DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2015 – 124

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2015 – 124

Distribution : daily to 32.800+ active addresses 03-05-2015

Number 124 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Sunday 03-05-2015

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

Sima Charters Maassluis' SC LYNX seen enroute from Antwerpen to Hansweert.

Photo : Stan Muller ©

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

UAL's latest charter the VECTIS OSPREY sailing from Houston photo : Harry Stott (c)

Nautilus criticises South Korean court's decision to sentence Sewol ferry captain

Maritime union Nautilus International has criticised the decision of South Korean court to sentence the Sewol ferry captain to life in prison. An appeals court sentenced Lee Joon-seok, who is in his 70s, to 36 years in prison after ruling

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that he was guilty of homicide. In November last year, the captain was also found guilty of gross negligence and sentenced to similar years in jail by another South Korean court. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said: "Once again, a captain has been made the scapegoat as a result of political pressure and media misrepresentation."Pinning the blame on an individual in this way helps to obscure the underlying causes of the accident, including regulatory failure, overloading and design changes."The South Korean ferry capsized in April 2014, leaving more than 304 people dead, mostly school pupils."Pinning the blame on an individual in this way helps to obscure the underlying causes of the accident."Investigators later found that the company had allowed the ferry to be overloaded with cargo, which led to the accident. Dickinson added: "It is the law-makers that determine the actions of owners and set the levels of safety."It should not be masters that suffer for their failure."The ferry captain was among the 15 accused of abandoning the ferry at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, prosecutors argued with the Gwangju court that Lee deserves the death penalty, saying that his irresponsibility led to high number of deaths, BBC News reported.Lee had earlier apologised for abandoning passengers. Source : ship-technology

Britain's largest ever drugs bust just got BIGGER: Another tonne of cocaine found

on board tugboat at centre of £500m seizure

TWO tonnes of the white powder had already been discovered in the vessel which was stopped by the Royal Navy and Border Force near Aberdeen - but now the seizure has risen to a huge three tonnes. BRITAIN’S largest ever drugs haul

just got even bigger after investigators found further tonne of cocaine on board a tugboat incepted off Scotland’s coast. Around two tonnes of the white powder had already been discovered in the vessel which was stopped by the Royal Navy and Border Force near Aberdeen a week ago. The Record today told how the high-purity drugs had a street value around £500 million .Investigators later confirmed the figure and have now revealed that the seizure had risen to three tonnes as their search drew to a close. John McGowan, senior investigating officer for the NCA, based at the Scottish Crime Campus, Gartcosh, said: “The search of this vessel has been lengthy and painstaking, undertaken by hugely skilled specialists working in difficult conditions. “The result is this massive discovery – believed to be the biggest single class A drug seizure on record in the UK,

and likely to be worth several hundred million pounds.“Our investigation continues, but the operation was only possible thanks to the close co-operation between the NCA, Border Force, the Royal Navy, plus the French DNRED and our other international partners. The extensive operation in Aberdeen was given substantial support from Police Scotland.”

The 422-tonne vessel under investigation – the Ukrainian-owned HAMAL, registered in Tanzania – had set sail from the Canary Islands. It’s unusual route sailing to northern Europe drew the attention of French marine authorities, who tipped off the National Crime Agency.



Investigators believe the cocaine, most probably sourced in South America, was loaded in the Canary Islands. After a surveillance operation, the Border Force cutter VALIANT and the Navy frigate HMS SOMERSET intercepted the suspect ship 100 miles off Aberdeen. It is currently impounded in Aberdeen Harbour, where it was stripped apart. The nine-man crew of the HAMAL, all Turkish nationals aged between 26 and 63, have been charged with drug trafficking offences. They appeared before Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Monday[27 April] where they were remanded in custody until their next appearance. A large chunk of the UK’s cocaine supply comes from Colombia or the border areas of neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador. The UK is one of Europe’s largest and most profitable markets for the drug. It is estimated 25 to 30 tonnes of cocaine is smuggled into the UK each year. Most of the cocaine destined for Europe crosses the Atlantic by ship to Spain. Bulk shipments arrive on container ships at hub ports, such as Antwerp and Rotterdam, before being smuggled into the UK. Other packages are brought in by yachts, general cargo vessels or air couriers.Crime groups based in key European countries, such as Spain and the Netherlands, help run the trade. The UK’s previous biggest haul came on the A9 at Kingussie in 1991. Cops seized cocaine worth £100million and two men were jailed for a total of 17 years. Source: dailyrecord

‘MIGHTY’ BALDUR OPERATING IN JAIGARH PORT (INDIA)

Behind the Boskalis‘ Dredger BALDUR, the biggest Backhoe Dredger in the world, the 275m LOA capesized vessel mv INDIAN FRIENDSHIP can be spotted. For the first time in the proud history of Jaigarh (JSW) Port, India, a capesized vessel has moored at berth 1. “Size does matter”, as the BALDUR has been extended with an extra jib, to dredge to 24 m depth ! The very hard rock, is no problem for the joystick-pullers of the MIGHTY BALDUR Photo : Ferry Hoosemans (c)

Growing complacency could result in loss of life

The trend in maritime security is one of growing complacency, the Chief Operating Officer of one of the UK’s leading maritime security firms has warned Speaking at the Global Shipping Trends and Trade Patterns conference in London

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today (April 29th), Gerry Northwood OBE from MAST said that there was growing complacency in terms of maritime security that could ultimately result in loss of lifeHe added: “The problem is that incidents of piracy are not infrequent, and I often see the under reporting and misreporting of incidents. All maritime crime is piracy; we should not hide behind the legal distinction of armed robbery in territorial waters and piracy on the high seas. To the mariner who has just seen his shipmate killed, or has himself been maimed, held at knifepoint or just robbed of his possessions, it is all piracy.” Northwood said that many companies seemed to be pairing back on the quality and substance of their security provision, or simply close their eyes to the problem and play the odds. He added: “This comes at a time when there has never been so much knowledge and resource available to deal effectively with the threats facing seafarers. Enormous strides have been made since piracy became a big issue in the Indian Ocean in 2008. Cooperation between international bodies, governments and the shipping industry has had a positive impact in the main piracy hot spots of West Africa, SE Asia and the Indian Ocean.“However, with many recent incidents of piracy in SE Asia, the Gulf of Guinea, the Caribbean, and continued attempts in the Indian Ocean, combined with increased people trafficking out of Libya, and between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, we need to be watchful for other forms of opportunist criminality and terrorism occurring on the back of these activities.” Northwood said: “Hulls and cargoes are insurable, but sailors’ lives are not. They do not deserve to be shot at, taken hostage and tortured while going about their lawful business. Yet it still happens, and will continue to happen. In most cases it is avoidable, so we need to do what we can to protect them“Maritime crime is a problem that needs engagement from all players – governments, law enforcement, the shipping industry and its associates which include the security industry.”He added: “With many countries woefully under-resourcing maritime policing and the regulation of their territorial waters and economic zones, the maritime domain is becoming a more difficult place to police. It is directly impacted on by the land environment, where there is increasing competition for resources, and migrant peoples are in part a consequence of that. These movements of people, and the general break down of law and order on land is creating opportunities for terrorists and criminals alike.“Western governments and are doing what they can, sometimes more, sometimes less, but they are limited in their reach. Where the regional states cannot play their part, it is down to individual shipping companies to secure their assets and crews. More can always be done and now is not the time to be complacent.” Source: MAST

The FAIRPLAY 21 assisting the tanker PETROATLANTIC in Rotterdam-Europoort

Photo : Peet de Rouw – www.denachtdienst.com (c)

TNPA’s Tug Project Going Full Steam Ahead Transnet National Port’s Authority’s R1.4 billion contract to produce nine powerful tugboats is progressing on time and within budget at the Southern African Shipyards premises in Durban.“This is a milestone project that reinforces the capacity and skill of South Africa and indeed Durban when it comes to competing in the global shipbuilding industry,” said TNPA program manager Eugene Rappetti, Senior Manager for Marine Operations.“Despite the challenges of energy disruptions, the project team is forging ahead and has made impressive progress, with around 11% of the fabrication and construction on the project completed thus far,” he said.The project kicked off in

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August 2014 and is set to provide a big boost to the local economy over its 42 month lifespan. It includes the manufacture of one of the world’s largest and most powerful harbour tugs. The new fleet of nine high quality tugs will replace ageing tugboats at the Ports of Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay and Saldanha. Rappetti said TNPA had 29 tugs presently in service nationally, but the requirement for bigger, strong tugboat fleets had increased in line with bigger commercial vessels calling at South African ports more frequently. “The increased bollard pull of these new generation tugs meets international standards and they also feature the latest global technology. The tugs have Voith Scheider propulsion which makes them highly manoeuvrable and able to change the direction and thrust almost instantaneously while guiding large vessels safely into our ports,” he said. Given the project’s tight deadlines five tugs will be under construction simultaneously at any given time. Rappetti said the first tug was already about 35% completed and its hull and superstructure were 70% completed. The first tug is expected to be handed over in January 2016 to the Port of Port Elizabeth, followed by handovers every three months until the last one is launched in early 2018. Durban based Southern African Shipyards owns and operates the largest shipyard in Southern Africa. Having also built TNPA’s previous 12 tugs, it scooped this contract - the largest single one awarded by TNPA to a South African company for the building of harbour craft - through an open and transparent process. The company’s employees have a 12 percent stake in the company, which has 60 percent black ownership. Subcontractors on the project include well-known multi-nationals such as Barloworld Equipment, Siemens, Voith Schneider, as well as local contractors such as Bradgary Marine Shopfitters. Southern African Shipyards CEO Prasheen Maharaj said his company had created 500 direct and 3500 indirect jobs through the project. “This is a real demonstration of how the maritime economy can be used to unlock the economic potential of South Africa, in line with the intention of government through Operation Phakisa. Our country definitely has the skills and capacity to succeed in sectors such as marine transport and manufacturing, ship building and ship repair,” said Maharaj. He added: “We have committed to ensuring that each tug has a minimum of 60% locally manufactured components, while partnering with international companies on the remaining aspects that cannot be manufactured here, for example the engines and propulsion units.”He said the intention was to maximise local content and spread the benefits of the project to black suppliers, women- and youth-owned businesses.“Ultimately South Africa will achieve a socio-economic benefit of more than R800 million as a result of the Supplier Development Plan attached to the contract,” said Maharaj. In addition a number of national and international training and development opportunities are being created for local employees, with TNPA already set to send employees to Germany and Norway for training on the new propulsion units. They would also receive training locally for four to six weeks.Rappetti said TNPA also had a large training program in place for engineering and deck cadets to ensure that the vessels had skilled people in place to operate them. TNPA’s new fleet will include one of the most powerful harbour tugs in the world at 42 meters long and 15 meters wide with a bollard pull of 100 tons. The other eight 31m tugs are marginally bigger than the existing tugs, but are far more powerful, with a 70-ton pull. The older tugs have 32.5 to 40 ton pulls. Two tugs will be allocated each to the Ports of Durban, Richards Bay and Port Elizabeth, while Saldanha, which handles the largest carriers and has had a history of vessel groundings, would receive three tugs. Source : Marinelink

The STOLT PELICAN enroute Amsterdam – Photo : Marcel Coster (c)



The Rotor E-KOTUG RT ADRIAAN operating between the Hoek van Holland breakwaters

Photo : Dirk van Uitert ©

Argentine port strike may cut soy flow, raise world food prices

Argentina’s main grains port of Rosario was paralyzed by an open-ended wage strike by boat captains needed to help dock incoming cargo ships, the country’s port management chamber said. At a busy time of the year for exporters, smack in the middle of Southern Hemisphere soy and corn harvest season, the country’s dock workers also threatened a work stoppage if their own pay demands are not met. The strikes threaten to slow supply from grains powerhouse Argentina, putting upward pressure on world food prices. The country is the world’s top exporter of soymeal livestock feed, its No. 3 supplier of raw soybeans and a major producer of corn and wheat. The captains of small vessels that take river pilots out to meet incoming grains ships are demanding higher wages, Guillermo Wade, president of the Port and Maritime Activities Chamber, told Reuters. The pilots must board cargo ships in order to guide them to their berths in Rosario ports such as San Lorenzo.“There is no way to replace the service of the boats that take the pilots to the incoming cargo ships,” Wade said. The union representing the boat captains says the strike will continue until its wage demands are met. Tough pay negotiations are common in Argentina, as workers negotiate wages in line with the country’s double-digit inflation rate. Meanwhile, ships entering Rosario’s port area are dropping anchor along the Parana River to wait out the work stoppage, Wade said. On top of the captains’ strike, the powerful CGT labor federation announced that its dock and soy crushing workers would begin a 24-hour strike at midnight Wednesday, also over pay.“And if we do not reach a deal we will start another strike at midnight on Monday, for an indefinite

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period of time,” Edgardo Quiroga, spokesman for the CGT told Reuters. The union is negotiating a pay package with CIARA-CEC, Argentina’s chamber of grains exporting and soy crushing companies. The government said Argentina’s inflation rate was 1.3 percent on the month in March. Many private analysts question the credibility of government data and estimate inflation in Latin America’s No. 3 economy about 29 percent annually. Source: Reuters (Editing by W Simon)

Jan de Nul’s CSD NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI in the port of Takoradi, Ghana. Photo : Henk Niesten (c)

PIRACY PRECAUTIONS SERIOUS BUSINESS ON CRUISE SHIPS

By : Lee Ann Morrison Watching Tom Hanks in “Captain Phillips,” the real-life story of Somali pirates taking over an unarmed cargo ship,

probably wasn’t the smartest way to prepare for a cruise that would sail past Somalia and other pirate waters. However, I had faith that Holland America was not about to let anything happen to the AMSTERDAM. Even before I left, the itinerary had been changed so that the ship would not be stopping at three ports in Egypt because of security concerns. Despite my confidence in the cruise line, it was a little shocking, when boarding the AMSTERDAM in Dubai, to see the barbed wire on the third deck, the first open deck pirates could possibly board. Then there were the water hoses, pointed down toward the water line. Also noticeable were the security guards with binoculars on guard 24 hours a day.Those were just the visible anti-

pirate precautions. Piracy protection was no joke, although when I showed Capt. Jonathan Mercer a photo of my cat wearing a pirate hat for Halloween, he did laugh .Mercer informed passengers what steps would be taken as the ship sailed through the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea before heading through the Suez Canal.When I asked for someone to interview, he set me up with security officer Dennis Superable, an anti-piracy expert who had been on the AMSTERDAM for 15 years, the last seven as a supervisor. His knowledge is useful in other places as well. Pirates are not just in the Suez Canal or Somalia. The Indian Ocean has pirates, as does Indonesia and the Singapore Straits. So does the west coast of Africa. Superable answered the question “Captain Phillips” raised. Were there guns on board the AMSTERDAM?



No.

He explained because Holland America ships fly under the Dutch flag, they do not have firearms. “Our weapon is our ship,” he said. The AMSTERDAM is not like other ships that pirates have attempted to board, such as the SEABOURN SPIRIT in 2005, carrying 302 passengers and crew. A BBC story at the time said at least two speedboats fired weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the ship. However, the crew fended off the pirate attack. Seabourn now has armed security guards because their ships don’t sail under the Dutch flag. They sail under the Bahamian flag. That ship was more vulnerable because it was “low and slow,” Superable said. The AMSTERDAM was capable of going 25 knots and actually picked up its travel pace to 20 knots in areas where there were concerns. Holland America also has fleet inspectors, security experts who fly from the United States into ports and gather intelligence if there are concerns. That’s one reason Egypt was nixed. The captain’s letter to passengers spelled out other invisible precautions. The ship reports to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization, which coordinates all the coalition warships in the area assigned to anti-piracy operations. Warships and AWACS, a military surveillance system carried by aircraft, also monitored the cruise ship.

Long Range Acoustic Devices were “rigged, manned and ready for immediate use,” according to Mercer. LRADS, or sound cannons, are acoustic hailing devices and sonic weapons capable of sending harmful, pain-inducing tones over longer distances than normal loudspeakers. He said if pirates did try to board, there would be an announcement, and passengers would be asked to move out of their staterooms and into corridors or interior spaces but to stay away from windows and doors and sit down “as any maneuver attempted by myself may result in heeling of the ship.”

Some people made it clear they were nervous about a potential pirate attack. One woman told me she “didn’t like it” when a pilot boarded the ship to lead it through the Suez Canal, though it was just one man boarding at the water level. At one point, Stein Kruse, chief executive officer of the Holland America Group, joined the ship for a few days between Haifa and Athens and told passengers that the ship could tap into the intelligence resources of the FBI and the CIA. Pirates weren’t the only concern.

Starting March 26, Saudi Arabia began airstrikes against Yemen, and there was violence in the port city of Aden. The next day, two Saudi jet fighters had mechanical problems and ejected into the Gulf of Aden. The AMSTERDAM would be sailing in that area a few days later. Mercer made defensive changes along the way.On March 30, we were entering the Red Sea less than four miles from the Yemen coast, and Capt. Mercer kicked our speed up to 23 knots in that area, before dropping back to 16 knots.

The ship stayed longer in Dubai, not for shopping but because he was concerned that the route between Dubai to Muscat, Oman, involved a very slow speed through the high-risk area for piracy. So the schedule was altered and the ship hustled to Muscat . But there was one bit of excitement that day. A small vessel was spotted heading straight toward the AMSTERDAM. The officers on the bridge took note while people on the decks who noticed it rushed to take photos. Now, they have photos of an off-course fishing ship. But no pirate photos. Source: reviewjournal

U.S. Navy Starts to Accompany Ships in Strait Where Iran Seized Cargo Carrier

The U.S. Navy has begun accompanying American-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz, defense officials said on Thursday, in response to Iran’s seizure of a Marshall Islands-flagged ship this week in the gateway to the Persian Gulf.

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Navy warships are providing greater protection for U.S.-flagged vessels moving through the narrow strait where Iranian patrol boats confronted and took control of the M/V MAERSK TIGRIS on Tuesday. Tensions in the Gulf are bringing further uncertainty to U.S. efforts to forge a nuclear agreement with Iran by a June 30 diplomatic deadline. While Iran characterized its seizure of the cargo ship as the outgrowth of an unresolved financial dispute, American military officials said they saw it as a provocative show of force by Tehran.

On Thursday, after the Pentagon informed President Barack Obama about the plan, Navy ships started offering stepped-up security for American ships moving in and out of the Persian Gulf, defense officials said.“Out of an abundance of caution, because of the unpredictability of our Iranian friends, we’re now positioned so that, should the Iranians decide that they’re going to be stupid, we’re ready to respond,” said one U.S. official.The American decision signals another increase in tensions in the Persian Gulf, where the U.S. military sent an aircraft carrier in April to shadow an Iranian flotilla suspected of carrying arms for Tehran’s militant allies in Yemen. The flotilla eventually turned back, and some Pentagon officials saw the seizure of the MAERSK TIGRIS as a response to that incident.

The White House has said it is keeping the nuclear issues separate from regional security issues, but the unpredictable strategic steps in the strait are testing the U.S. strategy. Some U.S. and European officials said they believe hard-line elements in Iran, particularly among the elite Revolutionary Guards, are seeking to undermine Iranian President Hasan Rouhani and the talks by challenging American naval forces. They also cite Iran’s detention of a Washington Post reporter as aimed at sabotaging a possible rapprochement between Washington and Tehran. Critics of the Obama administration’s diplomacy with Iran said the developments were ominous.House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) on Thursday said the seizure of the Tigris comes in the same week in which an Iranian general blamed Washington for the 9/11 attacks.“None of this should be taken lightly—or silently, as the administration would apparently have us do,” Mr. Boehner said, adding Congress is moving toward taking an oversight role over the nuclear agreement. “And Iran, by its words and its actions, is showing exactly why we need this type of accountability.”U.S. military officials cast their Hormuz move as a precautionary step that stopped short of offering escorts or protection for all U.S. ships in the area. For now, one Navy destroyer and three smaller coastal patrol ships will lead the effort for the small number of commercial U.S. ships sailing through the strait. On average, 77 ships of all flags move through the strait each day, defense officials said. On Thursday, the Navy provided more protection for one of two U.S.-flagged vessels that traversed the strait, defense officials said. The tensions are the latest between the U.S. and Iran in the strategically vital passage. In 2012, the two countries built up opposing military forces after Iran threatened to close the passage over rapidly expanding sanctions pressures by the West. In the 1980s, the U.S. Navy provided escorts for Kuwaiti oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War.The U.S. Navy also offered escorts and greater protection for commercial ships threatened by pirates around the Horn of Africa nearly a decade ago. The Navy protection in the strait will only apply to American ships, defense officials said. The Pentagon said this week that the U.S. was bound by treaties to protect the Marshall Islands cargo ship, but said it was trying to resolve that dispute through diplomatic channels.Some defense officials said the move was a modest precautionary step that was meant to ensure that problems with Iran didn’t get worse.“It may head off conflict and further tensions,” said a second U.S. defense official. “A healthy U.S. naval presence not only assures commercial shipping, but it deters further harassment that could have that effect.”

Jock O’Connell, an international trade economist, said there are probably fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged commercial vessels, most of which are operated by the global ocean carriers. Much of what is being shipped through the Strait of Hormuz—not a part of normal global trade routes—is likely munitions, equipment, hardware and food for the U.S. military in the region, he added.“In large part, the goods transported on U.S.-flagged vessels are either related to the U.S. government or to organizations that are supported by the U.S. governments,” Mr. O’Connell said. The Strait of Hormuz leads to a dead end, which means it is primarily a route for outbound goods to the region or oil shipments out of it. If the situation escalates, it could become a problem for oil prices. Some 30% of the world’s seaborne oil



shipments pass through the 21-mile-wide channel.“If there was any disruption to oil moving out of the Persian Gulf, then you’d have a significant impact on global oil prices in fairly short order,” he said.

Denmark’s Maersk Line on Thursday said a recent Iranian court ruling ordering the shipping giant to pay a private Iranian company $3.6 million to settle a long-running lawsuit appears to have contributed to Iran’s rationale for the seizure of the cargo ship. The Maersk statement came less than a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Javid Zarif said Tuesday’s detention of the MAERSK TIGRIS and its 24 crew members by Iranian patrol boats was legal and stemmed from a court case in Iran.Michael Christian Storgaard, a spokesman for Maersk Line, said on Thursday that the company hadn’t received a full explanation from Iran for the seizure of the Tigris, but he said it believed the incident arose from a lawsuit filed against it by an Iranian company in 2005. After numerous court verdicts and appeals, Maersk Line was ordered in February to pay the company $163,000, a ruling it accepted. It didn’t name the company. But the Iranian firm appealed the ruling, seeking more compensation. Mr. Storgaard said Maersk Line learned on Thursday that it had been ordered by an Iranian appeals court to pay $3.6 million. Neither Mr. Zarif nor Mr. Storgaard named the private Iranian company that brought the lawsuit against Maersk Line, a unit of the shipping conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk Group.

On Wednesday, however, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization identified the plaintiff as Talaieh Pars Oil Products Co.

The MAERSK TIGRIS on Thursday was still anchored near the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, where it was escorted by Iranian patrol boats on Tuesday after they fired warning shots across the bow of the vessel as it traveled through the Strait of Hormuz. A representative for Rickmers Shipmanagement, which operates the MAERSK TIGRIS, was allowed on Thursday to board the vessel for the first time since its seizure and reported the crew in good condition, the company said. Most crew members are from Eastern Europe and Asia. Responding to a distress call on Tuesday from the ship, the U.S. sent a Navy destroyer, the USS FARRAGUT , to the area, said Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren.Maersk Line said the case against it in Iran involved 10 containers of Iranian cargo the shipping company delivered to Dubai in January 2005. The containers weren’t claimed by the consignee and were left to the disposal of authorities in the United Arab Emirates. The Iranian company put the value of its cargo at $4 million and sued Maersk Line in Iran for that amount. The case was dismissed in 2007, but the company refiled the case in other Iranian courts, Maersk Line said. Iranian officials have said the seizure of the ship is a commercial and legal matter, yet it coincides with a sharp escalation of tensions in the region. On March 26, a coalition led by Saudi Arabia began carrying out airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The campaign aimed to oust the militants, who took control of Yemen’s government earlier this year, and restore to power the exiled president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi In support of the Saudi-led military operation, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier to the waters off Yemen in mid-April to prevent a convoy of Iranian ships suspected of bringing supplies to the Houthis from reaching Yemeni shores. Some U.S. officials said the seizure of the MAERSK TIGRIS was Iran’s way of asserting its influence in the Strait of Hormuz following the interdiction of its ships. Source: Wall Street Journal

Woman who secretly gave birth on cruise to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter An Indiana woman who secretly gave birth to a child who died on a Carnival Caribbean cruise will plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Alicia Keir, 24, gave birth on Oct. 8, 2011, according to court documents. Those with whom she was traveling on the CARNIVAL DREAM did not know she was pregnant and, after the birth, she hid her child,

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who died. Keir killed the infant, a criminal information filed in the case alleged, “by giving birth to infant Keir while onboard a cruise ship and not summoning help or medical attention.”Keir’s proposed plea agreement laid out the tragic details. “Rather than alerting the medical staff on the ship or my companions, I gave birth alone in the stateroom,” it read. “Following the delivery, I did not summon help. … I wrapped the child in a towel and hid the deceased infant under the bed.”The child was later discovered by a cleaning crew after the ship’s arrival at St. Maarten, an island under French and Dutch control. An autopsy performed on the island concluded the infant was born alive, and the cause of death was “failure to thrive as the result of exposure and the lack of care,” as the plea agreement stated.Keir faced prosecution in Indiana because alleged perpetrators of crimes on the high seas can be tried where they live, as the Department of Justice explained in a news release. She may be sentenced to up to eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Source : Washingtonpost

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The CCNI BILBAO (ex TAAGBORG ) seen discharging heavy machinery in the Port of Callao in Peru, the CCNI

BILBAO is at present in charter for CCNI and when you read this the vessel is enroute again towards San Antonio en Penco Photo : Andre Ligthart – Ch.Engineer CCNI Bilbao (c)

New Trawler for Argentine Family

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With 4,989 kilometers of Atlantic coastline, Argentina looks to commercial fishing as an important contributor to the Argentinian economy. The promotion of the maritime resources is dependent on quality boats capable of delivering quality product. This spring just such a vessel joined the Argentine trawler fleet. The 20.8 by 6.6-meter FV DON FRANCO was designed and built by the Contessi Shipyard at Mar del Plata, Argentina’s largest fishing port 400 kilometers south of Buenos Aires. Owned by the Galeano family, the new vessel is classed by RINA and will replace their older boat the Galme I. The new trawler will make just under ten knots with a 600 HP, six-cyliner Cummins KTA19-M main engine. At 1800 RPM the engine will turn a propeller in a nozzle through a ZF 1800 marine geat with a 6:1 ratio. The nozzle will assure good power for towing a midwater trawl. The boat is also capable of being rigged for purse seining. The two gear types will allow for the catching of a wide variety of species including, besugo (sea bream), merluza (hake), bonito and anchovita. Tankage in the 3.2-meter deep hull includes 20,500 liters of fuel and 4,000 liters of water. The vessel’s hold is a healthy 87 cubic meters. Accomodation is provided for

up to ten fishermen. Auxiliaries for powering generators and hydraulics include a Cummins 6 CTA8.3G and a 4BT3.9-iiter Cummins. The launching of the FV DON FRANCO was accompanied by traditional and appropriate fan–fare with sheets of sliver paper exploding over the vessel’s bow as she slipped down the ways to meet her natural element. Photos courtesy of Cummins Argentina

I would like to draw your attention for a photo with caption, appearing in the news letter 105 which mentions the vessel ARMONIA for which I would like to point out that the above named vessel is owned by a subsidiary company of the Malta Maritime Pilots. Photo /text : Anthony. S Chetcuti (c)

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The France Telecom newbuilidng PIERRE DE FERMAT moored at Brest

Photo : Emmanuel Godillon (c) http://larmes-de-rouille.piwigo.com

Sailors’ Society marathon runners raise £25k for seafarers in need

Running team drawn from across the industry, including Sailors’ Society’s port chaplain, Riva dos Santos

Sailors’ Society’s 2015 London Marathon team has raised £25,000 for seafarers and their families in need and donations are still pouring in.A 17 strong team took to the streets in the 35th London Marathon, cheered on by crowds of thousands and following in the footsteps of world record holder and three-time London Marathon winner, Paula Radcliffe.

The Sailors’ Society runners were drawn from across the industry with representatives from Bunge, IMO, Clarksons, HR Shipbrokers, Lloyd’s Register, Swire, Thoresen, Meygen and Sailors’ Society, as well as those with family connections to the sea.Ian Offland, Director – Fleet operations for Swire, “As a member of the shipping community and having served at sea, it’s been great to be part of the Sailors’ Society marathon team and raise funds towards their worldwide work with seafarers. Participating in the London marathon is an experience that will remain with me forever.”

Sailors’ Society’s very own Riva dos Santos, port chaplain Paranagua, Brazil was running the London Marathon for the first time.“The opportunity to run for Sailors’ Society and fundraise to improve the seafarers’ lives is amazing,” said Riva. “I would like to share with people the seafarers’ needs and how they can give some aid to them through the Sailors’ Society. My ministry as a port chaplain is to enrich and enhance the well-being of seafarers by visiting ships in port, offering merchant seafarers practical help and welfare and pastoral support. “The runners enjoyed a well-deserved post-race massage and celebrated with friends and family at Pall Mall’s magnificent Institute Of Directors, just around the corner from the finish line.“It was wonderful to see the Sailors’ Society runners cross the finish line after months of hard training – congratulations to them all! We are so grateful to them and their supporters for their generous donations,” said Sophie Bridge, Sailors’ Society Events Officer.

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The SMIT PANTHER operating in Rotterdam-Europoort – Photo : Dirk van Uitert (c)

Huisman Board appoints proven leader André Meijer as Chief Executive Officer

Joop Roodenburg to become Chief Technology Officer Huisman announced that André Meijer (photo left) is appointed as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 August 2015. This appointment follows the decision of Joop Roodenburg (photo right) to step down as the company’s CEO this year to the CTO position. From this new position, JoopRoodenburg can fully focus on Huisman’s technical innovation, to make sure Huisman remains a technical frontrunner for its various product groups. Furthermore, to continuously develop our strong link with our clients, JoopRoodenburg will also continue to lead the Sales and Concepts Group.As CTO, Joop Roodenburg will

remain a member of the Board.

On behalf of the Huisman Board, Joop Roodenburg said: ”Since 1981 Huisman is a family business. I have taken over from my father and it is my dream that my children will take over the company in time. I have reached the age of 65 and I feel that it is time to further pave the way for the next generation by stepping aside and entering a role focused on innovation and technology”.

Ir. André Meijer (57) – Mechanical Engineering graduate from the Technical University in Delft - previously held the position of Managing Director of Imtech Marine. Prior to his role at Imtech Marine, he held various leadership positions at Volker Wessels Telecom, KPN, AT&T and Philips Lighting, successfully driving operational and sustainable growth. André is a proven leader, with a track record in organizational change and operational excellence, in challenging environments and circumstances.The Family Roodenburg, Supervisory Board and Board of Directors have great confidence in André and are certain that he will further pave the way for the next generation Roodenburg to take over in the future. Huisman is a globally operating company with extensive experience in the design and manufacturing of heavy construction equipment for world's leading on- and offshore companies. The equipment, either being stand-alone to highly engineered and integrated systems is designed and manufactured under own management, from concept to installation. The operations are divided between the offices in The Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Norway, Singapore and the USA and the production facilities in The Netherlands, Brazil, Czech Republic and China.

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The MORNING COURIER seen enroute Antwerp – photo : Henk de Winde (c)

Whitstable Lifeboat Station seek volunteers

Whitstable Lifeboat Station is on the lookout for new volunteers to join its team and to train as shore crew. Shore crew responsibilities are varied and may include assisting in the launch and recovery of the lifeboat, administering aid

to any casualties brought in, securing stricken craft, monitoring radio communications and rinsing, cleaning, replacing and refuelling the lifeboat, tractor, carriage and clothing to be ready for the next call out. Mike Judge, lifeboat operations manager, said: "Traditionally members of the lifeboat crew and shore crew have only been drawn from those who live or work within a few minutes range from the station, in order to respond to emergencies in good time. But in recent years, with the introduction of new equipment that is ever more maintenance intensive, a need for more shore crew backup has become apparent."The shore crew function does not always necessitate an emergency response and volunteers could attend from further afield in order to assist with the recovery of the lifeboat and the extensive workload that is required to get everything back to a state of readiness. This opens the way for potential volunteers who hitherto have lived outside the emergency response area and would now like to get involved in the RNLI's important work."Members of the shore crew are not subject to a fitness test but must be able to board the lifeboat and carriage. Ages from 17 upwards are accepted and the station is looking for a reasonable length of commitment to justify the training and kit provided. Potential volunteers for the roles should contact Mike

Judge on 07802 474757 or visit the lifeboat station at Whitstable Harbour on any Sunday morning. Alternatively, they can visit www.whitstablelifeboat.org.uk for more information. Source : canterburytimes

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SHIPPING INDUSTRY FACES MAJOR DILEMMA ON BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT

The Round Table (RT) of International Shipping Organisations (comprising BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping, Intercargo and INTERTANKO) is deeply concerned if the international convention to regulate ships’ ballast water comes into force in the near future without a realistic implementation schedule that recognises the timetable for US type-approved Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) to be available in sufficient quantities.

The RT believes that the resulting dilemma would force the international shipping industry to spend millions of dollars on BWMS that may not achieve US type-approval and therefore will need to be replaced in a short period of time.

The RT emphasizes that it supports the need for international requirements to protect local ecosystems from the impact of invasive species carried in ships’ ballast water. The RT also firmly believes that shipping is a global industry requiring global regulation. The Ballast Water Management Convention is developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and is therefore the best instrument to achieve this objective. The RT expects the Convention will be ratified very shortly and enter into force as early as 2016. Shipowners that have not already done so, will be required to spend between US$1M and US$5M to install a BWMS on each of their ships in accordance with the schedule established in Assembly Resolution A.1088(28). It is estimated that there are 50,000 ships that require to be fitted with BWMS over a 5 year period.

However, this may also create an impossible situation for ships that trade to the United States, where unilateral national regulation is already in force. The US regulations ultimately require all ships that discharge ballast into US waters (12 miles) to treat this through a US Coast Guard (USCG) approved BWMS. Currently there are a number of BWMS in the USCG testing and approval process, but none that have as yet received type approval. The RT has urged the US Coast Guard to approve as many ballast water management systems as possible, as soon as possible and provide a pragmatic schedule for the installation of such equipment. Further meetings between the RT and senior leaders of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) re-emphasised these points. There are 54 BWMS approved under the IMO regime, but worryingly only 17 manufacturers have indicated an intent to submit their system for USCG approval testing. There is no guarantee that systems submitted will gain approval under the stringent US testing regime; consequentially, when the IMO convention enters into force, ship operators trading to the US will be forced to fit a BWMS that may never achieve USCG type approval. If the chosen system does not obtain USCG approval, it will have to be replaced within 5 years in order to continue to trade to the US. A shipowner, who in good faith wants to comply with international and national ballast water management requirements, therefore faces an unacceptable position of having to possibly invest twice in a BWMS through no fault of his or her own.Similarly, IMO Member States are strongly urged to take this potentially very costly issue into account when deliberating ballast water management issues at the upcoming 68th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee. The safest way to avoid it is to ensure that there are sufficient USCG approved BWMS available on the market before the IMO Convention enters into force. This also implies that national BWMS manufacturers should be encouraged to apply for US approval; the low rate of application raises serious concerns over confidence in the operational capability of equipment that is already being sold.

Scotload scoops first place in Weighing Review Readers’ Choice ‘Best Load Cell’

award for its innovative SmartLoad® load measurement system.

• Smartload® beats 50 other weighing products and solutions to win ‘Best Load Cell’ award • Weighing Review Readers’ Choice awards voted directly by customers • Scotload recognised in the only global voting competition that covers major innovations in weighing technology



Scotload, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, is proud to announce that its innovative load measurement system, SmartLoad®, has been awarded first place in the ‘Best Load Cell’ category of the Weighing Review Readers’ Choice Awards 2015 – an annual on-line voting competition that covers the major innovations in weighing technology. SmartLoad® is an intelligent load monitoring system that focuses on improving safety and reducing costs during lifting applications. Developed in response to the needs of customers, the technology is unique in the marketplace with features that improve usability as well as incorporating the latest wireless technology giving significantly improved range.Simon Everett, managing director of Scotload, said, “We constantly strive to develop solutions for our customers that make their operations safer, easier and more efficient. We recognised the needs of the lifting industry had evolved and saw an opportunity to develop a system to fulfil these

emerging requirements. Smartload was developed in-house, using the latest technology, specifically to meet the challenges of the lifting industry today. I’m especially pleased that Smartload gives tangible benefits to our customers and that they have recognised this by voting so strongly.” The company beat stiff competition from 50 other weighing products and solutions to win the award, which is especially coveted as it’s voted by the International Weighing Review’s readers in over 72 countries. In a double-scoop, Scotload itself won second place in the ‘Best Weighing Company’ category as well, demonstrating its customers hold the company in high regard.Everett added, “We are delighted to win these awards and would like to thank everyone for taking the time to vote for us. We work hard to provide our customers with the best products, delivered from stock and backed up with a strong service offering, and to have them recognise this through these awards is a great endorsement of what we are continuously striving to achieve.”

CASUALTY REPORTING

Maersk’s Boxship Catches Fire off Mauritius The 8,700 TEU container ship MAERSK LONDRINA caught fire while en route from Malaysia to Brasil on April 25,

forcing the vessel to divert to Mauritius, Maersk’s Senior Press Officer Michael Christian Storgaard confirmed to World Maritime News. The 2012-built boxship was en route from Tanjung Pelepas to Santos when the fire was discovered in one of its cargo holds some 700 nautical miles off Port Louis, Mauritius. According to Storgaard, the fire was quickly controlled, but due to the location of the fire and the continuous albeit declining presence of heat, the Hong Kong-flagged vessel changed course and arrived in Port Louis on April 27. In Port Louis the fire was

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fully extinguished and investigations to establish the reason and extent of damage have been initiated.”The crew is safe, there have been no injuries, and there has been no environmental impact. We have informed the crew’s relatives,” Storgaard told WMN.” We are working on a contingency plan for the cargo on board the vessel, and we are keeping the affected customers informed.” Source: World Maritime News

NAVY NEWS

First Indigenous Nuclear Submarine's Sea-Trials Going Very Well

The Indian Navy chief, Admiral RK Dhowan, said on Thursday that the sea trials of India's first indigenous nuclear- powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arihant, are going "very well"."The trials are underway and going on very

well. We are satisfied with the way the project is progressing," Admiral Dhowan told reporters on the sidelines of two-day National Aviation Seminar to mark 62 years of naval aviation in the country.While stating there are "no problems in the INS Arihant project", he could not give a "timeline" on the completion of trials. The 6,000-tonne submarine, designed on the Russian Akula-1 class vessel, began its sea trials last December.

The submarine's 83 MW pressurized light-water reactor attained "criticality" in 2013 while it was undergoing harbour trials at Visakhapatnam.INS Arihant, the lead ship of Arihant-class of submarines, was launched in 2009.Once inducted, the submarine will help India complete its nuclear triad - the capability to respond to nuclear strikes from sea, land and air-based systems.Talking about the trials of the first indigenously-built Scorpene submarine, Admiral Dhowan said the "endeavour was to see that the programme continues without any obstacle so that the commissioning of the first submarine is done next year as per the plan".

Asked about the second indigenous aircraft carrier, Admiral Dhowan said that under the joint working group on aircraft carrier design with the US, the Indian Navy has "done some work to prepare the approach paper" but that it was still "too premature to say in which direction it goes"."All options regarding the type of aircraft carrier, tonnage, type of propulsion, aircraft to be embarked and so on are being considered in the approach paper. It will be taken up with the ministry of defence, after which a detailed report will be prepared," Admiral Dhowan said."The joint working group with the US will carry out its own deliberations and all options available to us will be evaluated. It is still too premature to say what direction it takes," he added.In respect of developing amphibious capabilities for the navy, Admiral Dhowan added that induction of amphibious aircraft is being discussed under the due procedures laid down for defence procurement. Source : NDTV

Finnish navy drops depth charges onto suspected submarine



The Finnish navy has been chasing "an underwater object" which it has failed to identify, forcing it to drop depth charges to warn the intruder it had been detected, officials said Tuesday.Defense Minister Carl Haglund described the intruder, first detected off the Helsinki coast on Monday afternoon, as "theoretically, a possible" submarine."We determined that there was something there under the water ... we dropped a couple of warning depth charges which cause a lot of noise but don't pose any danger to the possible target," Haglund told reporters. "At this stage we don't know if it was a vessel or something else. What we do know is that our sensors detected sounds that indicate activity."

The depth charges were dropped after the object was detected a second time during the night, the navy said."Underwater objects are very hard to identify," Olavi Jantunen, the navy's maritime operations chief, said. "We'll analyze the material ... It's a question of days, even weeks before we can determine what we observed."

Parliamentary defense committee spokesman Jussi Niinisto said the military occasionally detects such activity but described the use of depth charges as unusual. The previous time the navy dropped depth charges to warn a suspected intruder was in 2004.The incident comes in the wake of a lengthy hunt for a foreign submarine in the waters of neighboring Sweden in October. The Swedish military did not provide details but said it had obtained evidence of the intrusion with sensors. Officials never blamed any country, though most Swedish defense analysts said Russia was a likely culprit.The underwater searches in Finland and Sweden come during a period of increased military activity in the Baltic Sea region, with several reports of airspace violations by Russian military aircraft. Source : AP

“Woensdag 29 april kwam het gloednieuwe Belgische patrouillevaartuig P902 ‘POLLUX’ voor het eerst toe in de thuishaven Zeebrugge. Op de foto merkt u dat het schip nog de Belgische vlag voert en nog niet de vlag van de Belgische Marine. Het schip, gebouwd op een Franse werf in Boulogne, werd pas na aankomst door de werf opgeleverd aan de Belgische Marine. Pas dan werd de vlag van de Belgische Marine gehesen. Op de foto merkt u ook op de achtergrond het zusterschip, de P 901 ‘CASTOR’, die de ‘POLLUX’ naar binnen begeleidde. De P 902 ‘POLLUX’ wordt op woensdag 6 mei in de Marinebasis Zeebrugge gedoopt. Dat gebeurt in aanwezigheid van de Belgische Koning Filip en Koningin Mathilde. Hun dochter, kroonprinses Elisabeth, Hertogin van Brabant, heeft het meterschap van het nieuwe oorlogsschip aanvaard. De twee nieuwe patrouillevaartuigen zullen worden ingezet voor een breed scala aan taken, van pollutiebestrijding tot SAR (Search and Rescue), van visserijwacht tot ondersteuning van politie en douane.” Photo : Frank Neyts ©

China, Russia to hold first joint Mediterranean naval drills in May

China will hold joint naval drills with Russia in mid-May in the Mediterranean Sea, the first time the two countries will hold military exercises together in that part of the world, the Chinese Defence Ministry said on Thursday.China and Russia have held naval drills in Pacific waters since 2012. The May maneuvers come as the United States ramps up



military cooperation with its allies in Asia in response to China's increasingly assertive pursuit of maritime territorial claims.A total of nine ships from the two countries will participate, including vessels China now has on anti-piracy patrols in waters off Somalia, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng told a monthly news briefing.

"The aim is to deepen both countries' friendly and practical cooperation, and increase our navies' ability to jointly deal with maritime security threats," Geng said."What needs saying is that these exercises are not aimed at any third party and have nothing to do with the regional situation."

Geng gave no specific date for the drills, which will be focused on navigation safety, at-sea replenishment, escort missions and live fire exercises.

Since Western powers imposed economic sanctions on Russia last year over the violence in Ukraine, Moscow has accelerated attempts to build ties with Asia, Africa and South America, as well as warming relations with its former Soviet-era allies. China and Russia are both permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and have close diplomatic, economic and military ties, with China traditionally relying on Russia for its most advanced equipment.

President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Moscow next month to attend a parade celebrating the end of World War Two.

China has been increasingly flexing its military muscles since Xi assumed the presidency in 2013, jangling nerves around the region and globally, though Beijing insists it is a force for peace and threatens nobody.China's navy has become a focus of Xi's efforts to better project the country's power, especially in the disputed South China Sea.U.S. President Barack Obama accused China on Tuesday of "flexing its muscles" to advance its territorial claims at sea.China says about 90 percent of the 3.5 million sq km (1.35 million sq mile) South China Sea is its sovereign territory. The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam also claim large parts. Source : Reuters (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Writing by Michael Martina; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

SHIPYARD NEWS

China shipbuilding sector set to contract: Yangzijiang

Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings Ltd, China's biggest privately owned shipyard, expects the country's shipbuilding industry to shrink significantly in the next three years, reversing almost a decade of boom. In three years time, there may be only 30 "active" shipyards in China, from more than 100 now, Chairman Ren Yuanlin said Thursday in a news briefing in Singapore, where the company's stock is traded."There will be mergers and acquisitions as well as closures as the shipbuilding industry undergoes restructuring," Mr Ren said. The shipping sector doesn't look "optimistic" at the moment, he said. Orders at Chinese shipyards, the world's third-largest, have fallen 77 per cent

in the first quarter from a year earlier. Builders have sought support from the government as excess vessel capacity

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drives down shipping rates and prompts some shipowners to cancel contracts. China Huarong Energy Co, once the nation's largest private yard, ran into financial difficulties in the past two years amid a slump in contracts and competition with state-owned vessel builders.

Yangzijiang is reviewing a proposal made by China Development Bank, Bank of China and others to buy a stake in the shipbuilding and offshore engineering businesses that Huarong, previously called China Rongsheng Heavy Industries Group Holdings Co, is selling, Ren said. Asset Sale Shares of Yangzijiang rose as much as 1.7 per cent to S$1.47 in Singapore. The stock has climbed nearly 22 per cent this year, compared with a 3.4 per cent increase in the benchmark Straits Times Index.Mr Ren said the proposal the company received on Huarong's assets lacked details, and the company needs time to assess it. A decision will be made by June, he said. Huarong said in March that it's talking with a Chinese company that's listed domestically to sell the businesses. It has been searching for funds after the global economic slowdown and massive overcapacity had what it called a "profound impact" on the shipping industry last year. The company is shifting its focus to energy, as reflected in its name change.If Yangzijiang decides to buy a stake, it may raise part of the funds in the Singapore stock market, and also could tap Hong Kong, Mr Ren said, without elaborating.Yangzjiang has told the creditors and other parties that it would consider investing only if the businesses Huarong is selling are "clean" of debt, Mr Ren said."We will study the proposal very carefully before we make our decision," he said.China's shipbuilding industry is undergoing a restructuring as global orders for vessels have slumped. The government last year identified 51 shipyards, including Yangzijiang, deemed worthy of policy support.Utilisation of shipbuilding facilities in China has fallen to 60 per cent this year, which is "substantially" lower than the global average and the optimal level for the industry, Yangzijiang said. In 2010, the rate was 75 per cent.Yangzijiang won US$370 million of orders in the first quarter, down from US$1.07 billion a year ago. Its orderbook stood at US$4.6 billion at the end of March, with deliveries stretching until the end of 2016. The company is in talks with foreign customers to build four liquefied petroleum gas carriers, Mr Ren said, without naming the customers.Earlier Thursday, Yangzijiang reported first-quarter net income of 707 million yuan (US$114 million) on revenue of 3.04 billion yuan, down from 799.2 million yuan income and 3.55 billion yuan revenue a year earlier. Source : Bloomberg

Damen introduces new OPV to meet demand for multi-mission platforms

On 20 April, Damen gave a sneak preview of their newly designed 2nd generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) during the annual OPVs & Corvettes Asia Pacific conference in Singapore. Damen’s Design & Proposal Manager Piet van Rooij explained how this new OPV has been configured for various missions. This new generation

of re-configurable Damen OPVs is highly efficient and incredibly versatile. Damen’s famous Sea Axe hull shape is used for these 2nd generation OPVs. Due to this hulldesign, these vessels demonstrate superior seakeeping including exceptional low heave accelerations. This makes the vessel very comfortable, even in stormy sea states. Since the hull is designed to reduce water resistance, the new OPV is also very fuel efficient and capable of speeds up to 25/26 knots. Versatility has been reinvented by three newly developed multi-mission locations–namely the bridge, hangar and bay. The Multi-Mission Bay (MM Bay) can be equipped with dedicated mission modules (e.g. mission containers) for missions such as counterpiracy, counter-



drug operations, anti-mining warfare (AMW), search-and-rescue (SAR) etc. The MM Bay is also equipped with a nine metre RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat), which can be launched over a dedicated slipway through the rear of the vessel while the OPV is sailing. In the Damen-built Holland Class Ocean Patrol vessels for the Royal Netherlands Navy this system has already proven to be safe in operations upto SS 5 conditions. Unlike other OPVs, the command-and-control centre (C2 Centre) is located directly behind the bridge. Damen calls this development their Multi-Mission Bridge (MM Bridge). Both spaces can be separated by means of a blinded sliding wall. OPVs are less likely to take part in combat situations such as those faced by a frigate. During a mission, when lowering the sliding wall, situation awareness in the C2 Centre is improved, allowing C2 Centre officers to observe the situation immediately with their own eyes. Mr Van Rooij comments: “Today OPVs don’t engage in combatsituations as often as frigates do, however, fast and effective coordination during a ‘chase’ is essential for an OPV.” The Multi-Mission Hangar (MM Hangar) is capable of storing an 11-tonne NH-90 helicopter and aUAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) such as the Boeing ScanEagle®. The MM Hangar has been designed so that the OPV crew can deploy either the helicopter or the UAV without having to move either one. Furthermore, there is space for a spare parts store and workshop for both the helicopter and UAV.

The Damen OPV 2nd generation is available as a standard in four series [sizes]: •75 meter – 1400 tonnes •85 meter– 1800 tonnes •95 meter– 2400 tonnes •103 meter – 2600 tonnes

In drydock last week in Greenock the paddle steamer WAVERELY was looking very smart prior to her forthcoming

2015 cruise season. Photo : Tommy Bryceland, SCOTLAND ©

Tsuneishi gets first orders for its new TESS38 bulkers

Tokyo: An unnamed Japanese owner has come in Tsuneishi’s new TESS38 design bulkers. An unspecified number of the new 38,300 dwt ships will be built at Tsuneishi’s shipyard in Cebu in the middle of the Philippines.The TESS38 is an upgrade of Tsuneishi’s popular TESS35 design. The shipbuilder has added 3 m in length to the old design, making it 180 m long and giving it an extra 3,000 dwt. The ship design, with four deck cranes, is aimed at the log and steel trades in particular. Source : Splash 24/7



Imabari city holds skills contest for shipyards

Technicians from eight yards compete on piping skills

A contest on shipbuilding skills for young shipbuilding technicians was held on April 26 in Imabari city. Eight shipyards based in the city joined the event, where the representative teams of each company competed in piping outfitting skills. The Imabari region's shipbuilding-skill training center held a skills contest for trainees in 2014 in line with its joint training program for new employees, but the contest in 2015 was held for technicians working in the front lines of worksites for the first time, beyond the boundaries of enterprises. The awarding ceremony for the contest winners will be

convened at the maritime fair Bari-Ship 2015 to be held in May.The Imabari Area Shipbuilding Technical Center held the "1st Shipbuilding Skill Contest's piping outfitting segment" in line with the "shipbuilding human resources fostering assistance project" it has been promoting upon being entrusted by the city government. A total of 10 teams from eight companies joined the event, comprising Imabari Shipbuilding, Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Higaki Shipbuilding, Asakawa Shipbuilding, Shimanami Shipyard, Murakami Hide Shipbuilding, I-S Shipyard and Hakata Shipbuilding.The contest was open to technicians and skilled workers who have been engaged in their careers for up to 15 years. One team was composed of two technicians, who fabricated and assembled pipes within the designated time, competing to produce piping objects according to the prescribed dimensions. Colleagues and families of the contestants came to watch the competition at the venue set up within the Head Office yard of Imabari SB.The results of the contest will be announced at the special seminar venue of Bari-Ship 2105 on the morning of May 21, when the awarding is scheduled to be held. The works of the award-winning teams will be showcased at a special booth.There have been cases of shipyards holding skills competitions that go beyond the framework of individual companies in a bid to boost skills of their younger employees. For the Skills Olympics launched by Onomichi Dockyard and Kyokuyo Shipyard in 2014 three more yards, including Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES), took part in 2015, thereby expanding participants in the event to five enterprises. Source : kaijipress – via Justus Schoemaker Dutch - Japanese Maritime Desk K.K. / www.dujamdesk.com The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided

through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information

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ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The CEMSOL approaching the the Ijmuiden locks outbound from Amsterdam – Photo : Simon Wolf ©

Plans for ￡10m cruise ship terminal in Plymouth gathering pace

PLYMOUTH is pushing ahead with plans for a ￡10million-plus international cruise ship terminal at Millbay, it has been confirmed.City chiefs could be poised to release details of the plan within weeks, it emerged last night.The news comes as Plymouth business leaders declared there has neverbeen a better time to build the facility, which could rake in ￡15millionplus knock-on effects for the whole peninsula. In October last year the boss of Associated British Ports (ABP), DaveAtkin, said the long-awaited project had "fizzled out", prompting thecouncil to reaffirm its support for the vision.

ABP owns the most likely location for the berth, at Millbay.

Now Plymouth City Council has committed ￡40,000 to fund studies and held talks with "one of the country's leading specialists in cruise liner economic assessments", as well as national tourism body Visit Britain, it has revealed. A council spokesman said last night: "With the significant regenerationtaking place and the Mayflower 2020 celebrations just a few years away,the time has never been better to promote Plymouth as a cruise destination."We have the location offer at Millbay but we also need to look at thebig questions around physical constraints as well as the economic investment arguments."We hope to be in a position in the next few weeks to give more detail about this exciting development."The Plymouth and Devon Chamber of Commerce and the Plymouth WaterfrontPartnership also

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back the project.Chamber chief executive Peter Hartland, speaking at a South EastCornwall joint chamber of commerce meeting in Liskeard last week, said" A demand study has been done and it said that if you can construct a 240metre berth, which is big but not the biggest, then you have abusiness model that would make sense in terms of demand."But he warned: "If we can't justify it with the Mayflower 400 anniversary, then we will never justify it." He added that with cruise operators making bookings up to four years inadvance, there was no time to waste.Tim Jones, chairman of Devon and Cornwall Business Council, welcomed thechamber's push for a terminal to be built after "more than 10 years ofdiscussions" and said the city should look beyond just the American market."I think we can be more ambitious," he said. "The American market is vibrant, but the new middle classes in China are looking for new opportunities to experience Western culture." Source : plymouthherald

The ANTHEM OF THE SEAS arriving at the Zweedse Kaai in Zeebrugge

Photo : Henk Claeys ©

Seaspan Corporation Remains Captain Of The Containership Industry

Summary

Seaspan beat revenue and earnings estimates for Q1 of 2015. Seaspan continues their streak of dividend increases with the sixth common share dividend increase since

March 31st of 2010 for an aggregate increase of 275%. Seaspan's newbuild program looks promising with an expected 33% increase in TEU capacity by 2017.

Seaspan Corporation once again delivered the goods with its latest earning release for Q1 of 2015, beating both the revenue and earnings consensus estimates.

Before we dive into the numbers it is important to understand that shipping is a highly competitive environment and the rates received are largely a reflection of the market at large. For this reason I encourage readers to check out my Container Shipping Market Macro Update which discusses factors that I believe are important to the entire industry.

Now, about those numbers. Seaspan posted a 38.9% year over year increase with $0.25 in earnings beating estimates by $0.02 or 8.7%. Revenue was up 12% year over year and came in at $188.5 million beating estimates by about 0.43 million.

In February of 2015 Seaspan approved an 8.7% increase in the quarterly Class A common share dividend to $0.375 per share which represents a $0.03 increase making for the sixth common share dividend increase since March 31st of 2010 for an aggregate increase of 275%.As of this writing the yield stands at 7.6% and appears to be covered rather well with $75.8 million in cash available for distribution. Common share dividend commitments total $33.337 million and preferred share commitments total $13.435 million for a total commitment of $46.772 million.Sai Chu, chief financial officer, stated in the earnings conference call that "We feel this is our sustainable dividend level, that balances return to shareholders, while allowing us to maintain financial flexibility and take advantage of attractive growth opportunities that exist in the current market."Gerry Wang, CEO, echoed that sentiment saying, "We have a history of



returning capital to shareholders and we remain committed to sustainably increasing our common share dividends over the long-term, as we continue to opportunistically grow our business."However, those solid results were tempered by a cautious outlook from Mr. Chu who noted that "for 2015, we expect to see some improvement in EPS due to the full-year contributions for the 2014 deliveries and the additional eight deliveries this year. However, EPS improvement will be limited due to the capital costs associated with investing in our large newbuild program through 2017. We remain focused on managing our cost to capital and continuing mix for attractive financing alternatives. We believe our focus strategy of acquiring technological events and efficiencies while entering into long-term charterers of creditworthy counterparties will result in shareholder value over the long-term."The large size of these ships should increase total TEU capacity for Seaspan by approximately 33% once delivered. Many have already been contracted out upon delivery for long term charters. These long term charters help promote stability by providing a staggered charter maturity to ensure that revenue is kept flowing at a predictable rate. Investors should also appreciate the transparent nature of this profile. On a side note, several of these new vessels are the fuel-efficient SAVER design which should lead to lower operating costs and thus higher margins.The financing for those ships appears to be straightforward according to Mr. Wang who notes that "we have plenty of demand for our financing requirements". He continues "we just pay 10%, 20% upfront and we just wait for in the best financing proposal ahead of us - in front of us". Currently Seaspan has several possible sources competing for these contracts.In the conference call the company indicated that they plan to fund the rest of the newbuild fleet through 2017 with about $700 million of additional borrowing through debt facilities currently in place and another $650 million of which they are currently in negotiations. No mention of share dilution was discussed.

In fact, the recent favorable financing terms and rates should benefit Seaspan when compared to the past. Mr. Wang notes that, "To give you a little comparison, today's $15,000 (charter) per day will be comparable to about $20,000 (charter) per day about eight, ten years ago. Why? Because the interest rate has come down so much lower than eight, ten years ago."As always Seaspan remains committed to the long term outlook of its business. Mr. Wang believes that "We may expect our 2015 results to be somewhat muted as we continue to invest in new vessels for our future. However, we also expect that our strong base of cash flows from existing charters as well as future growth will enable our franchise to become stronger and well established for the long-term value of our shareholders."

Conclusion

Seaspan is giving long term investors something to cheer about. Good management has paved the way for solid accretive growth over the long term. A steady chartering strategy has created dependable cash flow which has contributed to their consistent and increasing dividend. A high yield of 7.6% is the result. A 33% increase in TEU capacity through 2017 should bring increasing revenue and the ability to return even more capital to shareholders. Source : seeking Alpha

Ship-Tracking Startup Windward Valued at About $100 Million

An investor consortium including one of Asia’s richest businessmen and a former chief executive of Thomson Reuters Corp. has taken a stake in Windward, valuing the ship-tracking startup at about $100 million. Among new investors in the Tel Aviv firm are Li Ka-shing’s Horizons Ventures and Angelic Ventures, the family office of former Thomson Reuters CEO Thomas Glocer. The $10.8 million investment for a roughly 10% stake follows previous funding rounds in 2011 and 2013. Windward takes information about movements of ships around the world and uses a database of historical voyages to predict patterns of global trade and highlight unusual movements. The company, which was founded by two former officers of the Israeli Navy, says it will use the proceeds to launch a product that caters to Wall Street. Big banks, hedge funds and commodity-trading firms use information about seaborne commodity shipments to make bets on prices in raw-materials markets, such as oil and iron ore. Shifts in supply-and-demand trends often ripple through financial markets. The company has already been offering its technology to clients in the security, intelligence and law-enforcement sectors Windward’s competitors include Bloomberg LP and Reuters. Mr. Ka-shing made his fortune in an array of industries ranging from ports and shipping to plastics and retail. Horizons is known for prior investments in companies including Skype, Spotify AB and Facebook Inc. Angelic Ventures has invested in financial-technology and data-analysis companies such as Bitcoin payment provider Coinbase Inc. Horizons Ventures will take a seat on Windward’s board. Mr. Glocer will join the company’s advisory board.



“Anyone can get a New York Stock Exchange quote,” Mr. Glocer said. “The hard stuff to get are these deep-in-the-weeds data.”Source: Wall Street Journal

The tide is turning for Varun Shipping Debt-ridden Varun Shipping expects the tide to turn as its entire fleet of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers are scheduled to be operational by June.That’s great news for the Mumbai-based shipping company, which runs one of the world’s largest fleet of LPG vessels. The company’s nine LPG carriers had stopped working after the Directorate General of Shipping withdrew the document of compliance after it failed to dry-dock its ships. Varun Shipping, thus, had the dubious distinction of becoming the first Indian shipping firm whose operating licence was cancelled. It happened because Varun Shipping did not have the money for the mandatory dry-docking of ships for safety reasons. No bank was willing to put in any extra money as the promoters were in no position to repay loans, which touched well above Rs 2,000 crore as on March 30, 2015. To top it, the company stopped paying salaries to its employees, with the result that it was unable to find replacement for the crew which was on board for longer than the contract period. OUT OF STORM • Bankers stopped giving loans after the company defaulted on repayment • The company lost licences to operate LPG ships as dry-docking was not done • The company was unable to pay salaries to employees • Bankers choose Joint Lenders Forum route to help the company • Promoters brought short-term finance to activate dry-docking of vessels • Firm has been paying salaries on time for a year Things are, however, changing for the better. “After promoters brought in short-term finance and activated dry-docking for these vessels, things have smoothened out,” Yudhisthir Khatau, managing director of Varun Shipping, told the Business Standard, without revealing the size of the funds pooled in. “Three of our LPG vessels are already operational now; another one will come on board by end-April and the balance will be operational by June. All our three-tanker vessels, which are under dry-docking, are also going to be operational again by June,” said Khatau. After the activation of the three LPG vessels during the October-March period, Varun Shipping has clocked over Rs 175 crore revenue, compared to nil revenues in the June and September quarter. What has helped is that charter rates in the LPG segment have moved up to an average Rs 35,000 a day from Rs 25,000 earlier because of better demand. Varun Shipping runs its crude oil tanker and offshore businesses via Varun Asia and Varun Cyprus, respectively. The two divisions, however, are not the subsidiaries of Varun Shipping and, hence, the earnings reported by the company are only that of the LPG division. While the firm tries to get back its revenues flowing, it has also managed to fix the debt issue by seeking bankers’ help via the Joint Lending Forum (JLF) route, unlike the earlier plan to go for corporate debt restructuring (CDR) way. For the past two years, about 50 percent of the company’s operating profits were eaten up by interest component, making it a loss-making entity.“As the business was coming back on its feet, banks decided that they would not take the CDR route and instead restructure the debt and give us additional funds through the JLF. Banks have given us Rs 425 crore towards operationalisation of vessels,” said Khatau. Under the JLF, the company gets a one-year moratorium period with halving of interest rates to six per cent. The repayment tenure will remain at eight years.Varun Shipping claims it has resolved the salary issue as well. According to Khatau, salaries have been paid ‘normally’ for the past year, although “the arrears are yet to be settled”. Varun Shipping will be split into two listed entities -Varun Resources and Varun Global. While the former will hold the LPG business of Varun Shipping, the latter will be into ship management. “Ship management is a business in itself and so we feel the necessity to list it separately,” said Khatau.All approvals needed to list the two entities are in place and Khatau hopes the process will be over within a month. Source: Business Standard

RINA – LR Maritime Safety Award recognises RCCL

The Maritime Safety Award for 2014, given jointly by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Lloyd’s Register, has been presented to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in recognition of the integrated Safety Command Centre on Quantum of the Seas. The Maritime Safety Award recognises the significant contribution to the improvement of safety at sea or the protection of the marine environment by an organisation or an individual. When Safety Centres were introduced by the cruise ship industry, the idea felt like an afterthought that was adopted without due consideration being given to its objectives, or the allocation of the resources required for seamless



integration into operations. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has addressed this with the introduction of an integrated Safety Command Centre on Quantum of the Seas. The over-riding strategy is simple: take the allocated resources, train them, specialise them and importantly, provide the working environment that can partition and integrate based on need.

The Safety Command centre provides the space where all parties can come together. There, damage assessments can be made, videos from the scene can be displayed, communications with shore side are available, drawings can be brought up, calculations can be made, and both navigation information and a machinery overview are available. The space is designed as a true incident command centre that can be used from the initiation to the time the ship makes it back to port.RINA Chief Executive, Trevor Blakeley, said: “Nominations for this Award are made by members of the global maritime industry and there can, of course, be no finer recognition than that given by one’s peers. Whilst it is always to be hoped that it will never be used for its intended purpose, the integrated Safety Command Centre provided by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has the potential to make a significant contribution to improving maritime safety, should that need ever occur.”The Award was presented to Captain Patrik Dahlgren and Clayton Van Welter of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd by Tom Boardley, Marine Director of Lloyd’s Register, at the Institution’s Annual Dinner on 30 April 2015.

The Maritime Safety Award, co- sponsored by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Lloyd’s Register, is presented annually to an individual or organisation which has made a significant, technological contributions to the improvement of safety at sea or the protection of the marine environment. Such contributions can have been made either by a specific activity or over a period of time. Individuals and organisations are nominated for this award by members of the global maritime industry. The Award is judged by a panel of members of the Institution and Lloyd’s Register, and is announced and presented at the Institution’s Annual Dinner.

Nominations are now being invited for the 2015 Maritime Safety Award. Individuals may not nominate themselves, although employees may nominate their company or organisation. Nominations may be up to 750 words and should describe the technological contribution to improving safety, which the individual, company or organisation has made in the field of design, construction and operation of maritime vessels and structures. Nominations may be forwarded online at www.rina.org.uk/MaritimeSafetyAward or by email to [email protected] to arrive by 31 Dec 2015.

MARITIME ARTIST CORNER

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2015 – 124

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