daily collection of mar itime press clippings 2014 – …chinese ship used in antarctic rescue...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 006

Distribution : daily to 28250+ active addresses 06-01-2014

Number 006 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Monday 06-01-2014

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

Departure from Sochi, after dredging hard rock to deepen the newly constructed

Olympic Cruise Terminal. The MARICAVOR, the tugs ITC MELTEMI and RIJNSTROOM performed an “Olympic task” with No Injuries and No Accidents.

Photo : Dirk van Uitert (c)

Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any photos or articles that may be of interest to the maritime interested people at sea and ashore

PLEASE SEND ALL PHOTOS / ARTICLES TO :

[email protected]

If you don't like to receive this bulletin anymore : To unsubscribe click here (English version) or visit the subscription page on our website.

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US

mailto:[email protected]�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US�


http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/�

http://www.rhb.nl/�

http://www.sleepduwvaart.nl/�



EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

THREE FINTRY CREW TRANSFER VESSELS TAKEN OVER BY OPUS

MARINE

Three formerly bareboat-chartered crew transfer vessel ("SOLWAY", "DEVERON" and "CARBOCLYDE") were taken over from Fintry Marine Ltd. (Isle of Man). For OPUS’ customers nothing changes: OPUS remains fully in charge as commercial and technical ship

manager. The 24-meter CTV "CARBOCLYDE" was built in Sweden in 2010 out of carbon and has been employed since by wind farm operators in the North and Baltic Sea. The slightly smaller GRP-built crew transfer vessels "SOLWAY" and "DEVERON" (2005 and 2007) are primarily operated on a 12 hours service regime. All three ships are registered in the German ship register of Hamburg and fly the flag of Great Britain.

In addition, the OPUS MARINE GmbH manages the seagoing Guard and Survey Vessel "DUO", which is currently employed in the North Sea for seabed surveying works.

OPUS MARINE's managing director Bernhard Messer: "As the exclusive agent of our British partner TURBINE TRANSFERS we provide chartering service for a fleet of 45 crew transfer vessels in German waters

since many years. Now with the completed acquisition of three crew transfer vessels we can provide even better availability of modern tonnage to our customers, thereby improving the fleet mix with TURBINE TRANSFERS and the other partners from the chartering network of WINDFARMBASE.

http://www.opusmarine.com/�

http://www.oceanwidesafety.nl/�



In this connection we also want to take the opportunity to inform you that OPUS MARINE GmbH is proud to announce the launch of our new and improved website, which can be accessed at www.opusmarine.com . The website has been completely redesigned and contains up-to-date information on all the different scope of operations of the entire OPUS Group. Do you have any comments or suggestions for the website? If so, please contact [email protected]

MV Lone delivers eleven modules for Gas Plant in UK

Maximizing her deck space capacity: MV LONE, the largest SAL vessel, loaded eleven modules in the UAE. In total, the vessel commendably stowed an overall 25,020 cbm on board – both in the hatch and on deck. The modules weigh up to 388 mtons and have measurements of up to 31 x 10 x 11 m. They are destined for a gas plant in UK.

SAL vessels MV GLORIA and MV TRINA were also engaged in the project carrying similar modules from Kuwait and UAE to the UK, totalling to more than 55,000 cbm of modules and associated equipment.

http://www.opusmarine.com/�




U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star to assist vessels in Antarctica

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter POLAR STAR is responding to a Jan. 3rd request from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to assist the Russian-Flagged Akademik Shokalskiy and Chinese-Flagged Xue Long that are reportedly ice-bound in the Antarctic. The Russian and Chinese Governments have also requested assistance from the United States.

Coast Guard Pacific Area Command Center received the request Thursday evening from AMSA after they evaluated the situation and determined there is sufficient concern that the vessels may not be able to free themselves from the ice. AMSA has been coordinating rescue operations since the Akademik Shokalskiy became beset with ice on Dec. 24. The POLAR STAR will cut short its planned stop in Sydney to support the AMSA’s request for assistance.

“The U.S. Coast Guard stands ready to respond to Australia’s request,” said Vice Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander. “Our highest priority is safety of life at sea, which is why we are assisting in breaking a navigational path for both of these vessels. We are pleased to learn the passengers of the Akademik Shokalskiy have been transported safely off the vessel. We are always

ready and duty bound to render assistance in one of the most remote and harsh environments on the face of the globe.” The POLAR STAR left its homeport of Seattle in early December on one of its primary missions, Operation Deep Freeze. The ship’s mission is to break a channel through the sea ice of McMurdo Sound to resupply and refuel the U.S. Antarctic Program’s (USAP) McMurdo Station on Ross Island. The National Science Foundation manages the USAP, which coordinates all science research and related logistics in Antarctica and on the Southern Ocean. McMurdo

http://www.akfanchorchain.nl/�



Station is the logistics hub for NSF’s research. The POLAR STAR will continue on this mission after conclusion of the vessel assistance mission.

This is the first time since 2006 that the POLAR STAR has made this journey. It has recently completed a three-year, $90 million overhaul, which will allow it to continue these important missions into the foreseeable future. For more than 50 years, Coast Guard icebreaker crews have deployed to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze. They will again assist by creating a navigable shipping lane through the layers of sea ice in McMurdo Sound permitting delivery of critical fuel and supplies needed to operate the U.S. McMurdo and South Pole stations throughout the coming year.

The POLAR STAR is the U.S. Coast Guard’s only active heavy polar ice breaker. The ship is 399 feet in length, its maximum speed is 18 knots, it is able to continuously break six feet of ice at three knots, and able to break 21 feet of ice backing and ramming. The POLAR STAR is specifically designed for open-water icebreaking with a reinforced hull and special icebreaking bow. Source : US Coast Guard

The Engine Department of Seaway Heavy Lifting’s OLEG STRASHNOV, wishes all readers a Happy New Year Frederik & Gerda Plets www.Ship-hunters.be wishing all readers a prosperous & Healthy 2014 CLICK on the cards !

Chinese ship used in Antarctic rescue stuck in ice

A Chinese icebreaker that went to the aid of a Russian ship stuck in heavy floes in Antarctica has now itself become trapped by ice, Australian officials said on Saturday.

The Xue Long, which on Thursday used its helicopter to ferry dozens of passengers on the stranded Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy to the safety of an Australian vessel, has been unable to free itself, authorities said.

“Xue Long’s attempt to manoeuvre through the ice early this morning was unsuccessful,” the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement. “Xue Long has confirmed to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority it is beset by ice. “ Speculation about whether the Xue Long was stuck had mounted for several days given the ship had hardly moved after its failed attempt to cut through the ice to reach the Shokalskiy.

By late Friday, officials said the Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, had reported that it had concerns about the heavy ice that surrounded it and would attempt to free itself early Saturday.

AMSA said while this attempt had failed, the master of the Chinese ship had confirmed that the vessel was safe, was not in immediate distress and did not require assistance.

“There is no immediate danger to personnel on board the Xue Long,” AMSA said, adding that the vessel had food supplies for several weeks.

The Shokalskiy remains stuck in ice 100 nautical miles east of the French Antarctic base of Dumont d’Urville with 22 crew on board. Several attempts by icebreakers to reach the Russian ship failed, including by the Xue Long and the Australian Antarctic supply ship the Aurora Australis, while poor weather initially delayed helicopter rescue plans.

The 52 scientists, passengers and journalists on board the Shokalskiy who were helicoptered off the ship are now on the Aurora Australis, which had been asked to remain on standby in the area to help the Xue Long. However, AMSA said on Saturday the Aurora Australis was now free to continue its journey to Australia’s Antarctic base Casey, where it is due to deliver supplies before heading to the Australian city of Hobart.

“The masters of both Akademik Shokalskiy and Xue Long agree that further assistance from Aurora Australis is no longer required and they will be able to provide mutual support to each other,” AMSA said. Australian authorities have said that any inquiry into how the Shokalskiy came to be stranded would have to be conducted by Russian authorities but have acknowledged that the incident could impact guidelines for polar expeditions.

http://www.ship-hunters.be/�

http://www.myalbum.com/Photo-4BIWSODU-D.jpg�

http://www.myalbum.com/Photo-6JWIVKBL-D.jpg�



The rescue mission, which also involved the French ship the Astrolabe, which was initially diverted to help the Shokalskiy before it was released, has also cut short some Antarctic research programmes, angering scientists.

Yves Frenot, director of the French Polar Institute, said he had no issue with rescuing those aboard the stricken vessel but said this had drained resources from the French, Chinese and Australian scientific missions in Antarctica.

The rescue mission forced French scientists to scrap a two-week oceanographic campaign this month using the Astrolabe. “But we are relatively lucky,” he said. “The Chinese have had to cancel all their scientific programme, and my counterpart in Australia is spitting tacks with anger, because their entire summer has been wiped out.” The trip on the Akademik Shokalskiy was aimed at emulating a 1911-1914 expedition by the Australian explorer, Sir Douglas Mawson and Frenot said “this kind of commemorative expedition has no interest from a scientific point of view”. Source : South China Morning Post See the rescue operation HERE

Cross-channel ferry travellers could see price rises as Eurotunnel armada is in

fight to rule the Channel There is a gathering storm in the world’s busiest shipping lanes – with fears of big price rises hitting cross-channel ferry travellers and strike action at French ports. Britain’s Competition Commission will reveal whether it will reconsider its ruling that Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel – which is listed on the London and Paris stock markets – broke the rules when it also started running cross-channel ferries. Eurotunnel’s operations already include le shuttle – the car and freight service. It also charges Eurostar to take passengers through the tunnel by rail. However, in 2012 it added to its empire, acquiring three ferries from SeaFrance, which had gone into liquidation.

All aboard: Eurotunnel also runs MyFerryLink

It rapidly relaunched the service as MyFerryLink, which meant that three ferry operators were now on the Dover-Calais crossing, the fastest route from Britain to France. Existing British operator P&O Ferries and the Danish DFDS Seaways instantly cried foul to the Competition Commission, which declared in June that Eurotunnel’s actions were anti-competitive. The decision seemed uncontroversial. ‘It cannot be good for competition when Eurotunnel, which already holds a market share of over 40 per cent, moves into the ferry business, particularly when it did so to stop a

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVZT29pkPPE�

http://www.nexumcm.nl/�



competitor from buying the ferries,’ said Alasdair Smith, chairman of the Eurotunnel/SeaFrance Inquiry Group and deputy chairman of the Competition Commission. ‘Customers would lose out from Eurotunnel increasing its share even further and being able to raise prices on the tunnel services. ‘By preventing Eurotunnel from operating ferry services out of Dover, we can protect the interests of customers.’

But Eurotunnel went to the Competition Appeals Tribunal, which agreed with the Commission on all points – bar one very important one. It said that the Competition Commission might not actually have the power to make its judgment at all. Because the deal was not a merger between Eurotunnel and SeaFrance, but rather a change in asset ownership, the Tribunal said the Commission might not be able to rule that Eurotunnel should be banned from operating ferry services at the Port of Dover. So the Tribunal officially lifted the ban at the start of last month, although in practice MyFerryLink services had been operating as normal. Eurotunnel chief executive Jacques Gounon declared the U-turn a ‘victory for the consumer’. He has always maintained that buying the ferries helped to maintain the cross-Channel market as it was previously. But this is not a view shared by either DFDS or P&O Ferries. They say that the whole matter should be settled in the way that the Competition Commission originally decided and claim MyFerryLink is subsidised by its larger parent. Eurotunnel’s detractors point to the £16million pre-tax loss racked up by MyFerryLink, revealed in Eurotunnel’s first-half figures, even while it offered cut-price deals for travellers. P&O Ferries said: ‘Our main concern is that Eurotunnel’s support of MyFerryLink allows it to trade below cost, incurring huge losses and thus sponsoring a damaging price war. Other competitors are also trading at a loss with what they admit are “unsustainable” prices. ‘Price wars might seem great for customers in the short term, but damage the ability of operators to invest and, at their most extreme, put rivals out of business.’ For its part, DFDS claims to be losing £1million a month due to cheaper competition from MyFerryLink. A DFDS source said that if Eurotunnel were allowed to keep operating ferries, there was a real possibility it would pull out of the route entirely in a move that could lead to reduced competition and so higher prices. Then there are the French. Across the Channel the competition regulator has already given the deal its approval and if a British authority stops Eurotunnel’s plans then some observers fear that there could be a backlash in the French ports against the foreign operators. The fate of more than 600 MyFerryLink workers, many French, is in the balance, said Eurotunnel, which will have costly ferries it cannot use if the ban is reinstated. A spokeswoman for the Competition Commission said it had until January 6 to reconsider the case in the light of the Tribunal’s judgment and if it has jurisdiction to review the matter. If it decides it has not, the next step could be for P&O and DFDS to go to the Court of Appeal. Worryingly for British holidaymakers, there is a separate issue which could also see prices jump in just 12 months. New environmental regulations that come into force on January 1, 2015 will mean ships have to drastically reduce their sulphur emissions. The problem with this, says DFDS, is that ships will either have to have very expensive filtering technology fitted to clean the exhaust gases – and many ships are not built to be able to take the heavy equipment on board – or they will have to switch to cleaner fuels, which are 40 to 60 per cent more costly. The DFDS source said: ‘We just haven’t been given enough time to adapt our vessels to the new regulations, which have been brought in very quickly and arbitrarily. ‘So unless the deadline is extended it will be extremely likely that fares will go up and unprofitable routes will be axed.’ Whichever way holidaymakers turn, there seem to be choppy waters ahead. Source : thisismoney

Passengers rescued from 130 ton boat after both engines fail near Barrow

EIGHT people on board a 130 ton boat whose engines had failed were rescued as severe gales approached last Thursday night . Barrow lifeboat launched at 9.30pm to rescue the disabled wind farm maintenance vessel, 'MV Attender', in the approach to Barrow channel. The disabled vessel was being assisted by another wind farm vessel which had been unable to make progress whilst towing At the time the wind was from the south east at 25 knots, with a spring tide high water of 9.9 metres expected just after midnight. The Tamar class lifeboat ‘GRACE DIXON’, was launched and made good progress against the increasing wind strength and larger waves until she reached the vessel after a five mile journey. The disabled vessel was successfully moored at Barrow Docks after two hours and the lifeboat returned to station where she was made ready for the next emergency call.



Barrow Lifeboat Operations Manager, Dave Green, said: "The weather forecast was for a severe gale to come in around midnight giving gusty storm force winds and extremely large waves. "We needed to get there quickly and recover the disabled vessel and her passengers to safety before the onset of that atrocious weather and we are very pleased we were able to do so." Source : The Westmorland Gazette

The SEABOURN PRIDE moored in Bonaire – Photo : Henk Ram ©

Petrobras offshore oil platform P-61 completed

P-61 is completed and left Angra for Papa-Terra 31-12-2013 , the P-61 left the BrasFels shipyard in the Angra dos Reis bay (RJ) where the unit was built and assembled. The unit will make a technical stop for diesel and water near Ilha Grande and continue on until its final location, the Papa-Terra field in the Campos Basin. The journey will take about six days after leaving the shipyard. This is the first TLWP platform (Tension Leg Wellhead Platform) to be built and operated in Brazil. The P-61 will operate together with the P-63 FPSO unit (producing, storing and offloading oil) which started oil production in Papa-Terra on November 11. Together, the units have the capacity to produce 140,000 barrels of oil per day from the 18 wells they are connected to. All the P-61 production will be transferred to the P-63 to process, store and offload extracted oil to shuttle tankers. The P-63 can also compress 1 million m3/d of natural gas and the excess gas consumed on the platforms will be injected into the reservoir. The Papa-Terra field, operated by Petrobras (62.5%) in partnership with Chevron (37.5%), is located 110 km off the Brazilian coast, in depths of water between 400 and 1,400 meters. Technology The combination of oil reservoirs with an API gravity ranging between 14 and 17, and being in deep water, makes developing the Papa-Terra field one of the most complex projects ever conceived by Petrobras, requiring several innovative solutions to be incorporated, including the P-61 itself. The TLWP model resembles a semisubmersible (SS), except that it uses vertical tendons to anchor it instead of the standard mooring lines. This technology means that the platform has a lower range of motion, allowing dry Christmas trees (well control valves), deployed on the deck of TLWP, rather than on the seabed, which is the case with SSs and FPSOs. The reason for using this alternative is to make it easier to intervene in the wells by using submerged centrifugal pumps. Construction Like the P-63, the P-61 is one of the new units in the production projects scheduled this year in the Petrobras 2013-2017 Business and Management Plan (BMP). The deck and four modules were built in Singapore, Asia - two that drive and control the submerged centrifugal pump (SCP) of the wells, one to distribute electricity and control the platform and accommodation. They were brought to the BrasFels Shipyard, in Angra dos Reis (RJ), where BrasFels built the hull and was responsible for joining them and integrating various parts. At peak construction, the P-61 generated 2,450 direct jobs and 7,350 indirect jobs. Local content of its services reached 65%. Source : PennEnergy



Visit address : Nijverheidstraat 4-6 2802 AL GOUDA The Netherlands T +31 [0]182 51 55 44 F +31 [0]182 51 79 00 Mail address : P.O. Box 252 2800 AG GOUDA The Netherlands E [email protected] I www.endenburg.com

The LADY HELENE enroute Amsterdam – Photo : Erwin Willemse ©

A majority of carriers choose marine oil ahead of 2015


http://www.endenburg.com/�

http://www.endenburg.com/�



Some of Europe's biggest shipping companies unequivocally choose to use the more expensive, low-sulphur Marine Gas Oil once the environmental regulations aimed at reducing the sulphur content in ship fuel comes into effect on January 1st 2015 in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the English Channel, the so-called SECA zone, according to a survey performed by ShippingWatch among eight large carriers that currently rely on regular sulphurous fuel.

The alternatives to switching to Marine Gas Oil with a lower sulphur content include continuing to use the traditional High Sulphur Fuel Oil and cleaning it with a scrubber (exhaust cleaning system), or switching to liquefied natural gas, LNG. Open question

The coming Northern European regulations pertaining to the shipping industry's sulphur emissions mean that the industry will soon have to make a decision in terms of complying with the requirements for cleaner emissions. The requirements are already in effect in the waters off North America.

While a long list of shipping companies have announced intentions of switching to natural gas on the long term, ShippingWatch's survey shows that a vast majority of the carriers choose Marine Gas Oil as the immediate solution.

Shipping and logistics company DFDS - whose entire current business area is located within the SECA zone - goes against the current and has chosen to perform significant investments in scrubbers. A total of 12 of the carrier's ships will have scrubbers installed by the end of 2014, and even more of the company's ships will likely have similar equipment installed in 2015. On the other hand, Finnlines has announced that the company is waiting to see how things develop, intending to use whatever fuel is available. In other words, the Italian-owned shipping company (Grimaldi) does not seem poised to invest millions in scrubbers. Waiting to see what happens

In a letter to the shipping company's collaborators and customers, dated November 8th 2013, Finnlines' new CEO Emanuele Grimaldi stressed that the best solution in terms of the 2015 fuel regulations remains an open question.

"Our strategy - for the time being – is to study, test and wait. As technology advances, it will become easier to judge which solutions are the most adequate to our ships and services. We could even opt for changing nothing, as there are already contacts with various fuel producers for purchasing 0,1 percent sulphur products at competitive prices," said Emanuele Grimaldi. Feeder operators

And among feeder operators - who typically charter their tonnage - Marine Gas Oil or other new low-sulphur fuel types seem to be the only realistic solution - at least on the short term - according to the survey. Very few feeder ship owners - if any - are said to plan scrubber installations, just as switching to liquefied natural gas as fuel for feeder ship looks like an unrealistic scenario in the industry. According to the survey none of the featured carriers plan to change their route networks in light of the sulphur regulations that will come into force on January 1st 2015. Source: ShippingWatch

Panama presses Spain and Italy to resolve canal cost row

The president of Panama said he would go to Spain and Italy to pressure companies to honor contracts to expand his country's canal after a building consortium behind the project threatened to suspend work because of a row over costs.

The consortium - Spain's Sacyr, Italy's Salini Impregilo, Belgium's Jan De Nul and Panama's Constructora Urbana - said on Wednesday that $1.6 billion in cost overruns on the $3.2 billion plan to build a third set of locks for the canal should be met by Panama.

http://www.dirkzwager.com/�



The consortium, known as Grupo Unidos por el Canal, said the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) had 21 days to respond to its demands during which work would continue, but the project would be suspended if that requirement was not met. Just a few hours later, the PCA rejected the demand, hinting it could find others to complete the job. Shares in Sacyr, which heads the consortium, slumped 9 percent on Thursday.

Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli accused the companies of "great irresponsibility" and said they had endangered the massive construction project, which has been a major driver of the Central American nation's economy.

Martinelli, who took power in 2009, said he expected Italy and Spain to uphold commitments to back the project which the countries' leaders made to him during his first year in office. "So I'm going to go to Spain and Italy to demand this from them, because a company should not be able to put such a high amount of overrun costs on a project that belongs to humanity," he told reporters in Panama City.

The Spanish and Italian governments have a "moral responsibility" to help resolve the dispute because their companies were engaged in the construction, Martinelli said. Jorge Quijano, the head of the PCA, said if the project were delayed due to the dispute, Panama would see it through.

"This work will be finished, never fear, even if it takes longer to complete," he told reporters. Panama has already moved back the scheduled completion date for the expansion from October 2014 into mid-2015. To see that the work was concluded, Quijano said the PCA had since November been in contact with insurer Zurich in North America (>> Zurich Insurance Group Ltd), with which it had $600 million in surety bonds that could be used to support the project.

In addition, the PCA could tap the $1.2 billion it had not yet paid to the consortium to finish the work, he added. So far the PCA had only paid the contractors $2 billion, he said.

SPAIN'S IMAGE

The new locks represent the biggest chunk of the canal expansion plan, which overall is worth some $5.3 billion.

The PCA says the total expansion is just over 70 percent finished with the locks 65 percent complete. The canal's extension aims to broaden and deepen existing channels so that more and bigger vessels can sail through.

The consortium said the overruns were due to unforeseen events during construction, which it said was "normal" in such projects. It also said the PCA had failed in its obligations and given the consortium "inexact" information for the project.

But the PCA said that if the consortium was not capable of honouring its agreements, it would initiate "mechanisms from the contract that would allow the work to be completed."

It did not explain what those would be.

Sacyr won the bid on the canal contract in 2009 with a $3.12 billion offer, which was considerably lower than that of rivals, as well as below the $3.48 billion reference set by the PCA. Political columnist Pepe Oneto, writing in opinion blog republica.com, said the news was terrible for Spain's attempt to rebuild its image abroad following a severe economic crisis with the collapse of the country's building and property sector.

"The Spanish government ... knew that it was impossible for the budget to be met. Sacyr bid low, convinced that, in the end, the cost overruns it is demanding now would be met," he said.

A spokesman for Sacyr said that part of the cost overrun was because some building materials as originally budgeted were not adequate for the final work. The PCA had rejected the concrete mix the consortium had planned to use for the project. "The consortium's intention is also to find a solution within the terms of the contract, as there are mechanisms that make it possible," Sacyr's spokesman said, without elaborating.

The company's debts at the end of September were three times its market capitalization. Analysts at the brokerage of Banco Sabadell said the news was not good for Sacyr or its image, but played down the impact on the builder's results.

Newspaper El Pais reported in 2009 that Panama's foreign minister, Juan Carlos Varela, had predicted the project would fail because the builders were in financial trouble. Sacyr made 55 percent of its revenue outside Spain in the first nine months of 2013, and Panama contributed 25 percent of its 1.3 billion euros ($1.78 billion) in international sales, the company said in its 2013 nine month earnings. Source: Reuters



Spliethoffs SCHELDEGRACHT inbound for Antwerp just passing Terneuzen at the Westerschelde

Photo : Erik Deetens (c)

LNG carrier fleet poised for resurgent trade growth

Preliminary figures show that 2013 was, like 2012, a year of stagnation in terms of LNG trade growth. Although two new liquefaction plants came on stream, in Angola and Algeria, output from several existing facilities slumped and worldwide movements of LNG in 2013 dropped a few percentage points from the 236.8 million tonnes (mt) traded the previous year. For a shipping market that enjoyed an average growth rate of 10% per annum over the first decade of the new century, to experience a slump two years running is unprecedented. The trade contraction recorded in 2012, for example, was the first in three decades. From the industry’s recent performance the casual observer might conclude that for the LNG market, which is now worth about USD 150 billion annually, the years of robust growth are over.

They would be wrong. The LNG sector is experiencing a momentary blip on the growth chart and service as normal is about to be resumed. As a result of construction work currently underway or poised to start, 12 new liquefaction plants will be on stream by 2018, boosting global LNG production capacity by one-third. Several other proposed projects are nearing final investment decisions and most forecasters believe that the worldwide trade in LNG will be double the current level by 2035.

Asia, which is currently the destination for 70% of all LNG shipped worldwide, will continue to drive market demand in the years ahead. Japan accounts for 38% of the global LNG trade and is set to remain the leading importer for many years to come, even after the country begins to restart its nuclear reactors following the completion of rigorous post-tsunami safety checks. Korea, which is the second largest buyer of LNG, expects its 2013 imports to be around the 40 mt mark, following a 10% rise in demand during the year.

Korea’s near neighbour China could be in the running for the No. 2 slot in the LNG importers league table within the next few years as a result of an even stronger increase in demand. The commissioning of three new regasification terminals in recent months has boosted to nine the number of such facilities in China. When the final figures are tallied, the country, which only began to import LNG in 2006, is expected to have purchased approximately 17 mt in 2013.

On the LNG supply side the largest contributor to LNG trade growth over the next five years will be Australia. Seven new liquefaction projects are currently underway in the country and the first LNG from this new tranche of production capacity will begin to flow in 2014. When all the new terminals are working to full capacity later in the decade, they will be able to supply the world market with 65 mt each year. Another country that could be matching Australia’s LNG export levels, albeit a few years afterwards, is the US. As the result of readily available quantities of competitively priced shale gas, 25 LNG export projects have been tabled over the past two years, eight of which are based on the use of floating production (FLNG) vessels. During 2013 the government approved three of the projects for the export of LNG to countries with which the US does not have a free trade agreement, bringing to four the number of schemes



that have so far achieved such a permission. The first US LNG exports are scheduled to begin loading in February 2016.

Canada, Mozambique and Tanzania are three countries also likely to achieve high rankings in the LNG exporters league table in due course but will not figure prominently, if at all, before 2018. Russia is the other player with notable LNG supply ambitions and year-end 2013 brought three significant news announcements from Moscow.

Firstly, the government agreed to bring to an end the monopoly enjoyed by Gazprom over LNG exports from the country. The ruling cleared the way for the second important news item, a final investment decision (FID) by Novatek and its partners to press ahead with their Yamal LNG project in the Russian Arctic. Yamal calls for a fleet of icebreaking LNG carriers and the demanding conditions of the Northern Sea Route will require the establishment of new standards in LNG vessel performance.

The final December 2013 development of note in Russia was the decision by Gazprom and partners to press ahead with the construction of a third liquefaction train at their Sakhalin 2 plant in the Russian Far East, the country’s only operating LNG export terminal. As a result of Yamal LNG, the Sakhalin 2 expansion, a new Vladivostok terminal planned by Gazprom and a second Sakhalin project being promoted by a Rosneft/ExxonMobil joint venture, Russia could be exporting 35-40 mt of LNG a year by 2020.

As part of preparations for the imminent resurgence in LNG trade growth, the LNG carrier newbuilding market was particularly active in 2013. A total of 57 LNG carriers were ordered during the 12-month period, the third highest annual total for such ships.

The diversity in ship types and sizes was never greater than in the 2013 orderbook. The total comprised 42 conventional-size LNG carriers, eight small-size vessels, six floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) and an LNG bunkering tanker, the world’s first such ship.

The complement of FSRUs ordered in 2013 includes some notable vessels. One ship will have a capacity of 263,000 m3, some 50% greater than the next largest FSRU. The ship will go on station near Montevideo harbour on completion in 2016 and add Uruguay to the list of LNG import countries.

Another of the contracted FSRUs will be provided with not only regasification facilities but also a topsides power plant to enable the generation of electricity. The vessel, the first of its type, will be delivered at the end of 2017, initially for use by one of the owners, Korea Electric Power.

The conventional LNG carrier contingent of the vessels ordered in 2013 also includes noteworthy features. Four of the 42 ships were specified with low-speed, gas-injection engines, bringing to six the number of such vessels currently under construction. In addition, all but three of the conventional-size ships have cargo-carrying capacities of 173,000 m3 and above. Ships of this size are recognised as Pacificmax LNG carriers, designed to realise economy of scale benefits when transporting LNG from new US Gulf export terminals to Asia via an enlarged Panama Canal.

Although there were no net gains in LNG cargo volumes in 2013, 18 new LNG carriers were delivered to the fleet during the year. Despite the rise in tonnage supply LNG carrier freight rates in 2013 remained surprisingly resilient. Modern ships enjoyed a premium over the older ships in the fleet, due to the greater efficiencies of dual-fuel diesel-electric propulsion systems over the steam turbines that enjoyed favour in the sector for so long. The continued demand last year for long-distance deliveries from Atlantic Basin liquefaction plants to Asian import terminals also helped boost fleet utilisation rates.

The year ahead will be another transitional one for LNG ship owners. Once again, only two new LNG production plants are scheduled for 2014 starts and they will not commence operations until later in the year. The delivery of a further 36 new ships to the fleet in 2014 will exert further downward pressure on freight rates. However, the logjam is set to break in 2015 when several new Australian projects are commissioned. The opening ceremonies will signal an end to the current stagnation in LNG trade growth and herald the beginning of another sustained period of double-digit annual expansion. Source: BIMCO

ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS FREE MARITIME NEWSCLIPPINGS ? PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE :

WWW.MAASMONDMARITIME.COM AND REGISTER FOR FREE !

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/�



Akademik Shokalskiy rescue: How mission came undone by 'one giant

meringue' An ice-breaker at work is an impressive sight. After more than five days of steaming 1100 nautical miles towards Commonwealth Bay, the Aurora Australis finally began her slow crawl over thick pack ice just before 6am on Monday. It's just a total white-out

Those passengers such as myself who were keen to see the action gathered on the bridge from 5.30am to watch the crew navigate a path through the first slabs. On the pack's outer edge there is little room to move between the sections of ice, which have been pushed together like pieces of a puzzle that don't quite fit. The Aurora's controlled pitch propeller and large rudder give captain Murray Doyle maximum manoeuvrability. He winds the ship through any free space.

We're now about 9.7 nautical miles from the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy, which got stuck in ice while retracing Sir Douglas Mawson's Antarctic expedition. Sea ice in Antarctica typically forms ice cakes, flat slabs less than 20 metres across, or larger ice floes. In Watt Bay, these floes are topped with up to a metre of snow, making some more than three metres thick. The low fog makes it hard to see more than 100 metres ahead. We aren't travelling long before we encounter floes that have been frozen together. This is what surrounds the Akademik

Shokalskiy. This is what will challenge the Aurora. The 24-year-old ice-breaker is built to cut through 1.35 metres of ice, two metres with a big push. For almost two nautical miles Doyle puts the Aurora to work. She begins by tipping her bow forward, mounting the ice and crushing it with her weight. The ship shudders from time to time. Outside on the deck the temperature dips to minus 1.6, but the 30 knots of wind from the south-east has bite. The wind concerns Doyle. He knows how quickly ice floes could blow in and around the Aurora's stern, turning the rescuers into those who need to be rescued. About 8am the captain closes the bridge. His crew need to concentrate.

http://www.multraship.com/�



An hour later and the ship has turned around and is heading out of the pack. "The ice became too thick for us to penetrate," he says. "There was just nowhere for us to go." Behind us is one giant meringue, in front, open water. Doyle decides to sit and wait until the weather clears. Not much can happen until then, but a helicopter evacuation of the Shokalskiy passengers is looking likely. "It's just a total white-out," says Doyle. The bridge is reopened and a few passengers pop in to see what has happened. The mood on board the Aurora remains upbeat. Many expeditioners were on their way back to Australia after months, even over a year, at Antarctic stations when their ride home was diverted from Casey station. But as one Aurora passenger, Macquarie University scientist Grant Hose, put it: "You have to accept uncertainty when you travel down south. "And we'd like to think someone would come and rescue us if we got into trouble," he says. The Aurora’s voyage leader Leanne Millhouse said the ice-breaker would most likely return to Casey station if it picked up the stranded passengers and crew to complete the station’s annual resupply before returning to Hobart in mid-January. Source : SMH

Head of Suez Canal Authority to stay for 2014

Egypt's interim president Adly Mansour renewed the tenure of Lt. Gen. Mohab Mamish as chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, the body which controls Egypt's strategic waterway, for another year. Mamish, a former member of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, was appointed to the position in 2012 during the term of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Before heading the authority, Mamish commanded Egypt's navy.

A vital commercial and military passage, the Suez Canal borders Egypt's Sinai Peninsula where an insurgency by Islamist militants intensified after Morsi's ouster in July, leading to dozens of deadly attacks on security forces and state institutions. In August, armed assailants opened fire on a passing Chinese-owned container ship from land.

Mamish has insisted the canal is tightly secured and announced in December that the Suez Canal Authority had made its highest returns in six months. Source: Ahram Online

Bodies of eight beheaded fishermen found on boat in Philippines

Eight fishermen including two boys have been shot and beheaded in a gruesome attack at sea off the troubled southern Philippines, police said Saturday. The victims were among a group of fishermen who went missing after being attacked in the Moro Gulf off Mindanao island on December 26, said regional police spokesman Ariel Huesca.

Five headless corpses were first found aboard a boat drifting at sea on Friday by police who had gone in search of the missing fishermen, said Senior Inspector Joel Lozano, police chief of the district where the boat was taken.

“When we further inspected the boat (on Saturday morning), we discovered more headless bodies beneath the floorboard.... In all, it contained eight bodies,” Lozano told reporters. The corpses, including those of two boys aged about 12 and 14, were all decomposing, suggesting they were killed a few days earlier, Lozano said. One fisherman remains missing after the attack by unknown gunmen, Huesca said in a written report. The motive of the attack is not

http://www.tos.nl/en/companies/maritime-crew/�



known. The waters off the southern Philippines are rife with piracy, and the region is also a hotbed of Islamic militants.

The nine fishermen had gone missing a day after Christmas following the attack off the town of Olutanga, Huesca said. Two other wounded fishermen in the party were recovered shortly after the attack and taken to hospital for treatment, he added. The boat with the headless corpses was found adrift eight days later off the coastal village of Manicahan on Zamboanga’s outskirts, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Olutanga. The 11 fishermen are all natives of Sangali, a fishing village adjacent to Manicahan, Huesca said. Source : AFP /.nst.com.my

NAVY NEWS INS Vikramaditya enters Indian Navy's

area of operation It was a sight to behold. As India’s newest aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya entered the Indian Navy’s area of operation in north western Arabian Sea, accompanied by three other vessels, it was rendezvoused — with the Western Fleet that had gone all the way from Mumbai to receive it. INS Vikramaditya, which was accompanied by INS Trikand, which is a Talwar class frigate, INS Delhi which is a Delhi class destroyer and INS Deepak, the fleet tanker, fired ceremonial guns to salute the flag of the fleet commander Rear Admiral Anand Chawla, who was leading the flotilla of the Western Fleet, that also comprised aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

The other ships besides INS Viraat which had gone to receive INS Vikramaditya included two Delhi class destroyers, three Trishul class stealth frigates, a Godavari class frigate and a couple of offshore vessels.

All this happened about 1200 nautical miles from the country's shores on New Year’s eve and thereafter all the aircraft carriers, frigates and destroyers together set sail for India. INS Vikramaditya, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 16 last at the North Russian shipyard of Sevmash at Severodvinsk, is now headed for its home port at Karwar in Karnataka where it is scheduled to reach in a week’s time. Commanded by Captain Suraj Berry, INS Vikramaditya -- which took eight years to refurbish at the Russian yard -- would reach Karwar on completing a near 8500 nautical mile journey.

On reaching Karwar, the aircraft carrier would re-equip and prepare and get ready for the next phase which would be its integration with the air wing, comprising about 30 Mig 29K aircraft and six Kamov Ka-31 “Helix” reconnaissance and anti-submarine helicopters.

It would take around four to six months for the full integration of the aircraft carrier after which it will become the spearhead of the carrier battle group. During this period, the aircraft carrier would also be equipped with surface-to-air missile (SAM) and close-in weapon system (CIWS) to safeguard it from aerial attack. At the time of commissioning of INS Vikramaditya Indian Navy Chief Admiral D.K. Joshi had indicated that Indian naval fighter pilots would be certified to carry out flying operations from the carrier deck within weeks of the carrier’s arrival in India. While a batch of combat fliers from ‘Black Panther’ squadron has undertaken simulator training in Moscow, before the flying operations



from the carrier deck, they are also scheduled to perfect take-off and landing on the shore-based test facility (SBTF) at INS Hansa in Goa. Source : The Hindu

Russian navy to expand air patrols in Arctic

Northern Fleet will extend the ranges of their patrol flights over the Arctic in 2014 using a network of revamped Soviet-era airfields, the fleet’s spokesman said Friday.

“In 2014, the naval aviation of the Northern Fleet will significantly expand the geography of Arctic patrol flights, including with the use of the Temp airfield on the New Siberian Islands,” Capt. 1st Rank Vadim Serga said.

Serga said the fleet’s Tu-142 and Il-38 reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft carried out over 30 patrol missions in the Arctic last year. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian military in December to boost its presence in the Arctic and complete the development of military infrastructure in the region in 2014. The Russian Defense Ministry has announced plans to deploy a combined-arms force in the Arctic by 2015.

As part of the ambitious program, the Russian military will reopen airfields and ports on the New Siberian Islands and the Franz Josef Land archipelago, as well as at least seven airfields on the continental part of the Arctic Circle that were mothballed in 1993.

Arctic territories, believed to hold vast untapped oil and gas reserves, have increasingly been at the center of disputes between the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway and Denmark as rising temperatures lead to a reduction in sea ice. Russia has made claims on several Arctic shelf areas and is planning to defend its bid at the United Nations. Source : TurkishWeekly

Despite delays, Ottawa pushes ahead with Cyclone chopper plan

The “worst procurement in the history of Canada” has suffered another setback, with Ottawa announcing it now plans to get its long-awaited fleet of maritime helicopters in 2018, or 10 years behind schedule.

In a news release late on Friday, the federal government announced a deal with aircraft-manufacturer Sikorsky to start receiving 28 “fully capable” CH-148 Cyclone helicopters in four years. The helicopters are designed to replace the nearly 50-year-old Sea Kings on the Royal Canadian Navy’s frigates for military operations around the world.

The new delivery schedule means the marine choppers will arrive 14 years after Ottawa awarded the

contract to Sikorsky, and a decade after their original arrival date. The company failed to meet a revised deadline for delivery in 2012, which was part of a contract amendment with the government in 2008.

Ottawa refused to state on Friday whether it will receive the entire fleet in 2018 or over a longer period. Between 2015 and 2018, the Canadian Forces are planning to operate Cyclones with “sufficient” operational capability to start replacing the Sea Kings, but not the full capabilities that Ottawa is paying $5.7-billion to obtain.

Sikorsky encountered technological problems in developing the helicopters.

“As the pre-eminent helicopter manufacturer in the world, we regret that we have not executed this program to the satisfaction of the Government of Canada and that no aircraft were delivered in 2013,” Mick Maurer, president of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., said in the news release. “We recognize that we and our subcontractors must do better,” he said. If the latest timetable is followed, it will mark the end of a complicated process to buy new helicopters that started in the 1980s and was marred by a political fight between the Conservatives and the Liberals. When he was the



government’s minister of defence in 2012, Peter MacKay famously dubbed the military acquisition the worst in the country’s history.

The current Conservative government has imposed financial penalties of $88.6-million against Sikorsky for the delays.

“Under the new terms established in the Principles of Agreement, Sikorsky has committed to deliver the needed helicopter capability at no additional cost to Canada,” Public Works Minister Diane Finley said in a statement. “In addition, the Government of Canada will only issue further payment to Sikorsky upon capability delivery.”

Ottawa had threatened to scrap its contract with Sikorsky and to explore the acquisition of other helicopters given the delays. However, it reached a deal with Sikorsky on Dec. 31 to stick with the Cyclones.

“The decision to continue with the maritime helicopter project is consistent with our goals of getting the Canadian Armed Forces the equipment they need while protecting the investments taxpayers have already made in this program,” Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said.

Sikorsky had already started to provide helicopters to the Canadian Forces, but they were not officially counted as having been “delivered” because they did not meet all of the contractual requirements for power and certification.

“The restructured program will see the continuation of the initial training and testing of the Cyclone now under way in Shearwater, Nova Scotia,” the news release said. Source : The Globe and mail

SHIPYARD NEWS

Defence firm BAE 'could close Govan yard and move to Scotstoun site'

Defence firm BAE Systems is considering shutting its Govan shipyard and move its operations to Scotstoun as it prepares to take on its latest Ministry of Defence contract. It has submitted two planning applications to Glasgow City Council as it looks to facilitate the construction of the Type 26 global combat frigates in the city. One option BAE is exploring involves the decommissioning of its Govan yard to build a larger facility at its existing base in South Street, Scotstoun. A spokeswoman for the firm said this option would require "major investment", but stated it would not involve the loss of jobs as the roles at Govan could move over to Scotstoun. She was not able to say whether a smaller presence could be maintained at Govan under this proposal.

The other option the firm is exploring through a separate planning application involves the upgrading of both the Scotstoun and Govan sites to accommodate the Type 26 contract. BAE submitted the initial planning applications on December 9, just over one month after it confirmed it was shedding 835 jobs at its sites in Govan and Scotstoun, as well as at Rosyth in Fife and Filton in Bristol.

The planning application for Scotstoun is for the creation of a "new shipbuilding facility, including the provision of new buildings, a new site access and associated works" at the existing site, while BAE has proposed "the provision of new buildings and associated works" at Govan in another application.

The upgrading of both sites is the option that involves "minimal investment", the company has confirmed. It also said the single site option would lead to "significant cost savings" as it would not require to move components of ships between two different yards. In November, when it confirmed the job losses it said the cost of these would be borne

http://tenwolde.com/sales-rental/deck-equipment/swivelhead-fairleaders/�



by the Ministry of Defence and it announced 940 jobs would go at its Portsmouth base as it ceased shipbuilding operations there.

On Friday, a BAE spokeswoman said: "Further to our proposal to consolidate our complex warship manufacturing capability in Glasgow, we are undertaking initial exploratory work to assess potential options to invest in these manufacturing facilities. No decisions have been made and discussions around future investment proposals are part of our ongoing consultation process with our employees and trade unions.

"Our aim is to create a world-class warship design, build and integration capability, ensuring that we deliver value for money to the Ministry of Defence and that we provide a modern, safe and inspiring workplace for our employees."

According to the planning applications, public exhibitions of more detailed plans will be held in Glasgow in February as BAE prepares for the Type 26 contract that is scheduled to commence in 2016. The firm is also demolishing the iconic cranes at its Govan yard after it decommissioned the structures in 2008. Source : STVnews

The dredger SOSPAN DAU during repair on the slip in Hardinxveld Giessendam. Photo : Arie Boer ©

Qatar contractor orders more support vessels from L&T

Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding has won orders for six offshore vessels from Halul Offshore Services Co. W.L.L., Qatar. The $154-million contract covers design, construction, trials, and commissioning of four platform supply vessels (PSVs) and two anchor handling towing, supply, and standby vessels (AHTSSVs) with 150-metric ton (165-ton) bollard pull. All the vessels will be equipped with DP-2 dynamic positioning with equipment for fire-fighting, emergency response, rescue and standby, offshore supply, oil recovery, and other duties.The PSVs, due to be delivered in 1Q



2015, will feature diesel-electric propulsion. The AHTSSVs, incorporating diesel-hybrid, should be delivered in 4Q 2015. Last year Halul ordered four additional PSVs and AHTSSVs from Larsen & Toubro. Source : Offshore

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The PING MAY and the CONGER at the Noordzeecanal – Photo : Xander van Holk (c)

Batu Ampar port readies for transformation

Work continues on the development of Batu Ampar Port on Batam Island overlooking Singapore. The $30m extension will see the port capable of handling 600,000 teu a year, up from the current 200,000 teu. Quayside length will be extended from the current 400 m to 1,100 m while depth alongside is being deepened from the current 14 m to 17 m. State construction company PT Wijaya Karya is the main project contractor. Source: Sea Ship News

The importance of UK trade The UK trade remains one of the largest single country trades in Northern Europe. But comparability with the six main ports on the European continent is complicated by the inland distribution and transhipments to the Baltic, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal and Ireland.

Taking both deep sea and intra-European container trade into account, the UK import volumes are nearly 22% of the total North European trade. Exports account however account for only 13% of the total. These figures exclude empty



containers and doubling handling at ports. The container imbalance of full to empty is 1.8 to 1, i.e. nearly twice as many containers arrive full against those leaving.

On a monthly basis, if one takes into account the movement of empty containers as well as full, the average number of teu handled is around 400,000. This puts to bed any thought of the UK ports losing out to their Continental competitors by way of transhipment.

The volume of traffic is just too high at nearly 100,000 teu a month to contemplate such an operation. Main line vessel calls are a cheaper option and it is for this reason that both Felixstowe and London Gateway have invested so much money in expanding and modernising, with the former estimated to currently have an annual capacity of 4.6m teu with plans to expand to 6m teu by 2020. The London Gateway’s full build out plan is for 3.5m teu on a 995-acre site.

With other known expansion plans along the UK coast, the country will be well positioned for increased container flows going forward beyond 2020 and the population centres in southern England will be well placed to enjoy the benefits of these developments. Source: Port Strategy

The NEVERLAND DREAM outbound from Rotterdam – Photo : Monique Davis-Mulder (c)

Are ports ready for super vessel impact? These tremendous ships, which will begin to arrive when the Panama Canal expansion opens to commerce in 2015, are a harbinger of economic growth. This nation, and especially the Port of Virginia, must address the need and the challenges of a modern transportation system and evaluate potential investment opportunities. The recent report from the U.S. Army Engineer Institute for Water Resources, the U.S. Port and Inland Waterways Modernization: Preparing for Post-Panamax Vessels, contributes to the ongoing public discussion regarding how we can best prepare for influx of cargo as these vessels arrive at the Port of Virginia.

Post-Panamax vessels make up 16 percent of the world's container fleet, but account for 45 percent of the fleet's capacity.

The proliferation of post-Panamax vessels, with the ability to lower shipping costs, makes their East Coast domination inevitable: exporters are likely to save an average of 25 percent by shipping on post-Panamax vessels rather than the smaller Panamax ships.

Cargo Business News wrote that most ships navigating the Panama Canal today carry 3,200-4,500 TEUs, or 20-foot-long intermodal containers, but after 2015, experts predict post-Panamax will move an estimated 12,600 TEUs. The IWR report states, "population and trade growth, coupled with port capacity, have shown the nation's most critical capacity needs are along the southeast and gulf coasts."

These supersized vessels an infrastructure that will support them: railway, roads, 50-foot navigation channels, security - Hampton Roads' economic future hinges on funding the growing gap between the burgeoning vessels and the port infrastructure that can welcome them.

In a Sept. 6, 2013 letter to both the assistant secretary for civil works and the director of the office and management budget, Virginian senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine underscored the importance of funding the Craney Island Eastward Expansion project in Portsmouth, Va.



The project would allow the Virginia Port Authority to nearly double its marine terminal capacity, enabling it to meet projected increases in international trade after the newly expanded Panama Canal is opened. New, larger vessels all but demand the expansion: Hofstra University reported that each time the size of a ship is doubled, its capacity tripled. In the private sector, more than 14,000 businesses from the contiguous 48 states move cargo through Virginia, all of which stand to benefit from the impending paradigm shift in shipping.

But we must balance the cost of a post-Panamax port: in this time of seemingly perpetual fiscal crises, we must realize that capital improvements cannot be realized at the cost of maintaining current levels of service. Channels require maintenance dredging, cranes require repair and servicing, aids to navigation continually require replacing, etc.

Moreover, turning basins, navigation jetties, dredge material placement facilities, berthing facilities and aids to navigation must all be made ready for the larger fleet of vessels. Other factors include storage area, stacking height rules, operating hours, cranes capable of loading and unloading the larger ships, and docks engineered to handle the new and bigger cranes.

Mike Darrow, Norfolk District's chief of Water Resources Division, underscores the importance of striking the right balance. "We must continually weigh the needs of new capital improvements with an operations and maintenance budget that has remained flat for years and actually has lost critical buying power for required channel dredging maintenance due to inflation," Darrow said. "Unless the current budget paradigm changes, nationally we cannot afford to add new and improve existing infrastructure without also increasing the dollars available to maintain the improvements to the navigation system."

But, in terms of post-Panamax-ready, did the report go far enough?

Many, including Capt. J. William "Bill" Cofer, president of the Virginian Pilot Association, contend that the 50-foot channel depth is insufficient for the post-Panamax vessels.

"Today, inland channels require 55-foot depths and offshore entry fairways require 60-foot depths," he said. "International shipping companies are now routinely building ships that, when deeply loaded, draw 48 feet to 52 feet."

Cofer said around the world, ports require at least 3 feet of under-keel clearance in their inner harbors, and 8 feet of under-keel clearance to safely transit off-shore waters surrounding the U.S. coastal shelf.

"This isn't complicated ... it is simple math," he said. "Today, the new global shipping fleets currently transiting the world require inland channels dredged to 55 feet and offshore fairways with depths of at least 60 feet to move cargo in all weathers."the Port of Virginia is the sole eastern seaboard port that is authorized to dredge to 55 feet.

But, under Cofer's criteria, no East Coast ports are prepared.

Ultimately, the commonwealth, and locally, Hampton Roads must engage in the ongoing public discussion that will help inform current and future decisions on the maintenance and development of our ports, waterways and their related infrastructure. Source : Dailypress

Ctg port saw 9.6pc growth in container handling in 2013

The country's premier seaport, Chittagong Port, experienced a 9.60 percent increase in container handling in 2013, a year rife with shutdowns and blockades. The port handled around 1.54 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers last year, up from 1.40 million TEUs in 2012, according to data from the Chittagong Port Authority's traffic department.

Nizam Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the CPA, termed the growth “unimaginable” amid the political turmoil. He said the different steps the port authorities took to boost the capacity -- like the implementation of computerised Container Terminal Management System and enhancement of spaces for storing containers -- played a key role in achieving the growth.

The CPA chairman also acknowledged the “enormous efforts” the staff put in to keep the port active in every circumstance, behind the impressive figures. The port did not remain closed for a single day last year, he added.

Meanwhile, Nasir Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, first vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exporters Association, said the adverse effects of the political turmoil would be felt in the coming months. Source: The Daily Star



Vroon’s POOL EXPRESS operating off the Dutch coast –

Photo : FLYING FOCUS luchtfotografie - www.flyingfocus.nl ©

Ready to clear the way Winter's arctic cold and ice have created one benefit. After a two-year absence, the MANITOU, a 110-foot icebreaking tugboat, is back in town. Owned by Malcolm Marine of St. Clair, the boat is being used to break ice so freighters can get to and from the Lafarge plant and other facilities.

"This year's ice is probably more like a normal winter for us," company representative Don Malcolm said. "We've been spoiled for too long. We haven't had any cold weather."

A freighter out of Chicago is expected to arrive in Alpena Sunday, weather permitting, loaded with either salt or coal, Malcolm said. The tug will break its way through the shipping channel to the edge of the ice in Thunder Bay and help the freighter to port, he said. The tug also will be used, if needed, to help turn the freighter around or assist with docking in windy conditions, he said.

Malcolm said his parents, Keith and Barb Malcolm, went into the tugboat business in 1960, out of Marine City and today offer salvage, towing, icebreaking and dredging services. Malcolm heads the company's marine construction division, while his brother, Dave, handles tug boat operations. Dave's wife, Diane, also is involved in the business.

Competition for Great Lakes shipping is stiff, Malcolm said. Even the U.S. Coast Guard provides ice breaking services. But Thunder Bay is smaller, and the family-owned business has been serving Lafarge for over 40 years.

The tug was built in the 1950s for the U.S. Coast Guard and served the New York City area before being retired, Malcolm said. It has a galley and sleeping berths, and normally carries a crew of four. For around-the-clock jobs, the

http://www.flyingfocus.nl/�

http://www.sam-electronics.nl/�



crew is increased so deck hands can work in shifts. The winter-time work is dangerous, because of the ice and the weather, Malcolm said. "Anything's possible. It's cold out there," Malcolm said. "It's tough, too, because there's a lot of competition out there." Source : The Alpena News

Phillipines: Port traffic up slightly in first 9 months of 2013

The volume of cargo and passengers that passed through the country’s ports increased marginally in the first nine months of the year, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

Data from PPA show that total cargo throughput rose by 2.88 percent to 149.55 million metric tons (MT) in the January to September period from 145.36 million in the same nine months of last year. Of the total, domestic cargo stood at 57.09 million MT, up by 1.25 percent from 56.38 million a year ago. Foreign cargo stood at 92.46 million MT, higher by 3.92 percent from the previous year’s 88.98 million.

Export cargo grew by 3.02 percent to 47.65 million MT, while import cargo rose 4.89 percent to 44.82 million.

The agency attributed the increase in exports to the large volume of river sand, magnetite sand, crude minerals, nickel ore, limestone ore and coconut oil shipped abroad. Fuel, coal, grains and fertilizers were responsible for the uptick in imports. Passenger volume also rose by 5.22 percent to 39.56 million in the first nine months of the year from 37.59 million last year.

Domestic passengers numbered 39.51 million and foreign passengers, 49,848. Despite the increase, the passenger growth reflected the impact of competition posed by airlines offering budget fares. PPA said ship calls for the January to September period went up by 3.30 percent to 268,000 from 259,431 last year. Domestic ship calls grew by 3.53 percent to 260,321, while foreign ship calls were down by 3.78 percent to 7,679. Foreign vessels, however, may be lesser in number during the period, but larger in size and in carrying capacity. Source: InterAksyon

Marine police nab 43 Indonesians at Penang Port

The Marine Operations Force (PGM) has detained 43 Indonesians including a baby boy in Penang Port for attempting to sneak out of the country to return to Acheh last night. PGM Region 1 Intelligence and Operation chief, DSP Rosli Sufian said a casual inspection on the boat at 8pm found all the foreigners crammed in the vessel while waiting to depart. "The boat is meant to transport goods and not humans...we believe they wanted to use a shortcut through the area illegally to Acheh," he told reporters here today.

He said further inspection found 25 of them did not hold any personal identification documents.

Rosli said the boat passengers paid up to RM600 per person through a middleman for the two-day journey to Acheh.

"We also held the boat's skipper and two crew members and seized the boat," he said.

He said the foreigners comprising 32 men and 11 women aged in their 20s to 40s were taken to the Batu Uban marine police base for further investigation.

Meanwhile in JOHOR BARU, PGM Region Two prevented 46 illegal immigrants from leaving the country in a raid at Pantai Batu Layar, Sungai Rengit, near Kota Tinggi today. PGM Region Two commander ACP Zainul Abidin Hasan said all of them were nabbed by five police personnel from the Pengerang Tactical Camp when carrying out 'Ops Cantas Khas (Waters) in the area at about 5.30am.

"From investigations, all 33 men and 13 women aged between 18 and 62 years were hiding on the beach while waiting for a boat to take them back to Indonesia," he said in a statement here today. BERNAMA - Source : New Straits Times



PLEASE MAINTAIN YOUR MAILBOX, DUE TO NEW POLICY OF THE PROVIDER, YOUR ADDRESS WILL BE “DEACTIVATED”

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

your address again, please do not write this in the guestbook because I am not checking this guest book daily.

Spotted last December 20th, Dockwise TARGET loaded with the rig NOBLE REGINA ALLEN prior discharging in

Rotterdam-Caland canal Photo: Hans van der Linden......www.aerolin.nl.......@Aerolin Photo BV.(c)

Broker takes optimistic view of North Sea market in 2014

Broker Seabrokers says it believes 2014 could be a good year for owners in the North Sea market. "This time last year, we noted that shipowners active in the Northwest Europe support vessel market would be glad to see the back of 2012. Twelve months on, it would be fair to say that the majority are now far more optimistic on their expectations for the market, having experienced more favourable conditions in 2013," said Seabrokers in its latest monthly report. "Day rates for both the PSV and AHTS markets have been up year-on-year for the vast majority of months in 2013, most noticeably in the summer from May to September. "With a significant number of newbuild drilling rigs




(particularly jack-ups) due to commence charters next year, owners will be hoping that these rates can be replicated, if not surpassed, in 2014." As Seabrokers noted, there are still a host of European-built vessels (primarily PSVs) to be delivered in 2014, but increasing activity in Northwest Europe, and competition from alternative markets such as West Africa, may quickly soak up this additional supply. Source: Oil Pubs

The "JAYA CORAL" on DP along side the "Atwood Orca" at Gulf of Thailand

Photo : Richard Qualm - Marine Manager - DNV GL – Oil & Gas Thailand ©

Bimini Superfast cruise encounters legal challenge

Malaysian casino giant Genting is running into troubled waters on its Bimini Superfast casino ferry between Miami and the Bahamas. According to the Miami Herald, federal court documents show that Genting warned of “incalculable” losses if the United States continues to ban it from using foreign labor on overnight gambling runs into international waters.

Genting launched the new overnight cruises in July, partly to ferry passengers to its new casino resort on the tiny island of Bimini. Other problems with the cruise included difficult shuttling passengers from the ship to the island during rough seas, and delayed construction of its pier in Bimini. Source : South Florida Business Journal

First wave of ship recycling rules goes into effect in Europe

EUROPE's new ship recycling regulation that came into effect on New Year's Day will have a direct impact on shore-based businesses and on shipowners.

Not all the European ship recycling regulation went live on January 1, 2014. Some parts are applicable after December 31, 2014, that are more in relation to the requirements of recycling facilities, either in the European community or outside it, to be included in the European list of approved facilities. Most of the regulation, specifically those parts relating to hazardous materials inventories and shipboard certificates, come into force between December 31, 2015



and December 2018, depending on when the combined maximum annual recycling output of approved facilities is 2.5 metres light displacement tonnes, reports Lloyd's List.

Although it does not have much immediate impact on European owners, this latest European regulation goes a long way towards strengthening the Hong Kong Convention of the International Maritime Organisation on ship recycling.

The European Union has agreed the regulations in a manner likely to bring the EU flags as a group of signatories to the IMO convention, to come into force two years after its criteria is met.

Although experts do not expect the European regulations to have much immediate impact on how vessels can be scrapped, they warn shipowners to be aware of the immediate paperwork requirements and of the time it will take to prepare hazardous-material lists. One factor of concern with the EU regulation was whether the regulations would be strong enough to ban beaching vessels, a common practice in some ship-breaking sites in India and Bangladesh, which offers competitive pricing against rival bases that use drydocks.

Groups such as the European Community Shipowners Association called for the European rules not to specify a ban on beaching. The wording of the EU regulation states that an approved recycling facility has to operate from a built structure and have a detailed map, including boundaries. For now the new regulation does not include the proposal for a fee to be paid by ships calling at European ports to create a ship recycling fund to encourage green recycling. Source : Asian Shipper

OLDIE – FROM THE SHOEBOX

Keel laid : August 3rd 1942 , and launched November 11th 1942, at the Seattle-Tacoma yard in Tacoma, the C3-S-A1 type vessel BALINAS , Decommissioned in the US for transfer 12 August 1943; transferred to RN and commissioned in RN service as HMS BEGUM (D38) same date. Outfitted as ASW carrier. Served in Pacific and Middle East starting 1944. RN designation changed to R305 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar. Returned to USN 4 Jan 1946, stricken for disposal 19 June 1946. Sold into merchant service 16 April 1947 as RAKI for the The Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland ("Netherlands Steamship Company") or SMN, also known as the Netherland Line or Nederland Line, Renamed I YUNG in 1966. Was broken up in Kaohsiung in March 1974 Photo : Harry Stott ©

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

UNSUBSCRIBE / UITSCHRIJF PROCEDURE To unsubscribe click here (English version) or visit the subscription page on our website.

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=en-US

Om uit te schrijven klik hier (Nederlands) of bezoek de inschrijvingspagina op onze website. http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=nl-NL



http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=nl-NL�

http://www.maasmondmaritime.com/uitschrijven.aspx?lan=nl-NL�



…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

Beautiful photo of the entrance of the port of Willemstad (Curacao) as seen by John Smit (c)

daily collection of mar itime press clippings 2014 – …chinese ship used in antarctic rescue...

Documents