DAILY COLLECTION OF MAR ITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 –...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2014 – 293

Distribution : daily to 31300+ active addresses 20-10-2014

Number 293 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Monday 20-10-2014

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

KOTUG latest newbuilding the RotorTug ART 80-32 Hybrid tug RT EVOLUTION enroute from the builders Damen shipyards Group to Rotterdam passing the Kiel Canal Photo :

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

RT EVOLUTION, KOTUG’s new hybrid Rotortug above seen passing the Kiel Canal, and has arrived in the Port of Rotterdam last Saturday evening. In the coming weeks, Damen Shipyards Group will complete the final outfitting and testing of this highly anticipated, next generation Robert Allan design: the ART 80-32 Hybrid. More news about this state-of-the-art hybrid Rotortug is expected soon. KOTUG is a leading towage operator offering its innovative services on a global scale. With a sophisticated, powerful fleet, its dedicated staff and well trained crew, KOTUG operates in a variety of markets including towage services to ports, terminals and at sea as well as in the salvage, offshore and dredging industry. KOTUG is committed to the highest industry standards of health, safety, environment, quality en security. More information: www.kotug.com Photo : Frank Behling ©

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APMT seals the deal for Costa Rica terminal

APM Terminals (APMT) is playing its part in the modernisation of Costa Rica’s Limón/Moin port through the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the new Moin Container Terminal (TCM).APMT was contracted by the Costa Rican State and port authority, JAPDEVA, to take on the project. The new terminal is designed with a surface area of 80 hectares, 500m off the coast of Moin, 1,500m of berth, nine STS gantry cranes and 39 yard cranes, in addition to a 2.2km breakwater, allowing 24/7, 365-days-a-year operation. Silvia Gamboa, sustainability and environment manager, APMT Moin, told Port Strategy: “This is a challenging 33-year project, of which we are in the first phase. It will have huge implications for Limón, it will promote socio-economic growth and when the project is completed, will handle 80% of cargo exports for Costa Rica." "Not only this, it will be a huge leap for the country's economy. The new specialised container terminal will allow us to service larger vessels,” she added.The environmental management plan for the new Greenfield development involves dredging, land reclamation, waste and noise mitigation.Although the terminal will be built on wetland famed for its bio-diversity, APMT is taking an integrated environmental approach to the project,” Ms Gamboa said. The container terminal operator is working towards managing port activities for the long-term and is creating a turtle conservation programme, which will begin with construction in 2015.The TCM is a key component of JAPDEVA’s master plan to modernise the Caribbean port complex, including a cruise ship terminal, a general cargo terminal and the expansion of the petroleum terminal, which is already underway. In September, APMT delivered the final extensive information annex to environmental agency, SETENA, which is expected to give its final ruling for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process by the end of this month. Source : portstrategy

17-10-2014 The CMA CGM MANET IMO 9224958, 2001/26050gt, inbound to Melbourne in the Port Melbourne

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

Quick180 box-match service signs Maersk Quick180, a new online service that matches exporters needing a container with importers who have an unloaded box they want to get rid of, has signed Maersk Line as a participant.Meanwhile, Quick 180 has added a new wrinkle to its service offering with the launch of Quick180 Plus, which allows truckers to swap empty containers and chassis with an exporter’s loaded container.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” said CEO Rick Knapp, who retired five years ago as chief operating officer at Virginia International terminals and founded Quick180 this year. Maersk is the 10th ocean carrier to participate in Quick180. Thirty-nine motor carriers have signed up. Knapp said the company plans to expand operations to Montreal and Savannah next year.Truckers for years have made informal swaps of equipment through off-terminal “street turns. However, most empty boxes are still returned to congested ports after being unloaded at inland distribution centers or other locations.

Quick180 seeks to reduce those deadhead trips. It uses computer algorithms to sift through ocean carriers’ available empties and match them with export bookings in or near a particular ZIP code. Quick180 has opened the first of what it expects to be a series of inland “QuickLots” to simplify the equipment interchange. Knapp said Quick180’s technology is running smoothly and arranging matches daily. He wouldn’t disclose volume. The company charges a flat $13 fee for arranging the container match.Three months after its launch, Quick180 is working to overcome habits of

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trucking dispatchers accustomed to sending drivers to pick up an empty box from a port container yard. Knapp said Quick180 plans to hold a seminar to show how truckers can use the system to avoid unnecessary miles and long queues at the port.

Another obstacle has been chassis shortages. Truckers who have a roadworthy chassis are reluctant to surrender it along with the empty import box “because they don’t know where they’ll be able to find another chassis,” Knapp said. The new Quick180 Plus service solves that problem by allowing a trucker to make a drop-and-pick exchange — exchanging a chassis and empty box for a chassis with a loaded box headed back to the port.The new service was started in response to a customer request, Knapp said. “We’re expecting to do 100 to 150 transactions a day just from this one customer, so we’re pretty excited,” he said.Quick180 isn’t involved in the interchange or rate-setting, but Knapp said the customer’s rate for a one-way trip back to the port is 80 percent of the going rate for a round trip. “The customer can fulfill his need for an empty container, and the trucker gets the opportunity for a very nice one-way leg to the port,” Knapp said. Source : Journal of Commerce

SAL´s MV SVENJA seen arriving in Darwin. Photo : hma / SAL ©

Louis Cruises OLYMPIA leaving Kusadasi Photo : John Spedding ©

Egypt signs with six international firms to dredge new Suez Canal

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Egypt signed contracts with six international firms on Saturday to carry out dredging of the new Suez Canal, the flagship project in President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's program to revive an economy battered by years of political turmoil.

The companies are National Marine Dredging Company NMDC.AD of the United Arab Emirates (UAE); Royal Boskalis Westminster and Van Oord, both based in the Netherlands; Jan de Nul Group and Deme Group, both of Belgium; and U.S.-based Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company. Lieutenant General Mohab Memish, head of the Suez Canal Authority, announced the consortium at a news conference in Cairo alongside Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb.

Deme’s TSHD PEARL HARBOUR loading some spares in port Lomé Togo

Photo : Jelle Bossaert ©

Egypt hopes the new canal will more than double revenues from the waterway by 2023 to $13.5 billion from $5 billion. It also plans to develop 76,000 sq km (29,000 sq miles) in the area into an international industrial and logistics hub to attract more ships and generate income.Memish did not provide financial details of the contracts but said the companies would begin working this week. The new canal is scheduled to be completed by August 2015, an ambitious target set by Sisi.

"In order to complete this work within one year it was necessary to make use of huge dredging machines, international dredging machines, because the amount of wet dredging is very large," said Memish.

Engineers from the army began digging in the area in August when the project was unveiled. Memish said they would conduct dredging in one of the new canal's six work zones, with the international companies operating in the remaining areas. He said the total project would require up to 36 dredgers to remove about 250 million cubic meters worth of material.Pierre Catteau, an official from Deme Group, said there would be a massive mobilization of equipment from around the world in order to meet the project's ambitious deadline.

"I think we were all surprised at how fast this came on the market, how fast it was tendered and how fast it will be executed," he told Reuters on the sidelines of the news conference. "But it's possible and we will put all efforts to make it happen."

The new canal is to be built alongside the existing 145-year-old waterway which is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia. Income from the existing canal provides a vital source of hard currency for a country that has suffered a slump in tourism and foreign investment since the 2011 uprising. Diplomats at the event included Western ambassadors to Egypt and UAE minister of state Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, the UAE's point man on Egyptian projects.

The UAE, along with Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, has given Egypt billions of dollars in aid since Sisi, then army chief, led the army's ousting of Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Mursi last July following protests against his rule. William Murchison, an official at Great Lakes, said the technical aspects of the project were straightforward but the challenge was one of scale and time frame."One key thing is good about this: the funding is in place. The money is there. We have a motivated employer," he told Reuters after the event.Egypt's central bank governor said last month the state had reached the $8.5 billion funding goal for the project, which it has financed through the issue of investment certificates in the domestic market.Source : Reuters (Additional reporting by Mahmoud Mourad; Writing by Maggie Fick and Stephen Kalin; Editing by Jane Baird and Stephen Powell)



One of Australian Offshore Solution’s crew transfer vessels the “OFFSHORE LIGHTNING ” which is currently working at Barrow Island on the Gorgon Project in Australia. She is built in 2012, having a length of 22.9m and designed by Mark Ellis Marine Designs.Photo : Capt Glenn Frewin www.aosau.com ©

Dockwise TERN in the San Francisco Bay, loaded with the 123.5 m long DRYDOCK #1 – a tight fit given the 126.5 m free deck length of the heavy-lift vessel. Photo : Frank van Hoorn - Argonautics M.E. Inc ©

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Warnings issued to take care at the coast as weather worsens

A plea has been issued to take care along the West Dorset coast as the weather worsens.

Dorset managed to escape the worst after another bout of severe weather bringing fierce winds and heavy rain swept in last week. Flood alerts were issued for the West Dorset coast from Lyme Regis to Portland and residents were urged to be aware of the risk at high tide. The plea by Lyme Regis harbourmaster Grahame Forshaw comes after a windsurfer was rescued from rough seas.

The RNLI lifeboat was launched after reports that a windsurfer was in difficulties to the east of the town’s harbour.

The experienced windsurfer, 19-year-old Luke Patrick from Lyme Regis, lost his sail in winds of force six to seven.

Luke was seen from the shore waving for help when the alarm was raised. As he held on to his board another windsurfer went to his aid. The lifeboat crew made sure Luke was safe as he made his own way ashore.Luke, who has been a member of the Olympic Development Team at Weymouth for four years, said: “It was my first sail after the summer and conditions were brilliant for windsurfing.“Things were fine until I had the technical problems, but the response from the lifeboat crew was fantastic.”The lifeboat was launched in seas producing swells up to four feet.

Mr Forshaw, who is also the RNLI’s Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager in Lyme, said: “This incident was a salutary lesson to us all that even the most experienced can be caught out by the weather.“It’s happened to me in my sailing career, and as we reach that time of year when winds and tides can be particularly treacherous we must be on our guard and take all the right precautions before deciding to venture out. “This young man is an experienced windsurfer, and a friend and the lifeboat came to his aid, but it is a timely lesson that the weather or equipment failure can cause problems for anyone.“The volunteers of the RNLI will always assist those in trouble at sea, but there is no substitute for being well prepared with the right equipment before going to sea in any conditions.” Source : dorsetecho

Dockworkers call for talks with Rotterdam Gateway consortium

Two organizations in Rotterdam are calling for urgent dialogues concerning the ports' congestion and overcapacity

The International Transport Workers’ Federation and the FNV Bondgenoten container terminal union workers met for two days this week, to discuss how automation and overcapacity will affect terminals and the workforce, Hellenic Shipping News reported. Rotterdam has opened highly automated terminals in APM Terminals' Maasvlakte 2 and the Rotterdam Gateway, which the workers believe could cost the port 1,000 jobs if carriers move business to the new terminals.

Shiplive photo The MARIANNE SCHULTE inbound for Rotterdam Europoort CLICK on the photo and Photo /

Video Cees van der Kooij ©

"The FNV is calling on the port authority and companies in Rotterdam — both terminal operators and shipping lines — to start a serious dialogue on how we can work together to mitigate the human cost of the combined impacts of these two serious issues," said Niek Stam, national secretary of the Bondgenoten dockers' section.Stam criticized the operators of the Rotterdam Gateway for not engaging the union and not seeking to sign a collective bargaining agreement. He noted that the union hopes Gateway operators will "respect trade union rights and the standards that

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have been established and agreed with other employers in the port." The consortium of DP World, APL, MOL, Hyundai Merchant Marine and CMA CGM estimates the terminal will be completed by the end of this year.

Terminal automation is a hot-button issue with dockworker unions around the world. Because of the arrival of bigger ships and more cargo volume, productivity needs to be at its height to keep congestion to a minimum. Automated container handling also allows a terminal to significantly increase the number of containers it moves on the same terminal footprint in a shorter period of time. In the U.S., where the the International Longshore and Warehouse Union is negotiating a new contract with the Pacific Maritime Association, automation is a key issue in labor talks. At the TraPac terminal in the Port of Los Angeles, which is being automated, the move could result in a 40 to 50 percent loss of jobs. There were reports of union hard-timing at the TraPac terminal in July. However, automation also creates new jobs, such as maintenance and repair work on the sophisticated cargo-handling equipment. Therefore, negotiations on manning requirements and the training of longshoremen to prepare them for the emerging work opportunities are important.

Shiplive photo The MSC SAMANTHA departing from Rotterdam Europoort CLICK on the photo and Photo /

Video Cees van der Kooij ©

Automation is also a point of contention in Australia, where workers conducted a work stoppage at DP World terminals in Sydney and Melbourne, in response to a lack of contract and issues with automation.“We have long criticized the callous and frenzied way automation has been introduced into Australia at all major terminals,” the union wrote in a statement. “Patrick, Hutchison and the new Melbourne operator ICTSI are all embracing automated modes of operation and not one of the companies that has already automated has demonstrated that their productivity across the berth is higher than their human-driven operations in other states.”In Rotterdam, the union says it will reach out to the four shipping lines that own stake in the Gateway, as well as DP World, to start discussions. The ITF was asked to help set up negotiations.Source : Journal of Commerce

Vancouver Welcomes Bulker on Her Maiden Voyage

The Port of Vancouver USA welcomed the M/V Jobst Oldendorff, commanded by Capt. Baisie of Ghana, on her maiden voyage October 16. Capt. Baisie and his 21-member multinational crew were welcomed to Vancouver by

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Oldendorff Port Captain Russell D’Souza , Chris Cummins and Sandra Avila of Pacific North West Ship & Cargo Services, Noa Lidstone and Ken McLaughlin of Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals, David Nagel and Shawn Robinson of SGS North America Inc., and Mike Schiller and Steve Mickelson of the Port of Vancouver.The Jobst Oldendorff is a single-hull dry bulk carrier built in China and launched on Aug. 27, 2014. She is owned by Arkadia Shipping Inc. and operated by Oldendorff Carriers GMBH. The vessel is 655 feet long and has a deadweight capacity of 61,122 metric tons.

Before calling the Port of Vancouver, the Jobst Oldendorff stopped in Nakhodka, Russia, to take on fuel. Now that she’s berthed in Vancouver, the vessel will load approximately 10,700 metric tons of copper concentrate for customer KGHM International, a global base and precious metals producer.The Jobst Oldendorff departed from the Port of Vancouver on Oct. 17. Her final destination on her maiden voyage is Isabel, Philippines. From left: Shihan Mohamed (vessel chief),

Chief Officer Shawn Robinson (SGS), Ken McLaughlin (KMBT), Capt. Russell D’Souza (Oldendorff), Mike Schiller (POV), Chris Cummins (PNW Ship & Cargo), Captain Baisie (vessel captain), David Nagel (SGS), Sandra Avila (PNW Ship & Cargo), Noa Lidstone (KMBT), Steve Mickelson (POV) Source : MarineLink

Early morning in Tilbury with the NORSKY moored alongside

Photo : Capt. Julian Jager Master Master m.v. Norstream ©

Tugboat Barbara Foss reaches Russian container ship

The tugboat “Barbara Foss” has reached the disabled Russian container ship and will begin the towing process. The vessel – carrying hundreds of tons of fuel – was adrift again Saturday. Officials said there was no immediate risk of it reaching shore, hitting rocks and causing a spill.Royal Canadian Navy Lt. Greg Menzies said a tow line from the Coast Guard ship Gordon Reid got detached, but he noted that the Russian vessel is now 24 nautical miles (44 kilometres) away from shore. Menzies said efforts are under way to get the line re-attached.



The Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Spar were also on hand to assist if needed, while an ocean-going tugboat was expected to arrive in the area late Saturday or early Sunday.The Council of the Haida Nation said the weather forecast has the winds subsiding until early Sunday morning, providing a window to attach another tow line.“There is no danger of the vessel coming ashore at this time,” a statement released by the council said.

It’s slow going in heavy seas, but a Canadian Coast Guard vessel is continuing to tow a disabled Russian cargo ship away from the rocky shores of British Columbia’s northern coast. The operation began Friday evening when the crew of the Gordon Reid managed to secure a tether to the Simushir.

The container ship lost power Thursday night in rough water off Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, while sailing from Washington state to Russia.

There were immediate concerns it could drift ashore, break apart and spill hundreds of tonnes of bunker and diesel fuel, creating an environmental disaster. Sub Lt. Ron MacDougall at the Canadian Forces’ joint rescue co-ordination centre in Victoria, said the Simushir was being towed due West away from shore at about 3.7 kilometres per hour, in three to four metres seas. He said it was about 39 kilometres from the western shore of Haida Gwaii.

MacDougall said the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the American Coast Guard cutter Spar arrived on the scene Saturday, with the ocean going tug Barbara Foss expected later in the day, to provide any additional assistance that might be needed.All three vessels have towing capability, but it’s whether they would attempt to secure tethers to the stricken cargo ship.

As well, a Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopter and Buffalo aircraft, along with a U.S. Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter, are on standby in case they are needed.Reporters were told during a Friday conference call that the ship’s captain had been evacuated to Sandspit, on the eastern side of Haida Gwaii, to receive medical care for an undetermined condition.Kia said the 10 remaining crew members were working on restarting the ship’s engines, but there was no indication early Saturday morning whether they were making progress.MacDougall said there was no need to evacuate the crew, at this time. The fear of oil spills is especially acute in British Columbia, where residents remember the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989. Such worries have fed fierce opposition — particularly from environmentalists and Canada’s native tribes — to a current proposal to build a pipeline that would carry oil from Canada’s Alberta oil sands to the Pacific Coast for shipment to Asia. Opponents say the proposed pipeline would bring about 220 large oil tankers a year to the province’s coast. British Columbia Environment Minister Mary Polak said she hopes the incident underlines for the Canadian federal government the need to develop a world leading response to possible tanker spills. The president of the Council of the Haida Nation warned earlier Friday that a storm coming into the area was expected to push the ship onto the rocky shore, but later President Pete Lantin told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. their worst fears have subsided.“Thankfully the weather didn’t come in with the



strength of the forecast,” said Lantin. “The conditions out there are still dangerous, but with the vessels onsite we are cautiously optimistic that the ship will be towed safely to port over the next couple of days.” About 5,000 people live on the island and fish for food nearby, Lantin said.Roger Girouard, an assistant commissioner with the Canadian Coast Guard, said their top concern was the fuel and diesel oil onboard and the risk that the ship could hit the rocks and break apart.

He earlier said if the ship did come apart the rough seas would break up the oil “so we would have an ally there. It’s cold weather so we don’t have a lot of migratory species right at the moment.”He said they have been already moving assets to the region to respond should the break apart and spill.Acting Canadian Sub. Lt. Ron MacDougall said the Simushir, which is about 440 feet (135 metres) long, was carrying “a range of hydrocarbons, mining materials and other related chemicals.” That included 400 tons of bunker oil and 50 tons of diesel.

The vessel is not a tanker but rather a container ship. In comparison, the Exxon Valdez, spilled out 35,000 metric tons of oil.A spokesman for Russian shipping firm SASCO, the owners of the vessel, said it is carrying 298 containers of mining equipmentin addition to heavy bunker fuel as well as diesel oil onboard for the voyage.

The U.S. Coast Guard had a helicopter on standby in the event that 10 crew members need to be pulled off the ship. Officials said the injured captain was evacuated, but they were given no further medical details. Rough weather was a concern. Environment Canada had issued a storm warning for much of the northern coast, including the area around Haida Gwaii.The Haida Nation said it had set up an emergency command centre in Old Massett, located on the northern tip of Haida Gwaii, in case the vessel runs aground.The Simushir is registered in Kholmsk, Russia, and owned by SASCO, also known as Sakhalin Shipping Company, according to the company’s website. The SASCO website says the ship was built in the Netherlands in 1998. Marine safety expert Joseph Spears on protecting the BC coast Source: GlobalNews

The FAIRMOUNT GLACIER in Rotterdam

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SF Police, Fire Boats Can’t Find Dead Body Spotted By Tugboat Crew Near Pier 50

Workers on San Francisco’s waterfront had quite a shock Saturday morning. As a tugboat crew was removing a dilapidated dry dock in the bay near Pier 50, a dead body floated to the surface The body was in such bad shape, the crew couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. The corpse had been in the water for some time.

The tugboat crew couldn’t recover it, but they alerted authorities. Police marine units and fire boats headed to the scene.“Yes, [I was] a little startled this morning when I came in and received the call,” said Battalion Chief, Pete Fay of the SF Fire Department. Fay and his crew had few details and many variables working against a successful search and recovery“In this case, we are talking torso, we’re talking the idea of how long it’s been down, we’re talking about once gases are released so possibly a body could float to the surface,” said the Chief The tug boat crew was 300 yards out when the body surfaced around 7:30 Saturday morning. They were towing a WWII-era dry dock containing asbestos from Pier 50 to a ship heading to China. The job was so time sensitive, they had to continue towing, but they alerted rescue crews about what they saw Unfortunately, by the time rescuers arrived, the body was gone. It had slipped slipping back into the bay eluding the searchers As for the identity of the body, crews speculate it could have been a kayaker who went missing on the bay several years ago near the same dock. Of course, there is no way to verify that unless the body resurfaces again. Source : sanfrancisco.cbslocal

HEBO salvage refloated off Vlaardingen a sunken barge as can be seen above

Photo : Marijn van Hoorn ©

Ferry veterans propose alternative to Nova Star

The group of former Scotia Prince officials suggests using a smaller, less elegant ship on the route between Portland and Nova Scotia.

BY TOM BELL STAFF WRITER

A group of businessmen connected with the Scotia Prince, a ferry that ran between Portland and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, from 1982 to 2004, wants the province to abandon the Nova Star ferry in favor of its proposal to operate a smaller, less expensive ship on the same route. The group, which is creating a company called Canamerica Cruises,



has been put together by Bruce McNeil, a Halifax resident who for nine years managed sales, the casino operations and marketing efforts for the Scotia Prince.

Henk Pols is the lead consultant for the effort. The 80-year-old Cape Elizabeth resident is the former president of Prince of Fundy Cruises, which owned the Scotia Prince until 2000. Martin Salzedo, former CEO and president of Celebration Cruise Line, a small line with one ship that operates between Florida and the Bahamas, would be president and CEO of Canamerica Cruises.

McNeil’s team believes that Nova Star Cruises, which on Tuesday finished a disappointing maiden season, will never succeed financially because its ship, the Nova Star, is too large, too costly to operate, and charges too much.

McNeil said a ferry service on the route could be profitable if operated with a smaller ferry – one with a capacity of 650 to 700 passengers rather than the Nova Star’s 1,120-passenger capacity. The ship would have some cruise ship amenities, like live entertainment and a casino, but it wouldn’t be as luxurious as the Nova Star, which cost $165 million to build, McNeil said.“A $165 million ship on that route will never work,” he said. “You will never pay for the vessel.”

During the peak season this summer, it cost $1,115 for two people to make a round-trip on the Nova Star, including a cabin and car transport, although the company offered several discount packages to

attract passengers. McNeil said the Canamerica group’s fares would be 40 percent to 45 percent lower, and the company expects to focus on providing basic ferry transportation rather than competing with cruise ship lines. “Pick your market and cater to them,” he said, noting that people with the money to afford a Nova Star ticket would be more likely to spend it on a traditional cruise than a ferry ride.

McNeil said the Nova Scotia government can escape from its contract with Nova Star Cruises because the company has failed to deliver on its terms. The contract calls for the government to provide Nova Star Cruises with a forgivable loan of $21 million (Canadian) over seven years, but in the first season, the government allocated $26 million so Nova Star could pay its bills.McNeil is proposing that the government provide Canamerica Cruises with the same kind of financial package offered to Nova Star. The difference, he said, is Canamerica Cruises will own the vessel and use it as collateral for its government loan, which would allow the province to seize the vessel if the company does not pay the loan back. Nova Star Cruises is leasing the Nova Star from the Singapore shipyard that built it. Sarah Levy MacLeod, a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, said the province is working with Nova Star Cruises to evaluate its first season and discuss plans for next year.“We don’t want to lose the positive momentum we were seeing,” she said in an email. “That said, if a company has a proposal they want us to look at, we are prepared to look at it. Our main interest is to ensure a continued reliable ferry service between Yarmouth and Maine, based on realistic costs, the right business plan, and the best interests of Nova Scotians.”

Dennis Bailey, spokesman for Nova Star Cruises, said it will take time to rebuild the ferry service, which petered out when The Cat, a high-speed ferry, ceased operations after the 2009 season. He said the company believes the service did well in its first season despite some big obstacles, primarily its late start. The company wasn’t able to sell tickets until the end of March because it lacked a federal permit.“We are going to be better next year and better after that,” he said. “People are going to need to be patient here. Give it more time before they change horses in midstream.”He said Nova Star selected a vessel that met the province’s requirements set out last year in a request for proposals, and it was the only available vessel that met that criteria.

The Nova Star ended the season carrying 59,018 passengers, far short of the 100,000 it had expected. In 2000, the last season the Scotia Prince was operated under Pols, the ferry carried 158,218 passengers, Pols said. If Canamerica secures a contract, it would maintain the same schedule of one daily round-trip from April through October. Pols said the operators of the Nova Star made several missteps due to inexperience, such as not knowing the company needed a permit from the U.S. Maritime Administration to sell tickets.He said McNeil’s team won’t make those kinds of mistakes. “I think what they are trying to do is surround themselves with people who know how these things are supposed to work,” he said.



This is not the first time McNeil has tried to win government funding for a ferry service. In 2011, he headed a company called Scotia Cruises, which proposed restarting Portland-to-Yarmouth ferry service. The government rejected the proposal, saying it was too expensive. Scotia Cruises also had proposed a Halifax-to-Portland service, but that plan went nowhere.Darrell Bryan, president of Clipper Vacations, which operates a ferry between Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia, said he likes the team McNeil has put together. Still, any new ferry service will need time to build business before it will be profitable, he said.

Left : The Scotia Prince ferried passengers from Portland to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, for 22 years. John Ewing/2003 Press Herald file

“No matter how good they are or how experienced they are, they will go through a period of loss,” he said.Jeff Monroe, a seaport consultant who worked as port director for the city of Portland while the Scotia Prince was operating, said the Nova Scotia government is fortunate that Canamerica Cruises plans to make a proposal because it creates competition and gives the government options.He said a ferry service that focuses on low prices rather than luxury stands a better chance for success.“What you need between Nova Scotia and Maine is basic transportation,” he said. “You

don’t need a cruise ship.” Source : pressherald

The OASIS OF THE SEAS enroutee from Rotterdam to Fort Lauderdale made a stop in Southampton –

Photo : Chris Brooks www.ShipFoto.co.uk ©

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EU, Singapore conclude investment protection talks

The European Union has concluded talks on a free trade deal with Singapore by adding investor protection clauses, which critics like Germany say give multinationals too much power. The EU executive said on Friday (17 October) that the investment accord concluded negotiations of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA), other parts of which were settled in 2013. It now will need to be approved by EU member states and the European Parliament.

The investment protection chapter will ensure a stable and fair regime for foreign investors, while preserving the right of parties to regulate in the public interest, the Commission said.

EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht told a news conference the deal included an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provision, which allows companies to take cross-border legal action against governments. But critics say that by enabling multinationals to file complaints to a special tribunal, ISDS risks undermining laws on labour, the environment or food standards.

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said last month that Germany rejected investment protection agreements and that it would not sign a trade pact concluded with Canada unless they were removed. It has also objected to investment protection in a planned free trade deal with the United States.

It is not clear what Germany's stance is on the Singapore ISDS. "I believe this is a very modern template of an ISDS, very similar to the one with Canada," De Gucht said on Friday. De Gucht has said Germany is operating a double standard, having invented foreign investment protection in the 1950s, and concluded ISDS deals with 14 other EU members, notably in the east of the bloc."We are not doing anything weird," De Gucht told a news conference on Friday. "We are doing our job on the basis of mandates given to us."

He said that going back on agreements already reached would be "a disaster", adding that 24 of 28 member states had said that ISDS should be part of investment agreements, including with the United States.

The EU-Singapore deal is the European Union's first with a southeast Asian economy, and is seen as a stepping stone to similar deals with Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.The European Union is the largest contributor of foreign direct investment in Singapore, and Singapore is the second largest Asian investor in the EU. Source : euractiv

Next stop after Southampton for the OASIS OF THE SEAS before crossing the Atlantic was Vigo (Spain)

Photo : Pieter C Holtes ©

India's first merchant terminal for LNG to come up in Ratnagiri

With a clearance from the ministry of environment and forests in December 2013, HEGPL expects to commission the project in 2018.

India's first merchant terminal for eight million tonnes LNG import, storage and regasification will be set up at Jaigadh Port in Ratnagiri district. An agreement has been signed between H-Energy Gateway Pvt Ltd (HEGPL), a Hiranandani Group company, and Sener-Afcons JV for the engineering, procurement and construction of the terminal which will function exclusively on a tolling model, said HEGPL director Darshan Hiranandani. Source : Indiatimes



PT MARY not much detail owned by Pacific Tugs and engaged in the Webb Dock dredging job heading to Melbourne spoil ground into a Southerly breeze off Williamstown. Photo : Andrew Mackinnon – www.aquamanships.com

Cooperation with Turkish shipyard Sefine

Pronomar is happy about an order from Sefine, a shipyard located in Yalova/Turkey. Sefine ordered one of Pronomar’s established, highly efficient drying cabinets for a total of eight jackets and eight pairs of boots/shoes or gloves. The drying cabinets have been installed on board a Norwegian live fish carrier vessel (NB no. 23) for Frøy Rederi AS.

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The drying cabinet features stainless steel drying systems consisting of form-fitting hangers with nozzles at neuralgic places through which a lot of warm air is blown directly into the jackets, trousers, boots and gloves. The air is coming from a powerful, yet energy-efficient, warm-air blower. With the cabinet doors closed, the drying process is achieved even faster than usual. Apart from perfect maintenance of the work wear on a daily basis (which prolongs its lifetime considerably thus saving purchasing costs) the drying systems also help to bring down sick leaves which not only increases productivity but also helps to improve the well-being and motivation among the crew on board. All these afore-mentioned factors play an important role in creating an even better work environment out at sea. Pronomar looks forward to continuing the cooperation with Sefine in the future.Would you like to find out more? Visit the website www.pronomar.com and contact Pronomar for fast and competent help!

Shiplive photo The ZIM HAMBURG inbound for Rotterdam Europoort CLICK on the photo and Photo / Video

Cees van der Kooij ©

Stena Line launches new route from Ports of Stockholm

Scandinavian market freight volumes are increasing for Stena Line. To meet customer demand, services from the Port of Nynäshamn will be expanded on 19 October 2014 by the addition of a new destination, Liepaja in Latvia, the company said in its press release. “It is really pleasing that Stena Line wants to grow with us. This will be the twelfth destination possible to reach directly from Ports of Stockholm,” states Dick Lagerberg, Ports of Stockholm's Transport and Logistics Manager. The Stockholm region is experiencing record growth and the Swedish economy has been good. These facts, together with the strategic location of Ports of Stockholm and strong east-west trading have meant that goods freight volumes have been stable throughout the year on all routes into Ports of Stockholm.“This is a strategically important route for us, and a route that we believe will continue to develop positively. Our goal is to eventually operate two virtually identical sister ships on the route, with fully developed facilities for both goods freight and passengers. This has been our successful strategy on other routes,” explains Stena Line Baltic Sea Route Manager, Tony Michaelsen.From Ports of Stockholm it is now possible to travel to Naantali, Turku, Helsinki, Mariehamn, Visby, Saint Petersburg, Tallinn, Riga, Paldiski, Ventspils, Liepaja and Gdansk. Source : PortNews

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ICS welcomes dramatic IMO progress on ballast water issues

Governments attending the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) this week have made real progress towards agreeing solutions to major issues that have previously impeded ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention, says the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the global trade association for ship operators. Speaking at IMO headquarters, ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe, remarked “We are very pleased that IMO Member States have fully acknowledged the shipping industry’s concerns by agreeing to start work immediately on a revision of the G8 type-approval guidelines to make the process for approving ballast water treatment equipment more

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robust. In the meantime, it has also been agreed, in principle, that any shipowner that has invested in first generation treatment equipment, type-approved under the current G8 guidelines, should not be penalised, provided that the equipment is operated and maintained correctly. The adoption by IMO of new Port State Control guidelines reflecting a fair and pragmatic approach to inspection is also an important additional step.” Mr Hinchliffe added “While some of the details still need to be finalised by the MEPC next year, an MEPC Resolution adopted at this meeting should do much to build confidence in the Convention amongst both shipowners and IMO Member States.” Source: ICS (International Chamber of Shipping)

Reünie van oud medewerkers van Taks berging en Smit Tak

Op zaterdag 18 Oktober heeft de jaarlijkse reünie plaatsgevonden van oud bergingsmedewerkers van Taks berging en Smit Tak. Locatie, Topsquach in Maassluis, waar kapitein Arie Rijkers en twee dames van kantoor voor de oud bergers een reünie hadden georganiseerd.

Ook was in de haven van Maassluis het salonzeilschip “De Zeeland” afgemeerd om met een grootdeel van de 115 gasten een vaartocht over de Nieuwe Waterweg te maken.Om 18.00 uur was deze zeer geslaagde en mooie middag afgelopen en vertrokken de gasten huiswaarts, die overigens uit het hele land kwamen en zelfs uit Spanje om deze happening mee te maken. Foto’s: Elly Domenie

Suezmaxes appear to be a good investment again

Picking out the ship segment which offers the best fundamentals, in order to invest in new vessels is among the core assets of a successful ship owner. However the volatility of the markets during the past few years makes this decision

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



a rather tricky one. For instance, in a recent report, Poten & Partners argued in favor of the Suezmax segment, which appear to be a good investment again. The words “appear” and “again” is what it’s all about, finding the right market at the right time. According to Poten, “several tanker owners have recently placed orders for Suezmax tankers and market pundits have discussed the merits or, in some cases, the potential pitfalls of the renewed interest in this segment of the tanker market. The last time the Suezmax sector experienced a significant number of Suezmax tankers were ordered was some five years ago. The current fleet contains 52 vessels (representing 12% of the total) that were ordered between December 2009 and June 2010. In hindsight, the timing of these orders was less than ideal. Is the situation different today?”, Poten asked. According to the analyst, as is usually the case, there are a number of different factors to consider. Among the most important: 1. What is the outlook for this segment? 2. Where are Suezmax newbuilding prices from a historical perspective and relative to secondhand prices? “Despite the recent jitters in the oil markets and some concern about economic growth in China and Europe, the general consensus about the outlook for the tanker market remains cautiously optimistic. The Suezmax segment has adjusted well to the changes in global trade flows as a result of the shale oil boom in the United States. While fixtures from West Africa to the US Atlantic Coast have dropped precipitously in recent years, movements to North West Europe, the Mediterranean and India have picked up. The largest boost for Suezmax employment has been the growth in liftings from the Arabian Gulf. Based on activity to date, reported Suezmax fixtures ex-Arabian Gulf could reach 600 in 2014, compared to 333 reported fixtures in 2012 and 215 in 2010. Another bright spot for Suezmaxes has been the growth in long-haul fuel oil movements from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The number of reported Suezmax fuel oil fixtures has tripled since 2010. Barring a collapse in worldwide oil demand, Suezmax employment should remain fairly healthy in the coming years”, Poten noted. It went on to state that “we believe that the current Suezmax orderbook stands at 60 vessels or 14% of the existing fleet, similar to the VLCC orderbook, but much lower than the backlog for MR’s. Another comforting factor is the actual orderers themselves. Most of the recent contracts have been placed by experienced Suezmax owners with a proven operational and commercial platform and track record. There is no indication that speculative money is fueling the recent uptick in orders”.Poten concluded its argument by noting that “last, but certainly not least, is the economics. Prices of modern secondhand vessels have picked up since the market started to recover in late 2013. One year ago, we estimated the value of a 5-yr old Suezmax to be $38 million. Today’s assessment for the same vessel is $55 million: an increase of 45%! This price increase could be a reflection of a positive market outlook as well as a very tight secondhand market, as there are very few modern Suezmaxes from quality yards for sale. Newbuilding prices have not moved nearly as much as secondhand prices over the same time period. Our price assessment for a newbuilding ECO Suezmax is $68 million today, only 4% higher than the price a year ago, with some recent orders reportedly done at prices that are even $5-10 million lower. Based on these prices, the 20-year breakeven rate for an ECO newbuilding is in the $20 –$22,000/day range and with the 5-year time-charter rate for modern vessels at $28,000/day, newbuildings appear to be a fairly attractive investment”, the analyst concluded. Source : Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

Seychelles Patriot re-floated nine days after running aground in Brazil

Seychelles Patriot, a Seychelles-owned fuel tanker, was re-floated this morning, nine days after it ran aground during a routine journey up the Amazon River in Brazil. The successful re-floating of the Seychelles Patriot was confirmed by the Seychelles Petroleum Company, Seypec, in a press statement issued this afternoon. “The re-floating exercise began on the arrival of appropriate powered tug boats and was completed three hours later when the vessel was maneuvered off the mud banks on which it had been grounded,” reads the statement.There had been at least two previous failed attempts to re-float the tanker during the week. “As per the norms in a situation such as this, the vessel is now on the way to Port Santarem anchorage for inspections by the Classification Society, and is then expected to continue to its planned destination, Manaus City, Brazil,” concludes the Seypec statement. According to the government-owned parastatal company, no spillages of product or any injury to crew members have been recorded The tanker which had been chartered by Brazilian Energy Company, Petrobas, is said to have been transporting gasoil According to Seypec the tanker had ran aground on October 8, while sailing on its approved navigational route in the presence of the Brazilian Pilots onboard. There were 18 crew members onboard the tanker at the time including 8 Seychellois nationals Seychelles Patriot is one of five Seychelles tankers that operate worldwide. The other four are Seychelles Pride, Pioneer, Progress and Prelude. Source: seychellesnewsagency.



NAVY NEWS Swiss court OKs freezing of Taiwan

arms broker's funds The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has ruled in favor of freezing the bank accounts of Andrew Wang the Taiwanese arms broker implicated in a corruption scandal dating back to the 1991 procurement of Lafayette-class frigates from France, Taiwan said Friday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei said the Swiss court turned down an appeal filed by Wang against a decision by the European country's Federal Department of Justice and Police to freeze his accounts, and the ruling is final.

Swiss authorities have frozen about US$700 million in bank accounts belonging to Wang and former Taiwan Navy Captain Kuo Li-heng since 2001 at the request of Taiwanese judicial authorities.They have agreed to send the funds to Taiwan once a final verdict in the corruption case has been made.

The corruption and bribery case stems from a 1991 deal for Taiwan's Navy to buy six Lafayette-class frigates from French company Thomson-CSF, now renamed Thales S.A., for an inflated price tag of US$2.8 billion. The price included procurement kickbacks and bribes to facilitate the purchase. In April, Taiwan's Supreme Court sentenced Kuo to 15 years in prison for accepting US$17.6 million in kickbacks from Wang relating to the frigate deal. The court also demanded the return of US$340 million in illicit gains frozen in foreign bank accounts.The latest ruling by the Swiss Supreme Court means Taiwan has now moved one step closer to retrieving the long-delayed funds. Source : The China Post

US Navy to Christen Littoral Combat Ship Detroit

The Navy will christen littoral combat ship (LCS) Detroit, on Oct. 18 during a ceremony at Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, will deliver the principal address at the ceremony, and Barbara Levin, wife of U.S. Senator Carl Levin (Michigan), will serve as the ship's sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by Levin breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship, which is a time-honored Navy tradition. The ship's name honors the citizens of the Motor City and their ongoing patriotic spirit and military support. Detroit is the seventh ship to bear the city's name.

"The name Detroit represents so much. It represents the hard working American shipyard, factory, and assembly line workers and the American spirit of hard work, patriotism

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and perseverance," said Mabus. "The USS Detroit will carry these values and this spirit around the world. It is tailor-made for our 21st century operations and maritime security missions, from the wide expanses of the Pacific to the littorals of Africa."Designated LCS 7, Detroit is an innovative combatant designed to operate in shallow water environments to counter challenging threats in coastal regions, specifically mines, submarines and fast surface craft. The ship is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep. Detroit will address a critical capabilities gap in the littorals. Carrying out the Navy's mission, it will serve to enhance maritime security by deterring hostility in troubled waters, maintaining a forward presence, and by its ability to maintain sea control.

A fast, agile and high-technology surface combatant, Detroit will be a platform for the launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles. To meet increased demand for mission-tailored packages, its modular design will support interchangeable mission packages, allowing the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine countermeasures, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis. The LCS will be able to swap out mission packages pier side in a matter of days, adapting as the tactical situation demands. The modular approach also allows it to incorporate new or improved systems into the fleet as advanced technologies mature, providing flexibility and evolving capability. These ships will also feature an advanced networking capability to share tactical information with other Navy aircraft, ships, submarines and joint units.Detroit will be manned by a core crew from LCS Squadron One under the 3:2:1 crew rotation concept: three crews rotate between two ships, one of which is forward deployed for an extended period, while the other ship is stateside for workups and training. These core crews will be augmented by one of the three types of mission package crews as well as an aviation detachment. The Prospective Commanding Officer of Detroit's initial crew is Cmdr. Michael Wohnhaas, from Barnesville, Pennsylvania. Upon being commissioned in the future, Detroit will be home-ported in San Diego, California. Source : MarineLink

Early completion of refit of Italian aircraft carrier

Extensive maintenance and modernization work on the Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi is being completed months ahead of schedule. The Italian Navy said on Friday that work on the carrier is now slated to be complete at the Taranto Arsenal, a Navy shipyard and base, on Nov. 10, instead of March of next year, when the ship completes post-refit sea trials.

"The advance of the completion date was made possible by the high degree of specialization and by the organizational and production skills of the firms of the arsenal's local naval engineering industrial base; the capability of the Arsenal's highly specialized workforce, the planning, rationalization and management ability of the arsenal's military personnel as well as an exceptional synergy at all levels between the crew and outside personnel, from private industry as well as the arsenal," the Navy said.

The work on the ship involved nearly all the ship's systems, including the propulsion system, which was replaced; the electric generation system; the flight deck; all the flight operations support systems; aircraft lifts and aircraft handling equipment; and combat system's sensors and weapons.Work on the ship began in October of last year and carried a cost of about $14 million.Source : upi.com

US Navy Moving Two Additional BMD Destroyers To Japan

Two guided missile destroyers with the U.S. Navy’s latest ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems will be added to the service’s forward deployed forces in Japan by 2017, U.S. Pacific Fleet announced late Thursday. USS Benfold (DDG-65) and USS Milius (DDG-69) — both currently homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif. — will relocate to Yokosuka, Japan in 2015 and 2017 respectively. In addition to the two ships, the service will swap USS Lassen (DDG-82) with USS Barry (DDG-52) in 2016 as part of the Yokosuka Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF). Barry is currently based at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. and Lassen and its crew will return to Naval Station Mayport, Fla.Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced in April the Navy would plus up its BMD presence in Japan by two ships.

“Barry, Benfold and Milius will all complete a midlife modernization, making them among the most capable ships of their class,” read the statement.The trio of ships will be among the first Arleigh Burke destroyers to feature the Navy’s Aegis Baseline 9 upgrade — a significant upgrade in a ship’s ability to handle BMD and traditional air warfare threats.



The upgrade increases the processing power for the ship’s computers to handle more complicated BMD threats and includes a signal processor upgrade to more easily switch between traditional Anti-Air Warfare and BMD missions.

“These U.S. BMD-capable forces, combined with the sea-based missile defense systems operated by their counterparts in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, as well as the new TPY-2 radar at Kyogamisaki scheduled to start operations later this year, provide the U.S.-Japan alliance a regionally responsive missile defense capability,” read the statement. “They also represent a significant improvement in capability and will provide the FDNF with greater capacity in all mission areas.”Other moves in the works include relocating Nimitz-class carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) to Japan — replacing the current FDNF carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73). Source : USNI

SHIPYARD NEWS

Halifax Shipyard Receives a Huge Delivery of Overhead Cranes from Konecranes

Two Massive Bridge Cranes Manufactured by Konecranes Were Delivered to the Halifax Waterfront Wednesday, October 15; The Powerful and Sophisticated Heavy-lifting Units Will Play a Critical Role in

the Shipbuilding Program at Irving's Halifax Shipyard

It was the first cargo to arrive at the Port of Halifax Richmond Multipurpose Terminal, an engineering marvel in its own right after a two-year, $67 million rebuild. "The arrival of the cranes is quite a spectacle that illustrates the magnitude of what is unfolding at Irving Shipbuilding," George Malec, vice-president of business development and operations for the authority, said. "It's a wonderful coincidence the cranes are arriving just as the rebuild of the terminal nears completion."There are a few finishing touches to be completed at the terminal after the reconstruction program to allow the facility to accommodate large ships with oversized cargo items like specialty cranes, wind turbines or other components for megaprojects. Malec said the terminal will handle break-bulk cargo -- items unsuitable for shipping containers -- and, with its 75,000-square-foot storage shed, will augment other Port of Halifax infrastructure such as the Fairview Cove and South End container terminals and cruise ship facilities at the Halifax Seaport.The massive cranes from Konecranes (HEX: KCR1V) are destined for the Halifax Shipyard next to the terminal. They will be critical components of the Ultra Hall Production Building, currently under construction. Each crane weighs about 250 tons and spans about the full height and width of the new production building, which is about 47 meters tall and 55 meters wide."The entire installation process will take approximately three weeks," said Deborah Page, spokeswoman for Irving Shipbuilding. "They will be used to move large blocks and megablocks that will form the vessels." She said the bridge cranes, each with a lift capacity of up to 200 tons, are part of Irving Shipbuilding's $300 million investment to prepare the shipyard for the building of Canada's new naval combat vessels, starting in September 2015.Components of the cranes will be assembled at the site, hoisted up more than 47 meters, and then lowered into place through an opening in the roof of the production building. Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity-enhancing

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lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment and machine tools of all makes. In 2013, Group sales totaled EUR 2,100 million. The Group has 11,800 employees at 600 locations in 48 countries. Konecranes is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Source : Konecranes

Rongsheng loss hits $549m Chinese shipyard Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries has racked up losses of CNY 3.36bn ($549m) so

far this year as it seeks to refinance loans.

The figure to 30 September was revealed by parent China Rongsheng Heavy Industries Group, without giving last year's result.The operating loss was CNY 2.77bn, while liabilities stood at CNY 31.35bn, compared to assets of CNY 33.55bn.Revenue was only CNY 278m.

The yard blamed low prices accepted for orders contracted in depressed market conditions and the diminishing profitability of the conventional shipbuilding business.It also said production has declined despite considerable fixed production costs and it has had to "adjust" the price of some contracts.

"Such loss may lead to adverse effects on the production and operation, financial position and repayment capacity of Jiangsu Rongsheng Heavy Industries," it warned.The yard has been trying to improve operating performance by negotiating with Chinese banks over extending or renewing loans, it added.It has also been in talks for better payment terms and increased prices of some existing orders.

In addition, the company wants to establish "strategic cooperation with key suppliers with a view to reduce the costs of supplies."Chinese authorities are bringing in a third party to evaluate a possible restructuring of the group, although full details have not yet been disclosed. Source : Tradewinds

Macduff Shipyards continue to thrive, new figures show

Macduff Shipyards has posted a big jump in profits for the year to February 28, 2014, when it acquired some of the assets of Buckie Shipyard after it sank into administration. Accounts released by Companies House show Aberdeenshire-based Macduff made pre-tax profits of £1.55million in 2013/14, up from £1.04million the year before.

Turnover grew to £16.8million in the latest period, from £15.3million a year earlier.

Managing director John Watt told the Press and Journal the firm was continuing to diversify successfully, adding: “These latest accounts are a reflection of this.“The yard is busy, with several new-build projects ongoing and regular refit and repair work carried out on fishing vessels, oil standby vessels, fish farm barges, work boats and ferries.

“Our profiling, crane hire, precision engineering and offshore divisions also continue to develop satisfactorily.“We continue to invest heavily in our business and people, while at all times being absolutely committed to providing our customers with a first-class service”. More than 70 people were made redundant when Buckie Shipyard, founded in 1903, went bust in August last year, The firm designed and built boats, as well as refurbishing and maintaining vessels.

Macduff later snapped up some of the assets, including the failed Buckie firm’s main fabrication building, machinery and a lease for its vessel launching ramp.The accounts show Macduff employed 151 people on average during 2013/14, up from 143 in the previous year.Macduff’s roots go back to 1940, when John Watt and his two sons built a range of lifeboats and motorboats at Gardenstown before diversifying their venture into fishing vessels. Source : pressandjournal

Sevan Drilling and Cosco reach agreement over delayed drilling rig

By Lee Hong Liang from Singapore

Sevan Drilling and Cosco (Qidong) Offshore have reached an agreement to defer the delivery date of a newbuilding drilling rig for 12 months.The new agreement includes options exercisable at six-month interval, to extend the delivery date up to a total of 36 months from 15 October 2014.The rig Sevan Developer was supposed to be delivered in the second quarter of this year by the Cosco yard but delays in the delivery of critical equipment from sub-contractors meant this did not happend and prompted Sevan Drilling to announce earlier that it might cancel the newbuilding.



The Chinese shipbuilding announced on Friday that an agreement has been reached for construction of Sevan Developer to continue during the deferred period, and the shipowner is also able to continue to market Sevan Developer as part of its fleet.“In view of the deferment and the uncertainty as to whether the options will be exercised, it is not possible to ascertain the financial impact of the agreement for deferment at this point in time,” Cosco stated. Source : seatrade-global

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

Another vessel anchors at VCTPL Another vessel anchored at Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited immediately after Passat Summer sailed out on Friday. The terminal received Maersk Dubrovnik from China with 800 TEU. “VCTPL managed to take both the vessels as per the scheduled window period agreed before Hudhud hit the coast,” company’s COO Sushil Mulchandani told The Hindu.

Dedication and professional approach earned laurels for VCTPL. Visakhapatnam Port Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu praised the excellent initiative taken by VCTPL in reviving its operations. Maersk Dubrovnik will head for Tanjug Pelapas in Malaysia. The containers are headed for delivery

to Busan in Korea.VCTPL developed the container berth on PPP mode a decade ago and it is in the process of extending the terminal with an investment of Rs.633 crore.Had VCTPL not managed the restoration work, traffic bound for VCTPL would have been diverted to other ports. Maersk Dubrovnik with a capacity to carry 5,000 containers is scheduled to leave the port on Saturday.VCTPL implemented its disaster management plant before cyclone Hudhud hit the coast. Adequate precautions were taken to safeguard the expensive cranes and other equipment. It recorded a wind speed of 267 kmph. Source : The Hindu

DP World London Gateway wins year's National Transport Project Award

DUBAI's DP World London Gateway has won the Construction and Engineering Project of the Year award at the National Transport Awards 2014.The National Transport Awards recognise the success achieved in national and local transport projects and are supported by the British Department for Transport.

London Gateway beat stiff competition from the Highways Agency and Gatwick Airport to win the prestigious award, say event organisers."This award recognises the innovation, ambition and technical excellence that characterises everything we do," said London Gateway CEO Simon Moore."Being awarded National Transport Project of the Year

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is a credit to the team. The award is a reflection of their hard work and commitment to building Britain's used national hub port and Europe's largest logistics park," said London Gateway chief engineer Andrew Bowen. Source : Asian Shipper

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Shipowners brush off effect of new Chinese tax law

The effects of the recent introduction of a new tax law in China that will affect shipping firms have yet to be seen but the consensus among the shipping industry is that enforcement will be difficult and provided contracts are well written, will have little effect on owners and lessors. At a briefing on the new law and other issues, Norton Rose Fulbright partner Jim James said the law arose out of confused tax position where there was no uniformity. The new law, which came into effect on 1 August, is supposed to impose taxes on non-resident taxpayers “engaged in international transportation business”. Under this very broad definition it is expected that practically any owner whose vessels call in China on various terms including time charter, voyage charter and possibly even bareboat charter, will be affected and liable to higher taxes. This will see a sharp jump from the previous minimum tax rate of 6.25% to 15% under the new rules, James said. Waivers would be possible for jurisdictions which China has double taxation agreements with but these need to be carefully worked out and James advised that it is now even more important to decide which entity to use. Ship management company Langton Shipping Group managing director Michael Birley raised the question of how the tax authorities would keep track of payments due. The response that the Chinese counterparty is considered the agent and able to withhold the tax at source was met with some skepticism although James nevertheless warned that particular attention will now have to be paid to clauses for such provisions in contracts. Shipping industry players however were of the opinion that the collection of the correct amount of tax was unenforceable and that owners and lessors would have the law on their side should Chinese counterparties try to withhold payment of charter fees to pay tax.“The authorities are using fear or the threat of enforcement to try and raise tax revenue,” said one shipping company operations manager.In an earlier paper, Ince & Co had said: “The new regulations are in their infancy. There is at present uncertainty surrounding their scope and the extent to which and manner in which they will be enforced.” The firm noted however that they “serve as a signal that the Chinese tax authorities intend to tighten up the regulations regarding income tax payable by non-PRC resident companies that engage in international transportation business”.It therefore warned: “Consequently, the new regulations are likely to have a significant potential impact on owners with vessels chartered to Chinese counterparts.”Source: Seatrade Global

India’s 12 big ports see first signs of revival in cargo growth

At the half way stage of the current fiscal year that began in April, the 12 ports owned by the Indian government loaded 288.48 million tonnes (mt) of various cargo, 4.2% more than the 276.85 mt handled during the same period last year. For the whole of last year (2013-14), the cumulative volume growth at the dozen ports—which has a market share of 57%—was a paltry 1.78% at 555.49 mt. These ports are located at Kolkata, Vizag, Paradip, Chennai, Tuticorin, Ennore, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Mormugao and Kandla. Private ports (essentially those owned by the state governments but given to private firms for development and operation) account for the balance 43% share of India’s sea-borne cargo with a volume of 420.24 mt. A look at the data compiled by the Indian Ports Association (IPA), a body representing the 12 ports, gives

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an indication that India’s in-bound and out-bound cargo shipped through these ports is improving, compared with the sluggishness seen in the last three-four years, chiefly a fallout of the global meltdown of 2008. Driving this volume growth is India’s voracious appetite for thermal coal that is used to fire power stations. Between April and September, thermal coal loadings at the 12 ports jumped 8.54% to 39.59 mt from 36.48 mt a year earlier. Last year, the 12 ports loaded a combined 71.60 mt of thermal coal, 22% more than the 58.65 mt handled in the previous year. Coal imports have been increasing sharply year-on-year because of a severe shortage of coal in India despite significant coal reserves. The Narendra Modi-led government, which assumed power in May, is looking to raise power production to light up every home in India, where an estimated 400 million of the 1.2 billion people live without electricity. Thermal coal imports is poised to soar further after India’s Supreme Court last month ordered wholesale cancellation of 214 coal blocks awarded to private firms. The ports located at Paradip. Vizag, Ennore, Tuticorin, New Mangalore and Mormugao are ramping up their coal loading capacities to cater to the rising demand for imports. Container volumes handled by the 12 ports clocked a growth of 6.46% at 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units, or TEUs (the standard size of a container and a common measure of capacity in the container business), from 3.76 million TEUs a year ago. In the year to March 2014, the container volumes loaded at the 12 ports shrank 3.1% to 7.46 million TEUs from 7.70 million TEUs a year earlier. Volume growth in imported raw fertilizers is another redeeming feature of the recovery in cargo volumes at these ports. Raw fertilizer loadings jumped 25.72% to 4.39 mt from 3.49 mt a year earlier. Petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) cargo—the largest category of cargo handled by the 12 ports—remained flat at 94.24 mt in the April-September period from the 94.50 mt handled a year earlier. POL loadings touched 187.31 mt in the year to March 2014. Iron-ore shipments through these ports remained depressed as a court-imposed ban on production and exports in Karnataka and Goa sliced exports by about 90% over the past three years. During April-September, the 12 ports handled a combined 9.14 mt of the steel-making commodity, down from 11.84 mt a year earlier. Once a hot commodity—iron-ore loadings at the 12 ports touched a peak of 100.33 mt in 2009-10—it has now become insignificant, unless India’s apex court alters the course on production and exports. Given the growth trajectory, Kandla port located in Gujarat could well become only the second Indian port and the first among the 12 to reach the 100 mt cargo handling mark by the end of the current fiscal. Mundra port run by the Adani Group crossed this mark last year. While the private ports such as the ones located in Mundra, Pipavav, Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam have benefited from the capacity constraints at the 12 ports and the delay in expanding capacities to wean away cargo, the former also have the added advantage of market-driven pricing and less interference from the bureaucracy. The 12 ports would be able to perform better if these attributes are granted to them.Source: LiveMint

Industrial establishments undergo massive damage

Major industrial establishments in the port city including Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) and Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited - Heavy Plates and Vessels Plant , along with micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have suffered huge losses due to Cyclone Hudhud.

According to Hindustan Shipyard Limited , the estimated loss during preliminary assessment was around Rs 500 crore. However, HSL said that the actual losses incurred by the shipyard was yet to be assessed. HSL authorities said that the cyclone had caused massive damages to the installations in the shipyard as well as the residential colony. Most of the high rise workshop roofs were blown off. At the same time, the dry dock, the hull shop and prefabrication shops were damaged. The age old trees in the HSL yard and colony were also uprooted, causing severe damage to some colony houses. The streetlights, electrical poles and telephone cables were also damaged due to the fall of trees. HSL authorities said that all efforts were being made by the management to restore power supply, water supply and clearing roads and drains. Meanwhile, sources at BHEL-HPVP said that the roofing of the facility was badly damaged along with most of the trees on the campus. According to unofficial estimates, the losses could be to the tune of around Rs 200 crore, but official estimates are yet to be released as power restoration is necessary to gauge the full extent of damage to equipment. Furthermore, the plant has stopped operations from Sunday morning due to lack of power.At the same time, the MSMEs in Autonagar have taken a massive hit with almost all the roofings of about 700 units damaged, sources said. The MSMEs in Autonagar, which provide employment to around 10,000 people, have been closed since Sunday, as all the power lines to the area have been damaged. Moreover, sources said that several transformers had also been damaged and it might take another four to five days for restoration of power in the area. Sources said that total extent of the damages could be ascertained once the MSMEs become operational and they could assess the working condition of the machines in the industrial units.Visakhapatnam Port Trust too suffered damages, worth Rs 200 crore in structures like the conveyor belt, oil storage tanker terminal and breakwater. Apart



from this, the port has suffered losses on a daily basis due to the hampering of cargo handling operations, since Saturday. In view of exigency of cargo for various importers and exporters, the vessel movements and cargo handling operations resumed partially from October 14 and full-fledged operations would be taken up in the next couple of days, a VPT release said. All the railway lines have been restored in the port areas and some minor repairs are being taken up and full-fledged loco operations would be taken up within a day or two, the release added. Source : Indiatimes

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18-10-2014 : STRAIT HUNTER docket at Vancouver dry dock in NORTH VANCOUVER BC

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