DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086
Number 086 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Thursday 27-03-2014 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.
Sunday 23 march water entered the dock at Damen Shiprepair in Schiedam. The Stanislav Yudin was refloated. Next steps in the completion schedule of the LTE (Life Time Extenton) is the inclination Test, Load testing of the crane and sea trails - Photo : Seaway Heavy Lifting (c) Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS
The NORWEGIAN JADE moored in Monaco – Photo : John M. Awater ©
Sinopec tips weaker oil prices amid supply glut after profit rises 3.5pc
China Petroleum & Chemical (Sinopec), the country's second-largest oil and gas producer, expects a supply glut to pressure oil prices this year after it posted a less-than-expected 3.5 per cent rise in net profit for last year. The firm recorded a net profit of 66.1 billion yuan (HK$83.3 billion) last year, compared with a profit of 63.9 billion yuan in 2012. The result is 4.2 per cent lower than the average estimate of 69 billion yuan by 31 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. Sales grew 3.4 per cent to 2.88 trillion yuan. "In 2014, [a glut] in crude oil supply is e xpected," Sinopec said in a statement. "Geopolitical tensions are likely to ease, and the tapering of the US quantitative easing programme is likely to continue. We expect international oil prices to show some weakness." Operating profit on oil and gas production dropped 21.8 per cent to 54.8 billion yuan as a 1.3 per cent rise in oil output and a 10.4 per cent increase in gas production were more than offset by a 7.41 per cent fall in the average oil selling price to about US$98 a barrel. The average gas selling price grew 4.3 per cent to 1.34 yuan per billion cubic metres after Beijing lifted prices in July last year as part of reforms to put prices largely in line with alternative imported fuel Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 prices by 2015.Operating profit from oil refining was 8.6 billion yuan, compared with a loss of 11.4 billion yuan in 2012, as the firm benefited from Beijing's reform of the fuel pricing mechanism so that domestic prices are closely linked to overseas prices. Chemical production operating profit declined 26.3 per cent to 868 million yuan amid an oversupply. Sinopec aims to raise oil output by 9.4 per cent to 363.8 million barrels this year, gas production by 7 per cent to 20 billion cubic metres and oil refining throughput by 5.2 per cent to 244 million tonnes. It has budgeted 161.6 billion yuan of spending for capacity expansion this year, of which 54 per cent is for exploration and production, 16 per cent for oil refining, 15 per cent for fuel distribution and 11 per cent for chemical production. A final dividend of 15 fen per share was proposed, making a full-year payout of 24 fen. The payout ratio rose to 42.3 per cent from 41.7 per cent in 2012. Source : South China Morning Post
Freight Increase on Stena ‘North Channel’ Route Extends ‘Superfast’ Ferries Charter
The pair of 'Superfast' ferries serving Stena Line's Belfast-Cairnryan route have been extended on a charter contract with Tallink until August 2019.
The 2001 built STENA SUPERFAST VIII moored in Cairnryan in Scotland, photo : Brian Climie (c) The extended period is a further development of the company's freight business on the North Channel route between Northern Ireland and Scotland. The route offers up to 12 sailings daily with the Superfast vessels, Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII on the 2 hour 15 minute crossing. Since the inaugural sailings of the Superfast ferries in November 2011, they have boosted capacity to the route, service reliability and a steady increase in freight volumes. Left : The STENA LAGAN Photo : Jamie Shorthouse (c) On board, freight drivers benefit from dedicated facilities of a lounge with a restaurant. The Superfast lounges feature first class style reclining seats. According to Stena Line Freight, they continue to broaden business by offering new services, for example, a fuelfacility in Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan and with Add Blue now available in addition to diesel. The terminals at Belfast Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 Harbour Freight hub are in close proximity for hauliers by combining operations with Stena Line's other routes to Liverpool (Birkenhead) and Heysham. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the freight-ferry Stena Hibernia on Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead) is now operating to an adjusted sailing schedule. The route is also served by a pair of passenger ro-pax sisters, Stena Lagan and Stena Mersey.
The CLIPPER STAR outbound at the Westerschelde – Photo : Henk Nagelhout (c)
US-EU Relations with Russia Over Crimea Worries Maersk, Other Danish Firms
Hansen said Western sanctions will probably not have a significant impact Danish shipowners and other maritime companies are concerned about possible backlash from Russia after the U.S. and European Union (EU) passed sanctions against the nation over the conflict in Crimea, ShippingWatch reports. Shipowners in Denmark get 3 percent of their revenue from Russia and up to 5 percent from the region, said Jan Fritz Hansen, vice president of the Danish Shipowners' Association (DSA). "Right now we're fortunately quite far away from the point where carriers are seriously hit, but there is a lot of focus on this and we're in close talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he said. Hansen said carriers including A.P. Moeller-Maersk (Maersk), Unifeeder, and DFDS operate frequently in the Russian region and have investments in ports and terminals there, but he said the Western sanctions against Russia are generally considered fairly mild and will probably not have a significant impact on the carriers. “ Maersk in particular has strong ties to Russia, with a stake in the nation's largest port group, Global Ports, and plans to grow its business in Russia, ShippingWatch reports in a separate story. "We are of course, like everyone else, following the developments in the relationship between Russia and the EU with concerns, but our investments and businesses in Russia will continue unchanged in accordance with entered agreements," said Maersk spokesman Anders Würtzen. Russian authorities have referred to Maersk as a "strategic investor," and President Vladimir Putin visited the company's headquarters on an official state visit to Denmark in 2011. Source: Ship & Bunker News Team
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086
Latest charter for ual-monster gear with german superiority the PALMERTON , unbeatable combination-one shot in Veracruz Mexico Photo : Harry Stott (c)
CSAV, Hapag-Lloyd to Become FourthLargest Container Line
Cia. Sud Americana de Vapores SA shareholders approved a proposed combination of its container shipping operations with Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd AG to create the world’s fourth-largest container line. Shareholders who own 84.5% of company stock voted in favor of the deal, by which CSAV will exchange its entire container shipping assets for a 30% stake in the Hamburg-based company. That percentage may increase to 34% via a $500 million capital increase in which CSAV has pledged $350 million, CEO Oscar Hasbun told shareholders at a meeting in Valparaiso, Chile.
The VANCOUVER EXPRESS passing the Malacca Straits – Photo : Wilco Langeweg (c) Chile’s Luksic family bet on a recovery in the global shipping industry in 2011 when it began building a stake in CSAV. Luksic now owns 37%. The company is seeking the combination to counter a prolonged slump in the container shipping market and compete with larger-rival A.P. Moeller- Maersk A/S. “Maersk is one of the few container shipping companies in the world that has profit, and it does that by economies of scale,” Hasbun said March 24. “We want to reach Maersk’s level of profitability and efficiency.” The combined company will reap annual savings of about $300 million, expand its customer base and reach more trade routes, Hasbun said. CSAV expects to sign a binding agreement within the next 40 days and close the deal by the end of 2014. Hapag-Lloyd will undertake an initial public offering of shares to raise $500 million between 12 a nd 18 m onths after the transaction is completed, Hasbun said. Source : Bloomberg News / Transport Topics
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086
Videotel supports managers with addition to drugs and alcohol portfolio of guides
Videotel has launched the anticipated new addition to its suite of programmes on the subjects of alcohol and drug abuse, Drugs and Alcohol – A Manager’s Guide, which is aimed directly at supporting management ashore and on board. This new programme makes managers aware of their responsibilities and of the need to ensure that an effective drugs and alcohol policy is in place. Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel said: “The use of illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol are serious concerns within the maritime industry. Managers have a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of everyone on board as well as to ensure the safety of the ship and the environment. “MLC 2006 as amended includes guidelines on the safety and health education of seafarers, including guidance and training on the effects of drugs and alcohol abuse. Videotel offers this guidance in the form of three updated complementary packages – Drugs and Alcohol – A Manager’s Guide, and the Seafarer’s Guides – Alcohol Beware! and Drugs – Way Off Course. “All seafarers, whatever their rank, or the type of ship on which they serve, have a vital part to play in the ship's organisation and in an emergency response. This ability can be seriously impaired by the use of drugs and alcohol with potentially serious and often unforeseen consequences to both the individual and the crew as a whole,” he concluded. The programme examines the key components of an effective drug and alcohol policy, starting with Prevention. Companies are encouraged to spread awareness of the risks to health and safety from both drugs and alcohol abuse and to offer help and counselling to those who may be concerned about their drinking or their use of drugs. Setting the Rules covers the control of alcohol consumption on board and how best to make clear that the use of illegal drugs will not be tolerated. Monitoring and Testing is a n essential part of the policy, since breath and urine testing will ensure that rules are being followed. Counselling and Rehabilitation recognises that good seafarers are hard to find and early intervention alongside external specialist help may well help bring careers back on track. The final component is Discipline. Every seafarer must understand that persistent alcohol abuse will result in disciplinary procedures which may lead to dismissal. If illegal drugs are discovered on board, dismissal is invariably instant. Each course in the Drugs and Alcohol portfolio is delivered through VOD (Videotel On Demand), VOD online, DVD and accompanied by a workbook. Source: Videotel
How Bumi Armada Is Riding The Boom In The FPSO Market
The world-wide oil sector is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. According to Douglas-Westwood, oil and gas activities are projected to grow by 26 percent per annum over the next six years. It is estimated that between 2013 and 2018 some 26,063 new wells will be drilled. Expenditures on floating production systems (FPS) are expected to Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 increase rapidly. Douglas-Westwood projects that US$99 billion will be spent on FPS from 2014 to 2018. This would represent a 138 percent growth from the preceding five-year period. Floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs) is the largest type in the FPS market in terms of units installed and 80 percent of the capital expenditures (capex) forecast during the same period. Significantly, deepwater FPS deployments are expected to total US$68 billion in value from 2014 to 2018. In terms of FPS, Latin America is currently projected as the hottest market, accounting for 29 of the projected installations and 38 percent of projected capex. Meanwhile, Asia and Africa are also up and coming in terms of projected installations and capex. That is where Bumi Armada, which is an active player in all three of these markets, stands to benefit. It is w orth noting that Bumi Armada is a major player in the African oil sector, which is among the fastest growing in the world. Consulting firm PwC estimates that Africa holds some 8 percent of the world’s oil reserves and 7 percent of the world’s natural gas supplies. Currently, Africa supplies 12 percent of the world’s oil and has been identified as one of the hottest regions for growth . Bumi Armada is an international offshore oilfield services provider that is a ctive throughout the oil and gas supply chain. The company is a leading floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) player and among top operators of offshore support vessels (OSVs) in Asia. The company provides services in oil field development and construction, production, and decommissioning. The company operates in four key areas: FPSO, offshore support vehicles (tankers, etc.), transportation and installation, and oil field services. The company also provides support services in: asset management and operations, major projects, and engineering and technology. Bumi Armada is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, but has operations throughout Southeast Asia, Congo, India, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Caspian Sea. The company currently has 45 vessels and is looking to expand its fleet. Financial Highlights Bumi Armada has been enjoying steady sales and profit growth over the last few years and is se t to enjoy even stronger growth in the near future as the company continues to expand its fleet and its involvement in major projects. According to MayBank IB Research, in FY11, the company enjoyed sales of RM1,543.9 million. These sales grew to RM1,659.2 million in FY12 and RM2,073 million in FY13. By FY14 and FY15, the company’s sales are expected to reach RM 2,740.1 million and RM2,828.8 million respectively. The company’s core net profits have been demonstrating a similar trajectory. In FY11, the company’s core net profits came in at RM387.3 million and by FY12 had reached RM394.9 million. In FY13 profits reached RM448.7 million and are projected to reach RM610.5 million and RM638.2 million in FY14 and FY15 respectively. Key Developments • Bumi Armada to host Offshore Well Intervention Conference from 15 to 16 April 2014 in Aberdeen (UK) to assist operators in the North Sea. • Bumi Armada has secured US$381 million worth of contract extensions for its FPSO vessel in the Oyo field for seven years with an option to extend at US$108 million with US Camac Energy. • As at 31 December 2013, Bumi Armada has a total order back log of RM22.1 billion, comprising of RM13.2 billion in firm contracts and RM8.9 billion in option extensions. • Bumi Armada recently signed a US$140 million contract with Keppel Offshore group to acquire three new vessels for operations in the Caspian Sea. Two of the vehicles will be for supply operations, while the other vessel will be a multipurpose rescue vessel. • The company recently expanded to Australia, sending FPSO vessel Armada Claire to work in the Balnaves Field off North West Australia. This will mark the first time the company will be operating in Australia. Brokers’ Recommendations & Catalysts Investment firms are confident in Bumi Armada’s prospects due to both the company’s strong position and the potential growth in the FPSO market. With the company looking to rapidly expand in a fast growing market, prospects are looking good. The company’s open price is currently at or near RM3.87. AmResearch has set its target price at an optimistic RM5.15. AmResearch notes that the company recently acquired a 309,995 deadweight tonne vessel for under US$25 million, which is likely to be used for conversion into a FPSO, potentially costing US$1.5 billion for Eni’s Angolan project. AmResearch also notes that the company is actively bidding and/or involved in at least 11 projects . Alliance Research has also issued a “Buy” for Bumi Armada, setting its target price at a more conservative RM4.43. RHB Research shares similar sentiments, optimistic that Bumi Armada is set to see its stock value rise, but setting a conservative target price of RM4.35 Source : Shares / Investment Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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HEEREMA LEERLINGLASSERS WINNEN NATIONALE FINALE LASSEN 2014
Winnaar gaat door naar EuroSkills 2014 in Lille Vincent de Wolff en Anthony Loohuis, beide leerlinglasser bij Heerema Vlissingen hebben respectievelijk goud en zilver gewonnen in de discipline BMBE/MIG/MAG lassen tijdens de nationale finales VakkanjerWedstrijden 2014. Vincent en Anthony zijn beide leerlinglasser op de Bedrijfsschool van Heerema Vlissingen, een van de offshore constructiewerven van Heerema Fabrication Group. De afgelopen weken hebben de beste aanstormende vakmensen van Nederland over vier finales gestreden om de Nederlandse titel. Vrijdag, 21 maart jl., kregen onze Vakkanjers Vincent en Anthony hun medaille uitgereikt tijdens de laatste finaledag in Den Haag. De kersverse kampioen Vincent de Wolff kreeg naast een gouden medaille ook een ticket naar EuroSkills uitgereikt. Alle winnaars die voldoen aan de voorwaarden voor deelname aan deze Europese kampioenschappen, reizen in oktober af naar Lille, Frankrijk. Daar strijden ze tegen techniektalenten uit heel Europa om de Europese titel in hun wedstrijdvak. Koos-Jan van Brouwershaven, CEO van Heerema Fabrication Group zei: “Wij zijn enorm trots op Vincent en Anthony met het behalen van dit geweldige resultaat. Uiteraard is dit natuurlijk ook de kroon op het werk van onze begeleiders op de bedrijfsschool in Vlissingen. Als bedrijf juichen wij dit soort initiatieven toe, omdat in de maakindustrie vakmanschap essentieel is voor onze toekomst en die van Nederland. Wij kijken dan ook uit naar de Europese kampioenschappen in oktober.” Over de Vakkanjerwedstrijden De VakkanjerWedstrijden zijn techniekwedstrijden voor talenten uit de metaal-, installatie-, elektro- en koudetechniek voor aanstormende talenten van ROC’s en bedrijven. Deze wedstrijden zijn een activiteit van TechniekTalent.nu, een samenwerkingsverband van werknemers- en werkgeversorganisaties voor acht technische bedrijfstakken. TechniekTalent.nu heeft als doel: meer instroom en behoud van (jonge) mensen in de techniek. Kijk voor meer informatie op www.techniektalent.nu of www.facebook.com/vakkanjers
Research and Markets: Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) Vessel Trends 2014 Report Offshore Vessels Segment Presents Huge Business Opportunities for Indian Shipbuilders Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hdl47m/anchor_handling ) has announced the addition of the "Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) Vessel Trends" report to their offering. The report analyzes and presents an overview of Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) Vessel market worldwide. "Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels are designed for anchoring and towing of oil rigs and offshore installations. AHTS are also equipped with oil recovery, rescue and fire fighting systems to serve as Emergency Rescue and Recovery Vessels (ERRVs). The powerful ships are used for the deployment, recovery and shifting of sub-sea mooring patterns. These vessels feature superior engine rating and bollard pull for performing specialized operations including the anchor handling." The report also provides a review of classifications, applications and challenges of AHTS vessels along with strategic industry activities of major companies worldwide. In addition, 64 companies operating in the Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel arena worldwide are profiled, including • ABG Shipyard • Bourbon • Damen Shipyards • Drydocks World • Fincantieri • Havyard Group • Megalodon Marine • Rolls-Royce • Ulstein Group • Zamakona Yards Bilbao RECENT INDUSTRY ACTIVITY • Bergen Group Fosen Secures AHTS Vessel Contract from NFDS Offshore 1 • Damen Shipyards Group Launches Damen AHTS 200 Deepwater Anchor Handling Vessel • Dayang Secures Contract from Femco Group to Construct Advanced AHTS Vessels • Deep Sea Supply Obtains Contract for Offshore Operations in Thailand and Brazil • Ezra Holdings Secures Multiple Contracts for Projects in Asia -Pacific and North Sea • Fincantieri Group to Acquire Stake in STX • Grup Servicii Petroliere Offshore Purchases Normand Mjolne AHTS Vessel of Solstad Offshore • MME Bags Shipbuilding Contracts from Jasa Merin • Waha Capital Divests AHT Vessels to Stanford Marine Group • Cochin Shipyard Announces Delivery of SCI Pawan AHTS to Shipping Corporation of India • DOF Secures Contract from Apache Energy to Operate Skandi Atlantic AHTS Vessel • Drydocks World Introduces AHTS Vessel for Swire Pacific • Edison Chouest Offshore Introduces Aiviq Ice-class A3 AHTS • Nam Cheong Secures Contracts to Provide PSV and AHTS Vessels • STX OSV Obtains Contracts from Siem Offshore to Design and Construct OSCVs • STX OSV Bags Contract from Iceman to Design and Construct AHTS Vessel • SILK Holdings to Purchase AHTS Vessels from Muhibbah Marine Engineering • Topaz Energy and Marine Bags New Charters • Cochin Shipyard Rolls Out BY 84 and BY 80 Offshore Support Vessels • Petronas Carigali Extends AHTS Vessel Contract with Jasa Merin • Topaz Energy and Marine Secures Multiple Vessel Support Contracts • Yuexin Shipbuilding Unveils Kan Tan 225 AHTS Vessel for Shanghai Offshore Oil Shipping • GMMOS Group Acquires Minnow Marine Projects • Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group Secures Contract from Bourbon Group for Construction of Offshore Supply Vessels Source : Business Wire
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086
P3 Plans Mid-2014 Startup
Maersk Line predicts that P3 will receive all necessary approvals by mid-2014 The P3 alliance of the world's three biggest container shipping companies is likely to start operations in mid-2014, Reuters reports based on statements from Maersk Line. Approval from the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which applies to routes to and from U.S. ports, takes effect Monday, but the alliance is still waiting for a green light from Chinese and European regulators to start worldwide operations. "North America and the U.S. in particular is a key shipping market," a spokesman for Maersk Line said. "Therefore, the decision by the FMC is a very important step towards overall approval of P3." Left : the MAJESTIC MAERSK assisted by the KOTUG tug SD SALVOR during departure from Rotterdam-Europoort Photo : Eddy Koerse (c) Maersk Line, which is joining with Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and CMA CGM in the consortium, said it expects those approvals by the middle of the year. “ The EU is still assessing P3 because it would cover more than the 30 percent market share allowed for shipping alliances, according to European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia, who declined to say when the EU will issue a decision. Under the planned agreement, the three carriers would pool about 250 ships operating on Asia-Europe, trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic routes, representing 24 percent of the trans-Pacific market and more than 40 percent of the other two regions.
The MAJESTIC MAERSK departing from Rotterdam-Europoort - Photo : Kees Torn (c) In its approval of the alliance, FMC said the plan will have a positive environmental impact, reducing bunker consumption by optimising vessel routing. Source : Ship & Bunker News Team
Bibby Line sponsors flagship maritime event
Bibby Line Group has been announced as a Lead Sponsor for the forthcoming Maritime, Logistics and Energy (MLE) thematic within the International Festival for Business 2014 (IFB) in Liverpool. The sponsorship deal will see the Bibby Line Group name displayed prominently across all the 30-plus events taking place during MLE, from 9 to 20 June as part of the six week Festival. And the company will hold three events on 12th June, consisting of a Logistics Supply Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 Chain event and a Maritime & Offshore Services event running in parallel during the day and an evening reception for key stakeholders held at the Museum of Liverpool. Sir Michael Bibby of Bibby Line Group said: “We are excited to be supporting this high profile event. We see the International Festival for Business as a perfect opportunity to bring together our key customers from across the globe and showcase our strength as an integrated services group.” Jim Teasdale, Chief Executive, Mersey Maritime Group said: “Liverpool is a city built on its maritime mercantile history, with a breadth of experience and maritime activity that is unrivalled anywhere in the UK outside of London. As the host city for a trade festival showcasing UK-plc, there’s no better choice. This year’s International Festival for Business – and the MLE programme within it – will reflect the enormous investment flowing into the city today. With major new infrastructure projects underway and more container, cruise and other vessels calling at Liverpool, the port will continue to thrive and its importance to UK economy will become ever more apparent.” More than 250,000 business visitors are expected to attend the International Festival for Business 2014 – a six-week business jamboree which aims to connect UK businesses into international markets, bringing together the smartest entrepreneurial minds and the best business opportunities. The IFB 2014 events calendar is programmed around seven business growth themes aimed at showcasing the ‘Best of British’ and engaging an international audience. They are: Maritime, Logistics & Energy; Higher & Further Education & Research; Cities, Enterprise & Urban Business; Manufacturing, Science & Technology; Knowledge, Professional & Financial Services; Low Carbon & Renewables; as well as Knowledge, Creative & Digital. The Maritime, Logistics & Energy thematic is organised jointly by Mersey Maritime and Shipping Innovation, organiser of last year’s highly successful London International Shipping Week (LISW). Source: Bibby Line Group
March 23 saw KREBS HELIOS passing the Kiel Canal heading for Rostock. This buoy tender has just been renamed from BRUNO ILLING, under which name she worked for more than 45 years maintaining the waterways in the German part of the North Sea. She was built as early as 1968 by Noderwerft in Hamburg as a s ister to the OTTO TREPLIN, GUSTAV MEIER and KONRAD MEISEL from Jadewerft. Photo : Martin Lochte-Holtgreven © Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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Ataturk’s yacht SAVARONA moored along the Bosphorus – Photo : Walter de Groot (c) The SAVARONA is a luxury state yacht. She was the largest in the world when launched in 1931, and remains with a length of 136 m (446 ft) one of the world’s longest. She is owned by the Republic of Turkey, and has been leased out to Kahraman Sadikoglu for 49 years ending in 2038. Named for an African swan living in the Indian Ocean, the ship was designed by Gibbs & Cox in 1931 for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwallader, granddaughter of John A. Roebling, engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge. The ship was built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany. She cost about $4 million ($57 million in 2010 dollars). Equipped with Sperry gyro-stabilizers, she was described in 1949 by Jane's Fighting Ships as "probably the most sumptuously fitted yacht afloat." In 1938, the Turkish government gifted the yacht for ailing leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who spent only six weeks aboard before dying a few months later. Throughout World War II, the ship lay idle in Kanlıca Bay on the Bosporus. In 1951, she was converted to the training ship Güneş Dil (English: Sun Language). In October 1979, the ship was gutted by fire at the Turkish Naval Academy off Heybeliada Island in the Sea of Marmara. She lay virtually abandoned for ten years. In 1989, she was chartered for 49 years by Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu. Over three years, his firm completely refurbished her for about $45 million, removing the original steam turbine engines and installing modern Caterpillar diesel engines. The ship was rebuilt at Tuzla Shipyards in Tuzla, a suburb of Istanbul, for the purpose of serving famous and important guests and helping to keep the memory of Atatürk alive. Rumours are that in January 2014 the ship was sold to the City Of New York City as a Tourist Attraction
The UNION BEAVER approaching the Hoek van Holland breakwaters – Photo : R&F van der Hoek (c)
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Unfinished dredging job a setback for Scarborough
Nearly three months after a federal contractor was expected to start dredging the Scarborough River, town officials say the $1.7 million project is way behind schedule and likely won’t be completed by its March 31 deadline. The 115,000 cubic yards of sand to be dredged from the Scarborough River will be pumped onto Western Beach to restore what has been washed away in recent years – piping plover habitat and dunes for natural protection of the Prouts Neck Country Club. The contractor, NALCO – North America Landscaping, Construction & Dredge Co. – got a late start, had several equipment breakdowns and failed to operate continuously as expected to get the project done on time, town officials said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hired NALCO to dredge 115,000 cubic yards of sand from the river’s navigation channel and pump it onto Western Beach, reopening free passage for the town’s commercial fishermen and recreational boaters. The project also would restore vital piping plover habitat and natural protection of the Prouts Neck Country Club that had washed away in recent years. By Friday, a little more than 10,000 cubic yards had been pumped onto the beach, town officials said. A state permit requires dredging to stop before April 1 to avoid an impact on shorebird nesting activity. “At this point, there’s no hope or expectation that they’ll finish the dredge in time,” said Town Manager Tom Hall. Michael Walsh, project manager for the Army Corps, didn’t respond to repeated calls for comment Thursday and Friday. No one answered the phone Friday at NALCO’s headquarters in Ellicott City, Md. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection granted permits for the project last summer that prohibit dredging or beach work between April 1 and Sept. 15, when it may interfere with shorebird nesting and development. The agreements are effective through 2016. Town officials said it’s unclear whether the dredging project will resume later this year or early next year, and that maintaining a maximum 8-foot-deep navigation channel and a 6 -foot-deep anchorage area is critical to the town’s economy. Since the last dredge in 2005, river silting and Saco Bay tidal action have left the harbor largely impassable at low tide. The Scarborough River is home to 35 commercial fishermen and 100 recreational boaters, said Dave Corbeau, the town’s marine resource officer. Prouts Neck Country Club has 85 additional moorings, and more than 100 transient boaters visit the harbor each summer weekend. The Army Corps opened bids last fall and seemed to “sit on them” for months before the project was allowed to proceed, Hall said. NALCO got the project because it was the lowest bidder, he said, but got off to a late start. NALCO was expected to begin dredging by Jan. 6, according to an Army Corps news release, but the company didn’t start pumping sand until mid-February, Corbeau said. It has operated sporadically since then, in part because of foul weather, tidal surges and equipment breakdowns. With a looming deadline, the company recently promised to operate 24 hours a day in an effort to finish on time, town officials said. But Corbeau was surprised, he said, that NALCO didn’t appear to be dredging around the clock from the start, as proposed in the DEP permits. That’s what other companies have done in the past, said Corbeau, who has overseen four dredging projects in 19 years. Southwind Construction Corp. of Evansville, Ind., operated around the clock when it dredged the Scarborough River last time, pulling up 90,000 to 100,000 cubic yards in 30 days, Corbeau said. He noted that Southwind also dredged Wells Harbor late last year, pumping 138,000 cubic yards in November and December. Corbeau and Hall said they’re disappointed that the Scarborough dredge likely won’t be completed this spring, so boats will continue to have difficulty navigating the river this year. Corbeau also faces the daunting and time-consuming challenge of returning the town’s moorings to the river this spring, only to remove them again when the dredging Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 project resumes later this year or early next year. On Sunday, NALCO’s dredging barge was still off Prouts Neck and Pine Point, well beyond the mouth of the Scarborough River and about a mile from the town’s anchorage area. “I’m no fool,” Corbeau said. “I know they’re not going to finish.” Source : Portland Press Herald
24-03-2014 : Car carrier DON QUIJOTE downbound on the Fraser River Photo : Robert Etchell (c)
OTC ASIA OPENED IN KUALA LUMPUR
last Tuesday in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur the OTC ASIA was opened, the Offshore Technology Conference is held in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center and will last till Friday March 28th the exhibition / convention is partly in a outdoor area, The OTC Asia Outdoor Exhibition showcases the value-chain used in many off-shore operations, as well as the heavy machinery used in o shore exploration and production. This unique area provides OTC Asia attendees with the unique opportunity to interact and view with this impressive equipment up-close. Halliburton, Powertium, SapuraKencana, Weatherford and West Star Aviation are participating in this outdoor area.
BC Ferries cuts leave aboriginal tourism under dark cloud
Aboriginal entrepreneurs looking to develop tourism ventures along British Columbia’s coast say their plans have been set adrift by Liberals’ cuts to BC Ferries. The government’s decision to sink the money-losing summer run between Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 Port Hardy on Vancouver Island and Bella Coola on the Central Coast has prompted one First Nation and a m ajor tourism agency to re-evalutate their tourism strategies. After investing $1.5-million over the past two years, the Aboriginal Tourism Association of B.C. says the impending cuts to ferry service have forced it to gear down campaigns to train coastal First Nations to embrace tourism opportunities. What’s the point of going full-speed-ahead on tourism when the government has left operators and residents with the 16-vehicle, barge-like MV Nimpkish, to provide a milk-run service for the nine-hour voyage from Bella Bella to Bella Coola, says Keith Henry, the association’s chief executive. Transportation Minister Todd Stone says the government and B.C. taxpayers can’t keep bailing out BC Ferries, which is why service and route cuts are coming next month in an effort to hold down fare increases and keep the service sustainable. Mr. Henry said the decision to eliminate Route 40, or the Discovery Coast route, this year downgrades the Central Coast’s circle tour travel package that included a 115vehicle vessel with full services that made stops at the traditional communities of Bella Bella, Klemtu, Ocean Falls and Bella Coola, where travellers would get off to take a land journey through the Cariboo-Chilcotin to the Lower Mainland. BC Ferries will continue to sail the Northern Expedition from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, with a stop at Bella Bella. But at Bella Bella tourists and locals would have to board the MV Nimpkish, currently undergoing a refit to install seats, interior heat and potable water, for the voyage up the fjord to Bella Coola. “Organizations like ours, we’re doing a lot to try and bring more people through,” Mr. Henry said in an interview. “That’s critical to our success. But if we can’t get visitors there efficiently, that’s unfortunate. I can tell you confidently, we’ve started to minimize our investments around training and product development.” The association sent Premier Christy Clark a letter last December outlining its concerns about the impending cuts. “The proposed BC Ferries reductions will have an immediate and significant negative financial impact to aboriginal market-ready businesses and product development work currently in the regions of Vancouver Island, Vancouver coast and mountains, Cariboo Chilcotin coast and northern British Columbia,” the letter stated. Mr. Henry said the numbers of travellers wanting an aboriginal tourism experience in B.C. are increasing every year, and he believes it’s tied to the authenticity being offered travellers. Aboriginal tourism in B.C. earned $45-million last year, up from $20-million in 2012. The Tourism Industry Association of B.C. also publicly expressed concern about the impact of the ferry service and route cuts. “The timing of this announcement couldn’t have been worse,” said Ian Robertson, association executive director in a statement last month. “Tourism operators in these regions have been receiving bookings for the 2014 season for months, and now they will have to be cancelled.” Mr. Stone was not available to comment, but his ministry provided a statement saying it is a ware cuts will hurt, but the government’s goal is t o run an affordable, efficient, sustainable ferry system. “These are tough decisions to make. We recognize that any reduction in service will impact ferry users.” BC Ferries is expected to make $54-million in cuts through efficiencies by 2016 and the service reductions are estimated to save $18.9-million over two years, while fares are set to increase 4 per cent this year and 3.9 per cent in 2015. Source : The Globe & Mail
The NEDLLOYD DRAKE approaching Rotterdam-Europoort – Photo : Kees Torn ©
Tugboat that sank last month lifted from southwest Michigan waters A tugboat that sunk last month behind the Michigan Maritime Museum has been lifted from the water, and its owners are trying to determine why it went down. The Wilhelm Baum was removed Sunday using a crane, several Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 barges and small boats, the Kalamazoo Gazette reported. The tugboat’s co-owner Sheral Bradley said it took three days of work to remove the vessel from the Black River in South Haven. “We can’t find a reason for why it sank,” said Bradley, who has owned the vessel for 40 years with her husband, Jim. “There were no holes in the hull. It is able to float now.” During the process, pumps were used to remove water from the vessel. No one was aboard at the time of the sinking and the vessel had been docked. The boat had some damage from being in the water, mostly to electronics, but Bradley said it is repairable. The Wilhelm Baum was built in 1923 as an Army Corps of Engineers tugboat. According to the newspaper’s archives, the tugboat in 2003 got a permanent spot at the museum docks in South Haven, located about 50 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. The boat was used for 30 years for Lake Michigan rescues and it was involved in more than 1,500 search and rescue efforts. It also has been used for shipwreck research. Source : Detroit Free Press
London Container Terminal handles largest ever container ship
London Container Terminal in Tilbury, owned by Forth Ports Limited, this week welcomed the brand new Cap San Lorenzo with her cargo of over 9600 TEUs. At a dead weight of around 124,500t the vessel is the largest container ship to call at Tilbury’s deep sea berth. Commenting on the arrival, Perry Glading, Chief Operating Officer of Forth Ports (owners of London Container Terminal) said: “LCT is the only port in the UK truly serving both deep sea and short sea customers. The arrival of the Cap San Lorenzo this week demonstrates our expertise and capability to handle large vessels with thousands of TEUs on board quickly and smoothly. The LCT team completed the work in 22 hours, which was 2 hours ahead of the planned scheduled departure, at a gross productivity rate of 26 moves per hour. We look forward to further calls in the coming months.” The Cap San Lorenzo is part of the Hamburg Sud fleet of deep sea ships. Source: Forth Ports Ltd.
Graduation Ceremony Held for 3rd Class in “3rd Year Program” for Filipino Seafarers
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. announced the graduation of 126 students in the third class of the “Third Year Program,” which MOL introduced with the goal of developing seafarers who will uphold strict safety standards in vessel operation. The Third Year Program targets new seafarers from among third-year students at seven partner maritime schools in the Philippines. MOL provides education and training at the Magsaysay Institute of Shipping(MIS), its training center in the Philippines. On hand for the graduation ceremony were Philippine Congressman Jesulito A. Manalo, Development Bank of the Philippines Senior Vice President Atty. Lutgarda C. Baquiran-Peralta, MOL Managing Executive Officer Masaaki Nemoto, and others. Graduates of the program will be recruited as MOL crewmembers after 12 months of training aboard one of 15 training vessels, which were specially equipped with additional cabins for Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 cadets, and its operated vessels. MOL Managing Executive Officer Masaaki Nemoto addressed the graduate students at the ceremony, saying
"Safe operation is the most important issue as an ocean shipping company and as a core competency to win customers’ trust. This is always our top priority in every circumstance. All of you, always bear in mind that you are on the front lines helping us ’become the world leader in safe operation.’ Build on your experiences while studying at MIS and what you have learned from failures, and please overcome the many hurdles you may face in the future and maintain the safety of yourself and vessels.” The students left MIS with high hopes for the future. The program received accreditation as the equivalent to university-level education under the Academe-Industry Linkage Program promoted by the Philippine government. Selected students will be educated and trained at the MOL training institute and on MOL-operated vessels for the second half of a four-year university curriculum. Source: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
NAVY NEWS
Navy Ship Numbers for Asia-Pacific Shift Don’t Add Up
U.S. Pacific Command’s area of operation consists of 36 nations located in 105 million square miles, of which 83 percent is water. The Defense Department’s strategic shift to the Asia-Pacific region announced in 2012 has gone hand in hand with a budget crunch, which in turn may test the Navy’s ability to maintain a sufficient number of ships to carry out a global mission, analysts said. PACOM Commander Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III said at an Atlantic Council presentation recently that it’s the U.S. military’s goal to have a robust and capable forward presence in the region. “We send only our very best cruisers and destroyers with high-end capabilities,” to the area, he said. The types and numbers of U.S. Navy vessels required to patrol and respond to calls for action in the Asia-Pacific is still a matter of debate, experts interviewed said. According Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 to PACOM figures, there are already some 180 ships and submarines in the region, which includes five aircraft carrier groups. “The great distances and broad range of requirements combine to put a demand on the fleet that is very difficult to meet at the level we are currently at,” said Joe Carnevale, senior defense advisor at the Shipbuilders Council of America and a retired Navy rear admiral. The great expanses that must be covered means the more ships the better, and all classifications are needed, he said. “I think the Asia-Pacific region is a perfect example of why you need a balanced Navy. … You need more of everything,” he said. Bernard D. Cole, a retired Navy captain and now a professor at the National War College, said, “From a naval perspective, the rebalancing is going to be pretty subtle.” Depending on how they are counted, the Navy has some 283 ships. It needs to get a few more than 300, but current shipbuilding plans don’t quite get the Navy there. “There are some real problems in the future with the shipbuilding budget,” he said. For example, the Navy wants to build 10 new submarines for its nuclear deterrent force. The costs of these expensive boats would eat up the surface ship budget, he said. Some have argued that as a strategic asset, subs should be in a separate budget, he said. Carnevale said: “Frankly, I look at it and think 283 ships is just not enough.” That also brings up the question as to what kinds of ships are needed in the Asia-Pacific. Every kind, Carnevale said. Amphibious ships for humanitarian relief and forward presence, submarines for their intelligence gathering capabilities, Aegis-capable cruisers, aircraft carrier strike groups and all the auxiliary ships needed to support them are all required, he said. “So how do you pick and choose which individual ships you need more of? That’s a detailed requirements issue that’s got to be addressed in the shipbuilding plan,” he added. Since the strategic shift was announced, only one aircraft carrier group and two submarines have been reassigned to the Pacific, Cole said. Retired Navy Capt. Wayne Hughes, professor of practice at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, Calif., said, “If the surface Navy is going to be a player, it has to be in a position to sail there in crisis situations.” China is building and modernizing its navy and bullying its neighbors, some of which are U.S. allies, he said. There’s no talk of bombing mainland China or a ground invasion, so that leaves the U.S. Navy to act as a deterrent, he said. “We don’t want to fight China. We want to influence China and persuade them to back off. And influence our allies by saying, ‘We are sturdy soldiers, and we don’t want to abandon you,’” Hughes said. If China is going to deny access to the South China Sea, then the United States can demonstrate to the nation that it can deny access to the same waters. “And submarines are an impressive way to do that,” Hughes said. Aircraft carriers are too valuable to lose, he said. “We can’t send a carrier in and have it put out of action, or a $2 billion destroyer,” he said. The Chinese navy in March blocked two Philippine ships from delivering supplies to a disputed island in the Spratley chain, which sparked a diplomatic rebuke from the United States. The Philippines by treaty is an ally of the United States. Hughes said if friends and allies such as the Philippines, Japan and Australia want the United States to be in the Pacific, one way to boost ship numbers is to lean on them to supply more vessels. This was once called the “1,000ship Navy” concept, although that term has not been heard in a while, he added. “We can tell China, ‘If you interdict our friend’s shipping in the South China Sea, then we will interdict your shipping.’ That is a calibrated capability,” Hughes said. It would be difficult for China to react far from its shores in the areas such as the Singapore Strait or Sunda Strait in Indonesia, he said. Almost all the ships in the U.S. inventory can be used for interdiction missions, including the new littoral combat ship, he said. The LCS has taken its share of criticism of late, and its planned numbers were reduced from 52 to 32 in the fiscal year 2015 budget proposal. Hughes, and others interviewed, all see roles for the new vessel in the Asia-Pacific. “The LCS has the advantage of having an aircraft and it’s speedy, and that’s pretty good for interdiction,” Hughes said. Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 Taking part in small-scale exercises with friends and allies is a nother role, Carnevale said. And then there are the mission modules. The LCS was designed to come with three main modules: mine-sweeping, anti-submarine and surface warfare. Cole said: “It looks good on paper but I don’t think there has ever been a successful modular warship. … I think the Navy has a lot of work to do in proving out the concept.” PACOM’s Locklear is a proponent of the ship, having been involved in its development since the beginning.The Navy wanted a s hip that was modular, that could perform several different missions, with a shallow draft and be lightly crewed, he said. “It got all that,” he said. “They have a role where you might want to operate with other navies that feel more comfortable operating alongside a littoral-sized ship than a big cruiser or an aircraft carrier,” he added. There has been criticism as to whether they are lethal and survivable enough, he noted. “They can be moved in that direction. But they weren’t built for that criteria. … They are good ships,” he said. Carnevale said the LCS’ acceptance in the Navy will only come after it proves the utility of the modules, which have yet to be employed. “Ultimately, the fleet is going to decide the value. When the fleet decides the value, then I think everyone else will line up, both the acquisition community, the Congress and defense officials of all ilk,” he said. “If the fleet says, ‘No this is just not working out,’ then it’s the end.” Also in the fiscal year 2015 budget proposal was a plan to “lay up” 11 Aegis cruisers that will be placed in “long-term phased modernization.” During that time, they will be unavailable for deployment, according to budget documents. They will be overhauled to update technological capabilities and lengthen their lifespans, then returned to the fleet, the documents said. Carnevale said the money to keep these ships in the inventory was already allocated. There is speculation on what the Navy means when they say they want to “lay up” half of the guided-missile fleet. His theory is that the Navy simply doesn’t have the sailors with critical job ratings to man all the Aegis systems. The service will leave a skeleton crew, and program money to do modernization in some planned manner and then bring them back online in a process that accommodates both the modernization and refilling the pipeline for trained personnel, he said. The plan further strains the ship number problem in the Pacific, he said. There is a demand for Aegis capable ships in the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas and the Persian Gulf. “It’s not just a Pacific issue, but it will be felt there as well,” he said. The Navy’s budget request includes $5.9 billion for two Virginia-class attack submarines in fiscal year 2015 and $28 billion for two submarines a year through fiscal year 2019. Carnevale added: “The budget faces the reality that submarines are absolutely essential, especially in the Pacific.” Locklear said: “The submarine force is b iased toward the Pacific in a pretty significant way, and that will continue.” Once the Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier switches places with the George Washington at its naval base in Japan in 2015, PACOM will have a state-of-the-art carrier at its disposal, he added. Hughes said submarines can be used in the Pacific to deny the seas to adversaries, but they can’t control the seas. That must be done with surface ships. There is demand for as many as 15 flattops. Yet the Navy is saying if sequestration continues past 2015, it may be forced to settle for 10 instead of 11, Carnevale said. Cole said the fact of the matter is that carriers are too expensive. Once the ship and the aircraft are factored in, it’s a $20 billion tab. “Ten is probably fine for a certain amount of time,” he said. Source : National Defense
SHIPYARD NEWS
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The large Ocean sailing racer SAMURAI arrived at the Royal Huisman shipyard in Vollenhove , the transport from Harlingen to Vollenhove was done by HEBO Maritime services from Zwartsluis. Photo : Harm Jongman ©
Moscow shipyard delivers blocks of project 3052 buoy tender to Irkutsk
Moscow Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Yard in conjunction with subcontractors from Zhigalovo have arranged the transportation of blocks of project 3052 buoy tender (construction No 373) to Irkutsk for further outfitting, the shipyard’s press center says. The launch of the vessel is scheduled for September 2014. In November, it is to be delivered to Administration of Baikal-Angara Basin. The 3052 series vessels are very important and necessary type of vessels for the basin departments of inland waterways and navigation. The tenders will ensure the safety of shipping on local waterways. The eco-friendly vessels are easy to operate, maintain and repair. The buoy tenders meet the requirements of the classification society. The vessel is designed for implementation of the following tasks: placement, removal and transportation of aids of navigation including river and lake beacons and buoys of up to type 4; on-site maintenance and repair of navigation facilities; control of the state of navigation pass at inland water ways; control of the state of navigation aids along the navigation pass; tugging of non-self-propelled crafts; transportation of cargo on working deck; harbor supply of vessels. Vessel’s type - buoy tender (auxiliary vessel); class: RRR *О-пр 2.0 (лед 20), overall length – 35.8 m, width - 6 m, maximum draft – 1.4 m, displacement - 144 cub m, capacity of 2 major engines - 225 h.p. each, speed - 13 knots, sea endurance - 5 days. Crew - 6/4 persons. The crew accommodation in 6 single cabins and one quadruple-berthed cabin. JSC Moscow Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Yard (Moscow Shipyard, part of United Shipbuilding Corp.) is one of Russia's oldest shipyards founded in 1936. Throughout the years the shipyard has built more than 1,800 vessels with a total overall length of more than 52,000 meters. The firm specializes in building of river passenger vessels, fishing boats and 25-m / 50-m-long luxury yachts. In 2010, the company commenced the construction of new generation cruise passenger ships. The shipyard is a subsidiary of the state-owned shipbuilding conglomerate United Shipbuilding Corporation. In September 2011, the shipyard launched the project of high-speed multipurpose cutters of MRV14 project for Russian ports. Since that year Moscow Shipyard is building the packages of 27 and 12 buoy tenders of project 3050 and 3050.1, respectively. In the autumn of 2012 the shipyard started construction of on-board boats for the Russian Navy. Source : PortNews
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Chouest’s newbuilding SPRINGBOK shifting at the builders. Remontowa in Gdansk (Poland) Photo : Jacco van Nieuwenhuijzen ©
ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES
The FIONA arriving in Malta – Photo : Michael Cassar ©
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Termomeccanica pumps for Greater Stella offshore FPF1 platform
Termomeccanica Pompe is to design and supply 14 centrifugal pumps to be installed on the FPF1 platform Within the development program of the Greater Stella oil & gas field, Ithaca Energy awarded Petrofac the refurbishment of the FPF1 platform which will be carried out at Remontowa Shipyard, Gdanz - Poland. The refurbished platform will be assigned to the offshore processing and export of hydrocarbons extracted from the Greater Stella field, located in the UK’s Central North Sea continental shelf; the end user is a joint venture between Ithaca Energy, Dyas and Petrofac itself. Termomeccanica Pompe scope of works is the design and supply of the 14 centrifugal pumps to be installed on the PFP1 platform, comprising two export oils pumps with their booster pumps, three circulation pumps and seven utility pumps. The installation of the pumps is scheduled for March 2014 and the start of operations with the pumping of oil for within the end of 2014. Main oil export pumps & booster pumps The export of oil is carried out by two BB5-type pumps (Termomeccanica MESB 150.11 model), each coupled with a 1,5 MW electric motor working under inverter. The use of the inverter is necessary so as to guarantee the pump working range under the various conditions expected during the development of the oil field, for a flow rate of 170 m3/h with the head ranging from 1350 m - 2073 m, obtained by increasing speed from 2720 rpm up to 3280 rpm . The use of the inverter has also proven necessary to increase the pumping pressure so as to remove the wax obstructions that may be generated during pumping stop at the typical North Sea temperatures, with the possibility to reach up to 2584 m at 3564 rpm with a flow rate reduced to 120 m3/h. The two export oil pumps are coupled with two OH2-type pumps (Termomeccanica 100AP50 model) working as booster. Both the main and booster pumps are provided with double pressurized mechanical seals with API PLAN 53/b. On top of the typical design issues that usually mark offshore projects, additional requirements from Petrofac Engineering, such as the installation on three-point baseplates and the blast load resistance design for both the main and booster pumps, have increased the contract design complexity. Project-specific It is also important to remember that this project stems from the refurbishment of an existing platform, with already defined spaces and a pre-existing hull, which will moreover operate in rough sea conditions. The combination of these additional project-specific factors entailed a further increase of the supply’s design complexity. In fact, design not only had to be adapted to the particularly limited spaces available, but it also had to take into account the tight constraints of vessel motion specification on structural elements and accessories; design further had to take into consideration interface loads higher than usual for this type of application. All the above requirements have entailed the necessity to dedicate considerable resources to engineering activities, substantially higher than for other comparable projects, whether related to the 'ad hoc' design of the baseplate and other skid structural elements or to the methodical use of FEM analysis for both design and verification of various components of the supply. The engineering of auxiliary and electrical components, such as inverters, electric motors and lube oil system was also subject to the limitations imposed by the afore-mentioned requirements. A HAZOP review was conducted at design completion in order to verify that all measures necessary to guarantee the safe operation of the plant had been taken into account during the design phase. The complete test of the pumping unit under all its operating conditions was carried out at Termomeccanica La Spezia’s in-house test center facilities. Cooling Circulation pumps For the cooling medium circulation service, the contract also included the supply of 3 ve rtical “in-line” API OH3-type pumps, with a flow rate of 1050 m3/h at a 52,5 m head and driven by a 230 KW electric motor. In this case too, the specific requirements of this project, particularly the need to reduce overall dimensions without affecting technical requirements, have led to a tailor-made solution with the supply of Termomeccanica DDBV-type pumps. This is actually a typical solution for Termomeccanica which consists of “in-line” vertical pumps that are however axially-split instead of radially-split as per the API 610 OH3 standard. Utility pumps Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 The remaining utility services of the platform are covered by five more OH2-type pumps: two 'off-gas compressor suction drain pumps' , Termomeccanica 25AP32 model, and three 'heating medium circulation pumps', Termomeccanica 80AP20 model. Termomeccanica supply finally included 2 vertically suspended pumps: one VS2-type pump, working as glycol transfer pump (Termomeccanica CPP50.1 model) and one VS4-type pump, working as drain sump pump (Termomeccanica 25CPPL16 model). Once again, the peculiarities of the project have prevailed over design standardization. The lack of space on the platform deck did not allow the development of design according to API610 standard as originally planned. In fact, the entire upper part of the pumps surmounting the baseplate had to be completely redesigned so as to reduce its height and allow installation as well as maintenance of the pumps in the small space available on the deck. Quality & certification As it is usual for offshore projects, certification has represented an essential component of the scope of work of the supply. In addition to CE marking and ATEX certification, project specifications have required the involvement of the Lloyd’s Register as Inspection & Verification body for marine classification and Bureau Veritas as third party inspector. Moreover, T.U.V. has been involved to carry out P.E.D. related activities. Project management In addition to the technical constrains described above, this project has also been subject to a major management challenge due to special customer requests. For example, as part of the de-risking project of the Greater Stella Area Development, both the client and the end user have requested Termomeccanica Pompe’s involvement in a series of activities aimed at reducing the delivery lead-time by one to 2 two months according to pump type. Termomeccanica succeeded in moving up of delivery as requested and it managed to do so by involving not only many departments across the company but also its main sub-suppliers as well as the client itself (Petrofac). Flexibility is the key The design and supply of the 14 centrifugal pumps to be installed on the PFP1 platform of the Greater Stella oil & gas field has been characterized by uncommon design and management challenges that have not only tested Termomeccanica’s experience and know how in the Oil &Gas Off-shore sector, but also its flexibility to adapt and customize to the most diverse requests from both its client and end user. From this point of view, the positive feedbacks received by Petrofac and Ithaca Energy have confirmed the successful completion of the project by Termomeccanica.
Officials resigned to fall finish of Scarborough River dredge
The dredging of the Scarborough River is unlikely to be finished by a Monday, March 31, deadline, pushing the project’s completion back until at least next fall. A total of 115,000 cubic yards of sand was supposed to be removed from the river, but according to estimates from town officials, probably only 20,000 cubic yards have been removed in the last two months of work. Due to environmental and permit limits, dredging can only take place between the beginning of November and the end of Distribution : daily to 288750+ active addresses
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086 March. Regardless of how much sand has been dredged from the harbor, the contractor, North America Landscaping, Construction & Dredge Co., must begin packing up Tuesday. The river, which was last dredged in 2005, is home to 35 commercial fishermen and more than 100 recreational boaters who have difficulty navigating the shallows at low tide, according to Marine Resources Officer Dave Corbeau. “My guys can’t go out at low tide, there’s less than a foot (of water) in some of these places,” Corbeau said. “Getting stuck and losing that time and sitting there isn’t fun.” Mike Walsh, project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, attributed the expected failure to harsh weather and complications in the initial contract that delayed the start of the dredging. Dredging of the river was scheduled to begin after the contract was awarded in October, but the vetting process delayed the contract signing until December. Walsh said paperwork took another several weeks to complete, preventing the contractor from mobilizing in Scarborough until Feb. 1. But even with two months to go, Walsh and Corbeau both believe the project could have been completed by now. “The last time it was dredged, in 2005, we moved 85,000 cubic yards in one month. With the right equipment and weather, certainly you can do 115,000 in a month and a half,” Walsh said. Corbeau suggested that the contractors were not dredging at full capacity (10-24 hours a day) most days of the week when they began because of bad weather. “Let’s face it, it’s the coast of Maine,” he said. NALCO recently asserted work would be done around the clock to try to make up time. But even if the workload has been steadier over the past few weeks, Corbeau said he finds it highly doubtful the job would be finished in the few days left. Town Manager Tom Hall said he had no expectation that the dredge would be done in time, although he said he felt “comforted” by Walsh’s assurance that the Army Corps is still dedicated to finishing the project this year in the fall, and that money will remain with the project. “That’s the best we could hope for,” he said. Whether the same contractor will return to continue the dredging in the fall is not known. “My strong sense is that they’ll probably look to bring in a different contractor, just based on the performance we’ve seen,” Hall said. NALCO officials, based in Maryland, could not be reached for comment. Walsh described them as a “small, family-run outfit.” "They have been very agreeable, pleasant people to work with, and they’re really trying their hardest,” Walsh said. Despite inconveniences caused by the incomplete dredging, including the task of moving moorings again in the fall, Hall said he continues to look on the bright side. “I’m still thankful we were able to secure financing the first place,” he said. “It’s not tragic; we’ll survive another season.” Source : The Forecaster
Port of Tauranga commissions seventh gantry crane
The latest addition to Port of Tauranga's crane fleet, a Liebherr Super Post Panamax ship-to-shore twin-lift gantry crane, has now moved into position and is in its final stages of testing. It is expected to be handed over for operations at Tauranga Container Terminal on Friday 28 March, the company said in its press release. This brings the total number of cranes at Tauranga Container Terminal to seven. Of these, six are Post Panamax, including three Super Post Panamax cranes capable of handling the largest ships anticipated to trade with New Zealand in the medium term. The Super Post Panamax cranes have the ability to service vessels 18 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) wide. The addition of this new crane allows the Port to increase crane intensity on large ships to ensure high vessel productivity. Source : PortNews
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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 086
…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..
The research/survey vessel the AQULLA EXPLORER which is doing survey work off the Otago coast. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 3057, built in 1982 as the Highland Patriot and registered in Panama. Photo : Ross Walker © The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information
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