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MaritimeDigital Archive News - 2007-01 |
Number of messages: 101 in the period 2007-01. |
Off-loading of grounded ship Napoli begins
The off-loading of more than 2,000 containers from a cargo ship
grounded on the English coast got under way Saturday. A pair of barge
cranes from Rotterdam docked alongside the stranded MSC Napoli,
a 62,000-ton vessel that suffered hull damage when it went aground
January 18 in a storm along the south Devon coast. The move follows
warnings by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency that scavengers faced
arrest if they were caught taking goods from the ship that wash up
ashore. The process would have taken just a few days in port but it is
expected to take up to five months as the salvage team works out at
sea. The salvage of the remaining containers will take the skill of a
surgeon because one false move could send them tumbling into the sea. (Source: ITV News)
• 2007-01-31 09:32:23 • Category: 0
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Ship runs aground near Gibraltar
The refrigerator ship Sierra Nava was anchored in Gibraltar Bay
when strong winds blew it onto a beach just south of Algeciras. The
vessel is thought to have around 350 metric tons of fuel on board in
four compartments; only one compartment was damaged. Greenpeace
reported that spilled fuel had washed up along 2.5 miles of protected
coast inside the Estrecho National Park. A coastguard helicopter
rescued the crew of 14 who earlier had to put out a fire in the ship's
engine room. (Source: Reuters)
• 2007-01-31 09:31:23 • Category: 0
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US Navy removes sub commander after collision
A US submarine commander has been
removed from his post after his vessel collided with a Japanese tanker
in the Gulf. The nuclear-powered submarine USS Newport News collided with the Japanese vessel Mogamigawa
on January 8 in the Strait of Hormuz, a major waterway for oil
transportation. A Navy statement said Commander Matthew Weingart had
been relieved of his command due to "a lack of confidence in his
ability to command." No US or merchant sailors were injured in the
collision and no oil was spilled. Currently under repair in Bahrain,
the sub will return to the United States for permanent work before it
redeploys. (Source: Kate Wiltrout, The Virginian-Pilot at HamptonRoads.com)
• 2007-01-31 09:30:17 • Category: 0
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US Coast Guard Admiral reports on the Deepwater program
The US Coast Guard has published the statement of Admiral Thad W. Allen
on the Integrated Deepwater System. Admiral Allen spoke to the Coast
Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee of the Transportation
and Infrastructure Committee of the US House of Representatives on
January 30, 2007. In his statement, Allen acknowledged the challenges
the service has faced in the areas of program management and contract
execution. He also acknowledged some of the failures of the plan to
convert 110-foot patrol boats to 123 feet. But Allen also stressed the
lessons the Coast Guard has learned in managing the "system-of-systems"
acquisition program, and clarified some of the statements made recently
— and sometimes incorrectly — by the press. Finally, he assured
committee members that the Coast Guard will strengthen its program
management and oversight roles in the Deepwater program. You can
download the Statement (a Word document), made available by the US Coast Guard.
• 2007-01-31 09:29:11 • Category: 0
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Virus hits hundreds of QE2 passengers
US health authorities are probing the cause of a mass outbreak of vomiting that struck down around 300 people on the famous Queen Elizabeth 2
luxury liner. 276 passengers and 28 crew members were laid low after
being hit by symptoms associated with norovirus on board the British
cruise ship, which docked in San Francisco on Monday. The US Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) has taken samples from the affected people to
determine what caused the outbreak; it will take a few days to prove if
it is a norovirus. Emergency sanitation measures, which included
disinfecting casino chips and closing self-service food counters,
helped halt the spread of the virus; all but six of the ill passengers
have recovered. The liner is currently on a worldwide voyage and is now
en route to Hawaii. Noroviruses can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
and stomach cramping, and in severe cases can be fatal among children
and the elderly. (Source: Reuters at ABC News)
• 2007-01-26 02:11:14 • Category: 0
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US Navy can use controversial sonar
The US Defense Department exempted the Navy on Tuesday from complying
with the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the next two years so sailors
can practice tracking submarines with sonar. The ranges are off Hawaii,
Southern California and the East Coast. Navy officials said they need
the exemption, allowed for under the 2004 National Defense
Authorization Act, to give them enough time to conduct environmental
impact statements for sonar use at major underwater training ranges.
The new exemption will allow sailors to perform 40 exercises over the
next two years. Environmentalists swiftly denounced the move, saying
the Navy wasn't doing enough to protect whales, dolphins and other
marine mammals from the harmful effects of the underwater sound
technology. The studies required by the Marine Mammal Protect Act will
take about two years to complete. (Source: By Audrey McAvoy, Associated Press at Examiner.com)
• 2007-01-25 02:12:47 • Category: 0
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Britain advised against rushing to replace submarines
Dr. Richard Garwin, who has advised the US government on national
security since the 1950s and chaired the State Department's Arms
Control and Non-proliferation Advisory Board, believes that Britain
does not need to replace its nuclear submarine fleet now. Prime
Minister Tony Blair has been pushing to replace the country's
submarines, as they are due to be decommissioned in 2024, and it will
take 17 years to design and build new craft. Mr. Blair believes it
would be dangerous to for the UK to give up its Trident nuclear weapons
system. But Dr. Garwin believes that because the British subs get less
use than US Trident submarines, they should last much longer. Although
the boats would need their steam generators replaced, that would be
much less expensive than replacing the vessels themselves. (Source: BBC News)
• 2007-01-25 02:11:56 • Category: 0
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Coast Guard Meets with Lockheed, Northrop
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad
Allen met last week with chief executive officers from Lockheed Martin
Corp. (LMT) and Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) to discuss his agency's
$24b modernization program, which has struggled with rising costs and
technical difficulties. Lockheed Martin CEO Robert Stevens and Northrop
Grumman CEO Ron Sugar met with Allen to talk about the Deepwater
program's new management plan, the Coast Guard said.
The Deepwater program is a 25-year effort to replace a wide variety of
aging ships and aircraft. Costs have ballooned from the original $17b
estimate, and critics have said the program's shipbuilding troubles
show that the Coast Guard isn't equipped to manage such a big project.
But the companies say much of the project has gone well, and they
attribute the higher cost estimates to changes in the Coast Guard's
requirements.
Allen has made a series of changes in recent months to beef up
oversight, through new independent cost reviews and reinforced
technical supervision. He also is set to add a new procurement chief
next month, when he unveils a larger vision for the Coast Guard's
future.
Integrated Coast Guard Systems, the joint venture in charge of the
Deepwater contract, said the meeting is part of an overall good
relationship with the Coast Guard. (Source: Marketwatch)
• 2007-01-25 02:10:24 • Category: 0
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Coast Guard Monitors Damaged Cargo Ship
The U.S. Coast Guard is monitoring a
damaged Chinese cargo ship, which will make an unscheduled stop in
Hawaii on Monday.
Bad weather created a 56-in. hole in the ship's hull, the Coast Guard
said.
The vessel is about 70 miles west-southwest of Oahu. Navy dive teams
went underwater to patch the hole and found that so far no pollution is
leaking into the water, officials said.
(Source: HawaiiChannel.com)
• 2007-01-24 03:08:36 • Category: 0
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Trapped Worker Dies After Oil Barge Rescue
Five people reportedly were able to
free themselves from a tanker docked at 67 Flushing Ave. Firefighters
had to use high-angle rescue techniques that included ropes to remove
the sixth trapped worker.
The sixth worker was pulled from the hole after being trapped for about
an hour. He was taken to Brooklyn Hospital, where he later died. Rescue
workers attempted CPR for about 15 minutes. Hazmat crews were brought
in to check the ship to be sure that the rescuers themselves didn't
become trapped. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-24 03:07:40 • Category: 0
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Russian sub K-159 may be raised
The K-159, a November-class submarine, sank when it was hit by a
storm while being towed to be scrapped in September 2003. Its reactors
are filled with three-quarters of a ton of spent uranium. A British
Ministry of Defence salvage team will examine the vessel's two nuclear
reactors, and determine whether it can be raised from a depth of more
than 900 feet. The British team will work with Norwegian and Canadian
diving experts and Dutch salvage engineers. If the hull is intact the
team may pump in compressed air to allow the K-159 to rise with
the assistance of balloons. If the vessel is too badly damaged it may
just be entombed in concrete and left on the seabed. (Source: Peter Almond and Mark Franchetti, Times Online)
• 2007-01-24 03:05:11 • Category: 0
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Marine crews prepare to remove fuel from the Napoli
At least 200 metric tons of fuel oil are now known to have leaked from the stricken container ship the MSC Napoli.
The British-flagged vessel was deliberately run aground near Sidmouth,
east Devon, after being badly damaged in Thursday's storm. Gale force
weather conditions have hampered the salvage operation, and there is
now a slick of oil visible on the water's surface. The Napoli contains
3,500 metric tons of heavy fuel oil, but a spokesman for the Maritime
And Coastguard Agency said it was confident the oil was contained in
tanks within the ship that have not split. The approximately 2,400
containers originally on board carried a variety of goods. Three were
carrying dangerous materials, such as battery acid. About 40 containers
have washed ashore, and scavengers are plundering the loot despite
warnings. (Source: Associated Press at CNN.com)
• 2007-01-24 03:04:34 • Category: 0
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SMIT Contracted to Salvage Dockwise Vessel
Dockwise has contracted SMIT Salvage
to salvage the Mighty Servant 3. Dockwise has chosen Smit for their
experience and the fact that they have equipment ready near the North
Angolan coast where the vessel is resting at the sea bottom in approx.
203 ft. of water after it sank in December 2006.
Over the last weeks SMIT Salvage already conducted a complete diving
survey to investigate the situation and remove the vessel’s bunker oil
and pollutants that were on board. Now all the bunker oil is removed,
the salvage operation can start. The Mighty Servant 3 will be recovered
with the aid of the sheerlegs cranebarge Taklift 7 and by pressurizing
the various compartments with compressed air. The salvage operation
will likely take a few weeks. The cause of the incident will be further
investigated once the vessel is lifted. As soon as the vessel is fully
recovered Dockwise intends to award a repair contract to a yard still
to be nominated. The company expects to have the vessel back in
operation in the first quarter of 2008. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-23 03:14:22 • Category: 0
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Abu Dhabi Charters Two Cruise Ships as Floating Hotels
Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development and
Investment Company (TDIC) has chartered two cruise ships which will be
berthed in the UAE capital as floating hotels from tomorrow until the
end of February to ease heightened accommodation demand in the city as
a result of major events and exhibitions.
The 401 room New Flamenco, operated by Florida's Elysian Ship
Management Inc, and the 274 room Ocean Majesty, operated by Majestic
International Cruises based in Greece, complete with a combined crew
complement of around 450, will offer convenient accommodation during
their berth at the capital's Mina Zayed Free Port. The port is just
five minutes from the city center and 15 minutes from the new Abu Dhabi
New Exhibition Center. (Source: GulfNews)
• 2007-01-23 03:11:16 • Category: 0
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Barge Hits River Bridge
A barge slammed into the Union
Pacific Railroad Bridge Saturday morning, causing its components to
break loose and drift off in the Mississippi.
Loose barges could be seen floating freely beneath the I-55 bridge in
Memphis just before six Saturday morning. A tow boat out of Decatur,
Ill., lost its load after crashing into the Union Pacific Railroad
bridge.
Investigators ruled out the threat of terrorism, but they must now
determine how the Inez Andreas lost control of 42 barges in tow. Until
they were recovered, a 12 mile stretch of the river was closed to
commercial vehicles. The barges were heading towards President's Island
carrying salt, aluminum and various fertilizers. Coast Guard officials
tell Action News 5's Anna Marie Hartman that none of those ever posed a
pollution threat to the river.
The investigation is far from over. Coast Guard officials say it could
be days before the results of that investigation are available.
Even though Coast Guard crews saw no signs of illegal activity, nothing
can be ruled out until their investigation is complete. No one was hurt
as a result of the accident.
(Source: WMC-TV)
• 2007-01-23 03:06:22 • Category: 0
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Pilot Boat Capsizes, One Dead
The body of the missing man from the
pilot boat that capsized was located 3 miles south of the Galveston
Jetties. A T & T Dive Team went into the water this morning and
searched the capsized pilot boat, locating the missing pilot still
inside. The man's body was taken to Coast Guard Station Galveston,
where the captain of the Texas City Pilots Association was waiting. The
pilot boat capsized Saturday afternoon after picking up a pilot from a
research ship anchored in Galveston Bay. Another pilot boat in the area
spotted the capsized boat and called in a mayday to the Coast Guard. A
rescue boat from Station Galveston and a helicopter from Coast Guard
Air Station Houston conducted searches Saturday evening and again this
morning. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-23 03:05:49 • Category: 0
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Damaged Ship Threatens Pollution
A damaged container ship, off the
English coast and listing badly, has started to shed some of its load
of cargo containers in heavy winds.
Coastguards said they were on alert because the vessel could break up.
The stricken MSC Napoli was deliberately run aground in waters
close to Sidmouth, southwest England, after it was damaged during a
storm on Thursday. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has
confirmed two of the containers are carrying dangerous materials,
including battery acid and perfume, and that oil has also leaked onto
the shore.
Navy helicopters rescued the vessel's 26 crew members in rough
seas, 45 miles off Lizard Point on England's southwest tip.
French maritime officials said that of the 41,700 tons of merchandise
in the ship's 2,400 containers, 1,700 tons were considered dangerous,
including explosive and flammable material. The containers also hold
motorcycles, car parts and oak barrels.
Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said more than 150 containers
from the ship had slid into the sea as new gales struck the English
coast late on Saturday.
The 16-year-old vessel is registered in London and was last inspected
by authorities in May 2005, when officials said it met safety
standards. (Source: AP)
• 2007-01-23 03:03:40 • Category: 0
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Ten People Missing after Ships Capsize
Four people were rescued but ten are
still missing after two ships capsized in two separate accidents off
east China, local public security sources said yesterday. A fishing
boat with three aboard capsized in high waves off Pinghai in the
coastal city of Putian in Fujian Province, according to Putian public
security sources. One of the fisherman was rescued by local residents and police but
the other two are still missing. A cargo ship loaded with sand anchored
at sea en route to Xiuyu port in Putian. The ship sprung a leak in the
early hours of Saturday morning and sank. Three of the 11 sailors on
board, who were sleeping when the ship began to capsize, managed to
survive using a life raft, but the others are still missing. Local
maritime, fishing and public security authorities are still organizing
the rescue operations for a team of 20 ships. (Source: Xinhua)
• 2007-01-23 03:02:31 • Category: 0
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MSC Napoli Beached and Leaking
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency
(MCA) issued a notice stating that the MSC Napoli was being towed to
sheltered waters in Lyme Bay, Devon. A second notice reported that, due
to continuing bad weather, the container ship will be beached to
prevent it from sinking. A third notice said that approximately 50
containers have been lost overboard as severe gales rock the beached
ship. There are indications that bunker oil is also leaking from the
ship.
(Source: HK Law)
• 2007-01-23 03:01:35 • Category: 0
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U.S. Navy Transfers Trenton to Indian Navy
The amphibious transport dock ship
USS Trenton (LPD 14), was decommissioned Jan. 17 in a ceremony at Naval
Station Norfolk. Immediately following the decommissioning, Trenton was
recommissioned and transferred to the Indian Navy, bearing the name INS
Jalashwa. The event marks the first time a U.S. Navy vessel has been
transferred to the Indian navy.
“Trenton will continue to serve all the free nations of the world, just
as she served the United States, as we expand ‘the 1,000-ship navy,’”
said Rear Adm. Garry Hall, Commander, Amphibious Group 2. In recent
months, the crew of Trenton has been working alongside Indian sailors,
training them to operate the ship efficiently and safely.
The commanding officer of Jalashwa, Indian Navy Capt. B.S. Ahluwalia,
expressed his gratitude to the crew of Trenton, and praised their
professionalism.
“Today’s transfer is a significant event in the growing
relationship between our two countries and our two navies,” said
Ahluwalia.
Commissioned in March 1971, Trenton took part in numerous humanitarian
operations, including the evacuations of American civilians from
Liberia in 1996 and from Lebanon in 2006. In addition, in 1991, Trenton
was responsible for evacuating the U.S. and Soviet ambassadors and 193
foreign nationals from Somalia. During Trenton’s final deployment, the
ship took part in maritime security operations off the Somali coast of
eastern Africa.
Trenton’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Samuel Norton, spoke
proudly and fondly of his crew and time aboard the ship, saying that
without such an outstanding crew, Trenton would not have been the same.
“It’s people that have made Trenton what she is today, and its people
that will keep the memory of Trenton alive,” Norton said.
Trenton employed a crew of approximately 415 Sailors and could embark
nearly 1,000 Marines.
The ship was a member of the Austin-class amphibious transport dock
ship. The ship is 570 feet in length and displaces approximately 17,000
tons when fully loaded. The Austin-class currently is being replaced by
the newer, more-modern San Antonio-class LPD. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-22 03:33:46 • Category: 0
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Salvage Operations for Barges to Begin Next Week
Salvage operations to recover two
barges stranded in the Ohio River won’t begin before Monday, when high
water recedes, the U.S. Coast Guard said, according to the Courier
Journal.
River Salvage Co. of Crescent, Pa., has been hired to secure the two
barges that broke loose early Tuesday when cabling or a coupling
snapped just after the tow had cleared McAlpine Locks.
Two runaway barges were secured, but one remains partly submerged on
the Indiana shore midway between the Sherman Minton and K & I
bridges, and another is partly underwater and lodged at the McAlpine
Dam. Both are out of the commercial channel and aren’t impeding river
traffic.
One of the stranded barge’s cargo of salt spilled in the river, while
the other barge lost about 1,450 tons of liquid fertilizer.
The high water diluted the spillage, and there was no environmental
damage, the Coast Guard said. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
staff members, who were initially on the scene to monitor the spill,
are no longer on site, the Coast Guard said.
(Source: Courier Journal)
• 2007-01-22 03:32:26 • Category: 0
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A call for more marine protected areas in the UK
Lundy Island, Britain's only statutory marine nature reserve, was
introduced in 2003 to try to reverse the problems caused by
overfishing. Results have been positive: lobster numbers have increased
threefold. Now a new report produced by the World Wildlife Fund
together with the Marine Biology Association (MBA) has called for more
biodiversity hot spots to be established across the UK. Currently, the
UK has 56 Special Areas of Conservation, which include marine habitat.
But the WWF report identified 120 locations that are rich in marine
life, but susceptible to threats like overfishing and pollution. (Source: The Independent)
• 2007-01-22 03:31:25 • Category: 0
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Canada to fund fisheries patrol, navy programs
Canadian military officials have reallocated $5 million to reinstate a
fisheries patrol on the East Coast that was cancelled due to lack of
funds. The navy's Atlantic branch had been forced to cancel the patrol,
as well as suspending overtime, certain types of travel and
professional development. The decision to fund the fisheries patrol was
announced by Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor, but the minister didn't
find new money for the patrol. Instead, the funds were reallocated from
elsewhere in the Canadian Forces. The patrol will take HMCS Halifax
to the Grand Banks to check for vessels fishing illegally, overfishing
or involved in smuggling. Analysts believe navy operations and other
parts of the Forces are being affected by Canada's costly involvement
in Afghanistan. (Source: Canadian press at myTELUS)
• 2007-01-22 03:30:31 • Category: 0
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Firm 'built drug dealer's boats'
Ipswish Crown Court has begun hearing a case regarding Crompton Marine
owners, who built and designed high-speed vessels for international
drug smugglers. Neil Davison and Ellen George had altered the boats,
known as ribs, to make space for up to six metric tons of drugs. The
prosecution alleges they knew that their clients included smugglers who
trafficked drugs between Africa and Spain. The couple were arrested in
March 2004. George admitted money-laundering and possession of criminal
property at an earlier hearing and is awaiting sentence. Mr Davison
remains on bail in Spain where he faces drug-smuggling charges. Details
of the boats emerged yesterday at the trial of Ian Rush, who is accused
of selling Crompton Marine boats to drug dealers after the arrest of Mr
Davison and George. One prototype boat could travel at 50 mph with a
load of six metric tons and five people on board. Police allegedly
found plans for a 108-foot (33 meter) boat that was big enough to carry
five smaller boats. It was never built. (Source: Marcus Leroux, Times Online)
• 2007-01-22 03:29:51 • Category: 0
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US commander relieved after deaths of two sailors
On December 29, four sailors were swept overboard from the US submarine Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Two died and two were injured. According to a Navy statement, Commander
Edwin Ruff was responsible for sending the four to the top of the
submarine in questionable weather. It was unclear why Ruff had sent the
men outside. Vice Admiral Chuck Munns, commander of the Navy's
Submarine Force, has decided to reassign Ruff to a position ashore. The
statement said, "Munns took this action due to a loss of confidence in
Ruff's ability to command." (Source: Associated Press at International Herald Tribune)
• 2007-01-22 03:28:20 • Category: 0
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MSC Napoli spills 50 containers into sea
Crippled container ship MSC Napoli, abandoned by its crew during
violent storms in the English Channel, has run aground near Sidmouth,
Devon. The coastguard had planned to ground the ship to stop it
sinking, since bad weather had caused serious structural failure, with
large cracks on both sides of the ship. However, the vessel has lost
about 50 containers. The Napoli was carrying nearly 2,400 containers,
some of which contain potentially dangerous chemicals. The Maritime and
Coastguard Agency said it did not believe any of the containers with
chemicals had been dislodged. Coastguards and anti-pollution teams are
on standby. (Source: Press Associations at Guardian Unlimited)
• 2007-01-22 03:18:25 • Category: 0
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Two Barges Remain on Ohio River
New information from the Coast Guard about two barges still unsecured after four got loose on the Ohio River Tuesday.
One barge is still stuck at the McAlpine Dam. Tugboats are keeping an eye on it in case it becomes dislodged.
That barge spilled nearly 3,000 tons of liquid fertilizer, but a Coast Guard spokeswoman says high water diluted it.
Another barge that lost its load of salt is submerged near the Sherman Minton Bridge.
(Source: WHAS)
• 2007-01-19 02:04:50 • Category: 0
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Stricken Ship in the English Channel Is Being Towed
Bloomberg reported that a container
ship that ran into difficulties in the English Channel is now being
towed to the French port of Le Havre, said an official from the company
that hired it. An official at Mediterranean Shipping Co. SA in Geneva,
which has hired the MSC Napoli, said the ship was under tow. Earlier
today, British Broadcasting Corp. reported that a vessel was sinking in
the sea between England and France. The U.K.'s Maritime &
Coastguard Agency said the vessel wasn't being towed. All 26 crew have
abandoned ship and two Royal Navy helicopters have been dispatched to
assist in the operation, which is being led by the French coast guard,
the Maritime & Coastguard said in a statement on its Web site.
Further questions to Mediterranean Shipping were directed to the ship's
owner, Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd. in London. Officials from Zodiac
declined to comment when contacted by Bloomberg News. The vessel got
into trouble off Lizard, the Maritime & Coastguard said. (Source:
Bloomberg)
• 2007-01-19 02:04:00 • Category: 0
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Canada's naval fleet has budget problems
The majority of Canada's naval fleet
remains in its home ports because of budget restrictions. The move is
part of an end-of-fiscal-year financial adjustment for the Department
of National Defence, and means that some non-essential operations,
travel expenses and overtime will be put off or cut, possibly until the
end of the fiscal year, March 31st. This current shortfall is not new
to the navy, but the military's ongoing commitment in Afghanistan is
putting undue pressure on financial resources in all aspects of the
forces. Peter Stoffer, the NDP's Veterans Affairs and Fisheries critic,
said Canadians have been told since 9/11 that security is a top
priority, but that the federal government has done little to adequately
fund its military. The Navy had planned activities that would amount to
roughly $315 million for the fiscal year, but has received less than
$290. A spokesman in Ottawa insisted that the navy's budget has
increased over the last three years. (Source: Canadian Press at myTELUS)
• 2007-01-19 02:03:06 • Category: 0
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Crew rescued after abandoning ship
British and French rescue services winched 26 crew to safety on
Thursday after they were forced to abandon a container ship carrying
hazardous cargo when it began taking on water in stormy seas in the
English Channel. The British-flagged MSC Napoli was on the
French side of the Channel when it became holed on the starboard side
forcing the crew to abandon the ship and take to a lifeboat. French and
British helicopters and tugs were sent to the scene, where the storm
was a force nine (more than 50mph), with 26 foot to 30 foot swells; all
crewmembers were rescued. The European Maritime and Safety Agency said
the vessel was listed as carrying "dangerous cargo," but coastguards
said a small proportion of the containers were believed to contain
insecticides and pesticides. The ship is now in a stable position, and
a salvage contract is being determined. The vessel was last inspected
by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in May 2005 when officials said
it met safety standards. (Source: BBC News)
• 2007-01-19 02:02:30 • Category: 0
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USS John C. Stennis Deploys with Carrier Strike Group 3
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Sailors
said goodbye to their family members and friends Jan. 16, as the ship
departed Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton for San Diego to onload Carrier
Air Wing (CVW) 9. The carrier, with its embarked air wing, USS Antietam
(CG 54), and USS Preble (DDG 88), will deploy from San Diego Saturday,
Jan. 20.
USS O'Kane (DDG 77) and USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) will deploy from
their homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Stennis is the flagship for Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CCSG) 3,
headed by Rear Adm. Kevin M. Quinn.
“I’m ready for deployment," said Machinist’s Mate Fireman Josh
Layton. “They gave us a heads-up to get our stuff in order and they
gave us plenty of time for leave to see our families.”
Stennis’ embarked air wing consists of the F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18E/F
Super Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye 2000, C-2A Greyhound and
SH-60F/HH-60H Seahawk. The aircraft can be used to conduct strikes,
support land battles, protect the CSG or other friendly ships, and
implement a sea or air blockade. The John C. Stennis Strike Group will
operate in the Persian Gulf region with the Eisenhower Carrier Strike
Group, already in the Central Command Area of Operations. The presence
of two aircraft carriers, while not unprecedented, demonstrates U.S.
resolve to bring security and stability to the region.
These strike groups will support Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, and will
conduct Maritime Security operations. They will also work closely with
allies to build regional security and long-term stability.
Stennis has a flight deck of about 4.5 acres and towers nearly seven
stories above the sea. The ship is capable of carrying a crew of about
5,600 sailors, more than 3.5 million gallons of fuel, 70 aircraft, and
enough weapons and stores for extended operations without
replenishment. The ship's two nuclear reactors give it virtually
unlimited range and endurance, and a top speed in excess of 30 knots.
The ship’s four catapults and four arresting gear engines enable it to
launch and recover aircraft rapidly and simultaneously.
Some Stennis Sailors are looking forward to some of the challenges
ahead as well as time to receive shipboard qualifications.
“The thing I’m looking forward to the most is just learning my
rate,” said Quartermaster Seaman Recruit Catherine J. Schools. “My dad
who is a retired chief says the first time you get to see a sunset at
sea, you will know why you joined the Navy.”
(Source: NavNews)
• 2007-01-18 02:03:02 • Category: 0
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Delivery of Stena Poseidon
The product tanker Stena Poseidon has
been delivered from Brodosplit Shipyard in Split. The Stena Poseidon is
jointly owned by Concordia Maritime and Neste Oil on a 50-50 basis and
Neste Oil has chartered the vessel for 10 years. The Stena Poseidon is
a so-called Panamax tanker, i.e. it is designed to be able to pass
through the narrow passages in the Panama Canal’s locks. In addition,
it has been built to Ice Class 1 A specifications, which means that it
is able to sail at a speed of five knots in a channel with 1.0 metre
thick ice. It provides a 360o view from the bridge together with an
extra large cargo intake and adjustable propellers for greater
maneuverability when sailing through ice. The Stena Poseidon was named
at Brodosplit Shipyard in Split at the end of last year together with
her sister Palva, which is also is jointly owned by Concordia Maritime
and Neste Oil on a 50-50 basis. The Palva has been chartered for 10
years and is expected to be delivered in about a month. The two vessels
will operate in part in the Baltic Sea and have Finland as their
starting point for voyages to North America. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-18 02:02:24 • Category: 0
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MarAd Update
The Maritime Administration (MarAd)
is seeking comments regarding development of programs to maximize
utilization and availability of US vessels and qualified US-citizen
officers and unlicensed crew serving the international liquefied
natural gas (LNG) tanker fleet. Comments may also include issues
related to the overall safe and secure operation of deepwater port
facilities. Comments should be submitted by February 16. (Source: HK Law)
• 2007-01-18 02:00:47 • Category: 0
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Brittany Ferries to Exercise with HM Coastguard
While on passage from Portsmouth to
Caen, near the Nab Tower, Brittany Ferries’ Mont Saint Michel will
report a fire on board. The ship's fire team will then confirm this is
a serious incident and the Master will request shore side firefighting
assistance from the Coastguard who will coordinate the incident
response. A Coastguard helicopter will receive the scramble via the
Lee-on-Solent based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre after an
emergency call has been received from the ship. Hampshire Fire and
Rescue officers trained in MIRG procedures will then muster at MCA
Daedalus and be taken to the vessel by the helicopter where they will
be winched aboard together with their equipment ready to fight any fire
on board. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-18 01:59:47 • Category: 0
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Shipbuilders Exports to Increase in 2007
According to reports, Korean
shipbuilders are forecast to enjoy an 18 percent increase in exports
this year because of strong demand for high-priced ships and other
products.
The Korea Shipbuilders’ Association predicted Monday that local
shipbuilders will log $26b in exports in 2007, up 18 percent from an
estimated $22 billion in 2006. The country has recorded a sharp rise in
shipbuilding exports over the past few years on the back of growing
global orders for vessels to carry oil, gas and other products. The
exports stood at $17.7b in 2005 after surpassing the $10b mark in 2003.
Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s largest shipbuilder, predicts
that its exports will increase to $9.2b, up from last year's $8b.
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, the No. 2 shipbuilder, seeks to export $7 billion, up from last year's $5 billion.
(Source: Reuters)
• 2007-01-17 02:00:20 • Category: 0
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Four dead in Messina Strait collision
Four people were killed and dozens
injured after a collision between a merchant ship and a hydrofoil
passenger ferry in the busy strait between mainland Italy and Sicily
Monday evening. The collision drove a gaping hole in the hull of the
ferry. All the dead were crew members of the high-speed ferry,
including its captain and chief engineer; no one on the cargo vessel
was hurt. The hydrofoil was carrying 150 passengers from Reggio di
Calabria on the mainland to Messina across the busy strait when it
collided with the Antiguan-flagged container ship, the Susan Borchard. Investigations into the cause of the collision have already begun. (Source: ssociated Press at CNN.com, 1/16/07)
• 2007-01-17 01:59:11 • Category: 0
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After Two Accidents, Navy Orders Subs to Stand Down
The Navy has ordered an operational
stand-down for all submarines following two recent accidents, charging
commanders to “focus energy and intellect back onto the basics of
submarine operations,” according to the Submarine Force’s leader.
Vice Adm. Chuck Munns, U.S. Submarine Force commander, lamented
that the two incidents — one which resulted in the death of two sailors
— happened under standard operations.
Normal operations will continue while commanders review
recently completed operations and future planned evolutions, and
evaluate areas of risk and risk mitigation, a statement said.
They have a week to do it — reviews are due Jan. 19.
The two incidents that sparked Thursday’s order involved four sailors
swept from the top of the submarine USS Minneapolis-St. Paul as it
pulled out of port during bad weather on Dec. 29 in Plymouth Harbor,
England.
In a separate incident, the fast attack submarine USS Newport
News collided with a Japanese oil tanker Monday as the tanker passed
over the submerged sub in the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
A preliminary rundown of the investigation indicates that the oil
tanker’s high speed created a sucking flow, known as the Venturi
effect, that made the sub rise and collide with the ship, said
Loundermon, refuting media reports that the sub was on the surface or
trying to surface.
According to Loundermon, in the past five years, there have
been four submarine collisions:
• On Sept. 5, 2005, the USS Philadelphia and a Turkish merchant ship
collided off the coast of Bahrain, resulting in minor damage.
• On Jan. 8, 2005, the USS San Francisco struck an undersea mountain
near Guam, killing one crewman and injuring 24.
• On Nov. 2, 2002, the USS Oklahoma City struck a Norwegian merchant
ship in the western Mediterranean Sea, resulting in minor damage.
• On Feb. 9, 2001, the USS Greeneville rammed into and sank the
Japanese fishing trawler Ehime Maru off Hawaii, killing nine people and
sparking tension and protests. The submarine surfaced beneath the
trawler while demonstrating an emergency surfacing maneuver for
civilian guests aboard during a day trip.
(Source: Stars and Stripes)
• 2007-01-16 02:04:07 • Category: 0
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Collision of Two Bunker Tankers
The Singapore Maritime and Port
Authority (MPA) said that two port-limit bunker tankers collided in the
Southern Fairway. There were no injuries and damage to the ships was
moderate, but an estimated 200 tons of oil spilled from one of the
ships. Clean-up operations are underway. The incident is under
investigation.
(Source: HK Law)
• 2007-01-16 02:03:17 • Category: 0
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Electric Boat Wins $9.6m Navy Contract
Electric Boat Corp. has won a $9.6m
contract with the U.S. Navy. The contract calls for the Groton,
Conn.-based ship builder to perform alterations to the USS Texas
submarine as part of an add-on contract, according to the U.S.
Department of Defense. The project is expected to be completed by
February 2008. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair for
the U.S. Navy, based in Groton, commissioned the work. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-16 02:02:25 • Category: 0
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Coast Guard Auxiliary Seeks Input on Long Range Navigation System
The Coast Guard Auxiliary wants to
inform all mariners that the U.S. Department of Transportation, in
coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, is seeking
public input on the fate of the Long Range Navigation System, otherwise
known as LORAN-C.
The land-based navigation system, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, may
be scheduled for decommissioninglater this year. At question, is
whether the system should be decommissioned, maintained "as is" or
up-graded to an enhanced Loran system, eLoran, which could be used
either as a back-up to the Global Position Satellite System, or a
complimentary system to GPS.
The public is invited to submit their thoughts and comments, which
must be received on or by Feb. 7. To learn how to submit those
comments, visit http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/eLORAN/E6-22421.pdf, or call
the U.S. Coast Guard Info line at (800) 368-5647.
(Source: CentralOhio.com)
• 2007-01-16 02:01:44 • Category: 0
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MarAd Reports High Occupancy Rates on Cruises
The US Maritime Administration
(MarAd) said that occupancy rates on North American cruises remains
high. The rate for the third quarter of 2006 was 112% (this is
calculated by comparing the actual occupancy rate with the assumed
occupancy rate of two persons per cabin). (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-16 02:01:18 • Category: 0
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Costa Serena to be Inaugurated in Marseille
Costa Serena, will be inaugurated in Marseille on May 19, 2007.
The inaugural festivities will be held on May 19 in the port of
Marseille and will include an official ceremony in accordance with maritime
tradition, as well as an inaugural show, in accordance with Costa's grand
tradition of inaugural events. The Costa Serena (112,000 gross tons with a
total guest capacity of 3,780) is the twelfth member of the Costa fleet,
Europe's largest and most advanced, and is currently under construction at
Fincantieri's Genoa- Sestri Ponente shipyard. The ship is due to enter
service at the end of May.
The announcement was also accompanied by news confirming Costa's
encouraging operating performance. Costa carried a total of 880,000
passengers in 2006, compared to 870,000 in 2005; the passenger/days rose to
6,900,000, while the ship occupancy rate increased by 2% to reach 107%.
Like her sister ship, the Costa Concordia, which was inaugurated in
Italy in July 2006, the Costa Serena will be the largest vessel flying the
Italian flag. She will be 112,000 gross tons and 290 meters in length, and
feature 1,500 cabins with a total guest capacity of 3,780. Currently under
construction at Fincantieri's shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente (Italy), the
Costa Serena is due to enter service at the end of May 2007.
In addition to the Costa Serena, Costa has commissioned 3 more ships -
all from Fincantieri - which will enhance its fleet, Europe's largest and
most advanced. Costa's fleet currently comprises 11 ships with a total
capacity of approximately 20,500 lower berths in double occupancy cabins.
The Sestri Ponente yard will build a third sister ship to the Costa
Concordia and Costa Serena, whose name is yet to be announced, due for
delivery in summer 2009. Meanwhile, two 92,700-ton sister ships will be
built in Marghera, one due to enter service in Spring 2009 and the other in
March 2010. These 4 new orders amount to a total investment of almost 2
billion euros by Costa Crociere, as part of a fleet expansion and upgrading
program worth almost 4.5 billion euros, which began in 2000. By 2010, when
the last of the new-builds is delivered, the Costa fleet will be 15 strong
and have total capacity of over 30,800 passengers. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-16 02:00:38 • Category: 0
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Cargo ship runs around off Norway
The Cypriot-registered cargo ship M/S Server ran aground Friday
on Norway's west coast, north of Bergen. All 25 crewmembers were
rescued. The ship broke in two and the stern section sank, but the bow
was towed to calmer waters and secured. About 290 metric tons of heavy
fuel oil were spilled. A cleanup crew is on site, trying to contain it.
The ship was carrying 585 metric tons of bunker fuel oil, and 72 metric
tons of marine diesel on board. It is unclear what caused the ship to
run aground. (Source: Reuters at Khaleej Times Online)
• 2007-01-16 01:57:58 • Category: 0
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Work stopped on the US Navy's third LCS ship
Lockheed Martin Corp. has been ordered to stop construction on a
Littoral Combat Ship for the US Navy because of "significant cost
increases." Lockheed Martin is overseeing construction of the first and
third vessels of what is planned to be a 55-ship fleet. Cost growth on
the first ship has jumped anywhere from 50 percent to as much as 86
percent. The ship on which work was halted is being built at the
Bollinger Shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana. Navy Secretary Donald Winter
ordered a 90-day stop-work order on the third ship until the causes of
the cost growth are found and a way ahead is determined. The first ship
will be completed so the Navy can evaluate the new ship design.
Lockheed spokesman Craig Quigley cited four reasons leading to price
increases on the Freedom: the first ship in a new class is
often costly; vendor issues, including steel costs; the Navy's new
Naval Vessel Rules; and a fast-track acquisition program that puts
ships into production while design work is still going on. General
Dynamics Corp. is building the second and fourth vessels. The price of
GD's first ship is also rising, but so far not by as much; construction
on this ship isn't as far along as Lockheed's Freedom. A similar cost review will be performed on the first General Dynamics ship. (Source: Christopher P. Cavas, Navy Times)
• 2007-01-16 01:56:44 • Category: 0
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BAE Systems is in talks to buy Devonport dockyard
BAE Systems is in talks with two companies to launch a bid for the UK
nuclear submarine industry. BAE is working with Rolls-Royce to take
over the Devonport dockyard in Plymouth, which maintains, upgrades and
fuels the Royal Navy's submarines. BAE has also lined up Carlyle Group,
the US private equity firm, as an alternative partner. BAE already owns
the submarine yard in Barrow, which builds the UK's submarines. A deal
for Devonport would put the building and maintenance of the fleet under
one roof. Britain's Ministry of Defence has been pressuring both
surface and submarine shipyards to consolidate. A successful bid for
Devonport would put BAE and its partner in prime position to benefit
from the proposed £25 billion program to build a new fleet of nuclear
submarines. The pair may face a rival bid from Babcock International,
which owns the Rosyth dockyard on the Firth of Forth and runs the Royal
Navy's submarine base at Faslane on the Clyde. However, BAE, Britain's
largest defense contractor, will likely be able to set the terms in any
deal. (Source: David Robertson, Times Online)
• 2007-01-16 01:56:07 • Category: 0
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Aker Yards, Amanda Group to establish shipyard in Vietnam
Aker Yards is taking a strategic position in the fast-growing Asian
market for offshore vessels by setting up a shipyard in Vietnam. The
shipyard will be a joint venture between Aker Yards (70%) and Amanda
Group (30%). The Amanda Group, headquartered in Singapore, has
extensive industrial experience in Vietnam. The shipyard will be
located in Vung Tau, centrally located in the heart of Vietnam's
growing offshore operations. The yard expects to deliver its first
vessel in 2009. (Source: The Associated Press at The International Herald Tribune)
• 2007-01-15 02:12:11 • Category: 0
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Hull of tanker hit by US sub has dent, hole
A dent and a hole were found in the
hull of the Japanese crude oil tanker that collided with a US
nuclear-powered submarine near the Strait of Hormuz. According to the
tanker's owner, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd., a dent measuring 5 meters
by 1 meter by 40 centimeters was found 70 meters from the stern. A
35-centimeter-long, 10-centimeter-wide hole was also found near the
dent. The Mogamigawa is now berthed in the United Arab
Emirates, undergoing repairs. A spokesperson for the US Navy's Fifth
Fleet said the submarine was submerged as it was moving through the
Strait of Hormuz. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea, submarines and other underwater vessels submerged in international
waters have an obligation to prevent collisions as they are not visible
to surface vessels. (Source: The Asahi Shimbun)
• 2007-01-15 02:09:56 • Category: 0
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Bush signs bill to prevent overfishing
President George W. Bush signed legislation on Friday aimed at
preventing overfishing in US waters. The new law requires commercial
fisheries to set conservation plans within a two-year period beginning
in 2010. It sets a 10-year permit system that would still allow limited
access in some waters that have been overfished. The US Congress passed
the bill in December after Bush urged an overhaul of provisions in
existing legislation known as the Magnuson-Stevens Fish Management Act. (Source: Associated Press at BostonHerald.com)
• 2007-01-15 02:08:35 • Category: 0
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Metal Trades files suit against "kit" ships
The Metal Trades Department of the AFL-CIO has sued the US Coast Guard
to block controversial rulings that ignore the requirements of the
Jones Act that stipulate that ships moving between US ports must be
built in the US. The suit claims that the Coast Guard's National Vessel
Documentation Center has effectively authorized plans by Aker Shipyards
Philadelphia (APSI) and NASSCO to produce a series of tankers that are
assembled from thousands of parts and modules imported from Korea. As a
result, the Metal Trades Department believes thousands of skilled
shipbuilding workers are directly imperiled, and the ships themselves
are not eligible to be used in the Jones Act market. (Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire)
• 2007-01-15 02:07:54 • Category: 0
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Anchor problems under investigation
Two Alaskan oil tankers, owned by Alaska Tanker Company (ATC), were
traveling from Valdez, Alaska, to Long Beach, California, in December
when one of the two anchors on each ship fell off during stormy
weather. There were no spills or injuries, and the ships have since had
all the oil removed from their holds. The Alaskan Frontier is now in Port Angeles, where both the missing anchor and the remaining anchor will be replaced. The Alaskan Navigator
is en route to Seattle for similar work. Anchors on two similar vessels
will also be inspected. ATC, shipbuilder National Steel and
Shipbuilding Co. of San Diego, the US Coast Guard and the Washington
Department of Ecology are investigating what went wrong. (Source: The Associated Press at The Seattle Times)
• 2007-01-15 02:07:07 • Category: 0
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Two tankers collide in Singapore waters
Two Singapore-registered bunker tankers collided near St John's Island
resulting in a 200 metric ton oil spill. No one was injured in the
crash on Thursday and most of the spill was cleaned up. The Seafalcon and the Frontek
were sailing from opposite directions and rammed into each other 500
miles south of the island in Singapore's waters. The collision damaged
one of the Seafalcon's tanks. The Frontek's bow was
damaged, but no oil spilled from it. The Maritime and Port Authority of
Singapore had dispatched five-anti-pollution craft to the scene. The
clean-up continued late into the night. The incident did not affect
port operation and is under investigation. (Source: Associated Press at Khaleej Times Online)
• 2007-01-15 02:06:32 • Category: 0
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Canada decides on repair group for its submarines
Canada first put out a tender in the fall of 2005 for long-term support
for the country's four Victoria-class submarines. Although the contract
has not officially been awarded, the Canadian Submarine Management
Group (CSMG) has been told that it was the only consortium negotiating,
and the other two bidders were told they will not get the job. CSMG is
a consortium that includes Victoria Shipyards and Devonport Royal
Dockyard Ltd., among others. According to CSMG's bid, the vessels will
be maintained at Victoria Shipyards in Esquimalt. Work on the subs
wouldn't likely begin until 2009, after the planning and building of
facilities at Victoria Shipyards is complete. (Source: Kim Westad, Times Colonist)
• 2007-01-15 02:04:51 • Category: 0
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Drifting ship just avoids gas rigs
A maritime disaster was averted when a
cargo ship adrift in the North Sea narrowly missed two gas platforms.
The vessel broke down in bad weather laden with fertilizer. It was
drifting towards the Murdoch gas platform, 75 miles off England's
Lincolnshire coast. Incredibly the crew managed to start the Vindo's engines just a mile away from the platform and avoid a collision. But no sooner had that threat passed, the Vindo
lost power and began drifting towards a second platform, the unmanned
Caister. Fortunately the ship avoided a second tragedy by 700 yards,
the Coastguard said. The Vindo is now drifting in open sea and will be rescued by a tug boat and towed to a British port. (Source: Alan MacDermid, Newsquest Media Group at RIGZONE)
• 2007-01-15 02:04:13 • Category: 0
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Korean Shipbuilders Aim for $36b in Orders
Korea's top-three shipbuilders are
eyeing $36b in sales this year, down from a record $37b last year.
Korean shipbuilders secured almost half of the $100b in global orders
last year offering a competitive balance of price and quality. But this
year the shipyards are facing higher steel plate prices, while a
strengthening Korean won against the dollar is eroding profits made
from U.S. dollars. Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries is the world's
largest shipbuilder followed by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Samsung Heavy.
(Source: Arirang News)
• 2007-01-11 03:14:48 • Category: 0
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Crash between submarine and tanker is investigated
Japan has requested a thorough investigation of the collision between a
US nuclear-powered submarine and a Japanese oil tanker in the Straits
of Hormuz. The supertanker Mogamigawa is undergoing a survey of
its damage to try to determine the cause of the crash. Japanese Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said the US Department of Defense
is cooperating with the inquiry.
A Russian naval expert has offered several opinions on the collision
between the submarine and tanker. Gennady Illarionov, a former
submariner, said, "The crew of the Newport News
most probably fell victim to poor sonar conditions in the area." In
poor weather, there are strong wind waves that could prevent a sonar
operator from hearing the noise of a nearby target. In addition, the
tanker's propulsion plant is located at its stern, and the collision
occurred in the middle of the hull, about 650 feet away. Illarionov
believes the captain of the submarine was likely to blame for the
accident, which appeared to occur while the sub was surfacing. Another
Russian naval expert agreed that the sub captain was to blame. "Most
likely," he said on Tuesday, "the captain of the American vessel
inadequately assessed the underwater and surface situation while the
submarine was surfacing."
The US Navy has offered a different picture of the collision. A
preliminary investigation suggests that the submarine was submerged
when the much larger tanker passed overhead at a high speed. This
created a sucking effect — known as the venturi effect — that made the
sub rise and hit the ship. Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl, a spokesman for the
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain, insisted that the Newport News was not surfacing at the time. (Source: Jack Dorsey, The Birginian-Pilot at HamptonRoads.com)
• 2007-01-11 03:09:14 • Category: 0
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Lockport Builds Triple Screw Model Bow Tug
Dickie Adams’ at Lockport Fabrication
has a triple screw model bow tug building for Russell Plaisance of
Galliano Louisiana. Powered by three six-cylinder Cummins KTA19 engines
the boat is being built to a Frank Basile (Entech and Associates Inc.)
design. While a triple engine and triple screw configuration is a
common method of maintaining a shallow draft, this boat is interesting
in that only the middle propeller is fitted with a kort nozzles while
the two outside props will be open. Basle explains that he has had
vessels built to this design with two Cummins KTA38s for main engines
but since this owner will be using the boat to service near shore oil
platforms in the Gulf of Mexico the triple engine installation will
deliver a similar bollard pull with a shallower draft. The 84 x 27-ft.
vessel has an 11.6-ft., molded depth and will be delivered in the
spring of 2007. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-10 03:19:26 • Category: 0
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USS Bataan Deploys in Support of MSO
The multipurpose amphibious assault
ship, USS Bataan (LHD 5), departed her homeport Jan. 4 as the flagship
of the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) for a regularly
scheduled six-month deployment.
The deployment marks the first time Bataan has deployed overseas since
2004. The Bataan ESG deployed to conduct maritime security operations
in support of the ongoing rotation of forward-deployed forces.
“Together with the Marines, the Bataan ESG is an ample force to
show presence, agility and mobility,” said Capt. Donna Looney, Bataan
Strike Group commander. “Our job during the deployment will be to
respond to whatever the nation needs and the training we’ve done has
prepared us.”
The list of exercises and certifications the crew completed last year
includes ESG Integration Exercise (ESGINT), Composite Training Unit
Exercise (COMPTUEX), and Certification Exercise (CERTEX).
“We have been training for months leading up to this
deployment, and I know our Sailors are ready to go,” said Capt. David
Hulse, Bataan’s commanding officer.
Family members and friends were on the pier to bid teary-eyed farewells
and express their pride to their Sailors and Marines.
“It seemed like deployment came quickly since our son, Leo, was born
less than five months ago,” said the wife of Aviation Boatswain’s Mate
3rd Class (AW) Jacob Wiley of Bataan’s V-4 Division. “I’m sad to see
him go, but I’m very proud of my husband and everyone else aboard
Bataan.”
Rear Adm. Garry Hall, commander, ESG 2 also made a quick visit to the
ship to give a message to the crew.
“I just wanted to say how proud I am, and how proud the Navy is
of each and every one of you,” said Hall in a message to the crew. “You
are sailing into a seam of history and sailing to show the world how
great our nation and Navy are.”
Bataan is the flagship of the Bataan ESG, which is comprised of the
Bataan Strike Group and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The
Bataan Strike Group includes Amphibious Squadron 2, Bataan, USS
Shreveport (LPD 12), USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), USS
Nitze (DDG 94), USS Underwood (FFG 36), and USS Scranton (SSN 756). The
26th MEU is based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., and is commanded by Col.
Gregg Sturdevant.
(Source: NavNews)
• 2007-01-10 03:18:33 • Category: 0
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Navy Sub and Merchant Vessel Collide
The Navy issued a report in response
to the collision involving a Navy submarine and merchant vessel.
According to the Navy's report, no U.S. sailors or merchant crew were
injured when a U.S. Navy submarine and a commercial cargo vessel
collided in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening January 8, 2007.
The collision between USS Newport News (SSN 750) and the
Japanese-flagged motor vessel Mogamigawa occurred at approximately
10:15 in the evening (local time) in the strait of Hormuz while the
submarine was transiting submerged.
Overall damage to the USS Newport News is being evaluated. The
propulsion plant was unaffected by this collision.
The incident is currently under investigation.
USS Newport News is currently on a regularly scheduled deployment to
the US Navy Central Command area of responsibility conducting 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:
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs)
• 2007-01-10 03:17:34 • Category: 0
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Legal battle over the Probo Koala dumping begins
Waste from the oil tanker Probo Koala was allegedly dumped in
Abidjan, the Ivory Coast. At least 10 people died and more than 40,000
sought medical attention. The ship was chartered by the London-based
arm of the shipping giant Trafigura, which has denied that the
materials were toxic and could cause illness. Lawyers from Leigh Day,
the British law firm, have arrived in Abidjan to start taking
statements from thousands of witnesses. This could be one of the
largest class actions heard in the UK; up to 5,000 people may sue those
to blame. (Source: John Vidal, The Guardian Unlimited)
• 2007-01-10 03:15:59 • Category: 0
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US submarine and Japanese tanker collide
A US nuclear-powered submarine collided with a Japanese oil tanker in
the Straits of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of the world's oil
supplies travel. The bow of the USS Newport News hit the stern of the tanker Mogamigawa
as the vessels were passing just outside the Straits on Monday night.
The tanker, operated by Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Ltd.,
received minor damage, and was able to continue to a nearby port. The
sub surfaced following the incident to evaluate damage. No injuries
have been reported, and there was no resulting spill of oil or leakage
of radioactive material. (Source: Jim Krane, The Associated Press at The Washington Post)
• 2007-01-10 03:14:21 • Category: 0
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Worker Killed at Brooklyn Navy Yard
According to WNYC, an ironworker who
had gone to work on his day off to earn extra cash died Saturday when a
massive metal plate weighing thousand of pounds fell and crushed him.
51-year-old Christopher Thomas of the Bronx was working at the GMD
Shipyard in the Brooklyn Navy Yard just after 10 a.m. when the plate,
which was being used to repair a dry-docked barge, came loose and fell.
Thomas, who was working beneath the barge, was struck in the head and
pinned underneath the heavy plate.
Michael Cranston, the president of the GMD Shipyard, released a
statement saying that the company is helping investigators to determine
the cause of the accident. Thomas had two children. He had started
working at the shipyard last week, according to his wife.
(Source: WNYC Newsroom)
• 2007-01-09 03:02:56 • Category: 0
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Erie Shipbuilding to Undergo Expansion
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G.
Rendell announced that three Erie County manufacturers – including the
county's largest employer -- plan to invest more than $19 million to
grow their respective operations in northwest Pennsylvania, adding 385
new
jobs to the local economy over the next three years. The Governor said
the state is supporting the growth through a series
of investments totaling more than $1.5 million, which include grants
and
tax credits. Today's announcement included $500,000 to the county's
largest
employer, GE Transportation Systems; $702,250 to Erie Shipbuilding LLC;
and
$207,000 to National Steel Products Inc., a start-up company in Corry
that
will make leasehold improvements to a facility that has been mostly
vacant
for more than 15 years. Department of Community and Economic
Development Secretary Governor Rendell. Dennis Yablonsky visited Erie
County today to make the announcements on behalf of GE Transportation
Systems plans to implement lean manufacturing
techniques at its rail plants in Erie and Grove City, Mercer County, a
project that is expected to cost $12.8 million. By applying this new
operational strategy, the company expects to lower costs and shorten
lead
times to deliver orders and products. GE Transportation Systems has
already
fulfilled its commitment to the commonwealth to create 120 new jobs,
and is
also retaining 4,486 existing jobs in Erie and 915 additional jobs at
other
Pennsylvania locations.
A $6.4 million expansion project by Erie Shipbuilding LLC will create
at least 205 new jobs within three years and retain 26 existing employees.
The company is purchasing equipment for its shipbuilding operation,
including a first-of-its-kind, multi-million dollar robotic welding system.
DCED's offer to Erie Shipbuilding included a $200,000 Opportunity
Grant, $92,250 in CJT, and $410,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits (JCTC). In
August of last year, Governor Rendell announced $2.5 million in
redevelopment assistance capital to help Erie Shipbuilding LLC expand its
operations.
The company manufactures ships and provides ship maintenance and
repair, ship conversions and dry-docking services. It has the largest dry
dock on the Great Lakes. GEIDC also worked with the company on its
expansion project. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-09 03:02:27 • Category: 0
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Coast Guard Investigates Collision
The Coast Guard medevaced a
47-year-old man from the OSV Capt. After it reportedly collided with
the a tanker ship, the Panam Carabe, Friday night.
A rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Sabine was dispatched, to meet
the Capt. Nick about 10 miles off shore from Sabine, Texas. The crew
arrived at the vessel's location, after being slowed by heavy fog and
extremely low visibility.
The injured crewman was complaining of intense internal pain, believed
to be the result of a collision the vessel had with a tanker ship
Friday night. The tanker Panam Carabe reported the incident to the
Coast Guard. The collision occurred in the ship anchorage in Galveston,
Texas.
The crewman was taken back to the Coast Guard station and transferred to awaiting emergency medical technicians.
Coast Guard units in Port Arthur, Texas, and Galveston are investigating the collision and injury. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-09 03:01:37 • Category: 0
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China to ship oil along the Mekong River
In March of last year four countries, Burma, Laos, Thailand and China,
signed an agreement that would allow China to ship oil up the Mekong
River. But it has been revealed that the country plans to ship many
times the amount of oil agreed upon in any public forum.
Environmentalists raised the alarm when the plans were first revealed,
pointing out that some 60 million people live along the river, and
depend on it for food, water and transport. China currently imports
about 70 percent of its goods through the Malacca Straits, but this
channel is reaching capacity levels. The country's oil route along the
Mekong River is one of two plans it unveiled in this region in its bid
to avoid the Malacca Straits. The other is an oil pipeline linking
Burma's deep-water port of Sittwe to Kunming, Yunnan's capital. Critics
worry that the planned pipeline will lead to human rights violations,
and environmental damage. (Source: Marwaan-Macan-Markar, The IPS News Service at Dawn)
• 2007-01-09 03:00:24 • Category: 0
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BAE proposes consolidating UK submarine facilities
BAE Systems' chief executive, Mike Turner, has suggested consolidating
all of the UK's submarine facilities to defense procurement minister
Lord Drayson, saying the move is in line with the Government's Defence
Industrial Strategy. BAE Systems proposes to take over majority
ownership of maintenance and support facilities at the Devonport
dockyard in Plymouth, thus creating one company that would manage the
fleet throughout its life. UK's Ministry of Defence is interested in
combining surface shipbuilding interests, in hopes of cutting costs on
upcoming major building projects. Devonport, which manages surface
ships as well as submarines, has been under scrutiny after KBR, which
owns 51% of Devonport, was floated last year. It is not believed that
BAE has made a formal bid for the facility. Other defense groups are
also interested in seizing Devonport. (Source: Oliver Morgan, The Observer at Guardian Unlimited)
• 2007-01-09 02:58:14 • Category: 0
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Navy Takes Delivery of New Orleans LPD 18
The Navy accepted delivery of the
second in the LPD 17 class of amphibious transport dock ship on Dec.
22. The acceptance of the future USS New Orleans, marks the culmination
of millions of hours in conceptual planning, design, construction, and
testing of this advanced amphibious warship.
New Orleans recently completed Builder's and Acceptance Trials during
which the shipbuilder, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, successfully
demonstrated this new warship's tremendous range of capability. Main
propulsion, engineering and ship control systems, mission and combat
systems, damage control, food service and crew support systems were
exercised. The ship earned satisfactory scores for the major
demonstrations characterizing the ship's performance which led to the
Board of Inspection and Survey’s recommendation to accept the ship.
Accepting delivery of New Orleans for the Navy, Capt. Dexter,
Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast, noted, “There is still work to
be done before New Orleans joins the fleet, however today starts the
Navy’s ownership of this exceptionally versatile amphibious warship. I
know that the Sailors and Marines who sail her will appreciate the
state-of-the-art features designed into her.” New Orleans will support
the Navy-Marine Corps “mobility triad” of air-cushioned landing craft
(LCAC), Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles, and MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor
aircraft in future Expeditionary Strike Groups. Integrating dozens of
unique systems with state-of-the art technology, the ship will be
technically adaptable for deployments in the next few years or for
future requirements 40 years from now. USS New Orleans will be the
first West Coast homeported ship of the San Antonio class. With her
unusual profile, characterized by the distinctive Advanced Enclosed
Mast/Sensor System masts, USS New Orleans will look like no other
warship when she arrives in San Diego this spring. Internally, the
ship’s Shipboard Wide Area Network, variety of firefighting systems,
sit-up berths and advanced command and control capabilities will also
make her a distinctive amphibious ship. Most significant will be New
Orleans ability to embark, transport, and land 800 troops and nearly
25,000 cubic feet of combat vehicles and weapons. The next milestones
for the ship will be transfer of custody to the Prospective Commanding
Officer, Cmdr. Brad Skillman, and his crew’s who will move aboard in
January 2007. The Navy will then commission New Orleans in March 2007
in her namesake city. In 2007 the Navy is also scheduled to commission
sister ship Mesa Verde (LPD 19), and Northrop Grumman will launch New
York (LPD 21) and lay the keel for the future San Diego (LPD 22).
Currently, five ships of the class are in construction or in
pre-fabrication at the Gulf Coast shipyards. (Source: Navsea Newswire)
• 2007-01-08 03:19:25 • Category: 0
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Electric Boat Awarded Contract
Electric Boat Corporation, Groton,
Conn., is being awarded a $42.8m cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under
previously awarded contract for consolidated planning yard, engineering
and technical support for nuclear submarines. The modification will
provide support for the material aspects of submarine
design/configuration change programs and submarine research,
development, test, and evaluation. Work will be performed in Groton,
Conn. (74 percent); Quonset, R.I. (17 percent);Newport, R.I. (6
percent); Bangor, Wash. (1 percent); and Kings Bay, Ga. (2 percent),
and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds will
not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-08 03:17:09 • Category: 0
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Spirit of British Columbia to Undergo $1.9m Refit
The Spirit of British Columbia will
be undergoing its annual maintenance refit from January 8 through
February 9 inclusive. The vessel will undergo nnual inspection and
servicing of all lifesaving equipment, main engine upgrades, steering
gear maintenance, installation of some new galley equipment, thorough
cleaning of the passenger accommodation areas, car decks and machinery
spaces The refit is a regular maintenance procedure conducted
approximately the same time each year. During the refit period, the
Queen of Esquimalt will provide service on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay
route and will be based at Tsawwassen. The Spirit of Vancouver Island
will continue its regular service on the route based at Swartz Bay. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-08 03:16:06 • Category: 0
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UK Grounded Vessel Refloated
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency
(MCA) issued a press notice stating that the cargo vessel that grounded
after departing the port of Montrose has been refloated and returned to
port. The coordinated salvage operation involved removal of some cargo
and bunkers. There were no injuries or reports of pollution. (Source: HK
Law)
• 2007-01-08 03:15:22 • Category: 0
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Hawaii (SSN 776) Delivered to the Navy
General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB)
delivered Hawaii (SSN 776), the third Virginia Class submarine to the
Navy on Dec. 22. Hawaii is GDEB’s 100th nuclear powered submarine to be
delivered to the Navy.
“More than 52 years after commissioning Nautilus, the world’s most
revolutionary warship, GDEB is delivering another amazing submarine,
Hawaii,” said Rear Adm. Hilarides, Program Executive Officer for
Submarines. “The Virginia Class, of which Hawaii is the third boat and
the second delivered by GDEB is designed to operate in today’s
unpredictable environment, in the littorals; in the deep ocean; alone
or with Carrier or Amphibious Battle Groups; collecting intelligence;
shaping the maritime battle space."
"It is purpose built for in-land power projection by both Special
Operation Forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Hawaii will be able to
fight across the full spectrum of warfare,” said Hilarides. Hawaii’s
on-time delivery is the result of a dedicated Navy/shipbuilder effort
to incorporate lessons learned from USS Virginia (SSN 774) and USS
Texas (SSN 775) as well as improvements to the ship’s build plan.
“When we contracted for Hawaii in 1998, we negotiated a December
2006 contract delivery date,” said Capt. David Johnson, Virginia Class
Program Manager. “Delivering to the original contract date is an
achievement that reflects greatly upon the dedication and
professionalism of the men and women who build these ships. We’ve set a
new standard that benchmarks the program for future deliveries.”
Hawaii is the second Virginia Class submarine delivered by GDEB who is
partnered with Northrop Grumman Newport News in a teaming arrangement
to build the Virginia Class. Each company builds hull sections or
modules of each ship, and then transport these hull sections via a sea
shuttle to the shipyard performing that hull's final assembly. The
shipyard that performs the final assembly alternates with each ship.
Currently the Navy is working to reduce the cost of Virginia Class
submarines by $400 million per submarine to reach a goal of $2 billion
dollars, in fiscal year 2005 dollars, per ship by fiscal year 2012 at a
build rate of two ships per year.
“That is no small task, taking almost 20 percent of the cost out of a
ship where three ships of the class are delivered”, said Johnson.
"Going to two ships per year would account for $200 million of that
goal."
“The Navy and our shipbuilding partners are working to make our program
goals a reality, and going to two ships per year in a multi-year
contract is an essential element towards achieving that goal," he said.
"The Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan supports this with procurement of
two ships per year beginning in fiscal year 2012.”
(Source: Navsea Newswire
By Team Submarine Public Affairs)
• 2007-01-08 03:14:28 • Category: 0
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USCG Activates New Communication System in Pacific Northwest
The United States Coast Guard
announces the switch to new command, control and communications
technology monitoring distress calls throughout Puget Sound, the Strait
of Juan de Fuca, and the West Coast of Washington, north of the
Quinault Indian Reservation. Rescue 21 allows the Coast Guard to
monitors Digital Selective Calling (DSC) emergency transmissions. When
properly registered with a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)
number and interfaced with a GPS receiver, a DSC distress call provides
the Coast Guard a vessel's identity and exact location, greatly
improving emergency response. Rescue 21 also includes advanced
direction-finding capability, allowing Coast Guard watchstanders to
more accurately locate the source of a VHF distress call. That
capability also helps the Coast Guard locate the source of hoax calls,
saving valuable time when lives are at stake and conserving taxpayer
dollars. Rescue 21 has enhanced playback capability to bolster the
chances of deciphering garbled messages, and a network of radio towers
to help reduce coverage gaps in coastal areas. Both ensure more
distress calls get through to the Coast Guard. Proving its mettle
following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Disaster Recovery System
(DRS) is another vital component of Rescue 21. A fully autonomous,
rapidly deployable emergency communications package, it provides voice
and data connectivity if a manmade or natural disaster destroys the
existing communications infrastructure. A $730 million acquisition
project and the second largest within the Coast Guard, Rescue 21 will
replace the Coast Guard's aging National Distress and Response System,
built three decades ago. Once fully implemented, the technology will
cover 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline and inland waterways. (Source: MarineLink)
• 2007-01-08 03:13:53 • Category: 0
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Indonesian ferry was probably sunk by high waves
The Indonesian ferry Senopati Nusantara sank in the Java Sea
just before midnight on Friday with more than 600 people on board.
Around 220 people have been rescued — including the ship's captain, who
is being questioned — but more than 400 people are dead or missing.
According to testimony from witnesses, the ferry was not overloaded.
Ruth Simatupang, a government investigator probing the accident,
suggests that high waves crashing over the ferry's car deck probably
became trapped there, and caused the ship to capsize. Similar accidents
involving "roll-on, roll-off" ferries have occurred elsewhere around
the world, leading experts to call for design changes in the doors and
ramps that allow vehicles to drive directly on board. (Source: Irwan Firdaus, The Associated Press at Examiner.com)
• 2007-01-08 03:12:50 • Category: 0
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Royal Navy has no plans to mothball ships
The Daily Telegraph on Sunday reported
that budget restraints would force the Royal Navy to mothball six
destroyers and frigates. The paper reported that the Navy was expected
to lose Invincible, one of its three carriers, and that one of
three major ports was under threat of closure. The paper also claimed
that Royal Navy commanders were "in uproar" at the plans. However, a
spokesman for the Ministry of Defence has insisted, "We currently have
no plans to cut ship numbers. We routinely review whether resources are
allocated where our frontline forces need them most. No decisions have
been taken in this case." While the spokesman admitted they are having
to save funds, he added that no specific decisions have been made. (Source: Press Association at Guardian Unlimited)
• 2007-01-08 03:12:15 • Category: 0
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Navy Ship Trenton to Join Indian fleet
Nearly two centuries after Bombay’s
famed Wadia family built HMS Minden — the ship on which the American
national anthem Star Spangled Banner was written — history will sail a
full circle later this month. The U.S. Navy is all set to hand over
Seattle-built USS Trenton, an amphibious transport warship, to the
Indian Navy. It will be the first American-made vessel to join India’s
growing blue water fleet.
A crew of more than 300 Indian Navy personnel is already training in
Norfolk, Virginia, to take charge of Trenton in a formal ceremony on
January 17, when the ship will be officially decommissioned from the
U.S. Navy. It will then set sail for India, where it is likely to be
inducted into the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
When introduced into the Indian Navy in mid-2007, the 17,000-ton
Austin-class platform, formally called a Landing Platform Dock or LPD,
will be India’s second-largest warship, second only to the 28,000-tonne
Hermes-class aircraft carrier INS Viraat.
Built by Lockheed and commissioned in 1971, the amphibious ship has a
complement of 28 officers and 480 men, and can transport nearly 1500
marines. Although Trenton cost more than $400 million to build, New
Delhi is buying it at a bargain basement price of around $48 million —
which includes four mechanised landing craft and other bells and
whistles — under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. New Delhi
believes the ship is good for another 15 years. The Indian Navy is also
looking to procure six SH-3 Sea King helicopters to operate from the
173-metre-long vessel that has seen action in Somalia, Liberia and
Lebanon among other places, landing US troops and rescuing American
citizens. Indian officials say Trenton, which is expected to be renamed
INS Jalashva (Sanskrit for seahorse), will provide the Navy with
enhanced amphibious capability. Besides landing troops during war and
rescue operations, it can also function as a command and control
platform during offshore and mid-sea mishaps. The Trenton transaction
marks an unusual and little known naval connection between two distant
countries that are now heading towards a strategic military
partnership.
Indian-made ships were frequent visitors to the US in the 18th and 19th
century and American sea-farers visited Bombay and Surat to see the
Wadias, India’s traditional shipbuilders, at work.
Although a small deal in financial terms, the Trenton transfer is said
to presage both greater strategic interplay and military transfers
between the US and India. Some Washington pundits see India as an
American partner in patrolling the vital sea lanes from the Gulf of
Hormuz to the Straits of Malacca. (Source: Times of India)
• 2007-01-05 02:12:39 • Category: 0
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Navy to Name Carrier After Ford
The Navy will name its next aircraft
carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in honor of the president who was buried
Wednesday in his home town of Grand Rapids, Mich., officials said.
The Navy had not planned to make the announcement yet, but Donald H.
Rumsfeld, the former defense secretary who served in the Ford
administration, divulged the news during his eulogy at the funeral.
Ford served in the Navy during World War II. (Source: AP)
• 2007-01-05 02:12:00 • Category: 0
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Cargo Vessel Refloated
According to the BBC, a stricken
cargo vessel which ran aground near a harbor has been re-floated
following a major operation. The MV Emsland, laden with 1,776 tons of
timber, got into trouble shortly after it left the Port of Montrose, in
Angus, on December 29. After bringing in specialized equipment, the
ship was freed on Thursday afternoon, according to the Maritime and
Coastguard Agency. Despite earlier concerns, no pollutants were
released into the water. A salvage team, which arrived in the area earlier in the week, had
been working to remove some of the cargo and diesel oil from the
270-ft. ship to make it lighter. The Emsland had been taking water into
two of its ballast tanks and concern had been raised that a leakage
could threaten the local seabird population. The ship, which aground on
the Annat Bank in the River South Esk, will be checked for damage in
Montrose harbor.
(Source: BBC)
• 2007-01-05 02:11:02 • Category: 0
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Fish conservation experiment a good step for Britain
Ministers in the Scottish executive have just agreed to support
proposals for a legally enforced fisheries protection zone in the
waters of Lamlash Bay on the east coast of Arran. The proposals will
create a three-tiered set of controls: a "no take zone" where all
fishing will be banned; a wider "marine protected area" with strict
restrictions on fishing, and an even larger "nursery" zone to rebuild
scallop stocks. The zones will be one of a new series of
government-backed "inshore fisheries groups" that will span the
coastline, and enforced by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.
The UK government is under increasing pressure to honor promises to
create a "representative network of marine protected areas" by 2012.
Apart from several small schemes, the UK's efforts have stalled. (Source: Severin Carrell, The Guardian)
• 2007-01-05 02:04:25 • Category: 0
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Panama Canal expansion should be felt on the US East Coast
Panama's recent decision to expand the Panama Canal is expected to be
felt on the East Coast of the United States. Because of their proximity
to Asia, West Coast ports such as Los Angeles and Long Beach in
California have been growing at a faster pace than their East Coast
counterparts. But once the Canal is refurbished to handle larger ships,
East Coast ports are expected to siphon away some of that business — at
least, those ports that have the facilities to handle the bigger ships
and more cargo. East Coast ports should be able to take away 2 percent
of the trans-Pacific trade in the first year after the new locks open
in 2014, and up to an additional 1.5 percent in the following year. The
Hampton Roads port in Virginia is the focus of this news article, and
believes it is already prepared for bigger ships. And unlike the ports
of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and other East Coast city ports like New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, space needed to expand road and rail
networks won't be a problem. (Source: Gregory Richards, The Virginian-Pilot at HamptonRoads.com)
• 2007-01-05 02:03:03 • Category: 0
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The Blue Lady may be stuck at Alang
The Blue Lady, formerly known as the SS France and SS Norway,
has spent so long docked at Alang awaiting a decision on its fate that
it probably can't be moved safely. Environmental groups say the ship
contains 900 tons of toxic materials that could endanger the lives of
Alang's ship breakers. The vessel's owners were granted permission to
beach the ship in India, while several safety reports were reviewed.
The Gujarat Pollution Control Board heard both sides last week, but
didn't reach a conclusion. In the meantime, a panel of Gujarat Maritime
Board technical experts believe more than three months resting on the
beach during low tides, and floating on high tides may have damaged the
ship's hull to the extent that it can't be moved. This effectively
means that the ship would need to be dismantled at Alang. (Source: Express News Service at ExpressIndia.com)
• 2007-01-05 02:01:01 • Category: 0
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UK Reports Containers Lost in Rough Seas
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency
(MCA) said that a general cargo vessel reported that it lost 20 empty
containers overboard in rough seas east of the Orkney Islands. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-04 02:06:04 • Category: 0
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U.S. Provides Ships for Mozambique
The U.S. has donated three ships to
Mozambique to boost the country"s capacity for inspection of its
waters, following an increase in illegal fishing, an officer of the
Mozambican navy said Friday in Maputo.
Commander of the Mozambican Navy, Patravio Jotamo, said that the three
ships would operate from the naval sub-bases of Tete (center),
Metangula (north) and Nampula (north), according to a report on
www.macauhub.com.mo. "This important donation will contribute to
fighting the pillage of our resources, which is occurring in
Mozambique's waters," Jotamo said.
Jotamo noted that the Bazaruto archipelago was one of the points of the
country in which the actions of 'pirate fleets' was most intense. "The arrogance and the ease with which Mozambican marine resources
are plundered shows that the pirates are confident that nothing will
happen to them, because they operate in an area without the means to
detain them," Jotamo said. (Source: www.macauhub.com.mo)
• 2007-01-04 02:05:20 • Category: 0
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Ships Ready to Repair Undersea Cables
Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Co. said
two repair ships will soon start fixing undersea cables damaged last
week by an earthquake off the island's coast that resulted in a major
disruption to telephone and Internet links across Asia.
The two ships will take two to three weeks to complete their task, said
a senior official at Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's largest
telecommunications company, the International Herald Tribune reported.
One of the ships is Japanese registered and sailed to Taiwan from
Japan. The other, British registered, sailed to Taiwan from the
Philippines, he said. Both are specially equipped to repair undersea
cables and had to complete other repair work before setting out for
Taiwan.
The Dec. 26 quake — measured at magnitude 6.7 by Taiwan's Central
Weather Bureau and 7.1 by the U.S. Geological Survey — snapped
undersea cables off Taiwan, cutting telecommunications across the
region and leaving companies scrambling to reroute traffic through
satellites and cables that were not damaged.
By the end of January or early February, all major cables serving Hong
Kong and other countries in the region should be fully repaired, said
another official. (Source: International Herald Tribune)
• 2007-01-04 02:01:59 • Category: 0
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Carnival Signs Letter of Intent for New Ship
Carnival Corporation & plc
announced that it signed a letter of intent for a new 116,000-ton ship
for its P&O Cruises brand.
The new vessel, which will have 3,076 lower passenger berths, will be
built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri at its Monfalcone yard, at an
estimated all-in cost of € 535 million. The ship is scheduled for
delivery in spring 2010. Externally, the vessel will be similar to
P&O Cruises Ventura, which is scheduled to enter service in spring
2008, but the new product features and interior design will be
announced at a future date.
This latest ship order will bring the total number of vessels in the
P&O Cruises fleet to seven, including five existing ships, as well
as the new Ventura, which will be Britain's largest cruise ship when
it enters service in April 2008. The new ship will further enhance
P&O Cruises' reputation as the only company building cruise ships
specifically for Britain.
With the announcement, Carnival Corporation & plc has 20 new ships
on order, 14 of which are being constructed by Fincantieri.
The building slot at Fincantieri being utilized for this new
P&O Cruises vessel will result in a modification to the delivery
date of the 130,000-ton newbuild for Carnival Cruise Lines announced in
mid-December 2006. The Carnival vessel will now enter service in spring
2011 instead of summer 2010 as previously announced. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-04 02:00:37 • Category: 0
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Indian welders to work at US shipyard
Signal International, an oil rig construction and repair company with
yards in Mississippi and Texas, is hiring 290 workers from India to
fill first class welder and fitter positions at its Pascagoula
shipyard. The company is recruiting the workers because of shortages in
skilled manpower along the coasts of both states following hurricanes
Katrina and Rita. The Indians will work as temporary guests on H2B
visas, which last for 10 months. The guest workers are on Signal's
payroll as full-time employees, and will receive the same pay and tax
burden as other Signal craft personnel. (Source: Associated Press at The Clarion-Ledger)
• 2007-01-04 01:58:38 • Category: 0
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Orders will fall for South Korean shipbuilders
South Korean shipyards took almost half of world orders for ships last
year, and their backlogs are at their highest ever. The shipbuilders
have at least three years' of work on their books. But industry
analysts and the shipyards themselves expect demand to go down. The
world's third-largest shipyard, Samsung Heavy Industries, said on
Tuesday that orders for new ships and offshore platforms may fall as
much as 21 percent this year. The South Korean yards are still expected
to do well. (Source: Kyunghee Park, Bloomberg News at International Herald Tribune)
• 2007-01-04 01:58:00 • Category: 0
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New Tug Put to Work on First Day of Job
It didn't take long for the state to
make use of a new rescue tug stationed at the northwestern tip of the
Olympic Peninsula.
Just before midnight on New Year's Eve, a wooden fishing vessel with
two men and hundreds of gallons of fuel on board was reported drifting
near Cape Alava, the scenic beach in Olympic National Park about 10
miles south of Cape Flattery.
The new tug, owned by Crowley Marine Services and named Gladiator, was
not scheduled to take over from a Foss Maritime tug until midnight. But
it had arrived at its new station by 11 p.m. and responded when the
call came in.
The Gladiator towed the disabled vessel into Neah Bay and turned it
over to the Coast Guard, the state Ecology Department said Monday in a
statement. The state had expected Foss Maritime to keep a tug stationed
at Neah Bay through the winter, but Foss said it could not because of a
shortage of tugs in the region. Crowley Maritime Corp. of Jacksonville,
Fla., responded by agreeing to provide a tug for $8,500 a day, plus
fuel, effective Monday.
A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay for the past eight winters
The vessel assists disabled ships to prevent them from drifting onto
rocks and possibly spilling oil.
It's the first line of defense for the state's inland waters, with the
next available resources 60 miles into the Strait of Juan de Fuca at
Port Angeles.
Since 1999, the rescue tug service has assisted 30 disabled ships.
State lawmakers provided Ecology $1.4 million with the goal of
providing about 200 days of rescue tug service this winter.
(Source: Seattle PI)
• 2007-01-03 02:08:35 • Category: 0
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Coast Guard, Massachusetts to Further Safeguard State Waterways
The Coast Guard and the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts today announced the signing of a new partnership
agreement that will help the Coast Guard and Massachusetts state law
enforcement officers work together more effectively to ensure the
safety and security of the Commonwealth's waters. Under the terms of
the agreement, approved last week by Rear Admiral Timothy Sullivan and
Governor Mitt Romney, Massachusetts State Police and Environmental
Police officers working with the Coast Guard have the authority to take
enforcement actions against those suspected of violating federal safety
and security zones created by the Coast Guard. The agreement also
allows local police departments from any Massachusetts city or town
that has resources available to enter into similar agreements with
local Coast Guard commanders.
The Memorandum of Agreement incorporates recent changes to federal laws
specifically targeted at strengthening the ability of state law
enforcement officers to assist the Coast Guard. In the past, if a State
Police trooper encountered a violation of a federal security zone, that
officer would need to call the Coast Guard before enforcement action
could be taken. State Police or Environmental Police officers subject
to this agreement will now be able to take immediate action. Coast
Guard and Massachusetts law enforcement officers work collaboratively
on a range of maritime missions, including tanker escorts,
investigations of illegal fishing practices and marine theft cases.
This agreement allows for more effective use of enforcement resources
by giving state officers similar enforcement authority on the water as
their Coast Guard counterparts. "This agreement codifies the existing
strong relationship between the Massachusetts State Police, the
Environmental Police and the U.S. Coast Guard in order to provide a
more seamless and efficient security presence along our coastline and
around critical port infrastructure," said Governor Romney.
"With the Coast Guard's ever-increasing maritime security
responsibilities we must continue reaching across traditional agency
boundaries to make our Nation's maritime domain safe and secure," said
Rear Adm. Tim Sullivan, Commander, First Coast Guard District. "As lead
agency for Maritime Homeland Security, close cooperation with our law
enforcement partners at the federal, state and local level are critical
to ensuring the security of the American people. This agreement further
strengthens the close ties we have with the Massachusetts law
enforcement community. Further, the possibility of bringing city and
town marine units into this partnership adds significant capability and
flexibility to the Coast Guard and the Commonwealth's overall resource
mix." (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-03 02:07:47 • Category: 0
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Britain's Royal Navy to mothball eight more ships
Britain's Ministry of Defence has told the armed forces to save more
than £250 million this year, and £1 billion by April 2008. This could
cause the Royal Navy to put half of its active ships into reduced
readiness to save money. Six destroyers and frigates, and two other
vessels are expected to be "mothballed" — it can take up to 18 months
to bring mothballed ships back into service. The MoD will also cancel
the last two of the eight Type-45 destroyers the navy was supposed to
get. Adam Ingram, minister of state for the armed forces, admitted this
month that 13 of the Royal Navy's 44 main vessels were already in
mothballs to save cash. A total of 13 were at sea, and a further 18 in
port and ready to go to sea at any time. But the decision to mothball
another eight ships will mean that 21 of the 44 are not available. The
problems with the defense budget are apparently tied to cost overruns
in procurement projects such as the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoon, the
Bowman communications system, and the Navy’s Astute submarine and
Type-45 destroyer programs. (Source: Michael Smith, Sunday Times at Times Online)
• 2007-01-03 02:06:23 • Category: 0
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Bad weather hampers search for Indonesian ferry survivors
The ferry Senopati Nusantara
carrying about 600 passengers broke apart and sank in Indonesia's Java
Sea when a violent storm sent towering waves over its deck. The ship
went down around midnight Friday. At least 200 passengers survived the
sinking, but more than 400 people remain missing. Local media reported
at least 60 passengers were confirmed dead. Rescue efforts were
intensified Tuesday, as some survivors are still on life rats in the
open water. Bad weather is preventing rescue craft from reaching them,
so food and water is being dropped by helicopter. According to the
manifest, the ferry was carrying 628 people, including 57 crew, but the
vessel had a capacity of more than 850 passengers. This was the second
ferry disaster in the last week of 2006 after a vessel overturned on
Thursday in rough seas off Sumatra. Two people on that ferry died and
26 were missing as of late Sunday. (Source: Heri Retnowati, Reuters at SignOnSanDiego.com)
• 2007-01-03 02:05:39 • Category: 0
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Electric Boat Awarded $1.2b Submarine Contract
Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn.,
is being awarded a $1.2b modification to previously awarded multi-year
contract (N00024-03-C-2101) for Fiscal Year 2007 Virginia Class
Submarine (SSN 782) and Advance Procurement (AP) funding for the FY08
submarine (SSN 783). Work will be performed in Groton, Conn. (30
percent), Quonset Point, R.I. (15 percent) and Newport News, Va. (15
percent), with other efforts performed at various sites throughout the
United States (40 percent). Work is expected to be completed by April
2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal
year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the
contracting activity. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-02 02:49:28 • Category: 0
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A More Powerful Chinese Navy?
According to a report in the Taipei
Times, Chinese President Hu Jintao urged the building of a powerful
navy that is prepared "at any time" for military struggle, state media
reported yesterday.
At a meeting of delegates to a Chinese Communist Party navy forum on
Wednesday, Hu reportedly said China was a major maritime country whose
naval capability must be improved.
"We should strive to build a powerful navy that adapts to the needs of
our military's historical mission in this new century and at this new
stage," he said in comments splashed on the front pages of the party
mouthpiece People's Daily and the People's Liberation Army Daily.
"We should make sound preparations for military struggles and ensure
that the forces can effectively carry out missions at any time," said
Hu.
Analysts say China sees a stronger navy as a way to secure energy
supplies and seaborne trade routes to help ease security fears over
supplies of resources and oil it needs to feed its booming economy.
China's naval expansion includes a growing submarine fleet and new
ships with "blue water" capability, fueling fears in the US that its
military could alter the balance of power in Asia with consequences for
Taiwan. (Source: Taipei Times)
• 2007-01-02 02:48:39 • Category: 0
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South African Navy Floats New Bid for Frigate
The South African Navy may soon get
the green light to buy a fifth patrol corvette, or frigate, after the
government's go-ahead for fresh negotiations.
Highly placed navy and defence industry sources have revealed that the
cabinet has agreed to open negotiations for a fifth ship in the Valour
Class MEKO A-200 series, four of which have already been delivered to
the country.
The ship could cost about R2,5-billion, compared to the R1,5-billion
price tags of the first four, due to the recent weakening of the rand
and other escalations, including that closed production lines would
have to be re-opened.
The German-built ships are globally recognized as among the most modern
in their class. Two have been commissioned and have had busy schedules
with visits to foreign countries and naval exercises. The navy has
designated the ships as frigates, because of their hull size, although
their armament systems are not yet up to frigate specifications.
Sources say the navy is also lobbying for the purchase of a Landing
Platform Helicopter Dock, a support vessel capable of operating
helicopters, a large marines contingent, a fully equipped hospital and
a large administrative facility to allow long-distance force
projections for peacekeeping.
Both ships were expected to get the final go-ahead in the new year,
said the sources.
The director of maritime warfare, Rear Admiral Rusty Higgs, on Tuesday
confirmed that the option of a fifth frigate was being investigated,
but said it was being done at a high political level and that the navy
was not yet involved.
(Source: IOL)
• 2007-01-02 02:38:23 • Category: 0
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Liftboat Juan Listing at 90 Degrees
The Coast Guard reported that the
liftboat Juan is listing 90 degrees, about 70 miles south of Gibson,
La. The vessel is holding in position, approximately 5,500 ft. from the
nearest pipeline, and approximately 10-20 feet of the port side bow is
visible above the water. (Source: Marinelink)
• 2007-01-02 02:37:43 • Category: 0
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2 U.S. Sailors Die After Falling off Submarine
Two U.S. sailors died after waves
swept them from the deck of a nuclear submarine off the coast of
southwestern England on Friday, British coast guards said. The USS
Minneapolis-St. Paul was leaving Plymouth harbor in rough weather
around midday, said Sean Brooks, a coast guard spokesman. Four sailors
were tied to the vessel with ropes — a routine precaution — but two
fell into the surging water.
British rescue boats picked up all four, Brooks said.
The nuclear-powered attack submarine, which is based in Norfolk,
Virginia, has a crew of 110 and can reach speeds exceeding 30 mph. Its
weapons include torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Sixth Fleet is the operational arm of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and is
primarily responsible for the Mediterranean and western and central
Africa.
(Source: AP)
• 2007-01-02 02:37:00 • Category: 0
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Jordanian ship's crew is handed over to the Red Cross
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Monday handed over to
the International Committee of the Red Cross the 25-member crew of a
Jordanian merchant vessel, which had run aground off the Mullaitivu
coast on Saturday. The crew, which included an Iraqi captain, 13
Jordanians and 11 Egyptians, are en route to Colombo. However, the fate
of MV Farah III, which ran aground after engine trouble,
remains uncertain. The Sri Lankan military believes that the ship was
hijacked by the LTTE. (Source: AFP at Yahoo! News)
• 2007-01-02 02:35:49 • Category: 0
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South Korea builds and designs complex ships
An article in The Chosun Ilbo describes three ships designed and built
by Korean shipbuilders as being 'breakthrough concepts.' Samsung Heavy
Industries has developed a multi-directional ice-breaking tanker that
draws on cutting-edge technologies such as the world's lowest design
temperatures, the world's best ice-breaking capability in all
directions, and special paint technology to fight abrasion. Daewoo
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering has created a new concept that
moves unwieldy gas supply stations onto a ship. Daewoo created the
world's first LNG-RV. Finally, Hyundai Heavy Industries has won a
contract to build eight 11,400 TEU containerships. (Source: The Chosun Ilbo)
• 2007-01-02 02:34:53 • Category: 0
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US shipyards question federal ID requirements
Some US shipyards contend that the new screening system — the
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) — would be
redundant. While the new security efforts are geared toward port
workers, some shipyards, other marine facilities and vessels would also
fall under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. The law
applies to shipyards capable of transferring more than 10,500 gallons
(250 barrels) of fuel oil or other hazardous materials. The US Coast
Guard will consider exempting shipyards if they can prove that existing
security measures are equal to or exceed the new identification system.
Northrop Grumman' Newport News shipyard has asked for an exemption, and
the American Shipbuilding Association, a trade group that represents
the nation's six major Navy shipbuilders, and the Virginia Ship Repair
Association, among others, are expected to take steps to determine
details of requirements. (Source: The Virginian-Pilot at HamptonRoads.com)
• 2007-01-02 02:34:13 • Category: 0
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Michigan to start regulating ballast water on the Great Lakes
Starting Monday, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will
be the first in the nation to require ocean-going ships that load and
unload cargo at the state's ports to have a special ballast water
permit. Any ship that plans to discharge ballast must have appropriate
technology that can kill any organisms they might be carrying from
foreign waters. Michigan's new law pertains mainly to residual ballast.
But as of Wednesday, no permits have been applied for. It seems that
ship owners and operators are so far planning to simply avoid Michigan
ports. This "loophole" leaves the Great Lakes vulnerable to invasive
species, and could damage the state's economy, which is already in bad
shape. But environmentalists say it's a starting point. (Source: Maureen Feighan, The Detroit News, 12/28/06)
• 2007-01-02 02:33:36 • Category: 0
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South Korean shipbuilders are buying more steel from China
Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine
Engineering Co. and Samsung Heavy Industries Co., the world's three
biggest shipbuilders, all based in Korea, are buying more steel plate
to deliver a record number of ships over the next three years. Samsung
Heavy recently admitted it can't secure enough steel plate from
suppliers in Korea and Japan, and so will more than double purchases of
steel plate from China next year. The company purchased 9% of its steel
from China this year, but next year it will buy 21% of its steel from
that country. Hyundai Heavy bought about 16% of its steel from China
this year, but will buy 22% next year. (Source: Bloomberg at The Standard)
• 2007-01-02 02:32:59 • Category: 0
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World ship prices expected to remain high - for now
Four out of five analysts surveyed by
Bloomberg expect the world's three largest shipyards — all Korean — to
book new ship orders at current prices. This will set prices for new
vessels at record highs for a third year. The Koreans have increased
prices as they seek to protect themselves from higher costs for steel,
engines and the stronger won. Their profits dropped by as much as 67
percent in 2004 because they hadn't anticipated that steel prices would
rise as much as they did. But analysts say business could drop anywhere
from 10 to 30 percent in 2007, as an overcapacity in shipping starts to
grow. (Source: Bloomberg at The Korea Herald)
• 2007-01-02 02:31:52 • Category: 0
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Plans to offload oil from Solar 1 in place
The Italian company Sonsub has been hired to remove over a million
liters of oil still in the hold of the tanker Solar 1. Petron had
chartered the vessel when it sank off the coast of Guimaras last
August, causing the biggest oil spill in the Philippines. The
offloading is scheduled to begin next February, and should take about
20 days. The Protection and Indemnity Club is footing the bill for the
offloading operation, but if the cost exceeds $6 million, the
International Oil Pollution Compensation will shoulder the excess. (Source: Ronilo Ladrido Pamonag, The Philippine Star)
• 2007-01-02 02:31:15 • Category: 0
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