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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2012 – 043

Distribution : daily to 20925+ active addresses 12-02-2012

Number 043 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Sunday 12-03-2012

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

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The DAMEN built EDT NEFELI enroute Rotterdam after yard trials – Photo : Ria Maat ©

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EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

Signet Constellation and Signet Stars & Stripes

The SIGNET CONSTELLATION and SIGNET STARS & STRIPES are the latest development in Robert Allan Ltd.’s RAstar series of tugs. These two powerful new escort tugs have been delivered to their owner’s – Signet Maritime Corporat ion of Houston, Texas. They were constructed to provide marine support services to Angola LNG Supply Services (ALSS) in the Port of Pascagoula, Mississippi. Designated as RAstar 3100s and designed by Naval Architects Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, BC, they were constructed by Trinity Yachts LLC, at their Gulfport, MS shipyard. The names of these vessels pay tribute to past America’s Cup winners, the 12 meter yachts “CONSTELA TION” (winner in 1964) and “STARS & STRIPES” (winner in 1987).

The particulars of this tug are as follows: Length Overall - 100’- 0” Length Waterline - 92’ - 1” Beam, Moulded, extreme - 40’- 0” Depth, Moulded (hull) - 17’- 5” Maximum Draft over drives - 17’- 6”

Capacities are as follows:

Fuel Oil - 62,000 gallons Fresh Water - 3,600 gallons Lube Oil - 700 gallons Waste Oil -300 gallons Oily Water - 300 gallons

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The Signet Constellat ion and Signet Stars & Stripes are classed for harbour, escort and emergency towing duties, with the following ABS nota tio n; A1, AMS, Towing Vesse l, Escort, Fi-Fi 1. Propulsion comprises a pair of CAT C175-16 diesel engines, each rated 2,550 kW (3,418 BHP) at 1,800 rpm, each driving a Rolls-Royce model US 255 drive, with 2,800 mm diameter controllable pitch propellers through a composite shafting system. The Signet Constellat ion and Signet Stars & Stripes are outfitted for a crew of eight (8) persons, in modern and well-equipped, air-conditioned accommodations. The main

hawser winch is a dual drum Markey Model DESDF-48, 200 HP, Electric, Escort Render / Recover Winch. The aft deck is equipped for emergency towing with 96 tonne SWL towpost. Electrical power is provided by three (3) x Northern Lights M1066, generator sets rated at 99 kW @ 1800 rpm, all connected in parallel. The tug has a full Fi-Fi 1 rating in accordance with Class notation requirements. The fire pumps are driven driven through gearbox with integral clutch and cooling system, which is driven off main engine front power take off via flexible coupling.

On trials, Signet Constellat ion met or exceeded all performance expectations, with the following results: Bollard Pull, ahead - 81 tonnes Free running speed, ahead - 13.5 knots

"The THSD BRISBA NE, 3000 gt carrying out maintenance dredging in Port Phillip for 6 weeks, built 2000 in Cairns

Australia she is usually engaged in dredging for the Queensland coast this is the first time employed in Melbourne, she is being assisted by PA CIFIC CONQUEST in the sweeping needs" Photo : Andrew Mackinnon – www.aquamanships.com ©

Jong Havenvereniging gaat voor 1.500 bezoekers op 2e RTM Port Party

Feest van en voor Rotterdamse haven wordt ware traditie Jong Havenvereniging organiseert op 17 februari 2012 voor de tweede keer de RTM Port Party - de Winter Edit ion. De andere editie van 2012 vind plaats op de vrijdagavond van de Wereldhavendagen Een traditie is hiermee geboren! Hoe het begonEen driekoppige afvaardiging van het bestuur van Jong Havenvereniging heeft het in de zomer van 2011 besloten: ‘nu gaan we het echt doen’. Het plan om een havenbreed feest van en voor de haven neer te zetten, zoals dat vroeger veel vaker werd gedaan, werd

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in een mum van tijd uitgevoerd. En met succes! Op 2 september 2011, de vrijdag van de Wereldhavendagen, kwamen 1.100 mensen - jong en oud - naar de Cruiseterminal voor de eerste RTM Port Party. En hoe het verder gaatHet succes van een mooi feest met 1.100 mensen en de vele positieve reacties smaken naar meer; opnieuw een RTM Port Party dus. De inzet is dit keer 1.500 gasten. Dat dit feest wordt gedragen door de havengemeenschap, spreekt uit het feit dat veel bedrijven in en om de haven zich als sponsor hebben aangemeld. Zie de officiële flyer (in de bijlage) voor welke namen zich aan de RTM Port Party hebben verbonden.

De RTM Port Party Winter Edition gaat op 17 februari 2012 om 17.00 uur van start in de Cruise Terminal Rotterdam, een historische locatie voor de haven en een vertrouwd centrum vanwege de goedbezochte borrels als Frank010. Entree is gratis, wel vragen wij de gasten zich vooraf aan te melden via www.rtmportparty.nl of [email protected] . De muziek wordt de hele avond geregeld door DJ Ozzie, DJ Cuzco, Live Saxofone en MC S. Jong HavenverenigingJong Havenvereniging is in het voorjaar van 2008 opgericht als zakelijk netwerk voor haven-, maritieme en logistieke young professionals in en om de Rotterdamse haven. Met zo’n vierhonderd leden en even zoveel verschillende werkgevers biedt Jong Havenvereniging toegang tot het jonge Rotterdamse havennetwerk. Naast dat RTM Port Party een havenbreed feest moet worden, wil Jong Havenvereniging hiermee toegang tot het havennetwerk bieden aan jongeren van buiten de haven.

MV LINDO loading cargo at CCT Moerdijk - Photo : Jan Beenhakker - BEKO Transport Consultants BV ©

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New flags of convenience need scrutiny Older, more established flags of convenience such as Cyprus and Malta have improved shipping casualty and crew fatality rates over the last 40 years but some of the high-risk ships seem to have been transferred to emerging flags of convenience. A historical analysis of UK shipping incidents between 1970 and 2005 has revealed that as new flags of convenience, Belize (established in 1992) and St Vincent (established in 1984) experienced high casualty and detention rates during the rapid expansion of their fleets. The study, led by Dr Stephen Roberts of Swansea University, examined 12 flags commonly used by UK shipping. According to Dr Roberts, while casualty rates overall have dropped over time, it is clear that flags that are newly emerging or expanding rapidly should be monitored. "Although not addressed in the study, it is likely that some newly expanding flags of convenience are less stringent than other flags in registering some of the most high risk, unseaworthy shipping," he said. The main risk factors that contributed to casualties were cargoes of iron ore and steel, ships of low tonnage, weather conditions and trades from Europe to North East Asia. The number of ships on the Belize register has shrunk by more than 40 per cent since 2004 and Dr Roberts anticipates that this should lead to future improvements in safety and ship detentions rates. Source: Baird Maritime

The YM MUTUA LITY passing the Sinki Fairway in Singapore enroute the Pasir Panjang Terminal

Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Salvage expert slams ‘ridiculous’ bid deadlines to move Costa Concordia

PROMINENT salvage expert has criticised the speed with which companies have been asked to submit bids to remove the Costa Concordia wreck.Costa Cruises has invited 10 salvage companies to tender for the work by early next month, aiming to select the successful bidder by the end March. But such a tight timetable “is absolutely ridiculous”, according to former International Salvage Union president Klaas Reinigert, an outspoken critic of the way salvage contracts are awarded.“If you built a simple house, a very routine business, it takes months for an architect to prepare the drawings. Even to lay a pipeline through a canal takes months of preparations,” he said.“Suddenly, totally out of the blue with no forward warning at all, a gigantic ship hits the rocks and becomes almost completely submerged, with a tremendous amount of unknowns plus the risk of the vessel sliding down to deeper water.”Yet salvage companies are expected to present their offers within a few weeks, a timeframe that Mr Reinigert described as “almost criminal”. However, he welcomed the fact that the work to salvage or remove the ship was not on a “no cure no pay” basis.Under Italian law, Costa Concordia will have to be removed from where it is stranded, even if it sinks completely under the water. Smit Salvage, Svitzer Salvage, Mammoet Salvage, Titan Salvage, Resolve Marine Group, T&T Bisso Savage, Donjon Marine, Tito Neri , Fukada Salvage & Marine and Nippon Salvage have been invited to tender. Mr Reinigert, a former head of Smit Tak, was a member of the salvage team that finally removed the wreck of the containership MSC Napoli that broke up off the south of England. He takes to task both hull and machinery insurers and the protection and indemnity clubs for not accepting that today’s much larger ships require a different approach to salvage and wreck removal.“To salvage a small coaster [that] could simply be lifted by sheerlegs is a thing of the past,” Mr Reinigert said. The insurance world needed to change its attitude towards salvors and not ask consultants to table a price within only a few weeks for such a huge and most complicated operation, he said. Source : lloydsList



The 2010 SCHELDEDIJK enroute from El Ferrol to Rotterdam in ballast had main engine breakdown on Feb 8 and

was towed by tug ABEILLE BOURBON to Brest for repairs. Above seen the vessel moored in Brest Photo : Emmanuel Godillon - www.larmes-de-rouille.piwigo.com ©

Somalia wants Sri Lanka help to combat piracy With the need to prepare an international action plan to curb piracy on the high seas, Somalia has sought inputs from Sri Lanka on how it curbed the Sea Tiger menace, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said in Parliament yesterday. The minister read out the letter written by the Puntland State Government in Somalia to the Defence Minister. In the letter Counter Piracy Directorate's Director General Abdrrizak M. Ahamed said Somalia was hit by an increase in acts of piracy on its waters and beyond its economic zones despite the presence of a well-trained police service. He said a large number of international war ships patrol Somalia's waters, but this appears to be a temporary solution. As a result, Mr. Ahamed had proposed to set up a permanent mechanism to address this issue as early as possible. "It has been calculated that the total costs involved with the presence of the international naval force is around US$300 million annually with no guarantee that they can solve this problem within five to six years. According to sources at the UN, the total cost caused by Somali pirates is over US$3 billion annually. This is why, especially the countries with large interest in sea cargo transport are now desperately looking for sustainable and cheaper solutions," the letter said. Mr. Ahamed had said that Somalia had proposed to present a comprehensive plan acceptable not only to the international community but also to the people of Somalia and had decided to discuss the matter with the Sri Lanka government on confidential basis. Having read out the letter the minister said he had taken steps to secure the release of six Sri Lankan fishermen held by Somali pirates who had demanded a ransom for the fishermen's release. The minister said it would be impossible to secure their release by approaching the problem only through diplomatic channels. "I have taken all possible steps through diplomatic channels. We have informed the relevant authorities," he said. Source: Daily Mirror

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The container ship MSC CLEMENTINA arriving at Port Chalmers on 9/2/12 - Photo : Ross Walker ©

Maersk suspends oil tanker trade deals with Iran

Danish shipping and oil company A.P. Moller-Maersk has suspended new oil tanker deals with Iran due to European Union sanctions which will embargo imports of oil from the Islamic Republic into the bloc, a senior Maersk official told Reuters.

The MA ERSK CAMERON moored in Singapore last Friday – Photo : Piet Sinke ©

International shipping companies are increasingly wary of falling foul of the growing raft of sanctions and the complexities involved in trading with Iran, ship industry officials say. "As of 24 Jan 2012, all new fixtures involving Iran and all carriages of products with Iranian origin have been suspended," said Henrik Ramskov, chief operating officer with Maersk Tankers, a unit of the Maersk group and one of the world's top tanker operators. "Existing spot fixtures, single voyages, concluded prior to 23 Jan 2012 and other obligations entered into before 23 Jan 2012 will also continue to be performed within the framework of the exemption set out in the decision of the EU Council," he said. The EU on Jan 23 banned imports of oil from Iran. European oil companies will be forced to sever all dealings in Iran crude by July. The EU also agreed to freeze the assets of Iran's central bank and ban trade in gold and other precious



metals with the bank and state bodies. "The further EU sanctions on Iran contain an unprecedented package of prohibitions on the import, purchase and transport of Iranian oil that will affect our members trading patterns," said Michele White, general counsel with INTERTANKO, an organisation whose members own the majority of the world's tanker fleet. "This is now a highly restrictive and volatile environment in which we feel our members cannot trade without risk of breaching EU or indeed the myriad of other sanctions against Iran imposed by the U.S. and elsewhere." A Maersk spokesman said its tanker unit made 14 Iran related voyages in 2011, "representing a miniscule part of their activity". Iran is under increasing trade presure over its disputed nuclear programme and is facing further sanctions by the West. The chief executive of Frontline, the world's largest independent tanker operator, told Reuters in December it did not have dealings with Iran. New U.S. financial sanctions imposed since the beginning of this year to punish Tehran over its nuclear programme are playing havoc with Iran's ability to buy imports and receive payment for its oil exports, commodities traders said. Source: Reuters

EUROPEA N SUPPORTER heading to Rotterdam from A&P, Hebburn yard last Thursday. She’s been at the yard since May 2011 when she arrived for modifications and cable laying equipment to be fitted for a contract P&O had obtained

for her. Unfortunately the contract was cancelled and she’s lay on the Tyne ever since. – Photo : Kevin Blair ©

Bulk carriers sink into the red as cargoes take a dive A KEY indicator of global trade and economic growth, the Baltic Dry Index, has dropped to a 25-year low, plumbing depths lower than those seen in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis. The shipping index tracks the cost of hiring ''bulk haulage'' vessels used to ship commodities such as coal, iron ore, wheat, and rice around the world

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on more than 20 shipping routes. In the lead-up to the financial crisis in 2008, it was considered a key indicator of future trouble, measuring the health of global trade. The index has fallen 70 per cent since last October, as rents for some voyages plunged to the lowest ever amid record monthly deliveries of new ships, port disruptions caused by bad weather and a week-long holiday in China. A report from the Baltic Exchange in London says operators of the fleet of more than 8900 ships have been struggling to turn a profit, with some accepting unprofitable charters in a bid to cope with the increase in the supply of new ships. ''Some owners now talk of parking their tonnage unless there's an improvement soon,'' the report says. Economists say falls in commodity prices have aggravated the problem. ''Shipping rates are dropping because of the excess supply of vessels,'' the chief economist at Commonwealth Bank, Michael Blythe, said. ''It's being compounded by lower demand for ships, which is a reflection of the generally weak global backdrop.'' But Chris Richardson, a director at Deloitte Access Economics, said the index was not as reliable as it used to be. ''If I were looking for where the world economy is headed at the moment, I'd be looking at coal and iron ore prices, and Italian sovereign bond yields,'' he said. ''The world's financial infrastructure is very important, and the Italian cost of borrowing is as good as any indicator at the moment of continuing pressures on that front.'' Analysts say the time to buy and build large bulk haulage vessels can take two to three years, on average. In the run-up to the financial crisis, a large number of ships were ordered. They point to the large Brazilian miner, Vale, which has been proceeding with plans to build a 24-vessel fleet designed to haul iron ore, vessels that are typically twice as large as other dry bulk ships. These are now coming online at a time when commodity prices are falling. Source: Sydney Morning Herald

The container-vessel HELSINKI on her way to the port of Aalborg, Denmark, on a beautiful and sunny winter

morning. Photo: Lars Engelbrecht Rohde ©

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Pacific Fleet Task Unit Escorts Fourth Convoy Through Gulf of Aden

Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit headed by Capt 1 rank Ildar Akhmerov and comprising large ASW ship Admiral Tributs, tanker Pechenga, and seagoing tug MB-37 started escorting of the fourth commercial convoy within the framework of anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden, PF spokesman Capt 1 rank Roman Martov told Central Navy Portal. At present, Admiral Tributs escorts five ships flying flags of Liberia, Malta, Croatia, and United Arab Emirates along safety corridor towards eastern part of the gulf. Seagoing tug MB-37 with PF marine unit on board also escorts one merchant ship towards the Red Sea. The seventh PF antipiracy task unit arrived in the deployment area early Jan 2012. Since that time PF mariners have escorted over 20 commercial vessels in convoys. The unit command met with NATO counterparts and held joint underway replenishment drill. Six previous PF task units deployed off Africa have effectively accomplished their anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. All ships have specially trained PF marine units on board. Sixth PF task unit headed by large ASW ship Admiral Panteleyev is presently completing deployment and will reach homebase on Feb 12. Source: Russian Navy

The BERGEN TRADER at the river Elbe – Photo : Jan van Vuuren ©

Currently Negotiating Valemax Ship Access To China

Brazilian miner Vale SA is negotiating access to China for its super-sized iron ore ships, called Valemax ships and in the meantime plans to use its current fleet to feed its distribution centers in Oman and Malaysia, a senior company executive said. Paulo Couto, Vale's head of global strategic procurement, told the Mining Indaba conference here: "We have [heard] what people have been reading in the press--the Chinese government being reluctant to accept the ships--it is something that is being negotiated." In the meantime, "we are currently using the ships for our Oman operation, where we have a pelletizing unit and a distribution center." Vale is also using the ships as part of its distribution center that it's building in Malaysia, he noted. The Valemaxes, also known as VLOC, are capable of transporting 400,000 metric tons of iron ore but have failed to gain port-entry into China. Some analysts have said that China may be reluctant to allow Vale to ship iron ore through such ships because it could give the world's large producer of the steelmaking ingredient more pricing power in the Chinese iron ore market. Source: Dow Jones

Shipping to double on Northern Sea Route More than 1,5 million tons of goods will be shipped along the Northern Sea Route in 2012, regional authorities in Murmansk say. While a total of 820,000 tons of goods was shipped along the Northern Sea Route in 2011, the



volumes are expected to almost double in 2012, regional minister of Property Relations Yuri Chuykov said at the Kirkenes Conference.

In his presentation at the conference, Minister Chuykov underlined the key importance of the Northern Sea Route. While the goods volumes on the route in 2010 was only 111,000 tons, the volumes will in 2012 increase to more than 1,5 million tons, Chuykov said. In 2011, the number of vessels using the route in 2011 amounted to 34.

Several regional industrial initiatives in Murmansk will benefit from the improved shipping conditions on the route. According to Chuykov, the project preparation of the railway line to the western shore of the Kola Bay as well as the planned oil and coal terminals in the area are about to be be completed. The first objects to be built on the western side of the bay are the new coal terminal, the oil terminal, as well as new residential areas, the regional minister said. Source : BarentsObserver

The STOLT SPA N outbound in Port Phillip Bay 10-2-2012

Photo : Andrew Mackinnon – www.aquamanships.com ©

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WITH THE MERMAID AROUND CURACAO

Newsclippings reader Cor Mons owns the above seen MERMAID, which sails between Curacao and Klein Curacao

with tourists, a trip of approx 1 ½ hour - Photo : John Smit ©

The MERMA ID is build as the NU-TRONICHIJ at the Weist shipbuilding in Louisville – Kentucky as a private yacht, which was recently completely stripped and two brand new Cummins 6CTA of 450 hp each were installed including a

new gearbox, both propellers are installed in nozzles, the aluminium built 85 ft ship is having a capacity of 150 passengers.

Photo : Kees Bustraan – http://community.webshots.com/user/cornelis224 (c)

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Cruise industry announces new passenger emergency drill policy

The global cruise industry has announced a new emergency drill policy requiring mandatory muster for embarking passengers prior to departure from port. The new policy follows the industry's announcement on January 27 of a Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review in response to the Costa Concordia incident, MarineLog reports. The Cruise Lines International Association, European Cruise Council, and the Passenger Shipping Association put forward the new policy with the support of their member cruise lines.

The new muster policy is effective immediately and exceeds existing legal requirements. It calls for the mandatory muster of all embarking passengers prior to the cruise ship's departure from port. On rare occasions when passengers arrive after the muster has been completed, passengers will be promptly provided with individual or group safety briefings that meet the requirements for musters applicable under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

The formal policy is designed to help ensure that any mandatory musters or briefings are conducted for the benefit of all newly embarked passengers at the earliest practical opportunity. Musters are mandatory exercises conducted on cruise ships to ensure passengers are informed of safety protocols while onboard the ship, including emergency evacuation procedures. Current legal requirements set by SOLAS mandate that a muster occur within 24 hours of passenger embarkation.

The Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review includes a comprehensive assessment of the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety. As best practices are identified, they will be shared among cruise industry association members and any appropriate recommendations will be shared with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), European Union and other governmental authorities as appropriate. The industry's efforts also are consistent with the framework and spirit of the International Safety Management Code. Recommendations resulting from the Review will be made on an ongoing basis. Source : PortNews

NAVY NEWS

F-35B test aircraft BF-2 flies by the tower at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., in short takeoff/vertical landing

(STOVL) mode during a test flight Jan. 31, 2012.

Missile Systems, Patrol Ships on Belgium’s ‘Urgent’ List



Belgium Defence Minister Pieter De Crem has put on his list of “urgent new programs” the purchase of AFAB-MR (anti-fortification and anti-armored vehicle) medium-range missile systems (up to 2,500 meters) to replace its Milan weapon system and two coastal patrol ships.

Other urgent priorities include buying 111 short-range (up to a few hundred meters) anti-fortification and anti-armored vehicle missile systems with night vision and 238 projectiles; a personal defense weapon to replace the 9mm GP pistol that dates to the 1950s; and replacing fire service vehicles for the Air Force.

In the medium term, De Crem wants to replace non-armored jeeps used by paratroopers with rapid-reaction vehicles. In a vision statement released in January, De Crem stresses that a number of projects need to be achievable in the short term. These are:

• Taking part in the Multinational Space-based Imaging System project with France and Spain.

• Buying and installing 70 overhead weapon systems for the Light Multipurpose Vehicle.

• Looking for international partners to be involved in the maintenance and operation of NH90 helicopters (likely to include the Netherlands. Belgium has a frigate, the Leopold, adapted to accept Dutch NH90s.)

• Buying armored infantry vehicles and 61 Multipurpose Protected Vehicles (the Dingo, the same vehicle used by Belgium’s main partner, Germany, in northern Afghanistan).

Long-term plans include replacing the F-16s, the country’s anti-mine capacity and M-Frigates. In an interview with Belgian newspaper Le Soir in late January, De Crem noted that countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway have a similar timetable for replacing their fighter planes.

“Do we still need [in Belgium] 60 machines? Shouldn’t we buy together, for example with the Dutch and the Danes? I am convinced — almost certain — that the purchase of the successor to the F-16 will be a pooled purchase,” he said.

In his vision statement, De Crem also said the Belgian-Dutch cooperation agreement is a “reference par excellence” for multinational cooperation and that the Ministry of Defence will move toward standardizing equipment. “In this context, it will prioritize multinational cooperation for the implementation, management, configuration and evolution of equipment, especially for the NH90 and A400M programmes,” he wrote. As for concrete pooling and sharing plans with other EU countries, Kurt Verwilligen, De Crem’s spokesman, said Belgium “is waiting for the results of European Defence Agency proposals in 11 areas.” The overall budget for defense spending is about 2.8 million euros ($3.7 million), 60 percent of which tends to be related to personnel costs. Verwilligen said he did not know the amount allocated specifically to defense investment. Source : DefenseNews

HMS LIVERPOOL (D 92) escorting Russian aircraft carrier ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV – Photo : MOD 2012



SHIPYARD NEWS

Above seen "IRENES LOGO"" container vessel belonging TSA KOS COLUMBIA SHIPMA NA GEMENT, Greece,

under damaged steel repairs works and the "TERTNES" (inside the drydock) Pipe Burying Vessel belonging V.Ships U.K. for one month general repairs at CERNAVAL Shipyard in Algeciras, Spain. – Photo : David North ©

Shipyard says defense cuts shouldn't alter hiring plans

Newport News Shipbuilding executives say defense spending cuts being considered in Washington are not likely to slow their plans to hire more than 2,500 workers this year. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. CEO Mike Petters announced last June that the company would need at least 10,000 new employees over the next four or five years to replace retirees and other departing workers. This week George Decker, the yard's director of talent acquisition, said nothing has happened to change that forecast, and they view the cuts as a "distinct advantage" because they will add departing military members to the hiring pool.

"We're going to try to take advantage of that, for skilled and entry-level positions," Decker said. According to Decker, the company will hire 500 to 600 salaried employees, including engineers and business management positions. An estimated 2,200 will be hired as welders, electricians, painters, pipefitters and more. These jobs start at a base pay of



about $15 up to $23.56 per hour. Decker said applicants without a skilled background should not be discouraged to apply. "We look for people who are trainable," he said.

The company is partnering with local community colleges to implement a three-week pre-employment program to train marine electricians. Decker expects classes to begin in mid-April. "This is great news for the area," said Vinod Agarwal, director of the Economic Forecasting Project and professor of economics at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. Agarwal said he thinks the economic impact could equal about 4,000 jobs locally this year. The shipyard's plan "leads to saving jobs as well as adding jobs," said Agarwal who explained the ripple effect new jobs have in other areas of the economy, such as retail and health care. "Any news about jobs creation is good news," he said. Decker said the new hires should have reasonable job security.

"We're pretty comfortable we're going to continue to have that work load," he said, citing current contracts for the Gerald R. Ford and John F. Kennedy, the planned construction of two Virginia-Class submarines per year, the refueling and overhauls of the USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Abraham Lincoln, and the deactivation of the USS Enterprise.

The yard laid off 400 white collar workers in November 2010, but Decker said he doesn't foresee that happening again anytime soon. "I've been here 30 years — we've been hiring steady since then. This is a very secure employment picture," he said. "We don't have jobs, we have careers." The company, which employs around 20,000 people in Newport News, has about 150 positions posted. Decker said new jobs are added daily and encouraged job-seekers visit the site often. But applicants should be aware the jobs site will be down about two weeks from mid-February to Feb. 29. when the company will be updating it. Source : Dailypress

The GO ACAMAR arrived at JSML shipyard in Singapore last friday for drydocking – Photo : Piet Sinke ©

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ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The SEA EMS (ex HOLLAND) approaching the IJmuiden locks enroute Amsterdam - Photo : Marcel Coster ©

DP World said to be seek loan to help repay half of $3 bln facility

DP World Ltd. (DPW), the world’s fourth- biggest port operator, has begun talks with banks for a loan to help repay half of a $3 billion credit facility that matures in October, a banker familiar with the talks said, Bloomberg reports. The Dubai World-controlled company is talking to HSBC Holdings Plc, Standard Chartered Plc and Citigroup Inc. for a new $1.5 billion loan, the banker said, declining to be identified because the information is private. It will pay the remaining $1.5 billion with its own cash, he said. DP World raised a revolving credit facility in October 2007 at a margin of 45 basis points over the London interbank offered rate, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

A spokeswoman for DP World could not be reached for a comment outside office hours. Officials for HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citigroup in Dubai declined to comment.

DP World, which operates more than 60 terminals across six continents, is expanding operations in China, India and the Middle East as it seeks to boost capacity to 100 million twenty- foot equivalent container units by 2020, according to its website. The company said in December it will invest $850 million in the next three years to expand capacity at its flagship Jebel Ali port in Dubai.

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Dubai and its related companies shoulder $129.3 billion of debt, amounting to 149 percent of GDP, of which $15.5 billion is due this year, according to Bank of America Corp. Merrill Lynch estimates. The emirate, home to the world’s tallest tower and palm-shaped islands, borrowed the money during a regional economic boom to turn itself into a financial, trade and tourist hub. DP World handled 54.7 mill ion TEUs at its ports last year compared with 49.6 million TEUs a year earlier, it said Jan. 31. It forecast full-year gross profit to be “in line with expectations” on the back of a 10 percent increase in container volumes last year.

Bakker Sliedrecht obtained order for INAI KENANGA - 32.000 m3 hopperdredger

Bakker Sliedrecht recently obtained the unique order for the delivery of the total electrical installation including the complete automation for a 32.000 m3 hopperdredger. The order is unique as it is for the first time in Bakker Sliedrecht's historythat an order of this size was obtained for a foreign yard and foreign dredging company.

The principal is Selat Melaka Shipbuilding from Malaysia, an emerging yard which already realized many project,

however stil l has a lot of ambitious plans for the future. The dredging company is Inai Kiara, founded in 1997 and nowadays for Malaysian concepts a large dredging company. Her fleet consists of a number of eight small and medium hopperdredger and 8 cutterdredgers and a number of 3 hopperdredgers, amongst which the INA I KENA NGA, are under construction. This order is a great challenge for Bakker Sliedrecht and at the same time a possibility to show their know-how and expertise. The challenge also exist in the fact that the yard has a very tight schedule and has already started the building of the hull. All engineering and production activities are also included, but more over taking care of the integration of all electrical

systems on board of the hopper. Our activities will end with the commissioning and ready for use delivery of the electrical installation and belonging control systems.



Newest & Most advanced terminal in Korea heralds start of operations for CMA CGM

with her VSA partners, Maersk Line, China Shipping, OOCL and CSAV.

BNCT is proud to announce the start of operations at 13:00 hrs on Friday, 10 Feb. for CMA CGM with the maiden call of the RUFEX service between China, Korea and Russia by M/V MEDBOTHNIA with her vessel sharing partners, Maersk Line, OOCL, China Shipping, CSAV as well as the Busan Port Authority in attendance. A net crane productivity of 28 moves per hour was achieved. Maersk Line’s Busan Operations Director, Mr. J.K. HAN, said “the 1st vessel calls at BNCT are very promising and I’m sure BNCT will do great in the future”. China Shipping’s Busan Head Mr. J.C. KIM said “as we are a vessel sharing partner of CMA CGM we are confident to come to BNCT in the future”. Won-Mou Lee head of CMA CGM Busan received a big confidence booster today saying “Based on today’s performance we are comfortable to continue adding services at BNCT”. Source : BNCT (Busan New Container Terminal)

MARITIME ARTIST CORNER

Watercolor made by Hans Breeman. Although the motorvessel GENKA seen here, is a modern ship sailing for

Spliethoff Amsterdam, her shape and colors are beautiful. Therefore it was my pleasure to create this painting. It was an assignment for a person leaving the company for retirement after working in the Spliethoff organisation.

www.hansbreeman.nl

http://www.hansbreeman.nl/�



…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

The PACIFIC HORIZON II passing Hoek van Holland enroute Rotterdam

Photo : Mark de Bruin ©

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