DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263

Number 263** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS ***Tuesday 19-12-2006 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.

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The MSC LIRICA seen moored in Bridgetown (Barbados) Photo : Robert L. Kurte ©

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Beautiful Aquarelle of the NEDLLOYD BARCELONA made by Hans Breeman.

Engineers Indicted Two oil tanker engineers have been indicted by a federal grand jury in San Francisco on charges of falsifying a ship's log to hide illegal discharges of polluting sludge and waste oil into the ocean. Artemios Maniatis, 55, and Dmitrios Georgakoudis, 29, both Greek citizens, were the chief engineer and first engineer of the "M/T Captain X Kyriakou", an oil tanker registered in the Marshall Islands, owned by a Liberian company and operated by a Greek company. The two engineers were indicted Tuesday (11 Dec) on one count of violating the U.S. Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships by falsifying a ship's log known as an Oil Record Book between Oct. 27 and Nov. 2. The indictment alleges they failed to disclose in the log that the tanker routinely discharged sludge and bilge water contaminated with fuel oil and engine lubrication oil. PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan said a U.S. Coast Guard inspection of the ship last month revealed that a pipe known in the shipping trade as a "magic pipe" was used to bypass pollution control equipment and allow the ship's sludge and oily bilge water to be sent directly overboard. The U.S. pollution law makes it a crime to violate an international marine pollution prevention treaty known as MARPOL. The treaty bars ships from discharging oily water in greater concentrations than 15 parts per million and requires ship operators to use pollution prevention equipment and keep accurate Oil Record Books. Ryan said the investigation began when a tanker crew member called the Coast Guard National Response Center on Nov. 1 and said he was routinely ordered to discharge oil overboard. The maximum penalty for the charge upon conviction is 10 years in prison, but the actual penalty, if the defendants are convicted, would be determined after consultation of federal sentencing guidelines. Ryan said prosecutors are continuing to investigate the tanker's owner, Free Seas Shipping Ltd., based in Monrovia, Liberia, and its operator, Athenian Sea Carriers Ltd. of Athens, Greece.

Man lost overboard from oil supply ship POLICE officers yesterday flew out to a ship in the middle of the North Sea where a crewman fell overboard. A massive air and sea search was launched after Christopher McGonigle, 35, vanished from the DSND Pelican, wearing just jeans and a T-shirt.

The DSND PELICAN seen moored in Aberdeen Photo : Piet Sinke © The ten boats and two helicopters involved failed to find any trace of him, as did hi-tech underwater vehicles. Grampian Police have now launched a missing person's inquiry and were flown out to the boat, located 143 miles east of Aberdeen, with officials from the Health and Safety Executive. A spokeswoman for oil contractors Subsea 7, which own the Pelican, said: "The police were talking to staff and touring the vessel. They were trying to get out all the information they need for their inquiry. That is the normal procedure in these kinds of circumstances." Mr McGonigle, a remote operated vehicle operator from Northern Ireland, had been on the Pelican for several weeks and was supposed to spend Christmas on the boat. It had been sitting in the Blane Field for just a few days when he vanished. He was last seen at about 3am on Saturday morning and concerned colleagues started looking for him. PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 Despite searches of the ship he could not be found so the Coastguard was informed and a search got underway at 4:30am. It is thought Mr McGonigle was swept into the North Sea, where the temperature was believd to be around 10C, by a two-metre swell.

'Man overboard' in North Sea scare found on ship A MAN thought to have been swept overboard from a vessel in the North Sea was found safe and well inside the ship, police said today. Christopher McGonigle, 35, from Northern Ireland, was feared dead after going missing from the dive support vessel Pelican early on Saturday while it was around 140 miles east of Aberdeen. However, he was later discovered injured behind a bulkhead in a storeroom on the ship. Aberdeen Coastguard watch manager George Downie said: "We are amazed and delighted that this man has been found. "A very thorough search of the vessel was made several times over by the crew and there was no sign of him. The doctor on board the vessel examined him and found that he was suffering from a broken leg." Mr McGonigle was flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was being treated for his injuries. A major Coastguard search was mounted after Mr McGonigle was reported missing. This morning, Robin Davies, vice president of Subsea 7 North Sea, which operates the vessel, said: "We are delighted Christopher has been found alive and is now being attended to by the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary medical staff. "We will now try and establish the reasons behind his disappearance and, of course, assist police in any inquiries."

The Polish tug AJAKS seen departing from IJmuiden – Photo : Joop Marechal ©

Paper Shredded PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 Five days after the March 22 sinking of the Queen of the North, B.C. Ferries ordered records specific to the vessel's operation destroyed. The company has refused to answer questions about its actions, raising concerns about the timing of the destruction and whether information was irretrievably lost. Two months ago, the company also ordered crewing and humanresources manuals that applied to the entire fleet destroyed and deleted from its computer system. E-mails obtained by a local paper, The Province say the company intended to archive its master copy of the sunken ferry's "vessel-specific" manual, which outlined details of the vessel's performance capabilities and how the vessel should be operated. In the case of the fleetwide manuals, both were completely deleted from the electronic records and, as of this week, remained deleted. B.C. Ferries did not respond to questions about why it destroyed copies of the North's vesselspecific manual, whether a master copy was archived and if so, what it contained, or if the copies it ordered destroyed contained identical material. It would not say why the field copies were ordered destroyed rather than sent back to head office. It also refused to say why it deleted the two fleetwide manuals and what will replace them, or when. RCMP Cpl. Pierre Lemaitre said police would not comment because an investigation of the sinking by the major-crimes division is under way. Transportation Safety Board spokesman John Cottreau said its investigators obtained all information and records they sought. Without referring specifically to B.C. Ferries' actions, legal experts told The Province that in general, destruction of records after an accident could represent anything from sound litigation practice in which material is centralized and controlled for a legal defence to an attempt to expunge unhelpful documents. All said that material is normally collected and examined rather than destroyed in the field. Tony Sheppard, a University of B.C. law professor and author of a legal text on evidence, said, without reference to B.C. Ferries, that "in a general way, destruction of evidence after an event, or any sort of mishap, could lead to an adverse inference being drawn." Faced with acts of destruction known legally as "spoliation," courts may make an inference that the documents ran contrary to, or failed to support, the party's case, Sheppard said. "That inference may be drawn. It doesn't have to be, but it may." Some employees were apparently unwilling to carry out the March destruction order; The Province has obtained a copy of the North's vessel-specific manual that survived. Paper copies of the broader crewing and human-resources manuals printed before they were deleted from the system in October were also obtained. The books that were ordered destroyed on March 27 -- at least three copies of the vessel-specific manual -- contained performance details about the ill-fated ferry and instructions for operations particular to it. Each ferry in the fleet has a similar manual. Among e-mails obtained by The Province is a March 27 note from Bohdan Jarisz, supervisor of the documentation department, written to three employees and copied to two others. It reads: "Dear Manual Holders: As per Chris Clack's direction, please remove and destroy the 'Queen of the North' vessel-specific manual immediately." Clack was manager of operational and safety audits at the time. The e-mail was sent on the same day that Darin Bowland, the director of safety, quit. After he left B.C. Ferries, Bowland, who had been assigned to investigate the sinking, said the company had interfered with his efforts. Company president David Hahn later denied the charge. PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 5 12/18/2006


The March 27 e-mail goes on to detail where the copies of the manual were located. It also says that Jarisz's department will "retain and archive the master copy." The note was addressed to John Constable, then the engineering superintendent responsible for northern ferries, to Edward Dahlgren, then superintendent for the North Coast, and to Annalise Sekyer, Bowland's administrative assistant. Copies of the e-mail were sent to Clack and to Jazz Foulandianpour, co-ordinator of documentation and control. The manual for the Queen of the North -- which sank about an hour after it hit Gil Island -- contained organizational charts for shipboard emergencies, sections on emergency training and drills, emergency procedures for groundings, collisions and abandoning ship and a list of areas to be used in emergency beachings. Ironically, one was Fisherman Cove on the northwest tip of Gil Island. The manual included extensive details on shipboard operations for both deck and engineering crews. Tucked into at least one copy of the North's manual was a full set of "variances" issued by Transport Canada over several decades, excusing the Queen of the North from meeting a variety of regulations that would otherwise apply to it. The material -- not normally part of a vessel-specific manual -- included a list of the regulations that had been waived, the reasons they had been waived and the conditions that the ferry had to meet instead. Once created, such manuals are periodically updated as new procedures are developed or equipment changes. A company memo dated Oct. 2, 2006, and titled Recall of Crewing Manual Revision 08, contains instructions on how to navigate the appropriate internal company website and then reads: "Remove and Destroy Crewing Manual." The crewing manual ordered destroyed, then in its eighth revision, contained job descriptions, protocols for crewing levels and scheduling of crew and for qualification, certification, familiarization and clearance of crew. The human-resources manual included recruitment and training protocols. Several of the issues from the two missing manuals are referred to in a manual on overall fleet regulations, but only in general terms. The fleet-regulations manual itself notes that much of the detailed material is to be found in the manuals that were deleted. All of the manuals ordered destroyed are part of B.C. Ferries' "safety-management system." Such systems are required under the International Safety Management Code on safety and anti-pollution standards. The code, established in the 1990s after several high-profile passenger-ferry tragedies, requires that a company set up a safety-management system that establishes operations and procedures to ensure safe, clean operation of vessels. The system, formalized through a set of written manuals documenting the procedures and then brought to life through crew and management training, requires internal and external audits to ensure compliance. Although Transport Canada decided not to require domestic ferries to comply with the code, B.C. Ferries brought itself into voluntary compliance in 1996. Lloyd's Register, an international maritime agency, was hired by the company to certify that B.C. Ferries had fully complied with, and remains compliant with, ISM code. Province calls to Lloyd's North Vancouver office, which carries out the inspections, were referred to Lloyd's office in Houston, Tex., which did not return calls or e-mails. Ninety-nine people escaped when the Queen of the North sank south of Prince Rupert; two missing passengers are presumed dead. Several lawsuits have been filed by passengers and family of the missing pair. The Transportation Safety Board has investigated and is preparing a report for release next year. The only official hint of what might have gone wrong that night is in a May 11 letter from the safety board to the company.


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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 It says that bridge crew were unfamiliar with newly installed steering equipment and turned off the chart monitor at night to reduce glare. Mike Long, spokesman for Transport Minister Kevin Falcon, said yesterday the government played "no role in operations" and would not comment. NDP ferries critic Gary Coons said, "It appears, from the outside, that the privatized [ferry] corporation has a [safetymanagement system] that is in shambles and no one is monitoring or overseeing safety and maintenance" and a "voluntary approach that lets it follow some rules and not others." Coons called for greater oversight from Falcon's ministry and from the ferry company's board of directors, "who should be reassuring the public about the recent concerns over safety and maintenance." Jackie Miller, president of the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers Union, said the union would "have no comment at this time."

The Heesen yacht LET IT BE seen moored in Hellevoetsluis Photo : Jan Labree ©

Zaanse spoorbrug slaat weer toe Een spoorbrug over de Zaan bij Zaandam is zondagochtend omstreeks half acht beschadigd toen hij bij het dichtdraaien een Duits binnenvaartschip raakte. De draaibrug raakte de stuurhut van het schip tijdens het sluiten. Hoe dat kon, is nog niet bekend, aldus een woordvoerder van het Korps landelijke politiediensten. Niemand raakte gewond bij de botsing. De stuurhut is licht beschadigd. Het 80 meter lange, met tarwe geladen schip is nabij de brug afgemeerd voor onderzoek. De oeververbinding was zodanig kapot dat zij niet meer dicht kon. ProRail gaf de brug rond de middag weer vrij voor het treinverkeer tussen Zaandam en Zaandam Kogerveld. In Weekblad Schuttevaer van 2 december sprak de afdeling Zaanstreek van Koninklijke Schuttevaer haar grote zorgen uit over de navigatie op de Zaan. Toen hadden er in korte tijd al drie aanvaringen plaats gehad met de op afstand bediende spoorbrug. Daar is nu dus een vierde bij gekomen. Van de bediening op afstand van de stadsbruggen bij de Wilhelminasluis (vanaf 2 januari) zou de onveiligheid nu al vast staan. ‘De automatisering is een prestigekwestie geworden, maar is een regelrechte ramp', volgens Schuttevaer's afdelingsbestuurder Leo Dekker. De centrale bediening voldoet volgens Gedeputeerde Staten van Noord-Holland volledig aan de gestelde eisen. Het collega antwoordt op vragen van het SP-Statenlid Putters: PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 'Het proces van bediening op afstand verschilt ten principale niet van bediening ter plaatse, zij het dat het direct visuele zicht is vervangen door zicht met behulp van camera’s en eventueel radar. Het bedienen op afstand voldoet aan de Richtlijnen Vaarwegen 2005 als voor wat betreft het zicht is voldaan aan een aantal voorwaarden: er moet zicht zijn op de brugopening zelf, de naderingsgebieden voor de scheepvaart aan beide zijden en op het brugdek tot en met de afsluitbomen. In het concept voor de centrale bediening van de Zaan wordt aan deze voorwaarden voldaan. De spoorbrug maakt onderdeel uit van het voorstel voor de centrale bediening op afstand in het UNAprogramma “Water als economische Drager”. ' Het voorlaatste incident met de spoorbrug trof schipper Piet Heuvelman van het beunschip Risico uit Ouderkerk aan de IJssel. Hij passeerde de brug in de avond van 13 november als derde in een konvooi richting Wilhelminasluis toen de brug voor zijn kop werd dichtgedraaid. Hij zegt zeker 60.000 euro schade te hebben opgelopen. De gemeente Zaanstad, verantwoordelijk voor de bediening op afstand van de spoorbrug, wilde hangende de juridische afwikkeling niet reageren in Weekblad Schuttevaer. De brugwachters hebben volgens de krant een spreekverbod gekregen. Maar volgens onbevestigde berichten heeft de brugwachter zich onder druk laten zetten door de spoorwegen. De beheerder van het spoor Zaanstad-Hoorn, ProRail, moet toestemming geven voor opening van de brug. Die mag maar enkele minuten open staan in verband met het drukke treinverkeer op dit traject. De brugwachter, die op de Alexanderbrug zetelt, zou zijn gebeld dat de brug onmiddellijk dicht moest, omdat twee treinen onderweg waren. ‘Hij is in paniek geraakt en heeft het gedaan.’ De klap die volgde was zo groot dat een 300 kilo zwaar onderdeel van de brug in het gangboord van de Risico terechtkwam. Bestuurslid Leo Dekker van Schuttevaer Zaanstreek voorziet nog meer problemen met de bruggen over de Zaan. ‘De stadsbruggen aan weerszijde van de Wilhelminasluis worden straks bediend vanuit het Havengebouw, maar dat gaat helemaal niet werken. De bediening is nu nog in handen van de sluiswachters, wat logisch is want zij zitten er met hun neus bovenop. Straks moeten ze bellen naar de centrale bediening dat ze een brugopening nodig hebben. Zelf kunnen ze alleen nog de sluisdeuren bedienen.’ Dat de bediening van bruggen en sluis wordt gescheiden heeft te maken met het eigendom. De sluis is van het hoogheemraadschap, de bruggen zijn van de gemeente. Zaanstad betaalt een vergoeding aan het hoogheemraadschap voor bediening van de bruggen, maar ziet in bediening op afstand een bezuinigingsmogelijkheid. Sluiswachter Cees van Vliet zegt in Weekblad Schuttevaer dat nu al duidelijk is dat van een bezuiniging geen sprake zal zijn. ‘Er zijn tonnen in geïnvesteerd, terwijl mijn werkgever, het hoogheemraadschap, uit veiligheidsoverwegingen zelfs heeft aangeboden de brugbediening gratis te doen. Wij zitten hier toch. Maar de havenmeester is bang voor gezichtsverlies en wil de operatie koste wat kost doorzetten.’ Volgens Van Vliet is uit een proef van drie weken duidelijk geworden dat het nieuwe systeem gevaar oplevert voor het verkeer. ‘Het zijn hele drukke bruggen met veel voetgangers, bussen en auto’s. Wij hebben daar zicht op en kunnen de slagbomen nog even openhouden als we zien dat er anders ongelukken gebeuren, omdat iemand gewoon doorloopt of een auto met razende vaart nadert. Maar met camera’s kijk je niet verder dan dertig meter. We hebben ons tijdens de proef letterlijk moeten verstoppen in ons hok voor woedende omstanders, omdat iemand in een invalidekarretje dreigde te verongelukken. De mensen houden ons verantwoordelijk, maar we kunnen straks niet eens de brugseinen voor de scheepvaart bedienen.’ Dekker wijst er daarbij op dat de brugbediening wordt overgelaten aan mensen die onvoldoende kennis hebben van binnenvaart. ‘Onder de brugwachters zijn ook uitstekende vaklieden, maar ze beseffen lang niet allemaal wat het is om bij harde wind met een leeg schip over de Zaan te varen.’ Tot overmaat van ramp, stelt Dekker, gaat ook veel mis bij de bouw van de nieuwe Bernhardbrug. ‘De brug heeft een remmingwerk gekregen dat geschikt is voor Madurodam, maar totaal niet voor de huidige vaart. Wij hebben daarvoor gewaarschuwd, maar dat heeft niet geholpen. En nu de fietsbruggen aan de brug zijn gehangen, blijkt dat de aanbruggen over het vaarwater steken. De doorvaartbreedte is nu verkleind van de beloofde achttien naar vijftien meter. Hier gebeuren dingen, die echt ongelooflijk zijn.’ Zowel Dekker als Van Vliet zeggen de politiek onbenaderbaar te vinden. Dekker heeft zelfs alle vertrouwen in de gemeentelijke bestuurders verloren. Donderdag 26 oktober voer een 55-jarige schipper met zijn tjalk tegen de spoorbrug. Er vielen geen gewonden. Het treinverkeer was van 18:00 tot 20:00 uur stilgelegd. Het Korps landelijke politiediensten stelde een onderzoek in. Het PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 8 12/18/2006

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 treinverkeer is tot 20.00 uur stilgelegd in verband met reparatiewerkzaamheden aan de spoorbrug. Er vielen geen gewonden. De tjalk voer op de Achterzaan vanuit de richting van de Alexanderbrug in de richting van de Bernardbrug. De schipper is vermoedelijk door rood gevaren nadat twee schepen uit de andere richting nog wel mochten passeren, aldus het politiebericht. De schipper was in de veronderstelling dat hij het groene doorvaartlicht had gezien en aan de beurt was om door te varen. De brugwachter op de Alexanderbrug had het licht op rood gezet en het sluiten van de brug ingezet om een trein te kunnen laten passeren. Op het moment dat het schip achter de passerende schepen vandaan kwam en op de monitor zichtbaar werd was het voor de brugwachter te laat om in te grijpen. De tjalk raakte de beschermingsplaat van de brug eerst met de beide bakboord voorbolders en vervolgens met de bakboordszijde van de roef. De voorste bolder raakte ingedrukt en beide bolders en de roef liepen verfschade op. Het raampje van het toilet sneuvelde door de klap. De schipper heeft na de aanvaring het schip afgemeerd in de Wilhelminasluis waar hij zich bij de Waterpolitie meldde. Hij plaatste een oproep voor getuigen op internet.

Unique picture of the 2nd and 3rd largest crane vessels in the world working in a simultaneous operation, on the left the HERMOD and on the right the SAIPEM 7000 both working December 15th on the PEMEX KU-S Complex, the Living Quarter were installed by the Hermod and the Production Module by Saipem 7000 Photo : crew President Hubert ©

CASUALTY REPORTING

Fire consumes cargo ship A wooden dhow vessel, MV Basra II, which plies the Indian Ocean waters, was reduced to a shell by a fire said to have started from the kitchen. The cargo ship was on Sunday, burnt down at Mombasa’s Old Port at 5.30am as it prepared to sail to Kismayo Port in Somali. The 160-tonne vessel’s owner, Mr Hassan Hash, told The Standard that the ship’s goods compartment was laden with mattresses, tea and coffee destined for Somali. PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 He, however, could not immediately establish the exact damage caused but estimated it at millions of shillings. Nine crew members aboard the ship jumped into the water and swam to safety. More destruction was, however, averted when a fisherman spotted fire from the burnt ship and pulled the vessel from two other larger ones, MV Ronja- Zanzibar and MV Clanita, that had docked by its side. An eyewitness, Mr Akhbar Khana, who is also chairman of Old Town Fishermen Society, said it was discouraging that despite the Old Port handling substantial import and export goods, contingency plans for fire fighting were lacking. Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) deployed one of its multipurpose tugboats, MV Kiboko, which is fitted with fire fighting equipment after it became apparent that fire tenders from the authority that had been driven from the main port area could not access the burning vessel. The tugboat used its heavy jets to put out the fire at 7am, but it was too late. Another tugboat for pollution control, MV Fagio, was also moved to the scene to help clean up the area, which is also a popular fishing and swimming spot for locals. The burnt vessel sunk moments after fire was extinguished. KPA chief harbour master and operations manager, Mr Twalib Khamis, said they were moving fast to forestall any possible oil spills from the vessel. KPA Managing Director, Mr Abdalah Mwaruwa, visited the Old Port area for a briefing after the incident.

Migrant boat capsized twice; at least 80 die

A fishing boat crowded with more than 100 African migrants capsized at least twice while sailing to Spain's Canary Islands, spilling passengers and leaving scores dead as survivors drifted for about 10 days without food or water, officials said Monday.

The boat sank off Senegal's coast Saturday and a Red Cross official said at least 80 migrants died. Fishermen rescued about two dozen people in the water near St. Louis, and about 12 were hospitalized Monday at the health clinic in this northern Senegal town. Deep poverty drives thousands to make the treacherous sea journey to Spanish lands where they believe jobs await. Fishing boats with a single outboard motor carry 40 or 50 people -- and sometimes more -- on trips that can take weeks. "If he took all these risks, it's because he saw the situation his family was in," said Awa Sow, whose son Souleymane was hospitalized. "I have prayed and prayed for him. Maybe my prayers helped him come back." Ass Seck, of the Spanish Red Cross, said the death toll was preliminary and could be revised upward as interviews with survivors in St. Louis continued. It was unclear if any bodies had been recovered. The boat left December 4 near the southern Senegalese town of Djiffer, about 180 miles from St. Louis, said Lt. Mohamadou Moustapha Sylla, spokesman for a European-Senegalese task force working to stop the tide of illegal migrants heading to Spain's Canary Islands in an attempt to gain a toehold in Europe. Health officials said the boat capsized at least twice, spilling passengers into the water, and then drifted for about 10 days. Survivors had no food or water, said Demba Dieng, a health worker at the hospital. All the migrants rescued were dehydrated and undernourished after days at sea, Senegalese officials said. Thousands of illegal migrants have reached the Canary Islands this year -- many leaving from coastal African countries such as Senegal and Mauritania. Hundreds have died this year in their attempts to navigate rough seas in their open, outboard-powered craft.

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ANGLO DUTCH SHIPBROKERS bvba Waterstraat 16 2970 SCHILDE BELGIUM Tel : + 32 3 464 26 09 Fax :+ 32 3 297 20 70 e-mail : [email protected]

Further to the article a few days ago about the trimaran Triton, which is operated by Gardline of Great Yarmouth, UK, news clippings reader Colin Butler reported to have spent five weeks onboard the ship at Southampton, in charge of installing extra cabins for the Australian Customs Service personnel who will perform the fishery protection duties The outfit work at Southampton has been contracted to MSC-Europe, who have done an excellent job to cruise ship standards, as the company often works for clients such as Cunard and P&O Princess.

The ship proceeded to dry dock at A&P Falmouth on 4th December. She was employed successfully last summer for hydrographic surveys in the North Sea. Above seen a photograph taken last week at Falmouth, where the sonar equipment has been removed before Triton sails for Australia to commence her new charter based at Darwin. Photo : Colin Butler - Ship Surveyor - Lowestoft, UK ©


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Korean Shipbuilders Sweep Global Top Five Rankings Korean shipbuilders hold the world's top five spots in order backlog. London-based shipbroker Clarkson said the world's biggest shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries retained the top spot last month, with an order backlog of 13.47 million compensated gross tons. Samsung Heavy Industries ranked second with 9.23 million CGTs, followed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering with 7.6 million CGTs. Order backlog refers to received orders that have begun processing. Two Chinese shipbuilders and one Japanese were also ranked among the global top 10. The Korea Shipbuilders Association said, however, that Korea's focus on high value-added ships like LNG carriers will make it tough for its Asian competitors to catch up.


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The Polish tug ARGUS arrived with the hull of the Oceanco Alblasserdam 703 from Gdansk in Rotterdam Photo’s : Nico Ouwehand ©

Louisiana yard to build kit cats for Mexican operator Incat Crowther, Newport, New South Wales, Australia. is to provide a full design and aluminum plate and extrusion kit for three 27 m catamaran ferries. They will be built for Mexican operator Ultramar by Midship Marine, Harvey, La., utilizing an Incat Crowther kitboat package. Along with the full design of the vessel Incat Crowther will provide all the aluminum, with pre-cut plate and extrusion delivered to the shipyard. The first vessel will be Incat Crowther's sixth complete kitboat package. Ultramar operates a fleet of vessels from two docks along the Cancun hotel strip. One of these docks is for its Aqua World park which offers a range of water sports activities in a sheltered lagoon. The other provides direct access to the offshore island of Isla Mujeres, where the new vessels will operate. The vessels will be high speed catamaran ferries capable of carrying 249 passengers at a service speed of 27 knots fully loaded. The main cabin contains seating for 125 passengers with further seating for 124 passengers on the vessels open upper deck. The main cabin has been arranged with a small kiosk at the forward end and a toilet block aft. Full height PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 windows will allow excellent viewing of the beautiful Caribbean waters. The aft deck has been arranged to take a series of luggage carts for overnight travelers to the island. Powered by twin Caterpillar 3412E main engines each producing 1,200 hp the vessel will have a service speed of 28 knots at full load. Length overall: 27.80 m Length waterline: 23.40 m Beam: 7.75 m Draft hull: 1.20 m Fuel capacity: 530 US Gallons Fresh water capacity: 130 US Gallons Service speed: 28 knots Deadweight: 23.98 tonnes Installed power: 2 x 1,200 BHP Main engines: 2 x Caterpillar 3412E Propulsion system: Propellers Passenger capacity: 249 Survey: USCG Sub Chapter K Construction material: Marine Grade Aluminum

Dry Docks to open in China China's Xixiakou Shipyard is to open two new drydocks in Rongcheng, in Shandong province. The facilities, measuring 240m in length, 38m in width and with a depth of 10.58m, and 205m x 38m x 10.58m, will be open for business at the end of the month. They will take both shipbuilding and repair work on vessels up to Panamax, a spokesman told Fairplay, adding that Shandong was selected as the site rather than Shanghai because costs are much cheaper. This was confirmed by a senior Chinese official in Singapore, who said the savings made would be passed on to customers.

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Abandoned Seafarers Return Home Eleven (11) Filipino seafarers who were rescued by the Philippine Embassy in Rome arrived on home on Thursday (14 Dec) after being stranded in Duress Port, Albania. Present to welcome the arriving seamen at the airport were Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier, OWWA and DFA representatives. The Filipino crewmen, were stranded in Albania for five (5) months without salaries, food and basic items and supplies. Their ship, the "MV SEAPARK" was due for major repairs when they arrived in Albania in July 2006. However, the expected repairs did not materialize after the owner apparently suffered financial difficulties. Philippine envoy to Italy Ambassador Lhuillier, upon learning the case of the Filipino seafarers, immediately dispatched Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Officer Antonio Villar and Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) Officer Marco Antonio Liwag to Albania to provide the seamen's basic needs, assess the situation and bring them home. After the marathon negotiations with the Albanian Harbor Master, the Director of the Shipyard and the Immigration Police, case officers were able to effect the release and safe passage of the distressed seamen.

Trans Viking places order for anchor handlers Trans Viking, a joint venture company between Rederi AB Transatlantic and Viking Supply Ships AS, has signed a new building contract with Astilleros Zamakona near Bilbao, Spain. The contract is for two large and modern anchor handlers (AHTS) with option for two additional units. The first vessel will be delivered during the third quarter of 2009, and the second vessel will be delivered eight months thereafter. The vessel is the first of the VS 4622 clean design developed by Vik & Sandvik in close collaboration with Trans Viking. The VS 4622 clean design meets the future demands for safe and efficient anchor handling and supply duties world wide and addresses environmental requirements. The vessels will be fitted with a strong winch package and modern deck equipment for safe deck operations, including deep water and fibre rope handling. Ice 1A, deice and clean design will make the vessel capable of working in harsh and cold environments with ice conditions. The new vessels, which are designed for comfort class, and high quality living quarters, will provide for safe operations in an attractive working environment. The vessel will be prepared for installation of an A-frame or a construction crane for light construction work. Accommodation for 45 people as well as the wide deck area will make the vessel a suitable platform for ROV and project-related work requiring accommodation for a large number of customer personnel and also storage space for special equipment that may be required on board. “The new building contract emphasizes our company’s mission to be a first class supplier of offshore support services”, said Stefan Eliasson managing director of Trans Viking and Head of Transatlantic division Offshore/Icebreaking. "The offshore industry is developing rapidly and we are sure that our new vessels will be up to our customers expectations with regard to capacities and qualities required in the future”. “These contracts are part of Trans Viking's growth strategy. The company's competitive advantage is its unique competence in the offshore and ice management business and we want to strengthen the position of the company in the growing market for operations in arctic and harsh environments”, said Rolf Skaarberg, Managing Director of Viking Supply Ships AS and Investment Manager in Kistefos AS. PSi-Daily Shipping News

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Mogelijk derde LNG-terminal Rotterdam De haven van Rotterdam krijgt mogelijk een derde terminal voor de aanvoer van LNG. Dat heeft commercieel-directeur Ger van Tongeren van het Havenbedrijf Rotterdam (HbR) donderdag gezegd bij een toelichting op het besluit om te investeren in een eerste LNG-project. De raad van commissarissen van het Havenbedrijf ging woensdag akkoord met een investering van veertig miljoen euro voor de ontwikkeling van de LNG-terminal van 4Gas, het voormalige Petroplus. 4Gas steelt zelf 400 tot 500 miljoen euro in zijn LionGas-terminal. Begin volgend jaar hoopt het HbR zijn fiat te kunnen geven aan een investering van dezelfde orde van grootte in de Gate Terminal, de LNG-installatie van Vopak en Gasunie. Beide terminal liggen tegenover elkaar op de Kop van de Beer (4Gas) en de Maasvlakte (Gate). De beoogde lokatie voor de derde terminal is in de Vierde Petroleumhaven. Volgens Van Tongeren hebben diverse partijen al interesse getoond in de mogelijkheid van een derde LNG-terminal in Rotterdam.

Aanleg containerterminal wankelt door Rinus Antonisse De aanleg van de Westerschelde Container Terminal hangt aan een zijden draad. Er liggen enkele bestuurlijke problemen, die zeer moeilijk op te lossen zijn. De samenwerking tussen havenschap Zeeland Seaports en het Havenbedrijf Rotterdam is de ingewikkeldste knoop, die eerst ontward moet worden, voordat Provinciale Staten kunnen besluiten door te gaan met de WCT of het project af te blazen. Gedeputeerde H. van Waveren (CDA, ruimtelijke ordening) acht het aannemelijk dat zo'n beslissing pas na de Statenverkiezingen van 7 maart volgend jaar genomen kan worden. Hij gaat nog niet zover te stellen dat het WCTproject in de loop der tijd door de ontwikkelingen in de containersector en het Zeeuwse havengebied is ingehaald. „Dat vind ik nog te vroeg, maar er is wel een aantal ontwikkelingen langszij gekomen.“ Van Waveren wijst erop dat het vernieuwde milieu-effectonderzoek en de maatschappelijke kosten-batenanalyse op orde zijn. Hij verwacht nog voor kerst de zienswijze van het Centraal Planbureau over het maatschappelijk en economisch voordeel dat de WCT voor Zeeland oplevert. Volgens hem levert de WCT minder op dan is voorgespiegeld in de maatschappelijke kosten-batenanalyse. De verschillen zitten vooral in de omvang van de nieuwe werkgelegenheid en het rendement die van de WCT te verwachten zijn. Het zijn echter vooral bestuurlijke zaken die voor een 'zeer gecompliceerde situatie' zorgen, zegt Van Waveren. Hij noemt het geschil over de wijze waarop met het Havenbedrijf Rotterdam samengewerkt moet worden. Rotterdam wil dat die geldt voor álle activiteiten in het Sloegebied, Zeeland Seaports wil die beperken tot de WCT. De gedeputeerde deelt die laatste visie niet. ,,Het mag zo zijn dat we tot nu toe weinig profijt hebben getrokken van de samenwerking. Maar voor mij is volstrekt duidelijk dat als Rotterdan niet meedoet, we daar heel veel last van hebben bij de WCT. Het belang van Rotterdam voor de nationale economie is vele malen groter dan dat van de Zeeuwse havens. Dat werkt door in Den Haag. Als dit niet wordt opgelost, is het een grote risicofactor voor de WCT. Dat besef is onvoldoende aanwezig in Zeeland.“ Van Waveren stipt de toekomstverwachting aan die Rotterdam heeft neergelegd voor de containerontwikkeling in het Sloegebied. Die komt, zónder WCT, neer op groei naar 10 miljoen containers per jaar. „Het is helder dat hiervoor geen milieuruimte is.“ PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 Hij geeft aan dat in de kosten-batenanalyse uitgegaan wordt van 2,5 tot 4 miljoen containers, mét een WCT. Dat past in het milieu-effectonderzoek, stelt de gedeputeerde. „Als het meer wordt niet.“ De gedeputeerde signaleert dat tussen Zeeland Seaports en Havenbedrijf Rotterdam ook verschil van opvatting bestaat over de vraag of de WCT beslist nodig is om de containeroverslag in het Sloegebied flinke vaart te geven. Rotterdam ziet zonder WCT goede kansen, het havenschap meent juist dat de bestaande (en uit te breiden) containeractiviteiten en de WCT elkaar aanvullen. Van Waveren vraagt zich af of dat wel zo is. Hij kan zich voorstellen dat beide containerstromen elkaar beconcurreren. De gedeputeerde stelt zichzelf de hamvraag: hoe krijg je de containerisatie in Zeeland op gang. Is daarvoor de WCT noodzakelijk? Daarover moeten de Staten zich eens goed buigen. „Een project als de WCT is alleen haalbaar als het breed gedragen wordt, niet alleen in de Zeeuwse samenleving, ook door Rotterdam. Omgekeerd heb je ook voor het afblazen van de WCT wel een gezamenlijk inzicht nodig dat we zonder kunnen.“

The MASCALZONE OCEANICO seen moored in Sardinia Photo : Marco Lugthart ©

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www.vanbeest.nl

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HERZ BUYS GL PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 HAMBURG-based businessman Günter Herz has bought over 90% of Germanischer Lloyd shares, acting as a white knight and foiling plans of Bureau Veritas to take it over. At a press conference on Friday GL executive board member Rainer Schöndube said the "Hamburg solution” would allow GL to continue its successful business model. He added: "This is definitely the best course of action for our maritime and industrial customers, because they will still be able to rely on our high standard of safety and quality in the years to come expressed his thanks for the significant support the company had received from both government and business. With the transfer of the shares, the independence of Germanischer Lloyd has been assured.” Executive board Member Hermann Klein said that Mr Herz’s rapid response would yield benefits for the customers, employees and shareholders alike. "Now we will be able to concentrate on our real work again: enhancing the safety, quality and profitability of shipping," he said.

Cruise lines continue to float new ships Though shipbuilding is no longer conducted at the feverish pitch of several years ago, new vessels continue to slip into the water at shipyards abroad. Perhaps the biggest news comes from Seabourn Cruise Line, which has not introduced a new ship in 10 years. The line now plans to launch a pair of sleek 450-passenger vessels in 2009 and 2010. The yacht-like ships will be built in Genoa, Italy, at the maritime yards of T. Mariotti S.p.A. Holland America Line will welcome the 2,044-passenger Eurodam to its fleet in summer of 2008 from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. Norwegian Cruise Lines has recruited Aker Yards of St. Nazaire, France, for two new third-generation "Freestyle Cruising" liners, customized for the line's signature fleet of floating food courts; in the wings: NCL also will order a third ship, bringing the line's total outlay for new vessels to $2.8 billion. And Princess Cruises has under construction at Fincantieri the 113,000-ton Emerald Princess, sister ship to Crown Princess. It is slated for launch in June 2007. Blueprints for these maiden vessels offer a glimpse of what's new to cruising's seascape. Take Seabourn, long considered a leader in luxury travel, which will more than double its 634-passenger capacity on its trio of existing ships by adding the two new 32,000-grossregistered-ton vessels. Left : The SEABOURN PRIDE Photo : Robert L. Kurte © According to Pamela Conover, Seabourn's president and CEO, each of the new ships "will be three times larger (than those currently in the fleet), but only carry twice the guests. But everything is being designed on a yacht-like scale, so that Seabourn guests walking on board will feel right at home," including maintaining the line's prized nearly one-to-one passengerto-staff ratio. The larger real estate, Conover explains, will allow for "some very large suites. With more space, we can offer more variety on board. There will be attractive alternative dining venues to complement (the line's) open-seating" policy, where passengers choose when and where to dine. Deck, pool and spa areas also will be augmented. A truly revolutionary change for Seabourn, however, will be the addition of true balconies. the new ships also will be faster and, according to Conover, allow Seabourn to enhance the line's itineraries. "We will, for instance, be able to mount a real world cruise," she notes.


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Superior Offshore International acquires Subtech Diving and Marine Superior Offshore International has announced the acquisition of Subtech Diving and Marine Pty Ltd in Durban, South Africa. Subtech Diving and Marine is a well-recognised commercial diving company with operations on the coast of South Africa, the Indian Ocean Basin and throughout the Middle East. Subtech will retain its present management and will operate as Subtech Offshore Pty Ltd, an indirect subsidiary of Superior Offshore International. “We have dramatically increased our geographical footprint and have significantly expanded Superior Offshore International’s ability to provide quality commercial diving, salvage and subsea construction services to our customers worldwide,” said Jim Mermis, President and CEO of Superior Offshore International.

Vopak start bouw van terminal in Antwerpen Vopak start in februari 2007 met de bouw van de Vopak Terminal Linkeroever voor opslag en doorvoer van vloeibare chemicalien in de Belgische stad Antwerpen. Dat heeft 's werelds grootste tankopslagbedrijf voor chemie- en olieproducten maandag bekendgemaakt. "De eerste fase van de nieuwe terminal, met een capaciteit van honderdduizend cbm (verdeeld over 60 tanks), zal in het tweede kwartaal van 2008 worden opgeleverd", aldus Vopak. De uiteindelijke capaciteit zal vierhonderdduizend cbm bedragen.

Aker books construction vessel order Aker Yards has signed a contract with DOF ASA, through its subsidiary DOFCON ASA, for the building of a Construction Vessel. The value of the contract is approximately NOK 500 million (about $80.3 million). The vessel is scheduled to be delivered by Aker Yards, Aukra, Norway in June 2009. The vessel is being built to Aker Yards' OSCV 03 design and is the second vessel of this design under construction for DOF. The vessel is 120 meters long, a beam of 23 m and will be equipped with a large offshore crane. It will be built to DP Class 3.

Norwegian merger creates world's largest offshore operator The Board of Directors of Norsk Hydro and Statoil have agreed to recommend to their shareholders a merger of Hydro's oil and gas activities with Statoil, creating the world's largest offshore operator. The new company will have a combined production of 1.9 million barrels per day in 2007 and proven oil and gas reserves of 6.3 billion barrels of oil equivalents. PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 19 12/18/2006


"Both Hydro and Statoil have developed competence and technologies acknowledged to be among the best in the global energy industry. By combining forces, the new company will be a highly competent and financially strong Norwegian-based energy champion, well positioned to ensure continued domestic excellence and pursue international business opportunities for long-term growth," said Jan Reinas and Jannik Lindbaek, Chairmen of the Board of Directors of Hydro and Statoil, respectively, in a joint statement. "The industry faces an increasingly challenging international landscape. To merge now makes perfect sense." Hydro's shareholders will hold 32.7 percent and Statoil's shareholders will hold 67.3 percent of the new company. Hydro's shareholders will receive 0.8622 shares in the new company for each Hydro share and continue as owners of Hydro. Statoil shareholders will maintain their holdings in the new company on a one-for-one basis. The Norwegian State will hold approximately 62.5 percent in the merged entity. The proposed merger is subject to approval by the general meetings of the two companies as well as by regulatory authorities. The general meetings are expected to be held during second quarter 2007. Final closing is expected to be in the third quarter 2007. In the meantime, Hydro and Statoil will be managed as separate companies. A new name for the merged company will be selected as part of the integration process. The boards propose that Eivind Reiten will become Chairman of the Board of the new company while Helge Lund is proposed as President and Chief Executive Officer. The following Corporate Management Board members have been appointed to key positions in the new company: Eldar Saetre (Chief Financial Officer), Tore Torvund (Exploration and Production Norway), Peter Mellbye (International Exploration and Production), Morten Ruud (Projects), Margareth Oevrum (Technology and New Energy), Rune Bjoernson (Natural Gas), Jon Arnt Jacobsen (Manufacturing and Marketing) and Hilde Merete Aasheim (Head of Group functions). "The merger ensures long-term value creation for shareholders, continued development of competence and innovation and a further strengthening of Norway's role as a globally leading energy supplier," said Eivind Reiten, who remains President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro, which will continue as a focused global aluminium company well positioned for long-term growth. "This is a historic milestone. The time is right for one strong Norwegian-based energy champion. We are creating a stronger and more competitive company. Combining the best of both organizations, we will significantly improve our competitive position internationally and promote long-term vitality of the Norwegian Continental Shelf," said Helge Lund, President and CEO of Statoil. The business address of the merged entity will be in Stavanger. Group functions will be located in both Stavanger and Oslo, and the CEO will operate out of both locations. Main business areas and operations will be managed from Bergen, Oslo and Stavanger. A dedicated team led by Hilde Merete Aasheim will be appointed to plan and execute an efficient integration process. There will be equal job opportunities for Hydro and Statoil employees in the new company.

INCHCAPE’S PETROBRAS DEAL BRAZILIAN state-owned oil company Petrobras has appointed Inchcape Shipping Services as its US port agent. The agreement covers all US ports and represents over 120 port calls a year. ISS Regional Managing Director for North & Central America, Lars Westerberg commented: “We’re delighted with the appointment and honoured by the trust placed in us by this prominent oil major.” Ports of discharge include Corpus Christi, Houston, Beaumont/Port Arthur, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. PSi-Daily Shipping News

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 – 263 ISS has contracted with Transpetro, the tanker operating subsidiary of Petrobras with over 100 owned vessels plus chartered tonnage under its control. Over 40 calls have been handled by ISS since the inception of the agreement in September with vessels of between 35,000 to 80,000 dwt calling at various US ports to discharge crude, diesel, petrochemicals and other products. ISS already represents a number of leading oil companies including British Petroleum, Exxon Mobil and Shell.

Bulgaria Maritime Fleet to Borrow $70m for New Ships NMB, Bulgaria's national maritime fleet, will take out a $70 mln loan from HSH Nordbank AG for the purchase of 3 new vessels, said executive director Hristo Donev. The company is trying to address the problem of its ageing fleet and related high maintenance costs. NMB, which has decommissioned 5 ships over the past couple of months, has placed orders for 2 new vessels with local ship-builder Bulyard. One of them will be furnished as collateral for the Nordbank loan. The loan money will be spent on 2-3 new vessels, possibly manufactured as recently as 2002, said Donev. NMB may also opt to buy vessels still under construction and sell them on. NMB posted a profit of 25.1 mln levs in JanuaryOctober 2006, down 15 mln levs year-on-year. Payroll and social security costs increased by 5.5 mln levs.

The NOVA HOLLANDIA seen enroute Rotterdam – Photo : Frits Janse ©

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Many of the readers will recognize this ex URS lady! She is now owned and operated out of the Canadian West Coast although under Barbados flag. Seabridge Marine is having the OCEAN WRESTLER on TC to tow one of her newbuildings from Dalian to Honolulu. The tow departed Dec 18th and this shot is of the OCEAN WRESTLER shifting to the hook up location off of COSCO Dalian Shipyard Photo : Paul Hilder ©

The ROYAL CLIPPER seen moored in Bridgetown (Barbados) Photo : Piet Westerhuis – Ch.Eng Maasdam ©


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The MSC NAPOLI seen in the port of Cape Town – photo: Ian Shiffman ©

AIRCRAFT / AIRPORT NEWS

Sea King landt op zeedijk

Door de dichte mist die al de hele dag langs de kuststrook hangt, heeft een Sea King van de luchtmachtbasis van Koksijde een landing moeten maken op een parking ter hoogte van de Zeedijk in Sint-Idesbald (Koksijde). File foto : Piet Sinke © Het toestel, dat was opgestegen voor zijn dagelijkse trainingsvlucht, kon maandagmiddag bij zijn terugkeer naar de basis niet meer veilig aan de grond worden gezet door de geringe zichtbaarheid. Ook op het vliegveld van Oostende bleek de mist te dicht om veilig te landen. "Dicht bij de kustlijn was er iets meer zichtbaarheid", licht luitenant-kolonel vlieger Rudy Theys, de commandant van de basis in Koksijde, toe. "De bemanning nam de juiste beslissing door geen risico te nemen en dicht bij het strand te landen. Het toestel wordt bewaakt en zal weer naar de basis vliegen wanneer de mist is opgetrokken", luidt het. Of dit maandag nog zal gebeuren, is twijfelachtig.

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Internet: www.spos.nl Tel : +31 317 399800 E-mail : [email protected] PSi-Daily Shipping News

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Today’s wind (+6Bft) and wave (+3m) chart. Created with SPOS, the onboard weather information & voyage optimisation system, used on over 500 vessels today.

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..

The TESO ferry DOKTER WAGEMAKER seen enroute the Damen Shiprepair yard in Schiedam Photo : Henk van der Heijden © The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or exense 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. If you want to no longer receive this bulletin kindly reply with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.


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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS

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