daily collection of maritime press c lippings 2014 –...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 215

Distribution : daily to 30300+ active addresses 03-08-2014 Page 1

Number 215 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Sunday 03-08-2014

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

The FAIRMOUNT SUMMIT anchored off Singapore

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The GRACELAND ( ex NEPTUNE 10) outbound from Rotterdam with the SKYLINEBARGE 22

Photo : Nico Ouwehand ©

MARINE ASSETS CORPORATION (MAC) is pleased to announce the sale of 3 x New build MMC 887s to GSP the leading Rumanian Offshore Contractor.

The Platform Supply Vessels are equipped with a DPS-2 positioning system and are built under ABS supervision, having class notation fire-fighting class 1 (ABS +A1 (E) Offshore Support Vessel, UWILD, Fi Fi Class 1 + AMS + DPS-2). Measuring 87.02 meters in length and 18.80 meters wide, the 5,000 dwt vessels have a deck area of 1000 m2 and accommodations for 52 persons. The vessels are equipped for carriage of dry bulk products, general supplies and liquid mud, general cargo on the open deck as well as special products. The three new vessels names are GSP ALTAIR, GSP CENTAURUS and GSP PEGASUS. The GSP PEGASUS is equipped with a DNV class knuckle boom electro hydraulic crane manufactured by TTS, GPCFO 3200 – 20035, rated 100 tons, perfectly suitable for subsea services. The crane is active heave compensated (AHC) and is designed to

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operate in extreme weather conditions, at ambient temperatures ranging between -20 and + 45°C. The new large PSVs were built under contract by MAC at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding, in south eastern China. GSP fleet extension with three new platform supply vessels follows GSP development strategy. The company’s Offshore fleet will rise to 13 vessels of different types (AHTS, MEDEVAC, OSR, PSV, Safety Service and Crew Vessels) apart from the seven MODUs and the offshore construction vessels fleet. This recent delivery will bring MAC total to 7 OSV's so far this year, with a further 6 more to go, 2 of which will be MAC's unique designed Compact Semi Sub (CSS). www.macoffshore.net.

Google offloads mystery barge to marine company

The Boston-based barge and marine contracting company that bought one of Google's mystery barges is still trying to figure out exactly what its going to do with it. John McNulty, a project manager for Cashman Equipment Corp., a 19-year-old company that has more than 120 inland and ocean vessels, said his company finalized the acquisition of the barge that is docked in Maine earlier this week. Cashman Equipment bought the four-story barge, which is made up of recycled shipping containers, from By and Large LLC, a company acting on behalf of Google. McNulty declined to say how much was paid for the barge, which was moved this week from Portland, Me., where it had been docked for about nine months, to South Portland, Me. Google confirmed that it sold the barge but would not offer any information on why it was sold or whether the company is looking to sell the other barge, which has been docked in San Francisco since last fall.

"We're working on the next step. It's somewhat of an unknown at the moment," McNulty told Computerworld. "Right now, it's in a hold pattern till that plan is finalized. Whatever I tell you, it could change in 10 minutes." He added that he has no knowledge of Cashman Equipment being in negotiations to buy Google's West Coast barge. Google's two mystery barges garnered a lot of attention and speculation in October and November when they appeared docked on

opposite coasts of the U.S.

data center on a barge?

Left : the East Coast Google barge as it appeared last fall. Photo: Sharon Gaudin

After weeks of building curiosity and media attention, Google finally acknowledged that it owned the barges and planned to turn them into upscale, high-tech floating technology showrooms that could move up and down either coast. With designs for a roof deck, catwalks and an open atrium,

the barges were set to not only exhibit Google's products but to hopefully drive business and attention to the various harbors where they would ultimately be docked.

Now it's unclear whether the East Coast barge simply was problematic or Google decided to back away from the entire plan. Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Company, said he doesn't think it's an issue of the project becoming too pricey for Google. "Nah, this would just be a rounding error for them," said Olds. "I don't think that selling off the East Coast barge had much, if anything, to do with costs. Barges just aren't all that expensive. Selling the barge might mean that they've simply come up with a better marketing idea."However, even if Google gives up on the project, it wouldn't be a total loss for the company."When you think about how much free publicity they've received out of this Google Merchant Marine gambit, it's sort of a win for them, whether the barges become active stores or not, eh?" Olds asked. Source : computerworld

Danaos revenue takes a hit in H1, thanks to fallout from Zim’s financial troubles

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Some of the fallout from Zim’s massive debt mountain was revealed in Greek container shipowner Danaos’s half-year results, which showed just $6.1m of revenue from the enforced reduction in hire fees for six of its ships on a fixed-rate long-term charter to the troubled Israeli ocean carrier. The six panamax vessels – part of the non-operating owner’s 54-strong fleet – are on charter to Zim until 2020. But as the carrier’s financial problems grew, it underpaid the charter fee, claiming it was a temporary measure until the markets improved. However, this did not happen and Danaos became an unwilling partner in the recently concluded Zim debt restructure, which saw creditors swap $1.4bn of debt for equity in a “new Zim” line. Reneging on a charter agreement is generally regarded as unthinkable in the shipping world, and Danaos would have been within its rights to take back the vessels. However, such is the parlous state of the panamax market that, however unpalatable, the reduced income from Zim was preferable to taking chances with the ships in that market.

Nonetheless, it is a precedent that Danaos would hope that its other ocean carrier customers, many of which – like South Korean duo Hanjin and Hyundai – are still posting thumping losses, will not follow. However, given the reduced charter hire conceded to Zim, other carriers may have cause to request that Danaos renegotiates the daily hire rates of the long-term charters the company says “insulate” it from market volatility. Despite the pain inflicted by Zim, the remaining charter hire periods of Danaos’s fleet sit at a healthy average of 8.5 years – although it now has seven ships effectively working on spot charters. Indeed, the reduced hire on these ships added to the drag on revenue which declined to $272m in the first six months of the year, compared with $293m in 2013. But a $7.9m improvement in finance cost charges and a $2.1m reduction in ship operating costs – mostly due to the sale of five elderly ships during the period – mitigated this and enabled Danaos to achieve an $18m net profit in the period, compared with $26m in the same six months last year. Danaos said the daily operating cost average for its fleet had reduced to $5,957, which it said made it “one of the most efficient operators in the industry”. And like its non-owning operator peers Seaspan and Global Ship Lease, Danaos is sitting on a war chest: $55m in cash from the sale of surplus ships. What remains to be decided is whether to invest this in expanding its fleet or reduce debt. Source : The Loadstar

The Havyard 844 XL PACIFIC DEFIANCE anchored off Singapore loading deck cargo, note that the AHTS is under

the Indonesian flag homeported Jakarta Photo : Piet Sinke © - CLICK on the photo to view the High Rez version

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PRIVATE ANTI-PIRACY NAVIES: HOW WARSHIPS FOR HIRE ARE CHANGING

MARITIME SECURITY By Emil Maine

I recently sat down with John-Clark Levin, coauthor of Private Anti-Piracy Navies: How Warships for Hire are Changing Maritime Security. For those of you interested in the subject of private maritime security, Levin’s book “is intended to provide a contextualized understanding of the historical origins, current state, and future prospects of this fast-changing sector.” Rather than simply rehash Joseph Hammond’s earlier interview of Levin, I decided to take the discussion in a slightly different direction.

EM: Some experts have argued that pirates off West Africa benefit from stable governments that provide easy access to corrupt officials and a steady stream of valuable targets. How does this complicate or undermine the effectiveness of private security contractors?

JCL: This undermines the effectiveness of private security contractors, because West African governments are generally quite hostile to foreign maritime security companies. Armed guards or escort vessels are prohibited from entering territorial waters, which introduces unnecessary hassle and danger. Merchant ships carrying armed security must stop at the twelve-mile limit and either lighter the guards off onto another vessel, or dispose of their arms. This has often forced shipping companies to hire local paramilitary groups for protection in territorial waters. This is a very bad thing, because it takes security out of the hands forces that are internationally accountable, and entrusts it to shadowy and unregulated entities. But because the arrangement is lining the pockets of a corrupt few, there’s political incentive to keep it going.

EM: Do you think that with the increasing number of prisons in Somalia, i.e. Puntland, housing together both convicted al-Shabaab militants and Somali pirates will create an even more complex system integrating terrorism and maritime piracy once they are released?

JCL: To my knowledge, that’s not something that analysts have considered much. Any time groups are housed together in prison, there is potential for links to form, and carry over outside the prison walls. But it doesn’t seem that that risk is acute enough to warrant alternative prison arrangements, given the difficulty in finding places to house pirates in the first place.

EM: Until recently one of the main prisons for pirates was in Somaliland, a relatively stable, semi-autonomous area in northern Somalia, the U.N. is now building facilities in Somalia proper because Seychelles no longer wants to imprison Somalis, how secure do you think these facilities are? Are the proposed sites secure and stable enough to survive a jailbreak attack?

JCL: I know that there’s a facility in the works in Garowe, Puntland, but I have not seen any plans for it, so can’t comment on security. In order to weather a major jailbreak attack, it would certainly have to be strongly fortified, and have a large and well-armed guard force. But I’d be more worried about pirates escaping by bribery than by a frontal assault.

EM: A single piracy case will often affect several nations. How does this complicate some of the legal issues private security contractors must face?



JCL: Whenever pirates attack a vessel, several countries can potentially claim jurisdiction over them—the flag state of the victim ship, the shipowner’s country of origin, and the home states of the crew. If there are private security personnel aboard, that may add more states to the mix, and if there is a private escort vessel, that layers on an additional flag state and shipowner country. If any of those nations cannot protect the human rights of prisoners, that could arguably give the other nations an obligation to prevent the suspected pirates from falling into that country’s hands. In practice, though, the problem has almost always been the reverse: countries trying to avoid responsibility for prosecution. Prosecuting and imprisoning pirates is an inconvenient and expensive undertaking that can last decades. The burden naturally falls on a single country, but all nations share in the benefits. It has taken years to develop agreements within which stakeholder states can share the burdens fairly.

This unruly tangle of jurisdictions can also complicate private anti-piracy operations themselves. Although there are now international licensing and accreditation standards for private maritime security companies, none of those are legally binding. Rather, countries’ domestic law takes precedence. Similarly, although there are now widely accepted rules for the use of force by private security, domestic doctrines of self-defense prevail. Thus, private security companies must take great care to ensure that they are not breaking the laws of anyone who might prosecute them if something goes wrong.

For example, if personnel aboard a private escort vessel believe themselves to be under attack and shoot civilian fishermen in error, both the flag state of the escort and the flag state of the client merchant ship may apply their own laws on self-defense and come to opposite conclusions about whether the shooters acted criminally. Because there have been very few test cases in this area, it remains unclear how such an incident would be resolved.

Emil Maine is a National Security Research Assistant at the Heritage Foundation, where he conducts independent research on U.S. defense posture. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own. Source : CIMSEC

New Zealand deploys surveillance aircraft to Gulf of Aden anti-piracy force A New Zealand air force P3K-2 Orion aircraft departed Friday to join the multinational anti- piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, Defense Minister Jonathan Coleman announced Friday. A New Zealand navy command team would also deploy in the region next week, taking the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) contribution to the operations to 68 personnel. "New Zealand is committed to playing our part in international efforts to tackle piracy," Coleman said in a statement. "Maintaining a secure maritime environment is vital to security and economic prosperity. As a trading nation dependant on freedom of the seas to get many of our exports to market, New Zealand has a direct interest in maritime security."

NZDF personnel would support the Combined Maritime Forces, a multi-national naval partnership of 30 nations. "The P3K-2 will also conduct short duration deployments in support of NATO and the European Union's anti-piracy operations," said Coleman. The Orion and a detachment of 55 personnel, including aircrew, logistics staff, liaison officers, maintenance and other support personnel, would be primarily based in the United Arab Emirates for four months and conduct maritime surveillance in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. A team of 13 navy staff officers would take up command of Combined Task Force 151 for four months based in Bahrain at the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters. Earlier this year, the New Zealand frigate, HMNZS Te Mana, was deployed for three months as part of the Combined Maritime Forces. Source : Global Post

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Van Oord’s AEOLUS enroute her first job off the Dutch coast

Photo : Hans van der Linden - www.aerolin.nl @AerolinPhoto ©

Coast Guard recovers lifeboat from missing B.C. sailboat

A U.S. Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Grays Harbor in Westport, Wash., recovered an unmanned boat about five miles northwest of Ocean Shores on Thursday, July 31. The 16-foot non-motorized boat is believed to be that of Paul Clark, a 69-year-old Canadian citizen who left Prince Rupert, British Columbia, earlier this month on a solo sailing trip to Port Hardy, British Columbia. Clark was reported missing July 11 after he failed to check in with a family member. He was last seen in the vicinity of Aristazabal Island, British Columbia, about halfway to his intended destination. The fishing vessel Tally Ho came across the capsized vessel and reported it to watchstanders at Station Grays Harbor around 7:30 a.m. Station crewmembers launched a 47-foot Motor Life Boat in response. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River watchstanders in

Warrenton launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria and diverted the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Blue Shark, an 87-foot patrol boat homeported in Everett, to assist. A Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife crew also responded. The crews of the MLB and Blue Shark arrived on scene around 8:30 a.m. They overturned the vessel and found all oars and sails secured. Crewmembers found the identification of Paul Clark in the vessel. Coast Guard boat and air crews searched the area for approximately three hours and found no signs of distress. The search was subsequently suspended pending any further information. Coast Guard officials

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notified Joint Rescue Coordination Center Victoria, British Columbia, and are coordinating the transfer of the vessel to Canadian officials. Source: Chinookobserver

The Boskalis newbuilding hull FREEWAY on the way from Szceczin to Rotterdam as seen yesterday passing Rendsburg . The tug "NEPTUNE MARINER " (under command of Capt Ton Benning) is towing the hull. During the

Kiel Canal Transit the tug "HANS" assist her. Photo : Frank Behling ©

The LEWEK INSPECTOR seen operating offshore Brazil. Photo : John de Wet ©

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Ferry Tries to Make Buck Between Maine and Nova Scotia

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About 430 passengers lined up on a recent evening for a new ferry to Nova Scotia, where Maine couple Sam and Ruth Mack planned to spend eight days driving around the Canadian province. "We'll leave a little money up there by the time we get through," said Mr. Mack, an 84-year-old retired postal worker. "We're going to take the whole tour."

Starting in the 1950s, American travelers were able to ferry across the Gulf of Maine to explore the quiet, often-rugged pleasures of Nova Scotia. While the ride wasn't necessarily shorter than driving, it was an appealing alternative to a monotonous car trip. But all ferry service ended five years ago amid the economic downturn. This year, service between Portland, Maine's largest city, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, has returned, delighting some tourists and businesses. Still, there are questions about whether the business, which is off to a slow start, can sustain itself.

In May, the privately run 528-foot NOVA STAR began making a once-daily round trip that takes 10 hours each way. The early passenger numbers disappointed—averaging about 112 riders on each leg of the trip in June, roughly 10% of the boat's capacity. Burdened by heavy startup costs, the operators quickly tapped a 21 million Canadian dollar (US$19.3 million) loan from Nova Scotia that was intended to stretch seven years.

The company, Nova Star Cruises, was supposed to get C$12 million up front. But it needed another C$7 million to cover a required bond in the U.S. and a yet-to-materialize line of credit in Maine. The company used the remaining funds

to cover expenses, such as a roughly US$39,000 daily fuel bill. Mark Amundsen, chief executive of Nova Star Cruises, acknowledged the low passenger numbers but said business has picked up with better weather. He declined to detail company finances and said Nova Star wasn't facing near-term danger.

The new ferry, leased from a business partner in Singapore, is as much cruise ship as car hauler. It has 162 cabins, three restaurants, a spa and a 70 slot-machine casino that operates in international waters. It can carry more than 300 vehicles, including tractor trailers, which Mr. Amundsen is trying to lure to supplement passenger revenue.

Ted Hyneck and Claire Burns, who split their time between Colorado and Connecticut, took a recent trip to Canada with their car for a five-day vacation. Mr. Hyneck, 73, said they never would have gone if they had to drive there. "Somebody else is doing the driving overnight, you wake up in the morning, and you're in Nova Scotia," he said. The cross-border nautical ties began fraying a decade ago when a ferry quit the Portland-Yarmouth route amid declining ridership and complaints about an old Portland ferry terminal that has since been replaced. A high-speed catamaran that linked Bar Harbor, Maine, and Nova Scotia added a Portland leg to pick up slack, but a mix of factors, including the recession, further eroded traffic. All ferry service finally stopped in 2009 after the Nova Scotia government canceled subsidies for the catamaran. But the province absorbed an economic hit as a result, officials said, especially in Yarmouth, a port town of about 7,200. The local chamber of commerce estimates the community lost almost 13% of its businesses between 2009 and 2014, including a department store and waterfront hotel."Yarmouth was lost without the boat," said Esther Dares, who runs the Harbour's Edge Bed & Breakfast with her husband. They struggled to fill rooms in peak summer months.

Business is much improved, she said. And there is already talk in Nova Scotia of putting up more money to make sure it stays that way. The current loan will be forgiven over time if the ferry keeps running. "We knew year one was going to be a challenge," said Michel Samson, Nova Scotia's Minister of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism. Source : The Wallstreet Journal

Authorities investigating whale, ferry collision



Authorities were working Friday to determine if a 25-ton humpback whale died as the result of a collision with the state ferry Kennicott near Kodiak. Scientists believe the whale was alive when it was struck by the vessel. And Kate Wynne, a marine mammal specialist for the University of Alaska Sea Grant Program, said it died of massive trauma.

"It got T-boned, basically, in a characteristic way that ship strikes have been evidenced before. So, broken ribs, broken spine, skull fracture - that sort of thing," said Wynne, a member of the investigative team. "The determination of how that happened is out of my realm, and it's in the investigation mode still." Frances Gulland, lead veterinarian for the investigation, said it wasn't known whether the death was caused by the ship. Law enforcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration planned to look at various factors in trying to determine what ultimately killed the whale, KMXT reported (http://bit.ly/1m5M1Bj ) Thursday.

Jeremy Woodrow, a spokesman for the ferry system, said the incident happened on July 26, when the whale was spotted on the bulbous bow of the ship below the water's surface. He told The Associated Press it was not clear how long the whale might have been there. There was no unusual sound to draw attention, said Woodrow, who noted that bumps are heard on the boat all the time due to logs or other debris in the water. The whale slid off the vessel and sunk as the ferry slowed to enter the harbor, he said. Wynne said the carcass of the whale was found on Monday beached at Puffin Island, a popular stop-off point for kayakers. Wynne warned that there would be an odor in the area for the next few weeks and asked that people not disturb the carcass. "It's not only illegal to disturb the carcass, but we want to be able to go back and do more examination," she told KMXT. Woodrow said such collisions involving a ferry are rare. He said no damage to the boat was reported. Wynne said given how rare ship strike fatalities are, the team wants to study as much of the whale as it can. Source : seattletimes

The first in Singapore … a talk about “Two Thousand Years of Asian Shipbuilding” was organised by Maritime History Subcommittee of Joint Branch of RINA & IMAREST Singapore. The speaker was Dr. Michael Flecker, a famous marine archaeologist in Asia. Photo : EY Kuet ©

Significant penalties imposed on

shipowner involved in oil spill in NSW, but master escapes conviction

The New South Wales Land and Environment Court has imposed a fine of $1.2 million on the owner of a ship involved in a serious oil spill in Newcastle harbour, but has shown greater leniency on the ship’s master, in Newcastle Port

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Corporation v MS Magdalene Schiffahrtsgesellschaft MBH; Newcastle Port Corporation v Vazhnenko [2013] NSWLEC 210. On 25 August 2010, a mixture of oily water containing 72,000 litres of heavy fuel oil was inadvertently discharged into Newcastle harbour from a ballast tank on MS Magdalene (Magdalene). The Court described the spill as the second most serious spill to come before it, after the spill by the Laura D’Amato into Sydney Harbour in 1999. Both the shipowner and master pleaded guilty to charges under s 8(1) of the Marine Pollution Act 1987 (NSW) (MP Act), which makes it an offence, for both the owner and master of a ship, to discharge “oil” or an “oily mixture” into State waters. The Court found the offence proven against both the shipowner and the master. The shipowner was convicted and fined $1.2 million, and undertook to pay the prosecutor’s costs in both proceedings. The shipowner had already paid a total of $1.7 million in clean-up costs. However, no conviction was recorded against the master under s 10(1)(a) of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) (CSP Act). The decision shows the Court’s willingness to impose substantial fines for marine pollution offences, and is an useful illustration of the Court’s approach to sentencing in such matters. The spill and its aftermath At the time of the spill, Magdalene was a Liberian-registered, German-owned and managed, 20-year-old bulk carrier. The spill occurred on 25 August 2010, in the course of de-ballasting conducted while Magdalene was berthed in the Port of Newcastle to take on coal. The oil had seeped into the ballast tank through a 15 mm hole in the internal transverse bulkhead between the ballast and heavy fuel oil tank over an extended period of time, at some point since the last maintenance/inspection in February 2010. Oil was observed drifting on the surface of the water by the coal terminal operator some hours into de-ballasting, and orders were given to cease de-ballasting. Extensive boom containment action commenced shortly afterwards, and clean-up operations commenced the following morning, continuing until 8 October 2010. As the Court noted, the actual harm caused by the spill consisted of oil contamination of pelicans, oil spotting of protected saltmarsh and mangrove vegetation, contamination of invertebrate animals on mudflats, and the production and disposal of oil contaminated waste. However, the spill’s potential harm was minimised by the containment and clean-up operations, and the adverse environmental consequences of the spill had essentially disappeared within less than two months. Issues before the Court The parties had largely agreed on the facts prior to the hearing; however a “small ambit” of facts and remained to be determined, such as the adequacy of watch-keeping during de-ballasting given that the crew did not detect the spill; whether more stringent inspection and maintenance was required, particularly given Magdalene’s age; and whether perforated sounding pipes (which might have indicated the presence of oil) should have been fitted and used. How did the Court approach sentencing? The Court considered the spill to be close to 20% of the theoretical “worst case”, meriting a fine of $1.8 million before the application of any aggravating or mitigating factors. The Court found that the harm caused by the spill was clearly the only aggravating factor, being substantial and significant, though neither long-lasting nor permanent. However, the Court found a number of mitigating factors in the defendants’ favour: the defendants were entitled to the full maximum 25% discount for their very early admission of liability and formal plea of guilty; both defendants were genuinely contrite and remorseful, not merely expressing “smooth apologies”; the shipowner paid significant clean-up expenses, and was prepared to pay the legal costs of both proceedings; a “modest discount” was available to the defendants for their significant cooperation and assistance, including the preparedness of the master (and his crew) to participate in the prosecutions. This is because the MP Act imposed very strict obligations on shipowners and crew in respect of frankness and co-operation; the spill was not part of any planned or organised criminal activity, and neither defendant was known to have a criminal record; and neither defendant’s character was questioned, both had good prospects of rehabilitation, and neither was likely to reoffend. The Court ultimately applied a total discount of one-third to the fine, resulting in a total fine of $1.2 million for the shipowner. Master Although the offence was also proved against the master, the Court directed that the proceedings against the master be dismissed without conviction under s 10 of the CSP Act. However, the Court noted that s 10 orders are rarely appropriate for environmental offences, and described its decision as “not free from difficulty or doubt”. In coming to this decision, the Court noted: being new to Magdalene (as of May 2010), and having joined just as she underwent a major survey, the master may well have felt entitled to rely on that for not inspecting the tank prior to ballasting it;



a master is not necessarily required to be “highly prudent” or maintain a “standard of virtual perfection”. Although it was contended that the master’s major contribution to the spill was his failure to properly test the ballast tank for contamination, there was no established ship procedure, or clear indication, that this was necessary; as to watch-keeping when de-ballasting and loading cargo, the master’s duties did not require him to take personal charge of the port operation of the ship, and he was entitled to rely on his senior officers (whose watch-keeping failures are the vicarious responsibility of the shipowner) in this regard; and matters such as additional hull maintenance, the need for perforated sounding pipes, or procedures to compensate for their absence, are more appropriately matters for a shipowner. What should you be aware of? The prosecution conceded that the Magdalene, although 20 years old, was well maintained, and had no record of detentions. There was also no demonstrable human negligence, intentional conduct, or recklessness alleged. However, the case illustrates how a complex web of factors can contribute to inadvertent but serious pollution incidents. Accordingly, this decision is a reminder of the importance of clear, established procedures for watch-keeping, and inspections and maintenance, so that shipowners, as well as masters, can be alert to when additional precautions may be required to prevent a marine pollution incident. Shipowners should take particular note of this decision – as the Court observed – the history of marine pollution prosecutions reveals a tendency to blame mostly shipowners, because the majority of incidents involve management failure. For this reason perhaps, the penalty regime provides for far greater fines for shipowners rather than masters. The maximum penalties for an offence under s 8(1) in 2002, increased the maximum penalty from $220,000 for a natural person and $1.1 million for a body corporate, to $500,000 and $10 million respectively. The Court considered that the disproportionate increase in fines was clearly and particularly directed at the deterrence of shipowners. Greater change is on the way however, and masters and shipowners should also be aware that the Marine Pollution Act 2012 (NSW) is expected to commence later this year, replacing the current MP Act. Although the new Act maintains the maximum penalties available for the offence of discharging oil into state waters, it introduces several significant new offences and obligations. In particular, both masters and shipowners must prepare and carry emergency plans for pollution incidents involving oil and noxious liquid substances; there are new offences relating to pollution by harmful substances in packaged form, garbage and sewage; additional reporting obligations; extensions to liability for certain offences; and a new regime of marine pollution notices. Source: Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

Tyne tugs exhibition is making waves LIKE its subjects, it is certainly making ripples.

I’m talking about the exhibition about the rise and fall of the Tyne tug industry which proved so popular at the Old Town Hall in the Market Place in Shields the other weekend. It subsequently made an equally successful transfer to Cleadon Park Library, where yesterday,

in response to popular demand, the film that featured, Tyne Journey, from the North East Film Archive, was shown again, together with personal reminiscences of tugboat life. If you have not had a chance to catch either yet, they will be re-run next Thursday, August 7, again at Cleadon Park, from 2pm to 3pm.

No tickets are required, but staff at the library would be interested to know if you plan to go along. You can ring them on 0191 424 6194. It has also been nice to hear that other venues may be found for the exhibition in future months. I will keep you posted. One of the many enjoyable aspects of the photographs, memories etc which had been gathered was seeing the wide diversity of ships that tugs on the Tyne have handled over the years. They have seldom been more impressive than the vessel seen here, the battleship Nelson, built by Armstrong Whitworth on the Tyne in the 1920s and seen here, off Shields, with an accompaniment of tugs, including an old paddler. Source : shieldsgazette



Pemex says construction of tugboat underway at Mexican shipyard

Mexican state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos announced the start of construction of a tugboat at the Pacific port of Mazatlan, part of its program to modernize its minor fleet. The keel-laying for the first of two tugboats to be built at the SENI shipyard in Mazatlan, each 31.5 meters (103 feet) in length with an 11.2-meter beam and capable of reaching a speed of 12 knots, took place on Thursday, Pemex said in a statement. The ships will be equipped to conduct maritime and port operations, provide tow services, fight fires and facilitate ship maintenance and rescue work, the company added. The design of the tugboat "aims to achieve maximum effectiveness in its operations with maximum simplicity of handling, so it can be manned by a minimum number of crew." The tugboat is one of 22 ships to be built by the Mexican navy as part of an agreement signed in July 2013 for the renewal of ships in Pemex's minor fleet that are mainly used to transport hydrocarbons and their derivatives. The ships, which will be built in the states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Oaxaca, Baja California and Sinaloa at a total investment cost of 3.4 billion pesos ($261 million), also include barges, lighters and specialized multi-purpose vessels. Source : Globalpost

The MOL QUARTZ navigating the Elbe – Photo : David James Bray ©

Russia orders Azerbaijan construction of high speed cxrew boats

By Aynur Jafarova

Russia has ordered Azerbaijan construction of high speed crew boats. Russian Maritime Register of Shipping signed a relevant contract with Baku Shipyard LLC for the construction of three 38М high speed crew boats (designer - SHIPTECH, Singapore) for Azerbaijan State Caspian Sea Shipping Company. The construction process is set to begin in August 2014 and the boats should be delivered to Russia by May 2016. The vessels are designed to transport personnel (up to 80 people) and various types of cargo to mobile offshore drilling units and other offshore oil and gas

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exploration and extraction facilities. According to their specifications, they can operate at up to 100 miles from the coast. The overall length of each boat is 38.22 meters, breadth - 8.2 meters, depth - 4.3 meters, draught - 2.25 meters and crew - 8 people. The order will help developing cooperation with the newly constructed shipyard in Baku. It will also be the first major project since Baku Shipyard reached full capacity in 2013. It is planned that the new high speed vessels will operate at the Gunashli, Chirag, Azeri, Bulla, Pirallahi, West Absheron, as well as Chilov fields and areas of the Caspian Sea. Baku Shipyard LLC is a joint venture of Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR, Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC), and Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. (Keppel O&M). It was inaugurated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in September 2013. Keppel O&M owns 10 percent of the project. The largest shareholder at 65 percent is SOCAR, followed by AIC which owns 25 percent equity in the company. The plant is expected to construct a large spectrum of specialized and merchant ships, including multi-purpose vessels such as platform supply vessels, tankers, and cargo ships. The enterprise has also ship-repair capabilities. The plant's production capacity is 25,000 tons of steel per year. The facility is designed to produce four tankers with the deadweight of 15,000 tons or two tankers with the deadweight of 70,000 tons per year. At full capacity, the plant will be able to carry out up to 100 repair or rebuild works annually. Source : Azernews

Netherlands to host dredging training course in November

A training course entitled ‘Environmental Aspects of Dredging’, aims to provide students with the most current knowledge and thinking around dredging and will take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on November 24-25 2014. The intensive course, lasting two full days, is organised by the Postgraduate Academic Programme (PAO) – part of the Delft University of Technology – and led by industry experts who have the most up-to-date knowledge and experience of the subject. Modules on the course include: main types of dredging equipment, their environmental effects and possible mitigation measures; an overview of the ‘players’ who may become involved in dredging projects and their perspectives; and pre-dredging site investigations, monitoring and dredged material management. While studying for the modules, attendees have the option to attend a workshop, where real projects and current case studies can be analysed. Students can also apply what they have learnt to these real-life scenarios. The training course is based on the book Environmental Aspects of Dredging that was produced as a joint effort by the Central Dredging Association (CEDA) and the International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) and published by Taylor and Francis in 2008. Source : Port Strategy

The SILJA EUROPA moored in Helsinki Photo : David James Bray ©

Petronas-backed LNG Project In Queensland Is Nearly Complete

Petronas' backed Gladstone LNG Project in Queensland is 80 percent complete and on track to deliver first cargoes in 2015, says Oil and Gas Investor Australia (OGIA). OGIA reported this week that the milestone was announced by Santos Ltd, Petronas's main partner in the project. The project is a joint venture in which Santos owns 30 percent, Petronas 27.5 percent, Total of France 27.5 percent and Kogas of Korea 15 percent. According to OGIA, the target was achieved when one of the project's two liquefied gas storage tanks on Curtis Island, Queensland was



successfully hydro-tested, which entailed filling the tank with 100 million litres of water and conducting pressure testing over 24 hours to ensure it was able to safely store LNG. OGIA quoted Santos vice president Downstream GLNG Rod Duke saying that the hydro-testing phase was a critical development of the Santos GLNG plant. "When you take a step back and look at these storage tanks, which are as tall as 16-story buildings and can each hold the equivalent volume of 56 Olympic-size swimming pools, the magnitude of our project and the exceptional work being done is very clear," Duke was reported as saying. "The storage tanks have been built with two inner tanks composed of four layers of insulation and a layer of protective steel plates. "Once our plant is in operation, the tanks will each be capable of storing up to 140,000 cubic metres of LNG before it is loaded to specially designed ships for export to our customers in Malaysia and Korea. "This is an exciting step for us and brings our world-class LNG plant closer to completion. Construction on the second LNG tank continues to progress well," Duke said. OGIA also reported that the Gladstone project recently achieved several other milestones, including the installation of all 82 modules for its first LNG processing train. Only nine modules remain to be shipped for the project's second processing train, while the product loading facility is over 95 percent complete. In the gas fields, commissioning is under way on the pipeline compressor station in the Fairview field near Roma in Queensland. Source : Bernama

BRIGHTOIL LUCKY IMO 9402469 2009/63294gt, ex Dubai Princess till Oct 2010, in to Geelong off Portsea, 2-8-

2014. Photo : Andrew Mackinnon – www.aquamanships.com ©

Oil rig leaves Malta The oil rig ENSCO 5004 left Malta after spending seven-and-a-half months at Marsa Shipbuilding, where works were carried out for its recertification and upgrade. Ablecare Oilfield Services Group, co-ordinated all the required works.

Photo : Michael Cassar ©

The rig was towed to Malta from Brazil and is now heading for North Africa. While in Malta, it was temporarily refurbished to accommodate the services and workers on the project. During its stay, it deployed 75 Maltese skilled workers daily, and apart from the foreign contractors over 30 local sub-contractors provided a variety of ancillary support services, such as transport, accommodation and catering. Source : Times of Malta

China Expands Offshore Oil Fleet for Contested Waters

Beijing Orders Ships and Rigs, Builds Coast Guard for South China Sea

China is accelerating the expansion of its offshore oil fleet—and adding coast guard vessels to protect it—as it ventures farther into the sea for energy resources, threatening more altercations with neighbors. Chinese companies from the giant China National Offshore Oil Corp. to small services providers have ordered more ships and rigs for offshore exploration in the first half of this year than in any full year since 2010, with more on the way, according to data compiled by IHS Maritime. In addition, China ordered a massive, 30,000-ton deep-water drilling rig last year that is

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designed to operate in the South China Sea, and has two more in the planning stage. These new rigs will be as big as China's largest—the HYSY 981—whose deployment in waters also claimed by Hanoi prompted a two-month nautical standoff and deadly anti-China riots in Vietnam. The rig was moved from the disputed area in mid-July, but with no end to tensions, as both nations reasserted their rights to the territory. Driving the push to build the fleet is China's huge demand for energy, and—particularly for Cnooc, 0883.HK -0.72% the country's primary offshore oil producer—a quest for new finds to replace stagnating production in maturing fields. The growth will give China the ability to explore and plant its flag over broad claims that include nearly all of the South China Sea, where large areas remain

untapped under deep waters, harsh conditions and territorial disputes.

The expansion of the fleet is part of national policy, in a region where Beijing's political and energy-security goals overlap, said Philip Andrews-Speed, an energy-security specialist at Singapore's Energy Studies Institute. "I'm sure they are going to use these drilling rigs as a political statement as well as simple exploration," he said. China's emerging strategy was on display when the massive HYSY 981 rig was moved into deep, contested waters off the Paracel islands. The rig was accompanied by dozens of ships, mainly tugs, support ships, fishing boats and coast-guard vessels, according to IHS Maritime analyst Gary Li. Drilling in deep waters is in line with global trends in which more easily extractable reserves have been depleted and energy companies are being forced into remote, sometimes politically tricky regions. A major deep-water discovery could have the same transformational effect for China's energy security that the shale boom had on the U.S. energy sector. Spearheading the effort is Cnooc Ltd. and its sister company China Oilfield Services Ltd.

601808.SH -0.86% , or COSL, which owns and operates many of the vessels. Cnooc's domestic oil-and-gas output has changed little in the past four years, and the company said in 2009 that it would commit $30 billion to deep-water projects over 20 years. A Cnooc spokeswoman declined to comment when asked if the new fleet could come into conflict with China's neighbors, and said the company has been following an exploration plan it announced this year. She referred further questions about new vessels to COSL. COSL will provide an update on its fleet and orders when it reports its earnings in August, a company spokeswoman said, also declining to comment about potential territorial conflict. COSL, the world's largest state-run offshore-drilling company, has been accumulating deep-water drilling expertise in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Indonesia. Chinese orders for ships and rigs in the first half of this year total 126,300 tons, covering a range of vessels needed for large-scale offshore operations, including drilling platforms for shallow- and mid-water, ships that conduct seismic research in deep water and support vessels, according to IHS Maritime. A parallel effort is taking place with China's coast guard, which was reorganized last year to include coastal police, fisheries and marine-enforcement agencies under one unified command. The fleet, which numbers more than 100 vessels, has around 40 ships on order and is expected to receive 15 this year, according to IHS. The aim of the revamp is to boost maritime law enforcement, improve the protection of oceanic resources and better safeguard the country's maritime rights and interests, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported in March. While the East China Sea, where China is locked in disputes with Japan, is also likely to see more exploration, the South China Sea is expected to draw most of the effort because of its potential for huge reserves. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's high-end estimate puts the South China Sea's proved and probable reserves at 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. This compares to a low-end estimate of 48 billion barrels of undiscovered oil resources and around 740 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas in all the Asian-Pacific region, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Recent discoveries have indicated that the region may hold more gas than oil, and exploration in deep waters faces tremendous logistical and technological hurdles. The new abilities should allow China to venture much farther into the South China Sea than before and surpass the reach of neighbors such as Vietnam and Philippines, which rely heavily on foreign expertise, according to Mr. Andrews-Speed. COSL's new mega drilling rig, the HYSY 982, is expected to be completed by 2016 and is specifically designed to operate in the South China Sea, according to its designer, Norway-based Agility Projects, and its builder, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. There, rigs



must be able to drill at depths of 5,000 feet or more and withstand rough seas and typhoons, they said. "This is only the start of a major, concerted Chinese drive towards harnessing the natural resources in the South China Sea," Mr. Li said. Source : Wall Street Journal

The ORIENT TRAIL outbound from Liverpool – Photo : Huib Lievense ©

Exxon Mobil Arctic Drilling Operations Off Siberia On Track Despite New Russia Sanctions, Company Says

Exxon Mobil Corp. brushed aside concerns this week that new U.S. and European sanctions against Russia could hinder its drilling operations in Arctic waters near Siberia. In its second-quarter earnings report on Thursday, the energy giant said its massive offshore operation in the icy Kara Sea is expected to start producing oil late this year. The Western sanctions, announced earlier this week, target Russia’s energy, financial and military sectors in an effort to curb President Vladimir Putin’s support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. The measures include an export ban on advanced oil technologies used to tap unconventional deposits like deep-water and Arctic fields and onshore shale formations. Energy experts say the penalties could hinder Moscow’s attempts to drill in the Arctic. Russia's OAO Rosneft – Exxon’s partner in the offshore venture – has also been targeted in separate U.S. sanctions,

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including a limit on its long-term borrowing and restrictions on Chairman Igor Sechin. David Rosenthal, Exxon’s vice president of investor relations, wouldn’t say whether the company is still planning to start drilling its first well in the Kara Sea next month. “Until we have a chance to look at the sanctions, read them, assess them, evaluate them, it just wouldn’t be appropriate to comment,” he said during a conference call. But in Irving, Texas-based Exxon’s published materials, the company said its Berkut platform in the sea’s Arkutun-Dagi field is slated to add up to 90,000 barrels of oil per day to current production volumes by the end of 2014. When complete, the platform will be the largest such offshore oil and gas operation in Russia, according to the company. Exxon and Rosneft's Kara Sea operations were the center of Greenpeace protests against Arctic drilling last year, a tussle that got 30 activists arrested. The Arctic mission is key to the company’s broader strategy to reverse declining output. Exxon’s shares fell on Thursday after the company reported that its oil and natural gas output fell 5.7 percent in the second quarter of 2014, to the equivalent of 3.84 million barrels a day. Source : IBtimes

NAVY NEWS

Navy awards planning contract for USS George Washington

The Navy has awarded a $49.6 million contract to the Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries to begin work on defueling the aircraft carrier USS George Washington. The contract is a necessary first step toward the anticipated mid-life refueling and overhaul of Washington. Earlier this year, the Navy said it wasn't sure it could refuel the ship because steep budget cuts might return in 2016. It left open the possibility the carrier could be retired from service. But Congress pushed back and committed funds toward the refueling. Navy officials say they are now making every effort to plan for the mid-life overhaul.

Friday's announcment of the $49.6 million represents work that was required regardless of whether the carrier was retired or refueled. "We hope this award is the first step toward the highly anticipated full award of the RCOH (Refueling and Complex Overhaul) planning contract," said Chris Miner, Newport News Shipbuilding's vice president, in-service aircraft carrier programs. The contract award, which the Navy announced Friday, is for 12 months and includes planning, engineering and shipboard inspections that are required for defueling the ship. If approved, Washington will be the sixth Nimitz-class carrier to undergo a RCOH, a

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project worth in excess of $4 billion, accorrding to Naval Sea Systems Command. A RCOH is not only important busisness for the shipyard, it creates work for dozens of subcontractors across the country, including some in Hampton Roads.The Washington is due to arrive in Newport News in March 2017. Source : Dailypress

Sunk Costs: New Carriers Commit UK To Buy Escorts & F-35Bs, Says 1st Sea Lord 65,000-ton ships are hard to turn around, and they can drag a lot else in their wake. That’s the $10.4 billion (£6.2 billion) bet the Royal Navy has placed on its controversial program to build two new aircraft carriers. While a third smaller than American nuclear carriers, the ships’ costs have grown so much that the British government is considering temporarily mothballing the second ship, HMS Prince of Wales, as soon as it’s complete, while the first ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, was christened July 4th but won’t get its F-35B fighters for years. But First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Adm. Sir George Zambellas, assured a Washington audience Wednesday that — to paraphrase his guarded Britishisms into American bluntness — it’s too late to cheap out. Building the carriers has already committed British politicians not only to funding their operations, escort vessels, and aircraft, but also to a carrier-centered naval strategy that puts warfighting first and peacetime presence second.If you don’t buy adequate F-35s, “you build £6.2 billion worth of carriers, you then don’t put a tiny piece of butter on the bread,” Zambellas said to general laughter at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “You’ve got to do it properly. And I’m absolutely certain, with delivery of a credible carrier strike capability, we will see a growth of commitments to F-35s to meet the maximum value the government would want to derive from the strategic assets they have bought and are paying for [already].”

Likewise, the Sea Lord said, while carrier critics say the money would be better spent on a larger number of smaller vessels, the political and strategic realities are otherwise. “The truth is this, if you can’t afford carriers, you may not necessarily afford more ships, but if you’ve got the carriers, you may have to afford more ships,” Zambellas said, prompting more laughter. “So I think some of my predecessors were extremely wise.” In brief, an aircraft carrier without aircraft isn’t much use, and a carrier without escorts won’t last long in combat. Zambellas is betting that current and future governments will feel compelled to “do it properly” rather than let their most expensive military assets languish under-used. Economists might call this a “sunk cost” argument (a distinctly disturbing term in the naval context). So Prime Minister David Cameron may well decide in the 2015 Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR15) that having spent $10.4 billion on the carriers does not, in fact, oblige him to spend a penny more: After all, no amount of further investment will ever get the £6.2 billion back. In fact, largely because of delays in the US Joint Strike Fighter program, the HMS Queen Elizabeth will already spend its first two years in service equipped only with helicopters, not F-35s. On the other hand, Zambellas is also attempting a “marginal return on investment” argument: Additional spending on aircraft and escort ships will yield a disproportionate increase in military power, because it leverages the investment already made in the carriers and uses them to the maximum extent.

the aircraft carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS tied up along-side in Portsmouth, UK. She has returned after her final voyage and is awaiting decommissioning. Photo : Aled Jones ©

The admiral acknowledged that the UK had already made some strategic sacrifices. To afford the carriers, as well as other high-capability, high-cost warships like Astute--class attack submarines and Daring-class Type 45 air defense destroyers, the Royal Navy has retired large numbers of smaller vessels, ships arguably inadequate for a war with Russia or China, but perfectly serviceable for showing the flag, chasing Somali pirates, and building relationships with partners around the world. This trade-off echoes the decision of another First Sea Lord 110 years ago, Jackie “Scrap the Lot!” Fisher, to junk geriatric ships used for colonial patrols and invest instead in dreadnoughts and battlecruisers to face the rising power of Imperial Germany.“You’ve completely got it,” Zambellas said when I summed up the trade-



off. “You aim for high end and you accept the risk your footprint’s reduced globally… I absolutely reject the idea of an ostensibly [larger] number of smaller platforms that might have a wider footprint.” Yes, the Sea Lord said, the UK could invest in what’s called a high-low mix, buying many cheap ships suited to “constabulary” operations off Somalia and a few expensive ships in case of major war. “The danger with that is when you are needed to perform a high end — and therefore a strategically valuable — task alongside a partner, you find that your low-end capability doesn’t get through the gate,” Zambellas said. “You lose out on the flexibility and authority associated with credible platforms.”

“Authority” and “credibility” were the admiral’s mantras throughout his remarks, which were tinged with the usual post-imperial anxiety about Britain’s place in the world. If only one carrier is operational, Zambellas said in one example, it may be in refit when a crisis erupts, “and then your authority sort of drains away down the plug hole.” Building the carriers is “a grown-up statement of intent,” he said, the UK’s forthcoming nuclear missile submarines will provide “deterrence [at] absolutely the top end of the game,” and the US and UK needed to operate as one in the Persian Gulf “so if we have to fight side by side, we Brits don’t let you down.” Overall, Zambellas said after listing the Royal Navy’s investments in high-end warfighting capability, “I don’t think that sounds like a small northwest European nation in decline.” The painful truth is that Great Britain is no longer a great power. But it still stands far above the many US partners that can only provide peacekeeping forces. The US Navy itself is struggling to afford 11 aircraft carriers and to deter Russia, Iran, and China all at once. In a crisis, a high-end ally with a couple of carriers just might tip the balance. Source : breakingdefense

SHIPYARD NEWS

Vietnamese-Dutch shipyard to build vessel for Australian navy

A Dutch joint-venture shipbuilder in Hai Phong will produce a helicopter training vessel for the Australian Navy, news website news.com.au reported Tuesday. The 90-meter, 2,400-DWT Aviation Training Vessel will be built by the Damen Song Cam Shipyard Co., Ltd in Hai Phong. The company represents a joint venture between the Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards Group and Vietnam’s Song Cam Shipyard. The ship will be leased by the Australian Navy and staffed by civilians from the DMS Maritime, the largest maritime service provider in Australia. The deal is part of a helicopter training project being developed by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for roughly AUD1 billion (US$931 million). The multi-function Aviation Training Vessel will provide aviation training, junior officer sea training, mine warfare training and torpedo recovery. It will also be used to support the Australian fleet. It is expected to be delivered in 2017. Source : .thanhniennews

Fincantieri launches North America’s first LNG Ferry

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A new LNG-fuelled LR Classed ferry was launched at the Fincantieri shipyard in Naples last month. It represents the latest generation of ferry that Fincantieri is building for Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), a Québec

Government Corporation that operates in maritime passenger transport. The ship’s name, ‘F.-A.-Gauthier’, is in honour of Félix-Adrien Gauthier, mayor of the town of Matane from 1960-1963 and founder of the Matane–Godbout ferry route. F.-A.-Gauthier is scheduled for delivery in late 2014 in Canada and represents a genuine technological revolution. It will be the first ever gas-powered ferry built in Italy and the first such vessel to operate in North America. The ferry adopts the most advanced solutions in terms of energy saving and low environmental impact, enabling a major reduction in emissions of CO2, NOx and SOx (which will be reduced to zero). The ferry is also equipped with a unique integrated diesel electric propulsion system similar to modern cruise ships, but the four diesel power generators are dual fuel running on either LNG or marine diesel oil. Gianpaolo Dalla Vedova, Marine Operations Manager for Italy and South East Europe commented: “The ferry’s propulsion system is equipped with counter rotating propellers and transverse propellers which make it exceptionally maneuverable. Together with a complex and extensive system of ramps and doors at both bow and stern, the vessel can be loaded and unloaded very quickly.” At 133 meters long and 22 meters wide, F.-A.-Gauthier will have a service speed of 20 knots and will be able to carry more than 800 passengers. The ferry will be used in the Province of Québec, transporting more than 205,000 passengers and over

118,000 vehicles a year. Gianpaolo continued: “F.-A.-Gauthier will also be able to operate in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, known for its adverse weather conditions. This is thanks to its innovative bow and stern, designed by Fincantieri, and its Ice Class Notation which mean the vessel will be very capable of breaking through ice.” Source: Lloyd’s Register

Wrangell’s new boat lift tests upper limit

Wrangell’s new boat lift is the second biggest in Alaska and is expected to boost the former logging town’s growing marine industry. The 300-ton lift Tuesday tested its upper limit. Harold Medalen is the skipper of the Marauder, a tug based in Juneau. He said it was scheduled to be lifted over a week ago, but there were two problems. First, the boat lift’s scale needed to be re-calibrated so it could measure the tug’s weight. A technician from Ascom, the manufacturer, flew in from Italy to fix it. And Medalen said the boat was just too heavy, so they took a few days to make it lighter. “I guess it was heavier than I thought. We took about 10 tons of fuel off and about 4 tons of tires and 4 tons of tow wire. But it’s worth it to be able to haul out here,” Medalen said. Medalen said he usually goes to Port Townsend or Bellingham to get hauled out. “It’s

wonderful to have someplace that’s within a day’s run of Juneau where we can get hauled out and do our maintenance,” Medalen said The Marauder will be at the Wrangell Marine Service Center for a few days. It just needs bottom paint and some routine work. Harbormaster Greg Meissner said Wrangell’s smaller, 150-ton lift has brought



business to town, but those boat owners often do the work themselves. He expects the bigger, 300-ton lift to create new boat yard jobs. “You start pulling the 100-foot class boats out here, the great big fish packers or yachts, those types of boats–they’re not do-it-yourself,” Meissner said. “For the most part, they’re hiring somebody.” He said the $1.3 million-dollar lift will also help Wrangell retain jobs. “If you look back 10 years ago and wonder what the marine industry was doing, many folks were hanging on by a shoestring trying to keep afloat. And all of a sudden you bring more boats to town all of a sudden those folks who are barely making it are keeping busy.” Meissner said business has been a bit slow for the new boat lift. It hauled eight boats in two months. But he said that’s because it arrived in late spring, when all the big commercial boats head to the fishing grounds. “There’s quite a few boats out there that have been waiting for somewhere to get hauled. So I think this fall you’ll start to see more and more business migrate this way. And we’ll be out of space.” The new boat lift will only be limited by space for storage and work. The boat yard is on five acres between downtown Wrangell and the waterfront, with little room to expand. “So for us to build every year we’re gonna need to start looking at where to put some boats. It’s a good problem to have, but you gotta get creative.” Some boats are being stored in a lot across the street from the boat yard. Proposed solutions for significant expansion are several years and millions of dollars away. For now, the Marine Service Center will welcome boats to its new lift and aim to build a bigger client base. Medalen said although the Marauder is only in Wrangell for routine maintenance, he could come here for major repair work, too. “It’s difficult because of our line of work to schedule a dry dock appointment and keep it. We don’t know exactly when we’re gonna get down there. So here, midsummer there’s usually a lull and it’s a good time to work on boats so we can come right to Wrangell now.” Medalen estimated having a boat lift close by saved $20,000 in fuel alone. CLICK HERE ! Source : KSTK

VOS Glory launched at Fujian Southeast Shipyard

The launch of VOS Glory took place on 29 July at Fujian Southeast Shipyard in China. VOS Glory is a 60m field-support vessel (FSV) currently under construction at the Shipyard for Vroon Offshore Services. The vessel is the second in a series of four FSVs being built at the shipyard for Vroon and has an innovative wave-piercing bow shape.

The company has a total of 22 offshore support vessels on order at Fujian Southeast, with delivery planned between 2014 and 2016. VOS Glory is scheduled for delivery later this year and will be operated by VOS Aberdeen in the North Sea.Source : Offshore Shipping Online

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Bouchard orders two 6,000 hp ATB tugs at VT Halter Marine

VT Halter Marine, Inc. announced new contracts to build two Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) tugs for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc.Measuring 130 feet by 38 feet by 22 feet, these 6,000 hp Twin Screw ATB tugs will be classed by ABS as +A1 Ocean Towing, Dual Mode ATB, USCG Subchapter C, both will be equipped with an Intercon Coupler System. Construction of the vessels will begin in third quarter 2014 at VT Halter Marine’s Moss Point Marine shipyard in Escatawpa, MS, with delivery expected in January 2016 and May 2016. They will enter into Bouchard’s fleet service in New York, N.Y. "I am happy to share the news of Bouchard Transportation’s fleet expansion. I look forward to the delivery of two more first-class vessels built by VT Halter, and would like to thank Mr. Brian Everist for Intercon's assistance in completing these contracts," said Morton S. Bouchard III, President/CEO, Bouchard Transportation "We appreciate the continued confidence that Bouchard Transportation has in VT Halter Marine as we continue to build for the largest ATB operator in the U.S. The Bouchard family has been a long-standing and valued customer of ours. We look forward to delivering these ATB tugs into their fleet," said

Bill Skinner, Chief Executive Officer, VT Halter Marine Source : Marinelog

Bollinger's Port Fourchon facility reaches 13 years without a lost time

accident Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. Bollinger Fourchon L.L.C. has marked safety milestone, as it has worked thirteen years without a lost time accident, the Company said in a press release.

Building on a philosophy that starts at the top, Bollinger Shipyards strives for "0" accidents. Workforce, contractors, and customer safety is priority and an evident core component of facility operations. Through dedication of top management, a proactive workforce, and comprehensive safety program, Bollinger Shipyards continues to achieve high safety objectives.

Ben Bordelon, Bollinger’s Chief Operating Officer said, "Our Fourchon personnel have withstood the test of time, as our shipyard in Port Fourchon has grown over the past thirteen (13) years. With the sustained effort of our employees, Bollinger continues to be one of the safest shipyards in America. Congratulations to everyone at the Fourchon facility for their efforts in making our safety program successful." In April 2014, Bollinger was awarded the 2013 "Award for Excellence in Safety" by the Shipbuilders Council of America for the ninth consecutive year. The Shipbuilders Council represents over 120 shipyards located throughout the United States. In May 2014, Bollinger announced the Bollinger Fourchon North expansion, a 50 acre complex strategically located in the middle of the nation’s busiest oil & gas support hub. Bollinger Fourchon North is estimated to be completed in the first quarter of 2015, and has all of the key elements and services for the demanding oil & gas support vessel and service company industry, including a seasoned work force, multiple modern dry-docks, ample lifting capacity with mobile crane units, secure business complex for customers, regulatory agencies and vendors, large fabrication shop, warehouse, secure lay-down area and staging area for projects. Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. is a leading designer and builder of offshore oil and gas support vessels, tug boats, rigs, liftboats, inland waterways push boats and barges, fast military patrol boats and other steel and aluminum products from its new construction shipyards. Bollinger is the largest vessel repair company in the Gulf of Mexico region with a total of 28 dry-docks in Louisiana and Texas. Bollinger has 10 shipyards and all are strategically located between New Orleans and Houston with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Source : portnews



Sinopacific OSV Design Wins Over Vallianz Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group has recently signed a contract with Singaporean company Vallianz Holdings for the construction of 4 SPA60 vessels. The vessels will be built in Sinopacific’s Zhejiang Shipyard and all of them are expected to be delivered from the end of 2014 to the beginning of 2015. It is the first order Sinopacific has gained from the Southeast Asian market for its in-house “SP-design”, which is a testimony to the steadily increasing reputation of the “SP-designed” vessel in the industry. Sinopacific is currently one of the few Chinese shipbuilding enterprises that have independent design capabilities from conceptual design through to production. Its ability to provide design and on-site technical support for the diversified needs of customers has been recognized by Vallianz. For this order in particular, the delivery term is quite short, which is a test for any shipyard in terms of the synergy between departments to ensure an efficient, coordinated effort for planning and execution. Sinopacific, which is highly experienced in the execution of international OSV projects, is exactly the right ship builder for this task.

“The professionalism and enthusiasm of Vallianz to pursue perfection gives us confidence in this partnership." Simon Liang, chairman and CEO of Sinopacific, said. “This partnership is aligned with our strategy and I’m convinced that this will showcase the advantages of our product in the global market, boosted by this confidence of Vallianz and will further guarantee Sinopacific’s leading position in the OSV market segment .” Headquartered in Singapore, Vallianz is a fast growing provider of offshore support vessels and an integrated marine solutions company for the offshore oil and gas industry. Vallianz has a current fleet size of 29 young and modern offshore support vessels and serves the Middle East, Latin American and Asia Pacific markets. Vallianz is listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange-Catalist. SPA60 is an anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel with 60mt bollard pull, 64m in length overall, 16.00m in breadth mould, 6.00m in depth mould, 5.00m in max draft. Being available for shallow draft operation, SPA60 reaches 13 knots in service speed and can accommodate 28 persons. Fully functional and balanced, the vessel is designed to be highly practical and robust in operation. It not only gives full consideration to customized needs, but also makes breakthroughs by adopting a forward-looking layout to provide possibilities for future functions including rescues.

The emphasis on economy and environmental protection are also being placed during the design process of SPA60, Sinopacific’s design team has been “Challenging for excellence”, making every effort for the best solution. Thanks to the wealth of experience that the "SP" brand has accumulated throughout its design processes, SPA60, which combines user-friendly design and convenient features for future maintenance, is indeed a trustworthy masterpiece of mature design. As one of the world’s largest OSV manufacturers, Sinopacific has so far (at end of June, 2014) delivered more than 160 OSVs, which are widely used in the most active oil exploration areas such as the North Sea, West Africa, Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Asia. Source : MAREX

China Rongsheng warns of deeper loss in H1

China Rongsheng Heavy Industries has warned investors of a net loss in the first half of 2014 due mainly to lower revenue. Hong Kong-listed Rongsheng announced that it expects to incur a “significant increase” in net loss for the six months ended 30 June 2014 compared to the same period of last year. Rongsheng expects that the decrease in revenue is due to a reduction in production activity. The drop in shipyard production was consequently because of “the company’s conservative operation strategies on sales, pricing, construction and delivery of vessels on new orders and existing orders upon renegotiation, revision and/or cancellation of contracts with shipowners under the current trough stage of the shipbuilding market.” The Chinese shipbuilder did not provide any figures for the profit warning. In the first half of 2013, Rongsheng recorded a loss of RMB1.26bn ($204.08m) and the full year 2013 deficit ballooned to RMB8.7bn. Source : Seatrade-Global

Donjon Begins Major Barge Construction Project

Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair is now a very busy place. Work is underway on the second major ship construction project in recent years. Crews are working 3 shifts a day, to build the 600 foot chemical and petroleum barge. They are assembling the steel in pieces. Then the pieces will become modules, put together to make the hull.



The project is scheduled to continue until the spring of 2016. Some additional workers have already been hired. Others have been called back from layoffs. Eventually up to 40 new employees may be added for the project.

Donjon Executive Vice-President John Witte said, "Hopefully we'll grow in excess of 200 employees when we are at our peak. What is good for Donjon Shipbuilding I think has a trickle down effect to be good for the area, good for our employees. We are very, very excited." Work also continues at Donjon on a new deck barge, and crews are finishing up work to retro-fit a large tugboat. Source : erietvnews

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

Successful discharge by Dutch Offshore Contractors and delivery of Solan tank to the Shetlands

Photo : Gwen Leask ©

Jacob Ruiter tapped as Director Benelux for DNV GL

Jacob Ruiter has started as Director Benelux for DNV GL - Energy (previously known as KEMA). In his new function he will be responsible for the services of 280 energy experts in the Netherlands and Belgium, the society said Friday in a press release. Jacob started his career at Schlumberger in Africa and had various management positions at Weatherford, Lloyd’s Register and Essent. In the past 6 years he was Managing Director Business to Business at Essent. Jacob has a M.Sc. degree in Mining Engineering from Delft University of Technology and holds an MBA degree from Rotterdam School of Management. “We are happy Jacob joins DNV GL. His long experience in the energy industry and proven leadership and entrepreneurial spirit are important for the growth of our company in this region”, says David Walker, CEO DNV GL – Energy, “As KEMA we have built a strong position in transmission, distribution and energy efficiency. As DNV GL we now also have 1,000 experts in wind and solar from legacy Garrad Hassan, GL and DNV. I am convinced that Jacob is the right man to offer our broad expertise to our customers and accelerate the transition to a sustainable energy provision in the Netherlands and Belgium”. Source : PortNews

Toll opens US$22.5 million freight terminal in Hobart, Tasmania

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AUSTRALIAN logistics leader Toll Group has started operations from its new A$24 million (US$22.5 million) freight terminal in Hobart, a 17,000-square metre facility on a 6.8 hectares site at the Brighton Transport Hub. The official opening of the intermodal freight terminal in Tasmania's newest freight hub was conducted by the Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman and Toll Group managing director Brian Kruger. Premier Hodgman congratulated Toll on its new facility and their longstanding contribution to the Tasmanian economy. "Toll Group's investment in the Brighton Transport Hub is welcome investment in Tasmanian infrastructure." Mr Kruger said the facility will benefit Toll's customers and the Tasmanian economy through improved domestic and international freight services.

"Toll has been a supporter of the development of the Brighton precinct for many years. We see this as a long-term investment in Tasmania's freight future, which has obvious economic benefits for Hobart," Mr Kruger said. "This investment underpins other key investments we're making in the state, that includes the purchase of next-generation replacement vessels for our Bass Strait shipping service earmarked for 2018," he said. Mr Kruger also pointed out that the new facility will reduce trucking in and out Hobart. The new facility handles general and refrigerated freight, offers warehousing and distribution services and container storage. Source : Asian Shipper

Nuclear icebreaker Yamal to support research vessel Akademik Fyodorov

On July 30, 2014, nuclear icebreaker YAMAL commenced providing icebreaking assistance to research vessel AKADMIK FYODOROV, press center of FSUE Atomflot says. The expedition is to accumulate geophysical information on presence of oil-and-gas at Russia’s continental shelf beyond the 200-mile zone. The results will be used as a foundation for Russia’s application to UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The work is being carried out within the framework of the state contract signed between JSC MAGE (Marine Arctic Geological Expedition) and the Department of Subsoil Resources Management at Continental Shelf and Global Ocean of the Federal Subsoil Resources Management Agency. The area under research is about 350,000 square meters. The icebreaker will be involved up to the middle of September’ 2014. Source : Portnews

NYK quarterly net profit increases 11pc as revenues rise 11.6pc

The NYK ADONIS and NYK ALTAIR off Rotterdam- Europoort Photo : Dirk Veldhoen ©

NYK LINE, the second of Japan's Big Three, has posted a quarterly year-on-year net profit increase to JPY10.2 billion (US$99.8 million), drawn on revenues of JPY582.4 billion, up 11.6 per cent. Despite positive results, the shipping line warned that the industry environment "remained severe due to the continued slump in freight rates caused by an excess supply of vessels".

"In response, the NYK Group strove to further reduce fleet and operational expenses by rationalising fleet assignments and reduce fuel costs," the company said. NYK said containerised cargo volumes grew, but freight rates declined, a phenomenon blamed the deployment of ultra large containerships, which forced older large vessels to other routes, worsening the supply-demand balance. Source : Asian Shipper



Greenpeace protest ship released by Russia after 10 months

The Greenpeace protest ship ARCTIC SUNRISE has been released after 10 months of detention by Russian authorities and the damaged icebreaker is now limping back home to Amsterdam, the environmental activist group said on Friday. The ARCTIC SUNRISE was boarded and seized by Russian forces on September 19 last year and the 30 crew members and journalists on board were arrested as they protested oil-drilling by Russian companies inside the Arctic Circle. Russia's Investigative Committee, an FBI-like federal agency, informed Greenpeace on June 6 that the vessel was being released after its detention and investigation in connection with criminal charges brought against the "Arctic 30" defendants, Greenpeace said in a statement. The Greenpeace protest in the remote Sea of Pechora was broken up by Russian border control officers after the activists tried to climb aboard the Prirazlomnaya platform operated by Russian energy giant Gazprom. The Arctic Sunrise was towed to Murmansk and the 30 people on

daily collection of maritime press c lippings 2014 –...

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