea, claiming the lives of its two pilots, and leading to discord between surface warfare officers and helicopter aircrews. The new system, which now takes sea state into account to determine safe helicopter operations, has been tested and rolled out to the fleet in recent months, Naval Surface Force Pacific said Thursday.

The new measures, called Operator Pilot Plots, are "placard overlays that identify limits and safety considerations that take into account a ship's speed and sea conditions in addition to pitch, roll and relative winds," according to the SURFPAC release. Previously, flight envelope parameters only took into account the ship's speed and direction, along with wind speed.

The ship's officer of the deck and the helicopter pilot will assess the height and direction of waves, then use OPPs to agree on the safest way to land the helo on the flight deck.By calculating the direction and height of waves relative to the ship's heading and speed, they will be able to produce a plot point on a graph. If that point falls into an area indicating dangerous conditions, the ship can adjust course and speed o get back within safe conditions. "We conducted a preliminary exercise in September by giving the polar plots to six officers — three surface warfare officers and three pilots — with only a written explanation and no other guidance," said Capt. Jack Olive, responsible for aviation operations aboard surface ships for Naval Surface Forces. "They were put in situations that required them to use polar plots to assess and manage the risk."

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By giving the system to both sides of the operation, the OPPs help ship captains and pilots work together to understand when things are becoming dangerous and how to proceed."It is a change in how the ship operates and an understanding for [helicopter pilots] on when you're approaching those limits of the stability of the ship," said Cmdr. Jeremy Leiby, chief staff officer for Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Pacific, in a Feb. 25 interview at Naval Air Station North Island, California.The OPPs will help mitigate risk during helo ops on the destroyer's low freeboard flight deck, which at 13-feet is low enough to allow a wave to wash over in rough seas.

That set of conditions caused the deaths of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan Gibson and Lt. Cmdr. Landon Jones, from NASNorth Island-based Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6, in September 2013 aboard the William P. Lawrence. Soon after landing their helo on the destroyer's flight deck, the ship hit flank bell, top speed, and began to lurch from side to side, bringing a "wall of water" over the starboard side that smashed into the helicopter's rotors, according to the Pacific Fleet command investigation released in May 2014. The helicopter's tail broke, and it washed overboard with the aircrew still Three aircrew were rescued from the water that day, Sept. 22, but the Navy called off the search for the helicopter and the pilots a day later.Officials disagreed over the destroyer CO's responsibility. SURFPAC said it was the ship's course that led to the rocking and that Cmdr. Jana Vavasseur's order of a flank bell was still within the helicopter flight parameters. But PACFLT boss Adm. Harry Harris disagreed and faulted Vavasseur for taking unnecessary risks.

The incident ignited discord between the surface and aviation communities over issues about safety for the aircrew and the ship's responsibility to meet it's missions; at the time, Vavasseur ordered top speed to rendezvous with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.The pilots' widows were outraged when in late 2014 Vavasseur was selected for major command, including leading a destroyer squadron or cruiser.

Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker, who took over as air boss in January, told Navy Times in a Feb. 26 interview that the issue was not a lack of concern on the part of SWOs, as some in the aviation community have expressed."I think to characterize it that SWOs do not care, I mean, I do not think that is accurate at all," he said. "This was an accident."

The new measures have been in the fleet for some months now, according to officials in the helicopter community, with increased training to give SWOs greater understanding of what it's like to land a helicopter on a small flight deck precariously close to the sea.Prospective ship captains spend some time in a simulator to get a better feel for what aircrews deal with, Capt. Shawn Malone, commodore of Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Pacific, told Navy Times in a Feb. 25 interview."What does it look like for a crew making an approach during the day, making an approach to a ship at night, under some of the more challenging conditions?" he said.Malone added that the trust and confidence between ship COs and pilots is also paramount."The mishap with HSC-6 serves as a reminder that we have to remain ever vigilant," he said. "That was a tragedy." Source : Navytimes

SHIPYARD NEWS

Putin’s actions on the Crimea leave Norwegian yard on the ropes

Oslo: Russians troops’ annexation of Zaliv shipyard on the Crimean peninsula has left a Norwegian yard out of orders.

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Ukrainian billionaire Kostyantin Zhevagos who owns yards in both Kiev and Norway has seen all his plans fall through due to the crisis on the Crimean peninsula, writes Finansavisen. According to the paper, Zhevagos was thinking vertically and had grand plans for using his yard on the tip of the Crimean peninsula to produce hulls while using his other yard, Noryards just outside Bergen, to assemble offshore vessels.As the plan was laid out on paper, Russian troops marched in and confiscated the Crimean yard , and transferred ownership to a Russian company.The Russian move against Zaliv leaves Noryards with an orderbook that runs dry this June. In the past year the Norwegian shipbuilder has let go of 500 people.Zhevagos took control over Noryards in the summer of 2014 from Bergen Group.The London-based Ukrainian is worth $1.2bn, according to Forbes. Source : splash 247

Bouw 3 marine slepers van start

At the DAMEN GALATI yard the construction has started of the 3 HYBRID 2810 ASD tugs for the Royal Dutch navy

Op de Damen werf in het Roemeense Galati is op donderdag 26 februari het startsein gegeven van de bouw van 3 nieuwe sleepboten voor de Koninklijke Marine. De ceremonie werd bijgewoond door diverse vertegenwoordigers van de Defensie Materieel Organisatie (DMO) en Damen Shipyards. Een, voor mij, nog onbekende dame had de eer om de bouw te starten door een muntstuk vast te lassen aan de kielbalk. De traditie om een munt te plaatsen voor aanvang van de bouw verwijst naar een fortuinlijke vaart voor het schip of boot. Bij houten schepen plaatstte men een munt onder de mast, bij stalen schepen wordt deze aan de kielbalk gelast.In samenwerking met de Zweedse marine worden in totaal 5 sleepboten besteld, dit om efficiënt in te kopen.Voor de drie Nederlandse sleepboten gaat het om de ASD 2810 Hybrid Tug. Voor de Zweedse marine is de ASD Tug 3010 ICE aangekocht, dit

type maakt het opereren in koude wateren mogelijk.De Koninklijke Marine heeft er voor gekozen om vier van de vijf Linge klasse sleepboten(Linge, Regge, Hunze en Rotte) in te ruilen, deze zullen dan door Damen weer elders op de markt worden gebracht.Medio 2016 zal de eerste sleepboot worden afgeleverd aan de Koninklijke Marine. Source : www.newdeep.nl photo’s : Damen Shipyards Galati

Lenders set to create Korean yard leviathan Creditor banks of STX Shipbuilding & Offshore, Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and SPP Shipbuilding are discussing a merger to create an industry giant that would rank among the country’s largest shipbuilding groups.A senior manager from one of the yards confirms to TradeWinds that discussions are ongoing and says he expects a decision to be made soon.His company has been told to put its marketing activities on hold until further notice.

Talk of SPP and Sungdong joining forces first emerged last year but the addition of STX into the mix now has the potential to create a shipbuilding leviathan even bigger than compatriots DSME and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI),

http://www.newdeep.nl/�



and second only in size in Korea to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).STX has two shipbuilding sites, Chinhae and Goseong, while SPP has four yards, of which only two are currently in operation. Sungdong builds on land but has a partly complete VLCC drydock that could be developed.SPP and Sungdong were originally lined up as potential partners, as they are neighbours and could easily divide their workload. The latter, it was suggested, would focus on large vessels of panamax size and above, while SPP would concentrate on small and medium-size tonnage.A yard executive says the move by creditor banks to restructure the firms makes good commercial sense, as their objective is to cut operating costs and stop money “flowing out of these companies”.

But another cautions that there are a lot of issues the banks have to address before the consolidation can take place.

The most obvious is the very diverse corporate backgrounds of the lenders.Korea Development Bank (KDB) is behind STX, while Korea Export & Import Bank (Kexim) controls Sungdong. Woori Bank and Kexim are major stakeholders in SPP, controlling some 60% of the shares.Another issue in any possible merger is that the banks will need to take a close look at the product mix of the individual yards and their locations.“They need to study if there is any synergy between the three shipbuilders,” one source said. “If the yards are spread around different parts of the country, they will not be easy to manage as one unit.”But the source cautioned: “Yard consolidation in Korea will take place but I don’t think it will happen this year.” Source : tradewinds

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AUTOMATICALLY IF THE MAIL IS BOUNCED BACK TO OUR SERVER If this happens to you please send me a mail at [email protected] to reactivate

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Holland Shipyards Takes Over Marine Slipway

The Sierra Leone Ports Authority Shipyard, Marine Slipway has officially been handed over last week Monday to Holland Shipyards, a Dutch company. The ceremony which was hosted in the Marine Slipway compound attracted the Chairman of the National Commission for Privatization, representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, local and political representatives.

Making his keynote address, the Chairman of the National Commission of Privatization Dr. Michael Kargbo said the handing over ceremony is done in a low key manner to allow Holland Shipyards to do the necessary construction works for the grand handing over ceremony which would be graced by His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.He furthered that the Marine Slipway is not a non-core function of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority; and the need for it to be concessioned was shared with the president.

Dr. Kargbo also informed the occasion that the concessioning is for a period of 20 years but subject to review in every five years. He said the concessioning was in the best interest of Sierra Leone.‘A monitoring Committee is to be set up to monitor the concessioning process,’ he assured.On his part, the General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority Mr. Abu Bai Bureh Bangura said, amidst thunderous applause, that the concessioning of Marine Slipway is no job loss for Marine workers.

Mr. Bangura said that the slipway was in deplorable condition and that the authority did not have the capacity to resuscitate it especially in the area of equipment; hence the need for it concessioning.In his acceptance speech, the Managing Director Holland Shipyards-Sierra Leone Mr. Simeon Sesay thanked the government and the people of Sierra Leone through NCP for the confidence reposed in his company- the Holland Shipyard.Mr. Sesay said under the management of Holland Shipyards, the slipway would become the envy of ship repairs and ship building facilities in the sub-region.He also said that Holland Shipyards is renowned in providing modern training facilities to its employees.

Delivery the vote of thank, the Honourable Member of Parliament for constituency 103, Honourable Rosaline Smith thanked the government for bringing development to her constituency.She pleaded to HS to think of his constituents in terms of employments.The official handing over of the concession document was done by the Chairman, National Commission for Privatization and a conducted tour of the facilities climaxed the occasion. Holland Shipyard SL LTD is an offshoot of Holland Shipyard Group, a Dutch company established in 1981 which is located on the Merwede


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River covering an area of 24,870 m2. The shipyard offers a great deal of potential in the form of a shipbuilding shop, a slipway and mooring quay.The shipyard has a reputation throughout the industry for providing high quality levels of service and customer care. Source : Awareness Times Newspaper in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Ovation of the Seas keel laying and lucky coin

ceremony held at shipyard At Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, Royal Caribbean held its keel-laying and lucky coin ceremonies for the third Quantum-class ship, OVATION OF THE SEAS. Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbean President and COO, put down the lucky penny in the dock before the block of the new ship was lowered by the 800-ts crane The first of a total of 74 blocks of the new cruise liner weighs 740 tons. The keel-laying marks the official start of construction of the OVATION OF THE SEAS in the building dock. Source : royalcaribbeanblog

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

Boskalis pushertug TERRAMARE 1 with TERRAFERRE 302 loaded barge. Photo : Aled Jones ©

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launch of our latest masterpiece: website KOTUG.com

You may know us from our terminal towage and harbour towage experience or from our offshore activities. We are confident you are familiar with our E-KOTUG series of three hybrid Rotortugs and you may already have heard about our new Maritime Excellence Center which supports clients in becoming a green and safe operator.

Today however, we’d like to disclose our full story. We cordially invite you to the launch of our latest masterpiece which encompasses every single element of KOTUG. For today we proudly launch our new website. Everything we have achieved over the past two centuries comes together. For you to explore and to enjoy.

The new website perfectly captures where KOTUG is today: a global, leading company committed to provide sustainable towage and related services to the maritime industry. We are proud of how we have grown as a company and this is represented in our campaign ‘AHEAD IN TOWAGE’. Powerful pictures are the perfect way to tell the story of what we do and what we are good at. Therefore our website contains beautiful images that tell a thousand words and features spectacular videos like ‘Our Heritage’ and ‘Smooth Operator’ which contains our company’s milestones.

KOTUG has expanded its innovative approach in towage and related services around the globe. Nowadays our company is operating in a variety of markets including towage services to ports, terminals and at sea as well as in the salvage, offshore and dredging industry. And with our new Maritime Excellence Center KOTUG can truly be your all-round and integrated service provider.

All of this and more can be found on our new website. We invite you to take some time to browse through the stories, pictures and videos and hope you get inspired. As always, we hope this exceeds your expectations and we look forward to having your feedback.

Marine Atlantic ferry schedule delayed due to sea ice

'If it's taking two to three hours longer for each crossing then it starts to back up our schedule'

Heavy ice is playing havoc with the ferry schedule between North Sydney and Newfoundland. Each Marine Atlantic crossing is taking a couple of hours longer than usual, as the vessels make their way through the ice in the Cabot Strait. Marine Atlantic has cancelled its daytime crossing today from North Sydney to Port aux Basques.Darrell Mercer, speaking for Marine Atlantic, says the conditions are making it very difficult to maintain a regular schedule."The effect that we're seeing on that

is of course, if it's taking two to three hours longer for each crossing then it starts to back up our schedule a little bit by the time we offload and load and move again. So that's why we've got some schedule impacts and advising customers to check our website before they head to the terminals," he says. Mercer says the ice conditions are the worst they've been in years.The ferry that normally travels from the Magdalen Islands to Prince Edward Island has been forced to change its route completely, as well. It's running instead from the Magdalens to North Sydney source : CBC news

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