DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003

Number 003 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Thursday 03-01-2008 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles taken from various news sites.

SVITZER OCEAN TOWAGE Jupiterstraat 33 Telephone : + 31 2555 627 11 2132 HC Hoofddorp Telefax : + 31 2355 718 96 The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected]

Above the 34.671 DWT product tanker 'ALAM CERGAS' build July 2007 at Dalian Shipyard owned by Towertime Holdings in Singapore seen at Dubai Anchorage prior the sale to Sidra Ras Laffan Shipping Company, with as managers Marine Management SCMT of Dubai (UAE) Photo : Reinier Meuleman ©

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 IF YOU HAVE PICTURES OR OTHER SHIPPING RELATED INFORMATION FOR THE NEWS CLIPPINGS ?? PLEASE SEND THIS TO :

[email protected] EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The AZAMARA QUEST with HAL’s VOLENDAM in the background seen moored in Costa Rica Photo : Willem Kappert ©

Gezamenlijke zeepatrouilles Italie en Libie

Italie en Libie gaan gezamenlijke patrouilles op zee uitvoeren in de strijd tegen mensensmokkel en illegale immigratie. Beide landen hebben daartoe een akkoord ondertekend in de Libische hoofdstad Tripoli. Italie levert zes patrouilleboten die zullen worden bemand door zowel Italiaans als Libisch kustwachtpersoneel. Ieder jaar proberen duizenden Afrikanen via Libie de oversteek te maken naar de Europese Unie in de hoop op een beter leven. Meestal gebeurt dat in gammele bootjes.

VLIERODAM WIRE ROPES Ltd. wire ropes, chains, hooks, shackles, webbing slings, lifting beams, crane blocks, turnbuckles etc. Nijverheidsweg 21 3161 GJ RHOON The Netherlands Telephone: (+31)105018000 (+31) 105015440 (a.o.h.) Fax : (+31)105013843

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IVW waarschuwt baggeraars. Overbelading is volgens de Inspectie Verkeer en Waterstaat de aannemelijke hoofdoorzaak voor het kapseizen van de sleephopperzuiger Nautilus van Boskalis in Point Noire in Congo op donderdag 30 november 2006. Drie opvarenden Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 kwamen daarbij om het leven. ‘Vanwege de ernst van de voorlopige bevindingen en de daarmee samenhangende gevaren voor baggerschepen en opvarenden’ heeft de IVW besloten het rapport direct vrij te geven. Het rapport staat op www.ivw.nl onder Nieuws en Meer nieuws. De Raad voor de Scheepvaart in Amsterdam behandelt de zaak op 21 en 22 januari. Op basis van de ladinggegevens van tien nagenoeg achtereenvolgende reizen direct voorafgaand aan het ongeval constateert de IVW dat het schip vaker (ver) overbeladen was: de gemiddeld diepgang was 7,76 meter waar 6,90 meter is toegestaan. Andere oorzaken, zoals vóór het ongeluk opgelopen grote schade, aan de grond lopen en weersomstandigheden konden worden uitgesloten. Het wrak van de Nautilus is gezonken tijdens het verslepen, waardoor geen verder onderzoek meer kon plaatshebben aan het schip zelf.

Norfolk Line’s DUBLIN VIKING – Photo : Wouter van der Veen ©

Piracy remained serious in 2007 and may get worse By Frank Kennedy As the year closes, the situation regarding piracy on the high seas remains of serious concern with the African region showing the greatest risk to seafarers. Waters off Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria are all considered to be 'hot spots' with particular escalation with respect to the use of firearms and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). In the weekly report to be issued today, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said that its Reporting Centre had recorded details of 26 actual and attempted attacks so far this year for Somali waters, with "many" more attacks that may have gone unreported. There are reports of the use of automatic weapons being fired at ships to stop them and occasionally, pirates have used RPGs. Some Somali pirates are believed to be using 'mother vessels' to launch attacks a significant distance from the coast a particular threat to vessels on passage in the shipping lanes that might be considered to be far from the shoreline. The eastern and northeastern coasts of Somalia continue to be the highest risk areas for attacks and hijackings. Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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In early December, the UAE-owned Comoros-flagged cargo ship, Al Marjan, with 22 crew onboard, was released by Somali pirates after being captured off Mogadishu for six weeks. Details of any ransom paid for the release are not known. Kenyan waters have now figured in the IMB's reports with particular warnings that container ships are being targeted in the Mombassa area while the port and anchorages of the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam are presenting a significant risk. In the west of Africa, Nigeria continues to be an area of concern with violent attacks to rob and kidnap crews particularly Lagos. Closer to the Gulf region, in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, a number of suspicious craft reports have been received. These craft either set a collision course, or pursue the ships. However, some agencies do report a tendency of local fishermen to be 'over protective' of their areas of operation and their aggressive actions may be misinterpreted on occasions. This notwithstanding, seafarers are being urged by the IMB to report all suspicious activities. Other significant recent occurrences in the Gulf region also include an act of robbery on a container ship in the Shatt Al Arab. In Bangladesh there is some optimism since the number of attacks reported in 2007 has declined compared with the previous year, but Chittagong anchorage remains high risk. With the exception of Indonesian waters, the Far East shows a more encouraging scenario with the Singapore and Malacca Straits continuing an improvement brought about by increased military patrols by the littoral states. However, seafarers are warned against being complacent and anti-piracy watches continue to be recommended. Indonesian waters remain a problem with, it is believed by the IMB, many incidents being unreported. Thus the above information makes vexing reading and such a global problem does not appear to be getting the highprofile treatment by world leaders that it deserves. Indeed, with over 90 per cent of the world's commercial transportation being conducted by sea, the underlying threat is very significant - particularly with a rapidly increasing expansion of international trade "fired up" by the Asian economy. However, in parallel with that trade expansion, an increase in organised crime has been seen which together with terrorism does produce a threat to shipping that cannot be ignored. With the number of piracy incidents recorded over the past ten years now running in thousands (and a credible belief that the number of unreported incidents far exceeds those reported) and despite the success of localised intervention (the Singapore and Malacca Straits) the worldwide trend shall certainly result in even higher costings by ship operators that will eventually be passed on to the customer, as those incurred so far have been. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (the ISPS Code) has helped, not in a physical sense in that any material provisions in a Ship Security plan will not prevent a determined pirate from boarding a ship. However, ISPS has raised awareness among ship crews that has undoubtedly prevented pirates from being given the opportunity to board in the first place. This notwithstanding, ISPS is not a solution since it does not deal with the root causes of the problem that surely include impoverished coastal nations as well as organised crime and terrorism. As long as a polarised global scenario exists, the conditions that promote lawlessness will prevail to be exploited by the criminal elements and with respect to impoverished coastal states, without international intervention to protect the world fleet from sailing in safety, the menace of piracy will persist - proof of effective control can be seen from the recent success in the Malacca Straits but the littoral states concerned were better equipped to mount such a plan. Other regional situations certainly do not have that potential without external co-operation. Once thing is certain: the issue is a global problem that needs global consensus to tackle it, otherwise it will never go away. Let us hope that 2008 may see a more effective international effort against the creeping menace of piracy. Source : Gulfnews Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide Page 4 1/2/2008


The BOCA GRANDE II seen anchored at Singapore anchorage Photo : Hans Schaefer ©

AIS volgsites zijn illegaal

Het publiek volgen van binnenvaartschepen met AIS (Automatische Identificatie door middel van transponders) op websites is in een recente wijziging van de Scheepvaartverkeerswet zo goed als uitgesloten. 'Het gebruik van AISgegevens is alleen toegestaan voor verkeersmanagement. Elk ander gebruik is illegaal, bij wet verboden', aldus de Nederlandse RIS-projectleider en Rijnvaartcommissaris Ivo ten Broeke. Hij verraste daarmee de ongeveer honderd bezoekers aan de jaarlijkse Telematicadag, zaterdag 29 december in het KSCC Schipperscentrum in Nijmegen. Met de prikkelende vraag 'Heeft de binnenvaartondernemer iets te verbergen?' werd het thema van de dag - Privacy en Elektronisch Melden - scherp aangezet. Inhoudelijk bleek er weinig verschil met voorgaande jaren. Het veelzijdige onderwerp Telematica is geleidelijk versmald tot River Information Services (RIS). De informatiemarkt telde nog drie standhouders, alles speelde zich af in dezelfde zaal. Soep en broodjes smaakten als vanouds. Het nieuwe 'Besluit gegevens scheepvaart 2007' is 20 oktober in werking getreden en sluit het gebruik van AISgegevens door politiediensten en commerciële partijen in de praktijk volledig uit. De privacy van varende ondernemers is hiermee bij wet beschermd. Het laatste restje weerstand tegen AIS ebt weg, bleek tijdens discussies in Nijmegen. Schippers willen nu vooral weten hoe snel ze een gecertificeerde transponder aan boord kunnen krijgen. Altijd leuk, gekoppeld aan de elektronische kaart niet alleen je eigen schip maar ook andere schepen te zien. Zolang het maar niets kost. Ten Broeke moest de onzekerheid over de beschikbaarheid van apparaten nog even laten voortbestaan. De Centrale Commissie voor de Rijnvaart (CCR) heeft een procedure voor typgoedkeuring aangenomen, maar formeel is er nog geen apparaat gecertificeerd. Evenmin is duidelijk onder welke voorwaarden de overheid meebetaalt. Wordt het een subsidie op de aanschaf of verstrekt deoverheid apparaten vanuit centrale inkoop? Alles lijkt nog open. Wel is duidelijk dat er een regeling komt voor zo'n 8000 schepen, naast commerciële vaartuigen ook recreatieschepen langer dan twintig meter, mits gebruikmakend van het Nederlandse vaarwegennet. Ten Broeke kon nog geen termijnen noemen. Voor het gebruik van een AIS-transponder moet eenmalig een zendvergunning worden aangevraagd en betaald, vergelijkbaar met de vergunning voor marifoon en radar die voortaan ook eenmalig is. Voor het verstrekken van een AIS-transponder, onder welke voorwaarden dan ook, heeft de overheid geen toestemming van de Europese Commissie Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 nodig, aangezien deze staatssteun de 200.000 euro per onderneming (deminimis-regeling) niet te boven zal gaan. De prijs van AIS-transponders ligt tussen 2000 en 4000 euro. De gehele tekst is te lezen op: http://www.vaart.nl/log/pivot/entry.php?id=1613

Camilla's 'cursed' liner hit by bug

Passengers on board the new luxury liner Queen Victoria have been struck down with a highly contagious stomach bug, operators Cunard said yesterday. The pound stg. 300 million ($680 million) ship, which was officially launched three weeks ago by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, has had 78 passengers taken ill with the norovirustype vomiting bug since the liner set sail. Photo : Albert Kappers © It left Southampton for a 16-day Christmas cruise around the Canary Islands on December 21. Traditional omens of bad luck seem to have come true for the liner, because Camilla failed to smash the bottle of champagne when the vessel was launched in Southampton. A spokesman for Cunard said that presently only 25 guests were ill out of a total of 3000 passengers and crew. He said the bug, which was likely to be norovirus, was not on the maiden voyage of the 90,000-tonne liner and so it was thought a passenger could have brought it aboard. Source : The Australian

One dead in port accident A Bangladeshi worker died and an Indian was seriously injured at Ajman Port on Friday when some containers being loaded on a ship fell after the vessel tilted under their load. An Ajman Police source said the two workers, from the Ajman Port, were loading containers on the ship Mansour belonging to Marwan Navigation and Trade Company, when suddenly the ship tilted and one container fell on them, followed by others. The police said they immediately dispatched Civil Defence as they received a call on Friday afternoon. Speaking to Khaleej Times, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Sheihi, spokesman of Ajman Civil Defence, said that the rescue mission and coastguards arrived at the scene and rushed the injured Indian worker to Khalifa Hospital. The rescue mission team lifted the containers from the sea by using cranes to retrieve the Bangladeshi worker’s body, but failed in their efforts until late Friday evening. However, on Saturday morning the body was found floating on the water surface. Source : Khaleej Times

Cunard Line Queens to Meet in New York Harbor Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 On Sunday, January 13, 2008, Cunard Line operator of The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World will, for the first and only time, sail their three liner Queens “ flagship Queen Mary 2, famed Queen Elizabeth 2 and the new Queen Victoria -- together out of New York harbor. The regal fleet is scheduled to depart at 6:30 p.m. Queen Mary 2 will depart from her home port, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal while QE2 will depart from Pier 92 and Queen Victoria will depart from Pier 88 both at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Then, the three Queens will rendezvous and sail past the Statue of Liberty during a spectacular fireworks celebration at approximately 7:00 p.m. This is the first-time in Cunard's 168-year history that three Queens have been in service at the same time and with QE2 retiring in November 2008 will be the only time they will be together, offering a maritime history- making moment. Source : MarineLink

The Danish tug BB OCEAN seen operating in Lyme Bay (UK) Photo : Piet Sinke ©

INDONESIAN-FLAG SHIP HELD IN SRI LANKA

THE Indonesian-flag dry cargo ship Le Wing is in Galle naval base, Sri Lanka, after arousing the suspicions of the authorities that it might involved in supplying weapons to the rebel Tamil Tigers.

The ship does not appear in the Equasis database but is reported to be owned by a Singapore-based businessman. The 12 crew members, all Indonesians say the ship “ran out of fuel” and drifted for two weeks until the Sri Lankan Navy intercepted it and towed it to Galle. The crew members have been taken off and one report says they have been handed over to the Indonesian embassy. According to the crew the ship was on passage from Mumbai to a Thai port with cargo machinery. Source : Maritime Global Net


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Lifeboat begins towing trawler to shore

The Dún Laoghaire Lifeboat has successfully put a tow-line on a trawler which is drifting without power in the Irish Sea. It has now begun towing the crippled vessel back to shore.

The lifeboat was launched shortly after the Dublin Coast Guard was alerted to a fire on the 24-metre trawler, which lay more than 48km out to sea. The four-man trawler crew managed to put out the fire and there were no injuries. The lifeboat with its volunteer crew arrived at the scene at about 9pm. They took the disabled trawler in tow and expect to make it back safely to Dún Laoghaire by 4 or 5am. Source : RTE News

Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam and Westerdam with Celebrity’s Millennium together in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo : Danielle Rosenow ©

Amerikaans schip redt drie vissers voor kust van Kreta Een Amerikaans oorlogsschip heeft vrijdag drie gestrande vissers opgevist voor de kust van het Griekse eiland Kreta. Het gaat om een Libiër en twee Tunesiërs. Dat heeft een Griekse minister zaterdag gemeld. Het Amerikaans schip haalde de drie mannen ten zuiden van Kreta uit het water en bracht de Griekse autoriteiten op de hoogte. De Grieken hebben de drie vissers dan overgebracht naar de haven van Souda, waar ze in het ziekenhuis werden opgenomen voor de eerste zorgen. Nadien werden ze overgebracht naar een hotel in de stad. Volgens de eerste verklaringen van de slachtoffers hadden ze hun boot verlaten omdat die in panne was en water begon te maken. Source : De Morgen

Cash In Containers

Criminal networks are thought to be turning to bulk shipping containers to smuggle bundles of cash out of Australia as tougher monitoring of the banking and financial sector drives money launderers further underground. Anti-money Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, including stricter identity checks and the need to report large or suspicious cash transactions, are being extended to real estate agents, jewellers, accountants and lawyers. Authorities believe the crackdown will lead to shipping containers carrying exports becoming a prime smuggling route for bulk cash earned from crimes such as drug-trafficking. "We barely check outgoing containers," said John Walker, chief executive of Wollongong University's Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention. The first round of tougher anti-money laundering measures, covering the financial sector, gaming industry, money transfer agencies and bullion dealers, came into force on December 12. Professor Walker said the new laws were probably successful, "not so much in reducing the amount of money laundering, but making the launderers go elsewhere". Bulk cash smuggling through cargo containers, private boats, light aircraft or airline passengers acting as couriers was "one of two fairly obvious options they could use", he said. The other was transfer pricing, where businesses falsely underestimated or inflated the value of import or export items to move the proceeds of crime backwards and forwards. An attempt is under way to gauge for the first time how much of Australia's estimated $4.5 billion worth of annual money laundering involves bulk cash smuggling. The university is asking law enforcement and government agencies here and overseas to estimate how much cash is being smuggled out of Australia, before being laundered overseas and then brought back as "legitimate" income. A US report in 2003 warned that $US1.84 billion of trade between Australia and the US was "anomalous" and might be a front for money laundering. Under Australian law, anyone exporting more than $10,000 in cash has to declare it to the Australian authorities. "The mechanisms we have available for catching people smuggling money in and out of the country are limited basically to people coming in or out on a plane," Professor Walker said. "You can only carry so much on your person or in your suitcase." Attempting to estimate the extent of bulk cash smuggling was made more difficult because official crime statistics did not include it as an offence. "So even though there are some cases going to court, you can't identify them in the official statistics," Professor Walker said. "But you know the statistics are only catching a tiny fraction." Professor Walker said he had already received a number of "really useful responses" to his survey of law enforcement agencies, and he aimed to produce a draft report, with a "guesstimate" of the scale of the problem, by the end of next month. "We have some idea, we think, of how much money is being laundered, but we can't really partition it into how much goes in bulk cash and how much goes in the financial system and how much is laundered through trade-based mechanisms," he said. "In Australia, most people are unwilling to put a figure on it. It is quite hard to know how best to address a problem if you can't quantify it." Source : Shiptalk

Norwegian ship continues cruise after hitting iceberg in Antarctica

The captain of the Norwegian cruise ship Fram which hit an iceberg in Antarctica confirmed Sunday that the cruise would continue as planned. The passengers are due to fly home after a planned arrival in Ushuaia on January 2.

The cruise ship which had 318 passengers on board drifted into an iceberg in Antarctica overnight Saturday but there were no injuries. The accident was caused by engine failure, according to the Norwegian Coastal Voyage Group, Hurtigruten, in Narvik. Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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The FRAM – Photo : Nico Ouwehand © The crew were able to get the engine started again outside Brown Bluff, the company said, claiming that passengers had remained calm. The captain had mustered the passengers and some of the 71 crew members on board to the upper deck. However, according to Norwegian media reports, passengers said that there had been some "nervousness" on board. "Our impression was not that the crew was in control," passenger Erling Hene was quoted as saying by Oslo daily VG. The cruise company had said that the ship had not hit the iceberg "particularly hard," and had only sustained superficial damage to the vessel. "It was just after finishing a planned landing at Brown Bluff that the incident happened at 0930 local time," according to the company statement. Safety procedures were started and all passengers were assembled, the statement said. It was then decided to go to the Chilean airbase Frei at King George's Island where an investigation into the damage was conducted, the company said. The cruise ship Explorer sank in Antarctica after hitting an iceberg at the end of the November. All 154 passengers and crew members were evacuated. The MS Fram is the latest addition to the Norwegian Coastal Voyage Group's fleet and is specially adapted for Polar cruises.

The newbuilding VOS TRADER left the builders bound for Montrose Photo : Wil Kik © Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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CASUALTY REPORTING Tel: +31 115 645000 - www.multraship.com

Thai ship capsizes, 11 sailors feared drowned in Brunei Bay Eleven sailors are feared drowned after the timber-laden ship they were sailing on sank in Brunei Bay near Malaysia's Labuan island last Wednesday, local media reported on Monday. The Thailand-registered MV Emerald left Kota Kinabalu Port, Malaysian eastern Sabah state, on Dec. 24 and was heading for Bangkok when rough waves and strong winds caused the ship to sink. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency was notified of the incident when two Thai crew members were rescued by Brunei maritime authorities 30 nautical miles from Brunei on Dec. 28. The two rescued sailors are currently in Brunei. Search and rescue operations were ongoing for the remaining seven Myanmars and four Thais in waters close to Labuan and in Brunei Bay within a 30 to 50 nautical mile radius, Malaysian First Admiral Ahmad Puzi Abdul Kahar said on Sunday. "We were notified by Brunei maritime authorities and are working with the Brunei Maritime Control Center to look for the missing sailors," the New Straits Times quoted him as saying. Other agencies involved in search and rescue were the Malaysian navy, air force and marine police. "The vessel was traveling at a speed of between 10 and 15 knots and we believe it sank about 100 to 150 nautical miles from Kota Kinabalu." The cargo of sawn timber and plywood was scheduled to arrive in Bangkok on Sunday, according to him. He warned other boats and ships traveling out to sea to be cautious of rough waves that could reach up to five meters in waters off Kota Kinabalu. Source : Chinaview

Chinese Rescue

Chinese rescue authorities said on Friday (28 Dec) that 25 Chinese crew members aboard a Panama-registered cargo ship had been rescued, a few hours after the ship became trapped off the north China coast due to a motor malfunction. The 10,000-ton-class vessel was trapped in the Bohai Sea in the early hours of the morning while it was en route from Yantai city to Dalian city, according to the salvation bureau. The rescue team found the ship 45 minutes after it received an SOS and towed it to Dalian port with cables around 9 a.m.. Bureau officials said the rescue was timely, because winds reaching 20 meters per second were approaching the area, according to forecasts. Source : Shiptalk


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NAVY NEWS 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]

Navy's training programme offers matriculants hi-tech skills

With South Africa's batch of 2007 matriculants having last week received their results and now examining their future prospects, the South African Navy - laden with a raft of newly-acquired, high-tech equipment - is looking to recruit and train youngsters going forward, writes Shaun Benton. Roland Shortt, the commander of the S102, the second of the three submarines ordered from Germany, told BuaNews that an ideal situation for the submarine service of the SA Navy would be the use of four crews to "man" - or, rather, "person" - the three submarines. Commander Shortt was responding earlier in December to claims in local media that the Navy was looking at a very tight staffing complement, with reports that it would not have enough skilled submariners to keep all three of the new submarines in South African waters. Defending the Navy's staffing predicament, Commander Shortt said that at any given time, most Navies would see a submarine dry-docked and undergoing routine maintenance, thus reducing the need for a full staff complement. It was not unusual for a navy to keep a submarine out of the waters and under maintenance at any given time, Commander Shortt said, speaking as a commissioned officer with a staff wish-list while conceding that many skilled staffers left Navy for financially greener pastures. However, the commander did concede that the ideal situation would be one where the Navy had one extra crew to back up its existing three crews in the case of sickness or other reasons for absenteeism. Four crews would be ideal to staff - in rotation - the three new submarines, the third of which is expected to arrive from Germany and be commissioned by the Navy in May 2008. Commander Shortt said he was also forced to contemplate a skills depletion that has seen navy-trained, skilled artisans departing for the private sector, in South Africa and in off-shore business, such as the booming West African oil industry. Ironically, the intensive training provided by the Navy, combined with the military discipline and strong sense of purpose imparted to youngsters, means that Navy-trained artisans are in high demand by private sector companies. By the same token, this makes the Navy a desirable destination for youths - including those who may not be able to afford the costs of further education - who wish to pick up skills while serving in the country's defence forces.


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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 Not a single of the 30-odd crew members on each of the submarines can operate without intensive training, said Commander Shortt, adding that all of his crew are well-trained electricians, mechanics, information technology specialists or have other artisan skills. The new "turnkey" submarines - meaning that they are all brand-new, straight-off-the-shelf submarines from their German manufacturers - are all diesel and battery-powered underwater vehicles equipped with the latest technology and which require highly-trained staff to operate them. The three submarines are Class 209-Type 1400 MOD diesel-electric powered, and the full scope of the acquisition includes logistic support products, services, and equipment that includes simulators, test equipment, documentation and spares. And, according to documents provided by the Navy, to ensure the effective transfer of technology and the ability for the local submarines to be locally supported, a resident in-country support team is to be based in Simonstown for five years. The average mission duration of each of the 62-metre-long submarine is 45 days, while their total cruising range is around 10 000 nautical miles, with the navy arguing that they provide a "force-multiplier", meaning that it would need many more surface ships to provide the same level of defence and deterrence that the subs provide. At the same, the four new Corvettes acquired by the Navy, while not necessarily all requiring the same level of skill as that demanded of the submariners, also represent increased demand for disciplined Naval staffers. Navy PR officer Lieutenant-Commander Prince Tshabalala himself grumbled to BuaNews about the high take-up by the private sector of the Navy's well-trained staff. However, he shrugs off the Navy's "skills drain" with the knowledge that at least, and for the most part, the Naval staffers leaving for the private sector go on to provide much-needed skills to the country's economy, thus boosting local productivity and efficiency and making South African a more competitive player in the global economy. At the same time, Lieutenant-Commander Tshabalala says, there is space for a mechanism whereby the private sector could provide for some payback to the Navy, either financially or through apprenticeships or other forms or reciprocation. In mid-December, the Chief of the Navy, Vice-Admiral Refiloe Mudimu officiated at a function at the deep water port of Saldanha on South Africa's west coast where over 300 young men and women graduated after successfully completing the Military Skills Development programme. The graduation ceremony marked the completion of training for the 325 youngsters before they left for more specialised training by the navy, to prepare them for future utilisation in the Navy's fleets. The naval training unit, known as SAS Saldanha, has trained more than 1 700 young South African men and women since its inception in 2003. And it is not only military skills that are taught but basic life skills as well. The Military Skills Development (MSD) programme is a two-year voluntary training programme with the first six months focusing on the transition from civilian life to military culture. In the remaining 18 months, the MSD recruits are deployed in the Navy's fleets for further training enhanced by practical experience. On top of this, and to provide youngsters with the opportunity to find employment at the end of their two-year contract, the Naval Gymnasium Programme, which falls under the MSD programme - which in turn forms part of the Department of Defence's "HR 210 rejuvenation sub-strategy" - equips youngsters with enhanced life skills. Overall, the programme includes training in "naval competencies", which includes organisational studies, maritime practices and physical fitness. Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 The life skills component includes a focus on "financial health" as well as computer literacy, maritime first aid, "musketry", platform operator training and fire-fighting. The "platform operator training" component includes occupational health and safety as well as training in electrics, mechanics and internal combustion systems for ships, with all the elements combining to enable recruits to confidently enter the private sector job market should they not wish to extend their career in the Navy. The Navy itself, however, has incentives to retain recruits, including officers' courses enabling recruits to reach command level should they make the grade. Source : BuaNews

USS Norfolk Deploys

The Los Angeles class fast-attack submarine USS Norfolk (SSN 714) departed Naval Station Norfolk's Pier 3 Dec. 28, beginning a regularly scheduled six-month independent deployment. Norfolk will deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Cmdr. Troy Jackson, Norfolk's commanding officer, said his crew is ready for every mission they are given. "The crew is fired up and ready to go," said Jackson. "They've worked very hard over the past several months. They've put in a lot of hard work and effort. We've also received a lot of support from our parent squadron (Commander Submarine Squadron 6), our maintenance organization, and we also received a lot of support during our recent stay in Groton. I can't say enough about the support we've received to get us to this point." Norfolk is deploying independently, without a carrier or expeditionary strike group. This type of deployment brings special challenges for Jackson and his crew. "The challenges of deploying independently are that we won't have associated support directly with us, such as additional force protection that other units can provide," said Jackson. "It also brings opportunities, in that we can be a little more flexible in our operations and what we're permitted to do." Norfolk is 360-ft. long, displaces 6,900 tons of water, and can travel in excess of 25 knots.

SHIPYARD NEWS

Korea to build drill ships Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., the world's third-largest shipyard, received a contract to build a drill ship for $646 million as global economic growth increases fuel demand. The vessel, which will be able to drill for oil in deep waters, will be delivered to a company somewhere in Oceania by July 2011, Seoul-based Daewoo Shipbuilding said in a regulatory filing, without disclosing the name of the buyer.


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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 Oil companies, including PetroChina Co. and Exxon Mobil Corp., are spending more money to explore and produce fuel as consumption increases in countries such as China. That has led to a fifth consecutive year of record orders for yards in South Korea, the world's biggest shipbuilding nation. Source : The Vancouver Sun

Kawasaki builds fewer vessels to focus on 2008 deliveries

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, Japan's second-largest maker of heavy equipment, said it built fewer ships this year as it allocated resources for deliveries scheduled in 2008. Five handymax dry-bulk vessels, two liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, two liquefied petroleum gas carriers and a very large crude carrier, were built at its Kobe and Sakaide shipyards in western Japan, Kobe-based Kawasaki Heavy said in a statement. The ships have a combined capacity of 544,417 gross tonnes, 52 per cent less than the 15 ships produced last year. Kawasaki Heavy, which started as a shipbuilder in 1878, completed fewer bulk carriers and oil tankers this year because more ships are being readied for deliveries next year, the company said. It typically takes about three to four years to deliver a ship from the time the order is placed. The dip in the number of ships completed doesn't reflect falling demand or competition from rivals, Kawasaki Heavy spokes-man Takuho Mieno said. The company's shipyards have enough orders to operate at full capacity until the second half of 2011, he said. Kawasaki Heavy, which makes products ranging from motorcycles and rail cars to aircraft parts and robots, got about eight per cent of its 1.4 trillion yen ($124 billion) in annual sales from shipbuilding in the year ended March 31. Shares of Kawasaki Heavy rose 3.7 per cent to close at 340 yen on the Tokyo stock exchange on Friday. The stock has fallen 24 per cent this year, compared with a 10 per cent dip in the benchmark Topix index. Source : Gulfnews Westerkade 7a 3016 CL Rotterdam The Netherlands Tel : (+31) 10 436 62 93 Fax : (+31) 10 436 62 86 E-mail : [email protected]

Transport & Offshore Services – TOS “world wide supplier of nautical technical personnel”.

Northrop Grumman to Build Amphibious Vessel Northrop Grumman Corp. recently won a $1b contract from the U.S. Navy to build the ninth vessel of LPD-17 Class of amphibious transport ships. Northrop Grumman is building ships for the $13.5b Navy program at its facilities in Avondale, La., and Pascagoula, Miss. The LPD-17s, which stand for Landing Platform Dock, are amphibious assault vessels. Work on the latest ship will be performed at Avondale, near New Orleans, and in Pascagoula and is expected to be completed in 2011. Source : MarineLink

Hyundai Heavy Aims for $27b orders in 2008 Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. said it was aiming to win $27.4b worth of orders in 2008 from an estimated $26.9 billion in 2007, the South Korean firm said on Monday. Hyundai said in filings with the Korea Exchange it was also aiming to post annual revenue of $19.34b won in 2008, up 16 percent won in 2007. The company also said the 2007 estimated Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 order total represented a 42 percent jump from 2006, while the 2007 revenue figure represented a 24 percent increase. Source: Reuters

Volgograd Shipyard Laid Vessel for Cyprian Company

On December, 27 the Volgograd Shipyard (enters MNP Group) laid a head dry cargo vessel of Volgo-Don max class (project 007RSD07), press-service of MNP reports. It is said that the contract on building 4 multipurpose vessels was closed in August 2007. The customer is Tanais Marine Group. The company also has an option for 2 other ships. The project of the vessel was worked by Maritime Engineering Bureau. Technical data: the length – 140 m, the breadth – 16.7 m, hull height – 6 m, the draught (river) – 3.6 m, the draught (sea) – 4.6 m, the speed – 10.5 knots. Crew - 13 members. Source : SeaNews

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES

The STENA BRITANNICA seen approaching her berth at the Stena Line - Hoek van Holland terminal Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Floating nightclub to move One of the UK's most popular floating nightclubs is to close after this year's New Years Eve party. Tuxedo Princess, also known as 'The Boat', has been moored on the River Tyne for nearly a quarter of a century and is a favorite spot for VIPs and celebrities. The former Irish Sea ferry boasts 12 bars, two discos, and has a capacity of 3,000 people, so her final party is likely to be one to remember. Her loss to the North East as a result of the regeneration of Gateshead Quayside is likely to be Northern Ireland's gain, however, as the ship is expected to open there next year. Source : Motor Boats Monthly Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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EXPLORER LOAD 28 YACHTS

In La Rochelle (France) Dockwise Yacht Transport’s EXPLORER loaded 28 yachts for transportation to Martinique Photo : Fop Leder – Loading Master © Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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Maersk orders Halfdan control module

Maersk Oil has contracted Semco Maritime for a new wellhead control module for its Halfdan BB platform in the Danish North Sea. The equipment for the 600 ton (544 metric ton) module will comprise main and distribution switchboards; a hydraulic power pack and control panel; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; systems for emergency shut down, supervisory control and data acquisition, and fire and gas monitoring. Steel structure and spool fabrication and installations are being performed at Semco's yard in Esbjerg. After testing the completed module, it should be delivered to Maersk end-March.

Hamburg verhoogt havengeld met 4 procent

De havenautoriteiten van Hamburg verhogen het havengeld per 1 januari 2008 met 4 procent. Volgens Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) is de relatief forse tariefstijging noodzakelijk om de uitbreiding van de haven te financieren. Bremen/Bremerhaven houdt de verhoging op 3 procent. Eerder maakte de haven van Rotterdam een tariefverhoging van gemiddeld 1,7 procent. Source : Nieuwsblad Transport

Finnlines weg in Zeebrugge Finnlines stopt zijn dienst tussen Zeebrugge en Finland. De Finse rederij kocht ruimte aan boord van schepen van Godby Shipping die voor rekening van UPM-Kymmene papier vervoeren tussen Finland en de Spaanse havens Santander en El Ferrol.

Foto : Henk van der Lugt © Omdat er weinig retourlading in Spanje is, keerden de twee ro/ro-schepen uit de dienst via Zeebrugge naar Finland terug. Nu Finnlines Belgium geen lading meer op beide schepen gaat boeken, varen ze Zeebrugge voorbij. Finnlines blijft wel actief vanuit Antwerpen, waar drie vertrekken per week naar Finse havens zijn. Elke woensdag is er een afvaart naar Turku. Op zaterdag wordt lading voor Helsinki en vanaf dit jaar ook weer voor Hamina meegenomen. Elke vrijdag komt een ro/ro-schip dat uit Bilbao terugkeert, in de Scheldehaven bijladen voor Helsinki. Source : Nieuwsblad transport

Maersk verkoopt recordschepen

Maersk Line heeft drie vroegere recordschepen verkocht aan de Griekse rederij Costamare. Het gaat om de Regina Maersk en de zusterschepen Katrine en Kirsten Maersk. Bij haar oplevering in 1996 was de Regina Maersk met afstand het grootste containerschip ter wereld. Volgens Maersk kan dit eerste in Denemarken gebouwde postpanamax-schip 6.000 teu laden, maar de werkelijke nominale capaciteit bedraagt ruim 7.000 teu. Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 De verkoop van de drie schepen is louter een financiële operatie. Maersk huurt de schepen immers onmiddellijk terug van hun nieuwe eigenaar en houdt het trio in zijn netwerk. Met de opbrengst van de verkoop kan de rederij nieuwe schepen financieren. Afgelopen week nam de Singaporese vestiging van de A.P. Møller Maersk groep nog de nieuwbouw Maersk Antares in de vaart. Dit door Samsung gebouwde schip heeft een capaciteit van 9.600 teu en wordt ingeschakeld in de AE2dienst tussen het Verre Oosten en Noord-Europa. Source : Nieuwsblad Transport

The HAVILA HARMONY seen anchored off Singapore Photo : Hans Schaefer ©

Delivery of Phenix The tug Phenix was delivered 18th December 2007 from Astilleros Gondan. The vessel will continue to Southamton, where the vessel will be operating along with Thrax and Tenax at the Esso Terminal at Fawley.


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Spanje Van wie zijn de schatten in vergane scheepswrakken? Strijd om gezonken miljarden

Wie vanaf een Zuid-Spaans strand zijn blik laat gaan over de blauwe Middellandse Zee, heeft waarschijnlijk geen flauw idee van wat er werkelijk onder de golven ligt. Behalve kwallen, een toevallige walvis en de gebruikelijke rommel herbergt een van ’s werelds drukste waterwegen ook nog iets anders. Iets waarvan elke vakantievierder wel een graantje zou willen meepikken. Volgens maritieme historici ligt er vlak voor de Spaanse kustlijn meer goud en zilver dan in de kluizen van de Spaanse Bank. Er zouden zevenhonderd wrakken liggen, van Romeinse galeien en Spaanse galjoenen tot aan Britse vliegdekschepen. Veel van de galjoenen hadden de ruimen vol met goud, zilver en brons, vers geplunderd uit de Spaanse kolonies. Het rijk van de Spanjaarden strekte zich tussen de zestiende en negentiende eeuw uit van Amerika tot aan de Filippijnen. Veel schepen haalden de thuishaven net niet door zware stormen, de brutaliteit van piraten of aanvallen van rivaliserende vloten. Archeologen denken dat er alleen al onder de mediterrane golven schatten verborgen liggen met een waarde van honderd miljard euro. Maar ze geven allemaal grif toe dat dit niet meer dan schattingen zijn. Ook elders in de wereldzeeën liggen verzonken miljoenen. Nu, honderden jaren nadat de gouden snuisterijen en zilveren dukaten naar de zeebodem zijn gezonken, is er een internationale strijd ontbrand om de rechten van al deze schatten. De afstammelingen van de conquistadores zijn namelijk niet van plan om al die miljoenen zomaar af te geven aan 21e-eeuwse piraten die met de modernste middelen de zeebodem afschuimen. Het Spaanse ministerie van Cultuur heeft de maritieme archeologen van Nerea Arqueologia Subacuatica(NAS) de opdracht gegeven om een schatkaart te tekenen. De bedoeling is om een lijst te maken van alle gezonken galjoenen, over de hele wereld. Zo moeten anderen ervan weerhouden worden het Spaanse erfgoed te stelen’.

De ODYSSEY EXPLORER afgemeerd in Portland Foto : Piet Sinke © De Spaanse overheid was onlangs not amused toen het Amerikaanse Odyssey Marine Explorations honderden gouden en zilveren munten wegsnaaide uit een ‘geheim’ wrak vlak voor de Spaanse kust. De opbrengst bedroeg naar Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide Page 20 1/2/2008

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 verluidt 340 miljoen euro. Volgens Spanje bevond het wrak zich in de territoriale wateren, maar Odyssey ontkent dat. De Spanjaarden vertrouwen het bedrijf echter niet, omdat het geen enkele informatie over het wrak wil prijsgeven, behalve dat het gaat om de Black Swan. De Spaanse marine enterde zelfs een boot van Odyssey, maar het schip moest later worden vrijgegeven. De zaak dient momenteel voor een rechtbank in het Spaanse Tampa. Het is vooral duidelijk geworden dat de Spanjaarden zich niet meer in de luren willen laten leggen door schatzoekers. Javier Noriega, het hoofd van NAS, toont een bijna religieuze gedrevenheid. Hij wil koste wat kost voorkomen dat schatzoekers historische plaatsen gaan uitmelken voor eigen gewin. ‘Het is nu net alsof iemand zomaar de Giralda (de bekende toren van Sevilla’s kathedraal) heeft meegenomen’, zegt Noriega. ‘Spaanse archeologen zien de goederen aan boord van een wrak niet als iets om geld aan te verdienen. Wij hebben het niet over ‘schatten’. Wij zijn geïnteresseerd in onderzoek, en in wat dat onderzoek ons kan leren over het verleden.’

Post Structure in Caland Canal

The post structure “Dolphins 80”, which was opened this summer in the Caland Canal, has been used by more than 70 ships in the intervening 6 months or more. 52 of these, including 9 VLCCs, were loaded and unloaded ship to ship. In 21 operations, a total of 2.3 mn tonnes of cargo were transferred, mainly fuel oil. 18 ships moored there awaiting a berth elsewhere or for bunkering, the pressservice of the Port of Rotterdam reports. It is said the facility also attracts transhipment operations which would otherwise take place in open sea off the coast of Denmark and England, for example. The post structure is a safer and more reliable alternative. Due to the positive response from the market and the operational and nautical advantages, the Port of Rotterdam Authority is considering replacing buoys 78 and 79 in the Caland Canal, which have to be relocated, with posts too. These would then serve smaller vessels, with a draught of up to 14.5 metres. Source : SeaNews

Work begins on world’s largest cruise ship

The keel of what will be the world’s biggest passenger ship has been laid down at the Aker shipyard in Finland marking the beginning of the construction phase of what has been dubbed “Project Genesis.” When completed the vessel will be 360 metres in length, have space for 5,400 passengers and be 40 per cent larger than the present record holder, according to the ship’s owners, Royal Caribbean International. The ship is due to start service in autumn 2009 and will be based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Each berth will cost 230,000 dollars to build, making Project Genesis the most expensive cruise ship ever. Royal Caribbean plans to launch two vessels in this class. The second ship is expected to be completed by August 2010. Facilities aboard the ships will include a “surf park for wave riders, a climbing wall and an ice rink. The gross tonnage of the 71 metre wide and 73 metre high ship is 220 000 tonnes,” the company said. Currently the largest passenger ships afloat are the Royal Caribbean’s two Freedom Class vessels that weigh 160 000 tonnes each. The Freedom Class is due to get a third ship in May next year when the “Independence of the Seas” is launched. Source : Khaleej Times Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide Page 21 1/2/2008


Fairplay becomes a major shareholder in Smit Internationale On Monday 31st of December2007 Smit Internationale and Fairplay Towage agreed that Smit will acquire Fairplay's share in their joint company URS. Fairplay will become a significant shareholder in Smit.

The FAIRPLAY 23 seen in action at the British south coast. Photo : Piet Sinke © For Fairplay Towage this participation creates a strategic interest in one of the worlds most renowned towage providers. The transaction will give an international dimension to Fairplay's continuing European towage activities.

Shanghai port remains world top in cargo throughput

The cargo throughput of Shanghai port reached 560 million tonnes in 2007, ranking the first in the world for the third straight year, the Shanghai Port and Shipping Bureau said Monday. The cargo volume grew by 4.2 percent from 2006. The throughput of TEUs (twenty-foot container equivalent units) at Shanghai port increased by 20.4 percent to reach 26.15 million, the bureau said. The cargo throughput of Shanghai port reached 443 million tonnes in 2005, surpassing the Port of Singapore to become the largest in terms of cargo throughput. The Shanghai port now has 42 TEU piers and routes to more than 300 ports worldwide. Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2008 – 003 The municipal government authorities have been striving to build the Shanghai port into an international shipping center. Source : Xinhua

MOVEMENTS

The 2004 built HARREN & PARTNER ship PANAGIA seen leaving Valletta on Monday 24th December 2007 after she loaded STPM Buoy 5 from Malta Shipyards with her next port of call is Mumbai, India to offload the passenger ship SIR WINSTON (with her port registry as Miami, Florida built in 2000 & 587Gt). She was piloted by Senior Pilot Anthony S. Chetcuti Photo : Lawrence Dalli - Malta Ship Photos ©

The cruise ship " Mercury " arriving Port Chalmers, New Zealand for a one day visit on the 2nd January 2008. Photo : Ross Walker ©

MARINE WEATHER THIS SECTION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY : Distribution : daily 3675+ copies worldwide

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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 1000 vessels today.

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..


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Klyne tug’s ANGLIAN EARL seen moored in Portland Photo : Piet Sinke ©

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DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS

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