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Last updated: 17-Jul-2007
 

 

MaritimeDigital Archive News - 2006-02

 

Number of messages: 143 in the period 2006-02.

MaritimeDigital Archive NewsOscar Austin Provides Assistance to Fishing Vessel

The guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) located and assisted a distressed fishing vessel Feb. 14 while operating 140 nautical miles off the coast of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship, which is part of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Strike Group, was headed to Civitavechia, Italy, the next scheduled port of call, when its SH-60B Seahawk helicopter discovered the drifting fishing boat in distress. The boat’s five crew members were waving flags and shot a white flare to get the aircraft's attention. The Italian fishing vessel named Zaira SR 2437, which had no remaining fuel and no ability to communicate via radio, had lost propulsion and was drifting further out to sea. With 30 plus knot winds, high seas and a frigid temperature, the crew needed help immediately.
The helicopter lowered a search and rescue swimmer into the ocean to swim to Zaira. It was determined that the vessel was seaworthy, but needed fuel to transit back to port. Oscar Austin deployed one of its rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) to transport fuel to the small boat. The fishing vessel successfully started and maneuvered alongside Oscar Austin to complete the underway replenishment. The RHIB connected a fueling line from Oscar Austin's boat deck to Zaira and transferred the necessary amount of fuel to ensure its safe return to port. Cmdr. Pete DeMane, Oscar Austin’s commanding officer, was extremely proud of the effort his crew put forth during this difficult evolution. “Oscar Austin's crew has seen many different tactical situations throughout this deployment, and today they had the opportunity to help out fellow mariners on a humanitarian level," he said. "I am very proud of all of the hard work put forth here today.” To show their appreciation, the Italian crew members presented Oscar Austin with a swordfish that they caught on their trip out. Oscar Austin recently arrived in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations and will conduct Theater Security Cooperation engagements over the next few weeks before returning to homeport in Norfolk, Va. (Source: USS Oscar Austin Public Affairs)
• 2006-02-21 12:13:18 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNew Fees for Tug Services at Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced that effective April 1, 2006, there will be rate increases for tug and linehandling services due to rising operating costs. The decision was made by the Republic of Panama's Cabinet Council, upon a recommendation from the ACP's Board of Directors.
Rates for tug services will increase 7 percent and rates for linehandling services will rise 4 percent. Fees vary by vessel size. Rates for these services have not been increased since March 2004. However, increases in operating costs due primarily to sustained fuel hikes have impacted tugboat and linehandling services, making it necessary to adjust rates. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-21 12:06:14 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCanadian Ships to Join Training Exercise with U.S. Navy

Five Canadian warships left Halifax on Monday for a three-week training exercise with the U.S. navy, reports said. The flagship of the exercise will be HMCS Montreal, which will be jointed by HMCS Ville de Quebec, Summerside, Moncton and Preserver, Navy officials said. The vessels will join three U.S. destroyers, along with Canadian fighter jets and land forces. Canada's only operational submarine, HMCS Windsor, is also expected to take part. About 1,000 personnel will participate in the exercise, set to take place in waters off Canada's Nova Scotia and Norfolk of U.S. Virginia and Boston, Mass.
Joint Task Force Atlantic is one of several regional command centres responsible for conducting domestic operations under Canada Command. The centres were announced last year to focus on disasters at home. Combat capabilities will be tested in the areas of anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare and boarding operations. (Source: Xinhua)

• 2006-02-21 12:04:47 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSignal to Repair Boomtown Barge

Signal International, a company known for its work in repairing and renovating offshore drilling rigs, will be repair the hull of the Boomtown Casino barge. The barge, heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina, was moved to Signal last week for hull repairs, according to information from Penn National Gaming, which owns the casino. Company officials said they expect to have the barge's repairs completed and the casino back in operation by the end of this year. The exact cost of the repairs were not released, but company spokesman Ron Schnoor said the hull repairs were estimated at less than $1 million. (Source: Mississippi Press)
• 2006-02-21 12:04:05 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsWarner backs Navy effort to mothball JFK

U.S. Sen. John W. Warner, who in December capped a successful drive to save the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, on Friday jumped to the forefront of a new effort to retire the ship. As Navy officials briefed lawmakers on safety assessments that indicate the 38-year-old JFK is unfit for duty, the Virginia Republican told reporters he is satisfied that the 11 carriers remaining meet the military’s needs. Although that force will be the smallest in decades, Warner argued that a contemporary carrier “is far more effective as a fighting platform than the carrier of a decade ago.” He said he now believes the $2 billion or more needed to repair the Kennedy and keep it in service over the next five years would be better spent on new shipbuilding.
Warner’s announcement and his introduction of a bill to repeal a six-week-old law requiring the Navy to maintain at least 12 aircraft carriers, is likely “the end of the line for the Kennedy,” said Scott Truver, a naval programs analyst. As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warner is perhaps Congress’ most influential voice on defense issues. The announcement might also trigger a bitter fight in Congress between Virginia and Florida lawmakers. The latter group has been working for months to bring one of the Navy’s five Norfolk-based carriers to the Kennedy’s homeport of Mayport, Fla., if the Kennedy is retired. “We need to repair the JFK as soon as possible so we’re not reducing our carrier fleet from 12 to 11 in a time of war,” Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. , said Friday. “And while the Kennedy is under repair, we need to move a nuclear-powered ship from Norfolk to Mayport as soon as possible – so all our other carriers aren’t sitting ducks in one port.” Warner was joined Friday in his change of heart on the Kennedy by Reps. Jo Ann Davis, R-1st District; Thelma Drake, R-2nd District; and Robert C. Scott, D-3rd District , who were all allies of retaining the ship just a few months ago. “Because we’ve spent all our money on tax cuts, there is very little left over for shipbuilding,” Scott said Friday. “We’ve been told they could waste $3 billion on the Kennedy, but it’s going to come out of shipbuilding somewhere else.
“If that’s the only choice we have, it’s not much of a choice,” he added. Drake asked, “Even if we had the extra money, what’s the best way to spend that money? They’ve pretty well convinced us it’s not on the Kennedy.” The Kennedy is one of two conventionally powered carriers in the Navy. The other is the Kitty Hawk, based in Yokosuka, Japan, and scheduled to be retired in 2008. Navy leaders last month announced a $10 million study to assess the environmental impact of dredging and renovations needed to outfit the Mayport base for a nuclear-powered carrier. That study also is expected to cover the cost of other basing options in Mayport, including the assignment of an Expeditionary Strike Group, a collection of amphibious ships outfitted to carry and support Marine forces. Because each carrier has a crew of about 3,000 sailors, the ships are enormous economic generators for their homeports. The loss of just one flattop would drain about $225 million annually from Hampton Roads, according to estimates developed by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. But an expeditionary group has about as many sailors as a carrier, Truver noted Friday. Assigning one to Mayport could help the Navy mollify Florida lawmakers upset about the loss of the Kennedy while avoiding a fight with Virginians over a Norfolk-based flattop, he suggested. Last year, the Navy canceled plans to spend $350 million overhauling the Kennedy so that it could remain in service until 2018. A senior Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Friday that inspections have uncovered new and more expensive problems, including deterioration of “sheave foundations” housing the ship’s arresting gears, the mechanisms that snag and hold aircraft as they land on the deck. Late Friday, the Navy announced that all the arresting gears have been “decertified,” meaning they can no longer be used and only helicopters can land on the Kennedy’s deck. Two of the Kennedy’s four catapults also have been judged unsafe and the others are operating under safety waivers that expire in June, the official said. Additional waivers for half of the Kennedy’s boilers, which produce steam that powers the 90,000-ton carrier and its catapults, are scheduled to expire in September, the official added. Repairs to the arresting gear would cost an estimated $160 million, the official said, and an overhaul would require more than $400 million. Retaining and operating the ship through the Pentagon’s current five-year planning cycle would cost a total of $2 billion, Warner confirmed. The Kennedy has been moored in Mayport since late last year and has not been deployed overseas since 2004. Navy leaders concluded more than a year ago that the ship should be retired as soon as possible. But Warner argued through 2005 that its fate should be decided as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review , a Pentagon study of the military’s entire force structure that was not concluded until earlier this month. Other lawmakers, including Rep. Davis and Sen. Nelson, argued that any cut in the carrier force is unwise with the nation engaged in a worldwide war against terrorism. The QDR recommended an 11-carrier force, which is projected to drop to just 10 flattops early in the next decade but to return to 12 by 2019. “To achieve this expansion while managing limited resources, it is necessary to retire the aging conventional carriers that have served this country for so long” Warner said in remarks inserted late Thursday in the Congressional Record. (Source:
The Virginian-Pilot)


• 2006-02-21 03:55:49 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsShipping accidents off the Chinese coast leave 61 missing

Two ships were apparently driven against the rocky coast of eastern China in rough seas. First, a Chinese fishing boat with 27 people on board sank there; three sailors were rescued but the others are still missing. Only hours later, a Panamanian freighter sank there, leaving rescuers looking for 37 crew members.
A Chinese official said the ship was carrying a cargo of seafood to Indonesia, but he didn't know the ship's name or the nationality of its crew. Typhoons and other rough weather conditions frequently lash Pingtan, an island just off the Fujian coast about 370 miles south of Shanghai. (Source: The Press Association)
• 2006-02-21 03:51:49 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCanada to get tough on illegal fishing

Canada's new Fisheries Minister, Loyola Hearn, has indicated that Canada will take on the responsibility of policing the waters beyond its 200-mile territorial boundary, particularly in areas off Newfoundland that have been overfished for many years. Canada currently can issue citations to boats guilty of overfishing, but these citations carry very little weight.
Mr. Hearn says that new actions could include closing Canada's ports to vessels from nations that violate the regulations. The World Wildlife Fund last year criticized Portugal, Spain, Russia and Canada for fishing at levels that made the recovery of stocks impossible, so Mr. Hearn has some backers. But his more aggressive approach is bound to have its critics. (Source: National Post)
• 2006-02-21 03:51:04 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsMitsubishi Launches Hatsu Smile

On February 4, 2006, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Kobe shipyard launched Hatsu Smile, the fourth in a series of ten 7024TEU S-type container vessels that the shipbuilder is constructing for the Evergreen Group. Like the first three ships in the series, Hatsu Smile will be operated by London-headquartered Hatsu Marine Ltd. Hatsu Smile was named by Mr Chang Kuo-Cheng (K C Chang), Vice Group Chairman of Evergreen Group and Chairman of Evergreen Marine Corp. The honour of cutting the ceremonial rope sending the traditional bottle of champagne against its bow to launch and send the vessel on its way down the slipway was given to Mrs Kuo Yeh Chiung-Yu, wife of Captain S Y Kuo who is also Vice Group Chairman for the Evergreen Group.
The Evergreen Group is taking delivery of 18 large post-Panamax containerships over the period 2005 to 2008 – ten S-types and eight 8063TEU C-types – allowing the Group companies to upgrade existing services and phase out older vessels. Hatsu Smile is due to be delivered to Hatsu Marine towards the end of May and will commence her maiden voyage to Europe shortly thereafter. As well as the four S-type vessels, the Hatsu fleet also comprises five 6332TEU E-class vessels plus two 1618TEU P-class vessels currently deployed in regional Asian services within the Evergreen Group. All ships fly the UK flag. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-18 14:32:41 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsShips Abandoned at UAE Ports

The Khaleej Times reported that at least two ships are currently being abandoned at UAE ports, with some 16 seamen of Asian and Middle Eastern origin being left at the mercy of charitable organizations like the Mission to Seafarers. One tugboat with four crew members and a small tanker vessel with 12 seamen are currently being abandoned by their owners at Hamriyah in Dubai and Hamriyah Port in Sharjah respectively. The four-member crew, all Indians, of the tugboat, which is owned by an Iraqi, has not been paid for four months now, and is now relying on the mission. The tug has been sold to another Iraqi. The other ship, a feeder diesel smuggling vessel, has 12 crew members, including Syrians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, who have also not been paid by the owner for several months now. The ship used to smuggle diesel from Iraq, carry it to Iran to avoid sailing into international waters and then come to the Gulf, from where its load used to be discharged onto bigger ships.
At any given time, there are at least 100 ships in this area, whose crew has not been paid for months. To be able to address more issues of this kind, The Mission to Seafarers in Dubai, which is part of the international organization that cares for seafarers regardless of race or religion in over 300 ports around the world, launched its charitable appeal ‘The Angel Appeal.’ The aim of the project is to raise over $1 million before the end of this year to build and equip a boat appropriately named ‘Angel’ to support some of the estimated 140,000 seafarers using the East Coast Anchorages of the UAE each year. (Source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com)

• 2006-02-18 14:31:20 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSeabulk Pride Leaves Bay

The Seabulk Pride, a tanker that was anchored in Kachemak Bay last week after it ran aground, departed Kachemak Bay about 9:30 p.m. Feb. 9. The 600-foot double-hull tanker had been in Homer about a week as it was inspected and repaired after ice pushed the ship away from its dock in Nikiski and it was grounded. The Seabulk Pride pulled into Port Angeles, Wash., on Feb. 14. Because the tanker had lost one anchor, it was escorted by a tug as it came into port. The tanker is to be inspected at Port Angeles before it can be moved to Anacortes, Wash., to offload its cargo.
The Coast Guard has required tests of the ship’s cargo piping before its 3.9 million gallons of petroleum products can be pumped off. The tanker will also be required to have protective booming around it as the cargo is offloaded. After the Seabulk Pride has offloaded cargo and cleaned its tanks, it will go to a shipyard for repair, probably in Canada. Repairs will be checked by the Coast Guard. (Source: Homer News Online)

• 2006-02-18 14:30:21 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCrowley to Build 400 x 105 ft. Deck Barges

Crowley has awarded a two-barge construction contract to Gunderson Marine of Portland, Oregon, with the first vessel to be available for service in early 2007. The new construction of these two Heavy Lift Series 400 x 105 ft. deck barges to handle project work for the offshore energy industry in the Gulf of Mexico will expand and keep current Crowley's fleet for customers of the company's marine services business segment. Crowley's new Heavy Lift Series 400-x 105 ft. barges will provide both the capacity and deck strength needed to accommodate the favored larger units for deepwater development.
The barges will also be suitable for use in other regions, including Alaska, where Crowley has regularly performed summer sealifts to the North Slope.
Crowley's new barges will be classed by the American Bureau of Shipping and receive certification from the United States Coast Guard. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-18 14:29:34 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive News57 Missing After Ships Sink

At least 57 people are missing after two ships sank in high winds in the Taiwan Strait off southeast China, the state news agency said on Friday, according to a report on www.cbc.ca. Xinhua said the first ship, carrying 37 people, struck a reef near coastal Fujian province's Pingtan island late Thursday. The Fujian Maritime Safety Administration says the ship, headed for Indonesia, was fully loaded with aquatic products when strong winds carried it onto the reef. About two hours later, a fishing boat with 27 people sank near Pingtan island. Three people were rescued, but the rest are missing. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-18 14:27:50 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsWreckage of Egyptian ferry found

Transport Minister Mohamed Loutfi Mansour said the al-Salam 98 was found in 800m (2,600 ft) of water, 90km (56 miles) from Egypt's port of Safaga. He said experts would lower a robotic submersible to take pictures and search for the vessel's voyage data recorder. Only 388 out of more than 1,400 people on board survived the disaster. Ships carry a voyage data recorder, similar to a plane's black box, to record information about the vessel's location, direction of travel and weather conditions. Mr Mansour said the Egyptian authorities were now working with international salvage experts to try to recover the device from the al-Salam Boccaccio '98, which was operated by El-Salam Maritime.
When they launch the salvage mission at the weekend they will also photograph the wreckage in an effort to establish why the ship sank. It is believed that the 35-year-old ship, which was sailing in bad weather, ran into trouble when a fire broke out below decks. The accident has prompted accusations of negligence, with the crew accused of ignoring warnings to evacuate after the fire took hold and the ship began to list. The anger of relatives has increased because of a lack of information about their loved ones, most of whom were Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia. (Source: BBC News)
• 2006-02-18 14:01:18 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsIndian workers protest the departure of the Clemenceau

The decision by French President Jacques Chirac to stop the decommissioned aircraft carrier Clemenceau being broken up in the shipyards of Alang on India's west coast marks a victory for environmentalists. But shipyard workers wanted the job, and are planning days of protests and hunger strikes. Girish Luthra, whose company Gujarat Enviro Protection and Infrastructure was due to remove the toxic materials from the Clemenceau, said this ship could have given jobs to 300 to 400 workers. And it could have spelled the beginning of an upswing in an industry that has lost work to Bangladesh, China and Pakistan. (Source: Khaleej Times Online)
• 2006-02-18 13:57:33 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive News Indian sailors 'traumatised by beatings'

Ten alleged Somali pirates "tortured" the crew of an Indian dhow that they hijacked and also attacked other vessels off the coast of Somalia before being captured by the United States Navy last month, a Kenyan court heard on Tuesday. Captain Akbar Ali Suleiman said he and his 15 crew were regularly beaten and denied food by the accused who then used the dhow as a base to stage unsuccessful attacks on three ships in the area during the five-day ordeal. "On all those days, there was continuous torture," he said on the first day of testimony in a landmark piracy trial in this Indian Ocean port city. "The accused were eating our food and not allowing us to eat anything." Suleiman said the defendants - armed with handguns, assault rifles and grenade launchers - made their intentions clear after seizing his dhow on January 16 and demanding satellite phones and $50 000. "Once inside, they started beating and threatening us and making demands," he said. "They said that our ship was under arrest and that they were after other ships." He said the alleged pirates had secured three small speedboats to his dhow and used them to launch failed attacks on three commercial ships, the last of which prompted US naval intervention. The suspects were captured by the US destroyer Churchill on January 21 about 85km off the Somali coast, after they tried to attack a Bahamanian-registered freighter a day earlier.
The US military brought the suspects to Mombasa late last month after Kenyan authorities agreed to prosecute the case in a bid to rein in an epidemic of piracy of the unpatrolled Somali coast. Defence lawyers are seeking to quash the charges - the first-ever test of Kenya's anti-piracy laws - claiming Kenyan courts have no jurisdiction in the matter, an argument Mombasa magistrate Beatrice Jaden has thus far rejected. But the defendants have pleaded not guilty and claim they were illegally abducted by the United States while fishing in international waters. They could face life in prison if convicted.The US seizure of the alleged pirates came amid a surge in ship hijackings off the coast of Somalia where the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported 37 attacks on vessels since mid-March last year. Somalia has had no functioning central administration since the 1991 ousting of Mohammed Siad Barre and pirates have increasingly taken advantage of the lack of authority to ply the 3 700km coast. (Source: Sapa-AFP)
• 2006-02-17 04:18:23 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsUSS Porter Trains with Black Sea Navies

The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) arrived in the Black Sea in early February to train with the Ukrainian and Romanian navies. As part of a strategic focus to the south and east, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet (CNE/C6F) have increased engagement in the Black Sea in an effort to increase cooperation with regional partners.
“This is my second time in the Black Sea in the past nine months and the third time we have had ships operating here,” said Capt. Tom Rowden, commander of Task Force 65 and the senior embarked officer aboard Porter. “The Ukrainian and Romanian navies are both emerging partners in the U.S. European Command theater and I have seen significant progress in our ability to operate with them. This will continue as long as we take full advantage of the opportunities we have to work together, and when we do this, it makes us all better at what we do.” During their time in the Black Sea, Porter Sailors will participate in passing exercises, Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) evolutions, and other shipboard training with their Romania and Ukrainian counterparts. (Source:
U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs)
• 2006-02-17 04:14:21 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPanama Canal Christens Drill Barge Baru

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) held the christening ceremony of its new drill barge "Barú," named after Panama's only volcano. Entirely manufactured by Panamanians, the Barú is 51 meters long and 15 meters wide, nearly the size of two basketball courts. The new, state-of-the-art barge will play an instrumental role in the Canal's dredging initiatives. Dredging (deepening and widening navigation channels and other areas by extracting mud, rock and sand) is fundamental to maintaining and improving the Panama Canal's infrastructure. The Barú is equipped with four drilling rigs that can bore holes up to 30 meters in a single pass. The drilled holes are loaded with explosives and detonated to fracture the rock. The blasted material is then removed by floating equipment, such as the dipper dredge the Rialto M. Christensen. "The ACP's Industrial Shipyard Division, together with local Panamanian workers, accomplished an enormous task and overcame several challenges building such a large craft. The Barú is one of our best industrial achievements. This is a momentous event as we christen this barge during the dredging conference organized by the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) - in the presence of the world's dredging industry representatives," said ACP Director of Engineering Agustin Arias. One hundred craftsmen from Panama were specially commissioned to construct the Barú, which was designed by De Donge Shipbuilding.
These workers constructed the barge with the ACP's Industrial Shipyard Division, which allowed for an exchange of information and a transfer in technology. The Barú boasts sophisticated apparatus for controlling and monitoring drilling operations. It also has many amenities that will provide for added comfort to the crew. Such components and systems include: air conditioning and ventilation, hydraulics, potable water and sanitation. The construction of the new barge is part of the Canal's Permanent Modernization Program, which includes investments in technology, capital improvements and operational measures to increase capacity. The more than $1.5 billion investment has allowed the ACP to improve and enhance the waterway's current infrastructure and services, thereby guaranteeing to its users reliable schedules and safe transits. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-17 04:13:26 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSaigon Shipyard Completes Largest Vessel

The Saigon Shipbuilding Industry Company (SSIC) handed over Wednesday a 6,500 ton freighter to the Saigon Shipping Company. The Saigon Queen, which cost $7.2 million, is 103-m long and 17-m wide, and has a top speed of 23 km per hour, is the largest vessel built by the shipyard. On its maiden run, the ship will carry agricultural products to China.
The SSIC, a subsidiary of the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, is building two more freighters of the same size for state-run shipping corporation Vinalines and the Can Tho Marine Transport Company. It is scheduled to hand over the vessels at the end of this year. The company has won contracts to build ships for Canadian and Danish companies. (Source: Thanh Nien)

• 2006-02-17 04:12:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsLermontov sinking still lures conspiracy buffs

Despite talk of hidden evidence, the sinking of the Mikhail Lermontov 20 years ago today left few unanswered questions. Ruth Hill reports.
Richard Prebble, Minister of Transport when the Mikhail Lermontov sank in the Marlborough Sounds in 1986, still gets phone calls from "conspiracy theorists". When the Russian luxury liner went down that night, it left rumours and innuendo swirling in its wake, talk of sealed evidence under lock and key. But Mr Prebble says it is "completely untrue" that the New Zealand Government suppressed evidence.
"This has to be one of the most clear-cut cases ever," he says. "The pilot, Captain Don Jamison, never disputed that he made the decision to take that route and it was wrong and that was why the ship sank ... "But why he decided to guide the ship over a passage that he actually knew was too shallow, I don't think he'll ever be able to answer." Captain Jamison told the inquiry he had been working 80 hours a week for the four months before the accident and was mentally and physically exhausted. The Mikhail Lermontov's last voyage was billed as "The Two-Week Cruise of a Lifetime" - but it nearly ended in the loss of hundreds of lives. Under the command of Captain Vladislav Vorobyvev, the ship left Sydney on February 6, 1986. After visiting Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Picton, the ship, with 734 people on board, left Waitohi Wharf on the afternoon of Saturday, February 15, heading for Milford Sound. Captain Jamison, the Marlborough Harbour Board harbourmaster, pilot and acting general manager, joined the ship to guide her out of the Marlborough Sounds. For some unexplained reason, Captain Jamison directed the helmsman to steer between Cape Jackson and the lighthouse, barely 460m from shore. Passengers reported hearing a thud around 5.37pm. That was the pinnacle rocks gouging a 12-metre gash in the hull. Water flooded in, short-circuiting the electrical systems and killing the engines. The ship started to list badly but no alarm sounded. There was a public announcement to say that dinner would be an hour late. However some passengers suspected something was amiss when crew members appeared wearing lifejackets. Captain Vorobyvev dashed to the bridge and ordered the ship to beach. Maritime officials say his decision to put passenger safety before the ship saved hundreds of lives. A mayday call was issued. Havelock fisherman Michael Harris was one of the first on the scene. He had been anchored about halfway along Cape Jackson with another fishing boat when he saw the huge liner squeezing through the gap. "I turned on the radio and they were already sending out distress calls," he remembers. The two fishing boats immediately followed the stricken ship as it headed for the shore. Mr Harris grabbed his camera and his photos are the only record of the Mikhail Lermontov's final hours. He was very impressed with the actions of the liner's crew. "They handled it really well, I thought, did a terrific job, with a lot of help from locals." Only one person was killed: a 33-year-old Russian engineer.
About 20 fishing boats and recreational vessels came streaming out of Picton to help with the rescue. The Arahura, which had been en route to Picton, diverted to the scene and arrived at 9.30pm. The Navy vessel Taupo also searched throughout the night for those lost in the water, and survivors adrift on liferafts. Everyone worked through the pitch-black night in driving rain. The rescue efforts were complicated by the fact there was a 25 knot southerly, which blew the ship back offshore toward Gannet Point near Port Gore, 56km from Picton. Finally, at 10.15pm, the Mikhail Lermontov hit the seabed with its bow, and the boat rolled on to the port side. Witnesses described the deafening roar as the ship went down, crashing, banging and hissing. A preliminary marine inquiry by the New Zealand Government, which was released on March 6, 1986, blamed Captain Jamison for the accident, praised the Russian crew for their efforts in saving all the passengers, and declared the lifesaving equipment on board the ship was adequate. Insurance claims were believed to total around $100 million. The harbour board reached an out-of-court settlement with the owners. The Soviet Union conducted its own inquiry, as was its right under international maritime law. A man with a striking resemblance to Russian President Vladimir Putin was present at the inquiry in Australia, and can be seen in newspaper photos accompanying Captain Vorobyvev to court. Mr Harris was flown to Sydney by the port company - but he was never called to give evidence, which he says "surprised" him. His only contribution was to show his photos to the lawyers and tell them what time each was taken. Twenty years later, he says he is not interested in getting into "the whys and wherefores" of the sinking. "It all gets a bit controversial, many people have got a lot of views and have written a lot of things on it. "All I know is what I saw." Captain Vorobyvev was given a four-year jail sentence by his Government, but that was suspended. Mr Prebble says his personal opinion was that it was "very hard on the captain, who wasn't even on the bridge at the time". There was never any doubt that it was the New Zealand pilot that was at fault, he said. "The only reason he wasn't charged was because there were no charges we could charge him with," he says. An "oversight" in New Zealand law at the time meant that New Zealand-registered pilots working on foreign ships could not be prosecuted. In fact, it was only in 2003 that the law was changed to correct this anomaly. "The ministry did write to him, suggesting very strongly that he surrender his pilot's licence, which he did. "I understand that he reapplied for it later, and was reissued with it." Mr Prebble said he wrote to the Russians to offer to hold an inquiry, but was told in no uncertain terms that it was not necessary. "They were very clear that it was their ship, they were going to hold the inquiry and they would send us the results of the inquiry, which they did." Captain Jamison has never spoken publicly of the sinking and worked for Strait Shipping for 10 years before his retirement in 2001. Meanwhile, the 155m Mikhail Lermontov lies almost perfectly intact in about 50m of water, and has become one of Marlborough's most popular diving attractions. (Source: New Zeland Herald)

• 2006-02-17 04:10:49 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRepeat of Sea Empress disaster feared

On 15 February 1996 the Sea Empress was holed below the waterline as it entered the Cleddau Estuary in west Wales. Thousands of sea birds were killed and 120 miles of coastline contaminated when oil spilled from the vessel in Britain's only national coastal park. A huge cleanup managed to reopen the beaches within months, but it has taken a lot longer for the fragile foreshore habitat to return to normal.
Moreover, a lack of emergency vessels in the Irish Sea, an increase in ship-to-ship oil transfers, and a lack of planning measures are not keeping up with the changing risks from shipping. A study commissioned by environmental group WWF believes the UK's coastline remains vulnerable to another massive oil spill. The report was published on the anniversary of the Sea Empress disaster to highlight the risks of increased shipping traffic. (SOurce: BBC News)
• 2006-02-17 04:04:20 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsAsbestos in the SS Norway causes scrapping problems

The fate of the SS Norway has been the subject of speculation since May when it was towed from a German port where it was consigned after a 2003 boiler explosion. Rumors had been circulating for months in shipping and marine circles that the vessel was to be sold to an Asian ship-breaking company. And Haji Lokman Hossain, a Bangladeshi scrap merchant, hopes to win the contract. He has has offered to buy the ship for 12 million dollars (US), despite warnings from his government that it will not allow the vessel to be broken up there.
French workers who built the ship claim it contains 1,250 tonnes of material that contains asbestos, and the Bangladesh government insists that the toxic material be removed before it enters the country. (Source: Yahoo! News)
• 2006-02-17 04:03:16 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCalls for Improvement for Sydney Ferries

The State Government has ordered Sydney Ferries to come up with a way to lift its performance by next week, saying too many vessels were out of service. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, at least 80 percent of ferries were supposed to be available, but the rate over the past two months has been 77 per cent - too low to ensure ferry services run on time. The Herald revealed that half of Sydney's most modern ferries, including most of the RiverCats, were lying idle at the Balmain maintenance depot. The ferries' 80 per cent availability requirement is not as high as that for State Transit, which needs to have at least 90 percent of its bus fleet on the road at morning peak hour. (Source: The Sydney Morning Herald)
• 2006-02-16 03:35:30 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTanker to Arrive in Port Angeles

A 601-foot tanker that was refloated last week after it ran aground in Alaska is due in with escort to Port Angeles Harbor. The Seabulk Pride left Alaska's Kachemak Bay Feb. 8 after the Puget Sound captain of the port cleared it to sail down the coast first to Port Angeles, then to the Tesoro refinery dock in Anacortes to offload its cargo of heavy crude and gasoline. Then the seven-year-old, double-hulled tanker will sail to a dry dock in Victoria for repairs to two small cracks in its outer hull.
The Seabulk Pride's first port of call in Washington state will be Port Angeles, where a joint Coast Guard and state Department of Ecology inspection team, along with an American Bureau of Shipping surveyor, will meet the ship. The Seabulk Pride was being loaded at a Tesoro Refinery dock on the Kenai Peninsula on Feb. 2 when an ice floe knocked it from its moorings. It drifted onto a nearby beach, where it was grounded upright. An investigation, completed with the help of divers, found a water ballast tank in its outer hull with two 5-inch to 7-inch cracks. (Source: Peninsula Daily News)

• 2006-02-16 03:31:59 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSeaspan Buys Two Ships

Seaspan Corporation announced that it has agreed to purchase two new building vessels from affiliates of Conti Holding GmbH & Co. KG of Germany, increasing Seaspan’s total fleet to 25 vessels. Seaspan will acquire the two 3,500 TEU vessels upon their delivery in February and July 2007 respectively from Zhejiang Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. in China. The total delivered cost is expected to be approximately $50 million per vessel, subject to certain pre-delivery expenses remaining at budgeted levels. Seaspan also announced that it has arranged simultaneous twelve-year charter agreements for these vessels with Cosco Container Lines Co., Ltd. at $19,000 per day. Seaspan Management Services Limited will supervise the construction of the new vessels and operate both ships for Seaspan at an initial fixed rate of $4,200 per day.
Each new vessel is expected to contribute between $5 million and $5.5 million in incremental EBITDA per annum upon delivery. This will result in an increase in distributable cash when the vessels are delivered and operating. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-16 03:13:55 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsUSS Ross Honors Ship's Sponsor

The crew of guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) took time to honor their sponsor during an at sea memorial service Feb. 11. Helen Lou Ross, who passed away Jan. 15, had sponsored the ship since she christened it with a bottle of champagne during a ceremony in April 1996. Mrs. Ross was the wife of the ship’s namesake, Capt. Donald Kirby Ross, who had received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in USS Nevada (BB 36) during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941.
The ceremony was scheduled to coincide with a simultaneous Celebration of Life ceremony being held several thousand miles away in Bremerton, Wash. by the family and friends of Mrs. Ross. “It was an honor to give tribute to such a remarkable lady and great inspiration to USS Ross,” said Cmdr. Dan Shaffer, commanding officer of USS Ross. “Being able to do it at sea in conjunction with the family’s celebration of her life made it even more special.” Following the ceremony, a bouquet of flowers was set adrift by Command Master Chief Sharon Laguna, The ship's command master chief. Following her sponsor duties in conjunction with the christening and commissioning of USS Ross, Mrs. Ross had continued to stay in contact with the ship and had sent a letter just weeks before her death, urging Team Ross to continue the ship’s legacy of achievement and congratulating them on their service to the nation. During the eulogy, Shaffer read from that letter, and from a letter he had sent on behalf of the crew to be read at Mrs. Ross’s ceremony in Bremerton. Shaffer’s eulogy to the woman affectionately known to the crew as Lady Helen, ended with the words, “May God bless Lady Helen and the country she served.” USS Ross is currently homeported in Norfolk, Va., and is heading to the North Atlantic to take part in a multi-national coalition course called Neptune Warrior. The course, run by Joint Maritime Operational Training Staff Northwood in the United Kingdom, is the last complex training event for USS Ross before she deploys in the spring of 2006. USS Ross has embarked the Commander and staff of Destroyer Squadron 24 who will certify Ross for deployment following the Neptune Warrior course. (Source: Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic)
• 2006-02-16 03:07:37 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsBarge Headed for Repairs

Tugboats began towing Boomtown Casino's gambling barge on Feb. 13 to a dry dock in Pascagoula, where it was expected to arrive around midnight. The repairs at Signal International should take about three weeks. Penn National Gaming, which owns Boomtown and Casino Magic Bay St. Louis, has committed to rebuild its Coast properties. However, a timeline has yet to be announced. Company executives are expected to release more information this week when they issue a quarterly earnings report and host a conference call. (Source: Biloxi Sun Herald)
• 2006-02-16 03:06:42 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsJamestown Metal Marine Delivers Casino Vessel

Jamestown Metal Marine Sales, Inc. has successfully delivered the completed Blue Chip 2 casino vessel to Blue Chip Casino, at Blue Chip’s Michigan City, Ind., facility. The new vessel, which replaces the former vessel, is approximately 400 feet in length with a beam of 200 feet and provides about 65,000 square feet of gaming area on a single deck. In addition to the gaming area there is another 82,000 square feet of back of house and future gaming areas on other decks. Jamestown began the on-site construction project in the late fall of 2004 with the erection of steel units in the construction basin specially constructed for the project. Over the succeeding fourteen months Jamestown, working with its key subcontractors and suppliers, produced the largest casino vessel ever built in the United States, including hull fabrication and erection, machinery and mechanical installation, electrical installation, interior finishes, and the gaming facilities. Jamestown’s on-site project management staff coordinated all aspects of this fast track project in concert with Blue Chip Casino’s local construction management team. The resulting vessel is unmatched in its unobstructed access having all gaming positions on one level. The vessel is moored to its pavilion offering ground level access from the vessel to Blue Chip’s adjoining hotel and parking facility. On January 28, 2006 the former vessel, Blue Chip, slipped the moorings it had occupied for 7 years and the new Blue Chip 2 was motored into position to adjoin the newly renovated support pavilion. The flowing arches of the high ceilings and the open space uninterrupted by support columns provide a grand view and openness unseen in other casino vessels built to date.
The Blue Chip 2 meets the applicable requirements of the Indiana Gaming Commission, as well as the United States Coast Guard. The design and production engineering for the vessel were developed by Guido Perla and Associates and the interior design was produced by the interior design firm of Andrea Piacentini Design, both of Seattle, Washington. Jamestown’s considerable experience working with both design companies on other projects greatly benefited the project. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-16 03:06:14 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsJumbo Cat Ferry Features Six Waterjets

The 68m catamaran Maria Dolores will shortly go into service with Malta-based Virtu Ferries on the company’s established Malta – Italy route, propelled by no fewer than six Kamewa waterjets, three in each hull. A speed of about 36 knots with the engines running at 90 per cent of full load will link Valetta with Catania in three hours, with Pozallo in 90 minutes and provide a service to the Italian mainland at Reggio Calabria in four hours.
Maria Dolores was designed and built to a high standard by Austal in Western Australia to suit the owner’s requirement for a fast ferry capable of carrying trailers, coaches and other high vehicles together with cars and 600 passengers. The ferry will provide a scheduled freight service for Maltese industry while catering for an increasing tourist traffic. As well as having a 4.6m clear height in the vehicle deck, Maria Dolores also has a large water clearance height in the tunnel. In combination with T-foil and interceptor ride control, this will give the ferry the ability to operate its Mediterranean routes year-round. Virtu Ferries wished to maintain engine compatibility with its existing fleet, and it was not easy to supply the power requirement with a conventional quadruple engine layout. A six jet solution has therefore been developed, with three engines in each hull, all connected to individual waterjets through reduction gears. This is thought to be the first sextuple waterjet installation in a fast ferry. Power per unit is 2,465kW and the waterjets chosen are the Kamewa 80 S II series from Rolls-Royce. To find space for three waterjets in the transom of a slim catamaran hull involved some interesting engineering of the intakes and drivelines. Two steerable and reversible water jets are installed side by side in each hull and a booster jet without steering is placed above and between the steerable units. The lower jets are driven by two engines in the forward engineroom, while the upper booster jet is coupled to an engine in the aft engine room which is raised to to give the correct driveline height.
The system provides operating flexibility and propulsion redundancy, as well as a high propulsive efficiency under different operating conditions. The four lower jets provide excellent manoeuvrability and mean that several economic speeds are available for off-peak operations, while the booster jets can be brought in to provide the power for the full loaded service speed. Both Austal and Virtu Ferries are established users and specifiers of waterjets from Rolls-Royce. A recent Austal delivery was the innovative large trimaran fast ferry Benchijigua Express, now in service in the Canary Islands, which is fitted with three Kamewa waterjets in the centre hull – two steerable/reversible 125 SII units and a 180 BII booster jet giving the 126m long vessel a speed of 40 knots. Virtu Ferries operates the 51m catamaran ferry San Gwann on its Malta – Sicily service. This 39 knot fast ferry is equipped with four Kamewa 71 SII waterjets each handling 2,320kW. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-16 03:04:06 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsLife jackets on sunken ferry of 'low quality'

A few days ago, a rescue expert told a private Egyptian TV that the life jackets on Al Salam 98, a ferry which sank in the Red Sea early this month with around 1,400 aboard, were of low quality. He claimed that the substandard life jackets cost $1.25 (about Dh4.5) apiece against $6.5 for a top-quality jacket. "This catastrophe exposed negligence, which must not go unpunished," Hamdi Al Tahan, the chief of the Transport Committee at Egyptian Parliament, told a stormy session this week. He was speaking after a visit to the Egyptian port of Safaga. "It was found out that the accident took place 100km off Egyptian coasts and that the ferry made no distress call, a matter which raises question marks.
" Al Tahan told angry MPs that rescue operations began ten hours after the tragedy. Since the ferry sinking on February 3, experts have lashed out at what they brand as bussiness of death in sea transport. (Source: Gulf News Report)

• 2006-02-16 03:01:23 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTime for India to Develop Own Submarines

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam yesterday said it was time for India to develop its own submarines. Kalam became the first president to make a sortie in a submarine — INS Sindhu Rakshak — on the concluding day of the two-day president’s fleet review. Witnessing the intricacies of submarine operations, including the simulated launch of torpedoes, the president said he was delighted to be in the submarine and meet the officers and sailors in their working environment.
“My underwater journey in the submarine has given me the exposure to a new world and a great experience. My greetings to all of you,” he told the Indian Navy personnel.“A strategic navy like ours needs a submarine fleet. The government recently launched construction program of submarines with state-of-the-art technology in the country which, I am sure, will pave the path for adding more and more submarines to our navy and simultaneously enable building of strong indigenous know-how in design, development and construction. We will be able to do it in much faster pace now due of the experience gained in our earlier construction of SSK-submarines,” the president said. “Independent of whatever foreign collaboration, it is essential for the Indian Navy to launch the design and development of two types of submarines, one of the conventional class and the other strategic with long endurance capability. I have seen and studied the KILO Class submarine and SSK class submarine and also long endurance submarines that are taking shape,” he said.
“Since our submarine crew in future warfare would have to perform under the sea for long duration with high maneuver capability, there was need for providing more space for strategic weapons and sensors and making the interior design crew-friendly,” he added.  Kalam said India had made advances in the design and development of aerospace systems and sensor technology such as sonar, gyro system and control system design, structural design for stealth characteristics and hydro dynamic configuration. “I have always seen naval design teams have shown the capability for indigenous design. Also, a long endurance submarine is being developed with partnership. This should give confidence to build special class of strategic submarines indigenously,” the president said. (Source: Arab News)
• 2006-02-16 02:59:20 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsThousands Expected to View Mid-Day Royal Rendezvous

February 23 Marks Maritime History as Venerable Ocean Liners Queen Mary 2 and Queen Mary Meet for First Time in Long Beach Harbor. Long Beach area residents can enjoy a shore leave lunch break on February 23, when Queen Mary 2 sails into the Port of Long Beach for her first-ever meeting with her predecessor and namesake, Queen Mary. The two ships will unite in Long Beach harbor for a jubilant afternoon greeting, from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. The historic event will be marked by singular fanfare and celebration, including a whistle salutation between the ships that will be heard from up to ten miles away. The first-time salute will take on even more meaning as Queen Mary 2 carries one of her namesake's original whistles.
Commemorative festivities will take place onboard both ships and along the coastal city's shores. The city of Long Beach has pulled out all the stops by arranging for fireboats and a flotilla of ships, yachts and boats to be in the harbor, as well organizing a squadron of skytypers who will create a series of messages throughout the historic occasion. In another nod to history, skytyper Greg Stinis will return to the skies of Long Beach harbor for a repeat overhead performance on February 23. Stinis had carried out the same aerial celebrations over Queen Mary when she entered Long Beach for the first time in 1967. "This much anticipated historic event is being made possible through a great collaboration between many enthusiastic officials and organizations in the City of Long Beach, to whom we are very grateful," said Carol Marlow, president and managing director of Cunard Line. "I want to especially acknowledge and thank Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard for their support." "The meeting of the Queen Marys is a unique opportunity to witness the convergence of Cunard's illustrious past with the line's 21st century future," said Marlow. The first 1,000 well-wishers along Shoreline Village will receive a commemorative Cunard flag to help herald the ship's noon-time arrival.
For additional details including driving directions, visit http://www.thequeenmarysmeet.com. (Source: PR Newswire)
• 2006-02-16 02:55:56 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsArthur Kill oil spill response

Over 30,000 gallons of crude oil was spilled in the Arthur Kill waterway Monday morning while oil was being transferred from a barge to the Chevron Asphalt Plant. Chevron, the US Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and divisions from the states of New York and New Jersey are contributing to cleanup efforts. The cause of the spill, which has stretched to Staten Island, is still under investigation. Cleanup efforts are expected to take several weeks. (Source: Newsday.com)
• 2006-02-16 02:53:04 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNew Zealand fishing council proposes trawling ban

The Seafood Fishing Industry Council, representing the fishing industry, has proposed almost a third of New Zealand's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) be closed to the controversial method of bottom-trawling. The areas are not currently fished, but it is feared that new technology could make them viable. Greenpeace is less excited about the plan, since it isn't clear if the designated area is actually at risk from bottom-trawling. The environmental organization will continue to push for a complete moratorium on bottom-trawling. Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton said New Zealand would support a global moratorium on the fishing practice, but only if it had sufficient international backing to make it a practical option. (Source: The New Zealand Herald)
• 2006-02-16 02:52:26 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsFrench warship ordered home

French president Jacques Chirac has ordered the decommissioned warship Clemenceau to abandon its voyage to an Indian shipbreaking yard and return to France. France's decision is a victory for environmental groups, which had challenged the legality of sending a vessel laden with toxic substances to be scrapped overseas, where worker and environmental safety protections aren't as strong. But India is not as pleased, since the decision could cost thousands of jobs for its shipbreaking industry — both for this ship and future work.
French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie had ordered an inquiry into Technopure, the company that stripped asbestos from the warship before it left for India. The defense ministry has admitted it has "trouble tracing" some of the asbestos-contaminated materials officially removed from the ship, and that there was a discrepancy between the amount of asbestos removed, and the weight recorded at the landfill site. Alliot-Marie has also asked the prosecutor to investigate "the disappearance of a number of pieces of equipment from the ship. (Source: Yahoo! News)
• 2006-02-16 02:51:22 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting ShipsThe Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships will be integrated into Media Library in the next couple of months. An example can be seen here.

The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships is the primary reference work for the basic facts about every ship ever used by the United States Navy. Since all its volumes were published by the US Navy between 1959 and 1991, its contents are in the public domain.

• 2006-02-15 13:27:08 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCoat Guard Responds to Oil Spill

The Coast Guard is responding to an oil spill at the Chevron Perth Amboy facility, in Perth Amboy, N.J., that was reported yesterday, February 13. The spill occurred during a transfer of approximately 1.5 million gallons of number six heavy fuel oil from a barge to the facility. It is unknown how much of the product entered the water. A New York Police Department over-flight confirmed the spill stretching from the Chevron facility to Smoking Point, Staten Island, in the Arthur Kill. Chevron Perth Amboy has assumed responsibility for the spill and has contracted Clean Harbors and Atlantic Response to help with the cleanup.
The Coast Guard has setup a safety zone from the Outer Bridge Crossing to Fresh Kills, Staten Island, to contain the spread of the spill. This area is closed to vessel traffic. Coast Guard investigators from Sector New York are on-scene overseeing the response. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-15 02:03:44 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsIMO Offers Support After ferry Accident

On his return from a one-day trip to Cairo in the aftermath of the tragic loss of the ferry al-Salam Boccaccio 98, IMO Secretary General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos explained the purpose of his mission as follows: "first, to demonstrate the solidarity and compassion of the IMO membership to the people and Government of Egypt and those of other nations affected (in particular to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims of the tragic accident) and to provide moral support at the heavy loss of life suffered; and, secondly, to assist the investigation of the accident by facilitating the provision, through IMO's technical co-operation programme, of independent technical expertise and advice." Mitropoulos added that this assistance was intended to ensure that the outcome of the investigation would not only identify, beyond any doubt, what caused the accident, but would also identify what lessons, if any, might be learnt so that, through the IMO system, prompt and expeditious action was taken to prevent similar accidents happening in the future.
During the visit, Mitropoulos met, inter alia, with the Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr. Ahmed Nazif, and the Egyptian Transport Minister, Mr. Mohamed Mansour, and other officials as well as the Panamanian Ambassador to Egypt, Jorge Ramón Valdés Charris and the Panamanian experts nominated to assist in the investigation. Mitropoulos expressed his appreciation to the Government of Egypt and the Government of Panama, as the flag State, for their co-operation with IMO and their willingness to co-operate with each other and any other Government with a substantial interest in the case, in the joint casualty investigation.
Mitropoulos stressed the need for the investigation to be as thorough and transparent as possible and be characterized by high standards of integrity - a statement, which was endorsed by the representatives of both Egypt and Panama. "I look forward to a speedy completion of the investigation and to receiving its report, including its conclusions and recommendations, in good time, so that any remedial action which may need to be taken from IMO's perspective is taken without delay to the benefit of the international maritime community and all those who go down to sea in ships," he said. "We owe this to the memory of the innocent victims of the ill-fated ship and their families, who have the right to know what caused the accident which deprived them of their loved ones." Mitropoulos paid tribute to those who participated in the search and rescue operation for their efforts under adverse weather conditions. "Once again, I express the deep condolences and profound sympathy of all the IMO Members, the Secretariat and my own personal sentiments of sorrow, grief and compassion to the families of those lost in the accident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them in these dire times." (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-15 02:03:08 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsMan Convicted of Scuttling Boat

The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California stated that a man was convicted six federal charges related to the scuttling of his boat in the port of Los Angeles in 2005. The convictions were for two counts of water pollution, one count of attempting to obstruct the Coast Guard investigation, two counts of making false statements to Coast Guard investigators, and one count of sinking a boat in a navigation channel. He faces a maximum sentence of 26 years imprisonment. (Source: HK Law)
• 2006-02-15 02:02:11 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsKirby Marine Orders New Towboats

Kirby Marine has 241 active towboats and 887 active tank barges with a total capacity of 16.4 million barrels. The company’s ongoing repower program that has seen 46 Cummins engines installed to date. More recently the publicly traded corporation has announced plans for two new builds the first of which will be delivered in September 2006. The 90x35x10-foot vessel will be built by Quality Marine of Houma Louisiana to a design by Maine-based naval architect Corning Townsend. The new vessel will be powered by a pair of Cummins KTA38 M2 engines rated at 1050 HP each at 1600 RPM each. The engines will turn into Twin Disc MG5600 gears with 6.4:1 rations. The propellers are 82x63-inch and mounted on 7.5-inch tail shafts. Electric service for the vessel will come from a pair of 99 Kw generator sets. Deck equipment will include a pair of Nabrico 40 ton electric over hydraulic winches. Tankage on the new towboat includes 22,144 gallons of fuel, 12,040 gallons of water and 513 gallons of water. With an estimated bollard pull of 42,000 pounds the towboats will each push three 30,000-barrel barges on canal and river operations. Accommodation will be provided for four to six crew-members. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-15 01:56:58 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNorthrop Grumman Awarded $93.8M Contract Modification

The U.S. Navy exercised a $93.8 million contract modification option to Northrop Grumman Corporation for detail design and the procurement of long-lead-time material on the LHA 6 amphibious assault ship program. This is the first option exercised on the initial contract, awarded in July 2005. With this option, the total contract value has increased to $203.7 million. If all options are exercised, the contract has the potential to reach $264 million.
The advance procurement LHA 6 construction-related contract was awarded last summer, with funds earmarked for major equipment and material such as propellers, reduction gears, five 500-ton air conditioning units and electrical switching equipment, as well as for advanced planning and systems engineering. This new award also supports additional material acquisition, but predominately provides funding and authorization for LHA 6's detail design. The LHA 6 will replace the LHA 1 class of amphibious assault ships, and will have the flexibility to operate in the traditional role as the flagship for an expeditionary strike group as well as potentially playing a key role in the Maritime Prepositioning Force Future. As the Navy's Seabasing plan matures in the next few years, the flexibility to operate with the expeditionary strike group and as part of the Maritime Prepositioning Force Future will make the LHA 6 a vital part of the Sea Base. Northrop Grumman delivered five USS Tarawa-class (LHA 1) and seven USS Wasp-class (LHD 1) ships to the Navy, with an eighth, Makin Island (LHD 8), currently under construction. The LHA 6 Class will be a variant of the gas-turbine powered LHD 8 and will launch tilt-rotor helicopters and fixed-wing, short take-off vertical landing aircraft in support of amphibious operations. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-15 01:56:02 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsS.F. Cruise Ship Industry Growing

San Francisco’s cruise ship industry is booming. After years of declining business, the dry dock’s return to financial health means blue-collar jobs growth, tourist spending by visiting crews, sales tax for the city and fees for the Port of San Francisco. At least six, and possibly eight, cruise ships will be dry-docked there this year, up from one in 2000. Each contract generally ranges from $1 million to $5 million for piping, electrical, plumbing and painting upgrades.
Millions more go to subcontractors, some of them local firms, that work on refurbishing cabins and redoing casinos, for example. Local businesses and city coffers also get a piece of the spending. For example, more than 1,000 crew members live on the Monarch while it’s docked, eating in restaurants, shopping and visiting tourist spots. San Francisco Ship Repair is rebounding after the Navy pulled out of the Bay Area in 1992. Business plummeted from $64 million in 1990 to its nadir of $22 million in 2001. Last year, revenues were $39 million from servicing a mix of military vessels, cargo tankers, tugs and cruise ships. The business was also able to capitalize on the downsizing of a Portland dry dock in 2001. (Source: San Francisco Examiner)

• 2006-02-14 02:30:06 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsHyundai Heavy to Import Chinese Steel Plates

According to reports, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. to import wide and heavy plates for shipbuilding. Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to import 180,000 tons of steel plates from Baosteel yearly. Hyundai Heavy Industries said that the price was lower than that offered by Japanese steelmarkers and a South Korean report said that South Korea would gradually enlarge imports of China- made steel plates for shipbuilding. South Korean shipbuilders mainly bought wide and heavy plates from Japan besides the local supply. But the two sides have had different opinions on pricing since the second half of 2005. South Korean shipbuilders believed that export prices of plates for shipbuilding should be lowered now that the global steel price fell.
Baosteel started production of the five-meter wide and heavy plate last year and the first phase is designed to reach an annual production capacity of 1.4 million tons. Previously, no steelworks in mainland China was able to produce five-meter wide and heavy plates and most domestic shipbuilders had to import such plates from South Korea and Japan. Production of wide and heavy plates in Baosteel, whose parent company is a Fortune Global 500 company, is believed to help reduce procurement costs of the Chinese shipbuilding industry. (Source: SinoCast)

• 2006-02-14 02:28:12 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTank Barge Damages Marina in Port of Memphis

On Saturday night the Coast Guard Command Center in Memphis was notified by the towing vessel A. Dean  Heasley that one of the two barges they were towing had struck the Riverside Park Marina. Coast Guard investigators were dispatched to the scene of the accident.
The marina sustained significant damage but no injuries were reported. The marina holds many houseboats and is home to approximately 60 people. Many of the boats were affected by the accident with one reported to be taking on water. The two tank barges, which were empty at the time of the accident, were being towed to the refinery in the port for a scheduled loading. West-Northwest winds of 15 mph were reported last night and may have been a factor in the casualty. The crew of the towing vessel was tested on scene by the Coast Guard for evidence of alcohol with negative results. Mandatory drug testing of the crew was also ordered by the towing vessel company, the results are pending. The Coast Guard and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will coordinate on the marine casualty investigation into the circumstances surrounding this accident. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-14 02:24:33 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsWest Asia Maritime to Get Cargo Vessel

According to reports, Chennai-based shipping company West Asia Maritime Limited has signed an MOU with Japanese shipbuilding major Mitsui for constructing a huge cargo vessel on contract for 12 years, with an option of purchasing it at a pre-determined price during the contract period. The $33.2 million dollar ship would be delivered in the first quarter of 2008. The 56,120 DWT bulk carrier would be used by his company for moving bulk cargo. (Source: newKerala.com)
• 2006-02-14 02:22:13 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsAker Yards to Build PSV

Aker Yards has confirmed an optional agreement with Siem Offshore Inc for the building of two Platform Supply Vessels. The value of the contract is approximately NOK 275 million. Delivery is scheduled for second quarter 2007 from Aker Yards, Aukra. The vessels are of Vik Sandvik design, VS 470 Mk II. The vessels will be equipped with dynamic positioning, special product tanks, azimuth thrusters and accommodation for 34 persons. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-14 02:21:38 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNew Zealand's New Navy Vessel Ready for SeaTrials

The first vessel in the New Zealand government's $500 million navy upgrade has come off its slipway in a Dutch shipbuilding yard. It will be used to carry troops and cargo, allowing them to be disembarked at sea. It has been built as part of Project Protector, with seven vessels planned. Officials say that it will be followed by sea trials, with the vessel due in New Zealand by the end of the year. (Source: Radio New Zealand)
• 2006-02-14 02:20:56 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCruise Ship Breaks Free from Moorings

Coast Guard Lt. Ronald Fogan and Petty Officer 2nd Class Josh Hobson review the voyage data recorder of the cruise ship Ecstasy, while some of the ship’s officers look on. The Coast Guard received a report that the Ecstasy, currently housing New Orleans Police Department officers, had broken free from its moorings at the Poland Street Wharf and was drifting down the Mississippi River near downtown New Orleans. Fogan, a foreign vessel inspector, and Hobson, a marine investigator, were dispatched from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans to investigate. There were no reported injuries or marine accidents in association with the incident. The incident remains under investigation by Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.
The Coast Guard responded to the report of an 855-ft. cruise ship having broken free from its moorings and drifting down the Mississippi River near downtown New Orleans. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans was notified that the cruise ship Ecstasy, of Carnival Cruise Lines, was drifting into the river from its berth at the Poland Street Wharf. New Orleans Coast Guard units immediately began broadcasting notices to mariners recommending they stay clear of the ship, as well as coordinating the use of civilian tugboats to regain control of the ship and return it to its berth. The ship traveled less than a mile down river before the captain and crew, with the assistance of a river pilot who went aboard, were able to drop the ship's anchor and secure its position, about 300 feet from the Mississippi River's West Bank near Algiers, La.
The ship came to rest outside of the river's navigational channel and does not appear to have made contact with any other vessels. There are no reported injuries in association with the incident and the Mississippi River remains open. Tugs have since returned the ship to its berth at the Poland Street Wharf. The ship is currently being used to house New Orleans Police Department officers. Coast Guard investigators and inspectors from Sector New Orleans conducted crew interviews as well as reviewed the ship's voyage data recorder. The cause of the accident is under investigation. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-14 02:20:14 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsChinese Govt. to Take Over Private Firms

The Chinese government will take over from private companies the pilot ships on certain waterways, Xihua reported. New pilot stations will be set up under local port authorities. On some waterways, a local pilot will board a ship to guide it to its berth. Piloting a foreign vessel represents also an act of state sovereignty and most governments in the world take it very seriously. In China, there are 35 pilot stations, 15 of which belong to large port companies. (Source: Xinhua)
• 2006-02-14 02:18:41 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNew Catamaran from Seascape Marine

Seascape Marine Builders, an affiliate of Seaforth Marine Group, both of Maple Ridge, has almost finished its 72-foot, jet-powered catamaran, titled appropriately, the Ultimate2, which costs about $7 million. The customer is a German client in the Dominican Republic. It took two years to build the boat, from scratch, in the Albion Industrial Park. The Ultimate2 is designed to speed across the water at 80 km/h on its hydrofoils.Two 1,650-horsepower Rolls Royce engines, which will power the water jets. (Source: Maple Ridge News)
• 2006-02-14 02:17:56 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsGeneral Maritime to Sell Tankers

General Maritime Corp said it would sell nine OBO Aframax tankers to Tanker Pacific for $247.5 million to fund its paying down of debt and other corporate purposes. The company, which will realize a net gain of $16.6 million from the sale, also said it planned to close its technical office in Piraeus, Greece. (Source: Reuters)
• 2006-02-14 02:17:27 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsDubai wins P&O bid war

Gulf-state backed Dubai Ports World declared victory in a $6.8 billion bidding war for UK ports group P&O after Singaporean rival port operator PSA International withdrew from the field on Friday. Dubai Ports is confident that P&O shareholders will back its bid at a meeting next week, giving it control of P&O ports on six continents.
The move would create the world's third-largest ports group. P&O Chairman John Parker said, "The combination of P&O and DP World has compelling strategic logic and will create significant opportunities for both businesses and their employees." (Source: Gulf Daily News)
• 2006-02-14 02:16:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsFairweather Out With Engine Problems

The Alaska Marine Highway System announced today that it is estimating the fast vehicle ferry M/V Fairweather will be out of service until mid-April due to a problem with all four of its MTU diesel engines. “It is apparent that the cylinder sleeves on the engines have developed hairline cracks, which have allowed coolant to enter the cylinders,” said Captain John Falvey, AMHS General Manager. “We have been in contact with the manufacturer and are proceeding with a plan to replace all the sleeves on the engines, which we estimate will take nine to ten weeks.” The MTU diesels are manufactured in Germany and use an aluminum block. They were chosen for the fast ferries in an effort to keep the weight down. Like other diesel engines, they have steel sleeves inside the cylinder, in which the pistons move up and down. The cause of the hairline cracking has not been determined.
The Fairweather and its sister ship, the M/V Chenega, were in the Ketchikan shipyard for regularly scheduled annual maintenance when the problem was diagnosed. The Fairweather had to have one of its engines replaced under warranty last year when it developed a coolant leak due to a manufacturer’s defect. Falvey said it is unclear how much of the current breakdown will be covered by warranty. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-13 02:52:06 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPacific Coast Wreck Revealed

Lost since the 1980s, an old wreck has made a comeback. Union Pacific Line's 1925-built SS Catala, once plied the Canadian route, ferrying miners, loggers and adventurers to the northern wilderness. The Glasgow built ship was retired in 1958. In 1962, the twin funneled steamer was used as a floating hotel during the Seattle World's Fair, after which she was towed to California to become a floating restaurant, then in 1963, she was moored at Ocean Shores, WA, for use as again as a floating hotel and base for the Ocean Shores fishing charter fleet. On New Year's day 1965, she was wrecked in a great storm, 70mph winds and high tide left her beached at Damon Point. Refloating attempts were abandoned, and the ship lay rusting until the 1980s when most of her superstructure was hauled away for scrap and the sand gradually covered her hull.
This years powerful winter storms have stripped away the sand, revealing the hull, and the ship is beginning to re-emerge at Damon Point State Park in Ocean Shores, once again becoming an attraction. As news spreads, hikers are making the three quarters of a mile walk to the recently evolving shipwreck site. (Source MaritimeMatters.com)

• 2006-02-12 11:50:36 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsClassification society questioned about Red Sea ferry

The European Maritime Safety Agency is questioning Rina over its certification of the Al-Salam Boccaccio, which sank last week with the loss of almost 1,000 lives. The ferry has undergone several conversions to boost its capacity to 1,400 passengers. It sank when a fire broke out shortly after setting sail. Rina, the Italian shipping organization that certified the ferry, said that it inspected the seaworthiness of the vessel twice last year. The port authorities of Duba, from where the ship sailed, also said that the vessel had passed safety tests a day before it set sail. The Maritime Safety Agency is on a fact-finding mission and is not accusing Rina at this stage, but it is hoping for tighter maritime safety legislation. (Source: Financial Times)
• 2006-02-11 11:23:14 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRussia launches project to create next-generation nuclear sub

Russia's Navy Command has approved a project to design and build a next-generation submarine with limited displacement, Anatoly Shlemov, head of the Defense Ministry's Naval Orders, Deliveries, Armaments and Hardware Department, told Interfax. "A submarine of this class will guarantee the combat reliability of Yury Dolgoruky-class strategic nuclear-powered missile submarines and fulfill other tasks performed by multipurpose nuclear submarines," Shlemov said.
"The displacement of this class of submarines must be 5,000-6,000 tonnes," the military said. (Source: Interfax)
• 2006-02-10 12:08:25 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCargo vessel sinks in SW China river

A cargo vessel loaded with batteries sank after running aground in the shallow waters of the Xijiang River in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday. No casualties occurred despite a heavy loss of goods, reported rescuers. The vessel, carrying 14,560 boxes of batteries, was en route from Wuzhou City, Guangxi, to Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province via the waterway, the largest tributary to the Pearl River. Rescuers deployed by the Maritime Rescue Center based in Wuzhou salvaged about a tenth of the goods from the sinking vessel, which belonged to the Wuzhou Water Transportation Company. The accident cost the company 2 million yuan (US$250,000).
Due to a lingering drought, the water level of the Xijiang River dropped to 1.96 meters on Wednesday, only 18 centimetres higher than its lowest ever mark. This has caused a bottleneck of water traffic from the landlocked Southwest China region to the coastal province of Guangdong. (Source: China Daily)

• 2006-02-10 12:06:45 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsGuidelines for Vessels Operating in High Risk Waters

The U.S. Coast Guard announced the availability of Maritime Security (MARSEC) Directive 104-06 providing guidelines for U.S. vessels operating in high risk waters. Because the Directive is designated Sensitive Security Information (SSI), it is not subject to general release. Rather, copies may be obtained from a USCG Captain of the Port (COTP) office by covered persons with a need to know. Owners and operators of vessels that may operate in areas where acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships are prevalent must include the performance standards listed in the MARSEC Directive in their vessel security plans. 71 Fed. Reg. 7054 (Source: HK Law)
• 2006-02-10 12:00:10 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsInternet Equipment Ruled Essential Part of Cruise Ship

In an unpublished decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled that internet communications equipment is an essential part of a cruise ship and is to be included when the ship becomes subject to a maritime lien. In the instant case, petitioner leased telecommunications and internet equipment to the operator of a cruise ship. Petitioner retained ownership of the equipment and provided service and maintenance. The ship was arrested for unpaid shipyard work totally unrelated to petitioner’s equipment. The ship was sold at a judicial sale. Petitioner sought to recover the value of its equipment, which was included in the ship sale.
The court held that “it is unimaginable in today’s world that a luxury cruise ship could be successful without a fully functioning telecommunications system.” Therefore, petitioner’s equipment was found to be appurtenant to the ship and properly included in the sale. Motor-Services Hugo Stamp, Inc. v. M/V Regal Empress, No. 04-14179 (Source: HK Law)

• 2006-02-10 11:59:29 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsMatson to Convert Containership

Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) has begun the first conversion of one of its C-9 containerships, MV Mokihana, to a combination roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) and container vessel to further strengthen its Hawaii service capabilities. With the conversion, the vessel will have ro-ro and container capacity comparable to two vessels in Matson's service today, the dedicated ro-ro vessel Great Land and the containership S.S. Lihue. The new garage will have the capacity to carry 1,350 vehicles. The plan is part of a multi-phase program that began in 2003 and is designed to provide Matson's auto customers with the two service features they prefer: frequency of service and ro-ro capacity. The total cost for this phase of the project, which includes construction of the garage, expansion of the company's interisland barge capacity, shoreside facility improvements and investments in new information technology for auto shipments, is estimated to be $45 million, with completion by mid-2007. Matson is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. of Honolulu The converted ship will join Matson's two other combination ro-ro/containerships in the company's Hawaii service in 2007. The Mokihana is one of three C-9s in Matson's Hawaii fleet. Matson's previously stated long-term strategy is to continue to add state-of-the-art ro-ro capacity to meet the Hawaii auto market's demands. Since 2003, Matson has more than tripled its ro-ro capacity, as a result of chartering the dedicated ro-ro vessel Great Land and adding an above deck garage to the S.S. Lurline. The conversion of the Mokihana will further that progress.
Other recent Matson initiatives that have enhanced the company's auto carriage capabilities include direct ro-ro service to and from Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii and the West Coast, reducing transit time and eliminating the transshipment process. The Mokihana will also make direct calls to and from the Neighbor Islands. Matson is also investing in new information technologies for auto shippers. Matson's new auto management system, VINsight, has been fully implemented on the West Coast and in Hawaii, providing customers with real-time information on the status of all autos in Matson's transportation network. It also improves the efficiency of processing vehicles at Matson facilities by utilizing barcode technology, eliminating a number of manual procedures under the former system. In 2005, Matson introduced a new system, Navigator, for auto manufacturers. The first release involved Ford and its Hawaii supply chain partners. The web-based system will allow customers to more effectively view and manage the end-to-end movement of their shipments. It also has a delivery mechanism that notifies customers immediately of any disruption to the shipment process, so that corrective actions can be taken. In 2006, this system will be expanded to all auto manufacturers. Hoppes also emphasized that reliability is another service advantage for Matson. "With our fleet of active Hawaii service vessels, as well as reserve ships, Matson is fully capable of ensuring reliability for all of our customers, including the auto market," said Hoppes. "If a Matson ship needs to be temporarily taken out of service, we have enough reserve capacity to prevent any disruption or delay in our scheduled service." He also added: "In addition to continuing to receive the support of most auto manufacturers, we are also proud of the fact that our efforts have been formally recognized by these valued customers. Matson continues to be certified under Ford's prestigious Q1 program. In addition, Toyota presented Matson with its Toyota Logistics Partners Excellence Award in 2005 for marine services on-time performance." Beyond providing auto manufacturers with premium service, Matson is equally committed to remaining the state's premier carrier of privately owned vehicles. The company's website has a special section for individuals shipping vehicles called "Ship Matson for the Wheels You Love." The website has been designed for consumers to book a vehicle in four easy steps. Matson provides ocean transportation, intermodal and logistics services. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-10 11:58:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsGeneral Maritime to Sell Nine Tankers

General Maritime Corporation announced that it has agreed to sell nine OBO Aframax tankers en bloc to Tanker Pacific for $247.5 million. The company expects to realize a net gain of $16.6 million from the sale. The company intends to utilize the proceeds to pay down debt, for corporate purposes which may include share repurchases, and for any future acquisitions that the Company may consider. Deliveries of the nine vessels are expected to be concluded by June 2006.
After the completion of the sale of these nine vessels and following the delivery of four Suezmax newbuildings expected between March 2006 and 2008, the average age of General Maritime's fleet will be reduced to 7.5 years. General Maritime also announced that upon delivery of the final of the nine OBO Aframax tankers, the Company plans to close its technical office located in Piraeus, Greece, operated by General Maritime Management (Hellas) Ltd. General Maritime will maintain its commercial office in London, operated by General Maritime Management (UK) LLC and its technical office in Lisbon, operated by General Maritime Management (Portugal) Lda. The Company will also retain its commercial and technical office in New York, General Maritime Management LLC. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-10 11:57:02 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsWreckage reopens raw emotions

Cape Town - Salvage tug Smit Amandla reached the wreck of the yacht, Moquini, drifting upside down and without a keel, about 500 sea miles east of the Wild Coast on Wednesday night.  The Durban-based Moquini disappeared during a race between Mauritius and Durban with six crew aboard during September last year. The crew was led by experienced skipper Graham Cochrane and included Neill Tocknell, Sheldon Dickerson, Mark Dickerson, Kurt Ostendorf and Michael Goolam. Denise Cochrane, the skipper's widow, said: "At present I'm in the Cape. "I looked forward to starting the year on a positive note. "My daughter has enrolled for a course at the University of Cape Town. "This discovery has opened old wounds." Cochrane said although the emotions of the next of kin would be tested by the dramatic discovery, she hoped a thorough investigation could prevent similar disasters from happening in future.
The tanker MT Algarve found the drifting yacht on Sunday at 33.32 S and 38.21 E. André Botes, chief of SA Maritime Search and Rescue in Panorama, Cape Town, was quick to react and asked the tanker captain, Patrick le Masson, to remain in the area for 12 hours. Le Masson managed to determine the drift patterns while the Smit Amandla was asked to sail for the wreck with divers on board. Photographs of the wreck were sent from the tanker, and Bill Tyler, who designed the Fast-42 yacht, immediately recognised it as the Moquini. "The keel could have been ripped off on impact. The bow also seemed to have been in a collision, and the propeller area showed signs of disintegration," he said after studying the pictures. Initially, it was speculated that one of 39 containers that were lost from the freighter, Eugenio, on August 7 along the coast of Madagascar, might have drifted into the path of the yachts. Tyler said the absence of the keel could have caused the vessel to roll over fast while still retaining its mast.
Only a thorough investigation would provide a clearer picture. Two or three of the crew might also have been asleep in the cabin, and there was a distinct possibility that their remains might be found. The fact that the lifeboat was stored in the hull might have proved fatal.
Matthew Thomas, who helped co-ordinate the search for the wreckage at the time, said it might be brought home for further investigation. On September 13, Denise Cochrane was the last to make contact with the crew via satellite phone, speaking to them about 12:40. Shortly after midnight (01:17) the Moquini transmitted its position (25.50 S and 47.44 E) for the last time. On September 16, a single distress call was received from the Moquini at 03:40. A search was launched, but nothing was found before Sunday. (Source: www.news24.com)

• 2006-02-10 03:49:54 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPacific Needs More Navy Presence

The Pentagon, in its strategic Quadrennial Defense Review, supports an increased Navy presence in the Pacific but gave few details on how this vision might take shape. The Pentagon has indicated that the decision would not be made until after release and evaluation of the Quadrennial Defense Review. Guam and Hawaii are being considered as possible locations for Navy carriers.
It’s been reported that the estimated cost of basing an aircraft carrier on Guam is $5 billion, compared to $2.2 billion for Hawaii. The Pentagon report offers no details about carrier basing, noting only that the Navy plans to have at least six operationally available and sustainable carriers in the region. The Navy currently bases five aircraft carriers in the Pacific: two in San Diego, two in Washington state and one in Japan. The Quadrennial Defense Review also says that 60 percent of U.S. submarines will operate in the Pacific, but it does not outline how that balance will be achieved. (Source: Stars and Stripes)

• 2006-02-10 03:45:42 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNavy Goals Requires Bigger Funding

The Navy sent Congress a 30-year shipbuilding plan that would reverse the decline in the fleet and build it up from the current 285 ships to 315 in five years and sustain it above that number for more than a decade. But to make that plan work, the Navy must get its annual ship construction funding up from the proposed fiscal 2007 level of $9.7 billion to $13.5 billion in two years, keep it at that level or higher for decades and get the average cost of its ships down substantially.
A number of naval analysts have warned that getting the higher amount of shipbuilding funds that the plan requires and getting a lower cost of ships would be very difficult. The plan was required by the Armed Services committees, whose members have complained repeatedly over the years of the rapid drop in the size of the combat fleet, from the high of nearly 600 in the early 1990s. The current fleet is the Navy's smallest since just before World War I. To maintain the buildup would require an average annual ship construction account of $13.5 billion over the decades.
The plan sets out the optimum fleet force structure as 11 aircraft carriers, 88 large surface combatants -- destroyers and cruisers -- 55 of the relatively small Littoral Combat Ships, 48 attack submarines, 14 ballistic missile submarines, four of the missile boats converted to carry conventional missiles and special operations troops, 31 "expeditionary" vessels, 30 combat logistic ships, 12 Maritime Preposition Force (Future) ships and 20 support vessels. But the plan shows that force rising above those numbers in some classes and falling below in others. The attack submarine force, for example, falls to 40 near the end of the plan. (Source: www.govexec.com)

• 2006-02-10 03:44:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsShips Suspected in Estonian Oil Spill

An investigation committee headed by the Estonian Central Criminal Police now suspects 15 vessels of the oil spill off the Estonia coast that resulted in death of thousands and aquatic birds. The Liberian oil tanker Flawless, had notified authorities of problems already when approaching the Muuga seaport. The vessel had sustained a seven centimeters crack in its hull. The Estonian Maritime Administration inspected the ship after the announcement, and investigators have now cleared it from oil spill suspicions.
The oil found in the sea is from a ship's fuel tanks, not oil carried by oil tankers as cargo. The oil landed on the Estonian shore possibly in the late evening January 31, even though the first observations were not reported until the the next day. Estonian Border Guard Detachment airplanes will increase the number of their weekly surveillance flights over the Gulf of Finland from one to three. Cleaning up the Estonian coast of oil has been terminated for the time being. (Source: www.hs.fi)

• 2006-02-10 03:43:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNavy Patrols Seas for Pirates

A U.S. Navy destroyer detained and boarded a suspected pirate ship in the Indian Ocean last month, aiming to see that terrorists do not lash up with pirates in the Asia-Pacific region. The destroyer, the USS Winston S. Churchill, was ordered to intercept the suspected pirate ship on Jan. 21 after the U.S. Central Command, from its forward headquarters in Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, was contacted by the International Maritime Bureau, based in Malaysia. The maritime bureau monitors piracy all over the world, but especially in Asia. It took the U.S. warship several hours of maneuvering and firing warning shots to get the smaller vessel to surrender. A Navy boarding party then confiscated a cache of small arms to disarm the ship before sending it on its way.
That effort, broadly defined, includes tracking thousands of ships, much as aircraft are monitored, knowing what cargoes the ships are carrying, driving off pirates when they attack a ship, or recovering the ship if it is seized. For several years, leaders of maritime nations from India and Sri Lanka in South Asia to Singapore and Australia and South Korea and Japan in Northeast Asia have worried that terrorists would seek alliances with pirates, particularly those operating in the South China Sea. Through that sea lane passes more international shipping each year than through the Suez and Panama canals combined.
Terrorists who might seize, for instance, a large oil tanker and scuttle the vessel in the Straits of Malacca between Singapore and Indonesia would wreak economic, political, military and environmental havoc. Until now, the U.S. Navy has been reluctant to engage pirates because the service is stretched out with other duties. Asian coastal nations maintain that they do not want outside powers, notably the United States, operating in their sovereign waters, where many pirate assaults occur. Many Asian naval officers argue that combating piracy is the job of law enforcement, not navies. Many U.S. Navy officers agree but assert that some Asian nations lack the proper ships -- small, high speed and adequately armed -- to defeat or capture pirates. Moreover, coordination and intelligence sharing among the littoral nations has not been fully developed.
(Source: Washington Times)
• 2006-02-10 03:42:23 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSuez canal reopens after blockage

The Suez canal has reopened after tug boats moved a cargo ship which had blocked the canal on Wednesday.  Traffic in one of the world's busiest waterways is now moving again. The 93,000-metric ton Hong Kong-flagged ship drifted from its path and became wedged across the canal as it travelled from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. The canal is among Egypt's highest revenue-earners - lost income is estimated to be several million dollars for each day that the canal is closed. The incident happened at 1100 local time (0900 GMT) on Wednesday near the town of Ismailiya, Egyptian officials said. They said strong winds may have been a factor. Some 7.5% of world sea trade passes through the canal, which is 190km long (118 miles) and 300m wide (984ft) at its narrowest point.  (Source: BBC News)

• 2006-02-10 03:41:42 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsDespite increased traffic, the Gulf of Finland may be safer from oil spills

accident, which spilled 20,000 tons of heavy fuel oil off the coast of Brittany, France, is seen by many as a turning point for the oil industry. The European Union responded by drawing up new safety regulations. Oil companies, realizing that they are vulnerable in case of a major accident, are being more careful about the safety of the ships they use.
And in 2004, a mandatory ship reporting system for the Gulf of Finland came into being, operated jointly by the Finnish, Russian and Estonian governments, which has reduced the risk of accidents by as much as 80 percent. (Source: he amount of oil flowing through the Gulf of Finland has increased by some 200 percent in less than 10 years. A reminder of the risks came in late January, when a comparatively small oil spill off the Estonian coast caused a 20-mile-long slick that killed at least 5,000 birds in Estonian and Finnish waters. But the December 1999 ErikaInternational Herald Tribune)
• 2006-02-10 03:39:48 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsIndia spies on Chinese destroyer

The Indian Navy's reconnaissance aircraft and spy drones have detected, tracked and photographed a new Chinese destroyer and tanker traveling through the Indian Ocean region. The two vessels were spotted by a Tupolev-142M long-range maritime patrol aircraft. Sources said the newly-commissioned Sovremenny class destroyer, built for the People's Liberation Army Navy at Russia's St Petersburg-based North Shipyard, was "picked up" as soon as it entered the Arabian Sea from the Red Sea.
The tanker was replenishing or refueling the destroyer at the time. This is the second time in recent months that the Navy has caught the Chinese on the high seas. In December, a TU-142M had photographed two new Chinese submarines near the Cape of Good Hope. (Source: The Times of India)
• 2006-02-10 03:39:03 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPolish shipyards are losing skilled workers

Poland's New Szczecin Shipyard lost over a thousand skilled workers to jobs in western Europe last year; the yard had started with 5,500 workers. West European yards have long sought to employ experienced Polish shipyard workers, but the demand has grown since Poland joined the European Union in May 2004 and labor restrictions were lifted in Sweden, the UK and Ireland.
Szczecin has had to train inexperienced workers to fill employment gaps. But Poland's unemployment rate is still 17.3%, so European recruitment isn't seen as the country's biggest labor issue. Employers say the biggest cause of labor shortages in skilled trades is a decline in vocational education since Communist times. This has hit other employers hiring specialized craftsmen, as well as shipyards. (Source: Financial Times)
• 2006-02-10 03:38:18 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCuts are sinking the Navy

The Royal Navy has been cut to shreds and no longer has enough ships to deal with a major crisis, Britain’s most senior sailor warned last night. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West slammed the Government for slashing spending on the fleet and said the policy put British interests around the world at risk.  He even suggested Tony Blair’s boasts about having increased defence spending were a deceit. Falklands hero Sir Alan, 57, fired a final broadside at ministers in an exclusive interview with The Sun on the eve of his retirement.  In comments that will embarrass Mr Blair, he said: “The resources, bearing in mind inflation and other things, do not allow us to do the things we need to do.”
He added: “We’re playing games with our assets to make sure we meet our commitments.  “Over time, we won’t have the forces available should there suddenly be a strategic shock — and by strategic shock I mean something like the Falklands, which is a classic example. “The security and wealth of this country depend on the sea and the Navy. If you let things run too far down, you put that security in jeopardy.”
Sir Alan — who served for 41 years — also branded Government calculations on the size of the fleet “rubbish”. He said: “On a day-to-day basis around the world, we are very stretched.”  But he said he was proud the Navy has two giant new aircraft carriers, a new generation of nuclear submarines, and up to eight new Type 45 destroyers. And he thanked the Navy’s men and women, who he said were “loyal, hard-working and superb”. (Source: The Sun)

• 2006-02-09 13:19:49 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTwo coins for the keel of MSC Orchestra

Following tradition when a new MSC Cruises vessel is built, two coins have been soldered on the inside of the keel of MSC Orchestra. The first coin was presented by the ship owner and the second by the representative of the shipyard. Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises and Patrick Boissier, president of the Yard, yesterday in St Nazaire, France, in the presence of the managers of MSC Cruises, laid two coins in the middle of the keel of MSC Orchestra. This is a tradition aimed at bringing good fortune to the ship as it cruises around the world. After the delivery of MSC Lirica in 2003, and MSC Opera in 2004, MSC Musica will make her debut in June 2006 and finally MSC Orchestra in 2007.
MSC Cruises will continue expanding the fleet with another two vessels commissioned for delivery in 2008 and in 2009: MSC Fantasia and MSC Serenata. These two ships will be the largest ever been built for a European ship owner and the third largest in the world to date. (Source: Independent Online)
• 2006-02-09 13:17:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNOAA Approves Grant to Aid Search for John Paul Jones' Flagship

From Naval Historical Center Public Affairs The Naval Historical Center’s (NHC) search for Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones' ship Bonhomme Richard received further support in early February, when it was recommended for funding through the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration's competitive grant process. The NHC and Ocean Technology Foundation (OTF) plan to launch a search for Bonhomme Richard off the coast of England in July. "You cannot find an underwater archaeological site more important to the U.S. Navy than that of John Paul Jones' Bonhomme Richard," said Dr. Robert Neyland, head of the NHC's Underwater Archaeology Branch. "Locating and identifying the remains of this great ship would validate Jones' accomplishments, do great service for U.S. Naval history, and rekindle public enthusiasm for America's naval heritage." "We appreciate NOAA's support on this project," added Capt. John Ringelberg, president of the OTF, "but more importantly, we're pleased that they recognize the value of this expedition to maritime history."
The team has already conducted extensive historical and archival research, and is using the latest computer technology to simulate how the ship may have drifted during a 36-hour period after the battle. During the July search, they will conduct surveys of the ocean floor using a magnetometer, which can detect large amounts of metal ballast underwater, and high-tech sonar systems that can identify anomalies on the ocean bottom. "NOAA feels this project involves a technically sound approach to search for the wreck, and it will be led by a professional and competent team of researchers," said Lt. Jeremy Weirich, the Office of Ocean Exploration's Maritime Archeology program manager. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-09 13:15:23 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCrane Removes Containers to Aid Vessel

According to the reports, a container vessel APL Panama, stranded since Christmas Day off an Ensenada beach, now has its own jetty. Salvors commissioned the 500-ft. rock-and-sand ramp and hired a giant crane to carry containers ashore. The operation is the latest in a series of attempts to lighten the ship's load and get it floating again. Weighed down by cargo and pinned in by sand, the 880-ft.
The ship was on a trans-Pacific route, and its cargo included electronic components for Baja California manufacturing plants as well as parts for car factories in central Mexico. The delay in delivery prompted Nissan, the Japanese car manufacturer, to stop producing vehicles for three days last week at its Aguascalientes facility. Led by Florida-based Titan Maritime LLC, salvage efforts since the grounding reportedly have succeeded in moving the bow 35 degrees, about a third of the distance necessary to pull it away from shore. A major effort late last month involved six tugboats and a barge equipped with hydraulic pullers, with a combined capacity of more than 80,000 horsepower.
The Baja California construction company Amaya Curiel y Cia S.A. de C.V. built the jetty. Leaders of the salvage effort had hoped they wouldn't have to resort to the land-based operation. They initially relied on a Sikorsky Sky Crane helicopter to remove some of the lighter containers from the ship. But many of the boxes weigh more than the helicopter's 20,000-pound carrying capacity. Titan Maritime executives have told local officials that they are also hoping to bring in a more powerful helicopter, a Russian-made Mil-25 to lift the heavy containers. (Source: San Diego Tribune)

• 2006-02-09 13:12:59 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsLifeboat Fatalities Caused by Severe Corrosion

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) issued the report of its investigation into the deaths of two crewmen and the injury of three more during a lifeboat drill on a bulk carrier off Port Hedland, Western Australia on 7 October 2004. The lifeboat was being lowered when the after on-load release hook failed, causing the lifeboat to unexpectedly fall 16 meters into the sea below. Investigation revealed that the lifeboat’s after hook’s keel stays were severely corroded, allowing them to fail under a normal load. The ship’s maintenance and survey regime was determined to be deficient. (Source: HK Law)
• 2006-02-09 13:12:14 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsUSS Ohio Rejoins Fleet

The first of four Ohio-class Trident missile submarines being converted to carry guided missiles and Special Operations Forces (SOF) rejoined the fleet in a return to service ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor Feb. 7. In December, USS Ohio (SSGN 726) completed conversion to a guided-missile submarine capable of carrying more than 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 60 SOF members for extended periods.
This conversion is a major step forward in the Navy’s ability to fight the global war on terrorism. During the ceremony, guest speaker Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke of the new role Ohio will have as it steers towards danger, rather than away from it. Annie Glenn, the ship’s sponsor, presented the crew a ship’s patch worn by Sen. John Glenn on his return to space in 1998. The patch was autographed by all seven astronauts aboard the shuttle and will now be displayed in the wardroom. USS Michigan (SSGN 727), USS Florida (SSGN 728), and USS Georgia (SSGN 729) are also undergoing conversion to SSGN and are scheduled to return to service over the next two years. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-09 13:11:19 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTOP Tankers Reports on M/T Flawless

TOP Tankers Inc the owner of the double hull 154,970 dwt M/T Flawless, announced that on January 23, 2006, the vessel reported a minor fuel oil overflow on the vessel's deck to the Estonian Environmental Inspectorate. The incident occurred when the vessel was in international waters having departing Tallinn, Estonia, and after loading a cargo of fuel oil. The overflow occurred when bunker fuel was being transferred between tanks, and was estimated at between 1.5 and 2.0 cubic meters. The overflow was contained on deck and the crew immediately began clean-up procedures.
As the vessel is presently in transit, the Company's superintendents have not been able to inspect the vessel since the overflow incident. However, the Company believes that reports received from the vessel to date make it appear highly unlikely that this minor overflow could have caused any of the pollution that has been recently found on the Estonian shoreline. The Company has also received Estonian media reports to the effect that the pollution there appears to have been caused by oil sludge, which has very different characteristics from the bunker fuel of the Flawless. The vessel's technical manager has also advised the company of a report that on January 23, an Estonian Coastguard helicopter flying over the area where the Flawless was steaming did not report any pollution in the water. TOP Tankers takes all matters concerning pollution extremely seriously and, together with the vessel's technical manager, Hanseatic Shipping of Cyprus, has established strong and effective controls as well as procedures designed to ensure that the Company's vessels operate to the highest standards to avoid pollution. The Company stated that it will continue to work closely with the Estonian authorities in this matter and will assist in identifying the cause of this pollution incident, which the Company firmly believes was not connected with the Flawless. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-09 13:09:50 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsBid Solicitation for New Passenger Vessels

An invitation to bid on the construction of a new Passenger Only Ferry and a new Cargo / Passenger Ferry for Puerto Rico Maritime Transportation Administration of Fajardo, Puerto Rico is expected later this month. Bristol Harbor Marine Design is currently developing the performance specifications for the vessels. A Request For Proposals for both vessels is expected.
Preliminarily, the vessels include one Subchapter K Passenger Only Ferry; and one Subchapter K Cargo / Passenger Ferry. Commensurate with publishing the RFP, preliminary performance specifications will be accessible by visiting BHMD’s website at: http://www.bristolharborgroup.com/downloads.html, and selecting the documents under “Project 05484 –Passenger Only Ferry and Cargo / Passenger Ferry for Puerto Rico Maritime Transportation Authority (Fajardo, Puerto Rico)”. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-09 13:08:25 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCoast Guard Training Continues Despite Incidents

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Air Station Humboldt Bay is continuing standardization training as well as a pair of search-and-rescue operations. On Feb. 4, the Coast Guard received a distress call by cell phone regarding a 23-year-old man who was swept down the Mad River while trying to rescue his dog. The following day, the Coast Guard assisted the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office with a search for two men in a raft who failed to return as planned from a day trip on the Van Duzen River.
Deputies spotted a yellow object in the river and called in the Coast Guard, who flew over the area and confirmed that the object was a partially submerged raft. The Coast Guard continued to search the area from the air, while the Sheriff’s Posse was called out to conduct a thorough ground search. Eventually, family members of the missing persons contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report that the missing men had unexpectedly contacted their family. On Feb. 6, the Coast Guard flight evaluations continued, with standardization training exercises performed in conjunction with the Coast Guard Cutter Barracuda, stationed at Woodley Island. Exercises are expected to conclude this week.
(Source: The Eureka Reporter)
• 2006-02-09 03:38:21 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTanker Grounding in Alaska Update

On behalf of the Unified Command, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) released a Situation Report stating that divers examining the hull of the tanker Seabulk Pride found that the hull, propeller, and shaft sustained minor damage. Inspections continue and temporary repairs are ongoing. Plans call for the tanker to transit to the West Coast for offload of its cargo, subject to Coast Guard approval. (Source: HK Law)
• 2006-02-09 03:37:23 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsWärtsilä Engines for Geo Vessel

The new offshore support vessel of Aker ROV 06 design will be equipped with Wärtsilä main engines. Wärtsilä Corporation has been awarded a contract worth about EUR 2.7 million in November 2005 by the Norwegian shipbuilder Aker Yards ASA to supply main engines for a new offshore support vessel contracted by the Norwegian subsea operations company Geo ASA.
The vessel will be constructed at Aker Yards' Søviknes shipyard in Norway, with delivery due in May 2007. Its main engines will be four six-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 diesel engines with a combined output of 11,520 kW at 720 rpm. Of the Aker ROV 06 design, the vessel will be employed in subsea operations, primarily for the offshore oil & gas industry. It will be capable of worldwide operation, including the northern oceans. The vessel will principally serve as a mothership for unmanned remotely-operated subsea vehicles (ROV) which can be launched by crane over both sides of the vessel as well as through a moon pool. Important requirements concerning the choice of engines included low fuel consumption and fulfilment of the Clean Design notation of DNV classification. The Clean Design notation sets high environmental standards for the control and limiting of all types of emissions and discharges. These standards involve not only the choice of equipment in a vessel, and its installation design but also a vessel's operational procedures. Geo ASA carries out subsea operations in three main fields: seabed mapping of topography and other levels of sediments; inspection, maintenance and repair of offshore installations; and offshore construction support with ROV.
Geo ASA is a subsidiary of DOF ASA, a major owner and operator of offshore vessels. DOF is a long-established customer for Wärtsilä engines, having built some 20 vessels powered by 70 Wärtsilä engines. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-09 03:35:52 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNew shipping rules to benefit maritime labor

ome 1.2 million seafarers could gain better working conditions under new rules that are likely to be adopted this month. The proposed new Maritime Labour Convention, which has support from shipowners, labor unions and more than 80 states, is due for a final reading at a two-week International Labour Organisation conference beginning Tuesday. Countries worldwide would have powers to inspect ships that dock in their ports and seize them if labor conditions aboard are substandard, even if the vessel is flying the flag of a state that has not ratified the new rules, the ILO said.
The "bill of rights" is aimed at toughening enforcement of fragmented and sometimes outdated rules, which allow some owners to treat crew poorly by registering vessels in countries with slacker labor standards or checks. (Source: Reuters)
• 2006-02-09 03:34:52 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCourt panel divided over toxic ship

India's Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes was asked to prepare a report on whether to allow a decommissioned French warship to be scrapped in India. The report will be reviewed by the Supreme Court, which will make a decision on February 13. But the panel has split into two camps, each of which has submitted its own report to the court. One report had no objection to the ship being scrapped in the western shipyard of Alang as long it was done under strict supervision. The other report says the Clemenceau should not be scrapped in India. (Source: Reuters)
• 2006-02-09 02:44:10 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsFerry owner delayed news of sinking

Egypt's presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad said Tuesday the owners of the Red Sea ferry that sank last week did not inform the government of the disaster for nearly six hours. Awad said the government first heard from owner Al Salam Maritime Transport Co. that the ship was in danger at 7 a.m. Friday, and was feared sunk at 7:45 a.m. By most accounts, the Al-Salaam Boccaccio 98 sank no later than 2 a.m., five hours earlier.
Other reports say the ship sank at 1 a.m., which would have made the delay in notification at least six hours. The public did not learn of the disaster for several more hours after the government was notified. Questions have also been raised about whether the vessel was seaworthy, with accusations that corrupt government officials had conducted inadequate inspections of the ferry. (Source: CBC News)
• 2006-02-09 02:43:06 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCosta Serena Cross Section Arrives

The fore end section of the Costa Serena arrived in Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyards in Genoa recently. The Costa Serena is the second of Costa Crociere’s three new sister ships due to enter service over the next four years. The fore end section of the new building is about 91 m in length and 3,200 gt. It left the Palermo yard, where it was assembled, on February 1, and will now be placed in the building graving-dock at the Sestri Ponente yard; there, it will be fitted to the aft end section of the ship, which is currently under construction. The cut of the first plates of Costa Serena started in April 2005.
The Costa Serena is the second of three 112,000 gt sister ships with guest capacity of 3,780 ordered by Costa Crociere from Fincantieri and entailing a total investment of almost 1.5 billion euros. The first of the three, the Costa Concordia, will enter into service in July 2006; the Costa Serena in May 2007; the third vessel, whose name is yet to be announced, will be completed in summer 2009. Thanks to the arrival of these three new ships, the fleet bearing the Costa Crociere brand, currently Europe’s largest and most advanced, will be 13 strong by 2009, with an increase in capacity of over 50%. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-08 03:25:34 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsU.S. Navy Assists in Egyptian Ferry Search and Rescue

A U.S. Navy P-3 Orion from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 Golden Swordsmen assisted search and rescue operations for survivors of the sunken Egyptian ferry Al Salam Boccaccio 98 in the Red Sea, Feb. 4. The ferry, carrying an estimated 1,400 passengers, sank about 50 miles off the coast of Egypt at approximately 2 a.m., Feb. 3. The VP-47 crew flew for almost 15 hours to assist Egyptian authorities in the search efforts. “After a thousand mile transit the aircraft was still able to provide seven-and-a-half hours of time on station looking for survivors using its infrared capability,” said Lt. Christopher Ellison, Commander Task Force 57 operations scheduling officer. “The aircraft searched for and guided ships to survivors throughout the night and into the morning.
The P-3 was a vital tool to the overall rescue effort as the P-3 was the only asset capable of searching the large area for survivors in the dark.” CTF 57’s P-3 Orions are an unobtrusive force that provide a valuable service to operational commanders throughout the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command area of operations. P-3s are the over-the-horizon eyes and ears for the operational commanders both on the land and at sea. They provide key support to the overall mission of maritime security operations (MSO). MSO set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment as well as complement the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. MSO deny international terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons, or other material. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-08 03:23:53 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsHarbor Pilot Dead after Accident

While transitioning from the Island Princess cruise ship to the waiting pilot boat, Capt. David "Kawika" Lyman was pitched overboard, injured by the pilot boat, possibly even the propeller.
He was recovered by the pilot boat captain, and brought to Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, where members of an awaiting American Medical Response ambulance crew brought him to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. United States Coast Guard marine safety investigators were on the scene Sunday night, and continue their investigation because of the seriousness of the accident. State and federal laws mandate that licensed, experienced harbor pilots be at the helm of large, foreign-flagged ships, including many cruise ships, maneuvering in and out of Hawai'i's harbors, with Nawiliwili considered the trickiest of them all. While it is an occupation with high wages and built-in job security, because there are only a handful of licensed, experienced pilots in the state, it is also one that involves inherent dangers, including regular exposure to unpredictable elements. The Nawiliwili Harbor entrance requires captains to perform a full "S" turn in order to avoid the protective seawall and jetty, sometimes with only a few feet to spare before shallow reefs come into play in the shallows of the northern section of the harbor, not far from Kalapaki Beach. Waves along the eastern shore of Kaua'i were around five to eight feet. (Source: MSN)

• 2006-02-08 03:22:53 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCaptain refused to help ferry

The captain of a Red Sea ferry has admitted that he steered clear of a doomed ship that sank between Saudi Arabia and Egypt last week, leaving about 1,000 people feared dead, rather than help rescue survivors. He said he did not respond because he feared his own passenger ship, the Saint Catherine, could sink if he turned back in bad weather, which included high waves and fast winds.
Captain Salah Gomaa did say he sent out a call for help to other ships in the area. Both the Saint Catherine and the Al Salam 98, which sank, are owned by the Egyptian company El Salam Maritime Transport Co. (Source: Reuters)
• 2006-02-08 02:42:27 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsGorbachev Nominates 1961 Soviet Sub Crew for Nobel Prize

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev nominated the crew of the ill-fated Soviet nuclear submarine K-19, which suffered a loss of coolant accident on July 4, 1961, for a Nobel Peace Prize this week. "Through the courage of the heroic sailors, a reactor explosion and a consequent environmental catastrophe in the ocean were averted," Mr. Gorbachev wrote.
"An explosion on board the K-19 could have been taken for a military provocation or even an attempt to launch a nuclear strike on the North American coast. An immediate response by the United States could have triggered a Third World War," he wrote. All information about the 1961 accident was kept secret in the USSR until 1990, he said. The K-19 incident was recently the subject of a National Geographic feature film starring Harrison Ford called "K-19: The Widowmaker." (Source: www.fas.org)

• 2006-02-07 08:20:20 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive News9,000 gallons of oil leak into N.J. river

A ruptured tank spilled more than 9,000 gallons of refined oil into a river Sunday, causing an eight-mile oil slick, authorities said. At least two water companies temporarily stopped taking water from the Passaic River after the 9 a.m. spill, said Passaic County Sheriff's Department spokesman Bill Maer.
The leak started at a factory in Totowa, about 20 miles west of New York City. Oil was flowing "like a spout" into the water, said sheriff's department Capt. James Hearney. "A lot of homeowners are smelling it," Hearney said. "It stinks." Authorities were setting up floating booms in the river to contain the slick, he said. The state Department of Environmental Protection was headed to the scene. (Source: www.thestate.com)

• 2006-02-07 08:07:55 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsINS Bangaram to be commissioned on Feb 10

INS Bangaram, a fast attack craft of the Indian Navy, will be commissioned on February 10. The ship will be formally commissioned by Vice Admiral SCS Bangara, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command. The 46-metre INS Bangaram is an improved variant of the existing high speed vessels. It offers a cost-effective platform for patrol and rescue operations at sea and has combat capabilities with matching firepower. The ship would be an additional asset in the inventory of the Southern Naval Command here, the defence PRO said in a release on Sunday.
Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, the ship is capable of doing high speeds and will facilitate effective patrolling in the seas. (Source: www.hindustantimes.com)

• 2006-02-07 08:03:22 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsInterpol Says Mastermind Of USS Cole Attack Among Those Who Escaped From Yemen P

A man considered a mastermind of the USS Cole bombing that killed 17 sailors in a Yemeni port in 2000 was among 23 people who escaped from a Yemen prison last week, Interpol said today. Al-Badawi was among those sentenced to death in September 2004 for plotting the USS Cole attack. Two suicide bombers blew up an explosives-laden boat next to the destroyer as it refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden on Oct. 12, 2000.
Another of the 23 escapees was identified as Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeiee, considered by Interpol to be one of those responsible for a 2002 attack on the French tanker Limburg off Yemen's coast. That attack killed a Bulgarian crew member and spilled 90,000 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Aden. (Source: www.latimes.com)
• 2006-02-07 08:00:39 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNo hope for clipper's homecoming

Hopes that a ship built on the River Wear could return to the north-east of England after almost 140 years have finally been scuppered. The City of Adelaide was built in 1864 by a Sunderland shipyard. It is the oldest surviving clipper in the world - the only other is the Cutty Sark. It was hoped the vessel could return to Sunderland, from its current home in Scotland, as a floating museum. But the Scottish Maritime Museum says the ship is now likely to be scrapped. In 2002, Sunderland City Council commissioned a £25,000 study to see if the 176-ft long former passenger and cargo sailing ship could be brought back to its Wearside home.
Sunderland Maritime Heritage Group hoped the vessel would become a popular attraction in the city.
But it now appears the vessel is beyond saving and is set to be broken up, although the Scottish Maritime Museum has hinted that sections of the vessel could be available to heritage groups. The City of Adelaide, later renamed The Carrick, made 23 voyages to South Australia transporting families from Britain and Ireland to the colony.
After serving as a passenger ship, cargo vessel and Royal Navy training clipper, she was eventually sold to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on the River Clyde in Scotland. Sunderland-based historian Stuart Miller said: "The vessel was quite spectacular when she was launched all those years ago.  (Source: news.bbc.co.uk)

• 2006-02-07 03:17:08 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsFire, crew cited in Egyptian ferry disaster

More than 700 people are still unaccounted for from the ferry al-Salam 98, which sank on Thursday night while on its way from Duba to the Egyptian port of Safaga. Accounts from survivors and crew members suggest that the tragedy began when a fire broke out on board. Water used to fight the blaze apparently flooded the car deck, pooled to one side, and caused the ship to list and quickly sink. Surviving passengers have accused the captain and crew of negligence, saying the captain abandoned ship before making sure everyone was safe, and the crew members didn't get them into lifeboats.
Still unanswered is why the crew failed to send a distress signal, or evacuate the ship — since there seems to have been plenty of time to organize an evacuation. Egyptian media have also accused the ferry operators of making the ship unsafe by adding extra decks after purchase. (Source: The Guardian)
• 2006-02-07 03:12:29 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNo wrongdoing found in New York boating accident

Sheriff's officials investigating a tour boat capsizing last fall that killed 20 passengers have concluded that neither the vessel's owner nor its captain committed a crime. The Ethan Allen appeared filled to capacity on a calm day when it suddenly tipped over, sending passengers into Lake George. Twenty people died. The Warren County Sheriff's Office looked into whether there was any intentional, reckless, or negligent conduct that amounted to a crime and submitted its findings to prosecutors. They are conducting their own investigation into the accident and could still pursue a case.
The National Transportation Safety Board has yet to issue its final report, but has said it is examining modifications to the boat that may have affected its stability. Federal lawsuits have been filed in two states alleging negligence by tour boat company Shoreline Cruises Inc. and Paris, claiming that there should have been another crew member, life vests should have been accessible, the boat was flawed and it was overcrowded. (Source: TimesUnion.com)
• 2006-02-07 03:10:10 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive Newsal-Salam 98 judged unsafe to operate in European waters

The al-Salam 98, which sank in the Red Sea, has a history of safety issues. One of eight similar vessels operated by Townsend Thoresen, it was the sister ship of the Herald of Free Enterprise, which sank in 1987 off the coast of Belgium. Another sister ship, the al-Salaam 95, sank in the Red Sea in October. European regulations introduced after the Herald of Free Enterprise sinking made it illegal to operate either vessel in Europe.
The rules introduced in the late 1990s ensured that "roll-on, roll-off" ferries were redesigned for stability. Andrew Linington of Numast, the British ships' officers union, said that "If a ship is unsafe, it is unsafe wherever it operates." But legislation is not as stringent in developing countries. (Source: Independent Online)
• 2006-02-07 03:09:11 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTrust supports Alang's desire to dismantle the Clemenceau

Bhavnagar-based NGO Samvardhan Trust, which works for the environment and human resource development, has said it will hold protests and organize rallies if the French warship Clemenceau is not allowed to be brought to Alang for dismantling. The Trust will hold a seminar for Greenpeace activists to discuss shipbreaking and asbestos handling. The Trust will also hold rallies to spread awareness about the working conditions at Alang, and to prove that the shipbreaking yard is capable of handling asbestos. (Source: Ahmedabad Newsline)
• 2006-02-07 02:35:05 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsHMS Daring Offers Charging Capabilities

The Royal Navy has launched a new warship that will offer its crew an iPod charging point, a CD player, and internet access in every cabin. The HMS Daring is the first of six Type 45 Destroyers that come with a $1 billion price tag. The 150-meter long vessels will come into service in 2009. At 7350 ton, the 14 deck warship is capable of tracing and destroying hostile objects as small a cricket ball traveling at three times the speed of sound several hundred miles away. Inside, the ship offers each cabin an array of technological capabilities such as the iPod charger and five radio channels dedicated to the ship. (Source: http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk)
• 2006-02-06 16:02:01 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsFerry Victims' Relatives Riot at Ship Offices

It has been reported that hundreds of grieving relatives attacked offices belonging to the owners of a Red Sea ferry which sank with 1400 people on board. Rioters threw furniture into the street and burned the company's signboard. Police had to be called to intervene and fire tear gas to restore order after the mob broke into the offices of El Salam Maritime in the Red Sea port early in the morning and began throwing everything out into the street.
The company owned the Al-Salaam Boccaccio 98 which sank early on Friday with the loss of about 1000 lives. The rioters took a large photo of one of the company's ferries and burned it in the middle of the road. Riot police who were guarding the nearby port gates quickly dispersed the crowd. Some rioters set fires to tyres on roads leading to the port, effectively closing the roads. But firefighters arrived and extinguished the blazes. Only 401 people are known to have survived the sinking of the ferry. Most of the passengers were low-income Egyptians returning from working in Saudi Arabia. Relatives of the passengers have complained that the firm failed to inform them about who had drowned and who had survived. (Source: CBC News)

• 2006-02-06 15:52:13 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRCL Orders 220,000 GRT Cruise Ship

Royal Caribbean International orders a new generation cruise vessel from Aker Yards. The contract price being approximately $1.07 billion, this is the most valuable ship ever ordered in the history of commercial shipbuilding. The 220,000 GRT ship, a prototype developed under Project Genesis, will be delivered from Aker Yards, Finland in autumn 2009. The order means 5,800 man years of work for the yard. The contract includes an option for a similar vessel. "After developing so many generations of cruise ships together over the 35 years of our partnership with RCCL we are excited about jumping so far out in front of cruise-ship design with this highly innovative and exciting new ship" says Yrjö Julin, President responsible for Aker Yards Cruise & Ferries business area. "Working together we will create an unparalleled experience for the next generation of cruisers."
"It is exhilarating to take such a giant step into the future", said Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard Fain. "Project Genesis truly is a remarkable ship. Its bold design, daring innovation and technological advancements will delight our existing customers and help us draw in new ones". He also said Royal Caribbean to be fortunate to have such gifted collaborators as Aker Yards. Taking a huge leap of 43 percent in size from the new record breaking "Freedom of the Seas" to be delivered for Royal Caribbean from Aker Yards in April, the new giant of the cruise market will be 360 m long, 47 m wide, 65 m high above waterline and accommodate 5,400 passengers.
The previous deliveries from Aker Yards to Royal Caribbean include eleven newbuildings, and there are three more in the present orderbook, the world s largest cruise vessels in the Freedom class, to be delivered in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Consisting of 18 newbuildings, the total value of the order book of Aker Yards in Finland is some 4.3 billion euro after this contract. The contract is subject to final confirmation of buyers financing. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-06 15:45:57 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsBlount to Construct Excursion Vessel

Blount Boats, Inc. has signed a contract with Wendella Sightseeing Company, Inc. to construct an 89 x 30 ft. steel excursion vessel. The vessel was designed by Timothy Graul Marine Design and will operate in the Chicago area. The 300 passenger vessel will be powered by twin screw Caterpillar engines. Delivery for Hull #320 is scheduled for April 2007 via the Erie Canal. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-06 15:42:30 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsHorizon Offshore Purchases DP2 Vessel

Cut 988 Horizon Offshore announced that its subsidiary, Horizon Vessels, Inc., has agreed to acquire the Sea Wrangler, a diving support and deepwater reel pipelay vessel. The company expects to complete the purchase later this month and to finance a portion of the purchase price. Horizon intends to rename the vessel the Texas Horizon and place it into service as soon as possible following routine maintenance due to the vessel's current laid up status. The company intends to utilize the vessel to support its Gulf of Mexico operations in both the U.S. and Mexican market areas. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-06 15:41:21 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTanker Refloated in Alaska

On behalf of the Unified Command, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation issued Situation Report #5 stating that a tug and response barge were en route to the scene of the grounding of the tanker Seabulk Pride in Cook Inlet. Situation Report #6 stated that response tugs managed to pull the tanker off the beach. The tanker then got underway on its own power.
A transit plan is being prepared to escort and relocate the tanker to a safe location to continue damage surveys. Situation Report #7 indicates that Kachemak Bay in Cook Inlet will be used as a place of refuge where the tanker will undergo a complete check for integrity. The U.S Coast Guard issued a Press Release stating that vessel traffic in Cook Inlet is being considered on a ship-by-ship basis and that ice rules are in effect. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-06 15:40:33 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsFerries to Provide Assistance in Future Disasters

To address future disasters, the Bay Area Council is working in Sacramento with the governor and legislative leaders on major infrastructure bond proposals, which may well set the agenda for decades to come. Being discussed is the legislation authored by Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland eight years ago, and signed into law by the governor, regarding the Bay Area Council’s proposal for a comprehensive high-speed water transit system that -- in addition to significantly improving daily traffic -- would provide a highly flexible disaster recovery transportation system.
This new system recognized that the waters of the bay could be transformed from a transportation obstacle into a transportation asset, with high-speed ferries running to all communities with waterfront access. In addition to improving daily mobility for tens of thousands of residents, in a disaster these ferries would shuttle supplies, responders and victims around the region, even while roads, bridges and trains would still be closed for inspection and repairs. By necessity, the system would have terminals ringing the bay -- from Alviso and Moffett Field near San Jose to Port Sonoma and Benicia in the North Bay, in addition to existing facilities in Oakland, San Francisco, Marin and Vallejo. Yet the system has never received the funding it needs to build more than a modest three new routes, the first scheduled to start in 2009.
(Source: San Francisco Chronicle)
• 2006-02-06 15:39:32 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive News72 Feared Dead In Ferry Sinking

About 72 passengers are still missing from a ferry that sank in waters off Kupang in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, China View reported. Search and rescue teams are still trying to find the 72 missing passenger. Most of the passengers on the ferry are presumed to have drowned. Rescue teams found 34 bodies and 125 other passengers floating in the sea.
Most of the passengers had life jackets. Search and rescue team would continue searching for the missing people until February 7-- a week after the boat sank. The government has deployed three naval war ships, a surveillance aircraft, a police helicopter, a police patrol boat, three tugboats owned by state shipping company PT Pelni and three vessels from state ferry company PT ASDP to aid rescue efforts.
(Source: China View)
• 2006-02-06 15:37:18 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPoor Weather Blocks Ship Rescue

Poor weather conditions and strong ice-break have blocked the rescue operation of Bulgaria's Katya Z ship, stuck in the Sea of Azov off Ukraine. Three tugboats have managed to break the iceberg under the right board of the ship. A check proved that the systems of the ship are working properly and that it would be able to sail. The rescue operation would continue once the weather improves. The ship with 18 sailors onboard run aground in the Sea of Azov on January 28. Katya Z has 14 Bulgarian sailors and four Ukrainians onboard. All crew members are feeling well. (Source: Sofia News Agency)
• 2006-02-06 15:16:48 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRecovery Efforts for Miss Kelley Continue

The U.S. Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Game’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response recently ceased the pollution response operations onboard the fishing vessel Miss Kelley. Early on January 26, in Fort Bragg, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued two fishermen from the fishing vessel and began pollution response efforts when the vessel stranded on a beach near the Noyo River entrance. Oil-absorbent pads were placed in the fish hold to remove the oil contained in that space and then removed and properly disposed.
Further actions to contain and remove the oil were impossible because of the remote location of and high energy surf conditions around the vessel. On January 30, the tanks were sounded again and were found to be empty. The response and cleanup efforts have ended because there is no further threat of pollution, but recovery efforts for the vessel continue. (Source: The Eureka Reporter)

• 2006-02-05 14:30:22 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsEgyptian ship with 1,400 aboard sinks in the Red Sea

The Egyptian passenger ferry Al Salam Boccaccio 98 carrying about 1,400 people sank in the Red Sea early Friday during bad weather. Rescue ships and helicopters pulled dozens of survivors and bodies from the water; 263 survivors have been counted so far. Most of the passengers were Egyptian workers returning from their jobs in Saudi Arabia. At least four Saudi and four Egyptian ships were involved in the search effort, arriving about 10 hours after the 35-year-old ferry was believed to have sank. As darkness descended Friday at the site there were fears the death toll could be extremely high. It is believed that the ferry did not have enough lifeboats. It was not immediately clear what caused the ferry to sink. (Source: CNN.com)
• 2006-02-05 14:29:07 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTanker runs aground in Alaska, spills fuel

n oil tanker being loaded with fuel broke free of its dock in the Cook Inlet port of Nikiski and ran aground. Officials at the refinery where the 575-foot Seabulk Pride was being loaded said the ship's cargo tanks were not breached, but that an unknown amount of fuel spilled into Cook Inlet southwest of Anchorage. The Seabulk broke free overnight, possibly after being hit by a large piece of ice. There were no reports of injuries. It was not immediately known how long the tanker drifted before running aground onto soft silt. Tug boats are headed to the area to rescue the ship, which refinery officials said came to rest about a half-mile north of the dock. (Source: Canada.com)

• 2006-02-05 14:27:44 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsStowaway case in South Africa heard

The captain and two crew members of the Bahamas registered ship Mv African Kalahari were accused of throwing seven stowaways into the sea in Durban Harbour. Five survived the ordeal and reported the incident, two Kenyans died. The captain and crew members' written guilty plea to the Durban Regional Court reveals that they looked after the stowaways once they were discovered, and befriended them. The stowaways described deplorable circumstances in their country, and asked not to be handed over to authorities.
The captain decided not to hand them over, but the only way of escape was to disembark over the sea-facing side of the ship and swim to the wharf. The captain said, "We did not hear the cries for help of the two who drowned." While initially facing murder charges, only two finally faced charges of culpable homicide and, along with the Polish captain, charges under maritime law of "endangering the life of persons on board a ship." The men have been given suspended sentences and fines. (Source: The Mercury)
• 2006-02-05 14:26:58 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsEuropean Union investigates disposal of the Clemenceau

Brussels is investigating France's decision to send the ageing Clemenceau aircraft carrier to be scrapped in India amid concerns that the move contravenes European Union waste shipment legislation. If Brussels decides that it is unhappy with the French government's reasons for taking the ship to India, it could start legal action against France via the EU's waste shipment legislation. The main debate is over whether the ship constitutes hazardous waste — as claimed by Greenpeace — and so not allowed to be transported abroad under the Basel Convention, or property of a sovereign state — as France argues — and thus exempt from the charter. (Source: MSN Money)
• 2006-02-05 14:26:01 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsGreenpeace will tackle pirate fishermen

After spending some two months battling Japanese whalers, Greenpeace will now work to expose illegal fishing. Greenpeace expedition leader Shane Rattenbury said activists had succeeded in disrupting the whale hunt, and have helped expose the often "gruesome" deaths the whales face. But now, in a year-long campaign to save the world's oceans, the organization's two ships, Arctic Sunrise and Esperanza, will confront pirate fishing ships off west Africa's coast. This area is seen as a target for pirates, since the region's countries have few resources to protect marine life or enforce regulations at sea. (Source: Reuters)

• 2006-02-05 14:25:04 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRussia needs another aircraft carrier

Russian Navy chief Admiral Vladimir Masorin has been quoted by Russian news agencies as saying the country will build one or two more aircraft carriers, in addition to the one now in service, the Admiral Kuznetsov. He did not say when this would happen. Funding issues have forced the Navy to abandon some ships, and keep others docked for years, because of shortages of fuel and spare parts. But booming oil prices have helped to pad the Navy's budget.
A crucial task will be to preserve the Kuznetsov so seamen and pilots can conduct regular training. On a recent trip into the Atlantic last year, one of the ship's jets slid off the deck and crashed into the sea while trying to land. (Source: The Globe and Mail)
• 2006-02-05 14:23:53 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsEstonia investigates oil spill

A thick oil slick has landed on the shores of northwest Estonia. The oil spill was detected over the weekend and has turned out to be more serious than originally thought. Hundreds of birds have already died, and several thousand more birds have been covered in oil, and are also expected to die. According to the Estonian Waterways Department, more than 100 ships passed through the area around the time the oil spill presumably occurred. The source of the spill, about 20 tons, is still being investigated. (Source: Reuters)
• 2006-02-05 14:22:45 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTriple-Engine Tug From Rodriguez

In mid-January Rodriguez Boat Builders Inc. of Bayou LaBatre Alabama installed three Cummins KTA38 M0 diesels in the finished hull of a new 90 by 32-foot tug for Hughie L. Cheramie, Inc. of Galliano Louisiana. With the engines installed in the new hull the already completed steel work for the deckhouse was lifted into place and the tug showed its final shape. Finishing would take another three months with delivery to the owners scheduled for April. Except for the engines and the owner supplied double-drum towing winch the boat is a virtual sister ship to the Gloria G. Cherami built at Rodriguez a few years ago. Electrical service will be supplied by two Cummins 4BTA 60 kw generator sets.
The boat will be ABS load line inspected. The three Cummins mains will generate 850 hp each at 1800 RPM for a combined 2550 hp driving the boats three props. This will be the seventh boat that Rodriguez has built for Huey Cheramie. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-03 03:00:39 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCarnival Names New Ship

Carnival Splendor is the name Carnival Cruise Lines has chosen for its new 112,000-ton cruise ship scheduled to enter service in spring 2008. Representing a new class of ship for the line, the 3,006-passenger vessel will be constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and feature an innovative new design, including the largest spa and children’s facilities in the Carnival fleet. Highlights include a 17,800-square-foot spa. A 5,500-sq. ft. children’s playroom will be located mid-ship.
Located aft will be a new sports deck featuring arena-style seating for games and other events, while a reservations-only supper club will be located atop the poolside Lido restaurant, providing diners with magnificent ocean vistas. The mid-ship pool – one of four on board – will be enclosed by two full decks of glass walls. The area will be covered with a two-deck-high retractable dome that can be closed during inclement weather. A large balcony will encircle the upper deck of the pool area. The vessel will also include 1,503 staterooms, 60 percent of which will offer an ocean view with 60 percent of those featuring private balconies. Carnival Splendor is one of three new ships currently under construction or on order with Fincantieri. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-03 02:59:11 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNavy Ship Provides Assistance to Disabled Cargo Ship

A Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1661, assigned to Assault Craft Unit Two (ACU-2) approaches the port beam of the distressed motor vessel Al Manara as a MH-60S Seahawk helicopter pass overhead.
Nassau supplied the ship with 10 days of food and water using LCUs and Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) while the ship waited for a tugboat to pull it into port. Nassau is deployed as the flag ship for Expeditionary Strike Group Eight (ESG-8) supporting maritime security operations (MSO) in the 5th Fleet area of operations. MSO seek to preserve the free and secure use of the world's oceans by legitimate mariners and prevent terrorists from attempting to use the maritime environment as a venue for attack or as a medium to transport personnel, weapons or other material that could support their efforts. U.S. (S
ource: NavNews)
• 2006-02-03 02:57:31 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCourt Rules on Salvage v. Finds

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that the law of salvage rather than the law of finds applies to the on-going work related to the wreck of the RMS Titanic. The court also overturned the lower court’s actions regarding certain artifacts that had been retrieved and taken to France in 1987, ruling that the court had no in rem jurisdiction over those artifacts. The decision includes a lengthy comparison of the law of salvage and the law of finds.
The case was remanded to the trial court with instructions to apply the principles of traditional salvage law to the wreck of the Titanic in a manner that serves either the owner or, absent an owner, the public interest and at the same time provides an appropriate award to the salvor. RMS Titanic, Inc. v. The Wrecked and Abandoned Vessel, No. 04-1933 (Source: HK Law)

• 2006-02-03 02:56:29 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPanama Canal Receives ISO 9001 Certifications

The Panama Canal Authority stated that its Industrial Shipyard Division and its Electrical & Aqueduct Division received ISO 9001:2000 certifications based on audits of their Quality Management Systems. (Source: HK Law)
• 2006-02-03 02:55:12 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNew Cruise Ship Delivered to HAL

Holland America Line took delivery ms Noordam from Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. at a special ceremony in Venice, Italy. The Noordam will depart Venice on Friday, February 3, for her new homeport, New York City, where she will offer 10- and 11-day Caribbean cruises beginning with her maiden voyage on February 22, 2006. That same day, the official dedication ceremony will take place with Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin serving as godmother.
"The Noordam is the fourth and last of our popular Vista-class ships, which represent the four points of a compass,” states Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer, Holland America Line. "With this major accomplishment, next we set our sights on the recently announced Signature-class series." Like her sister ships, the Westerdam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam, the new Noordam boasts a spacious design for public areas and staterooms. Eighty five percent of her staterooms have ocean views, with 67 percent of all staterooms sporting verandahs. She is the first ship to be delivered with all Signature of Excellence amenities in place, including plush Euro-top mattresses and flat panel TVs and DVD players in all cabins, new dining options, the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine and the pampering Greenhouse Spa and Salon. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-03 02:53:58 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSuper Yachts to Bring Profits to Miami

According to Miami Today, Miami is poised to become the next destination for those who sail - and those who follow – super yachts, the size of small cruise ships and staffed by up to 50-person crews. In 2002, the last year tracked, super yacht owners contributed about $576 million to the economies of Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward counties, including $34.6 million generated in business taxes. In March, the second annual International Super Yacht symposium will convene at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The two-day symposium March 15-16 is being held in conjunction with the 22nd annual Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, which is expected to draw nearly 10,000 attendees and more than 900 exhibiting companies from more than 100 countries March 13-16. Conference sessions cover pertinent industry issues, including shipbuilding and design, product development and distribution, shipboard management, technology and the future of the cruise industry.
(Source: Miami Today)
• 2006-02-03 02:52:36 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNaval Ships Rescue 114 in Indonesia

Naval vessels rescued more than 100 people after a packed ferry sank in heavy seas off Indonesia, but dozens could still be missing, the Edinburgh Evening News reported.
Two navy ships had picked up 114 people. One person was confirmed dead. While a passenger list put the number of people on board at 106, it could have been as high as 160. The ferry was traveling from Kupang, on Timor island, to nearby Rote island when authorities lost contact with it during the evening voyage.
(Source: Edinburgh Evening News)
• 2006-02-03 02:51:48 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsU.S. Execs to Discuss Cuban Oil Reserves

In the two years since oil reservoirs were discovered off Cuba's coast, Canadian, Chinese, Indian and Norwegian companies have lined up to explore the potentially lucrative Caribbean waters. U.S. oil exploration in Cuban waters - along with most U.S. trade - is prohibited under a 45-year-old U.S. embargo designed to undermine Fidel Castro's communist government.
This week, American energy executives meet their Cuban counterparts in the first private-sector oil summit between the two countries. Cubans hope to inform the businessmen of their country's oil potential while undermining the embargo, which has often frustrated American corporations. The three-day meeting is sponsored by the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association, along with Valero Energy Corp., the United States' biggest oil refiner, as well as the Louisiana Department of Eco
nomic Development and the Texas Port of Corpus Christi, among others. (Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
• 2006-02-03 02:50:43 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsMore Big Tankers, Lower Profits?

The abundance of big tankers, the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) of some 300,000 deadweight tons, makes several analysts express reservations about the projected revenues of the category this year. In 2005 the revenues of VLCCs dropped by 40 percent compared with the "golden" year 2004 when a lack of vessels and the great increase in demand pushed freight rates to extremely high levels.
Analysts expect the current trend to continue and forecast an additional decline of profits by 30 percent for the entire year. On the positive side, shipowners are generally optimistic about the market, as daily rates for VLCCs carrying oil from the Middle East and from West Africa come to at least $100,000. This is attributed to the market's seasonal character, because when the summer demand for oil was less, the rates had fallen. Since the autumn, though, when demand again increased with the coming winter, optimism returned.
(Source: International Herald Tribune)
• 2006-02-03 02:50:02 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRussian Navy Plans Expansion

The Russian Navy plans to build 20 new frigates over the next 15-20 years. The Navy plans to build a large series of these ships, at least 20 and at least five ships for each fleet [Black Sea, Baltic, Pacific, and North Atlantic]. By Russian military classification, a frigate is a large multi-purpose escort ship. (Source: RIA Novosti)
• 2006-02-03 02:48:00 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNavy Launches HMS Daring

HMS Daring, the first of the Royal Navy's $10 billion fleet of six Type 45 Destroyers, was launched into the River Clyde in Glasgow on February 1. Weighing 7,350 tons, Daring's launch - on time and within budget - is seen as a symbol of rebirth in the Clydeside shipbuilding yards which faced devastation six years ago. Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, launched Daring at a ceremony at the shipyard in Scotstoun which was also attended by the Defense Secretary, John Reid. HMS Daring slid into the water and was maneuvered into place by three tugs, who guided her a few hundred yards down river to a dry dock where the finishing touches will be carried out, including the fitting of her guns.
The second and third ships in the six-ship order - HMS Dauntless, Diamond, Defender, Dragon and Duncan - are already being built. BAE Systems hopes the order will be extended to eight. The contract will keep about 3,000 workers employed until the end of the decade at Scotstoun and its sister yard Govan, across the river.
(Source: Times Online UK)
• 2006-02-03 02:47:27 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTanker Aground in Alaska

According to a Reuters report, an oil tanker with 360,000 barrels capacity was struck by an ice floe and ran aground today while loading oil products at an Alaska refinery, citing a state official and the refining company. According to the Reuters report, refinery owner Tesoro Corp. did not have an estimate of the amount of product released.
The Tesoro-chartered double-hulled tanker, the Seabulk Pride, was loading heavy vacuum gas oil and unleaded gasoline from the refinery in Nikiski, Alaska, on the Cook Inlet. The ship was reportedly aground about half a mile north of the dock, and the vessel's tanks were reported to be secure. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-03 02:46:01 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsChinese Government Donates Gunship to Sierra Leone

In order to boost the capacity of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) the Government of the People's Republic of China has donated an escort gunship to the Government of Sierra Leone to be used by the Sierra Leone Navy to carry out convoy escort, fishery protection, naval patrols, and surveillance in the offshore areas of Sierra Leone.
The ultra-modern gunship is equipped with radar, two 37 mm guns, two 25mm guns, a ship radar, associated communication and navigational equipment and other state-of-the-art features. In another development the Government of the United States of America had indicated that it would donate three naval boats to the armed forces of Sierra Leone. These interventions will enhance the capability of the naval wing of RSLAF to meet its challenges of providing round-the-clock naval presence of patrolling and surveillance the coastal waters of Sierra Leone and of dealing with any threat in its offshore zone in a measured way. The government and people of Sierra Leone appreciate profoundly these gestures by the governments and peoples of the United States of America and the People's Republic of China. (Source: http://allafrica.com)

• 2006-02-02 03:06:05 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsOntario curbs wreck diving

Divers wishing to explore the legendary Edmund Fitzgerald and two other Great Lakes shipwrecks in Canadian waters will need a licence from the Ontario Ministry of Culture under a newly approved regulation. The rule also limits access to the Hamilton and the Scourge, U.S. merchant schooners that sank in Lake Ontario during the War of 1812.
“The sites we have chosen for special protection are unique,” Culture Minister Madeleine Meilleur said in a news release. “We want to ensure that these fragile underwater sites – all of which contain human remains – are treated with care and respect.” The Fitzgerald, a 222-metre iron ore carrier, sank in Lake Superior during a fierce storm Nov. 10, 1975. All 29 crewmen died, and their bodies were not recovered. Fifty-three of the 72 crewmen aboard the Hamilton and Scourge were killed when the ships went down during a squall in August 1813, north of Port Dalhousie. Their gravesite, 90 metres deep, was discovered in 1975 and explored separately by Jacques Cousteau and the National Geographic Society.
Several groups have used mini-submarines and robotic cameras to inspect the Fitzgerald wreckage, located 162 metres below the surface about 27 kilometres northwest of Whitefish Point. The ship, broken in two, lies just across the international border on the Canadian side.
During a privately financed 1994 expedition, leader Fred Shannon of Mount Morris announced that his team had discovered and photographed a body on the lake bottom near the pilot house. The partly decomposed remains could not be identified. But Mr. Shannon angered some relatives of Fitzgerald crew members by using brief images of the remains in a documentary video. They urged Canadian officials to declare the wreck site off-limits to future explorations.
“We've always contended that this is the men's gravesite,” Cheryl Rozman, daughter of Fitzgerald watchman Ransom “Ray” Cundy, . “It gives us family members peace of mind to know that the site will be protected from unauthorized visits.” She and other relatives backed the Michigan legislature's enactment in 1997 of a law making it a felony to photograph human remains on Great Lakes bottomlands without consent of the victim's next of kin. In 1999, family and friends of the crew held a consecration service aboard a Coast Guard cutter at the spot where the ship went down. Doing so, they said, created a moral obligation to treat the site with the same respect as a cemetery. Obtaining a licence for future explorations of the wrecks will not be easy, said Michael Johnson, manager of heritage operations for the Ontario culture ministry. Only missions with “a really good scientific purpose” will be approved, he said Tuesday. “We would like to see a very serious justification for wanting to see those wrecks,” Mr. Johnson said. The regulation, he said, “makes explicitly clear that we do not want sport divers visiting those vessels, or anyone doing unapproved surveys of any kind.”
The regulation was imposed under the Ontario Heritage Act, which was revised last year to toughen penalties for looting or intentionally damaging marine archeological sites, including heritage shipwrecks. Mr. Shannon said Monday that he had not heard about the regulation. “I have absolutely no problem with any legislation that would bring solace to the families,” he said, adding that he had no intention of attempting another Fitzgerald dive. (Source: www.theglobeandmail.com)

• 2006-02-02 03:04:01 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsUS warship dumped rubbish, says resident

A Sunshine Coast resident says the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was dumping rubbish off Queensland's coast before it docked in Brisbane last week. There has been widespread criticism of the US Navy after rubbish, believed to be from the ship, washed up on the state's beaches this week.
The ship's Lieutenant Commander Gary Ross says the allegations are being investigated. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says warships do not have to abide by laws that prohibit the dumping of rubbish while at sea. Mooloolaba's John Wynne says he saw lines of rubbish behind the ship last week."We would have been probably 15 to 20 kilometres offshore - there was a line of rubbish bags," he said. "They were every 200 or 300 yards apart but they were in a distinct line so it just appeared that they were throwing them over as they were travelling."
Several bags of rubbish have been collected; the latest washed ashore at Mudjimba on the Sunshine Coast yesterday. Lieutenant Commander Ross says the American Navy has strict guidelines for the disposal of rubbish aboard ships at sea. "By all indications it is an accidental dumping because our policies and procedures are very strict with regards to the disposal of plastics and in no way do we dispose of plastics out here at sea," he said. "We have methods to store them on board and properly dispose of them when we pull into port." (Source: www.abc.net.au)

• 2006-02-02 02:55:49 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNorthrop Grumman Awarded Contract for Work on USS Toledo

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy for maintenance work, known as a depot modernization period, on the nuclear-powered submarine USS Toledo (SSN 769). The initial planning contract is valued at approximately $34.7 million. The total estimated value, including the actual execution, is valued at approximately $175 million. Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector is the prime contractor for the work, which will include planning and scheduling, engineering, material procurement, fabrication, maintenance and modernization work. The ship is scheduled to arrive in September for a performance period lasting approximately 13 months, 10 of which will include dry dock work. Planning work will begin immediately.
This is a competitive award under a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) multiple award contract. Toledo is the 26th Los Angeles-class submarine built by Northrop Grumman Newport News. It was christened on August 28, 1993 and commissioned into service February 24, 1995. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-02 02:50:45 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsNatchez Barge Accident Investigated

A rainsquall that reduced visibility appears to have been the cause of a barge hitting a piling of the Mississippi River bridge at Natchez this past weekend, the Biloxi Sun Herald reported. The investigation is ongoing.
As for previous reports that a power failure caused the accident, there's no evidence the barge lost power before the accident. The accident happened at about 8 p.m. on January 28 and involved a barge from Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel of Pine Bluff, Ark. There were no injuries. In addition, MDOT crews inspected the piling above the water level Sunday and found no damage. (Source: Biloxi Sun Herald)
• 2006-02-02 02:50:04 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsTanker sinks in the English Channel

A tanker carrying phosphoric acid has sunk in the English Channel. The vessel was badly damaged and listing after it collided with a cargo ship around 30 miles northwest of Guernsey early on Tuesday, and sank shortly after midnight. French rescue workers were hoping to tow the vessel to Le Havre, in France, before it went down in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. A one-mile exclusion zone has been set up around the wreckage, with warning signs pointing out the wreckage to other vessels.
Twenty-two crew members on board the Ece tanker, which is registered in the Marshall Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, were rescued by British coastguards, the RAF and their French counterparts nearly two hours after they abandoned ship. None were seriously injured in the incident. If it leaks, the phosphoric acid would have a "fleeting and localized lethal effect." Generally, experts are more concerned about the fuel oil carried in the ship's tanks. (Source: Yahoo! News)
• 2006-02-02 02:49:14 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRussian Navy announces changes in submarine fleet

Admiral Vladimir Masorin, commander of the Russian Navy, announced at a conference that Russia's fleet will be equipped with four modern series of submarines. The Borei series of nuclear submarines, and a new multipurpose submarine armed with sub-launched cruise missiles, will form the backbone of the Navy's fleet. The latest diesel powered submarine, the St. Petersburg, which is being built under the Lada project, will be commissioned this year after trials are completed. Finally, design of a new type of nuclear submarine will begin soon. (Source: RIA Novosti)
• 2006-02-02 02:47:52 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsUS dockworkers target pollution cuts at West Coast ports

Union dockworkers on Monday launched their first campaign to reduce air pollution from vessels calling at ports along the US West Coast, joining a wider global effort to curb pollution from shipping. Without new pollution controls, regulators expect California's ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will contribute 20 percent of all air pollution in the Los Angeles basin by 2025. A study published last year found that diesel fumes from the two ports raise the risk of cancer for people living up to 15 miles inland.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union aims to cut emissions from diesel-fueled vessels calling at West Coast ports by 20 percent by 2010 and to reduce pollution from trucks and cargo-handling equipment on the docks. The union will work with carriers and the port authorities to meet its goal, but has not ruled out making it part of negotiations during the next contract talks, in 2008. (Source: The New York Times at International Herald Tribune)
• 2006-02-02 02:46:28 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsPiracy attacks drop in 2005

The International Maritime Bureau reported Tuesday that total piracy attacks worldwide dropped to 276 last year from 329 in 2004. This was the lowest number reported to its Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala Lumpur since 1999. But 23 vessels were hijacked, the highest number since 2002. Although no crew members were killed compared to 30 in 2004, 12 were still missing. Indonesian waters, with almost 30 percent of the world's attacks, were the most treacherous despite a drop in attacks from the year before.
Attacks in the notorious Straits of Malacca also fell significantly, prompting the IMB to credit governments for increased security patrols. Pirate activity grew in some regions, especially Vietnam, Tanzania and Somalia. But Iraq stood out "as a new world piracy hotspot," with 10 attacks in 2005 after none the year before. Most of Iraq's attacks were on vessels anchored near the Basra oil terminal and Umm Qasr off the country's southeastern coast. (Source: News24.com)
• 2006-02-02 02:44:49 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCrew Rescued from Tanker

The U.K Coast Guard helicopter, India Juliet, from Lee on Solent airlifted ten crewmen from the tanker Ece which was in collision with a bulk carrier General Grot-Rowecki. Twelve other crewmen were also rescued from the ship by the St. Peterport RNLI lifeboat. All twenty-two of the crew have been taken to Guernsey. No serious injuries have been reported. India Juliet is now re-fueling in Guernsey and will be returning to the scene to assist as necessary.
A French naval tug is now on scene assessing the situation with 'Ece'. Once the assessment is complete, plans will be made regarding the possible removal of the ship. The 8,003 ton chemical tanker, Ece is Marshall Islands registered and was reported to have damage with some of its cargo leaking. The bulk carrier, 'General Grot-Rowecki' reportedly has no damage. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-01 02:29:17 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsUSS Forrest Sherman Commissioned

More than 3,000 guests attended a ceremony on January 28 at Naval Air Station Pensacola to commission the Aegis guided missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98). Built by Northrop Grumman, the ship received its commissioning orders to join the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet. Ann Sherman Fitzpatrick, ship's sponsor, ordered the officers and crew to "man our ship and bring her to life," and with a response of "aye, aye ma'am," the DDG 98 crew moved through the crowd to take their positions on the ship. The new destroyer honors Adm. Forrest Percival Sherman, who served as the Chief of Naval Operations from November 1949 until his death in July 1951, the youngest man to occupy the office.
A previous ship named in his honor earned a Navy Unit Commendation and performed distinguished service off Lebanon (1958), Quemoy-Matsu (1958), Cuba (1961), and in the Indian Ocean (1980). Many Northrop Grumman employees lived and worked on the ship while the company's Pascagoula, Miss. facilities were being rebuilt after suffering major damage from Hurricane Katrina. Company executives and facility managers utilized the ship's berthing areas, mess decks and office spaces while developing the plan to restore the shipyard and resume shipbuilding. Cmdr. Michael G. Van Durick, a Scranton, Pa., native and 1986 Naval Academy graduate, is the ship's first commanding officer, which has accommodations for 383 officers and enlisted personnel.
The 9,200-ton Aegis destroyer has an overall length of 509.5 feet, a waterline beam of 59 feet and a navigational draft of 32 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots. This highly capable multi-mission ship can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. USS Forrest Sherman will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-01 02:27:26 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsM. Ship Launches Experimental Vessel

M. Ship Co. launched the M80 Stiletto, designed as an operational experiment for the Pentagon's Office of Force Transformation (OFT) and an example of the next generation of military vessels that combines new materials (carbon fiber), with a networked architecture and a revolutionary hull. The M80 Stiletto initiative is part of OFT's Wolf PAC Distributed Operations Experiment, conducted in association with USSOCOM, to explore command and control of geographically dispersed, but networked, autonomous and semi-autonomous military forces. This new concept of operations by the Department of Defense is in response to diffuse threats that are perceived as emerging in the future.
The M-80 Stiletto and Wolf PAC operational experiment was USN (ret) Vice Admiral Arthur Cebrowski's vision for a more adaptive force using high numbers of smaller, faster networked vessels designed for littoral, or near shore, waters and costing less to build than conventional ships, said Cmdr. Gregory Glaros, Stiletto's project lead and a military transformation strategist who worked for Cebrowski. Cebrowski died last November, but the new Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC), announced in January 2006, is, in effect, implementing the vice admiral's vision for expeditionary combat in the 21st century, said Glaros.
The 88-ft. long vessel features M Ship Co.'s patented M-shaped hull that provides a stable yet fast platform for mounting electronic surveillance equipment or weapons, or for conducting special operations. The hull design does not require foils or lifting devices to achieve a smooth ride at high speeds in rough conditions. Its shallow draft means the M-80 Stiletto can operate in riverine environments and potentially allows for beach landings. The fuel-efficient M-80 Stiletto is equipped with four Caterpillar engines, yielding a top speed in excess of 50 knots (nearly 60 miles per hour) when fully loaded and can be outfitted with jet drives for shallow water operations and beaching. "The M-hull form creates a natural surface effect that not only enhances top-speed performance, but uses the bow wave energy to reduce the overall wake signature," said Bill Burns, co-founder of M Ship Co., noting that the military is also interested in 40- and 120-foot vessels of similar design. "This makes the boat faster and more maneuverable because it remains flat, with almost no heeling, even during high-speed turns. The vessel's proprietary design also gives it a low-radar profile."
The M-80 Stiletto is also notable because it is the largest U.S. Naval vessel built using carbon fiber composite and epoxy building techniques, which yields a very light, but strong hull.
M Ship Co. is in discussions with several major defense contractors to capitalize on the success of the M-hull technology for the emerging military market for vessels that can operate in alignment with the NECC's new focus on "brown water" operations. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-01 02:25:55 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsLeaking Barge Shuts Ohio River Traffic

Commercial traffic was halted along a five mile stretch of the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky, following a barge accident, www.planetark.com reported. A barge carrying 20,000 barrels of liquid asphalt and 14,000 gallons of diesel fuel broke away from its tow the afternoon of January 26 as it was approaching the McAlpine Locks. The barge went over the spillway and was pinned against the K&I Railroad Bridge.
The Coast Guard was evaluating when it could reopen the stretch from mile marker 606 to 611. An unknown amount of liquid asphalt and fuel had leaked into the river from the barge, which was still pinned against the bridge on January 27. No injuries related to the accident were reported and the cause of the accident has not yet been determined.
(Source: www.planetark.com)
• 2006-02-01 02:24:21 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsCrew of Stuck Vessel Doing Well

According to Focus News, the Bulgarian crew onboard the Katya Z ship are well and expect help from the tugboat Belarus after the Katya Z became stuck in the ice. Two tugboats were sent earlier to help the stuck ship, but there was no result because of their low power. There are 14 Bulgarians and four Ukrainian citizens on board the ship. The area in which the ship has stuck freezes often and there have been similar incidents before. (Source: Focus News)
• 2006-02-01 02:23:40 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSuspected Pirates Handed Over to Kenya

The United States Navy handed over suspected Somali pirates it captured off the coast of Somalia after firing warning shots at their ship, in the first sign of a military crackdown on Somalia’s anarchic coastal waters.
According to www.angolapress-angop.ao, the suspects, detained at a police station in the coastal city of Mombasa, were handed over to the police on January 29 and could be tried within the following days. A missile destroyer, the USS Winston S. Churchill, and other U.S. naval forces in the area located the pirate ship after receiving a report of a piracy attempt on January 20. After unsuccessful attempts to contact the ship, the pirate ship finally stopped after the destroyer fired warning shots, and the crew effectively surrendered. The navy says sailors discovered small arms on the ship. (Source: www.angolapress-angop.ao)
• 2006-02-01 02:22:31 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsRaytheon Delivers Submarine System to Australian Navy

Raytheon Company delivered the Collins-class submarine tactical command and control system to the Royal Australian Navy and will lead the installation and integration onboard the HMAS Waller, the first Collins-class diesel submarine to be equipped with the advanced tactical command and control system. Raytheon's AN/BYG-1, developed to replace Australia's existing combat management system, enables interoperability with the U.S. Navy and other enhanced features.
Delivery to Australia follows the completion of a simulated exercise during which U.S. and Royal Australian Navy operators detected, classified and located targets and launched several hundred MK48 ADCAP torpedoes, Harpoon missiles, and various countermeasures. (Source: www.marinelink.com)

• 2006-02-01 02:20:45 • Category: 0


MaritimeDigital Archive NewsSpeculation on an aircraft carrier for China

Although Chinese military and political officials believe that the People's Liberation Army Navy must add aircraft carriers to its fleet, the vessels are expensive, and need a fleet of warships for support and protection. Most experts have assumed that a Chinese carrier was decades away. But it is now emerging that China has a more ambitious plan. Work now appears to be under way on a carrier purchased from Ukraine, which analysts speculate could be used for training, or even upgraded to be fully operational.
And Rick Fisher, vice president of the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said "I am convinced that before the end of this decade, we will see preparations for China to build its first indigenous aircraft carrier." Beijing has denied these claims, but most naval experts agree that China will almost certainly build or buy aircraft carriers. As recently as 2003 in its annual report to Congress on China's military, the Pentagon said China appeared to have "set aside indefinitely" its plans to acquire a carrier. But work on the Ukraine carrier seems to contradict that. (Source: International Herald Tribune)
• 2006-02-01 02:19:48 • Category: 0


 

 

 

 

 

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